{Cool Dinosaur Small World Play}

Cool Dinosaur Small World Play

with Play Dough and Nature Items

This dinosaur small world play scene was a big hit at Sweet Pea's dinosaur birthday party! The kids had so much fun playing with it, and it was really easy to set up in about 10-15 minutes with just a little preparation ahead of time. All I used was some no-cook homemade play dough and nature items collected from the garden!

A few days before her party, I made several batches of no-cook homemade play dough in 'earthy' colours - shades of blue, brown, grey and green. To make the brown I first tried mixing red and green food colouring, but it made more of a greyish colour (which I used as 'rock' in our dinosaur world.) Then I found it worked much better to make brown if I just added some cocoa powder instead - and it smelled divine, too! In total, to fill our whole sensory play table [affiliate link], I made 5 batches of this no-cook homemade play dough recipe. I stored it in resealable plastic bags to keep it soft and fresh.

I flattened the play dough down in sections to make different landforms - blue for a lake, grey/beige for sand/rocks, brown for mud/earth, and green for grass/forest.

Then I went out to the garden and collected some bits and pieces of nature - clippings from some bushes, bits of grass, twigs, rocks, wood chips, and some flowers. I brought them in and placed them around the dinosaur world - bush/tree clippings, grasses and flowers in the grass/forest area, wood chips and twigs around the brown parts, and rocks to section off areas.

I used some brown play dough to form a volcano shape and rose buds and petals to make the red lava. Then I hid our Playmobil dinosaur set and all the dinosaur toys [affiliate links] I could find in amongst it all.

Doesn't it look fun?

If you have a little dinosaur lover, too, you might also like our Decorated Dinosaur Eggs and our Rainbow Dinosaur Dig!

Follow Mama Pea Pod's board Dinosaur Fun on Pinterest.

{Why a Play House is the Perfect Toy for Imaginary Play}

Simple, Creative Play with a Play House 

Let Their Imaginations Run Wild!

Peekaboo! How's the weather?

Imaginary play is definitely the number one choice for playtime at our house, and the addition of a play house has really helped to make our children's imaginary play come to life! Imaginary play is a key ingredient in growing creative kids and has huge intellectual and emotional benefits for children. It allows them opportunities to explore hypotheses, problem-solve, role-play social situations, develop language and literacy skills, and work through emotional stresses. 

Imaginary play: Super sleuth on a bear hunt

Having a play house has given our kids so many opportunities to expand their imaginary play, and having a 'life-sized' structure to play out their scenes in makes it all that much more real to them. In fact, we actually have two play houses - a wooden play house outdoors and a cardboard play house [sponsored link] indoors - to support their imaginary play.

Play house picnic party
at the 'ballet studio'

Below are some of the ways they play with their play houses and some suggestions for props. I recommend placing a basket of mixed accessories in or next to a play house and leaving the rest up to them. If your child wants to engage you in the play, follow their lead instead of trying to direct the play. Chances are, your child has much more imaginative ideas than you could dream up! If your child needs a nudge when it comes to imaginary play, try picking up a prop and starting the ball rolling with an inviting prompt. Something like, "Oh, thank you for this lovely invitation to your tea party! What can I bring?" or, "Excuse me, Doctor, but my baby has been coughing all night. Can you help?" will likely be enough to trigger a scenario in your child's mind.

Making the play house into an art gallery

Some ways that our play houses are used: [affiliate links provided to some of our favourite props]

*House - they play family roles, baby care, tea parties. Possible props: baby doll, tea set.
*School - Possible props: paper, pencils, math manipulatives, their homework!
*Farm - Possible props: stuffed animals, watering can, baby bottle (for feeding baby animals), vegetables (real or pretend)
*Ice-cream stand - Possible props: scoops, empty ice-cream containers, cash register, play money
*Art gallery - Our girls have drawn their own art inside their indoor play house, complete with frames. Possible props: paper, markers, paint or crayons, homemade paper frames
*Puppet theatre - The windows of a play house make a perfect stage for a puppet show! Possible props: puppets, piece of fabric taped up for a curtain
*Tent/Camp - Possible props: sleeping bags/blankets, pillows, marshmallows
*Circus - Possible props: leotards, hula hoops, stuffed animals
*Book nook - a play house makes a wonderful, quiet spot to read. Possible props: basket of books, cushions, lamp (we have the cord running out of a window to the outlet)
*Shop - Possible props: cash register, play money
*Gardening/Garden centre - Possible props: watering can, kids' gardening tools, plastic flowers and pots
*Dog breeder's kennel (a favourite these days!) - Possible props: toy dogs, ribbon to use as a leash, brush, bowls
*Rabbit caretakers - Possible props: stuffed animals, real or pretend carrots
*Dentist office - Possible props: flashlight (our kids use these invisible ink pens with UV lights), medical mask, tongue depressor
*Doctor's office - play medical kit  
*Vet - play medical kit and toy animals
*Picnics - serve a snack inside (way more tasty than when it's eaten at the table!)

Our decorate-your-own indoor play house

Our indoor play house is a Villa Carton XXL House [sponsored link], which is a brilliant creation - a cardboard house that comes flat and pre-printed in black and white to look like a country farmhouse that you put together and let your kids colour/decorate themselves! My girls (and I) LOVE Villa Carton products (you can see our review of the Villa Carton City Blocks here). They are the perfect combination of creativity and imaginary play. And while it would be possible to make your own cardboard box house out of a regular box, my girls love the 'real house' look of the Villa Carton house (and Daddy Pea much prefers it to having a regular cardboard box in the living room!) To colour it, they used a mix of paint, markers, and crayons (they especially enjoyed colour-mixing to make brown paint and using it to paint 'mud' on the tractor!) They added their artwork in frames that they painted on the inside walls. You could also make pretty paper frames with an open top to change out the artwork. They strung up some sweet star-shaped fairy lights inside, and have kitted it out with a cosy blanket on the floor. As you can see in the pictures, the colouring and decorating are ongoing (which is one of the things I love about it - both the creating and the play go on and on!) Our next project will be to make some paper bunting to add to it.

Imaginary play: Tea party for Pinkie

For more pictures of how my girls created and decorated their play house, click here.

(Please note that we received the Villa Carton XXL House for free to try out for review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.)

{Nurturing Creativity - The Key To Success}

As many of you may know, the transition to 'big kid school' is on our doorstep, and I continually question what is the best path for Princess Pea - which is the best school option for her? She is so full of wonder and creative spirit, and I've been very conscious of nurturing that spirit in everything we do. I want her to be in an environment that will help her to grow her creativity, not 'teach it out of her'.


As an EAL teacher, I hear the concerns of many parents who are new to our school and want to know that it's the best school for their children. I reassure them that our school upholds high academic standards, that their children are learning and growing, that each child receives the attention and support needed to achieve and succeed.

For me as a parent, however, it's not a question of academic standards. It's a question of developing creativity. Will she be encouraged to think independently? To experiment? To play? To explore? To create? Will she be taught how to inquire and problem-solve and develop new, creative solutions? For me, it's not math or reading or academic standards that are all-important. For me, creativity is the key to success - success in every aspect of life. 

At a recent open question period for prospective school administrators, I asked one of the candidates what one thing they believed was the most important thing for students to be able to do by the end of their time at our school. He responded 'read well', with the argument that the children who are good readers will be able to learn the most, and will therefore be the successful leaders of the future. Sorry, but that's the wrong answer in my books. Successful leaders aren't born out of good reading skills. Successful leaders are born out of creative thinking. Good readers will be good at learning about other people's ideas. Creative thinkers will be good at generating their own ideas.




With this mindset, I was thrilled to hear about the new ebook by Jillian Riley of A Mom With A Lesson Plan, titled Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing That Creative Spark. Jillian's argument is that everyone has the ability to be a creative thinker, if only we encourage and nurture that natural, creative spark. I completely agree, and as both a teacher and a parent, I strive every day to help children develop their creativity so that creative thinking becomes a skill that will lead them to success throughout their lives.

I have been lucky enough to get an advance copy of this inspiring ebook and to have had the opportunity to ask Jillian a few questions about how I can raise my own kids to be creative. Here's what she had to say:

1. As a parent and as a teacher, how can I help my children to develop their creativity?

There are so many of ways to foster creativity in our kids. The number one way (and perhaps the hardest to accomplish) is to get out of the way. Letting kids make their own creative decisions lets them see the full result of their actions, while growing their confidence to try new things. 

2. Our big 'home project' this summer is to set up our Project Room - a room for art and creative projects as well as a learning space for our 5 year old. Can you give me any tips on how to do this?

Absolutely! Our art center has grown over the past couple of years and now takes up half the play room. M and M wouldn't have it any other way. The more accessible creative materials are the easier it is for art and projects to become part of their everyday. Having the ability to make a raft out of craft sticks because your lion needs to cross the raging river you have built out of blocks is INCREDIBLE. There is no end to the imaginative play you can experience when you can create what you need, when you need it. Some suggestions:

• Keep materials accessible so that your kids can easily see and reach what they need.

• Use recycled materials like egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, wrapping paper, birthday cards, etc.

• Keep the area organized. This will avoid the overwhelming feeling too much stuff can cause.

• Use a kid sized art table or art mats, so they are not worried about the "mess".

3. As a parent, what should I be looking for in a school that I hope will nurture my child's creativity instead of squashing it?

That's a hard one. When Big M started Kindergarten we found that his teacher (who I adore) had very different views on creating than we do. She likes nice, neat and proper. I like "here are some materials, let's see what you can do". The interesting thing was, he flourished. The two styles meeting seemed to bring him to a new level. 

While I would encourage you to find a school where worksheets and identical art are rare... there is something to be said for following directions once in a while. Have confidence in what you've brought to your little one and make sure creativity is a priority at home. If you encounter a problem, you can help your little one find a creative solution.

* Wow, Jillian, this is a light-bulb moment for me! THANK YOU! That makes perfect sense - balance!

4. How can I help my daughter get past her need for perfection and learn to appreciate her own efforts in the process along the path to creativity?

Very good question! I would bet you are not the only parent who struggles with this. In Raising a Creative Kid I talk a lot about the importance of mistakes. For kids who are driven to be perfect, accepting mistakes is probably the most important gift you can give them. Teaching her how to dissect each mistake and learn from it will help in all areas of her life. A big tip would be to model the behavior. Create something that is less than perfect and provide a running commentary on how you will improve on it next time. Be upbeat and point out all the ways this will help you in the future. 

These are great tips, Jillian, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

To get your own copy of Raising a Creative Kid, click on the image above to place your order!



Mama Pea Pod is super excited to be an affiliate for Raising a Creative Kid! If you are interested in buying this book, I'd love for you to click through the link above to do so. By using this particular link, I will get a commission on the sale. Thank you!

{The Girls' Room}

We've been very busy the last few days trying to redo the girls' room. It's not quite finished yet, but it's on the way.

We had the usual problems of not enough space, too many toys and books that aren't in use, access to toys and books, etc., as well as our newer problem of places to keep Princess Pea's 'big girl' things where Sweet Pea can't get into them (e.g., all her thousands of tiny hair clips and bits of Playmobil!). Plus up until now, all of Sweet Pea's clothes were stored in the hall closet, as there wasn't any space in the wardrobe or dresser for her things.

First we got rid of the old wardrobe and dresser. Actually, we just got rid of the wardrobe because when we moved them out of the bedroom into the hallway as a temporary storage solution, we discovered that the dresser fit quite nicely in the hall, where we had planned to buy a cabinet! So we kept that. It's now in the hallway, and we added a couple of framed paintings by Princess Pea. Looks quite good I think! And it turned out to be just the perfect place to put some of the dining chairs that are always kicking around (with the kids' chairs at the table, we just have too many chairs now but nowhere to store the extras).

Then we bought a new wardrobe/dresser/shelving unit thingy from IKEA. I think it's pretty cute, and I like the green as it matches their other things. We had someone come to help with the assembly, as it's quite impossible for us to do it ourselves while watching a baby and a preschooler. Especially the baby, who makes a mad dash towards screwdrivers whenever she can.

I wanted to make sure the shelves were placed at the right height so that we had a space for 'oversized' books - you know, the ones that don't fit upright on a regular bookshelf and you have to turn them on their sides instead. I don't know why, but that irritates me. So we found our biggest book and used that as the guide for shelf placement.

I also wanted to make sure that the wardrobe rails were hung at an appropriate height for the size of their clothes, so I found the longest dress of Princess Pea's I could, and used that as my guide. I considered hanging Sweet Pea's lower and then adjusting it as she grows, but I decided to hang it at the same height and just use the space below for storing some of the bigger bulky things, like the travel cot.

I still plan to get some nice boxes for on top and for the shelves inside the wardrobes.

After that was all taken care of, I had to rearrange the rest of the furniture to fit it all back in. The other things we need in there are Princess Pea's toddler bed, Sweet Pea's crib, the toy tray storage thingy, and the chair. This proved difficult because of the awkward placement and design of our heaters, as well as the need to be able to open the door out to the balcony (which is where I hang all the laundry in warmer seasons, so it's a high-traffic area). I decided finally to put the chair in front of the side of the door that we don't usually open, and I think it works really well. I love sitting there snuggling Sweet Pea just before bedtime!

I thought it might be nice for the girls to have their beds next to each other. This also works well because now they can share the mobiles (Princess Pea has been lamenting the loss of her mobile since we used the stand for Sweet Pea's mobile instead.)

We also had a little bookshelf that was doubling as a night table for Princess Pea. But instead, I decided to turn it into a 'reading corner' by adding a cushion on top, and placing it by the window across from the end of the tray storage, where her wooden ABCs are posted. I love this little corner! I put down a couple of foam squares to make an imprompt area rug, but will look out for something better.

The only thing I really don't like now is that we don't have a suitable night table, and are currently using the dress-up box, which is ugly. Will have to figure out what to do about that. It does have quite a handy top that flips open half at a time, so it's possible to access its contents without moving everything off of the top. But the plastic tub is ugly. Will keep an eye open for something nicer.

I still have to add some more poppies around Princess Pea's bed, and finish putting all their things on the shelves, but it's more or less done now.

I think it's now my favourite room in the house. :-)