Tried it and Liked It - Mess-less Finger Painting

Mess-less Finger Painting

As a parent I am always trying to introduce new things to my children. I truly believe we never stop learning. I was surfing the Pinterest and came across this little idea from "hippiehousewife's Blog" and she also credits this idea back to "Mamasmiles Blog". Each taking the idea and making it their very own. I also am taking this one step more.

Mess-less Finger Painting

Items Needed:

1 large gallon storage bag

1 roll of painters tape (I used duct tape but it stuck to the table)

Finger Paint

Instructions to Create:

1) Squirt in a blob of each color into the bag in different areas.

(I used for this experiment, already finger paint that I had on hand)

2) Seal the bag and tape it down on to the table. Hippie Housewife put a white sheet of paper behind it, which I will do next time.

( I used duct tape this time, but the second one I made I used painters tape, much better)

3) Let your child at it.

This craft was a keeper. Thinking of going bigger. Maybe with homemade finger paint, and a painters tarp folded in half. A nice driveway craft on a warm sunny day. Body Painting without the mess.

Ours turned out like this.

And we also took ours and hung up on the window, it was a cold sunny day. We liked to see the sun come through the paint.

This was a craft that was really fun. We learned about mixing colors and enjoyed the squishness of it all.
My favorite part was no mess. Unless your 4 years old decides he must find out what is in the inside, then it is a mess.

Try this and let me know how you liked it.

I thought I would add a recipe for homemade finger paint. Since it is expensive and home made is always the best way.


Home Made Finger Paint

Items Needed; 

 3 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn starch
2 cups of water
food coloring
small containers to put different colors in it

Instructions on Creating:

1) Combine salt, cornstarch, water and cook on low until thickens.

2) Let cool.

3) Pour into containers (we used baby food jars (cause I always make extra to keep)

4) Mix in food coloring.

That Wipe Able Marker and Learning Sheets

I have through the years have raised many children along with my own. I was a constant fan of always learning, worksheets was an all time favorite. At one time when my two oldest were younger I would have at least 5 more in tow of the same age. I couldn't afford to go and buy a workbook for everyone. At that time the computer came to this world and a printer. I loved printing out worksheets. I used the idea of using those clear insert pages for notebooks. The kind you can slip a paper in the pocket and then clip into the notebook. Back when I started this idea, we just used crayons, but then came the invention (or I had just found them) the washable wipe able marker.

Wipe Able Marker and Learning Sheets

You will need:

1) A children's workbook (or go on the Internet and print the ones you like)  

    For older kids you could print word finds, and connect the dots.

2) Clear Page Inserts for Notebooks ( as many as you think you need, remember you can work on both sides.

3) Wipe able marker and an eraser (we use a dry washrag)

To put this together:

1) Insert your pages into the clear sleeves. Then put them into the notebook. You can use it as a book to work from. My son is 4 so he actually does better when I take out one page at a time. 

You write on them.

and then wipe them off

This creates a re-usable surface. I like this saves money, and when you put them in the clear inserts, you can keep them nice.

We have been using these for years and I thought maybe it was time to share.

I hope that if you give it a try that you come back and comment and let me know how it worked.

Thanks again for stopping in.

Homemade Lunchables

In the good ole' summer time. I like to keep my kitchen as cool as I can.

I do what I can to keep my kids fed, and actually eat what is good for them. I know that this is just a take off from what you can buy. Lunch-ables is a big thing with smaller kids. Kid friendly size, and can be eaten with your hands. I used to buy the ones with the cracker, cheese and meat. Now I do this.

I buy the whole wheat ritz crackers. I put 4 on a plate. For the meat I prefer the turkey pepperoni, but I also buy the turkey ham, turkey Bologna, and just the plain turkey and cut into 4 pieces. A slice of cheese cut into 4ths. I also buy a box of juice bags and a small bag of individual size candy bars. I find that in the over all, they are healthier and cost wise a better deal. Without the pretty carton. I know there are some great little Tupperware type containers out there, so you could also buy one to use instead of bags to throw away.

For a toddler the 4 pieces is enough. For my older ones I double that. I also pre-make them in the fridge, stored in individual snack bags. I do not put the crackers in the refrigerator, but I do pre- count them into baggies and store in my bread drawer.

I wanted to share this today, cause it is so hot out there. Just one way of pleasing the kids and my wallet..

If you ever have any cute ideas you would like to share..just holler my way.

Until we read again...get out there and make something yours.. do something fun.

Home Made Learning Cloth 2

I am thinking I will change the name from the clear plastic table cloth.. to a home made learning cloth.

Posting another idea we are using this week with it.

I took pages from a pre-k workbook and slid them under. He worked all the puzzles and seek and find, like a pro. When he was done we just wiped it off. I will leave it for a few days, because as different family members sit down they work with him and that is the repetitive part of learning.

This is really amped up on his learning, just this week, he is saying numbers, alphabets.. he is like a sponge, ever absorbing.

This mat has also been on my kitchen table, which is where everyone eats and hangs out. So it seems that my dry erase markers are being used not just the littlest, but the biggest. They all like actually writing on it.

We are planning a trip, so there is a map, we work with.. and we are building a swing set, and we are drawing and planning it.

I hope that you give this a try, for the big ones or the little ones...

Home Learning Cloth --- a new idea for your table

This is our kitchen table.

Yes, the one we share our meals on. I gave up fine dining awhile ago, 21 years to the day.

I find that our table is the center of our home. We talk, laugh, cry, work out problems, homework, art, crafts and play games on.

Our new use for it, is a large wipe off board for learning our name and alphabets. (Well I already know my name..I think I do!)

I have plans to branch out for other things, which I will post as I go along.

Our table has a regular plastic table cloth on it, printed in a bright springy pattern. On top of that is a sheet of heavy plastic that I purchased at the fabric store. They have it for I don't know what, they have some with even prints on it. I actually purchased it to keep the one table cloth looking bright and clean through the season. It ran me about 15 dollars for my large table. They sell it by the foot.

I also bought a box of different colored dry eraser markers.

Please remember if you are using this with a 3 years old, please watch them, mine had the habit of pressing too hard and popping the marker into itself. Ruined a few of them. Also remember to teach your little one and big ones to put the lid on and tap on the table to make sure it shuts. Lost a few to dry out.

 Eventually my creative mind took over and we first layed a map on it, to plan our summer week run.

Then I started to write up cards of my sons name for him to practice writing, then alphabets.

When he was done, all he had to do was wipe it off.

Gosh, it started to great for everything. The play sheet pad for playdough slipped right under and then they didn't have to constantly straighten it over and over.

We started to slip the game boards under it, because some reason at my house, it constantly is moving and with having to keep it on the table and the pieces. Well you get the idea.

Please also if  you use the dry erase markers, be sure to wipe off. I look pretty silly sporting different colored sleeves on my skin. I also when we are finished just a quick squirt with windex and wipey, wipey.. and back to normal.

This week I am looking for dot to dots to put under to play and a few maze games..

I just wanted to share with you. I promise I will post more as I keep getting my creativity on.

This actually is fun, and makes us a little closer. Draws us together...and isn't that what family is all about.

Magnetic Board (made from an oil drip pan)

This is a really neat idea.

I wanted to share it with you. I was inspired from http://morethanabcand123.blogspot.com/search/label/GIANT%20magnet%20board
shes got a giant one. Makes me want to expand and find more uses for it.

I did not create this great little idea. I sure did find it really a fun thing, we have messed with it every day that we put it up.

It is really fun for the kids. Gave me a place to really let the magnets hang, cause after awhile the fridge gets a little overwhelmed. Then if someone is in a real mood and slams the door, shewwww there go the magnets.

All you do is go to a auto parts store, or walmart and get an oil drip pan. They run about 10 dollars.
They are very greasy feeling, so before you do anything, wipe them down. Took me a few clorox wipes and we were good.

Hang where you would like and we use screws with a washer head on them, just in case someone got rough and try to knock it off. Around here they run like elephants up and down the hall.. Install and get busy. Our magnets were the generic alphabets ones. (actually a goodwill find.. thanks to who ever couldn't stand picking them up any more..lol) and the dinos we got are the melissa and doug ones. I think they were only 9 dollars on amazon.

So I discovered the new thing Pinterest. I kinda only look at stuff for kids, recyclables (seems like I generate alot of garbage..lol)

You could also use it for all kinds of stuff besides kids. Maybe a note board in the kitchen. You can use the old flat magnets from business and glue and cut out other things and make whole new magnets.Well gotta roll outie here.. on to cleaning up the kitchen. We made chocolate pancakes today...

Have a wonderful day.. get out there and play a little.. it is good for the soul!

Cut 'n Seal PBJ on the go..and cheaper too..

Hello to everyone that is stopping and reading my blog. I hope over the months I can get all my ideas in order for me to share.

I usually come up with these ideas out of necessity.

I wanted to share with you guys, Is the frozen pbj sandwich. I went to Walmart and saw the Smuckers Frozen PBJ's and yes, I must admit I bought some to try. They were quite expensive. I also saw that they were just a bit too thick for the little baby to eat. I love the round compact size of them. You could just also pop them in the baby bag and by the time someone wanted to eat they would be great.

My take on this is..
I guess you could cut them and freeze them, but I went one better. I have a pampered chef cut and seal $9.00. It presses down the bread and cuts the circle and seals it great. (I posted a picture above)

Peanut Butter and Jelly (on the go)

1 loaf of really fresh white bread (or you can get wheat)

Peanut butter

Jelly

12 cheap sandwich bags

Ice cream gallon bucket (walmart is now selling rectangle ice cream buckets they are even better)

I spread each sandwich as thick as I like.

Press each one with the cutter into a round.

Slip them into a sandwich bag (you can use the cheap ones they are just to hold them) and then put them in the icecream tub. This keeps them fresh from the freezer.

I got about 12 out of a sandwich loaf. Which I figure I did well, cause in the box I think you get about 6 and they are atleast 4 bucks.

My kids loved them. I would pull out two at breakfast and by lunch I would just hand it off to the kids.

I hope that if you get a chance you could give it a try.
Some other ideas could be other sandwiches, ham, balogna,cheese and freeze.

If you want to comment please do.

Also wanted to tell you in note:

 I tried the new Koolaid Fun Fizz tablet.. very cool, very convient, they come in a tablet. I can take a 9oz baby cup with water and get a quick cup of koolaid. I do not do this all the time, I am a big advocate for water in your cup, but for a quick switch it worked great.

Thanks for taking the time to read. Please keep in touch and enjoy.

May your days be wonderful and God watch over you always.