It's Playtime is Learning Time!

I love to find fun ways to teach new concepts to the boys.

Henry's been really into counting lately, so we've been doing a lot of things with numbers. [He's even adding and subtracting, and even sometimes dividing without even knowing it!]

Here's 4 learning activities for the kids from last week's It's Playtime!

Above, clockwise from top-left:

• Mama's Little Muse had fun mixing primary colors with Shamrock Color Viewer!
• Adventures at Home with Mom matched shapes! Match little shapes to their big shape and make a collage!
• A number game from Mummy Mummy Mum has had me thinking of how to make this perfect for Henry! Roll the ball through a tunnel and add [or subtract!] the number above the tunnel to your score!
• Compare, predict and test. Play Create Explore set up a WAY to learn about WEIGHT!

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It's Playtime is a community for play loving bloggers to share ways to play.

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Sand Sensory Art: 100th Day of Preschool

Henry had his first homework assignment for preschool.
To create the number 100 out of something.
[Not 100 of something, but to make the numbers themselves.]

We discussed it together to decide what to make.
[Henry told me his teacher made one out of corn!]

We decided we wanted to make one with dirt.
Well, its February in Iowa and it just snowed about six inches, so dirt wasn't to be found.
We settled on sand. [Thankfully, our sandbox has a lid!]

Henry created the number 100 while playing with sand, inside!
It was fun and George even joined in.

First, I had Henry write the number 100 on a piece of scrapbook paper.
I was amazed at how easy this was for him.
His writing skills have really taken off, even if they aren't correctly done all the time, I'm still impressed. [He often starts at the bottom of letters and numbers, instead of the top.]

I then traced over it to thicken up the lines.

Henry painted the numbers with glue. 

And then the real fun began.

The sand came out.

Henry decided to dig in it with his backhoe.

Loading it up and hauling it to his paper.

This literally took him well over an hour to do.

He covered his numbers with sand, as well as pushing the sand around to make piles and spread it out. He was pretty busy.

When all the numbers were completely covered, he picked up the paper and shook it off.

Ta-da! 

The number 100 was still there where he painted his glue! 

What's your opinion?

Does he get an E for effort?

Like it? Share it!

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Kid Activity: Crayon Color Sorting

The kids and I were out shopping, actually doing it to waste time to pick up Dad.

And I came across these crayon shaped paint sample cards. 

I had no plan for them, but I've been seeing a million ideas for sample cards lately, and thought there must be something I could do with them. It seems I'm starting to hoard things without a plan lately. Yesterday's activity was with colored tape that I had no plan for either!

I did come up with a learning activity for the paint sample cards.

Fittingly, we sorted crayons!

I taped the crayon shaped sample cards inside the holes of a muffin tin.

I set out our box of mixed up crayons and Henry sorted them!

We found out very soon that the color of the crayon, or the paper on the crayon is sometimes misleading.

A black crayon has a very light gray paper.

Sometimes a burnt orange crayon looks brown.

Henry learned to test his crayons before deciding what color it was. 

A sneaky way for me to have him practice scribbling, drawing, writing... as well as his pencil grip!

[tee hee hee]

Henry went through each and every crayon we had.

Placing it in the corresponding muffin tin.

Henry observed that there were a lot of orange crayons!

And blues!

[We counted them then to see which had more, turns out orange did!]

A fun color learning activity, and a piece of art in the process! 

Like it? Share it!

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Current sponsors :  Fudoo Boards  :  A Mom with a Lesson Plan  :  CraftProjectIdeas.com : My Toy Smart

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Fun Kid Activity: Lines of Colored Tape

I finally got some colored tape!

I didn't even have plans for it, but I felt the need to have it for some fun kid activities!

We got to it right away.

I taped some fun lines on the floor in three different colors.

A blue zig zag line.

A red curvy line.

And one straight line in green.

We ended up with two activities with this one setup with colored tape.

1. Walk the line of colored tape.
2. Blow pom poms along the coordinating color line.

Fun Kid Activity #1: Walk the Line
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Painting, Activities, Experiments & Learning

1. Some edible yogurt finger paint, let George participate in a painting activity with us!
2. Another way to get George involved in painting? Put it in a baggy! Add something to roll around and let him have at it.
3. A super fun, messy [but yet clean] sensory activity for both the boys! Making foam from dish soap!
4. Some tape as roads and add blocks to build a city! Have fun!
5. Paint a rainbow with a sponge, all at once!
6. Tape down a maze, add some numbers and 'connect the dots'. A fun learning activity.
7. Henry made up his own experiment, with tractors and wagons of course! How much will the wagons hold?
8. And save your recycling! There's 34 recyclables that you must save to upcycle with the kids!

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It's Playtime! Time to Recycle!

I've been on the lookout for some fun ways to get some use out of our recycling.

The 34 Recyclables to Upcycle is only the beginning of what can be done with recyclables! Its so fun to see what everyone comes up with to do with stuff that most find as trash!

Above, clockwise from top-left:

• Picklebums had fun with a box and created a tunnel for the kids!
• Learning to tie shoes with a recycled tissue box. A brilliant idea from Green issues.
• Sense of Wonder checks out dental hygiene with egg cartons & bottle bottoms as the molars!
• The Educator's Spin On It makes some baby music shakers with some recycled containers! Nifty!

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It's Playtime is a community for play loving bloggers to share ways to play.

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Kids Experiment: How Much Water Does it Hold?

Henry wanted to do an experiment.

He said he'd come up with one for us to do after nap.

So, after nap, Henry collected his things for his experiment.

He brought a tractor and his wagons.

He told me his experiment was to pour water into them.

So I grabbed some cookie sheets in case of spillage.

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Block Activity: Build a City

After doing our tape maze of numbers. The maze stuck [yes, pun intended] around awhile.

On one of those 'no-nap' days, Henry and I kept busy [while George was napping] with blocks and the tape maze and made a Block City!

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It's Playtime! Get Moving Indoors!

This time of year...
Even though its been a mild winter in Iowa.
We're still itching to get outside more and run!

We're finding creative ways to burn off energy in the house.
And so our some of our It's Playtime playdates!

I love the ideas that you guys have been coming up with to get active indoors.

[Crafty Moms Share: Indoor Snowball Fight!]

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34 Recyclables to Upcycle for the Kids

I don't think its possible to be a hands on mom without saving anything and everything imaginable.

Ever since I started doing crafts and activities with Henry, we've been hoarding recyclables.

Henry actually has his own 'recycling center' now.

So, what is worth saving?
What can be put to good use for the kids?


I've come up with a list of 34 items to reuse that tend to be in your recycling bin. Try setting them aside before taking them out to be recycled.

What can this recyclable become?

What can it be upcycled into?

A collection of 34 Recyclables to Upcycle just for the Kids

Believe me though, its not just limited to these! 

I'm collecting more and more ways to upcycle your recyclables on Pinterest.

Its never ending.

	Milk Jugs Jug Toss Creative Connections for Kids Water Bottle Big Bubbles Projects for Preschoolers

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Sensory Activity for All Ages: Dish Soap Foam!

I knew when I saw this snow sensory activity from dish soap, from You Pinspire Me, when I collected the ideas for the Snow Collection, that it was something the boys would love and we just had to do it.

Dish Soap Foam!

So easy, your child could, and can, do it!
I put some dish soap in a measuring cup [just squirted a good amount] and added a tad bit of water.
Dumped that in my food processor, and let the kids foam it up!

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Valentine's Day Stamped Cards

CraftProjectIdeas.com is showing the love this February.

On top of graciously adding a $1 donation to the American Heart Association for every Heart Book sold in February, they sent me this fun stamp kit! [And one to giveaway to one of you!]

Henry and I broke it out and made some Valentine Cards!

I haven't ever owned a stamp before, so this was a thrill for me, too. 

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It's Playtime! The Heart Project Features

The Heart Project has been kicked off great.
A week into it and we've raised well over our initial goal over $1,000 for the American Heart Association. We've now re-evaluated our goal, and lifted it to $2k, will you help us make it?

The Heart Project is a book [The Heart Book] full of heart projects for kids to do! So many great ideas to get crafty and artsy, even get the kids in the kitchen with you, or play with some hearty items!

A few were found last week on It's Playtime. I thought I'd give you another sneak peek of the hearts in the book.

I don't mind giving you these sneak peeks of the heart projects that are in the book. Because there are well over 100 heart projects in the book. So this is just a slim choosing of them!


Plus, they're pretty awesome and I just have to show them off!

[A Little Learning for Two: Stacked Rainbow Hearts]

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The Heart Project: Sneak Peek of the Hearts

February is the month of The Heart Project here on the blog. [and 70 other blogs too!]

Every Friday through February, I'm going to give you a sneak peak into the "The Heart Book",  featuring a few of the ideas that are included. One from each of the categories outlined in the book.

In the book, there's create with love, play with love, cook with love and display with love. Together, there's over 100 heart activities to do with the kids! 

If you have gotten the book, I'd love to hear what your favorite heart projects that are included! Please share them with me!

[If you haven't gotten the book, yet, at the end of this post you'll see how to get one!]

"The Heart Book" Sneak Peak...

Create with ♥

Yarn Wrapped Hearts

by Rainbows within Reach

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It's Playtime: Some Favorites

Sometimes I just like to look through It's Playtime and find some great ideas to bookmark [on Pinterest] for the kids to do.

Okay. Most of the time. That's what I do.

Here are a few that I'm pinning to do with the boys in the near future.

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Counting Activity: A Maze of Numbers

I taped out a maze on our floor with masking and painter's tape.
I simple labeled it with numbers, not necessarily in order.

[By the way: that was the extent of George's participation in the maze activity. Sitting on the maze.]

I used the tape itself as the road of the maze [instead of between the tape lines].

I made sure to include numbers that Henry wasn't quite as familiar with [to fifteen].
He's got 1-10 down pat, but starts getting confused at 13 [skipping to 16, then 19].
He also has troubles recognizing any double digit number, so this was great practice!
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A Week of Fun Activities!

1. Henry practiced counting and stacking blocks with a fun number game!
2. Henry and I made our dining room pretty with these pretty strings of hearts!
3. Need to have the kids work on their fine motor skills? Here's 30 materials and activities that promote fine motor skills!
4. I'm working on getting George involved in activities this year. It's Playtime has a bunch of toddler activities that are perfect!
5. A guest post from Raising the Cameron Clan has 10 great ways to make a walk more fun and educational!
6. This week's "Make it Kid-Friendly Activity" is Magnetic Puzzles!

This week...

The boys had some fun with their hats.
They were some good entertainment while I made supper!

Henry is 3 years. George is 1 year.

Current sponsors :  Fudoo Boards  :  A Mom with a Lesson Plan  :  CraftProjectIdeas.com

Design your own party invitations at Vistaprint.com

"Make it Kid Friendly" Idea: Magnetic Puzzles

These magnetic puzzles caught my eye right away!

What a fun thing to make for the kids

 so they have something to do while getting dinner on the table!

My Kind of Makeover made these for her kids with some cheap puzzles.

While the product is kid-friendly, I'd like to make this a kid-friendly project from the start.

How I'd make this a kid-friendly activity:

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10 Ways to Get More From Walks with Children

Liven up your walks with some fun and learning! A post written and shared by Aimee at Raising the Cameron Clan.

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It is no secret that there is an obesity epidemic in the United States. As parents it is important that we do our part to encourage our kids to get out there and move. Going for a walk is an easy way to get everyone moving. However, sometimes it takes a little creativity to get your kids out the door.

 Here are 10 ways to have fun and learn while out on your walk.

1. Make a scavenger hunt. Write a list of things to find or for non-readers you can make a picture list of objects for them to cross off as you walk. This list can be based on colors, or certain objects or a certain numbers of objects; it just depends on where you are walking.

2. Take Pictures. My boys love to take pictures when we go on walks. You can give them an old camera, buy a disposable or help them use yours, but kids enjoy taking pictures. When you get home, you can take those pictures and make them into a simple book.

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It's Playtime! Activities for My Toddler

This year is the year for George.
Or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

He's 16 months right now.
So he still can't do a lot of the activities that Henry and I get into.

We have a lot of time to ourselves, just the two of us.
Some nice Mommy and Me time.

But we rarely set out to do something.
We just play.

I want to start getting him involved.
Be hands on with him.

I found a few activities from last week's It's Playtime to get me started.
[I also have a few bookmarked on my Toddler Activities Board on Pinterest for more inspiration.]

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