Sculpey Oven Bake Clay

The oven bake sculpey clay we got has been a major hit.  The boys knew just what to do with it.

It took a minute for them to figure out how to knead it (in small amounts to soften it), but they were off and running from there.

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Home Depot Work Aprons

I had been thinking about sewing some half aprons for me and the boys for our gardening tools.  There are a ton of tutorials out there, and I had in mind to choose one and make them.

Then we were at Home Depot with both boys driving the race car shopping cart (aka heaven for all of us) and in the tool corral area looking for a gift for Daddy's birthday.

We decided against a tool belt for him made of leather because it was so heavy empty, then stumbled upon these beauties.  Made of sturdy heavyweight canvas and priced at 77 cents each, I bought three.

So far, they have served as garden aprons, mailman belts, and treasure pockets.



Plus, they are adorable and useful.

 

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Construction Dress-Up for Blocks

My almost 2-year old has been dressing up much sooner than his brother ever did.  Maybe that's part of being a little brother.

 

There was one day, a few months ago, that his older brother got all dressed up in this outfit and set about constructing a zoo out of the wooden blocks.

Since then, the outfit has been fair game.  Whenever we ask if he wants to play with the blocks, on goes the construction worker hat and vest.

 

 

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Toy Recommendation: Plan Toys' Airport

Plan Toys has such great toys.  Their stuff is "green"-- wooden, sustainable, non-toxic, and understated but fun.

This toy, the airport, has been a staple at our house for a while now.  It is amazing how much action it gets.

This day, it was getting a hotel addition.  As you can see, the hotel got attached by a ramp and has its own parking garage, ramp, and rooms. 

The pilot goes up and down the elevator of the airport, then to the hotel and back. 

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Big Box into a Little House

Supplies Used: 2 boxes, utility knife, scissors, packing tape, thin bamboo as dowel, fabric, 2 outlet covers, some cardboard corner protectors (the box was from a cabinet and these were attached to the corners).

Order of Assembly: height, doors, windows, roof, window coverings, door hardware, outlets, floor coverings.

Here it is in progress... the windows and doors have been cut and are being tested, and the roof is on.  Notice we  lengthened the box by taping the edges together to make it taller, and put another box part on top as a roof.

This window works.

Helping with the bamboo poles/ dowels (used to hang the curtains).

This is the back door/ window.  It is 3/4 height, and we covered the hole with a fabric curtain.  The curtain rod is a bamboo pole which is attached on each side with a piece of jute cord stuck in two holes and tied together on the inside.  The pole edges are taped in place.  The curtain itself is sewn with an easy fold over and stitch and the pole is laced through.  We used this same method for the side curtain.

This side has two windows and an electrical outlet.  The outlet is cut all the way through so it is an exterior and interior outlet (his design, not mine).  We filled it in with two outlet protectors taped together.  


You can see the front here as well. The front door is in two pieces (like a half door in some old houses).  The cardboard triangle corner protectors are on the bottom part on the inside and outside as a handle.  The top part has a hole to open and close the door with, as do the windows you see.  The fabric at the bottom is the welcome mat, which is a piece of fabric taped onto one of the cardboard flaps.

This is the other side.  You can see the back  window/ door here, and the other side window.  The window curtain is pulled inside in the photo.

You can see the front door here being held open.  He is standing on the rug we made.  It was made out of the back  big window/ door piece that was removed and happened to fit perfectly on the floor inside.  We cut a piece of fabric just larger and taped it to the cardboard piece from the back.

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Plan Toys Roller Toy

This rainbow roller toy is just right for our growing baby.  He is 7 months old, sitting, and commando crawling.  This toy is giving him good practice grasping, and it is a good size to fit his hand around.  He drops it, then it rolls a bit, and the ball inside keeps his attention and he watches it roll away (object permanence).  Then he flops himself down onto his belly, and commando crawls after it.  Repeat grasping, dropping, watching, retrieving.  Quite entertaining.  Plus, it is made of wood and non-toxic paints.  I love Plan Toys.

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Preschooler Toy: Real Nuts, Bolts, and Screws

This great toy lets kids feel the heft of a piece of metal in their hand, and they work on fine motor skills, organization, planning, sequencing... plus it's fun!

My husband picked up the case, nuts, bolts, and screws at Home Depot for under $20.  You could even pack it less full.

The preschooler was given this toy with the express instruction that if he left any part of it out of its case, or let his [baby] brother touch it, it would disappear.  He has been fastidious.

Thanks to my friend for the idea (her son was playing with one and we had to go make one).

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Best Toy Ever: Ikea Nesting + Stacking Cups

This set of nesting and stacking cups was a gift for our 3 year old's first birthday.

It is great because he can stack them and organize them.  And then unstack them and sort out the order yet again.  Then he can put things in them and, well, you get the point.

Plus it fits in a small purse, and has worked great everywhere from at home to the doctor's office to the airport.

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