Fun on the 4th with It's Playtime

Happy Birthday America.  Tomorrow is your birthday.  Now some of you readers may be enjoying a quite day at home, like I am, but still need to entertain your children (or at least get them away from the TV for 5 min).  Or maybe you are in charge of the neighborhood BBQ.  Either way, here are some ideas to engage your children this Independence Day.

What could be more exciting then Exploding Fireworks Paintings from Inspiration Laboratories?  Art, science and exploding baggies....AWESOME!  They also have links to other firework art/play ideas.

 This 4th of July Sensory Bin from Gift of Curiosity will keep your toddler scooping, mixing, and pouring using mostly items from around the house.

JDaniel4's Mom shared 10 4th of July Books to read with your kids.  

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

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)

* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma

* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Chalk It Up To It's Playtime

Drawing with sidewalk chalk is classic outdoor fun......but.....at the same time, gets old quickly.  Shared on previously on It's Playtime, here are some new ways to explore and learn with sidewalk chalk.  

Reading Confetti posted their recipe for Frozen Popsicle Chalk.  If you don't have popsicle molds, try simply making Ice Chalk.  

Train Up a Child shared their post, Top 10 Ways to Learn with Chalk.  Here you'll find some great learning games and play ideas for kids toddlers through school-age.  

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

  

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Flower Power on It's Playtime

Flowers, flowers everywhere!  Here are some great posts from last weeks It's Playtime link party.  

Join Craft to Art and the 100 Days of Play challenge with this wonderful recycle post featuring a Magnetic Bottle Caps flower game plus several other creative play ideas. 

 The Pleasantest Thing shared their Sensory Spring Water Table and dandelion boats.  A great activity for those warm spring and summer days!  

Also check out:

• Preschool Botany Lesson Pt. 1 from Gift of Curiosity
• Pipe Cleaner/Fuzzy Stick Flowers from Craft to Art
• A Flower & Butterfly....Handprint Style From Wine to Whine
• Make a Flower Chain Crown from Fireflies and Mud Pies

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

  

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Gross Motor Play on It's Playtime

For most of us, the weather is nice right now, so it's time to get outside and play!  Here are some great gross motor outdoor activities to get you and your children moving together.  

Train Up a Child shared their Gross Motor Addition Game as well as Activities with Pool Noodles.  A plethora of simple ideas to take you outside.  

Have some old tires you want to repurpose?  Making Boys Men shared 5 Ways to Play with Tyres.  

If you don't know what a Water Blob is then head over to We-Made-That.com and check out this fantastically fun outdoor toy you can make with two items.  

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

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Messy Art on It's Playtime

It's Playtime will keep you busy and a bit messy this week....

Join fantastic fun & learning in the creative paint exploration and Paint with Rocks!  Use a canvas and this will be a keeper to brighten up your home.  

These kids from Mamas Like Me are painting with popcorn!  Check out how they turned popcorn painting into a beautiful Mother's Day card.

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

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

Chalk Art on It's Playtime

Today I'm off to play with my kids in the mountains.  It's all about exploring nature with hiking, waterfalls and maybe some wild animals.  So in an effort to keep things short and sweet here is my fabulous feature for this weeks It's Playtime!  It's all about the mess....

Creative Playhouse shared their Crushed Chalk Art.  Simple, open-ended, and messy; just the way I like it!  Your kids will enjoy crushing the chalk as much as creating a colorful piece of art.

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

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

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!)
* Rachel & Holly : Quirky Momma
* Jillian: A Mom With a Lesson Plan

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!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* 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.

By linking up you give us permission to grab a picture and feature you here, on a site we write for, on FB or Pinterest.   If we share your link, we will always credit you, send people to your original post and use only ONE photo.

100 Days of Play Challenge

Would you like to reconnect with your children?  Do you need an excuse to turn off the television?  Or how about simply having a good time?  Then join me and 100 bloggers from around the world for the 100 Days of Play challenge hosted by Sun Scholars and Life At The Zoo.  Each day a new activity will be posted on the blog hop as well as the 100 Days of Play Pinterest Board encouraging you to join your children in play.  Play, connect, and share, but most of all, have fun!      

100 Days of Play Blog Hop
Sharing simple ideas on how to connect with your children through play!
New ideas shared each day from 4/1 - 7/9.  

Help us spread the word!

Grab a Button to Share on your Blog!

<a href="http://www.sunscholars.com/p/100-days-of-play.html" target="_blank"><img alt="100 Days of Play" src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7xMRCn21cODfJd2ZI2EQFfq6yx6t0ADeta7OiUatrBzhYiD6k1QVCay-O6RAPtxgDFjFxSMH0kxHg1Ny2kZRJ3FQGGxVQdVukz9LNkdd3ijN3zCrU9DCe2xrZO2KhdXZwDResBO6-A3F/s1600/mommy+playdate+button200.jpg"/></a>

100 Days of Play is brought to you by these wonderful bloggers

SunScholars . Frogs, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails . Playful Learners . Train Up a Child . Fantastic Fun & Learning . Scribble, Doodle & Draw . Learn. Create. Love. . Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas . Nothing if Not Intentional . My Little 3 & Me . Buggy & Buddy . Sun Hats & Wellie Boots . Twodaloo . True Aim . The Educators' Spin On It . Blog Me Mom . Life At The Zoo . Putti's World . Kitchen Counter Chronicles . Triple T Mum . Busy Kids Happy Mom . Crystal's Tiny Treasures . Rainy Day Mum . Momma's Fun World . My Little Bookcase . Craftulate . One Perfect Day . MumCentral . Artchoo! . Little Artists . Simple. Home. Blessings. . JDaniel4's Mom . NurtureStore . Me & Marie Learning . Child Central Station . Mamas Like Me . Making Boys Men . Powerful Mothering . Craft to Art . 3 Dinosaurs . Domestic Goddesque . Lessons Learnt Journal . Royal Baloo . Smiling Like Sunshine . Adventures at Home with Mum . B-Inspired Mama . PragmaticMom . Eazy Peazy Mealz . Gluesticks . TheBoy&Me . Learning is Messy . My Nearest & Dearest . Growing Book by Book . How to Run a Home Daycare . Here Come the Girls . Think Magnet . Dandelions Picked . 123 Homeschool 4 Me . Our Ordinary Life . Parenting with Professor Poppins . 2 Little Hooligans . Fun-a-Day! . The Non-Martha Mamma . Angelique Felix . My Very Educated Mother . Creative Playhouse . Go Explore Nature . Zing Zing Tree . Sense of Wonder . Childhood 101 . Crayon Freckles . KZ & Me . Serenity You . This Mumma's Life . Leapfrog & Ladybugs . Blue Bear Wood . Growing Together . KC EDventures . Mommy Lessons 101 . Nature & Play . Like Mama Like Daughter . Mums Make Lists . From Wine to Whine . Messy Kids . Babble Dabble Do . Sugar Aunts . Teaching @ Home . Preschool Powol Packets . Clothed in Love . Curiosity Creates . The Magnolia Barn . Strong Start . Toddler Approved

. Learn with Play at home

Cooking with Kids: Salted Caramel Bunny Bait

Yesterday was my mom's group Spring Fling.  We gathered together, shared food, and let our kids go wild in a park.  Oh and there was an Easter egg hunt.  Somehow I missed it though because I was watching babies...plural...more then one.  Only one was mine.  But it's O.K.  My kids are spaced 5 years a part.  This makes things easy for me at playdates because my older kids are capable of enjoying the park on their own.  But many of my friends aren't as lucky; their kids are 3, 2 or less years apart.  Talk about a challenge!  My son is enough of a challenge, I couldn't imagine him being 2 while caring for the baby as well.  I'd be crazier then I am now.  I don't know how my friends do it.  A lot of drinking maybe....  

With that being said, sometimes my son wants to help me in the kitchen.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I had to make a dish to take to the Spring Fling so after some research I'd decided on Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn (or Bunny Bait).  You can find the recipe at two peas & their pod.  There was plenty my son could help me do.  

We needed some crunched-up, salted pretzels.  I dumped a bunch of pretzel sticks in a Ziploc bag, gave my boy a meat tenderizer, and let him go at it.  He was quite proud of his job.  

My son loves marshmallows.  He was excited to measure the amount we needed and stir them into the hot sugar mixture.  He also liked adding the food coloring.  

And what kid could resist adding the M&M's to the mix?  A taste test is extremely important.  

Some tips:

• Use white mini marshmallows for melting in the recipe.  I had pastel colored and well, when they melt together, they turn brownish.  Then we added some pink food coloring which of course, made it worse.  Then we added some purple, which turned the whole mess puce.  So if you don't want vomit colored popcorn, I'd go with white marshmallows.  
• If the marshmallows don't melt right away, place the pot back on the stove and stir constantly until hot.  Depending on the brand of marshmallows they won't become creamy until you begin stirring the mixture into the popcorn.  
• If you can't tell, I'm a little marshmallow crazy, but you can add the colored ones along with the pretzel M&M's.  At that point it adds more Easter color.  
• I forgot to get heavy cream.  Coconut milk works too!  
• My mixture was pretty sticky.  I don't know if that's normal or if it's because I didn't lay it out on a cookie sheet to set.  I stuck it in the fridge to cool instead (I wait until the last minute to make things; it's so bad!).  It still tasted great! In fact more moms ate this stuff then kids.   
• Place the popcorn out on Easter Eve as bunny bait.  Just a little something to add to the magic.   
• This is how we popped our popcorn, give it a try:

I'm sorry, I really wanted to post the recipe here (citing the source of course) but I believe in giving credit where credit is due.  They other blogger deserves the traffic too!  

What are you making special for Easter?  Share in the comments below.