Lego Chore Chart

It seems like we are constantly updating the way that we have J help around the house. As he gets older he is getting more responsibilities and we are trying to teach him good values with his money.

We have created a Lego chore chart to help us keep track of it all. Since it is interactive and Lego he is all about getting to his chores.

There are lots of reasons to make an interactive chore chart:

• They will be learning about adding money.
• They are learning responsibility
• You can set a savings goal
• It is fun!

So far it is keeping him motivated. He is doing his part around the house, which makes my life easier. He is learning money and how to save.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

No time to make this interactive chore chart? Pin it for later!

If you’re currently in the middle of researching chore charts for older kids, that’s ok!. That way you’ll be able to grab all the fun crafts when you’re ready!

How to label the Lego Bricks

Each type of Lego has its own monetary value. As an example, here is how we labeled each type of brick. You can adjust based on your family’s needs and budget.

• 2×2 = $0.25
• 2×4 = $0.50
• 2×6 = $0.75
• 2×8 = $1.00

How to pay out your chore tracker

Keep in mind, while writing out your bricks, some of this money will go to savings… at least that is our setup.

I created enough bricks that my son could do them all in one week. However, that has yet to happen. These are the guidelines that we set up. Make what works for Your family! Then be consistent.

1. If we ask him to do something on a brick he must do it right away, or he will still need to do it, and won’t get a brick.
2. He doesn’t get paid until he has completed his whole jar of bricks. This would equal $13.
3. He has to deposit $5 into a savings account.

More charts you will love!

Getting your kiddos helping out with chores early in life is great!

• Toddler Chore chart – A great chart for getting your kids started.
• Preschool Chore chart – This chore chart worked great for ages 4-5.

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Sensory Activities

If you’re looking for super fun ideas to keep the kids entertained, sensory activities are the way to go. Not only are they a lot of fun but they’re a way to have your child be creative and active, too. While it might be tempting to pop in another movie to help pass the time, instead try one or two of these fun ideas.

Parents all over the world will rejoice that their kids are learning and having fun all with minimal effort on their part in getting everything set up and ready to go. 

Sensory activities, like easy preschool crafts, can be done over and over again. 

We’ve gathered up some of the best sensory activities for kids that will keep them entertained so parents can get some work done at home as well. 

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

Don’t have time to look at all these activities now? Pin it for later!

If you’re currently busy and don’t have the time, save this pin and come back to it at home. That way you’ll be able to grab all the fun sensory activities when you’re ready! 

Tips for getting the most out of these sensory activities

• Spread out the activities so they draw excitement and last over the course of several days
• Be with your kids when they’re doing these activities just in case parental supervision is needed
• Some of these activities can get messy, so make sure to take that into consideration when you are planning your activity. Wear play clothes and play in a place you don’t mind getting messy.

Sensory Activities That'll Keep Kids Busy and Engaged

Check out this great list of sensory activities!

Homemade Colored Salt Sensory Play

Use chalk to create colored salt that's perfect for sensory play.

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3 fun ways to play with a simple flower sensory bin

Water and fresh flowers create a fun spring activity.

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How to create art with oobleck

Create loads of sensory fun with Oobleck art.

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How to make Moon Sand

Create a fun sensory experience with this taste safe activity.

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Indoor Water Play for Kids ~ Fast Foam Sink

A sink that is full of suds, perfect for indoor play.

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Color Surprise Playdough Packs

Take playdoh fun up a notch with these playdough surprise packs.

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Photo Credit: kidscraftroom.com

LEAF SENSORY PLAY BAGS

These sensory bags are perfect for fall playtime.

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Photo Credit: www.hellowonderful.co

RAINBOW SOAP FOAM SENSORY PLAY

What could be more fun than rainbows and foam?

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Photo Credit: www.thebestideasforkids.com

Fluffy Slime Recipe

This slime is fluffy and fun.

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Photo Credit: sensoryplayforkids.com

Spring Flower Sensory Bottle for Toddlers

Sensory bottles are perfect for toddlers and young children.

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Photo Credit: buggyandbuddy.com

Salt Tray with Rocks and Mini Salt Tray

A calming sensory activity with very basic supplies.

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Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Flower Ice Cube Sensory Play

Free flowers in ice to create several different activities.

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Photo Credit: www.firefliesandmudpies.com

Calming Epsom Salt Sensory Play

Calming Epsom salt is a fun sensory activity for preschoolers.

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Photo Credit: iheartcraftythings.com

Pumpkin Guts Sensory Play

Pumpkin guts are so simple and perfect for a fall activity.

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Photo Credit: viewsfromastepstool.com

Life Cycle of a Frog for Kids Sensory Bin with Water Bead Frog Eggs

Water beads give fun and squishy sensation.

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Photo Credit: www.tootsmomistired.com

Create with Crayons Easy Sensory Bin Idea

What a fun and creative sensory activity.

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Photo Credit: conservamome.com

How To Make Edible Peanut Butter Play dough

Worried that they're going to eat their playdough? Don't be!

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Photo Credit: www.naturalbeachliving.com

The Best Therapy Putty Recipe You'll Ever Make

Easy to make and so great for kids!

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Photo Credit: www.funwithmama.com

Ice Painting with Colored Ice Cubes

Painting with ice is so much fun.

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Photo Credit: momscollab.com

How to Make Unscented Fake Snow Recipe for Your Toddlers Sensory Bin

It can be winter all year long!

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Photo Credit: team-cartwright.com

How To Make a Tasty Dino Dig for Toddlers and Preschoolers (STEM Fun!)

STEM fun and sensory fun, combined.

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Photo Credit: artsymomma.com

Fun Playing & Exploring with a DIY Water Bead Sensory Bottle Toy

Water beads are always a good idea.

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Photo Credit: www.mamasmiles.com

Sensory Wall Mosaic Art for Kids = Math Learning for Kids

Art combined with sensory play equals creativity.

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Photo Credit: www.merrimentdesign.com

Oatmeal container straw game: fun DIY toddler indoor activity

This is a great toddler activity to make up.

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Photo Credit: homeschoolunitstudyideas.com

Simple Woodland Animal Sensory Bin

Animal fun is always a good idea.

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Photo Credit: www.naturalbeachliving.com

How to Make Shaving Cream Play dough Recipe - Rainbow Foam Dough

Use shaving cream to make some really fun playdough.

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More sensory activity ideas you might like

• Homemade Colored Salt Sensory Play. This activity is great to whip out on a day when the hours are dragging by. 
• 3 fun ways to play with a simple flower sensory bin. Sensory bins are a great way to have all ages join in on the fun. 

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Number Rocks

Sitting around for any length of time with little ones, when they need to be quiet, can be a challenge.

Waiting for your food at a restaurant, sitting in a doctor’s office, or for your turn at the dentist can make 15 minutes seem like hours!

I have kept a travel set of tic tac toe rocks in my purse for a while now, but it was time to mix it up a bit.

My youngest is going into Kindergarten and couldn’t be more excited to learn. So these simple number rocks are perfect to keep on hand to help her explore her numbers!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we may receive an affiliate commission.  

Supplies to create number stones

• Small Stones.
• Paint Pens. I used 2 sizes 1M & 3M.
• Sealer.
• Paint Brush.
• Small Bag.

Grab all of your supplies in our Amazon shop!!

How to paint numbers on rocks

Making these number rocks are simple if you have the right supplies. We love to use paint pens to make these small stones a breeze! Use a thicker pen to create the numbers and math symbols. I chose to draw numbers on the front and back of each stone. I alternated the numbers a bit so that there were more possible combinations of numbers. I also did one side with colored numbers and one side with white.

Next, you can use smaller pens to add on some details. I added complimentary colored dots on one side. On the white numbers, I simply outlined them to make them pop!

Once your paint is dry make sure to seal your rocks. This will help the color last longer when being stored in a pouch. I chose to use a brush on sealer for these so my kids could help. Let the first side dry completely then flip and do the second.

Pack them all up in your pouch then throw them in your purse! Pull them out anytime you have a few minutes to spare.

These are perfect for classrooms too!

You can work on math problems, line them up by numbers, or even just see how high they can stack!

If you enjoyed this rock painting idea for kids, please share!

The post How to make simple number rocks for educational fun! appeared first on Twitchetts.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission.

V has dove headfirst into “I can do it mom” mode. While I like to let her try there are a few things that make me nervous. Like opening the milk or a water bottle. I just don’t want it to slip out of her hand and make a huge mess. However, this is a life skill… So I decided to start saving bottles! What you need:

V has dove headfirst into “I can do it mom” mode. While I like to let her try, there are a few things that make me nervous. Like opening the milk or a water bottle. I just don’t want it to slip out of her hand and make a huge mess. However, this is a life skill… So I decided to create a busy board that will help her practice, without giving me a mild heart attack in the process.  The first step?  Start saving bottles!

Supplies for your Fine Motor Busy Board:

• Plastic Bottles with Lids.
• Box Cutter or Sharp Knife.
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue.
• Pice of Cardboard.

Place it on the floor and let your little one(s) play. See how they decide to use it. After about 15 mins of taking the lids on and off, V decided to grab some pompoms to put in her containers. She practiced sorting them by size then color. I just love these activities where they are learning so much while having fun! Just let them play and explore.

The post Preschool Busy Board Recycled Kids Activity appeared first on Twitchetts.

As you know even if we are learning we like it to be fun. We created these dice with this in mind. As soon as your little one can color you can play this game!

Setting Up Your Dice Games:

Print off your dice. If you want them to last longer print them on cardstock. Cut them out and fold along all of the gray lines. Attach together using tape or glue (whatever you have handy). Grab another sheet of paper and colors. You can use anything you have… markers, crayons, or colored pencils. You will need red, blue, and yellow.

Playing Your Dice Games For Kids:

Have your little one roll the dice. If you have 2 kids they can each pick a dice to roll. Draw on your sheet what you roll. If they are old enough to do this on their own that’s it! Let them roll over and over creating a fun design on their page. If they are younger you can outline the shapes for them to color in.Make sure to count the dots on the dice together. If they are close to drawing the shapes, but aren’t quite there, draw the shape with a pencil and let them try to trace the shapes before coloring.

No matter what age your kids are they can find a way to play!

So grab your printable and have some fun!

The post Beginning Shapes, Colors, & Counting – Dice Games for Kids appeared first on Twitchetts.

Scissor Practice Valentines Day Cards

Creating more construction paper crafts for kids in our archive is high on our list of things to do! We all have a stack of it lying around and it is very budget-friendly.

This year, as one of our Valentine’s Day crafts for kids, we decided to make homemade heart cards. These scissor practice Valentines turn out really cute whether you have a cutting pro or novice on your hands!

V has been obsessed with practicing her scissor skills lately and since I am a sucker for all the play-based learning I try to work it into activities whenever I can!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we may receive an affiliate commission.

What you need for your Scissor Practice Valentines:

• Construction Paper. You need 2 sheets of the base card color and the colors for the inside of your heart. You can go all pink, purple, and red or mix it up with all the colors of the rainbow!
• Scissor. Make sure they are appropriate for the age of your child.
• A glue stick.
• Writing Utensil.

How to create your Valentine’s Day construction paper crafts for kids:

Depending on the age of your child you might want to start by drawing some lines on your “heart” pieces of paper. This will give them a guideline that they may or may not choose to follow. Just let them cut as many strips of paper as they can or want to.

V ended up tearing quite a few of hers. This is ok too!!

Take this time to get the card ready. Sometimes it’s easier to start at the end… We are going to make our cut out heart wrap the front of the card.

 To do this you need to make the paper with your heart cut out a bit wider than the front of your card. Then fold that piece in half and cut out a heart or hearts. Make sure not to cut into your margin space.

Assembling Your Card:

Have your little one glue down the strips on the front of the card.

They can overlap or stick over the edge it won’t matter. When they are done check for any obvious spots that might need a touch more glue.

Depending on the age you will have something like this on the left (my 3-year-old) or something on the right (he’s almost 9).

Then trim the edges of the card.

Now it’s time to add your heart! Pre-crease the margins over the front of the card. Add glue.

Start by gluing your margin inside the cover, then fold over your cut pieces of paper.

Then crease and fold down the second margin on the back.

This will keep your strips in place. 

Each card will be one of a kind and anyone would be excited to receive one! This momma is keeping one for herself too!

The post How to make Valentine’s Day cards while practicing scissor skills appeared first on Twitchetts.

Colored Salt Snow Art

Ever since co-writing The Undeniable Power of Play I have realized just how often play-based learning is in our crafts for kids! We love using our homemade colored salts in sensory bins, but today we decided to do something new!

The first snow day we got in Kentucky, this year, was perfect light and fluffy snow. I had been looking forward to trying some of the ideas I read here to play and learn with snow.

The only problem was my oldest was sick. The last thing I wanted was to have him running around in the snow. This was a big bummer for him so I had to find a way to bring the snow inside… I started mixing up some homemade colored salts and we started to get creative.

Check out the quick tutorial for making colored salts!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission.  Thank you for supporting Twitchetts!

What you need for Snow Painting:

• Homemade Colored Salt. As many colors as you want! I used table salt and a little bit of kosher salt for these.
• Any Pan with a Lip.
• White Cardstock. Cut small enough to fit in your pan.
• Snow.
• Spoon.

How to paint with snow:

Check out these quick step by step instructions for creating colored salt snow art.  Then watch it all in action in the video below.

Place a sheet of cardstock in a pan, add snow, then let your little ones sprinkle on their colored salts.

Watch as the snow begins to melt. We checked back ever so often to see the progress. Once all the snow has melted you need to set them aside to dry. This will take a while…

Overnight might be best. I placed mine in a sunny window!

Related Project: Amaze your kids with another snow STEAM project!

When they are entirely dry you can shake off, dust off, or brush off the remaining salt. This part was pretty fun too, but a bit messy so make sure to do it over a table or sink.

Once the salt is gone, you’ll reveal the beautiful picture a really exciting process!

No two colored salt snow art pictures will be alike!

They are just beautiful and while creating them you can talk about so many things from why the salt melts the snow to the colors that blend together to make new colors.

All 3 of us (ages 3,8, and 32) really enjoyed the process. I am sure you will too! You have to love a winter snow day activity that you can do inside!

Pin this colored salt snow art to your favorite Pinterest board.

The post How to make colored salt snow art with your kids appeared first on Twitchetts.

Whether you are expecting to be at an airport or have a few holiday dinners to attend, you can never go wrong with bringing a few boredom busters along. All of these fall busy bags were so much fun for my little one that I needed to come up with something for the next season. I made each of these Christmas themed boredom busters with just a touch of holiday fun to make them unique for the season. Not only are these fun, they are also full of play-based learning opportunities!

#1 Mini Christmas Tree Boredom Buster

Grab a piece of cardboard and cut 6 small slits down each side. Take 3 pipe cleaners, cut them in half, and fold one end in each slit. Next, start stringing on green beads. One on the top pipe cleaner, two on the second, and so on until you have six on the last one. Fold the other side of the pipe cleaners into the opposite slits. Then tape the back. Mix it up and hand it to your little one to create a Christmas tree! You will be surprised how many times your little one will do this. Or what kind of pattern they create on their own…

#2 Fine Motor Pipecleaner Boredom Buster

For this quick kids activity, you just need 2 supplies. An empty spice jar and Christmas colored pipe cleaners! Trim down your pipe cleaners to fit inside your spice jar. Let them dump them out and stick them back in through the holes. They can work on twisting the lid on and off and focusing on getting the pipe cleaners through the holes is excellent fine motor practice!

#3 Mini I-Spy Christmas Boredom Busters

Look around for pieces to use in a mini I-spy jar. Buttons, beads, trim some ribbon… anything will do. I stuck to Christmas colors, but you can make these in any theme. Make sure they are small enough to fit inside a spice jar. Fill your jar with a little bit of rice and then some of your pieces. Add more rice, more pieces, and then more rice. Leave enough space to move the rice around. Since they are young you don’t want to make it too hard. You can attach a key on the side so you don’t forget what all is inside.

#4 Pom Pom Sorting Christmas Boredom Buster

For this fine motor Christmas boredom buster, you need a spice jar, pom-poms (different colors and sizes), and tweezers. You want enough pom-poms to pack them in your spice jar tight. If you would prefer not to use your tweezers you can easily create your own using 4 pop cycle sticks and 3 rubber bands.  If you want a bit more instruction on these, check out our tongs video. These are the same concept only smaller. Using their tweezers have them take all of the pom-poms out of the jar. Once it is empty have them stuff them all back in! This part is equally fun for them.

#5 Fine Motor Pom Pom Boredom Busters

Grab the smallest pom-poms you have, a ziplock baggie, and coordinating permanent markers. Create two squares on the outside of the bag. Add in your pom-poms and seal the bag with as little air as possible. This way they can smash and move them around to try to get all of the pom-poms in their correct box. The older they are the smaller you can make the squares… or add a third color!

All of these Christmas boredom busters can be made in minutes and are easy to bring along with you anywhere you go. They are quiet to play with and shouldn’t make too much of a mess!

The post 5 Christmas Boredom Busters – Easy Kids Activities appeared first on Twitchetts.

This fine motor activity is perfect for hand-eye coordination and let’s face it… teaching them to button and unbutton is pretty important too. We created no-sew button snakes a while back if your little one isn’t a flower lover. My daughter loves to create flower crafts, so I wanted this project to be something that she loved making and working with. She can sit and create flowers for long chunks of time so that’s a win in my book!

What you need for your Button Practice Felt Flowers:

• A jar lid.
• Pipe Cleaner.
• A button. Size doesn’t matter too much. A larger button is easier for a younger child to manipulate.
• Felt. Green and any color for flowers.
• Scissors.
• Hot glue and a hot glue gun.

Making your Button Practice Felt Flowers:

Start by taking your pipe cleaner and threading it through your button. Twist off to attach. Using hot glue attach the pipe cleaner under the rim of the jar lid. Then bend and glue so that the button comes away from the center of the jar lid.

Next, make petals and leaves. Cut the felt into different sized squares. Fold into quarters and cut into a petal or leaf shape. Play around with different sizes and shapes to give them a lot of variety!
Then cut a slit in the middle of each shape. You want it to be about the size of the button.
The felt will stretch a bit. The older the child the snugger you want it to be. This way they have to actually button on the flower petals and leaves!

They look so pretty! You could even add a magnet on the back to keep them on your fridge!

You can even customize them for the holidays… anyone thinking about Christmas yet…

We like to hold onto random things to craft with… jar lids happen to be one of them!

See more crafts using jar lids here:

Diwali Light Holders // Sand in My Toes
Preserved Kids Art Magnets with Recycled Jar Lids // Views From a Step Stool
Button Practice Felt Flowers // Twitchetts
Easy Christmas Craft: Jar Lid Baubles // Arty Crafty Kids
Mason Jar Lid Crafts: Melted Crayon Suncatchers // Schooling a Monkey
Kids Christmas Craft Idea: Upcycled Photo Frame Ornament // Books and Giggles
Squeeze n’ Croak Frog Craft // Kids Craft Room

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From fine motor to counting, pipe cleaners are the perfect medium for play-based learning! They come in just about every color under the sun and are easy for small hands to manipulate. We have gathered over 20 pipe cleaner crafts and activities to share with you from some of our favorite blogs across the web!

 We hope you try out at least one of these fun pipe cleaner crafts and activities! Don’t forget to share when you do!

The post Pipe Cleaner Crafts and Activities appeared first on Twitchetts.