Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Craft Necessities

Bear has been really into crafts lately and I don't always have a project ready to go so here are my Top 10 Craft Supplies to Keep on Hand

Markers & Washable Paint/Brushes
Craft Paper (that includes plain paper, construction paper, watercolor paper, anything)
Googley eyes
Pom Poms
Pipe Cleaners
Glue (Glue Sticks, Elmers, tacky) & Tape
Popsicle Sticks
Clothes Pins
Scissors (fun punches optional)
Yarn (multiple colors)

These are all cheap and can be stored in a Rubbermaid. From here, the supplies can be split into craft baggies or just let your little one be free with all of it.  We have a big cutting mat that I let Bear use on the floor since it’s plastic, it wipes easily and I don’t really care if it’s caked in glue.

Here are just a few crafts that you can do with these basic supplies..

Monster Buddies
Cut feet from the construction paper glue a pom pom to the feet and then glue on eyes

Halloween Decorations
Cut out ghosts, pumpkins, spiders, etc from the paper and hang them around the house.  We got glow paint for this so our ghosts glow in the dark but just as fun without.
Make a yarn web in the window and make pipe cleaner spiders to live there

You can also make houses from popsicle sticks, butterflies and airplanes with clothes pins, flowers with paper and pipe cleaners.

The possibilies are literally endless and if you are looking to spice up the craft selection you can keep these special items on hand too:

ShrinkyDinks (or equivalent)
Tissue Paper
Pony Beads
Fabric Squares
Puffy Paint

What are your favorite crafts?

Love,
PlusPeace

Monday, October 14, 2013

Successful Potty Tips

In my mind I thought Bear would be potty trained by age 2.  It's a typical potty training story, we started out strong, lost interest, came back to it and then were forced to really go for it.  We are almost completely there.  Down to poops, night time and occasionally at nap.

Bear, age 3, decided recently to purposefully pee his pants at Nana's house.  Not certain what brough this one but once we hit a certain point in potty training I just kind of gave up, like, oh he'll just sort of do the rest on his own.  It does not work that way.  We had several incidents where poop was smeared on things (gross, I know) so we had to try something!

I am happy to say we're relatively accident free (except real accidents) and he goes poo in the potty almost every day.  Thanks to a clever idea from Nana, the phrase "Mommy, I need to sink a boat" has become quite common.

If you are down to the point where your child flat out refuse to poop in the potty try this:

The S.S. POOPNUGGET Battle Ship Tutorial


Now I had heard of little flushable boats or adding a goldfish to the potty to help with aim but would have never thought to use little boats as a way to get to #2

Get some old magazine or newspaper pages - these end up being about 3 inches long and dissolve pretty quickly.  Follow these instructions: HERE

I personally have never made these, thankfully my mom made a stock of them to keep in the bathroom but since they are working so well I will learn.

Stock up on boats and keep them in the bathroom (preferably out of reach - these are special boats with one purpose).  I don't offer the diaper option unless he is going to bed so if I notice him being quiet in his room (or clenching his cheeks) I ask him if he needs to sink a boat, he usually says yes, we drop it in and he...sinks the boat!

I would not use this option for aim since you dont want to flush a million paper boats down the potty.  We are on town sewer so beware if you have septic.  

If you are trying to get your little to practice aim, buy the Scrubbing Bubbles Gel Discs.  They are little gel discs that stick to the inside of the bowl.  Bear enjoys trying to aim his pee at the disc and there is no harm to the toilet since all they are made for keeping potties clean.

How are you tackling the potty?

Love,
PlusPeace

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Solar Powered Pumpkin Jars - DIY

Thank you, Nana for this amazing craft!  My mom and Bear made these cute pumpkin lights (powered by solar garden lights) and I just had to share



You will need:

Paintbrushes (preferably with long handles)
Various glass jars (jelly jars, pastene jars, canning jars, etc)
Acrylic paint – think pumpkin and fall colors: Orange, Red, Brown, Yellow
Sticky-back Black Foam
Solar Garden Lights – Try Target, Walmart or clearance sales at HomeDepot for cheap
Electrical Tape
Scissors

How To:

Put a dime sized blob of 1-2 colors of paint inside each jar and let your little ones use the brushes to coat the inside of the jars.  Cut out eyes, nose and mouth shapes from the stick back foam.  You can also do spiders, shapes or anything your imagination can come up with.  Stick them to the outside of the jars.

While the paint dries, remove the sticks from the solar garden lights and use the electrical tape to put the light up parts onto the top of each jar.  Make sure you pull the tape tight so they stay in place.  If you use mason jars, remove the lid inserts and tape the lights to the rings). 

Leave them in the sun and watch them glow at night!!




If you have trouble finding solar lights use the battery operated votive candles (Target, Walmart, craft stores and some dollar stores)

Love,
PlusPeace