Category Archives: stuff for play

active kids – alphabet scavenger hunt

Posted on by
2

We did this activity last school holidays and my boys had SO much fun.  The bonus is it’s super dooper easy for you to set up and can be played indoors or outdoors.

Simply lay out letters of the alphabet on the ground or floor and set the kids a challenge to find an item starting with each letter.  One handy tip is to have a set of letters for every two children playing so the collection area doesn’t get too crowded or confusing.  The letters can be magnetic as in the picture or a piece of paper with the letter written on it.

alphabet scavenger hunt

Image courtesy of Play Dr Mom

For other fun ideas to help your little ones learn the alphabet, just visit our little store. x

Advertisement

you asked for it – lego display

Posted on by
5

Our fab follower Leanne asked us for some ideas on displaying and storing Lego for her little man.  We know this is a common problem (it’s up there with how to store kids artwork!) so we did some snooping around and came up with these inspired ideas.

This one provides a constantly changing artwork for the wall.  Simply remove the glass from an existing frame (or maybe the kids have already done this accidentally for you!) and voila!  Courtesy of 2 little superheroes.

lego display frames

These plain white shelves make the perfect backdrop for all the latest Lego creations to pop, as do the glossy red shelves and black boxes below.

lego white shelves side

lego red shelves

Image courtesy of minifigfun.wordpress.com

Now, I know you will all be rolling your eyes at the thought of dusting these BUT how fabulous do they look??? Image courtesy of ohdeedoh.comlego white shelves bigAnd for storage ideas to help avoid those middle of the night foot injuries, how about this great desk design from IKEA hackers (if you love IKEA furniture be sure to check out this site for awesome ideas on modifying store bought designs);

lego table storage

If your little one is TOTALLY obsessed and the odd framed artwork or storage box just wont cut it, then this may be the answer to your prayers …

lego walls

Image courtesy of http://www.houzz.com

Pheeeew.  That should keep you going for a while, no? x

 

play time – too cool for school

Posted on by
Reply

It’s not quite summer yet but we’ve had a few scorching days here already.  So
we are loving these fabulous ideas with ice that are sure to keep the kids
entertained and focussed for hours, all whilst staying cool.

Freeze balloons filled with water and small toys. Cut balloon off and play with eggs outside. Provide spoons for cracking ice and digging treasures out. 

This is the same concept on a larger scale!  Fill a large tray with plastic animals, dinosaurs or whatever your little one is into!  Freeze, then watch them dig away for hours to release the treasure. 

Images courtesy of;

http://www.crumbbums.com/?p=2476 (big ice cube)

alittlelearningfortwo.blogspot.com  (eggs)

fun express – water balloon pinata

Posted on by
2

Summer time is officially here so I thought this little gem was worth sharing.  My boys can have HOURS of fun with water balloons – filling them, throwing them and, now, using them as a pinata!

Simply fill the balloons with water, attach them to a high string or surface (the washing line is great!) and then bash away with a broomstick until they burst and shower the kids with water.  Much better than lollies in my opinion!

 

finding my sense of wonder

Posted on by
4

Driving to the supermarket with my ‘middle sized’ in the back seat yesterday, his little voice asked “Mum, can we go for a walk on the beach?”

Normally my response would be “Next time honey” because we’d be rushing from A to B, however yesterday I chose to say “Yes”.

Just the two of us, holding hands, collecting shells and watching kite surfers.  The wind was craa-aaazy so they were the only people on the beach apart from us!

Instead of walking the supermarket aisles we climbed sand dunes, made footprints and chased shadows on the sand.  And we ran really, really fast straight into the wind.  The look on his beaming, beautiful face said it all.

It was only half an hour but it filled our souls and left us with that ‘summer is just around the corner’ feeling.

The groceries still got done eventually and the world just kept on turning.  A great little reminder to stop and smell the roses (or the sea air, country air, whatever it might be for you) and to choose to say yes instead of no a little more often.

craft express – foil me a river

Posted on by
1

This will only take a sec!  Grab your roll of aluminium foil, let the kids unroll a loooooong strip, shape it to accommodate a stream of water, add kids and some small boats, animals or cars and off you go!  Easy peasy.

image courtesy of amoandbows.com

cardboard city

Posted on by
Reply

This project is fun to make and will get hours and hours of use no matter the weather.  Kids can let their imaginations run wild and include whatever they like in their own special town.

image courtesy of theimaginationtree.com

All you need is a BIG cardboard box, or a couple of smaller boxes secured together.

As an added bonus, it keeps really little ones contained whilst they happily play.  Everyone’s a winner!

Love this idea? You might love these too …

fun stuff – crochet playground

Posted on by
2

I can’t crochet.  I can’t knit, and I can’t really sew unless we count the turtle cushion I made in Year 8 Home Economics class (yes, I am that old).

If I could crochet, this would totally (like, totally) be my next project.  A crochet playground!  How amazing is it?

images courtesy of playscapes.com

Terribly talented Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam is the artist behind this incredible Rainbow Net playground at the Hakone Sculpture Park, Japan. The idea for the crochet playscape happened by accident, after Toshiko observed two little kids interacting with a crochet art installation she had on exhibit.

For the moment, I might just try a crochet square coaster … or maybe a scarf …

 

saving for a rainy day

Posted on by
2

A rainy Sunday afternoon (as it is here) calls for a sanity saver for mamas and kids.  Making this game is an activity in itself, so that’s today sorted!  And the next time rain or cabin fever hits you’ll be terribly pleased with yourself that you have this fab little idea on hand.

Image

Write play ideas on paddle pop sticks and get your little one to choose one randomly.  Whatever they choose is what they play!

diamonds on the soles of your shoes …

Posted on by
2

OK, not diamonds, but coins?

My little dudes love playing in the mud, the sand, and anywhere else they can leave footprints (which, sadly, also includes our loungeroom floor, but that’s another story).

How much fun would little ones have making ‘funny footprints’ with these simple additions to their shoes?

image courtesy of realsimple.com

You could change the patterns, use different size coins, use different materials altogether (I’m thinking foam shapes!) and either glue (permanent) or blue tack (temporary) said materials to the shoes.

No matter how you do it, it’s sure to have the little ones (and you!) intrigued and most definitely amused.

Happy stomping. x