Category: Fun for Kids

Projects to keep the kids busy!

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Candy Corn Painted Pumpkins

This is the most fantastic time of the year, in my humble opinion.  Anything that allows us to be outside enjoying the fresh, crisp fall air is something that I don’t want to miss. With some serious life changes happening in our family this year, projects are getting fewer and far between, but they are also getting more precious, simple, and joy filled too. Here is a fun little after school fall activity that anyone can fit into their busy schedule. Cute little candy corn painted pumpkins – just right to decorate for fall in a sweet and… not so spooky way!

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The Little Mermaid Movie Date And Starfish Rice Krispie Treats

As the first week of school approaches, I find myself trying to soak in every last moment of summer vacation with the kids.  I fill the last few days of our summer together with fun activities and things that focus on being together as a family.  One of the activities on our summer fun list was for each child to pick a movie to watch and then I would plan a little themed dinner date to go with it.  This was a great way for us to have a quiet little family day and make it extra fun for the kids.  My daughter decided on a Little Mermaid themed movie date and it couldn’t have been more exciting for her.  Complete with the cutest little starfish rice krispie dessert, it was the perfect way to celebrate the last days of summer together.

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Summer Fun – Tie Dye T-shirts With The Kids

Summer is quickly coming to an end I realize that this summer has been packed full of nonstop fun with the kids!  Thanks to our summer fun list and all of the fun summertime activities we were never really at a  loss for something to keep us busy.  One of my favorite summertime activities to do with the kids is make tie-dye shirts.  This is a little project that we have done every summer since they were very little, and it has become a super fun tradition!  They love to create the shirts, and then they have a fun play ans sleep shirt to wear all summer long too!  We also find it is a great way to spruce up faded white shirts, dingy onesies, and even socks that cold use some TLC.  Turn drab white kids clothes into stuff that is fun to wear.

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DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Here is a super fun summertime project to do with the kids that they will request over and over.  You need only a few simple ingredients, and you already have everything you need in your cupboards to make this DIY sidewalk chalk paint at home!  Did you know by mixing water, cornstarch, and food coloring you create a super inexpensive chalk paint that is fun for all ages?   This was a summer fun activity that my kids loved!  It kept them busy for hours, and we had a great time painting and creating together.  The perfect way to spend a day together.  Pretty fun!  What a cool way to make an activity out of things that you already have at home!  This is definitely a fun and inexpensive summer time project that I highly recommend!

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Oobleck – Story Time Activity

What do you get when you combine a typically whacky,  zany Dr, Suess book with a super cool experiment with the kids?  Fun…that’s all there is to it!  Upon reading Dr. Suess’ Bartholomew and the Oobleck for the first time with the kids I was inspired to do a project with the kids that I had had on my to do list for a long time.  Essentially the DIY version of GAK is the perfect Oobleck type substance!  Pairing the awesome GAK making project with the book was a hit with the kids and they were able to act out and play through the story with their very own Oobleck as I read it (over and over I might add)!  It was so fun to bring the story to life in a way that gets the kids excited about reading!

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Ice Excavation – Kid’s Activity To Beat The Heat

We are having a heat wave here in Wisconsin.  Definitely the most hot and humid summer like days so far!  It is hot hot hot, and being outside requires activities that include lots of playing in the water.  We are almost done with our 2013 summer fun list and here is one of the activities that we did recently to beat the heat.  My son called it an Ice Excavation and it was a project that they enjoyed from start to finish.  The object of the activity is to learn more about solids, liquids, water and ice.  Learn ways to remove things from ice, and experiment with ways to turn it into a liquid again.  The perfect activity for a hot day for your school age, or preschool kids.

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Keep The Kids Thinking With Summer Work Stations

So if you have a school age child at home for the summer, I’m sure you have realized that they have a new need to stay busy and productive.  My kindergarten son is now home all day every day, and it was immediately apparent to me that we needed to keep his reading, writing, and math skills in practice.  We use my younger daughter’s daily nap time as quiet time for my almost first grade son to do what we call  “Summer Learning Stations” .  We set up seven different stimulating and appealing stations for my little school going boy so he could practice all of the skills that he learned at school last year.  He adores this quiet time of day when he can get his “work” done , and I can get some work done at the same time too.

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Moon Dough Recipe – Busy Kids Are Happy Kids

Need a super fun activity to occupy those kiddos on a “boring” summer day.  Moon or Cloud dough is your answer!  This is so quick and easy, and will thrill your kids to pieces.  This stuff is made with two simple household ingredients – all you need to do is mix and start playing!  It has a fabulously fun texture that makes it a sensory experience for your kids.  It crumbles, sifts, and separates, but can also be packed, patted and made into shapes and structures too.  It’s gonna get messy, so be prepared.  But the messiest days at our house are often the most fun!  I recommend doing this outdoors where the kids can go crazy constructing, playing, and creating without worrying about the mess.

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Shaving Cream Slide – Summer Fun For Kids

In searching for ways to keep the kids busy during the summer months, whether it be a beautiful sunny day, or a rainy day indoors, I have found that a simple can of shaving cream can evoke all the smiles and laughter you can imagine for kids.  Not sure what it is about the fresh smelling fluffy stuff, but my kids love it and the activities that we do with it on any occasion.  We use it for crafts, painting, and sensory play on rainy days, but on bright sunny days it is a cheap way for the kids to have a really good time!  A can of shaving cream costs a dollar or less, but the smiles it evokes from the kids is totally priceless.  For this summer fun activity all you will need is a slide of any shape or size, and a few cans of shaving cream.  This IS my kid’s favorite summer activity to date.

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Kids Craft – July Fourth Windsock

We are in full blown summer mode as of this week, so be prepared to be bombarded on A Spotted Pony with kid crafts, projects, and activities!  When the kids are home for the summer they are my number one priority, so other projects get put on hold while we make memories during the summer!  I figure, why not share it all with you in case you need some inspiration with summer time activities.  Here is a super simple craft project that you can do with the kids to create a fantastic patriotic windsock to help decorate outside for the fourth f July holiday!  It is super inexpensive to make, helps kids work on patterns, colors, and cutting, and is super cute swaying in the wind outdoors to boot.  Grab some plastic disposable table cloths in red white and blue and get ready to do a craft with the kids to celebrate independence.

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