100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 95: Toddler Spray Paint

Don't forget that the monster hat giveaway ends later today (9/7/13)!

I decided to take the kids outside to try to recreate an activity I found from kiwicrate.com. She had her little boy spray large sheets of paper with a spray bottle that she filled with water and Koolaid. We don't have Koolaid, but we have food dye. My husband cleaned out a spray bottle for us to use, and we filled it with water and red food coloring. It reminded me a lot of the time I took Oliver out to spray the snow in the winter. That activity didn't go very well because he wasn't interested in spraying the snow. I wondered how painting paper would be.

We didn't have large butcher paper on hand, so we used computer paper, which I weighed down with some pine cones. Joanna wanted to play with the pine cones.

Oliver did a really great job spraying and enjoyed the activity. Jo was interested but couldn't spray by herself. She tried really hard, though. Oh, and that is a name tag on Oliver because we tried to attend a nature class up at Lookout Mountain today. It didn't go very well, but he liked the name tag!

Oliver kept spraying and spraying! I turned over the sheets so he could spray them again. We switched colors from red to orange because he wanted more colors.

He was interested in trying to spray the pine cones.

Joanna wanted to spray the pine cones, too, but she couldn't get the spray bottle to work.

From my experience with the kids, this is a really fun activity for kids who aren't toddlers. I could see Oliver having a really good time if I gave him lots of bottles filled with different colors. Joanna thought the whole thing looked fun, but she couldn't really do it herself. Although the website recommended this activity for kids 2+, I think it's better for 3+ or 4+. As a toddler activity, I give it a D+. The "plus" is because Jo was interested and was kept busy with trying to work the spray bottle.

Pros: Easy to set up, good for hot days, outdoors.

Cons: Can stain, difficult for toddlers, doesn't last long (unless you have a lot of paper to use, I suppose!)

New Carpet!

We finally, finally got new carpet yesterday! When we moved into our house, there was a powder blue carpet that wound from the entry way, through the living room, up the stairs, and into both bedrooms. It was a outdated, but that wasn't the big problem. It had a faint smell of dog pee (better than cat pee!). It also had numerous stains and large bleach stains in places.

We removed it entirely from the downstairs when we put in our laminate wood floors. Of course, it had to be replaced everywhere else, but we kept putting it off. What's the point in getting new carpet when we were about to have a baby? Babies spit up and poop everywhere! So we waited. And waited.

I cleaned the carpet a number of times with a carpet cleaner. It helped with the smell, but, on rainy days, you could get a whiff in the air. It was so unsightly that we almost never had anyone go upstairs.

Now that we're planning on putting our home on the market, we couldn't put it off any more. Carpet was more expensive than we'd thought, but it had to be done. We went with the second estimate (Carpet Exchange). They did a really good job with the install, and I love the new carpet. I only wish we'd done it a little sooner so we could have lived in the house long enough to get some use out of it!

Here's a photo of our room looking very spiffy with the new carpeting. There's something else new in our bedroom, too. My friends Aminta and Olivia went with me to Whimsy Paint & Sip yesterday with some vouchers from Living Social. We had a blast, and I got a new piece of artwork for the house!

My painting:

Birdhouses for 54 Cents!

Last week, I found some little, wooden birdhouses at Joann Fabrics. They were $1.09, but they had 50% off coupons online and on their flyer in the store. So, I snagged a birdhouse for 54 cents! We were so busy last week, but we finally found time on Thursday to paint. Oliver usually isn't very interested in art, but he really got into painting the birdhouse.

Oliver was really proud of his birdhouse and kept asking to "show Dad!" We let it dry overnight, and then I filled it with some birdseed that I had leftover from the birdseed biscuits we'd made.

Oliver hung it up outside, but I had to rehang it a little higher off the ground. Then, we went back inside to watch for the birds! They never came...

I'm still waiting to do a toddler rainy day project with Jo! We've had some snow, but no rain yet. I was really hoping to get it done in April, which I know is when everyone else seems to have rain in the US. Poor Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois; they're really getting more than their share! Brookfield Zoo closed for the 3rd time in its history because they were completely flooded. Anyway, if you don't see a rainy day project from us until July, then you know why!

A Mom Tries to Paint

Andrew and I tried our hand at painting for one of our semi-weekly date nights in. This was actually back in August. It was fun! I picked up some acrylic paints at Michael's (totally not knowing what I was doing). Then, I printed off one of our pictures from Georgetown, Colorado, and he printed a photo of the Rockies near Aspen. We used brushes and paper plates and figured it out as we went along. 

This was the photo I used:

And here are our paintings. Mine (on the right) kind of looks like the photo, right?

We have those paintings displayed in our bathroom. Well, I was reminiscing about it because I just got back from a painting group. All of these painting places have been popping up in the Denver area--Canvas & Cocktails, Sipping and Painting, and Art on the Brix. Basically, you go, and an instructor gives you step-by-step instructions on how to complete your masterpiece.

My dad went to Canvas & Cocktails with his work place over the holidays. They painted Larimer Square. Ever since then, I've wanted to check one out. So, I went with some ladies from MOMS Club to Art on the Brix in Golden. I had a really great time with those ladies, and I got to create a new masterpiece.

It's my Impressionist painting. Seriously, it was a ball.

There's something to be said about taking the night off and making some art. I feel so inspired!

Pinterest Find! Halloween Footprint Dish

I found the cutest painted plate on Pinterest. Here's the pin, if you're interested in repinning:
http://pinterest.com/pin/216383957067061530/

Last month, one of those deal sites offered a half-off voucher for a local paint-your-own-pottery place. I printed out a copy of the plate and went there with some friends. The woman there helped me stamp Jo's feet onto the plate, and then I painted the rest of the plate just like in the pinned photo. I wasn't sure how well it would turn out, but it was fantastic!

Here's my plate before firing:

And here's the finished product:

I love it! I swear, Pinterest is the best resource for craft ideas. I'm going to try to get back to the pottery place sometime soon to paint a Thanksgiving plate with my son's hand print. I'll paint it into a turkey!

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 80: Paint with Cars

A couple weeks ago, I was brainstorming for new project ideas to entertain Oliver. As I was going through is box of little toys, I thought I had a unique idea: why not paint using his toy cars?  Later, I was browsing my cousin's blog site and saw that she'd posted this activity months ago. I get the feeling I saw it, forgot it, and then thought I came up with the idea myself!

Why not still give it a try? I grabbed a bottle of non-toxic black paint and squeezed some into a shallow bowl.  I taped some sheets of paper down onto the table and then showed Oliver how to run his cars through the paint and then onto the paper.  He loved seeing it transfer on the paper, and he started sticking his hands in the tracks and smearing it around with his fingers!  I think it's fair to say he had a good time.

Photos of our painting activity:

To be perfectly frank, the project was a lot messier than I expected.  Although Oliver had fun, the activity didn't last all that long, and clean up took at least as long as the actual painting did.  Paint got stuck up in the axles of the cars, there was splatter on Oliver's arms, and some got into the crevices of our chairs.  It was fun, but I couldn't help but wish we'd just colored with crayons or something instead!  I guess it was neat and worth checking out this activity, but I don't think we'll be doing it again--at least not any time soon!  I give this "Paint with Cars" activity a C.

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 76: Toddler Rock Painting

I came up with a new art project for Oliver, and it worked out so well.  I call it "Toddler Rock Painting."

Here are the supplies you need:
Rocks
Non-toxic paints (I used acrylic)
Tupperware with a strong lid (choose one that can get icky)
Wax paper

Step One: Take your toddler outside to pick out some rocks.

Step 2: Wash your rocks to remove any dirt.  Let your child help!

Step 3: Squeeze some paint into your Tupperware. Your child can help with this part if you don't mind a potential mess.

Step 4: Put one rock into the Tupperware, and put the lid on, making sure it's secure. Show your child how to shake it.  Let them go to town shaking up the rock and paint.

Step 5: Remove the rock, and set it on some wax paper to dry.  Add a little more paint to your Tupperware, and drop another rock in.  Shake, shake, shake!

Here's a video of our project:




We made four rocks:

Step 6 (Optional): Watch your rocks dry.

By the time we woke up the next morning, our rocks were completely dry.

Oliver put them in the food processor, which I let him play with (without the blade and unplugged, of course!).  He told me he was making rock soup.

This project was a huge success!  Oliver keeps asking me if we can paint again.  This is the most fun he's had with any art project.  I have a feeling we'll be doing this project over and over again.  A+!

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 76: Corn Cob Paint Roller

Earlier this week, I shared some natural teething remedies that I've picked up in my few years as a mommy.  One of those remedies involved a corn cob (click here to read more about that and other teething tips).  My husband actually removed the corn bits from all three of our cobs, "just in case" I needed more than one for my blog.  I didn't.  Or so I thought.

I stared for a while at the leftover cobs on our counter top.  What could I use them for?  A creative idea hit me: an empty corn cob + corn holders = a paint roller.  

Set up an area that you feel comfortable with your kids making a mess.  Take an empty, scraped corn cob and stick two corn holders on the sides to make a paint roller.  If you don't have corn holders, they're not really necessary, but they do help keep your kid's hands relatively clean.  Put a few sheets of plain white paper on the work area.  You can tape them down to keep them from sliding.  Squirt some washable, non-toxic paints on a long sheet of wax paper (or parchment paper or whatever you have in the house).  

Show your child how to roll his/her "paint roller" into the paint.  Encourage your kid to roll it on the white sheets of paper.  

Oliver enjoys figuring out how new things work.  To him, the paint roller was a puzzle.  He dipped it in the paint and stuck his face close to the paper to watch the paint transfer from the roller to paper.

If you use primary colors (yellow, red, and blue), then it's possible they'll end up mixing on the paper and will make new colors. If your child is a little older, you can take that opportunity to teach that red and yellow mix to make orange. Yellow and blue mix to make green, and red and blue mix to make purple. The colors they make--orange, green, and purple--are secondary colors.  If your child is younger, simply point out which colors they are using as they use them to teach the names of colors. Also, if your child is younger, you might also find that he (or she) enjoys the feel of the paint. Young toddlers love to explore different textures! If you don't mind a mess, let your child feel the paint. Be careful not to let him get it in his eyes or shove it in his mouth. Even though it's non-toxic, it's better to be safe than sorry. For kids that enjoy shoving everything into their mouths, you can try yogurt finger painting instead.

Oliver loved using the roller, but, in the end, he wasn't able to resist the temptation of using his fingers to spread the paint around.  Let's just say I ended up with quite the mess, but nothing a little soap and water couldn't clean!

Corn Cob Paint Roller earns an B+.  It's creative and fun.  Because it's new and unique, it engages kids. It's also a very affordable activity.  Corn is currently still in season and is quite cheap.  In my area, it's priced at 20 cents an ear and falling!  However, the activity is also messy, involves both prep and clean-up, and requires a number of materials (paints, corn, etc).

Do any of you upcycle your corn cobs? What do you use them for? My husband told me they make great kindling for fires. I read online that Native Americans used to use them for toilet paper. My friend also told me you can spread a bit of peanut butter on them and roll them in bird seed to create a bird feeder. My son and I might tackle the bird feeder project some weekend soon. I'll be sure to update how it works for us!

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 66: Ziploc Painting (Pinterest Challenge Day 9)

Today's post is day 9 of my Pinterest Challenge, and it's also attempt 66 in ways to entertain my toddler.

The activity is an easy one (pin here: http://pinterest.com/pin/216383957066036854/). You know me, I love easy activities. The simpler, the better. All I had to do was take a ziploc bag, which I had, and squeeze some paint into it, which I also had. Then, I taped it to the window. That's it!

I wish Oliver liked the activity, and I wish I could give it a good activity grade because of its simplicity. Alas, I cannot. Oliver walked up to it, ran his fingers through it for about thirty seconds, and then left.

If you have the supplies at home, it might be worth checking out this activity to see if your child is more interested in it at mine. Based on my experience, though, I do not recommend running out and buying bags and tape to try it.

I give the activity props for being easy to set up and so easy to clean, but because my son was absolutely uninterested in doing anything with the baggy full of paint, I give this activity a D-.

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 44: Yogurt Fingerpainting

 My cousin (cousin-in-law?) blogs about creative activities she does with her two kids. I've been wanting to try some type of finger-painting with Oliver, so when I read her entry on yogurt fingerpainting, I decided to give it a try. As an FYI, I've read that some mothers will make vanilla instant pudding and use that instead of yogurt. I've also heard that some mothers just use shaving foam, but that probably only works for toddlers who wouldn't be interested in trying to eat the "paints." My son was one of those toddlers, so I might try using shaving foam in the future to see if it's any different/better/worse.

I put approximately 1/3 cup plain yogurt into three bowls. Later, I learned that I made way too much. Oliver probably would have been fine with a few tablespoons of each. Anyway, to each 1/3 cup of yogurt, I added 8 drops of dye. I decided to go with primary colors so Oliver could (maybe) enjoy mixing them to create new colors. Here's Oliver's palate:


As I mixed the yogurt with the dye, Oliver peeled off the paper I had taped and ready to go. I'd used the back of some holiday wrapping paper. My cousin put her little guy (who is nearly a year) into his high chair and let him paint on his tray. Do what works for you! Anyway, I had to re-tape the "canvas" before I could let Oliver play. So, that explains why there are tears all over the paper. Ha!

I put a glob of each color of yogurt onto the paper. Oliver touched it a bit and then asked me to wipe his hands. So, I had to keep a towel on hand. I showed him how to drag his finger through the paint, and he started to mimic my movements.

We had to constantly pause to clean his hands because, apparently, my son doesn't like stuff on his hands. I swear I'm not an overly cleanly mother, so it must be Oliver's own cleanliness issue.

Oliver enjoyed the paints for a few minutes, but, in the end, it just wasn't his thing. He swirled some paint around, splashed some on the floor, and then left to go play with his dry pasta again.

All done with finger painting!

Honestly, setting up wasn't very difficult at all, and clean-up could have been a lot worse. I figured the entire kitchen would get covered in streaks of colorful goop, but it really didn't happen. Even though it wasn't very difficult, I definitely spent more time just setting up than Oliver spent painting. I was actually a little disappointed that Oliver didn't enjoy this activity more. As a kid, I would have loved it.


I give yogurt fingerpainting a B-. It is creative, fun, and not very difficult or expensive. On the other hand, it just wasn't interesting to my little guy, so it seemed a bit pointless. I see potential fun in yogurt fingerpainting in our future. I intend to try again in a few months or whenever Oliver is more interested in doing artistic activities.