Homemade Gloop

We made Green Gloop at Playgroup - I had wanted to make this for some time and my first attempt was a complete failure.  I added too much water and the gloop was not gloop at all!  It was more like green runny water.  The next attempt was much better and here is the results...think, oozy, green gloop!

What you will need:-
Cornflour
Water
Food colouring
Mixing bowl

What you will need to do:-
Add a full packet of cornflour to the mixing bowl.  Slowing add water to the cornflour (one tablespoon at a time - VERY IMPORTANT).  Once you have the desired consistency add the food colouring.

The kids can use their fingers and hands to play with the gloop, or use spoons, funnels and spades.

Nature Art

I love working with different elements when creating art.  We recently ran a kids craft activity at our local shopping centre and took along a ton of natural products for the kids to create something special with. 

Twigs, bark, sand, flowers, shells, seeds and whatever else I could find in my backyard.  Using PVA glue and some white bond paper, the kids absolutely loved it!  

A couple of tips:-

- Place sand in old salt shakers (really lessons any major mess)

- Use paint brushes to apply the PVA glue

- Set up your work area with everything in baskets or piles

- Let the kids help with collecting your nature art supplies (this just adds to all the fun)

QLD Maroons Supporter Flags

Queenslander! Queenslander! Queenslander!

If you want to get into the State of Origin spirit, create these super easy kids footy supporter flags.

What you will need:-

Felt or Fleece

Foam letter shapes

Foam trophy shapes

Dowel

Cardboard

Scissors

Felt pen

PVA Glue

What you will need to do:-

Free hand draw a triangle onto the cardboard.  Cut out the template flag and lay it onto your fabric.  Trace around the edge and then cut out the fabric.  If you are confident, you can cut the flag out directly onto the fabric.

Arrange the letter and trophy shapes onto the flag and apply with PVA glue.

Attach the length of dowel using the PVA glue.

Coloured Rice @ Playgroup

I took the coloured rice we made at home to Playgroup this week and I really enjoyed watching the kids play.  We added some sand toys so they could scoop and pour the sand.

Its such a cheap, clean and fun idea! Here is my coloured rice recipe.  My next coloured rice project is to create a farmyard - stay tuned for that one!

Trampoline Hockey

Trampoline Hockey is what I'm calling it - Lucas and I played a fun game outside today and I wanted to share it with everyone.

Lucas stood at one end of the trampoline and I stood at the other.  We took turns in pushing his big red monster truck across the trampoline.  If the truck got passed you, a point was awarded to the other player.

We must have stood there and played for 30 minutes (that's a long time for my 3yo to be engaged in one activity!).  I loved spending this time with Lucas - such a simple activity but we both had so much fun!

Ribbon Rings

Even boys have fun with Ribbon Rings!

My mum made a some for our local handmade market and gave us the ones that didn't sell to bring along to Playgroup for all the kids to play with.  Before we got to Playgroup, Lucas had already claimed his Ribbon Ring- he loved waving it around, running, jumping and seeing it follow him.

They are very easy to make, this is what you will need:-

Curtain Rings
7 lengths of different coloured ribbon
Small bells (optional)
Needle and thread

What you will need to do:-
Tie the lengths of ribbon to the ring.  If using the small bells (they really do make a lovely touch), sew one or two to a length of ribbon.

Here are some ideas for using your Ribbon Rings:-
- Gymnastics or ribbon dancing.
- Great as decorations at a birthday party and then can be taken home as a thank you gift.
- Tiggy (pop the ribbon ring in the childrens pockets, kids need to grab the ribbon to be tagged).
- Create shapes and patterns in the air
- Use as a "batton" in a relay race

This is a great activity as kids can help with tying the knots.  We have made basic ones at Playgroup before but I'm happy to say they loved mums ribbon rings too!  Thanks mum!

Tennis Ball Painting

We got the paints out today and did some good old fashioned painting!  I like to use the A-Frame Blackboard and peg the paper on so the kids can stand up to paint.  We also use old egg cartons to keep the colours separate.  

We were painting away and Lucas decided to to see what happened when he covered a tennis ball in paint - mainly to see my reaction I think!  We all joined in and the kids had a blast! Lucas liked rolling the ball in the paint and then seeing it roll across the cardboard.  Joshua loved chasing the ball and bringing it back to Lucas.

The best part for me was Lucas' enthusiasm in cleaning up the "tracks" left behind by the ball.

Coloured Pasta and Rice

Today we got into colouring pasta and rice.  Lucas loved the end result - especially since it's been really cold outside lately and he hasn't been playing in his sandpit.  A bit of indoor digging was just what he liked! :)

I'm going to take the pasta and rice to Playgroup.  The kids will make coloured pasta necklaces and i'll create a sensory bin with the rice - look out for these posts soon!

What you will need:

Rice - I used long grain
Tube pasta - I used three different shaped tube pastas, small, medium and large
Vinegar
Food Colouring
Clip Seal Bag

What you will need to do:

To make the coloured rice I used 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of rice.  To make the coloured pasta I used 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 3/4 cup of pasta.

Add your vinegar to the clip seal bag and enough food colouring to get the desired colour.
Add your rice or pasta to the bag and seal.  Combine the contents until all the rice/pasta is coated in the vinegar/food colouring mixture.

Leave the rice/pasta in the clip seal bags for 10 minutes.

Open the bags and place the contents on flat baking trays lined with baking paper.  I let the rice/pasta to dry overnight.

Once dried store in an airtight container for use over and over again!  The end result: 

Coloured pasta tubes

Coloured rice

Chickens join the family!



We introduced four new members to our family at Easter - Four Black Chickens!  We wanted to introduce Lucas to the responsibility of owning a pet (so why not introduce four?!) and getting fresh eggs was just a bonus!

 

 

Lucas went to the shop and picked out the chickens with his dad. They brought them home and settled them into the pen.  Lucas' dad had made a big nesting box and he placed some straw in it to make the chickens comfortable (in hope that this would make eggs appear in the not too distant future..... waiting..... still waiting.....and more waiting).

 

The chickens were named by Lucas - Riely (after his best friend at Kindy), Lucas (of course), Joshua (his baby brother) and Joshua (his baby brother).  Yes, that's right.  Two chickens have been given the name Joshua.  At first one was named "Mummy" but the next day it was re-named Joshua.  Go figure the logic of a 3 year old!

Each morning we leave the comfort of the warm house and venture down to the cold backyard to feed the chooks.  It's Lucas' job twice a day.  He scoops up the chicken feed into a bucket and takes it into the pen.  We fill up their water containers and usually stop for a little chat.  "Hello Chickens".

 

On two occasions in the last four weeks Lucas has said he didn't want to go feed the chickens.  I just reminded him that it was his job to feed the chickens and what would happen if we didn't feed them?  "They will be very hungry mummy".  It didn't take much convincing on either of these occasions and he soon put on his boots and we were on our way.

I can't wait for the chickens to start laying!  It will be a magical moment when we discover the eggs.  Look out for a post when that happens!!  Do you have chickens or other pets?  Do your kids help out with the care of them?

Cardboard Box Puppet Theatre

I have saved nearly every cardboard box we have used for about 6 months.....cereal boxes, teabag boxes, birthday toy boxes and so on.  I have been wanting to make a puppet theatre for ages and then yesterday we got a package delivered in a box just the right size!

I started by removing all the sticky tape holding the box together, then I cut the box down the short sides, leaving one side flap attached.

I then cut out the "stage" using a Stanley Knife.  We then got to painting which is where Lucas was able to help. 

Side note: From the start this was my activity, (and it showed when I got just a tad frustrated with Lucas' painting - the words "we are never painting again" passed my lips) it took this moment of frustration to pull me back down to earth and realise I was creating this FOR Lucas and if he wanted to paint it multicoloured, well then, that was just fine. :)

Once the paint dried we chose some material to make the curtains.  I tried a few different ways to hang the curtains.  Tacks, tape, blue-tac.  I would have like it if the curtains could be drawn open and closed but I'm just not that handy when it comes to sewing. So, finally we went with the white glue.

All that was left to do was get the puppets out and put on a show!  This worked well in our outdoor area on the table as it's just the right height for Lucas to stand up.  We took the theatre along to Playgroup and it was a bit of a fizzer.  The wind kept blowing it over.  I would suggest if you intend on using this in an outdoor environment, some cardboard supports added to the back panels would work a treat.

What have you made using a cardboard box?  Comment below and attach your photos!

The wonder of Mist

One morning last week we were outside especially early (feeding the chooks).   It was very misty and Lucas (3yo) was very intrigued.  "We are on Misty Island Mummy!".  I made the most of this "moment of wonder" and we spent some time trying to catch the mist, poking at the spiderweb dew/frost, and watch the water droplets run down leaves ("but it's not raining?"). 

Spending moments like these with Lucas is just priceless.  Love the magic and wonder he brings to our lives!

What magical moments have you had with your kids? - Ange.

Toilet Roll Craft - Cardboard Tube Necklaces

I have been saving all our cardboard tubes for ever!!  I didnt have a plan on what we were going to use them for and when the basket started overflowing I thought it was time we did something!  I took them along to playgroup and we made these Cardboard Tube Necklaces. 

What you will need: Cardboard tubes (toilet rolls, paper towel rolls, wrapping paper rolls), scissors, felt pens, string/wool/ribbon.

What you will need to do: Cut the cardboard tubes into segments (approx 2.5cm wide). Decorate with the felt pens - draw pictures or names. Thread the tubes onto the ribbon and tie ends.

How do you use up your cardboard tubes?

Colourful Jellyfish - Made from plastic bottles!

I was given loads of empty 2L softdrink bottles for our Playgroup, and I was playing around today with some ideas for craft activities.... this is one I came up with!

What you will need: 2L Softdrink bottle, paint, tissue paper, googly eyes, string, tape, glue, hole punch, Stanley Knife, scissors.

What you will need to do: Cut the softdrink bottle in two using the stanley knife. Paint each portion of the separated bottle (we used orange and purple paints). While the paint is drying cut strips of tissue paper - the more colours you use the better. Once the paint is dry, punch holes in the bottom of each section of bottle. We punched four holes in each. Poke the strips of tissue paper through the bottle sections and secure with tape. Glue on googly eyes. Attach a string to the top of each bottle so the jellyfish can hang.

Games to play on Australia Day with your Kids

Here is a list of my favourite Australia Day games to play with your kids....

1. Thong Toss
Set out a line on the ground or in the sand at the beach.  Explain to the kids that the idea for this game is to see how far you can throw the thong without stepping over the line.  The person who throws the furthest will be the winner! Have some fun by adding a hop or jump to your run up. Or add a hoop to hop in.  Kids will love this game!

2. Beach/Backyard Cricket
A truely Aussie game to play on Australia Day!  If you dont have a cricket set with stumps you can use a bin or a chair.  Set up your "stumps" and mark out a cricket pitch.  Set the rules before you start like kids get three outs and hitting over the fence is a six (or out).

3. Water bombs
Works at home, at the beach or in the park!  Cheap entertainment to keep the kids having fun.  Instead of just playing tag with your water bombs, play games like "balloon and spoon" races, "dog and balloon (bone)", "balloons (eggs) in the nest" and "drop the balloon (hanky)".

4. Cards
When it gets too hot outside set up the card table.  Great kids card games are Snap, Fish and Uno. 

5. Eating competitions
 Vegemite, lamintons and meat pies.  Prawn peeling competition is also a great game.  Set the timer and go, go, go!

6. Play Traditional Games
Games that have been around for many years like
- Three legged races: Use old pillow cases to tie the kids legs together.
- Egg and Spoon Races: Set up an obstacle course and cheer on the kids.
- Sack Races: Again, old pillow cases are great to use for this game. 
- Play frisbee: The art of frisbee throwing!  Teaching the kids this skill is so much fun.

7. Dress Up
Make your Australia Day party a theme party and ask guests to dress Aussie. 

8.  Make your own Flag
Create your own Australian Flag with bits and pieces from around the house.  Old cereal boxes painted or scrap material sewen together.

10.

What's your favourite things to do on Australia Day? Comment below.