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20 Easter Sensory Bins Kids Will Love

April 10, 2017 by Danielle

With Easter upon us, and many being out of school this Friday, I thought it’d be fun to share this incredible – and colorful – list of 20 Easter Sensory Bins Kids Will Love. Aren’t they cute? Now if your kids need a little sensory fun this week, you’ve got a whole list to look to for ideas!

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There’s so many great ideas for fun Easter sensory bins, from bunny tails to eggs, carrots to flowers. Kids will also love the bright colors and rainbows in many of these, making for a fun time for them – and probably some free time for you!

Fun at Home with Kids – Rainbow Easter Egg Hunt Sensory Bin

Gift of Curiosity – Easter Sensory Bin

Life Over C’s – Matching Easter Eggs Sensory Bin

Tricolor Easter Grass

Modern Preschool – Bunny Tail Sensory Bin

Natural Beach Living – Spring Time Easter Sensory Bin

Pre-K Pages – Colorful Bunny and Egg Sensory Bin

Bunny, Carrot, and Chick Fillable Easter Eggs

Things to Share and Remember – Easter Egg Water Sensory Bin

B Inspired Mama – Peas and Carrots Easter Sensory Bin

Simple Fun For Kids – Egg Carton Easter Sensory Bin

And Next Comes L – Easter Sensory Bin with Scented Water Beads

Stir The Wonder – Jelly Bean Sensory Bin

Teach Mama – Springtime Easter Sensory Bin with Egg Hunt

Hopping Wind Up Easter Chick and Bunny

The Dabbling Speechie – Easter Sensory Bin with Speech Therapy Activities

Fantastic Fun and Learning – Easter Sensory Bin with Foam Pieces

Le Baby Bakery – Easter Chick Farm Sensory Bin

Playing House in Maryland – Easter Sensory Bin Using Colored Pasta

Growing Hands on Kids – Easter Sensory Bin with Easter Grass, Cookie Cutters, and Plastic Eggs

And Next Comes L – Easter Bunny Sensory Bin

Stir The Wonder – Easter Egg Counting Game Sensory Bin

Danya Banya – Fake Flowers and Easter Eggs Sensory Bin

23 Easy to Make Easter Chick Crafts

March 27, 2017 by Danielle

With it being full-swing Easter & Spring season, our kids are loving all things Easter chicks and eggs and flowers and bunnies, so I knew they would love these 23 Easy to make Easter Chick Crafts. Some of these are so stinkin’ easy you won’t need to run to the craft store for supplies! (Especially if your house is anything like ours – always well stocked for lots of little crafter hands.)

There were so many amazing ideas out there that it was a hard time narrowing it down to a few favorites. Seriously though, how cute are the little chicks made from cups and construction paper? They take me back to grade school all over again. I can’t wait to get the kids busy crafting!

23 Easy to Make Easter Chick Crafts

1. Easy Chicken Crafts For Kids
2. Chicken Egg Cups. A Simple Upcycled Craft Idea
3. Chicken Surprise Peg Crafts
4. Chicken Pom Pom Art
5. Kids Craft Easter Baskets Chicken
6. Easter Chick Kids Craft
7. Foam Cup Chick
8. Simple Pom Pom Chicks
9. Easter Chick Craft Mason Jar
10. DIY Pom Pom Chick And Bunnies
11. Hatch An Easter Chick Easter Craft
12. Handprint Chicken
13. Easter Chick Egg Pudding Cup
14. Felted Wool Easter Chicks
15. Super Cute Easter Chick Walnut Nests
16. Hand Print Chicken Paper Plate Craft
17. Toilet Paper Roll Easter Craft Baskets Chicken
18. Paper Roll Chick
19. Spring Crafts For Kids Spring Chick Gift Box
20. Pop Spoon Chicks
21. Paper Plate Hand Print Chick
22. Hand Print Easter Chicks
23. DIY Pom Pom Chick And Bunnies

Which Easter Chick Craft would you make?

Mother’s Day Flower Photo Gift

March 23, 2017 by Danielle

I can’t believe it’s almost Mother’s Day – but I guess that happens with every holiday lately! Totally creeps up on me, then it’s gone in a blink. Luckily, this Mother’s Day Flower Photo Gift is adorable, fun and super simple to make! Plus, it’s the type of gift she’ll want to hold on to for a long time to come!

Mother's Day Flower Photo Gift / by BusyMomsHelper.com for ThirtyHandmadeDays.com

Originally shared on Thirty Handmade Days in April 2015.

Growing up, I thought that I had to go all-out for Mother’s Day, spending tons of money and loads of time creating something amazing. Guess what? It never meant as much as the simple things; things that held more memories or sentiment to them! Now that I’m a mom, I totally understand this! Now we focus on really special gifts that don’t take a ton of time or money….but that she’ll want to keep for a long while. This Mother’s Day Gift is perfect for that, so let’s get started!

Contains affiliate links that help keep this blog running. See our Disclosure.

Supplies

The free printable templates (found below)
Cupcake wrappers in color of choice (I use 5-8 per pic for layering/thickness)
Photo to cut for center
Tape (double-sided preferably)
Photo frame, if desired

Directions

Print out one of the Free Printable Templates by clicking these links: Tall Straight Stem in Pink or Blue. Sideways Stem in Pink or Blue. Each of these print 8×10 in size.
Use your tape (either double-sided, or fold over one-sided) to secure the first cupcake liner to the top of the flower stem.
Insert the rest of the liners one-by-one, using tape below to stick it to the bottom liners. I like to make sure the ridges don’t fit together perfectly, to add some fun dimension and texture to it.
Use the center circle of the liners to trace out your photo, then cut it out and tape to the center of the top liner.

That’s it! Now you have a beautiful Mother’s Day Photo Gift for her to display for all to see! A little tip – I found it easier to tape the liners on AFTER putting the print into a frame. If you want, you can put an initial or name in one of the corners to make even more personalized!

My kids had a lot of fun choosing their cupcake liner colors, so even THAT showed a bit of their personality in each framed print!

I know my mom is going to LOVE these special gifts from her grand-babies! Honestly, these would make a fun craft just for Spring, and a gift for anyone, really – gotta love flexibility, right?

Who would YOU give these special Flower Photo Gifts to?

Check out these other great posts that would be PERFECT for Mother’s Day!

Sweet Sunshine Sunflower – a little sweet with a lot of pretty!

Give her something EXTRA special with this Give Extra Gift Idea!

Make it super easy with this Mother’s Day Printable BUNDLE!

Easter Box Printables

March 6, 2017 by Danielle

With March going by so fast already, we’re starting to look towards Easter and all things Spring. One thing I love doing are fun printable boxes – you can fill them with candy or toys or notes, or just leave them empty and use them for decoration or a game. Either way, these Easter Box Printables are sure to be a cute addition to your season!

Contains affiliate links for your convenience. See our Disclosure for more info.

What makes these Easter boxes extra special is that they have stick-out ears on the bunnies and wings on the birds. Fun, right?! I think it adds just a little bit more to it, and the kids sure love it.

They print onto an 8.5×11 sheet of paper – I highly recommend cardstock to keep it more sturdy, and it cuts more cleanly on the edges.

I left them white – except the eyes, mouth/beak and wings/ears. That way you can use crayons, color pencils or markers to make it whatever color you desire! After all, Easter is full of bright colors, right?

Supplies

Downloadable printable (sign up for our newsletter to nab this & other great printables free)
Crayons, colored pencils or markers – if desired
Razor or Xacto knife
Tape
Stuff to fill inside the Easter box

Directions

Print off however many bunnies or chicks you’d like onto 8.5×11 sheets
Color as desired
Cut outside solid edges. Use a razor or ??? to partially cut out the wings and ears, then bend.
Fold along the dotted lines. Tape edges together so it folds into a box.
Fill with whatever you’d like, or leave empty for a fun decoration or toy!

See, super easy to put together – and my kids have loved using them as ‘figures’, towers, and so much more. The stand-out wings and ears take them to a whole new level of Easter fun!

15 Creative Ways to Trap Leprechauns

February 24, 2017 by Danielle

Grab the kids and get ready to trap a leprechaun! Really! These 15 Creative Ways to Trap Leprechauns are seriously one of my favorite posts to share of all time. They are a fantastic way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and unplug and get creative. (Did I mention it also helps you clear out that stash of leftover craft supplies? You moms know what I mean.) Below are 15 fantastic ideas to inspire you, but you can really make these with whatever you have.

Sit down with your kids and go through all 15 and pin your favorites, then grab that stash of leftover supplies and get building. But if you manage to trap a leprechaun, I get at least a little of the gold. 😉

1. How To Make A Leprechaun Trap [This Mama Loves]
2. St Patricks Day Kids Craft Leprechaun Trap [Fancy Shanty]
3. St Patricks Day Leprechaun Trap Box [B Inspired Mamma]
4. DIY Lucky Leprechaun Garden [This Mama Loves]
5. How to catch a Leprechaun [A Grand Life]
6. Leprechaun Bait [Mom On The Side]
7. Cerea Box Leprechaun Trap [Crafts By Amanda]
8. Leprechaun Hat Trap [All Because She Saved]
9. 10 Ways To Catch A Leprechaun [How Does She?]
10. Diy Leprechaun Lair [Smashed Peas And Carrots]
11. Coffee Can Leprechaun Trap [DLTK]
12. Lego Leprechaun Traps [Fun A Day]
13. DIY BOX Leprechaun Trap [Crafting Chicks]
14. Rainbow Leprechaun Trap [Club Chica Circle]
15. Interactive Leprechaun Trap [Modern Parent Messy Kids]

15 St. Patrick’s Day Items to Use in Play

February 23, 2017 by Danielle

St. Patrick’s Day is coming! Whether or not you’re hosting a class party or a leprechaun is planning a visit to your house, I’m betting you’re already starting to stockpile fun things for your kids. I don’t know about you, but after the holiday I like to reuse items in other ways or throw them in a container as extra toys and craft supplies the kids can pull from throughout the year. Today, I thought I’d bring to you some of our favorite items to save – 15 St. Patrick’s Day Items to Use in Play.

Contains affiliate links that help keep this blog up, at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure.

Below are our favorites, but the biggest lesson from this post is that just because something is holiday themed doesn’t mean that it has to be discarded afterwards! We put too much money into these things just to let them sit at the bottom of a box or get tossed out, am I right?

1. St Patricks Day Toy Assortment

2. The Night Before St Patricks Day

3. How To Catch A Leprechaun

4. St Patricks Day Shamrock Decorations

5. St Patricks Day Rubber Ducks

6. Pot of Gold Kettles

7. St Patricks Day Window Gel Clings

8. Leprechaun Loot

9. Glitter Paper Shamrock Cutouts

10. Leprechaun footprint Clings

11. Shamrock Glitter Stickers

12. St Patricks Day Cupcake Set

13. St Patricks Day Dress Up

14. St Patricks Day Bracelets

15. St Patricks Day Top Hat Craft

What do you do with your extra St. Patrick’s Day supplies and treats? Do you repurpose them like we do?

Saint Patrick’s Day Neighbor Gift + Printable

February 16, 2017 by Keri Houchin

Share a little luck with your neighbors this spring with a fun and easy Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I also created a cute printable tag that reads, “Our neighborhood is lucky to have you!”

I love the idea of a little leprechaun sneaking around leaving pots of gold on porches on St. Patrick’s Day. This is such a cute and fun way to surprise your neighbors.

You need just a few craft supplies and this free Saint Patrick’s Day printable to make this Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I made three versions of the tag – neighborhood, school, and blank so you can write your own message.

Supplies

paper mache pot (I found mine at JoAnns for $1.49.)
black chalk paint
paintbrush
black pipe cleaner
hot glue gun & glue
2 green ribbons, each about 24 inches long
St. Patrick’s Day printable (click to download)
chocolate coins or other candy

Directions

I started by painting the pot with the chalk paint. I painted two coats about halfway down the inside and all of the outside. Follow the directions on your paint.

Mine needed to dry an hour between coats and I let it dry completely overnight. I used an empty toilet paper tube to hold it up off of the newspaper while it dried.

Next, I used the hot glue to attach the pipe cleaner on the inside for a handle. This only needed to dry for a minute.

I cut the thin green ribbon and tied it to one end of the handle. I looped it through the tag, then wrapped the rest of it around the handle and tied it at the other end.

I then tied the thick green ribbon in a bow opposite from the tag and filled the pot with candy.

Don’t forget to add some treasure to your Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I found these chocolate coins at JoAnn too. If you have trouble finding them, rainbow candy like Skittles would be fun or anything wrapped in gold foil, like Rolos or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

If you don’t want to fill the whole container with candy, ball up some black tissue paper to fit in the bottom of the pot.

Download Printable HERE

Here are a few more spring printables you’ll love:

Printable spring bucket list

Printable spring break journal

Spring print and color bookmarks

Printable Conversation Heart Treat Containers

February 10, 2017 by Danielle

Remember those little candy hearts with the words on them we got while we were growing up? Turns out they’re called conversation hearts – I guess because they say something to you? I remember getting them in my little Valentine mail box at school, usually with a store bought Valentine’s Day card attached. You know the ones. This Valentine’s Day, I decided to bring back a little of that nostalgia with these fun Printable Conversation Heart Treat Containers.

Aren’t these adorable? I pass the real thing every year in the grocery store and honestly, I don’t think my kids know much about them. I guess they aren’t as popular as they once were, but they always put a smile on my face. The best part of these conversation heart treat containers is that I’m offering them to you as a free printable. Yep. That’s right, all you have to do is print these off and follow the easy directions on the page and voila! You have a fun, retro treat container for your valentine.

One quick tip: When printing, make sure you set it to “Fit to Page” in your print settings. If you don’t the rounded edge of the heart may get cut off depending on your printer.

I filled the ones I put together with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (a favorite of mine), but you could easily fill these with whatever candy your sweetheart prefers. There are four different colors and sayings so there’s a little something for everyone in your family or circle of friends.

Do you like conversation hearts? I know they might seem a little old fashioned, but they always put a smile on my face!

DOWNLOAD the four different style shere: One, Two, Three and Four

Superhero Girl Bookmarks for Valentine’s Day

February 7, 2017 by Danielle

We love any reason to geek out over here, so I jump at every opportunity to bring you some nerdy fun. Today, I’m sharing round two of some awesome superhero bookmarks – this time Superhero Girl Bookmarks for Valentine’s Day! You can see the first post here for the boy version and to get your free printable of those. I loved them so much, that I didn’t want the little ladies to be left out. And let’s face it, as a mom, I love to encourage reading whenever I can and if a superhero bookmark will do that, then I am all for it!

If you plan to give these to your kids for Valentine’s Day, I would suggest including a book from their favorite series and a piece of candy or two to round things out and you’ve got the perfect gift for Supergirl.

Just like the boy version, these are best printed on nice heavy-duty cardstock. I also added a fun ribbon accent for this version, but you certainly don’t have to if you don’t want to. (You could even put your own Supergirl in charge of decorating them once she’s done filling them out for her friends! 😉 )

If you’re concerned about durability, I would also suggest laminating them for a little extra oomph. (This would be a good idea if you’re gifting them to a teacher.)

Our Black Widow can’t wait to pass these Superhero Girl Bookmarks out to her friends at school – and personally, I like that it’s a nice non-candy Valentine option. You could even print a set of these and a set of the Superhero Boy Bookmarks and give them to the teacher as a fun classroom gift – maybe with a couple of new inexpensive books for the classroom? I know our kid’s teachers would love that.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Click the Image Below for the Boys Version

Heart Shaped Crayons for Valentine’s Day

February 5, 2017 by Danielle

If you’re a mom of littles, you know how important crayons are. And you also know that with crayons, come the crayon bits that are leftover. They get everywhere, am I right? Once the crayons aren’t brand new anymore, the kids just seem to leave them alone and want a shiny new box! Happens. Every. Time. Honestly, I hate wasting perfectly good crayons so I had to come up with a way to reuse them and I think the kids will love it! With a few simple supplies, you can make these fun Heart Shaped Crayons for Valentine’s Day.

Contains affiliate links that help keep this blog up, at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure.

I can’t wait to surprise my kids with these. They are so fun and it also means I won’t find bits of crayon ground into the flooring or stuck in pockets at laundry time. It’s a win win! 😉

What You’ll Needed

Crayons
Silicone Heart Mold

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 F.
Take paper off of crayons.
Break into small pieces. (Unless you’re like me and have tiny crayon pieces everywhere. 😉 )
Put 2 different crayon colors in each mold or mix a few different colors. Be creative – there are no rules here!
Place mold on cookie sheet and place in oven for about 5 minutes. Watch carefully and take them out when crayons are melted.
Let them cool completely, then pop crayons out of your mold.
You’re ready to color!

I love this project so much, that I’m even thinking ahead to stocking stuffers and classroom gifts! Since you can use any mold you like, these heart shaped crayons for Valentine’s Day can become turkey shaped for Thanksgiving, or elf shaped for Christmas. If you try it, tag me on Instagram so I can see your work!

Silly Monster Valentines

February 4, 2017 by Danielle

I don’t know about you, but growing up I remember going to the store before Valentine’s Day, scanning all the shelves full of Valentines to give to classmates and taking forever to pick out a favorite set. With the advent of Pinterest, I think things have gotten a little easier for modern day moms. Now we can just park our kids in front of the laptop and have them pick out a favorite set of (FREE!) Valentine’s Day cards to print out and label for their classmates. How awesome is that?! This year, I thought I’d add to the offerings and share with you this fun set of Silly Monster Valentines.

Contains affiliate links that help keep this blog running, at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure.

These will be great for our youngest kiddos, but I can see older kids getting a kick out of the silly monsters too! And, if I do say so myself, I really love how positive and friendly these turned out. The color scheme would be great for boys or girls too!

I’d recommend printing them out on some nice sturdy cardstock so they hold up while being transported to school in a backpack. (You mamas know what I mean!)

You could easily attach a lollipop in fun mystery flavors (we love Dum Dums!) to give these a little something extra! I hope your kids enjoy them.

Download & Print Your Silly Monster Valentines HERE

Valentine’s Day Gift Basket: Guess the Gift

February 2, 2017 by Danielle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyTuesdayValentine #CollectiveBias

I’m a big fan of gift baskets, especially for the holidays. For Valentine’s this year, I wanted to take it up a notch and make a game of it, so hubby doesn’t just get awesome gifts, but a fun activity together. Here’s how you can make your own Valentine’s Day Gift Basket: Guess the Gift game, then enjoy gifting it to a special someone!

Hubby’s really use to getting gift baskets – like the Superhero one we did for Father’s Day one year. This year, he’s got a whole different type of surprise – I’m making him guess what each gift in the basket is before opening them! And here’s the fun – things aren’t quite as they appear 😉 To start off, make sure you have all your gifts and wrapping/basket supplies together. I always grab some American Greetings tissue paper, gift wrap and stickers to make the gift look festive. And call me crazy, but I usually grab a couple of American Greetings cards to give hubby – there’s so many that are just perfect, in different ways, that I can’t choose!

This Valentine’s Day, I selected THREE cards to give him – a romantic, sweet one, a more playful one, and then a pop-up one because, guys, it’s a POP-UP! This year is extra special, as our 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY is right before Valentine’s Day. Yup, I’ve been married to this amazing man for 10 years, and he’s still my best friend & fellow partner in crime. After all he does for me, I want to show him how much I love him, and that he means more to me every year we spend together!

Now that you’ve got the perfect gifts and supplies, here’s where the fun comes in – find a variety of shapes and sizes of containers. Get creative – use things like pieces from a lunch box…

…..or empty chocolate box. Put things inside that wouldn’t normally be in that shape or size of package, making it more challenging for the recipient to guess what their gift is.

Since I love giving ‘date night’, I stuck money in a bunch of these packages – but I doubt he’ll ever guess this ‘boxed chocolates’ shaped box is a $5 bill!

For larger or awkward items, use your imagination. To give him this fun mug, I tied a bunch of socks around it first. It looks and feels JUST like a package of socks!

My favorite is that gift in the basket to the right…

…it may LOOK like a bottle of sparkling cider, but it’s really a new t-shirt! Here’s how to wrap it up….

The trick is just making sure the top is thinner than the long bottom – just like a bottle. After all this creative wrapping, you’ve got everything you need for a Valentine’s Day Gift Basket that will leave them guessing!

If you want, you can download and print off some fabulously festive printables from American Greetings, like this cute mobile/desktop wallpaper calendar that I printed off for my daughter’s locker, or the shopping list complete with tear-off ‘love notes’, or even the 8×10 Valentine’s Day frame-worthy quote to add a little decor to your home. And don’t forget the February calendar!

Since my folks will be visiting soon, I found an American Greetings card for my kiddos’ to give them – it’s the perfect combo of sweet, thoughtful and fun. It even comes with a magnet they can stick on their fridge to think of their grandkids!

And if you need some ideas for what to write in a Valentine’s Day Card, American Greetings has a great post here, so check it out. Be sure to check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest – as well as their own blog!