Kids’ Activities

Christmas Tree Print Making for Kids (Featuring Bubble Wrap!)

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We are getting into the Christmas with toddlers BIG TIME over here. My kids are all about Christmas, all the time. From the Elf on the Shelf to writing (and rewriting. And rewriting) letters to Santa, they’ve got the holidays on the brain in a big way.

It’s extended all the way into our art time as well. I can’t bust out a pot of green paint without them painting a Christmas tree, or the playdough without it becoming a present or ornament or cookie for Santa.

So when I opened one of my (THOUSAND) Amazon packages from my Black Friday shopping and saw that it included this green bubble wrap, I knew just what to do with it- turn it into a process based Christmas art project for toddlers (which just so happens to include an ADORABLE product for you, too).

If you’re kids are as into the holidays as ours are, we know they’ll love this Christmas tree print-making activity using bubble wrap. Read on for the instructions on how to make it happen!

Toddler using paint on bubble wrap to make a Christmas tree. Text overlay: Bubble wrap Christmas tree prints.

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Low-Prep, High Fun-Holiday Playdough Activities for Toddlers

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We've got a fresh take on holiday playdough activities for toddlers! From Christmas playdough to a homemade Gingerbread playdough recipe, and from Hannukah playdough mats to a pretend play center, we've got your holiday sensory play covered. Find the full list of activities at TheSaltyMamas.com. #holidays #christmas #toddleractivities #hannukahactivitiesforkids #christmasactivitiesforkids #christmasplaydough #gingerbreadplaydough #peppermintplaydough #playdoughcenters

We’ve got this weird, love-hate relationship with playdough. The thing is that our kids love it, but the mamas? Well, we kind of hate it. But since there’s a ton of developmental benefits to playing with playdough (sensory experience, fine motor skill practice, hand strength, creativity, imaginative play)? The tie is gonna have to go to the kids on this one.

Because I personally get tired the squishy stuff, I try to step up my playdough game once in a while. I’ve found that homemade playdough keeps longer, for example, and that if I only make one color at a time my kids can’t drive me crazy by mixing colors together.

I change up our playdough activities regularly to keep things fresh, and this is so much easier to do around the holidays. From delicious scents to learning opportunities, there’s lots of  holiday playdough activities for toddlers your kids are sure to love.

We've got a fresh take on holiday playdough activities for toddlers! From Christmas playdough to a homemade Gingerbread playdough recipe, and from Hannukah playdough mats to a pretend play center, we've got your holiday sensory play covered. Find the full list of activities at TheSaltyMamas.com. #holidays #christmas #toddleractivities #hannukahactivitiesforkids #christmasactivitiesforkids #christmasplaydough #gingerbreadplaydough #peppermintplaydough #playdoughcenters

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Frozen Toy Ice Challenge: An Easy STEM Preschool Activity

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Got antsy kids, and need an activity that will take up some time? Check out this Frozen Toys Ice Challenge for kids! It’s low prep, high fun, and encourages kids to test out the scientific process. It’s an easy STEM preschool activity your kids (and YOU!) will love.

Do you ever find yourself with a block of time with your kids that you’ve just GOT to fill somehow? Maybe you need to prep dinner, or you’ve used up all your screen time for the day, or they’re just driving you nuts and need a little more structure. Whatever, the scenario, you need an activity to fill some time, and you’re willing to try ANYTHING.

And so it was that this Frozen Toys Ice Challenge was born.

Around 2 p.m., it became abundantly clear that A.) my two year old was not going to take a nap, so B.) he would go to bed early, and thus C.) our family walk that takes up the last hour of the day was clearly NOT going to happen. So what in the world would I do with Lila?

We’ve been obsessed with ice lately (read about the time we painted it here!) and so I decided that I would trap some of her favorite toys inside a block of ice. On this day, The Incredibles 2 was just about to come out, so we went with a Frozone theme.

It’s SUPER simple, but this frozen toys ice challenge is lots of fun. Grab a few plastic figurines ad let’s get started!

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Halloween Art for Toddlers- 3 Projects for Spooky Fun

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Looking for Halloween art for toddlers? We've got three fun process-based art projects to get your littles in on the Halloween fun at TheSaltyMamas.com. #halloween #halloweencrafts #halloweencraftsforkids #halloweenart #halloweenartforkids #toddlers #toddlerart #toddlerartprojects

I love some good Halloween crafts as much as the next person, but you know what happens at our house? I spend about an hour prepping materials for the craft, the kids spend about three minutes doing the craft, and then I spend the next twenty minutes cleaning it up. It’s MUCH easier to set up some process-based Halloween Art for Toddlers instead.

Process art varies from regular arts and crafts in that it’s focused on the art creation and not upon the product, or outcome, of the activity. Luckily, the products often come out pretty darn cute, too.

As an added bonus- they usually don’t take much time to set up, which makes you a LOT less cranky if you’re kids aren’t into them. (Sidenote: my kids usually spend MUCH more time on a project if it’s process based, which makes the prep feel SO much more worth it!)

So if you’re looking for some fun Halloween art for toddlers (or your big kids, too!) keep reading for three fun Halloween activities for toddlers you can try today.

Spider web painting, Paint monsters, and a play dough jack o lanterns art projects are displayed. Text overlay: Halloween art for toddlers.

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How to Keep a One Year Old Busy! GUARANTEED!

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Fine five activities that are guaranteed to entertain your one year old! from The Salty Mamas! #toddlers #howtoentertaintoddlers #howtoentertainbabies #toystoentertaintoddlers #besttoysfortoddlers #bestbooksfortoddlers #bestgamesfortoddlers #bestbookforbaby #bestbooksforbabies #bestgameforbabies #bestgamesforbabies #besttoyforbaby #besttoysforbabies

Ah, one year olds. All the moxie of a full-grown toddler, but none of the interest in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. And while the real fun and games of toddlerhood seem to hit around two, our kids definitely grow out of the “baby” stage well before then. We’re left with this not-so-fun in between time where our kids are more active than babies, but cannot yet be bribed.

Worse still, they often will refuse to sit through a 21 minute episode of something bright and cartoony so we can just make dinner already!

It’s not like I don’t love sitting with my one year old and playing Pat-a-Cake until my hands are raw, but sometimes I just have to get something done. And if I could find a way to entertain my toddler while they’re sitting next to me also doing something she enjoys, then hurray for us both!

Here are some activities that actually entertain a one year old at home.

Fine five activities that are guaranteed to entertain your one year old! from The Salty Mamas! #toddlers #howtoentertaintoddlers #howtoentertainbabies #toystoentertaintoddlers #besttoysfortoddlers #bestbooksfortoddlers #bestgamesfortoddlers #bestbookforbaby #bestbooksforbabies #bestgameforbabies #bestgamesforbabies #besttoyforbaby #besttoysforbabies

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