Archive for the ‘5 minute sparklers’ Category
Halloween Sensory Tub
We Dig Halloween!
I bought these black beans and orange lentils for another Halloween craft but when we made it the real hit was scooping and pouring… and spilling! So we ran out to the dollar store got some fun plastic creatures to add to it to complete this easy DIY sensory tub that is small enough for even the tiniest apartment.
- Gather your materials. You will need a plastic container, some dried black beans, some dried orange lentils, we added macaroni for bones, a spoon/scoop, some plastic spiders, snakes and other spooky creatures!
- Have your child help pour the beans and lentils into the tub.
- Grab the creatures and hide them under the beans.
- Explore!
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Holiday 5 Minute Sparklers
Quick Fixes !
I have been using my 5 minute sparklers a lot lately, between writing holiday cards, online shopping , wrapping presents and trying to keep all the ornaments on my tree, I need lots of short things for my son to do. Here is my holiday version!
- Christmas Play Dough. All you need is some food coloring, sparkles and a few holiday shaped cookie cutters and you are good to go.
- Button Counting. My son loved how the buttons sounded in my ramekins, we sorted them and then counted them.
- “Snow” Bubbles. Playing in the sink is a favorite in our house . I used an upside down bowl and a 2nd on top to make a good and big target for my son to scoop into , it helps keep too much water off him and the floor. It looks oddly high in this picture, it’s actually lower in the sink.
- Holiday Shape Drawings. This is so easy! Grab a few pieces of plain white paper, cut them in the shape of a Christmas tree, candy cane, ornament… anything! I pre cut 8 pages so I have some ready when I need them. When you need your little one t
o be busy for a few minutes grab the paper and markers and you are set!
Quick Fixes!
Fast and Easy !
Sometimes long weekends means there are parties, BBQ and big events that don’t allow
you the time for big elaborate crafts but you can fit these quick fixes into even the busiest schedule, even if it’s just allowing your child to “help” you get some things done.
you the time for big elaborate crafts but you can fit these quick fixes into even the busiest schedule, even if it’s just allowing your child to “help” you get some things done.
- Kitchen Caper! My son loves “helping” me cook. He has never been a big eater but if he helps make the food he always eats it. Here he is helping me make cookies, don’t worry the mixer is unplugged , we count , scoop, measure and pour while making treats! Oh and be the official butter taste tester!
- Water Scooping. I propped up a plastic mixing bowl on top of another filled it with water and let him splash and scoop.
- Patio drawing ! Out door chalk is awesome, it comes clean with water, and comes in bright fun colors.
- At Home Museum! We grabbed some Art books and looked for cats, boats and apples in the paintings, it lasted almost 40 minutes and made no mess! Here we are enjoying gothic architecture!
Mr. Fix it!
Hammer Heads!
This is an old preschool staple, but none of my mommy friends had ever heard of it, so I am sharing so everyone can try this super simple and fun activity.
- Gather your materials. You will need some Styrofoam, golf tees, a play hammer and your child. Seriously how simple is that?
- Put the golf tees in the Styrofoam – don’t push them all the way in though.
- Add your little one and let them pound it in.
- You will not want to leave them unattended, in case a tee breaks, or small bits of the Styrofoam breaks off. So watch carefully as they have a blast hammering! Oh and don’t tell them they are building fine motor skills too!
Song!
This Is The Way We Build A House
This is the way we pound our nails,
pound our nails, pound our nails,
This is the way we pound our nails, so early in the morning.
This is the way we turn the screw,
Turn the screw, turn the screw
This is the way we turn the screw, so early in the morning.
This is the way we saw the wood
saw the wood, saw the wood,
This is the way we saw the wood, so early in the morning!
This is the way we build a house,
build a house, build a house.
This is the way we build a house so early in the morning!
Book!
” Building a House” by Byron Barton is a no frills look at how homes are built. The bright colors and concise wording is perfect for preschoolers. I love that there is writing on one page and illustrations on the other, makes it super easy to show children the pictures as well as for them to see you follow the text with your finger!
Quick Fixes!
5 Minute Sparklers!
These are short, fun and easy activities to bridge the gap between two larger ones. I use them when I need some time to do something like unloading the dishwasher, or simply take up some time in the witching hour ( after nap but before Daddy gets home! ). Use these short activities whenever you need somethting fast but fun!
- Calendar Coloring.
Out of construction paper, in a rush and don’t have time to protect your kitchen table? Use your desk top calendar with the previous month’s page still attached. The pad is heavy enough to protect even a nice table, and the paper is large enough that even a toddler with insanely long arms like my son will not be able to color off the paper! My son loved finding letters on the paper, and colored long enough for me to get dinner into the oven!
- Ice Scooping.
Late in the afternoon the last thing I want to do is change my son’s outfit ONE MORE TIME so instead of getting out the water and allowing him to splash I filled his bucket with ice cubes, and let him scoop them like sand. NO mess and he had a blast!
- Can Towers.
Despite getting a very minor burn from a hot oven door my son is persistant about warning me about the hot stove, which is sweet but he tries to touch it every time! So I keep his little hands busy with can towers. Tomato paste jars are his favorites, they are small and perfect for a toddler’s hands.
- Let them play clean!
I love mops with washable heads, I feel confident allowing my son to clean with them knowing that even if he manages to put it in his mouth , I know it’s free from too much grime.
- Hanger Helper.
My son has been handing me hangers while I put away laundry for a long time, I have started counting them with him now too. He likes to say ” One, Two!” it’s a start! It also helps me have fun doing something I loathe !
