kinderpendent

thankful kid challenge: 2

2011-11-02T12:48:00.000-04:00

geometric art ..kid art

2011-11-02T12:23:00.005-04:00

ohh how I love lines + shapes + colors + paint + canvas + decor designed by my 5 year old! Yes, my little one did this painting (with some help) and I absolutely love it.

Want to make one with your kiddo? Of course you do! Here's how:

First off, you can use canvas (like us) or paper works too. You'll also need a ruler (or something straight to trace lines), a pencil, paint & a brush.

Step one: Using a ruler and pencil, sketch out your lines. Start with a triangle, add intersecting lines in different directions. Let your little one have a say in where the lines should go.

Step two: Paint! I helped paint the outlines of each shape & then let Katie paint the interiors. You'll have to let the shapes dry before painting adjacent shapes so the paint doesn't mix.

Step three: Hang when dry! & don't forget to constantly gush over their amazing artwork. Bragging is ok, too.

thankful kid challenge: 1

2011-11-01T11:56:00.002-04:00

This November we are challenging our kids to discover something they are thankful for every day. And for fun, we are making thankful books!

To help your own kiddo make a thankful book, simply write down their thankful sentence on a sheet of paper each day this November. Let them copy it after you write it, and have them illustrate what they are thankful for. You can staple, or bind your books together with your sewing machine.

What is your kiddo thankful for today?

making miles of play ..tutorial

2011-09-07T13:09:00.000-04:00

My kids can't get enough of those little matchbox cars. They love to zip them all over the house.. ALL day long. Sadly though, our DOT has seriously under served the matchbox car community. They have no roads. So, we decided to do something about this very important issue, and we made our own.

Here's how to make your own:
.. You'll need wide black ribbon, and some white paint.
.. Simply unroll the ribbon, and paint white dashes down the center.
.. Let the paint dry, then use tape on the back to attach your road to walls, furniture, floors, or wherever those cars need to drive.

a rainbow after the rain ..kid art

2011-08-28T14:41:00.008-04:00

My kiddos watched as Hurricane Irene passed through our state yesterday. Today, we woke up to a beautiful day, & we decided to celebrate.

I gathered up various materials in red, orange & yellow (crayons, markers, bits of paper, beads, & feathers). I drew an outline of a rainbow on a sheet of white paper & used colored markers to write the name of the color for each row.

Then I let the kiddos get to work! They loved it.

(btw, this activity concept is probably best for kiddos around ages 4+!)

super stick ..kid art

2011-08-26T14:23:00.011-04:00

Do you remember Stick Stickly? If so, you'll probably appreciate this project much, much more! Sadly, Stick Stickly is long gone, and though my kids have no idea who he was, they enjoyed this projected nonetheless. (Seriously though, who doesn't love an action figure you can make yourself?)

To make your own you'll need:
.. craft sticks
.. wiggly eyes
.. markers (or paint works too)
.. glue
.. fabric scraps

1. Help your child glue the wiggly eyes onto the top of the craft stick.

2. Let your child decorate the body using markers or paint.

3. Glue a cape (out of fabric scraps) onto the back of the stick.

4. Let dry + have fun!

craftprojectideas.com provided the craft sticks & wiggly eyes for this project (thank you!). You can find these materials on the kids' crafts aisle at your local Walmart.

Mini & Maximus ..fall/winter 2011

2011-08-18T14:44:00.005-04:00

Mini & Maximus's fall/winter 2011 collection: Imperfectly Perfect is.. perfect. The sorry mom tee is my personal favorite.

.. shop: miniandmaximus.com
..facebook: facebook.com

geo puzzles ..tutorial

2011-08-14T15:03:00.004-04:00

This activity is really great for getting the gears in your kiddo's noggin moving. Though it's best for kids around age 4, we designed some easy 4 piece ones for our 2 year old, too.

Here's how to make your own:

1. You'll need a piece of construction paper. Cut it into a square. Then cut it into as many pieces as you would like to. Like I mentioned above, we did one that was simply cut into four smaller squares for our younger child. For our 4 year old, we cut 8 triangles. Our 6 year old could probably tackle an even more intricate puzzle.

2. On a blank sheet of paper, trace an outline of the square. Then challenge your kids to try to fit the cut pieces into the square shape. You can either let them glue the pieces down as a piece of artwork, or put the pieces into a baggy to play with again later.

dino fossils ..kid art

2011-08-13T21:37:00.006-04:00

This project was inspired by today's visit to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. After checking out the dinosaur fossils, we went home + made our own. Here's how to make your own:

1. Find a bunch of twigs & have the kids paint them white.

2. Either find a dinosaur printable online, or sketch an outline on your own, like we did. (ours aren't perfect, but they definitely did the trick!)

3. Let the kids color their dinos.

4. Help your kiddos use the painted twigs to create the fossil skeleton of their dinosaurs, then glue.

5. Hang, enjoy, & discuss!

the ride of your life.

2011-08-12T08:12:00.003-04:00

I will admit it. I have an obsession with cooly designed kid stuff, which is probably why when I needed a double stroller I found myself drooling over the Indie Twin. It's modern, functional, and without a doubt, the coolest double on the market. This is definitely one stroller I'm happy to push.

.. website: bumbleride.com
.. facebook: facebook.com/bumbleride

Parents Magazine

2011-08-09T08:49:00.007-04:00

We've been nominated for the "best craft for kids" category in Parents Magazine's 2011 Best Blog Awards! If love to read kinderpendent + would like to tell Parents Magazine, please click here to vote. (note that you do first have to login or register with your email--don't worry, it's pretty easy.)

thank you, friends!

btw, is anyone excited for magazine issue 01? Just a few more weeks!!!

create a popup city ..kid art

2011-08-08T08:59:00.006-04:00

Here's a project that is sure to delight! To make your own popup city you will need a white poster board, crayons/markers/color pencils/water colors, a craft knife, & some creative helpers.

The first step is yours. Using a pen, draw an outline of the city. Fanciness not necessary. Just draw some rectangle buildings with differently shaped windows, a road, maybe trees... or whatever strikes you!

Next, let the kids get to work coloring in the city. Just put out the crayons, colored pencils or markers, and they'll know what to do.

For a cool effect, let them do water color over crayon drawing.

When the city is finished & dry, use your craft knife to cut out the buildings & trees. Bend them forward, and let them pop to life! Your kids will be amazed.

DIY handmade ABC magnets

2011-08-07T20:36:00.007-04:00

Forget those neon colored plastic alphabet magnets. These are much, much cooler, and offer a little nostalgia, too.

To make your own ABC magnets, you'll just need some scrabble pieces (if you don't want to dig into your game stash, check ebay for bulk lots--they run for about 100/$10), magnet pieces (check your local walmart or craft store), and a hot glue gun.

*thank you to my wonderful friend, jessie, who sparked this post by sending us a set of these as part of her save-the-date wedding invites. Such a creative gal, she is!

homemade play dough ..tutorial

2011-08-03T12:00:00.004-04:00

As much as I loathe cleaning up play dough (especially when it manages to track onto our carpet..and somehow it always does), we have a lot of fun making our own dough. It's a great rainy day project that includes both cooking & playing, providing much entertainment for the little ones!

Making your own play dough is incredibly easy & inexpensive. Here's the recipe we use:

ingredients: 1 cup flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup salt, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, food coloring

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a pot, over low heat.

2. Keep moving until the dough is no longer sticky. (if it's still sticky, it needs to cook longer)

3. Place on wax paper to cool for a few minutes.

4. Repeat, creating different batches of color.

5. Play!

daily dividers ..tutorial

2011-07-31T20:03:00.018-04:00

Every morning I wake up, put on my superhero cape, and prepare for battle... with my four year old & her closet. Getting her dressed has been such a challenge that we had to develop a new system. Every weekend we now help her pick out an outfit for Monday-Friday, hang them up using our DIY daily dividers, and there are no more melt downs. She knows exactly what to wear each day, and that is that!

If you would like to make your mornings a little smoother, too, here's how to make your own daily dividers:

Remember our handmade label tutorial? Basically, just follow the same steps, this time on wooden clothing pins. Then clip them on to your hangers. You can also use them as spacers & clip them directly onto the clothing rack, with the hangers in between.

(pssst! These also make great sizing dividers for baby's closet! You can label your dividers: newborn, 0-6, 6-12, 12-24, 2T, etc... oh! & while you're at it, whip up a set, wrap them together with a ribbon & you've got a fantastic shower gift!)

zilalila ..never leaf your heart

2011-07-28T10:11:00.003-04:00

I think these hand-knit cushions could possibly give my couch a run for its money! It looks like what I think lounging on a cloud would feel like. (oh, and I'm sure the kids would love one, too.)

.. website: zilalila.com
.. facebook: facebook.com

masked mayhem ..kid art

2011-07-25T10:55:00.008-04:00

Making masks out of paper plates is one of my favorite kid art projects. They always seem to reflect the child's present mood. And for some reason, a grumpy kid can draw up a grumpy mask, look at it and laugh. I love that.

To create your own masks you'll just need some paper plates and crayons. If you want to get fancy, pull out some paint, yarn, and other scrap materials. (Yarn turns into hair, buttons into earrings, tin foil into sunglasses, etc...)

Paper masks can be used as props for a story, as a self-portrait project, as a way to reflect on things you've learned about (ie: animals, historical figures, characters in a book, etc..), or just as a fun free-time creative project.

DIY decals ..tutorial

2011-07-22T15:54:00.011-04:00

Inspired by Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces, I added a bit of design to our kitchen cabinets. And best of all, the project was under $5. Here's how I did it:

Got a white cabinet? Perfect! Got a wooden cabinet? That works too! In fact, the original project in the book used a wood laminate cabinet & white contact paper. I did the reverse.

I purchased this roll of wood design contact paper at our local walmart for about $5. (Contact paper is also carried at most home improvement stores or online.)

I first measured the space I wanted to cover on the cabinet. Then, using the book as inspiration for my design, I went to work, sketching on the back of the contact paper.

Using my x-acto knife & a pair of scissors, I cut out the image.

And then carefully placed it on the cabinet. I was actually pretty surprised how very easy this project turned out to be! And I have a huge roll of contact paper left over, so I'm thinking maybe a playroom decal of some kind? hmmm..

raising readers ..tips for parents

2011-07-16T13:12:00.010-04:00

I recently decided to go back to school to earn an add-on teaching license in the area of literacy. This has prompted a whole new selection of reading material for my bookcase (as you can see below), and already has my mind turning in all sorts of new directions.

After delving into my first book, which is actually specifically geared towards parents (Read to Me: Raising kids who love to Read by Bernice E. Cullinan), I felt as though much of the information being relayed was pretty much common knowledge... But then after reflecting, and discussing the book with my husband (who is not a teacher), I realized that what I should really take from that book is that much of what I read may not be common knowledge to all other parents.

oh. hmmm...

light bulb!

So, I want to share a few simple things (that you may or may not already know) that you can do as a parent to help your kids become strong, happy readers & students.

1: Designate a special time to read to your kids everyday. (I read a few chapters from our current chapter book after lunch, and a short story at bed.) Studies have shown that kids who are read to at home do better in school than kids who are not read to. So, if you want to give your kids the best opportunity for success, all you have to do is READ!

2: Ask questions. Before starting a new story, look at the cover. Ask your kids what they think the story might be about. This seems small, but is so important because it demonstrates to kids that stories are about something--they have a meaning. This lays the groundwork for being able to read for context.

3: Point to the words as you read them. This demonstrates to kids that the story comes from the text, not the pictures.

4: Let your child pick stories that they like. If they enjoy what they are reading, they'll want to read more & more.

5: Read together. You read, then I read. This will build confidence for early readers.

6: Always keep books within reach. Whether you're on the road or in your living room. (On a similar note: stocking up your home library does not need to be expensive. Check yardsales, craigslist, amazon.com & library sales. Once I found new hardback children's books on sale for $1/each at our grocery store.)

7: Let your kids see YOU read. My sister-in-law, who has been teaching first grade for years, recently realized during a road trip that her kids had never seen her reading to herself before! Let them see you read & they'll realize that it's something you enjoy, too.

8: Read constantly, everywhere. Food labels at the grocery store, signs on the road, directions on a new toy. Let your kids see that reading is used everywhere.

Do you have any good ideas or tips to add?

winners!

2011-07-16T12:47:00.003-04:00

We had two winners for the Creativity for Kids giveaway:

#9 - Lindsay, who said "My niece and nephew would have so much fun with this. Thanks!"

#24 - ANEPhotography, who said "My girls would love to make their own headbands! Well, who am I kidding? They would love the monster lab too!"

Congrats to the winners, & thanks everyone for entering!

Creativity for Kids ..a giveaway! (CLOSED)

2011-07-08T06:01:00.024-04:00

A few weeks ago we were introduced to Creativity for Kids, a company that is devoted to all things that inspire a creative childhood (pretty much what we're all about around here). They recently came up with a couple of cool new kits, Shrinky Dinks Monster Lab & Fashion Headbands, both of which they sent over for us to give a test run & share with you guys. (ohhh yes, and to give away too!)

We'll start with the Shrinky Dinks Monster Lab..

Basically, this kit includes these little wax-paper like cutouts that you are instructed to color (with included color pencils). We got right to work.

Then, you bake them. wait, what? Yes, they go IN THE OVEN--for a few minutes, and mysteriously, they shrink (hence the Shrinky Dinks name). They kind of harden into a plastic, too. And this is what you end up with:

Then you get to take your baked pieces and turn them into some cool creatures.

And if coloring, baking, mystery shrinking, & monster making isn't enough for you: now you get to play! And for me, a creative project is never complete without play.

The second kit we gave a test run to was the Fashion Headbands. And my soon-to-be five year old was absolutely, nothing short of delighted to be in the driver's seat of this one.

The kit comes with tons of headbands, ribbon, and accessories just waiting for a little girl to design them into something of her own! Being the design lover I am, I really love this, and so did my daughter.

Both of these kits are perfect for rainy day projects, gifts or party activities. And on another note, the Monster Lab would be a perfect Halloween activity! Stock up now & you'll be a pretty cool mom come October.

.. shop: creativityforkids.com
.. facebook: facebook.com/creativityforkids
.. blog: blog.creativityforkids.com

Would you like these kits to play with, too? Here's your chance to win BOTH!

There will be TWO winners!
.. Each winner will receive one Shrinky Dinks Monster Lab & one Fashion Headbands kit.

Giveaway Rules:
.. Leave a comment to enter--that's it!
.. Leave an email address either in your comment, or make sure one is visible in your profile.
.. Only one entry per person.
.. Open to US/CANADA readers only.
.. Winners will be chosen via random.org.
.. Giveaway ends on Friday, 7/15/2011 at 8pm (Eastern). Winner will be announced on Saturday.

Thanks for playing, good luck!

a habitat for fairies ..tutorial

2011-07-01T18:51:00.014-04:00

If you have found yourself with a fairy living under your roof, you'll be glad to hear that creating a happy habitat for your winged lovely is easy, inexpensive, and sure to delight!

Here's what you'll need: embroidery hoop, several yards of tulle (the more, the better), string, and a magazine.

1. Cut several strips of tulle. It should be long enough to drape a bit on the floor, and hang a few inches away from the ceiling.

2. Open your embroidery hoop, insert the tulle inside the ring. Then, close tightly. wahlah! No gluing or other attachment is needed for the tulle.

3. Tie a string across the hoop, join in the middle & hang from a hook on the ceiling. (this can be a wee bit tricky. I recommend inserting the string inside the ring before tightening to get the best support.)

To create the magazine birds, simply trace the birds below onto magazine, cut & tape onto the wall in the design/pattern of your choice.

Have fun embracing the imaginations of your little loves!

five brilliant things to do this summer

2011-06-26T18:32:00.004-04:00

Who says summer fun has to be expensive? Here are five things to do this summer that won't break the bank & are sure to remain with your kids forever..

1. Throw your own parade! Grab some markers & let your kids design their parade signs. Then dress in your most fun garb, pull out your best noise makers, and hit the sidewalks! Don't forget to invite the neighborhood kids!

2. Outdoor movie night. Let your kids experience the fun of a drive-thru theatre in their own backyard with the use of a projector & the side of your home! Set up lawn chairs, and invite friends. Don't forget the popcorn. (Don't have a projector? Don't splurge yet, chances are you might know somebody who does.)

3. Backyard camping. When you're five, camping outside is nothing but magical. Count the stars, roast some marshmallows, and share stories with your kids. If you're really brave, sleep out there, too.

4. Host an art show! Kids love to show off their works. Hang their favorite masterpieces around the house, put together some refreshments, and invite some friends & family to come check out your kids' work. (It's a great excuse for an anytime mini-party & your kids will love it!)

5. Hold a creative cooking challenge. First, let your kids draw out a plan. Challenge them to come up with a new, tasty recipe. Help them decide what ingredients they will need. Then gather up their ingredients and let them get to work (helping out with the oven, or other needs along the way). Let everyone get a nibble of all of the creations, and be sure to gush over the delicious creativity!

These are just a few of the things on our summer time to-do list, and we can't wait to share with you guys as we go along, and check each off. In the meantime, do you have any great ideas we should add to our list?

celebrate summer ..free calendar printable

2011-06-24T11:07:00.008-04:00

Summer has arrived! ..and so has the "when are we going?"s & "is it time yet?"s... So, we now have our entire summer schedule happily hanging on our fridge!

Do you like my calendars? You can download & print your own for free here:
printable JULY calendar
printable AUGUST calendar

Enjoy!

map it out ..kid art

2011-06-20T16:20:00.008-04:00

My kids have a thirst for direction, and not just in the abstract sense. They love to know where things are located, how to get there, and the names of common roads we use. This project was a fun way to help my kids get a visual on all 3. (plus it double as a car playmat!)

Here's what you'll need: poster board, paint, pencil, ruler, black marker, access to a map (we used google maps)

step 1: using your map as a reference for road design & location, sketch out an outline for your kids. Older kids may want to do this on their own.

step 2: place a dab of paint in each square or area that are non-road areas. Let your kids paint in those spaces.

step 3: when the paint dries, outline the roads with black marker, and have your kids help you identify landmarks, roads, etc. (look! That's where the museum is! Can you help me remember what else is nearby?)

step 4: using either watercolor or a black crayon, you can lightly shade in the roads, or you can leave them white (I thought that looked pretty cool, too).

step 5: pull out the matchbox cars & let the kids have some fun!

sleepy king

2011-06-20T07:56:00.003-04:00

oh, how I love Sleepy King! These handmade whimsical woodland creatures are too cute for words.

.. shop: sleepyking.etsy.com or sleepyking.bigcartel.com
.. blog: misssleepyking.blogspot.com
.. facebook: facebook.com

read around the room ..kid art + activity

2011-06-17T14:03:00.005-04:00

To keep my kids excited about reading over the summer we've initiated a "read around the room" challenge. Here's how you can join in:

1. Have your child draw a picture of themselves. I started them off with a sketched outline of a big balloon. I asked them then to draw themselves holding onto the balloon's string. Then we cut out their drawings.

2. Next, pick a room where you'd like to start the challenge--somewhere they'll frequently see their drawings & be reminded to read. (We chose our living room.) Using a bit of tape, we placed their drawings up on the wall, near the ceiling.

3. For each book your child reads, move their person over a space. The goal is to move all the way around the house--one room at a time! You'll be amazed at how just a little visualization of accomplishment can really help motivate kids.

As a family you can decide what the prizes will be when you reach the end of a room. A few ideas we came up with included the choice of a fun activity--putt putt golf, bowling, movies, etc--or maybe a new book!

Mini & Maximus ..kids will have their say.

2011-06-07T01:00:00.001-04:00

My newest favorite kids' brand is hands down, Mini & Maximus. Such unique + bold designs, perfectly suited for the creative spirit of childhood--and everything kinderpendent stands for. Love it.

.. shop: store.miniandmaximus.com
.. facebook: facebook.com
.. blog: miniandmaximus.blogspot.com

homemade holiday cards ..tutorial

2011-06-05T19:11:00.007-04:00

We're preparing for Independence Day here in the states, and when I came across the idea for these "painted in" homemade holiday cards via one of my favorite design books (downtown chic by Sixx Design--who are also responsible for Bravo's "9 by Design") I absolutely had to make my own. Here's how I made ours..

1. We painted the kids! It was messy & silly.. and completely memorable.

2. We took lots of pictures!

3. I did a sketchy painting of the American flag on a plain sheet of paper. This was used as the card's background.

4. Using scrapblog.com, I uploaded a picture of the painted flag, and my favorite shots of the kids. I cropped the kids using the freehand cropping feature, then placed their pictures on top of the flag. And once I was happy, I saved the project as a JPEG.

5. Then we printed the cards from home onto cardstock, had the kids sign them, and they are now ready to ship for the holiday!

This idea can potentially be used for any nation's flag, not to mention for virtually any holiday or event! I cannot wait to come up with some new ideas for painting our kids into cards, or perhaps a canvas print? The possibilities are endless!

create your own comics ..kid art

2011-06-04T11:57:00.003-04:00

Kids are filled with all sorts of wonderful ideas, stories, adventures. This is a project that lets kids really utilize those big imaginations of theirs! (And it's great for introducing kids to story sequence, plot, and characterization.)

All you need is to print this (or draw a similar one on your own!):
(click to enlarge to original size--print in landscape page setting)

Tell your child they are going to create their own adventure! Encourage them to create a character (superhero, boy, girl, princess, etc...) of their own. And ask them what they do first, second, next, & last. Once they get their creative juices flowing, have them draw their pictures in the boxes. Older kids may wish to include narration. Younger kids may dictate them to you to write for them.

When finished, display proudly! My daughter came up with "Adventures of Art Girl!" (a lovely tale about Art Girl, who is busy picking blue berries, when a strong wind blows her away. A bad fox comes around, and a king saves the day.) & it is hanging happily on our fridge for all to see.

things I liked this week..

2011-06-04T09:22:00.005-04:00

1. Russian Folk Style Nesting Dolls - My Poppet
2. Organic Toddler Kitty Tee - KLT Works
3. Mouse Milk Carton House - Belle & Rollo
4. Mum & Dad Mouse in Cigar Box - Belle & Rollo
5. Minti Watercolour Heart Shirt - Minimal
6. THE BRAND Tulip Skirt - Minimal

no-sew superhero mask ..tutorial

2011-05-31T12:20:00.007-04:00

Meet Captain Blue Drool & the Ballerina Bandit. One is a hero (who happens to drool in blue), and the other is a mischief-maker (who does have a rather fierce chassé). Together they are quite entertaining. And all this entertainment (for both them, and for me) was created with these super easy no-sew superhero masks!

To make your own all you'll need is felt, ribbon, scissors, and five minutes.

Step 1: Fold your felt in half and cut the mask shape (see top image above).
Step 2: Fold each side to cut the eye holes (see bottom right image above).

Step 3: Cut small slits on each end.
Step 4: Insert ribbon & tie.
Step 5: Turn a kid into a superhero!

thumbprint people ..kid art

2011-05-27T07:56:00.005-04:00

I love my daughter's doodle people. Here's a little project that encourages her creativity + doodling.

Step 1: Dip your child's thumb in paint, make thumb prints on a sheet of paper.

Step 2: Demonstrate how to turn the thumb prints into people (on your own sheet, of course).

Step 3: Let your kiddo doodle away!

the tagalong

2011-05-26T10:03:00.004-04:00

I was recently introduced to the tag*a*long, which is this nifty little stroller attachment that makes walking with multiple kids easy peasy! I love taking my kids downtown, but it's quite a balancing act trying to steer the stroller, holding two toddler hands, and attempting to not hit any innocent pedestrians in the process. I think these are just brilliant, and I must get a few for our summer adventures coming up!

By the way, I love that the tag*a*long was designed, developed, and manufactured in the USA by a mom and dad design duo from Philadelphia, PA. They saw a problem, and they came up with a solution. Those are the best kinds of creations.

.. website: tagalongkids.com
.. shop: amazon.com (or at your local retailer)
.. facebook: facebook.com

newspaper story starters ..kid art

2011-05-25T14:27:00.006-04:00

A picture is worth a thousand words, and for a kid they're worth two thousand. This project is super simple, and can be used over & over again to inspire new stories by the little ones.

All you need is newspaper (or magazines), card stock or index cards, glue + scissors. Have the kids find & cut out photos in the paper that they like. They can be photos of anything! (Some ideas to look for: the bridal announcements for "princesses", the sports section, and the comics.) Next, have your kids paste their pictures onto the cardstock. When they're finished, it's story time!

No directions were necessary for my four year old. She sat in the story chair & using her story starters, jumped right in! If your kiddo needs some direction, ask them what they see in the picture. What's happening? What do you think will happen next?

If you get a chance, record their stories. You'll be glad you did. Their little imaginations are just amazing at this age! Here are a few my daughter came up with using her story starters.

"Baseball" by Katie (age 4)
One time ago, there was a baseball family. They were playing baseball all over the place. They were mostly boys, and their mother told them all how lovely they are! The End.
(I thought it was cute that the story starter used for this story contained hockey players.)

"The Giant" by Katie (age 4)
A long time ago there was a big old giant and a boy. The boy wondered how to capture the giant. He knew what he had to do. He had to go on the side of a train to jump on him, but it didn't work. The End.

"Drums" by Katie (age 4)
One time ago, there was a mom and a little boy. The mom played drums with the boy, but he didn't like playing drums. Then he got sick and had to go to the doctor. The doctor told him to eat vegetables and no more cupcakes! Then his little brother ate too many cupcakes! The end.
(I think this one got a bit tangled up with Pinkalicious.)

handmade for her ..sewing for kids

2011-05-25T12:49:00.016-04:00

These cute skirts were designed via inspiration from MADE. The only adjustment I made to the tutorial was to the waist band (which was only because I didn't have large elastic strips on hand + my local fabric store is 45 minutes away). I love these little skirts, and they were incredibly easy to make. I will definitely be whipping up some more in the near future in preparation for the long, hot summer ahead!

.. MADE: the circle skirt tutorial

office of the tooth fairy

2011-05-24T13:32:00.001-04:00

We had our first home visit from the tooth fairy last night & yes, it was quite magical! And, I was thrilled to finally be able to use this official Tooth Fairy deposit form I purchased some time ago. It's been sitting on a closet shelf, just waiting for one of those little suckers to pop on out!

And in case you're wondering, this morning we discovered two golden dollar coins had been left in place of the first fallen tooth. Magical, indeed!

.. website: officeofthetoothfairy.com

fournier ..a poverty alleviation project

2011-05-20T20:14:00.008-04:00

These delightful flag garlands were handmade by Bolivian artisans via Fournier, which is a company founded by Anabel Fournier in 2003 as a poverty alleviation project. The project is dedicated to helping the community make lasting improvements in their own standards of living by giving artisans training in knitting, crocheting, embroidery and sewing.

When I discovered Fournier, I simply fell in love with the soft, simplistic style. And when I discovered the background of the company, I was in absolute awe over all of the socially conscious goodness. It really is quite inspiring, don't you agree?

And if you're feeling as awe inspired as I am, there's good news. You can help support these hardworking, talented women & Fournier's mission to help alleviate their life of poverty, simply by shopping Fournier! The designs are beautiful + the happy feeling you'll get from helping others is pretty cool, too. It's truly a win-win.

.. shop: fournier.bigcartel.com
.. blog: andsoiwhisper.com
.. facebook: facebook.com
.. twitter: twitter.com/andsoiwhisper

curly birds ..the art of play

2011-05-17T18:20:00.004-04:00

I love the curly birds blog, don't you? It's filled with super fun ideas to do with kids, including this DIY hot air balloon. Super fun, indeed!

And it's no surprise to me that the shop is equally as fun. Helen, the mom, designer + kid craft-genius, offers the opportunity to preserve your child's artwork with her very own hand embroidery work! I love it. And as my kids' drawings begin to lose their stick arms and rectangle bodies, I think this would be a really neat way to preserve their childhood a bit (for them, but mostly for me).

*I almost forgot to mention, use the promo code: SPRING for free shipping through the end of May!

.. website: curlybirds.etsy.com
.. blog: curlybirds.typepad.com
.. facebook: facebook.com

papier-mâché pottery ..kid art

2011-05-16T20:49:00.008-04:00

Here's a fun project for the kids that involves turning trash into a work of art. My kids had a blast with this one, and I think yours will too. Here's how to do it:

Materials: newspaper, liquid fabric starch, plastic juice bottle, paint

1. Have the kids tear up some newspaper into chunky strips.

2. Dip the newspaper strips into a bowl of liquid fabric starch, then cover the bottle with the strips.

3. Let dry overnight.

4. Round up your paint & brushes & let the little ones get to work!

5. When dry, you can use it in a number of ways: as a piggy bank, as a vase, or simply as a cool piece of artwork!

handmade labels ..tutorial

2011-05-11T16:56:00.000-04:00

As promised, here's our tutorial on our handmade labels. They are both inexpensive and easy, plus kind of addictive. And they make handmade gifts much cooler. Here's how to make them:

materials needed: alphabet stamps (we found our set for $1 at Michael's), twill tape (ours was purchased via Joann), and a fabric stamp pad (ours was purchased at Michael's).

1. Spell out the word(s) you want on your label using the stamps.

2. Stamp directly onto the twill tape (be sure to do it firmly if the twill tape has a raised design).

3. Cut the tape & make more!

These can be sewn onto your projects, or your kids' clothes. Or make your own personalized ribbon for your gifts! The possibilities really are endless.

While you're busy stamping, let the kiddos stamp too! Give them a sheet of paper, some stamps and an ink pad. Be prepared though, your kids' hands will inevitably turn to the color of their ink pad. Just be ready with some wipes.

chunky yarn headband ..tutorial

2011-05-09T12:06:00.007-04:00

This tutorial is quite similar to the butterfly hippie headband, with a few changes. Here's how to make it:

materials needed: yarn (three colors) & scissors

1. cut four long strands of yarn from each color (the more stands you use, the chunkier your headband will be). Your strands should be the length + 1/2 the length of the size of the headband you want.

2. tie the ends together in one knot, and braid to the end, then knot again.

3. all done, time to enjoy! (We added a personalized label onto ours. I'll be posting that tutorial later this week!)

say what? ..tutorial

2011-05-09T01:00:00.000-04:00

Here's an idea for an easy handmade baby gift that is both original & creative!

Would you like to make one? Here's how:

materials needed: freezer paper, craft knife, fabric paint, paint brush, onesie or tee, iron

1. Cut a piece of freezer paper to fit the design you want on your piece of clothing.

2. Use a pencil to draw your design on the freezer paper (non-shiny side).

3. Use a craft knife to carefully cut out your design.

4. Iron the freezer paper onto the clothing (shiny side down)

5. Paint!

6. Let dry for a few minutes, then remove the freezer paper.

7. After it's completely dry, to prevent the design from peeling off, be sure to iron it (with a piece of fabric on top).

mom's day 2011

2011-05-08T20:38:00.003-04:00

I'm so spoiled, hope you were too!
Happy Mother's Day!

thrifty finds for kids

2011-05-07T17:45:00.007-04:00

Celebrating mother's day weekend with my mom is always an adventure. This year we found ourselves in a 2nd hand thrift shop. While my 4 year old was going nuts over all of the dolls, I found myself drawn to this cool 1970s vintage dictionary for kids. I opened it up, and had to have it.

Not only are the illustrations just plain awesome, but it includes important words like independent & design. My kind of dictionary. & for $1, it was an absolute steal.

I also scored this very cool wooden knight's shield! $2 and it was ours. I love it, and can't wait for the boys to get some good play in with it. I foresee much fun!

I hope all you lovely moms have a wonderful holiday!

music inspired kids' room ..a room tour

2011-05-05T17:09:00.003-04:00

The spring cleaning continues! (though it seems that I clean one room, and it is a matter of minutes before the mess returns. ohh, the joys of having 3 little tornadoes behind every step I take!) In any event, I thought I'd share a bit of another room, this being the boys' room! My husband is a musician, which inspired their very musical room.

We mounted a real xylophone to the wall, and turned some drum sticks into a mobile (didn't you know.. you can turn anything in a mobile!). We used an old amp as a night stand, and they even have a real snare drum in there (courtesy of their uncle, who played drums in school for a bit). And when they aren't making their own music in there, they are usually found LISTENING to music. Their current obsession is Michael Buble's rendition of Spiderman. (I like it too.)

Don't worry, I'll be back with lots of art-inspired goodness soon! I see the light at the end of the tunnel (if I squint), and I do believe the cleaning will be done with shortly. (in other words, I'm about to call it quits & grab a paint brush.)

babiekins issue five

2011-05-04T07:40:00.003-04:00

Babiekins's newest issue is out, and lovely as ever!

Here are a few things that really caught my eye:
.. these balancing blocks from Poketo (how cool are those?)
.. this interview with Pale Cloud (btw, I'm not sure if that is her home or office, but either way, I'd love to spend my days here!)
.. these eyes!
.. oh, and page 275. yes, we're in babiekins!
love it.

.. website: babiekinsmag.com
.. blog: babiekinsmag.com/blog + littlemissheirlooms.com
.. facebook: facebook.com/babiekinsmag

our playroom ..a room tour

2011-05-03T15:51:00.013-04:00

Welcome to our playroom! I spent the day doing some spring cleaning (mainly in this room, sorting through the massive amount of toys we've managed to accumulate over the past six years. oye.) & thought you might like a peek at the room we spend much of our day in!

We've got books, blocks, puzzles, trucks, trains, dress up, kitchen + market, and a mr. potato head collection that has been silently growing out of control (much like the barbie collection. I don't even want to know how many of those dolls we have in this house).

Thanks for stopping by! Before you leave, be sure to grab a piece of chalk & have some fun on the mess wall!

KINDERPENDENT ..issue 01

2011-05-02T01:00:00.001-04:00

I'm very excited to share that I've started working on the 1st issue of kinderpendent, a free online magazine, celebrating design-inspired play, set to release September 2011!

Currently, I'm seeking contributors!
.. designers: who would like to share some cool threads or products for kids.
.. artists: who would like to submit some kid-friendly/kid-inspired artwork.
.. creative parents/bloggers: who would like to contribute crafts/games/kid-friendly ideas.

email or comment for further details! kinderpendent@gmail.com

PAULA & PAULA

2011-05-01T01:00:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the newest edition of tiny & little? If so, you've probably noticed these adorable hoodies found throughout! They're handmade by Paula & Paula, and they're awesome.

.. website: PAULA & PAULA
.. shop: PAULA & PAULA - Melbourne
.. blog: PAULA & PAULA: handmade in melbourne
.. facebook: PAULA & PAULA

for the love of mom ..kid art

2011-04-30T21:13:00.004-04:00

Here's a fun mom-day craft for the kiddos! All you need is some cardboard scraps, paint, and cute kids.

1. Cut out your letters: MOM (or whatever you call the special mom you want to celebrate!) from cardboard scraps.

2. Hand over the paint & brushes and let the kids get to work.

3. When dry, grab the camera & take some cute shots of the kids holding their letters. If you have one child, take separate pictures with the individual letters. The different shots put together will look really sweet, and of course, totally priceless.

4. You can print & frame the picture for mom's mother's day gift, or glue it onto the front of a card. (psst.. this is a great idea for the grandmas too!)

*what to do with the left overs? tape them up somewhere mom will see when she wakes up on mother's day!

a gift for dean ..handmade gifting

2011-04-29T22:39:00.000-04:00

There's absolutely nothing better than a handmade gift, don't you agree? My cousin's son, dean, recently turned 3, and though it's a little late--this fun package (which includes a set of our new recycled crayons) is on the way to him!

By the way, have you checked out the dollar racks at Michael's lately? I stumbled upon their circus party collection and I had to hold myself back from buying everything (and in bulk). I made it out with only a few sets of these cards and stickers. If one of my little ones had a birthday coming up, oooh yes, I would have been set! (and on that note, I think I may need to go back and stock up!)

Have you given (or been given) a handmade gift lately? Please, do tell!

little clicks ..kid photography

2011-04-29T11:16:00.005-04:00

Inspired by Natasha of Little Love, I handed over our old Canon to Katie, our four year old, to try & get a glimpse at her view of the world. And I have to say, the world is quite beautiful through her little eyes.

These are a few of the shots she took in our back yard, and I am quite tempted to do something with these.. framed, canvas, perhaps put together in a photo book?

What can your kids catch? Won't you hand over that camera, and join me over at Little Love for the Little Clicks weekly (Friday) roundup?

recycled crayons ..tutorial

2011-04-28T09:28:00.000-04:00

When your crayon box turns into a broken mess, what do you do?

We typically replenish the crayon box at the beginning of every school year (when boxes are crazy cheap), but by spring our selection gets pretty narrow. The good news is that narrow selection can be brought back to life (with a little work)!

I have seen this idea popping up e v e r y w h e r e, and finally got to give it a try this week.

Here's what happened (+ how to make your own!):

This is a project that definitely has steps that are completely off limit to kids. Good news though, you can let your kids do the hard work for you (and they'll probably enjoy it too).

1. Gather up your broken crayons. Let your kids sort the crayons by color. We put all like colors together. If you prefer to have, say, a light green and a dark green, you'll need to sort those out as well.

2. Teach your kids how to peel the wrappers off. This, I think, is actually a pretty important skill that my kids for one reason or another, had yet to attain.

3. After everything is sorted and peeled, it's all up to you, mom! Some of the tutorials differ in the next steps, this is how we went with it..

4. You will need a big pot, an empty can, OVEN MITTS!, and of course, your mold. I wanted a mold that was longer than the candy molds (for better/proper grip), so I chose to use a pretzel mold. The only downside is that the ends are open, so I had to create a closure at the ends using shipping tape (it worked perfectly though).

5. Fill your can with a single crayon color (if you are using one can for your entire project, which I did, I would suggest doing light colors first).

6. Boil water in your pot, and then add your can.

7. Using a long wooden spoon or stick to stir. The crayons will melt quickly (and watch out, that can will get HOT!)

8. When completely melted and stirred, remove from heat & pour into the molds.

9. Leave the mold on your counter for a few minutes (you don't want to spill hot wax on yourself), then place it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to harden.

10. Remove from the fridge & you're done! Repeat with all of your colors to make a lovely set of new crayons. If your kids are like mine, they won't know whether to color or to play with them! Which, I think is a pretty cool problem to have.

cardboard parking deck ..tutorial

2011-04-25T22:15:00.005-04:00

This project was so easy to make, using some cardboard scraps (actually, left overs from the cardboard castle!), paint & the hot glue gun. If you enjoy design, beware, you may really love this one! (I did.)

To make you'll need cardboard, paint & a hot glue gun.

1. Paint your base (the bottom piece).

2. Paint the 2nd floor (it will be slightly smaller than the base), then cut a slit on one end. This will be a ramp.

3. Paint the 3rd floor (smaller than the 2nd floor). Again, cut a slit for a ramp.

4. Cut the walls to hold up the 2nd and 3rd floors using scraps. Then paint them a contrasting color (our green pieces).

5. Use hot glue to glue the walls to the base, 2nd floor to the walls, etc... Design as you like! We even added a covered parking spot on the top floor!

6. When finished, use markers to add details.

Add cars + enjoy!

happy easter!

2011-04-24T21:24:00.002-04:00

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday!

model kit fun ..kid art

2011-04-23T21:29:00.005-04:00

Have you seen these $1 wooden model kits at Michael's? They caught my eye this past week and I thought we'd give them a try.

What's included: the wood, sandpaper (though we didn't really need it), glue, paint brush, and paint.

This kits are labeled for older kids (ages 6+), but I bought one for my 4 year old anyways. She loved it just the same. I read the instructions to the kids and they followed the steps: sandpapering the wood, gluing the pieces together, and then they painted.

I was (and still am) really impressed with these little kits! And for only $1, I think we'll definitely be stocking up on some more soon.

happy earth day!

2011-04-22T18:58:00.004-04:00

Typically on Earth Day I like to take the kids out somewhere to take in all of the beautiful green. Unfortunately, today Mother Nature had another plan for the day, and we were rained out. So, instead we decided to celebrate green from inside.

Katie's leafy mask is actually made of an old fake plant (we didn't want to hurt a live one for the sake of art). Using a hot glue gun, we covered a plain masquerade style mask with the leaves. and wahlah! Now she's a leafy girl, and she loves it. As you can see from the pictures above, she's having lots of fun... and I think, kind of resembles a swamp monster of some kind..

How are you celebrating green today?

ohdeedoh!

2011-04-22T18:15:00.003-04:00

Be sure to swing by ohdeedoh today to read my interview!

twig mobile ..kid art

2011-04-21T01:00:00.020-04:00

I happen to love unique, kid-created decor, so, in my book, this is just about the coolest thing ever. Plus, there's nothing better than being able to find your materials out in the yard!

To create this project you'll need some sticks, paint, and thread. Here's how to make it:

1. Collect sticks with your kids outside.
2. Set them up with paint and brushes, and let them paint their sticks.
3. Let dry.
4. Tie a piece of thread around each stick, and hang from the ceiling.
5. Enjoy! Your kids will be so excited to see their newly created artwork dangling from above their heads!

*psst, mom! Painted sticks also look fantastic in vases! They're an inexpensive DIY decor addition, and can really add a cool contrast of color to any room.*

i spy ..a kid's game

2011-04-20T01:00:00.002-04:00

I spy with my little eye, something FUN!

Here's a spin on the classic "I Spy" game. I created cards with a list of "somethings" for my kids to run around inside or out, and find. They loved it.

The work is already done for you! To play in your own home, just select an image below (pink or blue) and print!

Here are a few of Hayden's finds:

*For those of you with budding photographers, challenge your kids to take a picture of their finds. It really adds to the excitement when they get to share all of their pictures after playing.

Have fun!

bunny cupcake toppers ..tutorial

2011-04-19T01:00:00.002-04:00

I love small, simplistic detail. And these cupcake toppers are just that! They require little materials, and can be done quickly. Here's how:

1. Using the free rabbit font we used previously downloaded for the bunny bags, create a word document with the rabbit image of your choice in the size and color you want to use (make sure there is enough space to fold the paper over & glue together--see image above).
*If you have trouble getting the font to appear as bunnies--check to make sure you are typing in caps. I ran into this issue, myself!*

2. Print as many sheets as you need. (cardstock tends to work best, but regular paper will do the trick too!)

3. Fold & cut each image out as shown above.

4. Place a toothpick in the center fold and glue the flaps together to make a mini flag.

5. Add to a cupcake & enjoy!

KLT Works + free-motion sewing

2011-04-18T09:52:00.005-04:00

Have you heard of free-motion sewing? It's like drawing a picture with a sewing machine, and Kristin of KLT Works, has got this unique skill mastered quite well. (see her at work here!) I am nothing short of impressed. I mean, I tend to be pretty happy if I manage a straight line with my machine..

.. website: kltworks.com
.. shop: kltworks.etsy.com
.. blog: klt sketchbook
.. facebook: facebook.com/kltworks

handmade doll clothes ..roundup

2011-04-17T08:42:00.012-04:00

.. wren handmade
.. mummy crafts
.. craftiness is not optional
.. craftiness is not optional (barbie dress tutorial)
.. miss b. couture (lots of free barbie clothes tutorials--ken too!)
.. crochet things by loststitch

some more I liked:
.. these handmade retro barbie clothes by annies cupboards.
.. this handmade barbie sofa by Sky Turtle.
.. this little peek of the barbie clothes collection being sold at Bazzar d'Etoiles's boutique in Paris, France. (good news for those of us who need plane tickets to get to this boutique, the online shop is set to launch within a few months!)

Barbie sure is a lucky gal.

cardboard castle ..tutorial

2011-04-15T01:00:00.000-04:00

This cardboard castle is easy and inexpensive to make--and will provide plenty of entertainment. To make your own you will just need 2+ large cardboard boxes (we used three, but you can use as many as you would like to make your castle as large as you would like!), paint, & velcro. Little helpers are nice too.

1. Cut your box down one side to open it up flat. Then cut the bottom flaps off, so it is a smooth, straight bottom. You may also want to cut some spaces between the top flaps to give it more of a traditional castle look.

2. Grab some brushes and let the little ones get to work!

3. Let it dry.

4. Use a knife to cut small slits at the top and bottom at the ends of each box (see photos above).

5. Cut small pieces of velcro. Slide them through the slits, then sew the ends together by hand to keep them in place. (make sure you match up the velcro correctly to attach to the next box.)

6. Connect & play! When not in use, it folds up nicely & can be stored in a small space for future play.

perch by oeuf

2011-04-14T01:00:00.000-04:00

Have you seen these new bunk beds by Oeuf? oooh yes, they are pretty.

..website: oeufnyc.com
..facebook: facebook.com/oeufbegood

dressing barb

2011-04-13T01:00:00.003-04:00

Barbie woke up this morning, and simply couldn't find a single thing to wear! Tragic, I know. Fortunately for her, I took pity, and now she has a lovely new ruffle dress.

Have you made a doll in your home some new threads? I'd love to put together a round-up of your best barbie inspired wardrobes--comment or email--I want to see your creations!

milk & cookies

2011-04-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

"Batman retired and ate too many burgers, but that doesn't mean he can't still wear his undies on top of his pants."

oh dear, I think I'm in love with Fat Batman. He is quite amazing and would look perfect in the boys' room, don't you think?

Created by the talented animator, designer, and illustrator, Tali Gal-on, and is available in her shop: milk and cookies.

..online shop: milk & cookies
..website: taligalon.com
..blog: cookiebite.blogspot.com
..facebook: facebook.com/milkandcookiesart

mixed-up magazine people ..kid art

2011-04-11T07:05:00.001-04:00

To help teach Katie (my 4 year old) to properly grip and use scissors, I like to utilize crafts like this one. The directions are quite simple, and she's able to do lots of cuttin'! Plus, I don't mind letting these cool creations overtake our fridge art collection.

1. To make, simply provide your child with plenty of magazines, a pair of scissors, glue stick and a sheet of paper.

2. One by one, name a different body part (or ask your child to name the different body parts from head to toe): hair, eyes, nose, mouth, body, arms, legs... Have your child find them from different pictures and cut them out.

3. Then help them glue them together to form one person on their paper.

4. Add accessories if you'd like. As you can see below, even I like participating with this one!

my poppet

2011-04-10T03:45:00.000-04:00

These adorable little fabric houses can be found at my poppet. Don't you love them? & best of all, no two set is the same! Each house is uniquely (hand)made in Melbourne, Australia by Cinti. oh! & I must mention, she also keeps a lovely blog, filled with some brilliant tutorials (like this, and this).

..online shop: my poppet in the post
..blog: my poppet...the blog
..facebook: my poppet

magazine animal-people ..kid art

2011-04-09T14:07:00.000-04:00

This is a great project for getting little imaginations moving. My four year old thought it was a delightful concept--so very silly, indeed!

1. Have your child search through magazines for a picture of an animal's face.

2. Cut the animal's head out of the magazine, and paste towards the top of a blank paper.

3. Ask your kiddo to give the dog (or whatever animal you have selected) people clothes! Give some helpful suggestions to get them started: a dress, a top and pants, a hat, shoes, etc...

4. Use watercolor to add a nice splash of color. Hang & enjoy!

*After you finish up, try challenging your kids to come up with a story for their creations. (Maybe even cut them out, glue to card stock-or a paper bag-, and use them as puppets!) Please share if you have any other great ideas!

MINIMAL

2011-04-08T18:38:00.000-04:00

I am so envious of those lucky enough to have this shop around the corner from them. ohh yes, it's quite lovely.

And chances are, if you aren't located in Austria either, you may be suffering from the same retail envy, but no worries because Minimal's online shop is available to all--and inside, along with their own label (Minimal) are several of my favorites, including Bobo choses, Mini & Maximus, and luckyboysunday.

..online shop: MINIMAL: kids go minimal
..facebook: MINIMAL

bunny bags ..tutorial

2011-04-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

These little reusable bunny bags were created for my niece + nephew. They are a great alternative for gifting to kids who will certainly already be receiving traditional baskets from the good ole Easter bunny, himself.

To make these bags you just need some fabric scraps & iron-on printer paper (which you can find at walmart or your local craft store). You'll also need to download this free (for personal use) rabbit font.

1. Cut out a long strip of fabric to the length and width you'd like your bag. (What do you want to put in it? How big does it need to be?)

2. Hem the two ends. Then pin the bag as it would look with the top flap opened (see photos above).

3. Sew the edges. Cut & tie.

4. If you would like to, add velcro.

5. After downloading the rabbit font, open up a word document and create your graphic. Print (on the iron-on paper) + cut.

6. Follow the directions on your iron-on paper packaging to iron on your bunny.

7. You're finished! Fill it with your Easter goodies & make a kiddo smile.

pirate's treasure ..a kid's game

2011-04-04T17:18:00.000-04:00

I am a youth soccer coach with the local community league where my kids play. My current team is composed of kids ages 2 (nearly 3) through 4 years... and keeping their interest up is TOUGH! Here's a game I've used both on the field with my team and at home with my kids. You can use it with large groups, or to entertain a solo kid. It involves a mission, and kids love those.

Before I give you the game rules, you will need gold coins (treasure!). We made ours out of felt and cardboard. They were pretty simple to create. Just cut out circles from a cardboard box (as you can see, ours came from a popcorn box), and matching sized circles from felt. Glue or sew the felt to the cardboard, and you've got treasure! You can get fancier if you'd like, but these work great for us.

How to play:

1. Tell the kids they are pirates. And what do pirates looooove? TREASURE, of course. Show them the treasure--oooohhh ahhhhh--then bring it to the other end of the field.

2. The kids must kick their ball (if you're without a ball, perhaps make an obstacle course they must pass) all the way to the treasure.

3. When they get to it, they can only take ONE piece of treasure. They must bring it all the way back to the starting point, and drop it off before going back for more treasure.

4. Play until all the treasure is gone--and play again!

A. Bird

2011-04-04T16:41:00.001-04:00

oooh! I am really liking A.Bird's spring/summer line. And I don't think I can resist the sale section...

april fool's, pesce d'aprile!

2011-04-01T12:33:00.001-04:00

"It all began with that shoe on the wall, a shoe on a wall...?"

Wacky Wednesday is a favorite around here, so I thought a shoe on the wall would be a great way to start the silliest day of the year. And it was. The kids woke up in laughter. "A shoe on the wall?! That shouldn't be there at all!"

As the morning progressed our witty little six year old "pranked" us a few times.

My favorite: "mom! There's a spider behind you! ...APRIL FOOLS!" good one.

And then the pesce started to strike..

How are you celebrating today?

raining words ..kid art

2011-03-31T10:11:00.000-04:00

I suppose it was another rainy day that inspired this kid-friendly craft. (plus we had some left over clouds from creating our banner yesterday. They needed to be put to good use.)

This project is great for scissor practice, and for older kids, it's good for recognizing sight words, or perhaps even stringing small sentences together. Here's how to do it:

1. You probably don't have clouds already sitting on your counter, so you'll need to create some. We made some via watercolor & cutting out cloud shapes, and some were magazine cloud-shape cutouts. (you'll need to cut out the cloud shapes for younger kids.)

2. Gather up some newspaper or magazine pages, and let your child cut out the printed words. (originally, I thought it would be a great idea to cut out individual letters and make our own words...but, the print was much too small for my four year old to accomplish that. So, instead we went for already formed words, and she was much more successful.)

3. Have your child use a glue stick to paste the clouds on a plain sheet of paper. Suggest pasting the clouds up high, so that there is room for the rain to fall.

4. Let your kiddo paste the words below the clouds (like rain drops). Point out some of the basic sight words (the, of, at, etc..). See if your kids recognize any. Challenge your older kids to create a sentence with their words.

e-glue

2011-03-31T08:38:00.000-04:00

How cool are these extra large wall decals from e-glue? We recently painted the boys' room white, and have been looking for something cool to add some color to the walls. I think I just found it.

a few things..

2011-03-30T17:34:00.000-04:00

Do you love the new banner? I do! I think it sums up "kinderpendent" quite boldly. Don't you? You may have also noticed that I finally whipped up some buttons, should you like to spread the word about my little site via your own. I created them in two sizes, but if you need something else please feel free to shoot me an email.

Kinderpendent has been nominated for Babble's 2011 Top 50 Craft Mom Blogs, which is pretty cool, so thank you to whoever took the time to send the nomination through! We're still in the running for the top 50, but need some votes to hang in there! If you like kinderpendent & would like to submit your vote, just click here, look for kinderpendent & click the thumbs up icon (no registration needed). thanks for the support!!

Have you been by itmom lately? My whimsical felt rainbow mobile tutorial can be found here!

building buildings ..kid art

2011-03-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

Monday was a teacher work day. No school for my six year old, and it was raining. The bickering between the 6 year old & 4 year old began at 7am, and stopped when the brilliant idea to do art stations finally hit me! If you need a rainy-day-let's-all-be-friends-sibling-separator kinda project, here's a good one.

Station one: Cut. Have one child cut a piece of paper into tiny squares.

Station two: Watercolor. Have another child painting a piece of a paper the color of the sky.

Station three: Color. The tiny squares need to be colored. Older kids may want to add windows to their squares.

After the watercolor dries, have the kids use glue sticks to paste the squares into the shape of skyscrapers.

When they are done they can color in some extra details if they'd like to. A sunshine, some birds perhaps?

wild thing, max

2011-03-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

I came across this print by Nan Lawson. I love it. It's perfect. It is going on my wishlist immediately.

Check out more of Nan Lawson's work here.

butterfly hippie child headband ..tutorial

2011-03-28T21:31:00.001-04:00

Despite the call for snow flurries today, I know Spring is in the air! Flowers blooming, birds singing, and butterflies fluttering. I love it. And though those things aren't happening outside MY window at the moment, I created this headband as a reminder of the good things to come.

Want to make one? Of course you do! If you know how to braid, these are easy peasy. Just follow the tutorial below.

1. Gather up some ribbon, felt, needle & thread.

2. Cut three 90 inch pieces of ribbon.

3. Tie the ribbon together at one end. Braid to the other end, and tie the other end.

4. Wow, that was easy!

5. Cut several butterfly shapes from your felt. (I made 7, you can make as many or as little as you'd like.)

6. Hand sew the butterflies onto the braided ribbon at various points. (hint: Fold the butterfly in half (wings touching), then sew through the bottom, closing the wings together. Wrap the thread about the ribbon, continue sewing to secure the butterfly in place. This will give the effect of a perched butterfly.)

7. To wear, wrap around the top of the head, tie in the back.
(*note: this design is not intended for babies, though may be used as a photo prop while under close supervision.)

bunnies on board

2011-03-28T08:08:00.000-04:00

UK based illustrator, Tracey Long of Chasing the Crayon, is simply brilliant. I love her quirky little characters, so perfect for a modern playroom or nursery.

The print above is available here or find more awesomeness in her shop!

cool people: Lyndsay of itmom

2011-03-28T07:02:00.000-04:00

Name: Lyndsay Harris
Resides: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
URL: http://www.itmom.ca/

Tell us a Little About Yourself.
I'm a 28 year old stay at home Mom living in a small beach town in Ontario, Canada. I'm the proud parent of a child with autism. My kiddos are 6 (boy) and 2 (girl). I love blogging as a creative outlet and have had the opportunity to meet some really wonderful and creative people because of it. I'm also a Mommypreneur. I run a small local children's consignment shop and am also in the midst of launching my own women's and children's accessory line.

What's something unique about yourself?
My entire family (kids and all) are proud vegetarians. I make songs up randomly all day long and sing as I go - loudly and offkey. I refuse to work for someone else ever again in all of the days of the rest of my life!! I believe if you can dream it...you can do it!!

What's something really cool you've done or that's happened to you?
Being a Mom has to be right up there as the darn coolest thing that has ever happened to me!! My kids have taught me to be patient, to stand up for what I believe in and what is right, to live my dreams and to view the world with growing curiosity and wonder.

What's your blog all about?
I blog about home decor and fashion finds, I share kids crafts, recipes and tutorials. Something I say often is "Life is short...live fabulous." I love sharing the things I find the most fabulous with those that take the time to stop by.

We're heading to your blog. What should we check out first?
1. DIY Wearable Paper Butterfly Wings
2. Chocolate Root Beer Bundt Cake
3. Homemade Bath Paints

What are your favorite blogs to read? At the top of my list (besides Kinderpendent of course!!) are MADE, A Lemon Squeezy Home, Centsational Girl, and Young House Love ...just to name a few!!

quote books ..tutorial

2011-03-26T14:40:00.000-04:00

My kids are constantly saying things that are hilariously cute. I'm awful with keeping up with the baby books. (And when I say awful, I mean I haven't touched one in years.) BUT, I don't want to lose these little quotes that pop out of my kiddos' mouths. So, on this rainy Saturday afternoon I designed these printable quote books.

Wouldn't you like one? or two? Here's a quick & easy tutorial:

1. Select the graphics you'd like to use above. (click on them to get the full printable size)

2. If you'd like to add font to the word bubble cover, open it up in a paint document & add your type. Then save.

3. Open a word document. Add the cover image. (It needs to be centered, on the very bottom of the page.)

4. Open a new page. Add the bubble images. The upside down image goes on top, right side up image on the bottom. Center the images for an even center half fold.

5. Print. (I printed the pages, front & back) Then fold all of the pages in half, with the cover on top.

6. Either use binding tape, or create your own with fabric scraps. Sew on the top of your book.

7. Wait for those cute quotes, and record away!

By the way, these would make great gifts for teachers! While teaching second grade, I constantly found myself smiling from the things my students had said. Maybe change the cover to "________'s class quote book"? (If you need help creating a graphic for a teacher, feel free to shoot me an email!)

the "hey, it's me!" doll ..tutorial

2011-03-25T11:53:00.000-04:00

Katie has a lot of adorable dolls, but none as adorable as this one. She named her Katie #2, and I think it fits quite well.

To make your own kiddo a "hey, it's me!" doll, just follow these instructions. It's pretty easy stuff (promise!).

1. You need a picture of your child facing forward. Preferably a white background. Crop it around the face, just below the neck. (I used picnik.com to edit my picture and give it a polarized look & to be easier on the printer.)

2. Print your child's picture onto a printable fabric sheet (found at your local craft store).

3. Choose your fabric. I let Katie pick out her doll's outfit. She picked jean legs and a seafoam blue color for the dress.

4. Cut 2 arms (4 pieces total), 2 legs (4 pieces total), a dress (2 pieces), and a matching square piece for the back of the head.

5. Pin the legs, arms, and head (inside out). Sew, leaving the bottom edges unsewn (neck line, and where the arms and legs connect to the body).

6. Turn the pieces right side out. Then fill. (I ran out of stuffing, and found yarn scraps work pretty well too.)

7. Next, pin the arms and legs inside the dress (see picture above). Sew, leaving the neck open.

8. Fold the dress neckline inside the dress, insert the head, pin & sew.

9. We thought she'd like some flowers, so we stitched some in her hand.

10. And we added a hand knit scarf. (It's cute, but also adds support to the head.)

Katie loves her Katie #2. As you can see, they are very busy girls. So busy in fact, it's all I can do to get a still shot of the two of them! But I think that just means I got kid approval on this one.

cardboard kitchen ..tutorial

2011-03-21T13:26:00.000-04:00

Do you love Katie's new kitchen? I sure do. What to make one? Of course you do!

1. You'll need:
(2) large cardboard boxes
paint, paint brushes, or markers
hot glue gun + shipping tape
exacto knife or scissors

2. Put together the 1st box. Tape the bottom closed (from the inside). On the top, leave one edge straight up (this will be the kitchen wall). Close the other edges, and tape across (but leave the front edge untaped--this is important!).

3. Find the other box. Cut out the following portion:

4. This will cover the back wall, the stove top, and will fold under the taped top. Use hot glue to glue the piece down in place.

5. Paint your kitchen. (I let my kids do the white base painting to keep them involved--and then went over it with a paint roller to smooth it out.)

6. Using your exacto knife, cut the stove door. You might want to add a little cutout on the side of the door to use as a handle.

7. Add some details--burners, clock on the wall, etc.

8. Let the kids play! (would you like a cookie? how about a lego?)

noteworthy things..

2011-03-17T21:44:00.000-04:00

Check out my guest post tutorial on this super cute, very hungry caterpillar puppet over at itmom. Lyndsay has been celebrating the beloved book all week with crafts + recipes. (I really can't wait to try this one out on my kiddos.) And when she asked if I would be interested in sharing something on the topic, the teacher-gone-sahm in me was simply giddy.

+ be sure to stop by Made to see Dana's BOY crafts round up. After discovering she had shared another project this week (blush!), I bookmarked several very cool ideas I cannot wait to try. Looks like I'll be celebrating the BOY post-party time.

pirate girls nine ..tutorial

2011-03-16T16:01:00.000-04:00

Listen children, hear this story
That will take you around the world:
In the belly of the vessels
Stowed away nine pirate girls

One named Polly had a parrot

The second named Polly had a parrot, too
That's the part that is confusing
And they were identical twins

The third was Nancy, she was fancy
Walked around with a fake tattoo

And four through nine were all named Peggy
And each one only wore one shoe
Nine Pirate girls, pirate girls, pirate girls nine!

Legend grew about their daring
Never did they walk the plank
They all shared one golden earring
And the truth is they all stank

If you finished all your homework
Brushed your teeth, and done your chores
And it's not too past your bedtime
Then your folks might tell you more of the
Pirate girls, pirate girls, pirate girls nine!
-They Might Be Giants

This song is one of my favorites from the "Here Come the 123s" album. In a world where little girls are expected to be princesses, I love a children's song that says: girls can be tough, adventurous, and at times, smelly.

If you have a pirate girl at home, I have good news! This pirate girls nine doll set is SUPER easy to make, and here's how..

1. You'll need about 1 yard of fabric (in 2 colors), felt scraps, needle & thread, access to a sewing machine, stuffing, and a fabric pen.

2. Watch the Pirate Girls Nine music video to get an idea of how you want to draw your pirate girls. (I did a few screen captures to help with this part). Don't worry if you're not the best artist. The original pirate girls have a whimsical look, so it's ok if they aren't perfect. Besides, your little pirate will love whatever you make, because you made it.

3. Cut out nine squares from the fabric in the size you'd like the dolls (mine were approximately 12 inches long)

4. Using your fabric pen, draw your nine pirate girls.

5. Next, using random felt scraps, add some detail to the dolls. You can add whatever you'd like to. I chose to add buttons on a few, cheeks to others. Hand stitch the felt pieces, and tie the thread in the back.

6. Use a contrasting color fabric for the back of the dolls. Cut the shape of the doll out in both fabric colors (leaving about 1/2 to 1 inch of room to spare around the doll).

7. Pin the fabric inside out.

8. Sew along the edges, leaving the bottom open.

9. Turn them inside out, stuff the insides, then sew the bottom closed.

10. Be prepared to hear pirate girls nine played over, and over, and over...

nine bowls of soup

2011-03-15T17:02:00.001-04:00

1. new house project; children's pottery set, red
2. JclayPottery; happy healthy child
3. Orange Willow; soup print

Nine bowls of soup on the wings of an airplane
Flown by an ichthyosaur
Woah, woah, woah!
Lucky thing they didn't all spill.

slap me five ..kid art

2011-03-15T07:08:00.001-04:00

when it's time to celebrate
with all your friends
there is something you can do
just open up your hands, and
high five!

I love any song that includes lyrics about finger paint, and pulling your hand away before your slow poke kid can give low fives. Hey, it's all about keepin' cool, old school--right? So, in honor of this song, we've combined finger painting + high fiving. Good stuff.

1. Paint the little one's hand and make a handprint in the middle of a blank paper.
2. Trace several layers about the hand.
3. Let your kiddo paint the layers different colors.

*We love any excuse to pull out the paint box + make a mess... can you tell?

triops has 3 eyes ..tutorial

2011-03-14T14:20:00.000-04:00

Rabbits have two eyes,
Whales have two eyes,
and eagles have two eyes,
but Triops has three eyes!

While listening to this song with my kiddos, my daughter declared that she would like to be a triops when she grows up. I thought for a moment, and said, "why wait?"

1. You'll need 3 colors of felt: white, black, and the eye color (could be blue, green, brown, etc.--hey, your triops may want a purple eye, ya never know.); you'll also need elastic, thread & a needle.

2. Cut the white felt into the shape of the eye lids. Then cut circles out of the remaining colors. Black, of course is for the pupils & will be smaller. (see images above)

3. Cut the elastic to fit around your child's forehead, tying the ends together.

4. Hand stitch the white felt to the center of the band in three points (both ends, and center)

5. Hand stitch the black pupil on top of the eye color, in the center of the eye.

6. Hand stitch the eye color.

7. Make sure all of the threads are tied and cut in the back.

8. You've got yourself a triops!

Look, there's an eye,
Hey, there's another eye,
and there's a third eye!
'cuz Triops has three eyes!

they might be giants

2011-03-14T13:52:00.000-04:00

When I woke up this morning to my daughter singing along to her "Here Come the 123s" cd, I was instantly inspired for this week's theme. Pirate girls, triops, monkeys, soup, oh and I think there are some numbers in there too... yes, They Might Be Giants, it is!

If you're not yet familiar with TMBG, you can view some of their music videos and podcasts on youtube, or check out their website. My kids have been addicts since 2009 & are still dancing strong.

celebrate the boy

2011-03-14T04:51:00.000-04:00

I was so delighted to spot my lederhosen tutorial included in Dana's "celebrate the boy" round up over at Made! Seriously love that blog.

The celebration continues! See more boy-inspired creations here, and via flickr.

Thanks Dana!

guest blogger: music makers ..kid art

2011-03-11T21:26:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy to introduce my first guest blogger, Lyndsay from Itmom, who is a seriously crafty mama. I love seeking inspiration from her blog, which features her favorite kid crafts, and the fantastic finds she spots around the web, including recipes, tutorials, and fashion must-haves. Lyndsay has taken the time to join in on our Sound of Music celebration this week, and share a few kid-friendly musical instrument tutorials! Thanks, Lynds!

--

Are you ready to make some noise?? No seriously...because things are about to get very loud around your home!! Call me crazy but I love to encourage my kids to have fun with music..the noisier the better. We are known to regularly throw raucous parades shaking our tambourines, while singing loudly and off-key. My husband runs for cover. Nothing is quite as fun to play though as an instrument you have lovingly created by hand together. If you like it loud like we do try making one of our tin can drums. We embellished ours with some colorful ribbon and scrapbooking embellishments created with paper punches and brightly colored buttons. For a quieter take on some musical merriment try creating a cardboard roll-up flute. Although if your children are anything like mine imagination will take over and somehow your home will turn into a raging bandshell.

Tin Can Drum

What You'll Need:
A clean, empty coffee can or similar sized canister with lid
Acrylic Paint - White and your color(s) of choice
Paintbrush
White craft glue
Embellishments (stickers, sequins, buttons..whatever)
Ribbon
Hole Punch
Scotch Tape

Directions:
1. Prime entire canister with a thin coat of white paint. Allow to dry. Using your favorite color apply a thick coat of paint over the primer and then allow to dry. Our drum needed 2 coats.

2. Go crazy and decorate your drum with whatever you like!!

3. Using the hole punch, punch a hole near the top of the canister. Poke ribbons through the hole and secure to the inside of the canister with scotch tape.

*Variation - Try throwing a handful of dried beans or pasta into your drum before closing the lid. Your drum now doubles as a noise maker. (Parents, have Advil on standby!!)

Cardboard Roll-Up Flute

What You'll Need:
A paper towel roll
Scissors
Hole Punch
Tape
Acrylic paint in your favorite color
Paintbrush

Directions:
1. Cut the paper towel tube lengthwise. Trim off about an inch of cardboard lengthwise to form a skinnier tube.

2. Use the hole punch to create holes down the center of the tube.

3. Roll the tube tightly and secure with strips of tape.

4. Paint your flute your very favorite color and allow to dry.

Now get out there and make some noise!!!
-Lyndsay, Itmom

handmade lederhosen for kids ..tutorial

2011-03-10T13:06:00.000-05:00

I'm a lederhosen lover. I'll give all the credit to Sound of Music for that one (seriously, how adorable are those von Trapp boys?). Sadly though, I've been a mother for over six years, and none of my kids have ever worn a pair of these delightful German-designed britches. So, today I created my own version.

and... I'm in love.

If you too would like to see your little one running around in some lederhosen, just follow the tutorial below. If you have basic sewing knowledge, it's super easy, I promise.

1. Grab a pair of your child's shorts to use as a pattern. I suggest also measuring your child around the waist and from the waist to knee to be exact. Once you have the proper measurements, use the shorts as your pattern. Make sure you leave an inch along the edges for hemming. Cut 4 pieces.

2. Measure your child from the waist, over the shoulder, and across the back for the straps. (remember, they criss cross in the back). Add 2 extra inches to your measurement. Then cut two strips, approximately 2 inches wide, and the length of your measurement.

3. Lastly, you'll need to cut out the front piece. I've seen some square, some have a rounded shape. For my 2 year old, I cut a 6 inch shape. You may want to measure your own child's chest for a closer fit. Cut two.

4. Fold the strips in half, length-wise, and pin.

5. Pin the shorts legs together (long side, & shorter side--do not sew the curved part--this will be where the booty goes!)

6. Sew the pinned areas.

7. pin the two legs together via the remaining curved area, making sure you fold one leg inside the other. (test it to make sure you've pinned it correctly by folding the pants inside out. All of the pinned/sewn areas should be on the same side.)

8. Sew the pinned areas.

*if you are unfamiliar with sewing pants, you may want to find a more in depth tutorial online. Once you get the hang of it, it's super duper easy.

9. Fold the top of the pants inside and hem.

10. I added a button and elastic with button holes on the inside, on the backside. I like using this method because I can make them a little bigger, and allow for growth, and I'd really love to see my little one still wearing these next year!

11. Sew the bottom of the two straps inside of the shorts on the back, approximately one inch from the side seams.

12. I used my serger to hem the edges of the front pieces. If you do not have a serger, you can either fold the edges over and sew, or use bias tape. Then, sew the two pieces together at the ends.

13. Turn the front piece inside-out to hide the sewn edges. Then sew two straight lines, approximately 3/4 inch from the edges. (see pictures above). Your strips with go through these holes.

14. Slip the front piece through the two strips.

15. Lastly, sew the front strips to the inside front of the shorts. (note: to allow for growth, I chose to sew buttons on the bottom edge of the strips, and more button hole elastic on the front inside.)

Did you make one? And how cute are your kids?

me, a name, I call myself ..kid art

2011-03-09T10:21:00.001-05:00

This is a fun project that allows kids to reflect on how they think they look, or how they would like to look (*ahem* green lips, blue eyes, purple nose perhaps?). It also touches on teaching kids how symmetry works. This particular project was done with my daughter, who is four, and as you can see it turned out rather abstract in the end. Older kids will grasp the concept better.

1. Print out a picture of your child facing forward. Black & white is easiest on the printer, and allows for creativity in color on the other side. Crop or cut it in half (in the very center of the face).

2. Tape an equally large piece of paper next to the photo. (we taped ours on poster board for added support)

3. Ask your child to complete their picture. Ask them what they are missing on the other side... (eye, eye brow, hair, etc..) They can use crayons, markers, paint... if you want to get really creative, throw in some glue and accessories (yarn for hair maybe?)

4. Proudly display your child's beautiful work of art. They'll love you for it.

these are a few of my favorite things!

2011-03-08T18:49:00.000-05:00

Apparently my son was hungry when he made a list of his favorite things, but I have to agree, strawberry milkshakes and pancakes are delightful.

Since my daughter, Katie, still writes in secret code, I'll translate for you. Her list of her favorite things include blueberries, playing with her dollhouse, and barbie computer. Oh to be four!

This is a really fun activity for kids (ages three and up). Provide them with a sheet of paper, pencil or crayons. Then ask them to make a list of their favorite things. It's funny to see how their lists change in a year's time. Save your lists and repeat the activity every year. You'll treasure those early lists in ten years.

ray, a drop of golden sun

2011-03-08T15:55:00.000-05:00

1. new house project; children's pottery set
2. life through the lens photography; sunshine 8x8
3. teeny bunny; sunny yellow + white dress
4. sleepy king; buttercup
5. snowfawn; cuckoo clock
6. jessica swift; you are my sunshine screen print

doe, a deer ..kid art

2011-03-08T12:32:00.000-05:00

Grab some cardboard scraps, card stock paper, paint & your brushes for this project. The kids will love it.

1. Cut out the antler shapes (making sure they are long enough to tape inside the headbands)
2. Cut out strips of card stock (to go around your child's head)
3. Let your kiddos paint the antlers and headband
4. After it dries, tape the headband together to fit your child's head.
5. Tape the antlers inside the headband.
6. Enjoy your little fawn.