Let's Explore — Simple ways to create, discover, and play

Books for Giving: Spring Edition

Nearly every gift-giving occasion in our family includes specially-chosen books for our two voracious readers. With a change of season in the air, here are a few gift book ideas for celebrating spring or tucking into an Easter basket: Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton Age: Babies and up You really can’t go wrong with Sandra [...]

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Gadanke Journal Review

We have been playing with a really fun kid’s journal from the Gadanke handmade journal shop. I have always written in some sort of journal or notebook, not to mention all the notes I have jotted down about things the girls say or special memories. My girls are also showing an interest in journaling and [...]

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Welcoming Spring

Tomorrow is the first day of spring! I think we’ll be celebrating with rain boots and umbrellas. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see a rainbow… Here are a few spring favorites from our archives: Green Collage Pretend Play Flower Shop Rainbow Poem Coloring Sheet Spring Audio Books for Kids Spring Felt Board And, more spring [...]

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Foil Pendant Craft

Here’s a craft project for the big kids – creating shiny, embossed foil pendants with a few simple materials. Making these requires a gentle touch, but they are simple and addicting to make. My girls and I made piles of them! I’m sharing the supply list and how-to at Make and Takes today. See you [...]

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Free Play Art :: Green Collage

It’s March, the month of leprechauns and the change to Spring. Seems like the perfect time for an art collage of all things green! This week: Green Collage Materials: I love using a muffin tin to arrange all the art goodies for creating. See how many green art supplies you can gather from around the [...]

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Spring Acrostic Poems

{Updated from a post at Early Bird Homeschool, April 2010. The girls wrote these poems when they were 5 and 7 years old.} Poetry is one of our favorite ways to play and create with words. After reading Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur, we wrote our own acrostic poems to celebrate Spring. Acrostic [...]

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Science Play: Make a Hanger Balance

Here’s a quick and easy balance you can rig up with your kids. Gather a few supplies, and you, too, can answer the burning question – which Chipmunk is the heaviest? Materials: clothes hanger yarn or string paper or plastic cups (strawberry baskets work well, too) hole punch tape (optional) I think you can see [...]

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Leap Day Obstacle Course

Burn off some energy this Leap Day with a jumping, hopping, leaping obstacle course. I’m sure your kids can think of many different ways to move by jumping. Here are the ones we thought of, to get you started: • Play hopscotch. Draw with chalk outside, or make with masking tape inside. • Try a [...]

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Free Play Art :: Cornstarch Clay

We love our homemade play dough, but I thought the girls might enjoy working with a smoother dough. I made a batch of cornstarch clay and set it out with a variety of texture-making materials from around the house. This week: Cornstarch Clay Recipe for Cornstarch Clay: This is a recipe I had scribbled in [...]

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My Favorite Resource Books: Art & Creativity

We’re big fans of “process” creating around here – enjoying the doing and not necessarily worried about the finished product. We also enjoy making crafty things for holidays and gifts, but for the most part it is all about the experience! Besides browsing Pinterest and my favorite blogs, I have a small selection of books [...]

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