DIY Gift Idea For Kids: The Creative Experience Gift Bag

It's that Birthday Party time of year! Every year, we seem to accrue more and more parties to attend. Which is, actually, a really fun problem to have. I used to really struggle with what to give as a gift to the Birthday Boy or Birthday Girl. Kids are hard to buy for. Well, in some ways they are really easy to buy for. Kids love toys, books, etc.

But, as a parent whose kids, twice a year, are on the receiving end of gifts, I started trying to be more thoughtful about the gifts that we give. It's so easy to duplicate a toy or book, especially at birthday parties for classmates you do not know as well. 

And, in general, I'm pretty over the amount of toys we have. That sounds ungrateful, which I don't mean it to. I have just realized over the past few years that we have a room of toys, but only a small percentage actually get played with. 

With this in mind, I got the idea to start giving birthday kids a creative experience. Something they could use their imaginations to decorate and enjoy during special time with their parent, grandparent or caregiver. 

My go-to gift for all birthdays now is the DIY Gift Bag. I head to Michaels or AC Moore and head to the fabric section (or, if I have enough forethought, you can Amazon). 

Depending on the kid, I grab a child-size plain canvas apron, canvas tote bag, t-shirt or hat. 

I think of the child's personality and interests, and try to find an iron-on patch or a pack of iron-on letters. 

Then I grab a package of fabric markers (particularly for younger kids, as these are less messy than fabric paint) and any fun decorations I can find. 

Lastly, I pick up a cheap canvas reusable bag or backpack (you can usually find these for $1 at most craft stores) to put all of the materials in as the gift bag.

Voila! You now have a DIY gift experience that is not only fun, but usable or wearable again and again. It's a win-win.

I'd love to hear your favorite DIY gift ideas for kids - so leave a comment and inspire me!

Easy Thumbprint Reindeer Ornament

If you are looking for an easy last-minute gift idea, or just want to make something homemade and memorable for the holidays, this DIY Thumbprint Reindeer Ornament  is easy and awesome. I started making them a year or two ago and give them as gifts to family. If the kids are cooperative (ahem) they take less than 10 minutes to make. And I love seeing them on the tree for years to come, exclaiming embarrassing things like, "Squeeeee! Look how tiny your thumbs were two years ago!"

If you are pulling this together last minute like me, you are in luck: this week, Michael's has all of the supplies ON SALE. The ornaments were 70% off and Sharpie markers are buy one get one 50% off. Luckily, the little jar of Crayola Washable Kids Paint is less than $2. So for the whole project, I spent less than $8, and I have enough supplies to make 9 ornaments.

And I apologize in advance for the reflection of my phone and hands in these pictures. The ornaments are silver and super reflective and there was just no way around it, people.

Here's what you need:

• Brown paint (preferably kid-friendly and washable)
• Black Sharpie marker (fine-point)
• Red Sharpie marker (fine-point)
• Bulb Ornaments (whichever size you prefer)
• Cute little kid thumbs (not pictured)

Step 1: Dip your child's thumb in the paint. Dab it on a paper towel to get off excess.






Step 2: Press the cute little thumb onto the ornament. Account for spacing if you'll have more than one thumbprint on the ornament.




Step 3: Let the paint dry.




Step 4: Add antlers, eyes and noses (black or red) to the thumbprint(s). Write name(s) and the year.







And...you're done! 

So cute, right? Happy holidays, friends!

Summer Boredom Busters Week 4: 7/22-7/26

I've still got a few more Boredom Buster ideas to inspire your Summer activities! There are so many fun activities you can do at home for little (or no!) cost - but result in hours of fun for the kids. We also miss out on lots of great opportunities in our communities, such as discounted attractions or free weekly events. Luckily, I'm scouting them out for you - so read on!


If you are hitting a Summer rut, check out this week's ideas, as well as the ideas from Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3.

Week of 7/22 - 7/26

Family Movie Night

It's the simple things that end up having the best results, don't they? We hustle and bustle for the big undertaking of day trips or fill our Summer days with tons of activities just to keep busy. But what about just relaxing as a family? I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SIT BACK AND RELAX AS A FAMILY. There. Now you have no excuse. Pick a movie, pop some corn or grab some homemade popsicles (see below), and snuggle up on the couch for some on-screen entertainment. This activity is a freebie. And I love freebies. 

BONUS: If you have access to a projector, tack up a white sheet and watch the movie on the sheet screen for an "At-Home Movie Theatre" experience!

Make Your Own Popsicles

Oh, Popsicles. You are the soul of summer. On a hot summer's day, grabbing some cold sweetness on a stick just hits the spot. They were always a good choice when the ice cream truck came around, chiming through the neighborhood. Sure, you can buy them in grocery store by the box. But have you ever checked the ingredients or nutrition information? SUGAR. High fructose corn syrup. Artificial color and flavors. And other not-so-good for you stuff.

Spare your kids the ensuing sugar rush, and make your own popsicles at home!  This way, you are able to control what goes into your pops, how healthy (or unhealthy) you'd like them to be. Popsicles can be as simple as pouring low-sugar apple juice or freshly-squeezed orange juice into molds and freezing them. I have an entire Popsicles Pinterest Board if you need inspiration. It's  a great way to infuse fruits and veggies for picky eaters (make a Green Smoothie then freeze it in molds, baby!), and kids always think things taste better when they have a hand in making it!

Also, if you don't have a good popsicle mold (every one I buy ends up breaking), check out my tutorial on how to make popsicles in dixie cups (Hint: there is a bonus Nutella Popsicle recipe at the end of the post)!

Popsicle Stick Bracelets

Since you'll already have popsicle sticks on hand, this next craft will be the perfect follow up. I came across these Popsicle Stick Bracelets on Pinterest, and HAD to try them out. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I was pleasantly surprised it was relatively easy. I recently won a bunch of washi tape from Downtown Tape, so Chica and I decorated her bracelets with all the fun washi tape patterns I received! You could cater the decorating for a boy, too. Just use your imagination! 

Note: when I soaked the popsicle sticks in the boiling water, I soaked 5-10 at a time. Many of them never got pliable enough and would splinter or snap. So be prepared to lose a few sticks in the process. 

Thanks to MollyMoo this fab craft!

Free Kids Crafts at A.C. Moore

I like crafting. But even more than crafting, I like free crafting. In the beginning of the Summer, I enjoyed a fun blogger's night out with A.C. Moore. There, they shared with us some of their upcoming promotions. And I was delighted to learn that ALL SUMMER LONG, A.C. Moore offers a free kids craft project every Wednesday between 1pm-3pm. These Summer Fun Wednesdays are offered at ALL A.C. Moore, and are great for ages preschool and older.  This is an awesome way to beat the heat and have a little fun in the process!

A.C. Moore is generally found on the East Coast, so if you do not have an A.C. Moore available to you, check out your local craft store. They might have something similar for you to participate in!

Make Homemade Flubber

I'm a science geek at heart, so we take every chance we can to do fun science experiements at home. I love that these science adventures are not only educational, but usually messy and fun and sometimes mind-boggling.

I stumbled upon this Homemade Flubber pin on Pinterest, but the pin didn't lead anywhere. With a little detective work, I found the original post on Live Craft Eat. And now I cannot WAIT to concoct this with the girls!  I'm not sure who will have more fun with the Homemade Flubber: ME or the KIDS!

Thanks, Live Craft Eat for this fantastic project!

~~~~~

Where will your adventures take you to this week? 

What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? 

I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!) 

Summer Boredom Busters Week 2: 7/8-7/12

Last week's Summer Boredom Busters post was a hit! I'm hoping you found some new ideas and inspiration on fun things to do with your kids. I'm going to do my best to have a new list each week so we can go into each week armed with some new ideas. 

Here are 5 more ideas for making most of your (and your children's) week!

Week of 7/8-7/12

$1 Family Movies

It's been hot as a boy band in Philly, and it doesn't look like it will be letting up soon. Nothing beats the heat like sitting in a nice cool movie theatre enjoying some cinematic entertainment, amright? I know for me, I often pass on taking my kids to the movies because it's costly. And since they are so young, I can't guarantee they'll sit still through an entire movie, which would make a $10 ticket a total waste. Well, then let me tell you about the Regal Movie Express. HELLO!  $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! (And part of the proceeds go to the Will Rogers Institute). All the movies are family-friendly, with most of the films being specifically geared toward younger kids. Check out the schedule for your local theatre - there are a few theaters in most states! Our local Regal in Downingtown should be on Week 5 of the schedule, so this week Coraline and ParaNorman are on the schedule. That might be a bit too "scary" for our girls, so we might opt for next week's The Lorax or Big Miracle.

Reading Nook/Fort

Courtesy alannageorge.com from her post
http://www.alannageorge.com/2012/07/11/summer-day-camp-hula-hoop-hideout/ 

I came across this super cute idea on Pinterest, and had to try it out! My kids love forts, and this canopy-via-hula-hoop idea seemed perfect (and, if I might add, somewhat princess-y, which is always a plus for Chica and Bug). We attempted it last week, and it did not come out nearly as pretty - but the girls LOVED it. And really, that's all that mattered, right? You can get cheap shower curtains at Kmart or Walmart (or you may just have one lying around), and hula hoops are literally $2 or $3. We had to cut our hoop, then duct-tape it into a smaller hoop so the shower curtain could cover more area. We have exposed beams in our screened porch, so we set it up there with twine we had lying around. You could string it up with ribbon or any kind of string you might have.  Check out Alanna George's post for more instruction.

Pick Your Own Fruit

Fresh fruit. Does it get any better than fresh fruit?!  Well, actually yes, it does. Fresh fruit you pick yourself. We are lucky to live near several local orchards who have the option of PYO (pick-your-own) produce during the various growing seasons. I take my girls to the same orchard my mom took me to as a kid: Highland Orchard. As a kid, we would pick peaches in the Summer, apples in the Fall. Now, I take my kids to every opportunity that Highland Orchard offers! Last month we picked strawberries with friends. During the Summer we'll pick blueberries and peaches. In the autumn we'll go back for apples and pumpkins. I am hoping to make it over this week, as blueberries and black raspberries just came ripe for picking.  This is a quick schedule of their harvests. Check out what PYO orchards are local to you on PickYourOwn.org.

Make Fruit Crisp

Now that you've picked your own fruit, it's high time you make some delicious homemade Fruit Crisp!  If you can't get to orchard to pick your own, try to hit up your local farmer's market and support your local farms!  I love fruit crisp. Borderline obsessed. And it's a little less intensive than making a homemade pie (although I am a pretty fantastic pie maker), which allows your kids to help you make the top crumble part. Get those kids involved in kitchen endeavors, people! During the Summer, I opt for making peach crisp or blueberry crisp (or, in the wise words of Joey Tribiani: Put your hands together. A peach-blueberry crisp would be divine). I have a very simple fruit crisp recipe that can be adapted for any kind of fruit or season: Steph's Fruit Crisp Recipe. Apologies, as the post is from years ago when I was a new blogger, so it's not terribly pretty. Also also, warning: it is a very butter-laden recipe. You can cut back on the butter, but I will say it does make it truly delectable. It's a treat, right? 

Visit a Science Museum

School may be out for the Summer, but that doesn't mean the learning can't continue on. And luckily, there are kid-friendly science museums all around the country that make science pretty darn cool. Also? They are air-conditioned, which is a bonus option for uber hot days. Three of my favorite local science museums to take kids to are the Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly, as well as the Delaware Museum of Natural History.  Each of these museums has fantastic kid-centric attractions (including dinosaurs), and you can really make a day out of visiting each one. Pack a lunch and have a picnic or adventure to a new cafe for a day of fun!



Where will your adventures take you to this week? What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!)

~~~~~

Getting My Craft On With A.C. Moore #ACMooreGNO

Craftiness is not my forte.

I shared this recently during my review of Wummelbox. It's not that I don't enjoy crafts. I just struggle to be creative enough to come up with craft ideas. And even when I can find ideas on Pinterest, I sometimes lack the skill to complete a craft in a timely or tidy manner.

So when I was invited to a blogger Craft GNO at my local A.C. Moore, I was thrilled and frightened and pretty sure I'd mess it all up. I was going with some very crafty bloggy friends of mine, and I was pretty sure I'd be the bottom of the Craft Totem Pole for the night.

Luckily I have my good looks and witty sense of humor, no?

Well, I was blown away by my time at A.C. Moore. Blown away. Why? Because A.C. Moore is so stinkin' crafty, that when they guide you through crafts you can't mess it up. They have a newly redesigned website with step-by-step guides to crafts like the Paper Patchwork Composition Book and the Rustic Romantic Quilled Flower Wreath (which we, in fact, made during our #ACMooreGNO. AND I SURVIVED).

A.C.Moore makes me feel a little like this:




Except replace "Beautiful" with "Crafty."

True story.

So want to see the crafts we made?

Friends, meet
Rustic Romantic Quilled Wreath
and
Paper Patchwork Composition Book

The flowers. ::swoon::

Those were the examples. I'm not that good. Here are my half-made creations:

I just have to add my bedazzled initial sticker. 

I looooooved all the cute pieces of paper!

One of my quilled flowers.

Our guide for the night was Robin Beam, who is the Director or Education. For, like, ALL OF A.C. Moore. "Guide" is not strong enough of a word. Sherpa, perhaps. Because Robin? Robin is the Craft Master. I'm pretty sure she bleeds glitter glue. SHE IS AMAZING.

So apart from making great crafts, I learned a lot of important crafty terminology that I didn't know existed. Have you ever heard of:

Quilling?

Cricut?

Scoring Boards?

Yeah, me neither.

But now I do. And I'm hooked.

Quilling is AWESOME. You use this little tool and take scrap pieces of paper and turn them into flowers. WHAT?!

Scrap paper.

BOOM. Flower.

I also learned a bunch about adhesives. Beacon Adhesives was kind enough to come out and share with us all their products.  

Steph Fact: You can glue anything.

Like, there are adhesives for  ev. ery. thing. Fabric? There's an adhesive for that. Semi-porous surface? There's an adhesives for that. Decoupage? There's any adhesive for that.

Yeah. We make things stick together.

Now that school is out, I plan on finishing the two projects I started that night. But I am also excited, because A.C. Moore has Summer Fun Wednesdays every Wednesday from 1-3pm for kids ages 4-12. These are free craft sessions!   Check it out:

If you've ever doubted your craftiness, I highly encourage you to check out the Project Ideas from A.C. Moore, and get your kids crafting at Summer Fun Wednesdays!  

Who wants to have a craft night with me?



I'd love to hear from you:

What crafts would YOU pick to do for a Crafty GNO?

If you could buy one thing from A.C. Moore, what would it be?

What are your favorite crafts? 

Leave a comment!  And let's get crafty!

Wummelbox Kid Craft Subscription Service {Review}

This is a sponsored post review from Wummelbox.

I'm...not crafty.

I enjoy craft-making, and I can be quite creative when given the chance. But if you give me a box of supplies that included scissors, construction paper, pipe cleaners and other various materials, my creation would most likely end up looking something like this and nothing more:

True. Story.

As a Mom, I sometimes regret that I am not more artsy-fartsy. I have a great imagination, but I sometimes just don't know what exactly to create. It makes me feel a bit like a Crafty Mom failure, especially in a day and age where Pinterest is king.

Luckily, the good people of Wummelbox has a solution for moms like me (and you).

Wummelbox is a European-Style arts and crafts subscription service for kids. Originating in Berlin, the service is now available in the United States!

How does it work?

Each month, a lovely box is delivered to your home. This box is themed (some themes include Nutrition, Music, Light & Color), so the crafts all work together to educate kids on the particular topic. Within the box is all the materials needed for you and your child to create 3-4 craft projects. 

Chica and I had the opportunity to try out a Time Machine-themed Wummelbox. Inside our box was a short story about 2 characters who were taken back in time to the Stone Age. We learned about cave men and cave paintings. I loved that Chica and I had a chance to talk through why early humans painted on caves, and how it lead to the creation of language.

YES. 

I TALKED ABOUT LANGUAGE ORIGINS. 

WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD.

It was magnificent. 

Here is our crafty journey:

Wummelbox Time!

Our supplies, so beautifully wrapped!

Our mission, if we so choose to accept: TIME TRAVEL!

Wummelbox provided EVERYTHING we NEEDED!

Even these kid-friendly scissors for future Wummelbox crafts!

Chica reading through our story.

It was quite compelling!

Our first craft mission: CAVE PAINTING!

How fun and easy are these instructions?

Here is our how craft panned out (this video is as real as they come - so please forgive and rough edges, so to speak):

Here are a few more reason why I love Wummelbox:

1) It takes the guess work out of crafts. I don't have to come up with a theme, write a curriculum and piece together a few projects. It's all done for me, so I can just enjoy creative time with my girls.

2) It's educational. I LOVE THIS. We learned so much over a few arts and crafts projects. How often do we allow the creative play our kids engage in to be truly educational?

3) It was fun. The craft projects included creating a time machine (hellllllo Jules Verne!) and making cave paintings!  All the materials were included, so we could just have fun!

4) Wummelbox materials work to be eco-friendly. When possible, Wummelbox tries to be green.  So some of the craft materials may be reforested wood, cork, or sand. 

5) It's cost-friendly. You can subscribe to as many or as few months as you'd like. Maybe you try it out for one or you sign on for a whole year. Subscriptions start at just under $20/month for a 12-month subscription.  That's a small price to pay for creative fun with your kids!



With summer approaching, parents may consider a 3-month subscription. Projects can be made outside, and there is something to look forward to every month while school is out!

To learn more about Wummelbox, check out their website or visit them on Facebook.






Disclosure: Wummelbox provided me a one-month subscription in return for reviewing their services. ALL opinions are, as always, my own. I like to keep it real, y'all!