{Rubbed Leaf Hedgehogs}

These cute little hedgehogs brightened up our dreary fall afternoon last weekend!

Rubbed Leaf Hedgehogs

Creativity for Preschoolers

Sweet Pea loves collecting leaves, sticks, rocks, anything from nature that she finds on our walks. As a result, we had a large pile of leaves that she had collected and pressed and was looking for something to use them for.

After seeing these leaf turkeys and these leaf hedgehogs, we decided to make our own versions of hedgehogs with them. Sweet Pea is in the Hedgehog class at preschool, and our dog's name is Hedgehog (in Hungarian), so hedgehogs were the perfect subject for our crafty Sunday together!

We got out some paper and drew some snouts - just a rounded, slightly curved triangle with a circular nose on the end. 

Then we put leaves under the papers and rubbed them gently with the side of a crayon (we love these ergonomic crayons from Boya). 

Aren't they sweet? I think our little Hedgehog approves!

Looking for more leaf-y activities? How about these?

Natural Leaf Garland

Fall Leaf Wreath for Kids to Make

Simple Fall Nature Art

{Crazy Hidden Colours Science Experiment for Kids}

Crazy Hidden Colours

Science Experiment for Kids

One of our favourite science experiments from our recent Rainbow Fairy Science Party was this 'Hidden Colours' Experiment. (You can read the story about how this experiment involved fairies here.) It's such a simple experiment and the girls just LOVED it - they could have spent all day on this one, trying every liquid in the house!

It's very simple, but it does require red cabbage powder. We got ours as part of this science kit [affiliate link] for kids, but you can also buy the red cabbage powder here [affiliate link], or make your own red cabbage dye (if you make your own, keep in mind that it doesn't keep fresh like the powder does.)

The first step is to mix a tiny amount of the red cabbage powder into a cup* of water. (Since we did this as part of our Fairy Science Party, we used special Fairy Water - which is glittery!) When I say tiny, I mean really tiny. Our science kit came with a teensy scoop that allowed us to measure out 0.3mL of it. Just put a tiny bit on the end of your smallest spoon and mix it in. 

*We used clear, empty yoghurt pots. As you can see in the photo, we used enough water to mostly fill a single-serving yoghurt pot.

The water will turn a beautiful purple colour.

Then pour the purple water into an ice-cube tray so that each compartment is about 3/4 filled (so that the sections don't run together.)

Next, gather up a selection of household liquids (ones that are safe for kids to handle, obviously.) We used apple juice, orange juice, liquid soap, cola, lemon juice, soda water, tap water, tea, tomato juice, milk, coffee, and vinegar.

Use a pipette [affiliate link], an old medicine dropper, or a squirt bottle [affiliate link] with a small nozzle hole to drop a few drops of each liquid into one of the ice cube compartments. Stir with a toothpick and watch what happens.

We found all sorts of beautiful colours hidden in our household liquids!

Then leave it to sit out a while and see what happens to the colours after some time.

This is actually a pH test of the liquids. Red cabbage is a known pH indicator. Depending on the acidity/alkalinity of the liquids, the purple water will change anywhere from green (very alkaline) to red (very acidic).

Tip: We found that the milk made an especially pretty opaque, lilac colour :-)

{Three to Five Playful Preschool: New Resource for Parents}

Three to Five: Playful Preschool

Creative, Hands-On Learning

It's here! And you're going to LOVE all the brilliant, playful learning activities inside! The awesome new preschoolers' parent resource I was telling you about, "Three to Five: Playful Preschool" is ready for you all to download!

Why is it so awesome? Well, aside from the fact that Mama Pea Pod is a co-author (ahem!), there are plenty of reasons:

"Three to Five: Playful Preschool" is loaded with fun, play-based learning activities to help support your preschooler's development - from early literacy to early math learning to gross and fine motor skills to science and art, this e-book will help you provide learning experiences for your preschooler across a broad range of developmental skill areas through age-appropriate, play-based learning activities.

In addition to more than 25 playful learning activities and links to over 50 more activities and resources, the book also comes with 10 free printables to complement the activities - all brought to you by some amazing kids' activities bloggers including Nurturestore, Teach Preschool, Happy Hooligans, No Time for Flashcards and many more! And as an ebook, it is available everywhere worldwide for download directly to your computer, e-reader, and/or mobile device, so you always have it handy when you need it!*

And it's a steal! You can get your copy for the regular price of only $8.99! It's waiting for you :-) 

Here are some more reasons why you should get your hands on your own copy:

*It's an amazing resource!

*Hands-on, play-based learning activities

*Inspiring ideas, yet practical for every parent

*Handy checklist of developmental skills covered by each activity

*Convenience - with everything all in one place, just think how much time you will save by having all that searching already done for you!

*Gorgeous photographs with step-by-step guides - and all things you can easily do at home!

*Over 25 ideas for preschoolers, ten printable resources (including a city-scape play scene, My First Journal pages, recipe card, numbers game, weather chart printables, alphabet play mats, unique hand-drawn art pages, conversation cards, block building challenge cards, bookmarks) and additional links to over 50 more activities!

*A range of activities to meet your preschooler's various developmental needs: hands-on, learning through play, math, language, literacy, science, art, sensory, gross motor and fine motor play and more

*At only $8.99 (regular price) you really can't beat that deal!

Think your friends would like a copy? Share this post with them using the share buttons below my signature, below!

* You can buy it now, on any device, and then download it when you are ready. Depending on the apps you have installed and your operating system, you might be able to go ahead and download the book directly onto your mobile device, but if you have any doubts or problems, I recommend you use a computer to download the book and then share it to your mobile devices.

{Come One, Come All, Step Right Up! Awesome Resource for Preschool Parents!}

Come One, Come All! Step Right Up!

Awesome Resource for Parents of {Preschoolers}

Parenting a preschooler is a ton of fun - and a ton of work! There is so much they need from us at this age of learning and discovery, and it can seem like a big responsibility to ensure they have access to all the right learning opportunities! I find myself constantly asking myself, "Are they getting enough fine motor skills practice?", "When was the last time they engaged in sensory play?", "How can we squeeze in more math learning?", and everything else in between! Pinterest is great for finding ideas, but I do find that I spend more time pinning than actually doing!

If you have a preschooler, too, and this sounds familiar, well, I'm thrilled to announce that I might just have exactly what you (and I!) need!

This awesome new e-book, "Three to Five: Playful Preschool" is packed with fun, play-based learning activities for helping to support your preschooler's development - all conveniently in one place! Available now for only $8.99, this is an awesome resource for parents of 3-5 year olds and includes more than 25 playful learning resources plus 10 free printables and links to more than 50 more activities and resources for parents of preschoolers - all brought to you by some amazing kids' activities bloggers, including Nurturestore, Happy Hooligans, Teach Preschool and more (including Mama Pea Pod!) 

Here's why you don't want to miss out:

+ It's an amazing resource!
+ Hands-on, play-based learning activities
+ Inspiring ideas, but really practical and everything all in one place
+ Great photos with step-by-step guides, and all things you can easily try at home
+ Over 25 ideas for preschoolers, ten printable resources (including a cityscape play scene, My First Journal pages, recipe card, numbers game, weather chart printables, alphabet play mats, unique hand-drawn art pages, conversation cards, block building challenge cards, bookmarks) and additional links to over 50 more activities!
+ A range of activities to meet your preschooler's various developmental needs: hands-on, learning through play, math, language, literacy, science, art, fine motor and gross motor, and play
+ While similar resources on Amazon retail for anywhere between $15-$25, ours is only $8.99, so order now so you don't miss out!!

Or find out more about Three to Five: Playful Preschool here!

{Spring Wreath Flower Fairy Crowns Quick Craft}

Spring Wreath Flower Fairy Crowns

Quick Craft

We made these sweet flower crowns as our Easter bonnets this year, but they make perfect fairy crowns! You can tie them on with a bit of ribbon to make bonnets, leave as is for fairy flower crowns, or even hang them as spring wreaths.

You need: [affiliate links provided]

paper plate

a synthetic flower lei (one lei will make several crowns)

thick markers (or paint)

other decorative items such as stick-on jewels or sequins, butterflies, etc.

glue

To make them into Easter bonnets or wreaths, you'll also need a hole-punch (I like this rectangle one for ribbon) and some pretty ribbon.

1. Cut out the centre of the plate, leaving just the ring edge (to make it easy to cut out, just bend the plate slightly and it's easy to snip a hole through with scissors).

2. Use markers to colour the crown all over (or paint, if you prefer, but then it will take longer because you'll have to wait for the paint to dry.)

3. Cut the string of the lei and pull off the individual flowers. Attach them to the crown with glue. Use stick-on jewels or sequins in the centre of each flower to make it fancy. Add any other decorative items you choose.

4. If you're making Easter bonnets, use the hole punch to make holes on opposite sides of the crown to string the ribbon through. We made two small holes on each side and threaded some pretty yellow ribbon through. The ribbon also makes a hanger to hang it up as a spring wreath if you like!

Wear with pride, or hang up on the wall or door. 

 

Follow Mama Pea Pod's board Creative Crafts for Kids.

{Made-With-Love Daffodils Spring Craft for Kids}

Made-With-Love Daffodils

Spring Craft for Kids

These sweet daffodils made from recyclables are a classic spring craft for kids, and a bouquet of them makes a lovely gift for Mother's Day or for grandparents or teachers. They look beautiful in a makeshift bottle vase! I remember first making them at school when I was very young, and now the tradition is being passed on to the next generation. They are very easy to make; even the youngest children can be involved.

You need:
An egg carton
Paint - yellow; optional: orange, black
Pipe cleaners - preferably green
An empty glass bottle or vase

First, cut out each individual 'cup' of the egg carton (you'll probably want to do this part for young children.) Then have them paint each carton cup inside and out with yellow and/or orange paint. Leave to dry.

Next, if you like, paint a blob of black in the middle. Leave to dry.

After that, use the pointy end of a pipe cleaner to poke a hole through the centre of the carton cups. Push through about 1/3 of the pipe cleaner and leave the other 2/3 hanging straight down the back as a stem. Curl the 1/3 third inside the centre of the flower, to make a spiral. This will hold the pipe cleaner in place and also looks like the inside of a flower. 

Finally, pop them in a glass bottle or vase and put them on the shelf to admire them!

Follow Mama Pea Pod's board Creative Craft Ideas for Kids.

{Best Board Games for Preschoolers}

Best Board Games for Preschoolers

Board games are a great way for young kids to work on many important preschool skills - social skills, math skills, language skills and problem-solving skills can all be developed through a good quality board game! Counting along spaces on the board helps develop counting and one-to-one correspondence, turn-taking is an important social skill as are winning and losing with grace, and many board games also incorporate strategic problem-solving skills and more. So if you think your child might be ready for board games, here are our top recommendations of the best ones for preschool-aged children to start out with. Let the Family Games Nights commence!


The Busytown Eye Found It! Game is a family favourite - great for developing teamwork, social skills and observation skills as well as one-to-one correspondence. The object of the game is to get your entire team (all players) to the finish line before the naughty pigs eat the entire picnic. Along the way, you need to search for clues on the board using the mini magnifying glasses before the sand runs out of the timer.

 

If You See A Crocodile...  - this was Princess Pea's first board game when she was 2 1/2 and she just loved it! Teaches colours, counting, and one-to-one correspondence. The object of the game is to get to the finish first. Along the way you need to hop along coloured spots and watch out for crocodiles. Even more fun if you sing along to the tune of 'Row row row your boat'.

Fancy Nancy Positively Perfect Parfait Game - develops problem-solving skills and social skills. And, of course, what kid doesn't get excited at the prospect of building the ice cream sundae of their dreams?! The object of the game is to build an ice cream sundae consisting of at least 3 different flavours with a cherry on top - but be careful someone doesn't switch your scoops!






















The Game of Ladybirds - great for practicing counting and adding on, important early math skills, as well as familiarity with dice, which is useful for quick number recognition. The object of the game is to collect as many ladybugs as possible, keeping count of how many you have.

The Busytown Busy, Busy Airport Game - this one is perfect for those active little ones that aren't quite ready to sit down for a board game yet, as it involves moving around the room to deliver passengers to their destinations. Super for practicing strategic thinking and problem solving. The object of the game is to deliver all the passengers to their destinations and collect souvenirs from all the places.

Any kind of Snakes and Ladders type game - games where there are unexpected 'gains' and 'losses' that can't be helped are good for developing social skills and good graces. We have the My Little Pony version, but for some reason that is now very expensive on Amazon, so try this popular Chutes and Ladders version instead. The object of the game is to reach the finish first, but beware of setbacks. If you're lucky, you might even find some shortcuts.

What are your family's board game recommendations? We'd love to hear them!

 

{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.