I absolutely love the creativity that comes out of cardboard play, BUT my kids always needed me to help because I'm obviously not letting them get after it with a box cutter.
Well now there is a solution and I WISH I had Makedo tools years ago! They give kids so much more independence when it comes to cardboard creation and I don’t have to worry they will cut a finger! (You can watch a Reel here where I literally saw it across my wrist.)
And when you use the code KAILAN10, you also get 10% off. Click here to shop!
Plus the Scrudriver and Scrus make the projects more sturdy and allow for limitless creativity putting pieces together! Then when you're done, you can unscrew them and save them for the next project.
Our first project with these tools was to recreate the box on the cover of my book Screens Away, Time to Play! I think it turned out pretty cute, don't you?
This book is a much needed resource for caregivers to show young readers the value of turning screens off and encourage them to explore, create, learn, and play in so many ways!
It's lighthearted and playful for ages 3-7 to make a difficult topic approachable. It’s a must for every home or classroom bookshelf! You can order your own copy here!
We also always love our paint sticks when it comes to decorating the boxes! I used Kwik Stix and you can get a small pack of 6 to test out or a large set with 24 colors for all of your decorating ideas.
So, if you're looking for a unique, open-ended, screen-free activity that promotes creativity, these Makedo tools check all the boxes! And you can get the set for under $25.
Don't forget to use the code KAILAN10, to get 10% off. Click here to shop!
]]>This will be our 3rd year of a New Year's Eve Countdown. Check out this blog post for activities we did the first year (age 4 and 6). Below, I will line out what we did last year at ages 5 and 7. I will also include my plans for this year at the end!
I always like to mix in crafts, games, learning, and reflection!
And here's where you can buy a bundle of printable activities - time cards, activity labels, and activities!
Decide what time you'd like to start (the last two years we've started mid morning and I was exhausted by the end of the day). There were just too many fun activities to do and I couldn't decide! I'm learning my lesson finally and going to start later in the afternoon this year.
Create countdown bags and label them with the time they should be opened. Include any materials that will fit in the bag! Then when that time comes, let the kids open the bag and do the activity inside.
We made the paper plate noise makers like we did last year. Add dried beans or rice inside and decorate the outside. See here.
I got the book Snowflake Bentley to read to them, and then we'll create our own snowflakes using toothpicks and marshmallows. They will learn that no two snowflakes are the same in this STEM activity.
1:00 - Year in Review Photo Hunt like we did last year. Hide a photo from each month for the kids to find and then have them lay them out in order to reminisce. This time each kid had their own color and pictures to find and it worked out beautifully. It also turned out to be beautiful day so we hid them outside.
We made our own Pom Pom Shooter with paper cups, a balloon, and pom poms. It was a big hit!
Black Eyed Pea Races - Use a party blower to move a black eyed across the table. The first person to knock it off the end is the winner!
We did an easy craft and made some fireworks out of cutting cute cupcake liners.
Glow Stick Hide and Seek - turn off the lights and each person gets a turn at hiding the glow sticks. Then everyone else finds them! This was also a favorite!
Time to reflect! We did a year in review and then a little goal setting for the new year. The printables for this are in the bundle you can find here!
We are Lego fanatics around here, so I challenged them to create this Lego Ball Drop Tower.
8:40 - Prepare our festive drinks and snacks. We'll also get our noisemakers and party poppers ready.
9:00 - Watch the ball drop on Netflix or the east coast feed. Happy New Year!!
Wishing you a Happy New Year!! If you'd like to get on my mailing list for more screen free activities subscribe below.
]]>We've done Halloween and St. Patrick's Day, plus my favorite back to school activity - our Books and Bites party. We are adding Valentine's Day this year, and I know my kids will love it. The beauty is it works well for all ages - a bunch of toddlers or all elementary school kids!
Each person picks either an activity or one snack to bring to share. Then you can rotate the "centers" or you can let everyone do what they want.
It does NOT have to be a big event. One activity + one snack with you and a friend will be a memorable time!
Pick a place to meet and a time. We've done the park before in nice weather (Californian here) or you can host at your place. Decide weekday or weekend - whatever works for you and friends.
Because I'm an organizer at heart, I have created a Google Doc Sign Up Sheet that you can send your friends to easily plan your play date. It has 20+ activities and snack ideas listed, and links to further directions.
Then everyone simply types their name next to what they want to bring and how many kids are coming so you can get a head count. It's easy to see what everyone else is bringing, and you won't get duplicates! Of course, if you have a different idea you can always add it in!
But you know what? You don't even have to invite friends. It's a great list of Valentine fun to do over the next few weeks on your own!
Make sure you MAKE A COPY of the Google Doc before you send it to people so you aren't sharing your playdate with the rest of the internet.
Go to File>Make a Copy and rename it.
But we're not quite done yet. If you send the link now, no one will be able to type in it to sign up. You need to click the blue Share button in the top right corner. Then click "Anyone with the link can edit."
Now you can copy and paste the link in an email or text to your friends! Just FYI - you can only write in/edit the Google Doc if you are on your computer or if you have the Google Doc app.
Ready to start planning? Subscribe below, and the link will be delivered to your inbox!
Want to pin for later? Use this image.
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Each person picks either an activity or one snack to bring to share. Then you can rotate the "centers" or you can let everyone do what they want.
It does NOT have to be a big event. One activity + one snack with you and a friend will be a memorable time!
Pick a place to meet and time. We've done the park before in nice weather or you can host at your place. Decide weekday or weekend - whatever works for you and your friends.
Because I'm an organizer at heart, I have created a Google Doc Sign Up Sheet that you can send your friends to easily plan your play date. It has 20+ activities and snack ideas listed, and links to further directions.
Then everyone simply types their name next to what they want to bring and how many kids are coming so you can get a head count. It's easy to see what everyone else is bringing, and you won't get duplicates! (Of course, if you have a different idea, you can always add it in).
But you know what? You don't even have to invite friends. It's a great list of Halloween fun to do over the next few weeks on your own!
Make sure you MAKE A COPY of the Google Doc before you send it to people so you aren't sharing your playdate with the rest of the internet.
Go to File>Make a Copy and rename it.
But we're not quite done yet. If you send the link now, no one will be able to type in it to sign up. You need to click the blue Share button in the top right corner. Then click "Anyone with the link can edit".
Ready to start planning?! Enter your email below to get your Halloween Playdate Google Doc Sign Up Sheet.
My kids were all. about. it. They wanted to invite their cousins over and helped me plan it. They even wanted to make their own decorations. And me? You know I love any sort of swap/collaborative event!
Such a fabulous way to end summer, get geared up for school, and celebrate our love for books with friends and family!
I teamed up with Allison at Allison Carter Celebrates and created some awesome free resources to help you set up your own play date with friends. Even if you aren't starting school, it's always a good time for books and bites! Be sure to check those out below!
Quiet Book Queen & Crafts in Between, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This is at no extra cost to you.
I like to call it a play date instead of a party. You could always make it a theme for an upcoming birthday party, but play date makes it more casual and it is more of a potluck event.
Every person attending will pick one food item OR activity that pairs with a children's book to bring to share with everyone. They should also bring the book (or at least a printout of the cover) to set by their item. This book will go back home with them though!
If you want to host during a meal time, you can provide a taco bar paired with the book Dragons Love Tacos, sandwiches paired with the book The Sandwich Swap, or pizza paired with the book Secret Pizza Party.
If you want to make it more simple and just have snacks and meet at a park, you can do that too!
I am sharing my super handy Google Doc Sign Up Sheet below. You don't have to search Pinterest for hours. I've done that for you and it has over 25 snack/activity book pairings listed, with links to what you may need! You can send this to everyone who is coming so they can sign up for what they will bring, and everyone will know what is needed (you know, so you don't end up with 4 desserts and 1 activity).
And you know what? You don't even need to host a party to benefit from it. Use it for yourself to have a list of fun activities and snacks that pair with favorite books!
I wanted to add another fun reading element to our play date. This is a great opportunity to clear out your book shelves of the books that are no longer read much.
You can ask that everyone bring one (or a few) books they have at home to trade with someone else.
We drew names and let each child pick out a new-to-them book! If you have a lot of books, you can go through this a couple of times.
Fun themed food items are great, but then it's over once it's eaten! Keep the book-loving theme going with a few crafts or activities. All of the links to what you need can be found in the Google Doc Play Date Sign Up Sheet. Get it below!
We did some goldfish graphing to go with One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.
We made some pigeons to go with all the Mo Willems pigeon books.
And we made some Gruffalo character sticks! I think these were my favorite!
If you have toddlers or preschoolers, someone can set up a themed sensory bin, such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom with letters and kinetic sand or a Rainbow Fish play dough station. But really, these are fun for all ages! There are so many more ideas for you in the guide!
I used Allison's Books and Bites Party Plan to help jazz up our play date. She makes it SO easy and has some great decoration ideas, a printable invitation, and the link to my Google Doc with SO many ideas.
Make sure that you make a copy of the Google Doc or else you will be planning a play date with many others on the Internet! Go to File > Make a Copy.
Then click the blue SHARE button in the upper right hand corner. Click get sharable link, and make sure you choose that "Anyone with the link can edit". Otherwise, no one will be able to type their name in.
Now you are ready to send it to all your guests and get the play date ideas going!
I just have to show you the creativity that came out of this. The kids LOVED every minute of the planning and playing!
My nephew is a dino fanatic, so of course he brought these adorable watermelon dinosaurs.
We couldn't decide between healthy or a treat, so we did both! We Are the Gardners by Joanna Gaines is a beautiful book.
Couldn't help it! It was too easy, and goes perfectly together. We love Pete the Cat.
So beary cute and tasty! I never think to slice apples this way. It has sliced marshmallow, grapes, and bananas on top of the peanutbutter.
Did somebody say Gruffalo crumble?!
And we will end on this. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is just a classic!
If you'd like to pin this for later, use this image!
]]>Edit - here's a link to even more activities we did the following year.
And here's where you can buy a bundle of printable activities - time cards, activity labels, and activities!
Pick a time to start on New Year's Eve, and then open a bag with an activity idea in it every hour. I put a note and any supplies that would fit in the bag. We catch the 9:00 ball drop (midnight on the east coast of the U.S.), but I've just found out Netflix has ball drops that you can play at any time that works for you!
The number of activities is totally up to you. You can start at 5:00 pm with just a few or as soon as they wake up. Last year we started at 10:00 am and if I'm being honest, I was worn out by the end of the day. But, I will likely start at the same time because I found too many good activities again this year, and what else are we going to do?!
It's really easy to switch things around for what works for your family - less activities, different games, etc.
Let's get festive! Make noisemaker like this or this. Just put some beads inside a paper plate and decorate! We also made a crown like this out of pipe cleaners and a headband.
Year in Review Photo Hunt - print pictures from each month of the past year and hide them around the house. The kids will try to find them and then you can look back at the memories you made. You can also write which month they were taken on the back and organize them in month order.
There was some arguing last year, so this year I will make a set for each kid and color code them. They can only find their own color.
New Year's Coloring Pages from Rad and Happy. (We are subscribers and get new coloring pages each month to print). They do not disappoint! Each year is different, so you likely won't see the ones pictured. We'll probably eat some lunch somewhere in here too.
Snowmen stones. Go find some rocks, paint them white, and then decorate with marker or paint pens.
Tic Tac Tweezer Game - See who can move the most Tic Tacs from plate to plate in a minute. If you have younger kids, try using cotton balls and larger tongs or tweezers.
Make these funny mouth covers for party horns. Hilarious! These required some adult help, but the kids loved end result!
Balloon paddles - decorate some paper plates, attach a craft stick, blow up a balloon, and try to keep the balloons off the ground!
Learn about how different countries celebrate New Year's Eve and Day with the Powerpoint Presentation and print outs from TPT. I thought it might be a little over their heads and didn't expect them to do it all. But I was pleasantly surprised! They were really into it and I love exposing them to different cultures.
You can plan dinner before or after this. Then play this fun game with a ball in panty hose on your head. You try to knock the cups (that are arranged like a clock) over in order from 1-12. Of course for littles, you could just have them knock them all down.
Reflections of the past year and setting goals for the next year. You can find these in the printable activity bundle here.
Fireworks in a jar since we won't be seeing any real fireworks! A simple activity with just a mason jar, water, oil, and food coloring.
8:40 pm - Get some fancy drinks ready and maybe some popcorn. Get your noise makers, crowns, and party horns you made earlier today!
9:00 pm - Watch the ball drop and say Happy New Year! Then go straight to bed. Ha! If we're lucky. But maybe they will be so exhausted from all the fun that this won't be so hard.
9:00 - Watch the ball drop on Netflix or the east coast feed. Happy New Year!!
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When something is hanging up on a wall, they are required to stand or kneel and raise their arms often. This strengthens their muscles, especially their shoulders. These vertical activities also help with bilateral coordination (working with both hands), crossing the midline (reaching across the body), and it puts their wrist in the perfect position for the pencil grasp.
Felt boards, magnetic boards, or painting on an easel are all great vertical activities. Contact paper on a wall may be a lesser known activity, but so easy and inexpensive to set up. I will show you how to set up this invitation to make a Contact Paper Turkey that is a really fun craft for Thanksgiving.
Here is what you'll need:
Here is what you need to set it up:
Your toddler or preschooler will have so much fun making the turkey's face, filling in the turkey body, and adding feathers around the outside. Actually, my almost 7 year old really enjoyed it too! You can take the pieces off and start all over, or you can leave it up for a Thanksgiving decoration!
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]]>Get a group of friends together for some St. Patrick's Day themed food and fun! Everyone who comes will bring the supplies for one activity or snack (see my sign up sheet below). Then you will have several fun crafts and yummy food for a few hours of play. (I'm a believer that play dates are just as important for parents as they are for kids!)
(It seems it is always impossible to coordinate all nap times or after school activities, but try your best). Actually having it on St. Patrick's Day would be ideal, but this year that didn't work out for me. So we are having ours March 12 (the week before totally counts).
Here in California, it's usually nice enough to meet up at a park. But if you are somewhere where it's too cold for outdoors, you could still do this at a house.
I have put together a sign up sheet with a list of 6 different activities and 6 snacks! You are welcome to use it to organize your play date with your group of friends! The activities would work for toddlers, pre-schoolers, and young elementary aged children. The amount of parent participation would just vary! And don't worry - you don't need 12 people to make this happen. That is just so you have plenty of options to choose from! If just 2 people come - one snack and one activity, you will have a great time! Of course, my list is not the end all, be all. Add different crafts or snacks to it if you wish!
Just make sure to make a copy of the document (File > Make a Copy) for your personal use, or you may end up planning a play date with people all over the country!
Also, make you sure you click the blue share button in the top right corner of your new document. Otherwise, other people won't be able to see it. Then click Get Shareable Link in the top right of the pop up box and set it to "Anyone with this link can edit". Everyone will be able to type into it from a computer, but they will need the app to type in it from a phone.
Copy and paste the link in an email to send to all your friends.
Cheers to spending time with friends and screen-free activities!
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