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I’ve been dying to let Sofie play with play dough but she just puts everything in her mouth! So finally I found a recipe for some taste safe play dough to try.
3 Jumbo Marshmallows (or 6 large ones)
1/4 of corn starch
1 tsp coconut oil
Mix marshmallows corn starch and oil in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in with food coloring and kneed!
Today for our arts and crafts activity we did a little painting. Because Sofie’s only 1, I wanted to do this mess free to keep the house clean for once. So I opted for the painting inside a plastic bag instead of finger pairing today. I think her little master piece came out great! Plus it was super simple to set up and clean up. The only problem we ran into was Sofie wanting to bite the plastic bag facepalm.
So I was searching all around for a great Valentines Day activity for Sofie and then staring at the empty shipping box on the calendar it hit me! I could use bobs and buttons and containers around the house to make her a little activity sensory center. Then I decided to call it the little love machine!
If you want to recreate this one, here are the materials I used. But really you can find empty containers for just about anything! It was so fun just rummaging around the house to see what we could find.
Happiest baby food pouch
Happiest baby snacks lid
Honest company wipes lid
Jar of jam lid
Red and Pink ribbon
A small box
A medium sized box
Velcro Patches
Sofie was so excited when we were just getting started. She loves turning the nobs on the Love Machine! I made these by poking a hole in the box and then inserting an empty baby food patch through the inside. Make sure you poke it all the way through so that the lid will screw on completely. She absolutely loves taking these on and off and over and over again.
I added some snacks to the little cubby to encourage her not to eat the parts of the machine itself. It definitely kept her little mouth occupied while her mind was busy playing with all of the nobs and buttons.
I started out by letter her play with it in her high chair, but the box was a little bit too big for her to really play with everything. So then we moved down to the floor.
How perfect are these little wipe container tops! I know you can make these peek-a-boo lids into a great activity. I had some photos recently printed so I just grabbed those, cut them out, and put them in behind. A little hot glue and voila! She kept trying to feed the photo of Milo but giving him snacks and then closing the lid. It was hysterical!
This little Valentine’s Day Love Machine activity turned out to be the perfect size! Sofie was able to carry the box around the room, pick it up, set it down and keep playing.
Looking for more fun Valentine’s Day Activities or Gifts? Check out these best-selling games and coloring PostCards.
Today it was rainy outside so we couldn’t go for our typical walk to the park. So I was noodling around on what to do and decided to try out this rainbow noodle sensory bin! It’s so hard to find activities to keep a one year old entertained — especially when she puts everything in her mouth. So food based seemed like a safe way to get messy and have some fun. I had to make a few adjustments to the recipe since I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand but it all seemed to work out fine.
I love how simple this was too make — I plopped Sofie in a high chair and fed her lunch front of the stove while cooking the noodles. Here’s what you need ingredients wise:
noodles (I used spiral but you can also use spaghetti
food coloring
a few drops of oil
a sensory tub or bowl
Talk about mama multi-tasking! So I boiled the noodles real quick and then drained them and rinsed them in cold water. This brought them down to room temperature quickly so that I could get started on the coloring.
So I only had a few food coloring colors on hand so I had to improvise because I wanted to make a full rainbow. I started with the colors I had - 1 drop of oil to help coat the noodles and 1 drop of coloring. I pour 3 scoops of noodles into each plastic bag and then handed them off to Sofie to mix them up. Just playing with the noodles inside the plastic bags was a great sensory experience.
for one year olds, it’s so hard to find activities that are safe for them to put in their mouths. So I was glad this was something that kept her preoccupied. For the yellow, orange and green I used turmeric to get the colors based on what I had. Blue and yellow mixed to make green. Red and yellow mixed to make orange. They weren’t perfect, but came out close enough. :P
It took her a while to get the noodles coated and mixed so I lended a hand on that part. She loved squishing and squashing the noodles and I will admit I enjoyed it too!
It’s important to take the noodles out of the bags and let them dry before you play with them so that the food coloring doesn’t dye yours hands or stain your clothes. But if you let them dry out too much, they become sticky rather than smooth and slippery.
I left them out to dry on a baking sheet with a paper towel to absorb the food coloring. These sensory noodles were so enticing Sofie was having a hard time resisting the urge to touch them! But soon enough, it was her nap time and we let them dry while she slept.
When she woke up from her nap we got dressed and took the noodles outside to our sensory table to play.
I love doing sensory activities outdoors and parking them with concepts were working on learning. So we grabbed our Goodnightfoxstudio.etsy.com weather flash cards and bugs flashcards and talked about rainbows, rain, and the bugs that it brings to our porch.
Then it was time to dig into the noodles. At first Sofie was a little hesitant— she picked a few noodles out rather than diving all in. She definitely snagged a few to snack on! But that’s what’s great about edible sensory activities, I guess.
As she began to explore, she plucked out some noodles and threw them on the floor. She walked around with others. It was so fun to watch her use the noodles in ways I was completely surprised by!
Some she enjoyed eating and some she enjoyed stomping on!
Then we snagged our rainbow flash cards and started talking about rainbow colors. We repeated them all - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple — and matched them up with the noodle colors.
Eventually Sofie dug into the bin of noodles and mixed them all up! Several made their way to the floor — only to be eaten by Milo later on that day. Look how fun the colors look all blended together!
Major spillage happening here! But this is why I enjoy sensory play outdoors. I don’t have to freak out about the mess or getting food coloring on the counter tops. It’s a great way to make the experience carefree for everyone. And it’s super clean up friendly.
My favorite part was watching Sofie find fun places to stick the noodles. She found holes in the aderondack chair on our porch and enjoyed going back and forth to the table to grab noodles to poke through the holes.
Looking for more awesome rainbow activities? Check out these awesome memory games, color flashcards, and weather flashcards.
My daughter’s first birthday was this winter and I was so excited to use the Arctic Animals from GoodnightFox to throw her a fabulous little winter frozen themed party! I loved the idea of using the blues, which would make it perfect for a boy’s party too, but I added in some soft lavenders to kick the girly-ness up a notch. I absolutely loved all of the details of this party from balloons and cake, to cupcakes and even presents wrapped to match. Here are all of the small businesses I shopped along the way to make this party a success!
Balloons by Soiree Love
Cake by The Cake Shop
Cupcake toppers by GoodnightFox
Invitations by GoodnightFox
Party Flag by GoodnightFox
Die Cut Snowflakes by Hobby Lobby
Party Dress by Liz’s Little Boutique
Photography by Indu Huynh Photography
Use code FRIENDS15 for 15% off your order at https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodnightFoxStudio?coupon=FRIENDS15
After COVID, we had to move from a nanny share to a home day care situation for our 1 year old. I wanted a play space that was both fun, but also calming. Fortunately, we had already been gifted a lot of toys and books, so it was really just a matter of organizing our small guest room into a play space with some toy storage. I opted for these Aspect Modular cabinets because they can be reused as bookshelves in her bedroom later on. Her auntie gifted her this adorable ball pit which brings fun to the space but not too many wild colors. And I found an adorable shop on Etsy for this pikkler triangle, rock wall, and bridge set. Here’s what I put together — and after sharing it, everyone was dying to know where these pieces were from. So here are the links:
Use code FREINDS15 for 15% off your order at https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodnightFoxStudio?coupon=FRIENDS15
This gift list is perfect go to gifts for your 1 year old girl. Perfect for learning gross motor skills, matching, letters, and numbers. Get her the toys that will help her learn and engage with the world in new ways. Montessori-inspired, these gifts bring a natural, clean modern feel to your home.
Use code FREINDS15 for 15% off your order at https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodnightFoxStudio?coupon=FRIENDS15
Searching for the perfect gift for your favorite toddler? A first birthday is such an important milestone, you want to find something that’s unique, but also thoughtful and meaningful. This gift guide has my top 10 all time favorite gift finds for first birthdays. Add them to your baby’s Amazon Wishlist or check them out directly. And an added bonus is they’re all under $30 and from great small shops on Etsy! Perfect for baby’s first birthday, you’re going to love this lift of toddler gifts for your little boy or girl.
Soft Block by Little Cozy Fox - $22.00
Ice Cream Baby Rattle by The Fox in the Attic - $18.02
Playdough Mat by The Blissful Nest Shop - $12.99
Wooden Name Puzzle by Busy Puzzle - $10.90
Magnet Fishing Game by Maisie Taylor Designs - $22.50
Alphabet Flashcards by Goodnight Fox - $20.00
Stacking Rocks by Rock Block Shop - $22.99
Popsicle Chalk by The Brilliant Chalk Company - $10.00
Memory Game Cards by Goodnight Fox - $12.00
Montessori Number Board by Three Wood Shop - $29.99
Calling all rubber ducky fans! Whether you love little baby chickens or furry little ducklings, today is all about the little yellow chicks. These 5 chick activities for kids are a great way to bond and have some fun as part of the 50 Day Animal Safari Adventure. We’re nearing the end of farm week, so stay tuned for even more fun as we continue our adventure.
Fun Fact: A male duck is called a drake, a female duck a hen, and a baby duck a duckling.
Craft: Chick Finger Puppet
Snack: Chicks & Crackers
Game: Lucky Duck
Activity: Rubber Duck Sensory Mat
Reflection: Ducks float calmly on the surface of the water, but underneath, they are paddling energetically. When was a time you felt energetic on the inside, but tried to remain calm on the surface?
Bonus: Rubby Ducky Bath Book
Pro Tips: Farm week is an excellent opportunity to discuss with your kiddos how are food is sustainably raised and produced. Interesting topics of discussion include: where do fruits & vegetables come from? What is harvest season? Where does meat come from and different types of eating preferences (vegan, vegetarian, etc.)?
Start off with this super fun and super simple craft! These adorable chick finger puppets by iheartcraftythings.com are sure to make your kiddo smile. Pair them with your favorite nursery rhyme like 5 Little Ducks or Old MacDonald and spark some imaginary play.
This one is perfect for the picky eaters! All you need is crackers, cheese, carrots, and lettuce. Cut the cheese into circles and cut the carrots into two circles, two triangles, and six sticks. Lay them out on a bed of lettuce and you have the perfect chick snack by hellowonderful.co for the afternoon!
There are so many ways to play this game, it’s perfect for all ages! All you need is a set of rubber ducks and tub of water. From match game (draw letters/numbers on the bottom) to win a prize (writer “winner” on the bottom), you can adapt this game for hours of fun. To make it harder, twist hooks into the top of each duck and use string and a paperclip to go fishing!
This sensory activity from happytoddlerplaytime.com is a great way to play without the mess. Simply cut lily pad shapes out of green craft foam and add them to a ziplock bag filled with water (use blue food coloring for added effect!). Use blue painters tape to tape the edges to the floor and voila! Let the rubber duckies bounce and play.
Bath time is a great time to bond and learn — it’s a full on sensory experience! You can celebrate the duck theme by enjoying this awesome bath book and toy set together.
Don’t forget to reflect on everything you’ve learned while you were quacking around today! Ducks float calmly on the surface of the water, but underneath, they are paddling energetically. When was a time you felt energetic on the inside, but tried to remain calm on the surface?
Did you enjoy this cow themed activity day? Send us a photo with your feedback on instagram @worklifekids and @goodnightfox
Your little Peppa Pig lovers are going to love this pig themed day! Get ready for some oinks and rolling around in the mud because us little piggies love to get dirty!
Fun Fact: Did you know that like humans, pigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals.
Craft: Cotton Ball Pig
Snack: Pig Sandwich
Game: This Little Piggy MadLib
Activity: Three Little Pigs Story Activity
Reflection: Pigs symbolize luck and good fortunate. Recall a time when you felt lucky — what made you feel lucky and why?
Bonus: Play Stinky Pig
Pro Tips: Farm week is an excellent opportunity to discuss with your kiddos how are food is sustainably raised and produced. Interesting topics of discussion include: where do fruits & vegetables come from? What is harvest season? Where does meat come from and different types of eating preferences (vegan, vegetarian, etc.)?
Today’s the day to get down and dirty in the mud with the piggies! So put on some clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and buckle up for some piggy fun starting with this cute little cotton ball craft. All you need is some cotton balls, paint, and a pink pipe cleaner and you’re good to go! You can find the details from housingaforest.com, but you don’t really need instructions for this one, just start with a paper plate base and get crafty!
If you’re feeling extra artsy today, this little pig sandwich is the perfect way to incorporate lunch into your little piggy day. This one looks super cute and it’s super easy. All you need is some lunch meat, lettuce, cheese, a circle cookie cutter and a food safe black marker. Simply cut a circle out of the bread and the ham. Cut a smaller circle and two ovals for ears. Draw two dots for eyes, two lines for the nose, and a little smile!
Download and print this GoodnightFox printable MadLib and challenge yourself to complete the This Little Piggy nursery rhyme MadLib. For older kids, put on a timer and challenge them to complete it in under 60 seconds!
This kid’s activity from skiptomylou.org is a great way to make your favorite nursery rhyme interactive. Who doesn’t love the Three Little Pigs?! Bring it to life with this interactive story time activity that you can download and print. All you need is some empty toilet paper rolls!
If you need a little humor to lighten things up, check out this Stinky Pig Game. It’s a ton of fun, sure to give everyone those big belly laughs, and of course gets amazing reviews on Amazon.
Don’t forget to reflect on everything you’ve learned while you were making a mess today! Pigs symbolize luck and good fortunate. Recall a time when you felt lucky — what made you feel lucky and why?
Did you enjoy this cow themed activity day? Send us a photo with your feedback on instagram @worklifekids and @goodnightfox
Have a shop that specializes in baby gifts? I'd love to feature your shop and products in one of my weekly roundups. Email me at goodnightfoxstudio@gmail.com.
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