You've Got My Heart on a String

I saw these in Family Fun magazine and they looked right up our alley. Of course, I had to add my spin to them. I gathered all the materials we needed, yarn in different colors and some ribbon.  I let the kids choose which cookie cutters to use.  They choose a star, hearts and a circle.  I put some modge podge (craft glue) into some containers with spoons (my son doesn't like to get gooey).  Then the kids dipped or spooned the glue onto the yarn and ribbon and stuffed it in the shapes.  It took several days to dry and I flipped them several times to help the drying process.  We made ours a little thick, but you don't have to.  When they dried, I pushed a ribbon through one of the holes in the yarn and hung them up. 

 I Heart Them!

Gelatin Cake

I use to make these for the kids in my class but this is the first one I made for my own.  It was amazing to see how long it kept their interest.  They poked it, put color in it, squished it and made jelly snakes out of it.  I dissolved 4 packages of Knox gelatin into 3 cups of hot water.  I sprayed a mold, (you can use a bowl, pie pan, cake pan, whatever) with cooking spray and then poured in the liquid.  Then I put it in the refrigerator overnight.  When it is solid, it plops right out of the mold. You could make a bigger one, the ratio is 3/4 cup of water to 1 packet of powder.  You could just give the kids straws to poke through it.  My son had the most fun doing that.  You can pipe color into the mold by using droppers and colored water.  You can tell by the last picture....they totally dissected the gelatin cake.  A fabulous science experiment.

Kazoo Crazy

 I saw these really cool kazoos at http://www.ucreatewithkids.blogspot.com/ and had to try them. We glued construction paper around the toilet paper roll.

                        Then we decorated them with stickers (an excellent fine motor skill, by the way)

                   We put wax paper on one end and wrapped a rubber band around it to keep it in place.
                                             Then we poked a hole in the top of the wax paper.

             All that's left to do is, toot, toot, toot!  They loved having a new musical instrument to make noise with!

Egg Carton Memory Game

To make this game, I simply cut out the bottoms of a egg carton.  I searched for small items such as buttons, jewels, shmuzzies, and other items about that size.  I made sure we had two of each and then just put one of the egg holders over them.  My daughter had so much fun finding the matching objects.  Great game for observation, memory, taking turns and matching.

Tile Art

These little pieces of art cost less than a dollar each.  The tiles were .30 cents at the home improvement store and the sea glass was 1.00 a bag at the Dollar Store.  What a fabulous piece of art for our walls.  First we sorted the pieces by colors, white, green and clear.  Then, I poured modge podge (craft glue) into little cups and gave them paint brushes.  T decided to just make a "T" and R wanted to do the same.  So I traced a R on her tile with a pencil.  She put the pieces of glass on the outline.  She wasn't quite done, so she kept adding pieces to it until there was no room left. When they dried, I hot glued a piece of ribbon to the back so we could hang them.  I think they are marvelous!

Spatula Hockey

It is hockey season here and we have been to the cousins games a few times.  T is fascinated with the sticks, pucks, and loves the Zamboni that comes out in between games.  So we got out the spatulas and plastic bottle lids.  Oh my goodness, did he have the best time.  It was a great physical activity for him, since we haven't been able to play outside much because of the coldness.  He chased that lid for a long time this afternoon! 

How to Blow Up a Balloon...

Here is yet another carbon dioxide experiment that was just a blast.  We poured baking soda into balloons using funnels.  If you blow up the balloon first, then let the air out, it makes the baking soda go in easier.  Then we poured the vinegar into bottles.  I helped the kids stretch the balloon top over the top of the bottle.  They lifted up the balloon making the baking soda pour into the vinegar.  The carbon dioxide that was created began to blow up the balloon.  Oh my goodness....it was so exciting!  I hope you have a big bottle of vinegar, because you can't do this one just one time. 



Easy Tie Dyed T-Shirts

My daughter loved this a lot more than my son did.  He didn't want to participate so Sis said we should make one for him.  It is a super easy way to create a dye tied shirt and cover a few stains too.  First we drew pictures with various colors of Sharpie markers.  Then we used droppers to drip drop rubbing alcohol all over the drawings.  The alcohol makes the colors spread and "bleed" all over the shirt.  T said he needed a cape to be a "hero" so I might make his t-shirt into a cape.  That will be another post though.  This could be done on any large piece of fabric.  Just for fun, it doesn't even have to be anything at all. Just a cool experience. 



Color Matching Paint Chips

Since painting our house, we have had many paint chip samples collecting in the drawers.  I gathered them up and made a matching game for my two year old.  I put half of them in the feeley box and then laid the other half out.  She reached in the box, pulled out a color and then matched it.  Simple, easy and she had a good time too!



As Cold as Ice

We made these ice cubes the other day using whatever we had lying around.  We got our some small containers and filled them with different colored water.  Then we added all sorts of bits and pieces. I added the yarn so we could hold them up. We stuck them outside for the afternoon and then checked on them in the morning.  The kids were super excited to see what the cold had created..."just like the freezer," T said.  Good observation!  Especially since it is in the negative digits where we live! We put them in a bowl and watched them melt. 

Dancing Pink Bubbles

That is what my daughter called this science experiment anyway.  We poured cooking oil into plastic bottles, about 1/2 way.  Then we colored some water and poured that into the oil.  That was pretty exciting itself, watching the oil move through the water.  Then we plopped an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the bottle and watched the bubbles!  Super exciting!!  The oil is lighter than water so it rises to the top, then the Alka-Seltzer produces carbon dioxide bubbles.  The bubbles carry the colored water to the tope of the bottle, then pop and the water sinks back down.  The darker the color of water the easier it is to see.  Just watching the bubbles is fun too.  We used several tablets to keep the fizz going. 

When we were done, I poured the water/oil mixture into smaller bottles so the kids could watch the oil and water not mixing. 

The pictures don't show the process so well, hence the detail.



Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit......

Okay, so we already changed out our sensory tub and added beans.  The kids are having so much fun.  I put in some deep spoons, funnels and little containers to fill.  They played with it all day.  Remember, if you don't have a great tub like this one, any container would work.  Beans sound really cool in metal bowls or roasting pans too!

Rainbow Cookies

My son told me that today would be a perfect day to make cookies.  I think any day is good day to make them and so that is what we did.  I saw these cookies at HERE

and thought they looked super fun.  So we measured out the ingredients.  I used my mom's sugar cookie recipe.  It is really easy but you could always use the box cookie mix too.  I included the recipe below.  My kids love to pour and use the mixer.  Then we divided the dough up and colored it, his blue, hers pink....yes, they picked their own colors.  We left one patch white.  We rolled them out and put them in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.  Then we stacked them and rolled them, sliced them into circles and baked.  Delish!  Math, sensory, cooking, colors all rolled up into one.....forgive the pun! 

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 c oil

3/4 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

mix together

2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

add to wet ingredients

bake at 375 degrees

Marshmallow Sculptures

This is one of my kids favorite activities to do.  All you need is some marshmallows and toothpicks.  It is fun to use the colored one and big, fluffy marshmallows too.  This time, we only used the little ones.  I think they really enjoy because they love to eat marshmallows and this if the only time that happens.  Anyway, T set about making a star, house and space ship sculpture.  R made a flower and helped eat the one I made.  Super easy and keeps the kiddos busy for awhile.  Great fine motor and creativity experience!!