Messy Kids

It's Playtime: Woodworking

2012-02-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

It's Playtime had a busy week with over 200 entries! It was so hard to choose who to feature, so I went with my favorite post. Yup, just 1 this week from Messy Kids. Since woodworking has been so popular in our house lately, I chose this great post from Picklebums on Working with Wood. I love the addition of the plastic bottle caps!

For being featured, they get to sport the special button:

It's Playtime: Simple Fun

2012-02-08T22:44:00.000-08:00

My dear readers, between The Heart Project, the My Suite Giveaway (there's still time to enter), and the TinkerLab Creative Paper Bag Challenge, I'm beat this week. So for this week's It's Playtime, I'm keeping it simple....but fun!

Learners in Bloom shared how a $1 Plastic Mesh Baskets=Hours of Fun. They include 3 great ideas that are not only fun, but develop fine motor skills and coordination.

Getting Messy with Ms. Jessi showed us that Ribbon Dancing is way more fun then regular dancing. She also explains how simple it was to make these lovely streamers (no sewing!)

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Distressed Art: Paper Bag Challenge

2012-02-07T22:40:00.000-08:00

Once again Tinker Lab has challenged and we've answered. This time the challenge was...paper bags. Of course one thinks of puppets and goodie bags. But there is so much more out there. My Messy Kids and I decided to try our hands at distressed art work using paper grocery sacks. Here's how it went:

You begin by cutting a side from the grocery sack. Then wad the paper up, crunching it as much as possible. Open it and begin drawing.

Michael insisted I draw with him.

Then be sure to leave your camera where your 4 year old can reach it...

Next, wad the paper some more, then iron it flat. Wad and iron, wad and iron, over and over until the art work is soft and distressed (or until your child decides he or she is done)

It wasn't long before my son decided he was done....

Let's see how my daughter does...

Wad, wad, wad...

Iron, iron, iron..."mom I think I'm done with this." (which really means, "I want to go watch T.V.")

Ariel's kind of distressed art. Some of the crayon melted!

When performed in it's entirety, this project creates soft, distressed paper. If homeschooling, use it in conjunction with studying Native Americans. Start by ripping a piece of paper from the bag. Instead of free drawing, provide early N.A. symbols. for children to copy. Then they wad and iron, wad and iron. The more wadding and ironing, the softer the paper becomes. In the end, it will look like a piece of animal pelt with N.A. symbols painted on. Since my kids bailed on me, hopefully, you get the idea.

My Memories Suite Software Review & Giveaway

2012-02-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a scrapbooker from way back. Long before my daughter was born I went scrapbooking crazy: paper, punches, scissors, stickers, totes, magazines (for ideas), etc. Anything related to scrapbooking I couldn't wait to get my hands on. After she was born I found a wonderful group of moms who met every week to scrap and talk. We all had babies, so some weeks were productive and some weren't. But we met together, shared our supplies, and had a great time.

But as it goes, life changed for me. I moved away from my scrapbooking ladies and my projects fell to the back burner. Over the years I've thought about pulling my giant tote from the garage and restarting, but now with 2 kids, it's just so much work! That was, until now....

Scrapbooking has become digitalized! No more printing pictures, cumbersome tote, or tons of money wasted on stickers I'll never use (I'm also a former sticker collector in recovery). Until recently, I had no idea there was scrapbook software available. But now, with My Memories Suite, I am hooked!

Why am I so excited about this? Look how beautiful my pictures look? And it was easy. There is a large selection of albums to choose from and each page is easy to change. Pictures can be dragged and dropped into the photo boxes and additional pictures can be added (which I did above) any where you choose. There are spaces for titles and journaling if you choose to use them, or simply delete what you don't want. Each decorative element can be moved, copied, pasted, deleted, etc. The tool box makes it easy to add embellishments, shapes, calendars, hotspots, and even music! Need more pages in your albums? Not a problem! Copy existing layouts, mirror them, or add pages from other albums.

My Memories digital scrapbooking software allows scrapbooking to be as simple or as complicated as you desire. There's even a feature which will grab photos from your chosen file and randomly place them in the album of your choice. You can literally build an album in seconds! I chose not to do that... but I could if I wanted!

When it comes time to share your album, you are loaded with choices. You can print the pages (I have a high quality laser printer and I printed a sheet onto regular 8.5"X 11" and it was beautiful!), export them to JPEG (which is how you are seeing them now), turn it into a movie, add it to an ipod, etc. I love the variety of sharing options.

Now here is what excited me last night...the desk top computer I normally use died yesterday. I had installed My Memories Suite onto that computer because it's where I also store my photos. No need to panic though because My Memories stores your downloaded items on their site! So while on my laptop, I went to the site, redownloaded the software, and was able to start fresh on my project (also thanks to Google and Picasa). But....had I gotten far enough with my previous album, I could have downloaded it to the My Memories site where it would be saved for people to view (and would have saved me a lot of work!).

Now do you see why I'm so excited about this product?!

~~Ok, now here's the part you really want to know about...the giveaway!~~

One winner will be chosen randomly to receive a promo code good for the downloadable version of My Memories Suite (a $39.97 USD value!) Software available worldwide but intended for English language computers. Platforms include: Windows 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later.

~~To Enter to Win:~~

Contest open to Messy Kids readers. Please follow via Google Friend Connect before entering. Then go to https://www.mymemories.com/ and pick out your favorite digital scrapbooking kit. Leave a comment below telling me which one you like best.

~~For Additional Entries:~~

~~Follow the My Memories Blog. Leave a comment below saying you did so.~~
~~Follow the My Memories FB page. Leave a comment below.~~
~~Follow My Memories on Twitter. Leave a comment below.~~
~~Follow Messy Kids on Twitter. Leave a comment below.~~
~~Follow Messy Kids on FB. Leave a comment below.~~
~~Share this giveaway on FB or Twitter. Leave a comment below.~~

~~Entries close February 14th at 10:00 p.m. PST~~

All readers can use the following code: STMMMS40986 good for $10 off the purchase of the My Memories Suite software + an additional $10 towards the MyMemories.com store. Feel free to share with your friends and family!

Mommy & Me Book Club: Winter

2012-02-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

With the new year I decided it was time to host a Mommy & Me Book Club at my house once a month. The idea came to me last year when I came across a great blog called The Mommy & Me Book Club. They read books, create art, and have fun activities all relating to a theme. As a former preschool teacher, this sounded like a lot of fun and very doable at my home.

I am a member of a super mom's group I found on Meetup.com This is a great place to find a play group (or any kind of group) in your area. I talked to one of the leaders and she added me to the calendar.

For January, our theme was winter/snow:

We read:

I created a winter sensory bowl using epson salt, blue rice, and snowflake confetti.

Then I added scoops, bowls, Arctic animals, and a 2nd bowl filled with shredded white paper, just for fun.

For art, the kids created "snow" pictures using white paint and corks. While the paint was wet, I gave them a small amount of silver glitter (in a bowl) to sprinkle on the page.

Then it was snack time. We created Cinnamon Snowflakes. The recipe was from Come Together Kids and pinned on Pinterest. Due to the age of the kids, I did the cutting, but they were able to shake on the cinnamon and sugar. I have an adorable, clear, bear shaped shaker. I mix cinnamon and sugar to keep inside. It was perfect for the kids to use. They loved this treat so much I couldn't make enough of them. The parents too!

So that was our first Mommy & Me Book Club! It was a small group which was good for a first time. For February, I'm expecting a much larger group and I'm very nervous. The kids loved playing together and the moms loved the time to talk. It's a win, win!

It's Playtime: Year of the Dragon

2012-02-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Although Chinese New Year is coming to an end, I wanted to feature some of the great projects posted on It's Playtime celebrating this festive holiday.

H is for Homeschooling put together some great Montessori inspired Chinese New Year Tot Trays. Tongs, chopsticks, scooping; all great for developing those fine motor skills.

Crafts-N-Things created some cute Chinese drums and dragon masks for their Chinese New Year Party.

If you have a chance, stop by The Heart Project and donate $5 to The American Heart Association. With every $5 donation you'll receive a beautiful ebook filled with photos from over 100 kid friendly projects.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

The Heart Project: Sharing Our Hearts For the AHA

2012-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

I've learned over the past year that blogging can create community. And when you have a community, great things can happen. The Heart Project is a great thing.

The Heart Project is a collaborative project created by Jamie @ hands on: as we grow in support of her husband's 4 year old cousin, Ellie (read her story here), and realized by over 70+ bloggers from all over the world.

What is The Heart Project?

The Heart Project is a beautiful book of over 100 heart photos relating to projects with children in mind. These projects were either developed for kids, created by kids, or made for kids and cover a wide range of subjects including art, crafts, cooking, and home decore.

Here is an official sneak peak:

See those waffles? I am thrilled to be a part of this project!

So, What Can I Do?

You can donate of course! The ebook is available with a $5 donation to the American Heart Association (AHA).

You'll have these wonderful projects right on your computer and can feel good you contributed to a worthy cause. But you must hurry, this book is only available for donation through the month of February!

Bonus Donation!!!!
For every book sold this month, craftprojectideas.com will donate $1 (up to $500). So for your $5 donation, craftprojectideascom will also donate $1. Isn't that awesome? Don't forget to leave them a thank you note on their Facebook page!

BUT Maybe you'd rather have a printed copy of the book. A book to share with your co-workers, family, friends, etc. A book you can place on your coffee table and feel good about. For $20 (+ $3.59 S/H) your can receive a beautifully printed, full color, 8.5"x 8.5" edition for your home, office, school, etc. $5 of every book sold will be donated to the AHA. But you must hurry, this book is only available for donation through the month of February!

US $20.00

Order the Printed Version

Of course, you can also make a donation without purchasing the book.

And There is More!
Auctions and giveaways galore. We want to thank Melissa & Doug as well as Fudoo Boards for the wonderful sponsorship!

Fundraiser Auctions:

♥ All proceeds of each auction will go to the AHA ♥

Melissa & Doug - 4 Trunki with Teddy Bear Auctions!

Fudoo Boards - 3 Fudoo Board Kits for Auction!

Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10
Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10
Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10

And check out these great daily giveaways!

Heart Project Participants

hands on : as we grow	♥	A Little Learning for Two	♥	Among Many Blessings
Angelique Felix	♥	At Home with Ali	♥	Broken Treasures
Busy at Home	♥	Busy Kids Happy Mom	♥	Carrie Saindon's Photo Journey
Child Central Station	♥	Classified: Mom	♥	Classroom Magic
Creative with Kids	♥	Creativity My Passion	♥	Critters and Crayons
De Tout et de Rien	♥	Dilly-Dali Art	♥	Dinosaurs & Octopuses
Excited 2 Learn	♥	Hand Over the Cookies	♥	Handprint & Footprint Art
Happy Hooligans	♥	Heart Journey	♥	Imagination Soup
Jamie's Jumble	♥	Kitchen Counter Chronicles	♥	Kreative Resources
Let Kids Create	♥	Little Illuminationss	♥	Living Montessori Now
Loudness of the Lambs	♥	Love and Lollipops	♥	Mama, hocemo nesto da pravimo
Mama Pea Pod	♥	Mama Smiles	♥	MemeTales
Messy Kids	♥	Mindful Meanderings	♥	Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Mommy Labs	♥	Mommy Perks	♥	Mum Paints Lives
Mummy Mummy Mum	♥	My Creative Family	♥	NurtureStore
One Artsy Mama	♥	Peace Love & Rainbows	♥	Play Dr Mom
Putti Prapancha	♥	Rainbows within Reach	♥	Reading Confetti
Ready. Set. Read!	♥	Red Ted Art	♥	Sense of Wonder
Share & Remember	♥	Stacy Molter	♥	Sun Hats & Wellie Boots
Teach Preschool	♥	The Artful Child	♥	The Chocolate Muffin Tree
The Craft Barn	♥	The Educators' Spin on It	♥	The Golden Gleam
The Imagination Tree	♥	The Iowa Farmer's Wife	♥	The Joy of My Life
The Kids Fun Review	♥	The Outlaw Mom Blog	♥	The Preschool Toolbox
The Seeds Network	♥	Toddler Approved

Our group goal is $1000! Help us reach that!

From the Heart Waffles

2012-01-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

Breakfast is the favorite meal in our household, especially on weekends. I make crepes, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and waffles. So this morning I asked my son what it was he wanted me to cook. I suggested blueberry pancakes but he said, "no, blueberry waffles". We haven't tried this before so it was worth a shot.

As I was making the waffles, I thought about how I could make them special. My son, like most kids, loves when I make cut-outs of anything. I remembered I had a great big heart cookie cutter in the cupboard, perfect for a big waffle.

Once the waffles were finished baking in the waffle maker, I carefully peeled them off, placed them on a flat surface, and pressed the cookie cutter down to create perfect heart-shaped waffles. I set the trimmings aside because in my house, waffles are snacked upon all day long.

My son was thrilled with the fun shape, so much so he didn't want me to cut it into bite size pieces. Unfortunately for him I had already covered them with syrup and didn't want him using his hands (which he did anyway). He also wouldn't let me take a picture of him enjoying the yummy creation.

Here's what you'll need:
Waffle Maker
Bowl
Whisk
Wooden Spoon
Butter or Cooking Spray

For the Waffles:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 cup or so blueberries (frozen or fresh)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir mixture first with a wooden spoon, then with a whisk until all ingredients are well combined. Do not overmix! Batter should be slightly lumpy. Fold in blueberries until well combined.

Coat waffle iron with butter or cooking spray. A heavy coat will be needed because the blueberries stick! The size of your waffle maker will determine the amount of batter you pour onto the grids. I use about 1 cup (my maker is on the larger size)

Cook your waffle according to manufactures directions. Use a fork to remove waffle off the grid. Place on a flat surface and cut waffle with desired cookie cutter, in this case, a heart. Serve with butter, syrup, blueberries, whip cream, or any other topping of choice.

And of course, serve with LOVE.

Recipe variation based upon:
"Waffles." Recipe. Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book. Iowa:Meredith Corporation, 1989. 152-3.

It's Playtime: Painting with WHAT?

2012-01-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit under the weather this week so I'll keep it short and sweet. Painting is about exploration. It's easy to hand a kid a paint brush and say, "go, have fun". But what happens when you hand a child a toilet plunger or bathroom scrubbies and tell them to paint a picture? At first, they will probably look at you a little funny, but then, they explore the materials and discover how THEY like to use them. There are so many different ways to paint and discover creativity! Check out the objects these bloggers gave their children to use.

Play Create Explore found some Weird Objects for Painting at the thrift store. Each brush is unique and can be used in a variety of ways. Need some cool brushes? Check your local $1 store!

Brushes and scrubbers aren't the only items little ones can explore with paint. Do you have a gazillion plastic animals or dinosaurs laying around? Why not create some Animal Prints like the Rainy Day Mum?

Pre-school Play had fun with Squeezy Bottle Painting. Awesome fun, fantastic mess!

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

It's Playtime: Under the Sea

2012-01-18T22:16:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I love sea life! If I could visit an aquarium everyday, I'd never grow tired of it. It's peaceful and I find sea creatures amazing. I also love ocean themed preschool activities. They tend to be as colorful and unique as the sea animals themselves. Last week on It's Playtime, there were numerous underwater creations shared by bloggers, so I've picked my favorites and here they are!

At Home with Ali created this lovely Marine Sensory Tub using colored rice. The mixture of the greens and blues is outstanding!

Chicken Babies celebrated a birthday with a Dolphin Themed Birthday Party. They played some great party games perfect for a crowd or a rainy day indoors. I love the kids jumping through the hoops!

Mommy with Selective Memory shared these Easy Octopuses From Paper Towel Holders.

Sea Creatures Ice-Cubes from Make Do & Friend are great for sensory tub or bath tub play. Kids will work hard to get these frozen treasures out of the ice!

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

From Art to Science: Solids and Liquids

2012-01-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

I wanted to paint the other day, but my son had other ideas. He asked to melt crayons again. Thrilled he was interested in creating anything, I plugged in my griddle and prepared to grant my son some melty fun.

He started by drawing, first a single crayon, then a handful of crayons.

Then he decided to experiment. He wanted to find out what would happen if he placed crayon pieces onto the griddle. He was excited to see them melt into puddles. Suddenly this art project turned into a lesson in solids, liquids, and heat. When we made applesauce, we discussed heat and it's power to change things. But apples don't puddle, only soften, so we decided to experiment with other items and discover what would turn into a liquid and what would remain solid.

We started with butter, then added a chocolate chip.

But I also wanted him to see that not everything will melt, so upon my suggestion, we added a carrot and a grape.

After a few minuets, Michael noticed the carrot and the grape weren't doing anything exciting, and the butter was melted, so we added an ice cube too.

He watched intently as the ice melted, the butter spread, the chocolate began blending into the mix, and the carrot and grape remained the same. I asked him to show me which items were liquid and which were solid. Then as suddenly as the lesson had begun, it ended (4 year old attention span). We'd enjoyed some impromptu science...

while making a pretty cool piece of art!

Additional:

Later, while reading The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, we discussed the snowball Peter places into his pocket. I asked Michael what would happen to the snowball in the house. He said, "it will melt". When asked why, "because it's warm in the house". By George, I think he's got it!

Snowmen at Preschool

2012-01-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

Snow is rare in Southern California and non-existent in my area, so when we want to build snowmen, we have to be a little creative. Today at my son's preschool we built "snowmen." It was a fantastic collaborative project and the kids had a great time. Of course, this can be built at home too! Simply modify my directions to suit your needs. Here's what to do:

Materials:

6 white trash bags (3 for each snowmen)
Lots and lots of newspaper
Tape- Wide masking tape is preferred
Clothing items- hats, scarves, mittens, dress-up clothes, etc
Twigs

Directions:

Wad-up lot's of newspaper. Let the children help, give it to room helpers, etc...whatever you need to do to have a giant pile of newspaper.
If you have a large class and at least 1 co-teacher, break the children into two groups. This is not a race! It simply makes life easier if you have a large class. Our kids were divided into boys and girls. Give each group 3 trash bags.
Talk about building a snowman. How many balls do you need? Are they all the same size? What are the sizes (small, medium, large)?
Hold the trash bag while the children fill it. Once you have a large ball, tie it shut. Hold the next trash bag and fill it slightly less full as it's the medium ball. Repeat making a small ball for the head.
Using tape, attach the balls to each other in proper order. Use whatever technique you find easiest.
Send your kids around the classroom to find items for the eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc. One of our groups used coins for eyes, while the other used legos. Let the kids be creative. Attach the items with tape.
Dress your snowman.
Name your snowman
Bring the class back together and talk about what's the same (two eyes, a nose, etc) and what's different.

As you can see from the picture above, the girls team designed a female snowperson who was "getting married". They used coins for the eyes, legos for buttons, gave her a skirt, cowgirl hat, scarf, and veil. Her name was Melody and she was ready to marry Eric. Their snowperson had a complete story line, providing extra personality.

The boys, on the other hand, created a male snowman. He had legos for eyes, plastic piping for a nose, a train track for a smile (which I think was very creative), a costume tied around his neck for a scarf, twigs stuck into the bags for arms, and a wizards hat adorned his head. The boys named their snowman Tree.

What the children learned:

Proportions
Cooperation
Same & Different
Creativity
Pride in a job well done!

Have you made a snowman at home or school? Tell me about it and/or share your link in the comments below!

Need a book to share with your little snowmen?

This page shared on:

It's Playtime: Camping....Indoors!

2012-01-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but thanks to the influence of T.V. my son is dying to go camping. He's seen Max and Ruby roast marshmallows, sleep in tents, and tell stories around the fire and thinks it would be a blast. I agree with him. I love camping! My parents took me several times a year when I was a child and I always had a good time. Unfortunately, not only does my husband have zero interest in sleeping on the ground outdoors, but we don't own a tent. I hope to remedy this in the spring so we can camp-out in the backyard this summer, but until then, indoor camping will have to do. Check out these great posts from last weeks It's Playtime featuring indoor camping.

Create with you hands had some Creativity with Cardboard Boxes, making a fun indoor tent. Blankets and pillows completed the play space for comfort and lazy afternoons.

Everything and Nothing jazzed up their Reading Corner with a tent, play camping light, and even a pretend campfire with cooking pot! Add a sleeping bag (which they did!) and your child is ready for a reading adventure.

As for us, my son has settled for a good ol' Blanket Fort on his bunk bed. It's great for reading, hand shadow puppets, and when the time is right, sleeping.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Resolutions and the New Year

2012-01-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sure it's the 2nd week in January, but it's not too late to celebrate the New Year with your preschooler. It's a time to teach your kids about starting fresh, making promises, and....counting backwards!

Resolutions

My son's preschool class talked about resolutions (making promises) in the New Year. It was something they could work on to be a better person. First though, they had to make a face:

Give your child a flesh colored square. Use a crayon or marker to round the edges, then help them to cut on the lines.
Next, they glue on a triangle party hat. My son chose orange because it's his favorite color! If your child is able (or you want them to have the cutting practice) allow them to cut the triangle shape.
Once the hat is glued, they can draw their face. Talk to them about 2 eyes, 1 nose, and a mouth. Help them with the placement if necessary. It's important at this age that they begin to understand facial features and their placement. Give them a mirror to view their own face. But most important...don't push! Sure you want them to have two eyes, instead of 3, but we learn through our mistakes...or maybe your child simply wants to be an alien that day. It's OK to have creative license. They won't draw themselves that way forever!
Write a resolution. Talk about promises and how a resolution is a promise we make to ourselves to be a better person. It's OK to give examples: help mommy, be nice to sibling, pick up toys, etc. Then, have them tell you their resolution. Write it on a piece of paper that can be attached to the party hat. If they don't know, let it be. As you can see, my son has no resolution. He said, "I don't want to talk about it right now." Okie dokie.
If you want. let them staple a blower to their character. Our teacher added them when she hung them on the wall, but if you are doing this at home, your child can help you.
Hang it for them to see. This way you can remind them of their promise. Sure, they are still going to fight clean-up time, but it's about the learning process....and being a broken record...which lets face it, is what you have to do with preschoolers.

The Big Countdown

Kids love to countdown, especially if you have a cool ending like, "blast off!" Why not celebrate the new year with a special, messy, countdown? I assure you, your kids will ask to do this all month long!

If you are in a classroom**, hand 10 children a number (1-10), then call their number (beginning with 10) so they can line-up.
Give the kids on the carpet noise makers. When the class shouts "Happy New Year" it's their job to make as much noise as possible. Assure those in the number line that you will do it again so they have a chance to make noise too.
Call out each number, beginning with 10, and have the child holding the corresponding number hold it up (best they can). This will be a slow countdown, but just go with it.
When you reach 1, the kids can shout, "Happy New Year" and you (and any parent helpers) throw confetti (chunks of paper are easier to clean-up then hole punches). Yes, I know, but the kids will love it!
Repeat, shifting the kids on the floor with the number holders.

**If you are at home, you hold the number cards, flashing each number as your child(ren) call them out.

Of course, afterwards, have a clean-up contest. Maybe the "winner" lines up first???? Often, simple encouragement is enough. I use, "Wow! Look at Jonny go! And Susan, you are so fast!"

Additional Ideas:

Use the New Year theme to talk about noises. Quiet noises and loud noises. Try the New Years count down in quiet voices and see what happens. Use musical instruments to make soft and loud sounds. Play quiet and loud music and talk about the differences.
Make a Bubble Wrap Noise Maker
Make an Easy Noise Maker (from plastic cups, beads, and tape)
Read a good book (or many!)

It's Playtime: Chocolate Lovers

2012-01-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Messy Kids and It's Playtime readers! We all had a wonderful Christmas brake but now we're back and ready to rock. We appreciate all our readers and participants and can't wait to see what the New Year brings.

This week on It's Playtime I'm celebrating....CHOCOLATE!

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Open a Play Dough Chocolate Shop and see how creative your little baker can be. What's Fun Today? shares the recipe for chocolate scented dough and other ideas for bakery play fun.

Teach Preschool dedicated an entire day to Hot Cocoa Play! Check her post for art, sensory, and play ideas celebrating this delightful winter treat.

Why buy Cake Pops when you can make your own? Rockabye Butterfly shows you how. I bet your kids will love mushing the cake!

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Best of the Best of 2011 & Blog Hop

2012-01-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year faithful (and new) readers. I can't believe I've been blogging for a whole year now and have developed some fantastic relationships with you and other bloggers.

It's been a great year. I've already shared with you the Top 5 Posts of 2011. But as with many things, sometimes your favorite isn't the most popular. So now I give you....

My favorite activity of 2011

Toilet Art

I chose this post because I feel it embraces the spirit of Messy Kids. Art is about creating without limits. For kids, art is creating and exploring; finding creativity in everyday items. For Toilet Art (a title coined by my daughter) the kids from my mom's group painted with toilet plungers, toilet brushes, and kitchen scrubbers. They painted circles, mixed colors, and made a fantastic mess. It was freedom of expression without direction and they loved it!

Do you have a favorite activity from 2011?

Now it's time to share your favorite activity/post on the blog hop below. Please, only share 1 post from the past year. Not a blogger? Then check out all the wonderful activities shared by the bloggers listed.

AngeliqueFelix.com, The Golden Gleam, hands on : as we grow,Toddler Approved, Red Ted Art, The Iowa Farmer’s Wife, The Outlaw Mom Blog, Let Kids Create, Come Together Kids, Creative With Kids, Science sparks, Mama Smiles, Rainy Day Mum, teach mama, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, The Imagination Tree, JDaniel Fours Mom, Teach Preschool, De tout et de rien: Activités pour le Préscolaire, Tinkerlab, Mama Pea Pod, Crayon Freckles, Sun Hats & Wellie Boots, From Tantrums To Treasure Hunts, My Creative Family, Classified: Mom, Puddles and Gumboots, Art For Little Hands, Creative Connections for Kids, At home with Ali, Nurturestore, The Chocolate Muffin Tree,Critters and Crayons, The Mommies Made Me Do It, Mommy Labs, Jamie Jumble, Putti Prapancha, Dinosaurs and Octopuses, Puddles and Gumboots

The Messy Kids Top 5 Posts of 2011

2011-12-30T15:39:00.000-08:00

This past week, I've noticed a lot of other bloggers posting their top 10 posts of 2011. Just to be different (and because I've only been around for a little less then a year), I'm going to share the Messy Kids Top 5 Posts of 2011.

#5 Baked Crayon Art

#4 Crayon Melt

#3 Building a Carousal

#2 Creepy Crawly Water Beads

And the #1 Messy Kids post of 2011....No Flour Playdough!

Thank you for being a part of my first year as a blogger and I look forward to sharing so much more with you in 2012!

It's Playtime: Let's Celebrate Hanukkah

2011-12-21T23:09:00.000-08:00

With Christmas fast approaching, sometimes we forget there are other holidays celebrated this time of year. While my kids are singing Rudolph and Noel, my nieces are learning to play with dreidel and light a menorah. This week It's Playtime is dedicated to them and the Festival of Lights.

Join Se7en as they Learn About Hanukkah with Dreidels, Menorahs, and Latkes. Besides their own activities (and a great Letkes recipe), they include several links to other Hanukkah activities.

Inside Out shared a little of how they celebrated Festivals of Light at preschool.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Now, on to this weeks play date!

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.

* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

Next Week: It's Playtime will be on Christmas break. We will return right after the New Year with more great ideas shared by YOU.

It's Playtime: A Winter Feast for the Senses

2011-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

I've often expressed my love of sensory bins. I'd hoped to create my own winter "snow" bin at my house but bags of plastic snow disappear early in the season (us southern Californians find snow where we can). I guess I'll have to be as creative as these wonderful posts shared on It's Playtime!

There's the fake snow I was looking for! Winter White Sensory Tub from Make, do & friend

I love all the different elements this Christmas Sensory Tub from Pre-school Play has to offer! The mirror "pond" is my favorite. I remember one of my grandmothers having something similar when I was a child and I loved imagining the characters ice skating over it.

H is for Homeschooling also put together a Christmas Sensory Bin. I love how completely different it is from the one created by Pre-school Play!

We Can Do All Things shared their Homemade Iceland created from colored salt. The little penguins look so happy!

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

It's Playtime: DIY Christmas Decore

2011-12-07T12:30:00.001-08:00

Ahhhhh....Christmas. That jolly time of year when people suddenly become friendlier and kids fear the wrath of Santa. A time for love and good cheer. Also, it seems, the biggest collection of DIY decorations and gifts to found on the internet. Blogs are ablaze with wreaths, garlands, cookies, and ornaments. So was last weeks It's Playtime link party. Therefore, this week, I've rounded-up some of my favorite DIY Christmas decoration ideas for your enjoyment. Move over Martha Stewart, here comes some holiday family fun from mom's (and teachers) around the web.

Garland can be made from many different materials: popcorn, cranberries, oranges, and of course, pasta! Over at The Artful Child, you can find the recipe for coloring pasta, then using some string, your kids can make beautiful Christmas garlands for hanging around the house and/or on your tree.

Advent Calendars come in all shapes and sizes. Some provide treats while others provide a daily winter/Christmas themed activity. This great Advent Calendar from Serenity You is made from toilet paper rolls and wrapping paper! It's festive, creative, simple and a fun way to recycle!

Need some ornaments for your tree? What could be easier then your kids creating ornaments with beads and pipe cleaners?! Check out this simple idea from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas.

Expensive candle holders are a thing of the past. These beautiful stained glass holders from Playful Learners will add some holiday cheer to you Christmas gatherings.

Also check out How to... Make Dried Orange Slices and Craft Ideas from Red Ted Art's Blog. I'm hoping to make an orange slice garland this weekend.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

Magazine Creative Challenge: Christmas Countdown Paper Chain

2011-12-05T21:37:00.001-08:00

Grrrrr, life gets busy sometimes. TinkerLab held this wonderful creative challenge today involving magazines. I've known about it for at least a month, but I allowed time to creep away. Lucky for me my daughter is off school early this week for conferences, so as soon as we arrived home, I bombarded her with the challenge. "What can we make with magazines?" I asked her. In the Christmas mode already she began spitting out ideas....decorating boxes for Christmas presents, collages, bows (for presents...hmmmm...there's a thought), and finally, a countdown chain for Christmas. Easy, festive, we had our winner.

Materials needed for Christmas countdown paper chain:

magazines
stapler, tape, or glue
scissors

The children began by cutting strips of paper from a magazine. Ariel looked for colorful pages. Michael cut what ever he could, and gave up quickly. I encourage him with scissor practice but he becomes frustrated easily. I should have torn sheets from the magazine for him to cut but I was busy with my own project which I'll share towards the end.

Ariel stapled each link of the chain.

It grew and grew!

Using construction paper and markers, my daughter designed a sign, taping it at the top. I wasn't in the room so she sounded out the word "Christmas" on her own.

Ariel's completed chain.

I hung it in a door frame and each day we'll cut a link as we countdown to Christmas.

More you say?

make a chain for your Christmas tree but cutting appropriate sized strips. I tried to get the kids to do this but my daughter said, "mom, do you know how long that would take?" Yes, yes I do...
Before stapling, taping, or glueing the strips together, lay them all out, spread glue on them, and add a bit of glitter. Once they are dry, link them together. I also prompted my daughter towards this, but apparently, she didn't want to spend all day on this project.

While Ariel was making her paper chain, I was trying out the "bow" idea she mentioned during our brainstorm session. I too, cut paper strips with fancy scissors. Then I rolled them around a pencil giving them some curl.

I made a bunch of curls.

Once the curls were made, I stapled them together making a curly bow (pretend the pink box is a present). I think it came out pretty good but my daughter didn't care for it much. My son, could have cared less. Personally, I think it's a great way to recycle old magazines and save money on decorating presents that are going to be ripped open anyway.

These other great blogs have also participated in the challenge!

Child Central Station , kids in the studio, Teach Mama, The Imagination Tree,Childhood101, Teach Preschool, hands on as we grow, Artful Parent, Paint Cut Paste, A Mom With A Lesson Plan, Toddler Approved, Kiwi Crate, Art 4 Little Hands, Red Ted Art, The Chocolate Muffin Tree, Imagination Soup,Michelles Charm World, Messy Preschoolers, Tinker Lab, Mommy Labs, Putti Prapancha

Treasure Hunting...For Real!

2011-12-05T09:48:00.001-08:00

Between the Thanksgiving holiday and our family feeling a bit under the weather, I am way behind in my blogging. I failed miserably at the 30 Days of Hands on Play challenge (hosted by hands on: as we grow and The Imagination Tree), making it only about half way through, but I hope to keep playing on my own with the remaining challenges I missed. One of the activities I did participate in was Day 16: Go on a Hunt. As it happened, on the day of the challenge, my play group was going Geocaching. Geocaching is a real, life treasure hunt! In order to play, you need some sort of GPS device. This is used as your "treasure map". Geocaching.com has an application you can download to your phone or device. Once it's installed you log in and search your location for caches. The basic application is free, but if you plan to play on a regular basis, you may want to pay the monthly charge for the upgraded version. You'll receive more and better clues.

Before this event, I'd never been geocaching before. Luckily, two moms in my group frequently play so they led the expedition.

The hunt was set up at Lake Murray Park. We all set off, ready for an adventure.

The younger kids quickly became bored and found their own fun by throwing rocks into the lake.

The first cache was difficult to find so once the adults discovered it's location, it was moved to an easier spot for the kids discover.

Now with geocaching, the idea is to bring something to swap with something else in the cache. This one had a lot of junk! I think most do. I think one child did swap, but most of the kids simply enjoyed looking.

The 2nd cache was amusing. Hidden well, yet in plain site.

The kids LOVED that the cache was a duck decoy! Again, the treasure was more junk.

We decided to hunt for one more cache. My daughter, Ariel, loved the hunt! She's almost 9 and at the right age for it. Really, the little kids could have cared less. They were simply happy running around outside with their friends.

The last cache directions took us a bit off the trail. Despite the slight protest of their dad, I allowed my little billy goats to climb the rocks. Ariel was carefully hunting around the rocks for the cache but Michael just likes to climb.

We didn't find the treasure, but we did find this awesome snakeskin between some of the boulders!

So here's what we learned:

Geocaching is a lot of fun!
It's a great way to get outside and exercise. It makes walking more exciting!
Bring along some trinkets to exchange or to add to the cache.
It's a secret so when you are searching, be sneaky. Don't yell out directions, or "we found it!", or flash the cache around for "muggles" (non-geocachers) to see. Some muggles will take the cache not understanding what it is, so it's best if they don't know.
If your little one isn't interested in the hunt, it's O.K. They'll enjoy being outside either way.
Geocaching isn't just for kids! I think the adults in the group had more fun then the kids. It's like a puzzle and if you enjoy solving puzzles, then this is for you. This is a great way to get your map loving husband involved in an outdoor activity!
Geocaching is world wide and there are caches everywhere if you simply take the time to look. If there aren't any near you, start one and log it. It won't be long before somebody finds it.

It's Playtime: Wishing for Snow

2011-11-30T20:18:00.001-08:00

I live in San Diego, so I often find myself wishing for snow, as do my children. My son is 4 and has yet to see snow. Every year there is a short window where we can drive an hour from our home to play in the snow, and it seems, every year we miss out. We drove north for Thanksgiving and my daughter's big wish was for it to snow, which it did not. Very disappointing. So this week, on It's Playtime, I'm featuring some fabulous snow activities...NO SNOW REQUIRED!

Who needs snow to make a snowman? Not Nurture Store! They created Snow Playdough and built their own indoor snowman. The best part? This snowman won't melt!

I'm not the only one wishing for snow. Sassy's Sanity is longing for Snow in the Tropics so they created some with contact paper, glitter, and miscellaneous white items. The contact paper allowed them to stick the "snow" to the window creating the illusion of a white winter in 85 Fahrenheit. Sounds like what I need to do!

Pre-school Play had some sensory fun with their Foam Snowmen. This snow is messy fun with 0 cold fingers!

How about a little science with your snow play? Hands on: as we grow investigated "icy roads" the safe way: at home with ice, sand, salt, and some trucks.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

30 Days to Hands on Play: Outdoor Adventures: Bubble Wrap Dancing

2011-11-18T17:58:00.001-08:00

Day 11 of the 30 Days to Hands on Play challenge took us outside. We'd had an incredibly busy day but we did manage to squeeze in some outdoor play time right at dusk.

We have loads of stuff in our garage but I thought it would be fun to do something different, something other then chalk or bikes, so I pulled out some giant bubble wrap and set it down....

I figured my daughter would ride her scooter over the poppy paper but instead, she began dancing. So, I joined her...

Michael wanted nothing to do with us. He chose to stay inside the garage and whine about how he wanted to go inside because it was cold and dark (he was a bit tired). I guess you can't please everybody all of the time.

Once the bubble wrap was finished, my little artist pulled out the chalk to draw her family. My husband works out of town during the week and returns home for the weekends. He arrived about the time she finished. Play time was finished, but family time was just beginning!

Shared with:

Mama Pea Pod- Outdoor Play Party

30 Days to Hands on Play: Concoctions: Elephant Toothpaste...Sort Of

2011-11-17T21:04:00.001-08:00

Day 10 of the 30 Days to Hands On Play challenge brought excitement to my little world. The challenge was Concoctions, and boy, did I know what I wanted to do with my kids....Elephant Toothpaste! If you've never seen Elephant Toothpaste then check out this video:

I checked my ingredient list and found I had everything...except the beauty supply bottle of hydrogen peroxide...but regular ol' hydrogen peroxide should work...right?

According to the video we needed hydrogen peroxide (HP from now on), dish soap, warm water, yeast, and food coloring. I was thrilled to find we had an empty soda bottle in the garage as we hardly buy the stuff.

Ariel pours the HP into the empty soda bottle.

Michael adds the dish soap.

I mixed the yeast with the warm water. It became a bit pasty.

Then we added the yeast mixture to the HP mixture. Here's how it goes....*spoiler alert* it's a dud!

We waited...and waited...and waited...then we gave up.

But the kids were able to play in the bit of foam we created.

They felt it, splashed it, and practically took a bath in it.

And Michael, being the tool man he is, experimented with the funnel.

What we learned:

Regular HP is only about 3%. Beauty Supply HP has a higher concentration, at least 6%. The higher the concentration, the better the reaction. You can purchase 8% from Amazon!
If at first you don't succeed....we'll be trying this one again!

Also shared with:

30 Days to Hands on Play: Sensory Tub

2011-11-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Although I'm a bit behind blogging wise, our family has been having a great time with the 30 Days to Hands on Play Challenge. Day 9 was Sensory Tub Play which was convenient for me because that was my plan for the day anyway (they say great minds think alike!)

Our sensory tub included feed corn, acorns (we gathered on a hike), fake fall leaves, and spiky balls (sweetgum seed pods). After throwing the "ingredients" into our sensory bowl, I provided the kids with a variety of tools and containers for play.

Michael enjoyed experimenting with different sized containers and making a mess on the table. When I asked him to be careful he said, "I'm making a mess because I'm a little boy!"

Ariel loved the glass jar. She played with layering the different objects to create "candles". Here she is explaining her "around the world scents of fall" candle (which I later discovered decorating our bathroom).

Michael offers me a taste.

Michael learns it's more difficult to pour corn using a big bowl then a small scoop.

Then he discovered this scoop fits into the container...

and this scoop made a great drum stick for the table.

Michael also found the hole at the bottom of one of the scoops was the perfect size for the feed corn.

Ariel arranged everything in the bowl so perfectly, then declared, "I'm making gumbo...it's a type of soup."

It's Playtime: Leaves

2011-11-16T19:28:00.001-08:00

Here in San Diego, the leaves are finally beginning to change color. I'm lucky to have some beautiful trees along the street outside my home. The reds are amazing this year! So inspired by the changing leaves that I dedicate this week It's Playtime to leaf activities. Enjoy the colors!

Play Create Explore used leaves to create Leaf Snowflakes and Leaf Confetti. And think of all the ways you could use that Confetti!

Homeschooling the Cameron Clan created Leaf Impressions from their backyard treasures and salt dough.

Happy Little Messes used homemade Modge Podge on their leaves to make them stronger for play and future projects.

Greencraftingkid used green leaves to create Green Creatures. Isn't it cute?

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

30 Days to Hands on Play: Water Play

2011-11-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

Water play was the theme for Day 8 of the 30 Days to Hands on Play challenge. Like most of the challenges, the theme was simple and open-ended. I knew right away what we were going to do...

We have a lovely park near us with fabulous natural elements the kids (and I) enjoy exploring. It rained recently, so the creek was flowing again.

I was hoping to make leaf boats with my son but some of the kids that gather each day after school had created several dams across the water. While I moved some rocks around, Michael threw rocks into the water.

He realized different rocks make different sized splashes. Of course splashing mommy was a plus too!

Then we played a bit of sink or float. Michael learned that while rocks sink, leaves float. Unfortunately, due to the water level, his first leaf was too big to float down the creek; it immediately became stuck on some rocks.

We tried a smaller leaf, which floated an extremely short distance, before it too, became stuck. I guess leaf boats will have to wait until the water level is higher.

We had such a nice time playing in the water at the park...and I didn't have to clean it up afterwards!

It's Playtime: Playing with Seeds

2011-11-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

Fall is a fantastic time to play with seeds and seed pods. They can be found everywhere: on the ground, in the food we eat, and at the store. They are great for sensory play, painting, counting, graphing, eating, etc. This week on It's Playtime, I've featured some fun, messy, and creative ideas for exploring seeds (or seed pods). Enjoy, and remember, sometimes it is OK to play with your food!

Playful Learners shared Pumpkin the Hedgehog. How cute is he?!

How about some outside exploration, messy fun, and fall decorations all wrapped up in one blog post? Then check out Paint & Pine Cones from Sun Hat & Wellie Boots. They had a grand time gathering pine cones, painting them, and creating wonderful displays.

It's OK if you've lost your marbles, there are acorns laying on the ground! Marla's Motherhood Musings created Acorn Art. It didn't quite go as planned...

Indian corn isn't just for decorating the Thanksgiving table, it's a great material for artistic expression. Just ask Child Central Station who made a wonderful mess while they did some Indian Corn Printing/Painting.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

30 Days to Hands on Play: Mega Floor Doodles

2011-11-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

Day 7 of the Hands on Play challenge was Mega Floor Doodles. I am blessed with a tiled entry way which is perfect for sliding in socks or drawing on the floor (on paper of course). Forgetting I had some old bulletin board butcher paper floating around from my preschool teaching days, I improvised. I pulled out my tin foil, cut two large pieces, taped it to the tile, and placed permanent markers around for us doodle.

My daughter loves to draw so she dove right into the project, drawing each member of our family, including the dogs and cats.

Michael is the opposite. He made a small scribble, had me help write his name (I held his hand, writing it "with" him), and said he was done.

I drew Bob from Monsters vs Aliens

Since Michael was done doodling, it was time to torture his sister...

and spin on an office chair...

Finally he became interested again when I traced my hand. But just to be different, Michael asked to have his foot traced.

Michael's foot

Then he wanted to trace his hand on top of my hand. He said, "it looks like we're clapping."

Ariel traced her hand and foot, coloring both in using pink.

Michael decided doodling wasn't so boring after all, so he drew a "cash register." I think he said something about it being for our hands.

It was nice, pulling ourselves away from the T.V. to do something creative together. It was simple and I know, we spent much longer then 15 minutes playing together.

30 Days to Hands on Play: Play Dough Exploration

2011-11-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

Day 4 of the challenge came and went. The theme was Pretend Islands and as much as I wanted to participate, I was lazy. Rain, makes me extremely lazy. I think partially because in southern California, we don't see too much rain, so when we do, I just want to cuddle with my kids and watch a good movie, which is what we did.

Day 5 was Play Dough Exploration. We have a lot of store bought play dough, but I decided, since my son loves to cook, that part of the fun would be making play dough. I have my own tried and true recipe (which I haven't made since I taught preschool, but it's sooooooo soft!), but since it involves a little longer in the kitchen, I decided to try the recipe Anna posted on The Imagination Tree site with her challenge (see the above link). If you desire a gluten-free recipe, check out my No Flour Play Dough. Anna's recipe was very quick. Next time, I'll have to try a bit less salt to see if I can get it softer. Even my regular recipe, I reduce the amount of salt by half. But I did love Anna's recipe for the speed factor. I've never made play dough so quickly!

Once the playdough was made, I set out a variety of items for my son and I to explore...

We had some pom pom balls, rocks, acorns, straws (different lengths), buttons, google eyes, and pipe cleaners.

Michael began by making a happy face. Acorns for the eyes and nose, and upside-down google eyes
for the mouth.

I asked Michael if he could share some play dough with me and this is what he gave me!

So I taught him about straw worms...

He experimented with the pipe cleaners and straws...

Which led him to discover that a pipe cleaner can also go through a hole in the play dough. Pipe cleaners make better worms.

I showed him how pom pom balls make cool prints!

Then Michael folded a bunch of items into the play dough. I thought he was going to dig them out...

instead, he covered the dough with acorns and decided he was done playing. I packed up the dough into a ziploc but the items are still stuffed inside, even as I write.

I had to include this video. It's my son playing by pounding the acorns into the play dough. As he does he creates sound effects. I found it quite amusing.

30 Days to Hands on Play: Block Building

2011-11-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of the Hands on Play challenge sounded like fun...build with blocks! Well, today, that was easier said then done....

We had a busy day running around getting the car looked at, library, new shoes, etc. Once we got home, I cleaned the kitchen and told my kids that after dinner we could build with blocks together. Well, my daughter took forever to do her homework, so she was out. My son, was so tired he was whining and throwing tantrums. I asked him what he wanted to make and he said, "a fish", so he laid out 3 blocks for the tail, then told me to finish it...

So I made a fish...I guess...

Then Michael became frustrated with SOMETHING, I don't remember what, and kicked the blocks around. As suddenly as the tantrum came on, it stopped, and Michael said, "look I made a dog!" My daughter thought I should post this picture and ask, "Do you see the dog?" Well, do you?

So we put away the ABC blocks and pulled out the Mega Blocks. With much frustration, Michael built a rocket ship, "because I never got to go in rocket ship yet."

Michael's rocket ship.

Finally, we kind of made this "castle" together. I say "kind of" because I prompted it but Michael added, oh, maybe two blocks, then was off in his Michael world. He had no interest in helping me.

I tried, I really did. But I learned that play, doesn't always go your way. I finally listened to the cues; we put the blocks away and pulled out the one thing my son has been asking me to do ALL DAY...we battled each other on Skylanders, the kids' new Wii game. My son LOVES to play with me, especially when he beats me (I don't believe in letting kids win so he honestly beats me quite a bit when we battle together).

On a side note, my son is sleeping in his fort again tonight.