Baby/Toddler Safe Art Materials: Round-up

I love art, but have children in my class who mouth everything!  So this round-up of baby/toddler safe art materials is really just a go-to list for me.  I love the idea of making art supplies from scratch.  I want the children to be able to use the materials freely but they can be so expensive!  These recipes solve that problem and are safe to mouth.  While I wouldn't encourage the children to eat the materials, a small amount is perfectly safe if it gets in their mouth since all of the recipes below are made from food materials and non toxic household ingredients.  Click on the images below to go to the original posts for details.

 Baby's First Finger Paints

baby cereal, water, food coloring, muffin tin

Whip Cream Finger Paint

Whip Cream, food coloring, muffin tin

*Note: you can also just play with plain whip cream on the table and draw pictures in it with your fingers*

Sidewalk chalk paint

water, cornstarch, food coloring, muffin tin, sponge brushes

Homemade Safe Glitter

table salt, food coloring, cake-decorating silver dust

Homemade Watercolors

cornstarch, vinegar, corn syrup, food coloring, ice cube tray, soft paintbrush

Puffy Paint

flour, water, salt, food coloring, squeeze bottles

Microwavable Puffy Paint

self-rising flour, water, salt, q-tips, microwave

Baking Soda Clay "Model Magic"

baking soda, cornstarch, water, airtight container

Fruit Loop Sand Art

crushed fruit loops, cup, spoon

*Note, the author uses glue on paper, I recommend subbing a sheet of sticky contact paper.*

*Can also layer in small jars*

Dried Bean and Grain Collage Materials

dried beans, cornmeal, etc, contact paper, cardboard

*Note, the author uses glue on cardboad, I recommend subbing a sheet of sticky contact paper.*

Fizzy Fun

baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, tray with edge, pipette

*No Link: Drop vinegar tinted with food coloring onto a pan filled with baking soda. Sheer minutes of colorful fizziness!!" Looks like a lot of fun! Saving this one for a rainy day... (or a cranky one!)*

Homemade Playdough

flour, salt, water, vegetable oil, cream of tarter or alum, food coloring, saucepan, spoon

Edible Playdough

peanut butter, shortening, powdered milk, powdered sugar, airtight container

Beeswax Crayon Rocks

 beeswax, food coloring, grated soap

More Edible ‘Paint’ Recipes

1.     Pudding (chocolate, valnilla, pistacio, etc)

2.     Greek yogurt and food coloring

3.     Condensed milk and food coloring

4.     Edible Finger Paint:  2 cups of corn starch, 1 cup of cold water, 4.5 cups of boiling water, food coloring

5.     Jell-O Finger paint: First, select a variety of colors of jell-o from the grocery. Not sugar free.  Then, pour the powder into five separate containers and boiled some water in the microwave. Add the water slowly until you get a paste that is easily spreadable with your fingers. After the paints cool, they are ready to use! Simple as that!
 

More Playdough Recipes

1. Peanut Butter Play Dough:Combine- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cups powdered sugar 2. Scented Kool-Aid Play Dough:Ingredients- 1/2 cup salt
-1 cup water
-2 tsp cream of tartar
-1 cup flour
-2 tsp vegetable oil
-1 packet flavored drink mix (Kool-Aid)Directions: In a medium sauce pan, mix all ingredients together.
 Stir over medium-low heat until it begins to thicken.
 When you start to see mostly dry spots and the mixture pulls away from the pan, turn off heat.
 Allow to cool, knead, and enjoy!

How to Diaper a Standing Child

This is an old trick that center Preschool Teacher's are great at:  How to diaper a child who is standing up!

Why would you want to do that?  Trust me, when you get to the potty training stage and are encouraging your Toddler to try to go to the potty every 20 min, you'll appreciate this very much!

*Note* I do not recommend this for dirty diapers.  Only wet.  I just don't think that you can really get a child clean when they are dirty without having them lie down.  That said, it can be done.  Just ask your child to put their hands on the ground.  Looks a little strange to see a half naked Toddler doing the Downward Facing Dog in the bathroom, but it works.  And hey!  You never know when you'll be out and about and you realize you forgot the changing mat or the store you're at doesn't have a baby changing station, or your child is too heavy to lift up to a changing station or table.  (Very helpful for children who potty train later in life or preschoolers who have the dreaded b.m. accident after potty training.)

It may sound easy, but with squirmy Toddlers, it may be tricky to get the fit just right.  So I broke it down into these 7 easy steps:

How to Diaper a Standing Child

1. Wipe- Have the child stand at the toilet facing away from you.  Wipe with a wet wipe through the legs from front to back.  Dry with a dry wipe or toilet paper if desired.
2. Position Diaper- Open up the diaper all the way and thread through their legs.
3. Attach Side Closures- Facing you or away (whichever is easier for you) attach one side closure.  Note how the diaper tabs fall on your child when the diaper tabs are closed and try to aim for positioning the first tab there.  If you're off, it doesn't matter, we'll adjust later.  Now attach the second side.  Go ahead and do it right over their shirt.  We'll adjust that later and it will be much easier for you to see what you're doing.
4. Readjust Tabs- Important!  This is how the diaper gets the most comfortable for the child and the least likely to leak.  You will notice that the second tab you closed looks nicer and lies flatter than the first.  That's because you were able to pull on the first closed side and use both hands to do the second tab.  The first one probably looks all bunched up or crooked.  Now open up the first tab and re close it. Much better!  You can readjust the second tab too if you want to.
5. Pull Out Bottom-  With the child facing away from you use your pointer fingers to pull out the edges of the seat of the diaper to properly cover their bottom.
6. Pull Up in Back-  Now to reduce sag and leaks, pull up on the back waistband of the diaper.
7. Untuck Shirt-  Now untuck their shirt and pull up their pants

That's it!  You're Done!

I know that may sound complicated but it really only takes a minute.  And you get faster with practice.

Happy Potty Training!

21 New Ways To Play with Animal Figures

I'm always looking for new ways to extend the materials we already have instead of buying new things for the children, but when I saw these Animal Figures at the Dollar Tree, I knew I couldn't pass them up!

Though they are not the best quality (the seams are evident and the painting is basic) they have a few qualities I was looking for: They are realistic in color and design, they are large enough to leave on the shelf and still be safe for babies and toddlers (most Montessori animals ate the Toob kind and are very small), and they are varied in types of animals represented (sea creatures, amphibians, mammals from different parts of the world).

I also thought they would combine nicely with other animals I found at the Dollar Tree like horses, dinosaurs and snakes.

So now that we have these great animals, here's how we can play with them using items we already have or free printables:

• Use them in the sensory table:
• Make an Ocean with blue tinted water and islands or icebergs from cutouts of craft foam
• Make a Farm with fences, a barn, hay, grass clippings, beans, mud or wood shavings
• Make an Arctic landscape with white playdough, cotton balls, snow, white craft foam cutouts, or snowflake confetti

• Use them on a play mat or rug 

• Add them to your continent baskets or boxes

• Use them with playdough or a sand tray to make footprints

• Match them to image cards

• Match them to a continent file folder game like these Africa Animal Cards

• Match them to a footprints file folder game

• Match them to an animal covering file folder game

• Match them to Animal Movement Cards (Swim, Walk, Fly...)

• Sort them into an of the categories listed in my Animal Puzzle Blog Post
• Use them to discuss animal sounds
• Add them to the block area for creative play
• Take them outside or to the park
• Use them to act out animal stories
• Use them as props in dioramas of countries or habitats
• Make bookends from them (not really learning but visually inspiring)

• Line them up on a strip of masking tape on the floor
• Match them to paint chip color cards
• Sort them by Land Water and Air Habitats

I'd love to hear what you do with your animals!

62 New Ways to Play with an Exercise Ball

The Exercise Ball is the BEST children's toy, that is not a children's toy, I ever bought.  Here are 62 new ways to use an Exercise ball (including 27 songs and rhymes) with your infant or child:

Babies and Young Toddlers:

• jump on it like a Jumperoo
• rock your baby to sleep on it
• bounce on their bottom on it
• rock on their stomach back and forth
• rock on their stomach side to side
• rock on their back back and forth

• rock on their back side to side
• roll upside down on their back
• roll upside down on their stomach
• roll in circles on their stomach
• roll in circles on their back

• rock side to side in a sitting position
• rock front and back in a sitting position
• roll in circles in a sitting position
• lay on the ball on you back and fly your baby
• practice standing on it with support
• use it as a walker
• roll it back and forth
• try to bounce it like a basketball
• watch it bounce around room
• try to lift it
• play it like a drum

Preschoolers and School-agers

• sit on it at the table or desk
• sit on it and try to lift one foot then the other
• sit on it and try to lift both feet and balance
• lay on it on your stomach and try to balance Superman style
• lay on it on your stomach and walk hands forward, rolling ball to feet and back
• lay on your back on the floor and try to lift it with both feet
• try to balance it on one hand

• see how long you can balance it above head in both hands
• see how long you can balance it above head with one hand
• play catch outdoors
• lay on your back on the floor with feet on ball and try to lift bottom up
• lay on your back on the floor and lift ball over head with both hands
• lay on your back on the floor and balance ball on hands above head
• lay on your back on the floor and balance ball on feet

Songs and Rhymes to use with the Exercise Ball 

(sources Kuffner's The Toddler's Busy Book, Silberg's Games to Play with Babies and my memory)

Father and Mother and Uncle John

(bounce gently in seated position or on stomach or back)

Father and Mother and Uncle John

Rode to the doctor, one by one

Father fell off

(Tilt to one side of ball)

Mother fell off

(Tilt to the other side)

and Uncle John rode on and on

and on and on and on

(bounce gently)

See-Saw

see-saw see-saw 

back and forth,back and forth

(rock back and forth in seated position or on stomach or back)

see-saw see-saw 

side to side, side to side

(rock side to side in seated position or on stomach or back)

see-saw see-saw 

give a hug, give a hug!

(give a hug)

The Upside Down Game

Upside down, upside down

all the world is upside down

Are you ready? 

Here we go,

right side up!

Motor Boat

(bounce slowly in seated position or on stomach or back)

Motor boat, motor boat

go so slow.

Motor boat, motor boat

step on the gas

(bounce quickly in seated position or on stomach or back)

Motor boat, motor boat

go so fast!

Slowly, slowly

(rock slowly from side to side or front to back in seated position or on stomach or back)

Slowly, slowly very slowly

creeps the garden snail.

slowly, slowly very slowly 

up the garden rail.

(rock quickly from side to side or front to back in seated position or on stomach or back)

Quickly quickly very quickly

runs the little mouse.

Quickly quickly very quickly

'round about the house.

(you can also bounce to this rhyme)

Round and Round the Garden

(roll round in circles in seated position or on back or stomach)

Round and Round the Garden

went the teddy bear

One step, two steps

tickle under there!

(tickle baby)

(roll round in circles in seated position or on back or stomach)

Round and Round the haystack

went the little mouse

One step, two steps

in his little house.

I Hear Thunder

(to the tune of Frere Jacques)

I hear thunder, I hear thunder!

(tap on ball with palms and encourage child to do same)

Hark, don't you? Hark, don't you?

Pitter-patter raindrops,

Pitter-patter raindrops.

(tap on ball with fingertips only)

I'm wet through,

(clutch self and shiver)

so are you!

(point to child)

Marching Song

(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle)

(bounce gently in seated position or on stomach or back)

See the soldiers in the street,

Hear the marching of their feet;

They are singing as they go,

marching, marching, to and fro.

See the soldiers in the street,

Hear the marching of their feet.

Stop!

(roll round in circles in seated position or on back or stomach)

Round and round and round we go,

Round and round and round we go,

Round and round and round we go,

Round and round and stop!

(stop)

(Repeat, speeding up a little each time)

Row, row row your boat

Row, row, row your boat

(rock from front to back in seated position or on stomach or back)

gently down the stream

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

life is but a dream.

Bounce, bounce, bounce your boat

(bounce gently in seated position or on stomach or back)

gently down the stream

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

life is but a dream.

Rock, rock, rock your boat

(rock from side to side in seated position or on stomach or back)

gently down the stream

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

life is but a dream.

Fly Baby Fly

(lay on you back on the ball and hold baby on your chest)

Are you ready to fly in the sky?

Here we go. One, two, threeeee!

(lift baby straight up from chest)

High in the sky!

Fly, baby, fly!

Wheee!

Peas Porrige Hot

(Bounce on ball gently in seated position or on back or stomach)

Peas porrige hot, peas porrige cold,

Peas porrige in the pot nine days old.

Some like it hot, some like it cold,

Some like it in the pot nine days old.

Bouncy, Bouncy!

(Bounce on ball gently on back or stomach)

Bouncy, bouncy baby.

Bouncy, bouncy baby.

Up and down, up and down,

Bouncy, bouncy baby.

hippity hop, bippity bop.

Bouncy, bouncy BOOM

(give a hug on BOOM)

If You're Happy and You Know it

If you're happy and you know it

Bounce Around

(Bounce gently on ball in seated position)

If you're happy and you know it

Bounce Around

If you're happy and you know it

then your face will clearly show it.

If you're happy and you know it

Bounce Around

(Roll Around)

(roll around in circles)

(Rock it out)

(rock from side to side)

To Market, To Market

(Bounce gently on ball in seated position)

To Market, to market to buy a fat pig.

Home again, home again jiggity jig.

To Market, to market to buy a fat hogg.

Home again, home again jiggity jog.

To Market, to market to buy a new gown.

Home again, home again

Whoops!!  The horse fell down.

(slide to one side of the other or lay back onto back)

Trampoline Game

(Bounce gently on ball in seated position)

Bounce, bounce up and down,

Bounce, bounce all around.

Bounce Fast

(bounce faster)

Bounce Slow

(bounce slower)

Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce BOOM!

(give a hug on BOOM)

Ride a Cock Horse

(Bounce gently on ball in seated position)

Ride a cock horse, to Branbury Cross,

To see a fine lady, upon a white horse

With rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes,

She will have music wherever she goes!

The Dancing Game

Dance, little dolly, dance dance dance.

Dance, little dolly, dance dance dance.

(rock in seated position from side to side)

Up and down,

(bounce up and down)

All around.

(Roll around in circles)

Dance, little dolly, dance dance dance!

(rock in seated position from side to side)

Baby Aerobics

(lay on back on ball and move their arms )

Up and down, up and down,

now we'll move them all around.

Up and down, up and down,

as we do our exercise.

'Round the Mountain

(roll on stomach, back or sitting up)

Go 'round and 'round the mountain

Go 'round and 'round the mountain

Go 'round and 'round the mountain

And kiss those little toes.

(kiss baby's toes)

Ball Rolls

(Roll on back or stomach gently.

Roll the ball, roll the ball

back and forth, back and forth.

Roll the ball, roll the ball

One, two, whoooo!

(Dip a bit further on 'whooo')

Rock-A-By-Baby

(Rock baby in your arms)

Rock-a-by-baby

on the tree top.

When the wind blows

the cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks, 

the cradle will fall

and down will come baby, 

cradle and all.

Rock-a-by-baby

Thy cradle is green,

Daddy's a nobleman,

Mommy's a queen.

Betty's a lady

and wears a gold ring.

Johnny's a drummer 

and drums for the king.

Sleepy Time

(Rock baby in your arms)

Go to sleepy little baby.

Go to sleepy little baby.

When you'll wake

you'l patty patty cake.

And ride a shiny little pony.

Hold Me Close

(Rock baby in your arms)

Hold me close, hold me close.

Rock and rock and rock and rock.

Hold me close, hold me close.

Rock and rock my baby mine.

Back and Forth

(Rock baby in your arms)

Back and forth, I rock the baby.

Back and forth,

back and forth.

Go to sleep my precious baby.

I will watch you all the night.

Back and forth, I rock the baby.

Back and forth,

back and forth.

Pleasant dreams my precious baby.

When you wake I'll be right here.

Hush-A-Bye

(Rock baby in your arms)

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

go to sleep, little baby.

When you wake, you shall take,

all the pretty little horses.

Blacks and bays, dapples and grays

Coach and six little horses.

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

go to sleep, little baby.

Hush Little Baby

(Rock baby in your arms)

Hush, little baby, don't say a word.Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird

And if that mockingbird won't sing,Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring

And if that diamond ring turns brass,Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass

And if that looking glass gets broke,Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat

And if that billy goat won't pull,Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull

And if that cart and bull turn over,Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover

And if that dog named Rover won't barkPapa's gonna buy you a horse and cart

And if that horse and cart fall down,You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

Sleep Song
(Rock baby in your arms)
Goodnight baby, 
Goodnight baby, 
Goodnight baby, 
It's time to go to sleep.

Close your eyes,
Close your eyes,
Close your eyes,
It's time to go to sleep.

Sleep tight baby,
Sleep tight baby,
Sleep tight baby,

It's time to go to sleep.

Sweet dreams baby,

Sweet dreams baby,
Sweet dreams baby,

It's time to go to sleep.

33 New Ways to Play with an Animal Puzzle

Check out his awesome thrift store wooden animal puzzle a parent found for us!

Isn't it lovely and for under $2, it can't be beat!  It even has the names of the animals printed under the pieces.

If you have a puzzle like this or another animal puzzle at home that has lost it's appeal, then read on!  If you don't already have one, go get one!  You won't be sorry to invest in this versatile toy.  For the cards that are seen in the picture, go to BrillKids.  They have tons of printable flashcards with images on one side and words on the back.  They have A$ and Letter format for most.  If you print the A4 format, they still work but the image may be slightly higher on the paper and the small word under the image may not print.  Sign into the forum for even more free flashcards sorted by category.  It's a bit confusing on the site so surf around and let me know if you need help finding anything.  You can print just one card from the set by selecting PRINT and choosing just that one page.  You can print 2 to a page for smaller flashcards.  I use the small prints in the Treasure Baskets and I don't have to worry about them getting destroyed.

Here's a bunch of new ways to play with your puzzle:

1.  Match the pieces to stuffed animals or bean bag toys you already have

 2.  Match the animals to color cards

3. Match the animals to the letter their name starts with

(can also use magnet letters for this) 

4. Match the animals to what they eat 

5. Match the animals to where they live (land, water, sky) 

6. Count the animals and match them to dot or number cards

7. Sort the animals into loud and quiet animals 

8. Sort the animals into big or little animals

9. Sort animals as large, medium and small 

10. Match animals to their name cards

(could also print them on sentence strips or index cards) 

11. Match the animals to photo images

(Could also make your own with clipart or magazine images on index cards) 

12.  Line the animals up from largest to smallest

And here's even more ideas not pictured:

13. line the animals up from longest life span to shortest life span (use google)
14. sort animals by where they live (trees, water, caves...)
15. sort animals by habitat (arctic, forest, jungle, ocean...)
16. sort animals by herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores
17. sort animals by how they move (crawl, slither, swim, fly...)
18. match animals to types of coverings (fur, feather, scales...)
19. sort animals that can jump from animals that can not jump
20. sort animals by those that lay eggs and those that have live birth
21. sort animals by number of legs (4, 2, none...)
22. match animals to images of their footprints
23. match animals to images of their silhouettes (photocopy and cut from black paper)
24. match animals to images of their skeletons
25. match animals to images of their babies
26. use the animal pieces as tracing shapes (colored pencil does the least damage)
27. line up the animals from fastest to slowest (use google)
28. use a small muffin tine to place on piece in each compartment (1 to 1 correspondence)
29. place the animals on a map according to which continent they're found on (use google)
30. play animals noises and have the child pick up the correct animal piece
31. use photocopies of the animal pieces and sound effects to make sound bingo cards
32. concentraion: how fast can you put the puzzler together or take it apart (for little ones, you replace the pieces as they take them out, who's faster?)
33. try the puzzle blindfolded

Can you think of any more?