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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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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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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Toddler Activity : Fine Motor Skills with Pom Poms

Toddler play with pom poms!

Grabbing, pinching and poking at these little items are great for fine motor development!

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It's Playtime! Indoor Activities

Its that time of year.
When we all duck our heads and hibernate for a couple of months.

Granted, we try to get outside as much as we can.
But most days its not for long, if at all.

So...
What indoor activities can we do on these cold days coming up?
[Really, its been pretty nice here lately, I can't believe its in the 40s in January in Iowa...]

[Make Do & Friend: Playing in the Dark]

A flashlight does wonders!

Make, Do & Friend Found a way to calm a fear of the dark! Play in it! Take a flashlight and find lots of things shiny and see how it reflects! My kids loving playing with their flashlights, adding shiny objects would definitely be a hit!

Above, from left to right:

• De tout et de rien shows learning in a spot I never thought of , and we all probably all have one. Adding beads to a baby bottle drying rack! There's so much learning that could be done... it could go on and on, and plus keep the kids' hands busy, busy, busy!
• Play with plastic! Drawing on and cutting plastic, a definitely time-waster for the kids, I'm sure! Happy Little Messes has more in store for these plastic creations on a light machine!
• Another dark post, but this time with the aide of a black light! The Mommies Made Me Do It when on a glow hunt in the dark! Shut off the lights!
• Play dough is a go-to activity, especially when we're stuck indoors. Here's some yummy chocolatey play dough! Make birthday cupcakes from play dough and add pasta for candles! A sweet idea from What's Fun Today?

High Five to these play friends!

[Go leave them a playful comment!]

[Please grab the featured badge on the right if you were featured]

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

Head on over to my playtime co-hosts:
The Imagination Tree, Messy Kids, Quirky Momma, Let the Children Play.

New to It's Playtime? Read How to Play to get all the details. 
Basically, share your play ideas at the party below and browse for more play ideas from others! 

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[No blog? You can leave a comment here to share, too!]

Be sure to LIKE your favorite play ideas!

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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

Parenting is Child's Play : Independence

Allowing your child to independent.

That sounds obvious, and maybe even easy.
But it is something I believe every parent may struggle with at some point in those early independent, yet dependent, years.

How to keep some control of the chaos, yet allow your child to have a say, takes some balance. Jillian, author of the inspiring learning blog A Mom with a Lesson Plan, helps us achieve that balance. Or, at least, lets us know how she's learned to balance it out.

I have always believed that kids should have a space that allows them to practice independence.

Three tips to remember that Jill shared with me are:

1. Change the Rules. 
2. The tools must be available.
3. Everything has a place.

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A Challenge : 30 Days to Hands on Play

I've got a challenge for myself.

And for you too, if you'd like to join us!

Us?
Yep! Anna from The Imagination Tree and I have put together a 30 day challenge!

A challenge to play more hands on with your kids.

30 DAYS TO HANDS ON PLAY

What is 30 Days to Hands on Play?

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Toddler Sensory Activity : Slimy Eyes

A perfect sensory activity for Halloween.
As well as perfect for all ages, including babies and toddlers!

I saw these Halloween and fall hair gel sensory suncatchers on It's Playtime a couple weeks ago, from Happy Hooligans. They have lots of ideas that they added to their sensory sun catchers.

What's in the sensory bag?

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Preschooler Activity : A Big Maze

A maze and a maze.

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Learn Language through Play

Guest Post by

Kristina's is one of the moms behind the amazing blog, Toddler Approved. Kristina is the mom to a preschooler and a baby. I've featured Toddler Approved many times on It's Playtime, so a guest post swap on our blogs was a must!

She's very fun at sneaking in learning. Especially name recognition. One of my all time favorite posts at Toddler Approved is her name twister game. It seems she may have a boy full of energy, just like Henry! [Her number hockey game is also a must see!]

Today, I'm over at her blog. We're not only swapping blogs, we're swapping literacy ideas. Since I'm not an educator, this made me kind of nervous. But, Henry and I discovered a fun twist on reading that I think you should all give a try tonight. I've even challenged you all!

Kristina has a very valuable post written here that I am ecstatic to share with you: 

Five ways to learn language through play!

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Hi friends! I am so excited to be visiting from over at Toddler Approved! Jamie invited me to share some tips about how to incorporate language learning into every day interactions with our children.

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Toddler Activity : Tissue Paper Bag

I let George loose with a paper bag full of tissue paper left over from our DIY Wrapping Paper that Henry and I made.

George explored the tissue paper for probably a good half hour. 

It kept him fully entertained.

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Art : DIY Wrapping Paper

George is turning 1... tomorrow!

Henry and I got creative by making some of our own wrapping paper for George's present.

A simple art technique with tissue paper and water, that I learned about from The Little Red Hen.

Henry started with ripping different colors of tissue paper into small pieces.

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Baby Play : Baby Food Jars

Baby food jars and lids. 

Simple entertainment for a baby.

And it's something almost every mom has on hand.

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Pretend Play : Play Dough Pizza Bites

After sharing 34 ways to create, pretend and learn with Play Dough last week, I stumbled upon Play-Doh's website and came across Play-Doh Playdates!

A bunch of pizza ideas! I loved the Pizza Play Dough idea that I shared from The Imagination Tree, so I thought Henry would love to make his own and have a Pizza Night!

Henry's been begging me to play with play dough the last couple of days and when I asked him if he'd like to make pizza, he was one happy boy!

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Art : Tape Resist Letters Homemade Edible Finger Paint Recipe

Pin It

As George is getting older, it's getting more interesting to keep him entertained during activities with Henry. 

Especially art activities.

To solve this, I included George in the activity this time.

I made my own Edible Finger Paint so just in case when George ate it, I knew it wasn't harmful.

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Free Play : DIY Road Map

Not sure why it took me so long to realize that I can draw on our play table.

But now that I have, Henry and I have created many road maps!

Roads are the biggest hit.
And since Henry can't reach across the table, the road always goes around the table.
[Its a 4x8 piece of plywood, and for some reason is a smooth white on one side.]


[Any white board would work for this, too. 
Or even just a sheet of paper, just tape it down on a table!]

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Outdoor Play : Scavenger Hunt

It has been a while since I made a scavenger hunt for Henry.

This time I wanted Henry to be more self-sufficient at it.

So I made a scavenger hunt guide with pictures [as well as the word].

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Outdoor Play : Homemade Sidewalk Paint

Inspired by Quirky Momma's fizzing sidewalk paint, 

I made some of our own sidewalk paint and Henry and I painted the driveway.

[Don't miss the homemade sidwalk paint recipe at the end of the post.]

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