Using rice for sensory play is fun and educational. Rice play can help children develop their many senses and it teaches them lots about the world they live in. Babies especially love it and it is usually a product that is found at the back of the pantry! […]
Foot Prints
Time pass too quickly and I’m holding on to every moment for as long as I can. This Christmas I decided to give family members a gift that would allow them to look back and remember how small Possum was when they received the gift. What better way than with foot prints. You will […]
2012 Highlights
As the year comes to a close I start to reflect on all the great activities and ideas that I’ve been able to post to you in 2012. It was tough to whittle it down to a select few. What has been a favourite for you? Colouring Rice http://laughingkidslearn.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/colouring-rice.html Milk Bottle http://laughingkidslearn.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/milk-bottle-rackets.html Cold Spaghetti http://laughingkidslearn.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/cold-spaghetti.html […]
Birthday Cake
Since pink was a running theme for the day I decided to make shades of the colour and hoped it would be effective when cut on the day. It was either going to make me sink or swim. Fortunately it was a massive hit and I’m glad I did it. I basically baked three cakes. […]
Ice Painting
It’s so exciting that the weather where we live is warming up. On days like this I start thinking about all the things we can do outdoors. Possum enjoys using finger paint, however, I thought I’d try freezing coloured water blocks and allow her to paint with those. This is a great activity because it […]
Books for Babies – INDESTRUCTIBLES
People often email and ask me to recommend books, especially for babies. Hands down you can not go past INDESTRUCTIBLES. Indestructible books are the perfect way to allow babies to experience books (sighting pictures, words and turning of pages) in a way they understand. They are TEAR-PROOF, CHEW-PROOF and WATERPROOF (aka drool). I love and […]
Edible Finger Paint
I love being creative and I especially love when I can get my little Possum creative too. This type of paint is wonderful because it’s non-toxic, unlike those that claim to be but still include weird numbers in the ingredients. So let’s make our own EDIBLE FINGER PAINT!!!!! ____________________ Making your own finger paint can […]
Reflections
Babies and young children love to look at themselves in the mirror. Possum in particular! You’d be pleased to know that this pleasure has many great developmental benefits. When a baby looks at their reflection it helps them to do the following – * teaches them how to focus on objects * tracking images * […]
Peek-A-Boo!
Little games of peek-a-boo are wonderful for babies. It engages them and entertains them while teaching them much about the world around them. It’s hard to imagine but this is what learning they gain from the experience. Learning achieved –* When you disappear you will reappear* Repartition* Patterning, which helps with understanding of predictability* Interpreting […]
Blanket Hammock
This is an activity that Possum has enjoyed since the first few weeks of life. Simply place your little one of their back and with the assistance of another adult, grab the corners of a blanket and gently raise the baby off the ground. If your baby seems to enjoy the experience then you like […]
Spaghetti Play
Children of all ages love to get involved in spaghetti play. You can simply colour the wonderful long strands or simply leave them uncoloured. Babies particularly love this type of play and parents don’t have to be too worried if they put it in their mouth as it’s all completely edible! Honestly, there really is so much learning […]
Magic Trick for Babies
Here is a simple activity that babies will love! All you need is an empty tissue box (or similar) and some long pieces of material which you can feed in. I suggest feeding the material in bits at a time, rather than as a scrunched up ball, as it will pull out better for baby […]
DIY Bubble Mixture
It’s true that bubble mixture isn’t expensive or hard to find, however, what your kids miss out on is process of making it themselves! It’s very easy and has only a few ingredients. What you need – * Dishwashing liquid *Water *Glycerol (from the Chemist) I used […]
Bubbles
Who doesn’t love the grace and beauty of bubbles? They are absolutely captivating and it’s almost a natural response to pop a few. Bubbles are loved by all ages, especially newborns. We made the most of a few moments of sun to go outside and play with bubbles. Possum watched the bubbles until they suddenly […]
Laughing Kids Learn video
Here is a little clip of some children enjoying the activities from Laughing Kids Learn. I hope you enjoy watching it. Laughing Kids Learn video
Colouring Rice
Colouring rice to use as a sensory activity is brilliant. Children can become so creative and love the feeling of the rice gains running through their fingers. How to colour rice What you’ll need – *Uncooked rice (brown rice works too) *food colouring *sandwich bags *hand sanitizer (or white vinegar) […]
DIY Sensory Board for Babies
Here are the instructions on how you can make your own DIY sensory board for babies. I encourage you do make one of these yourself, your little ones will love it! Providing our little ones with rich sensory learning experiences is so important. The good news is that it’s also really very easy to make your own […]
Posting activity for baby
Children love to look inside things and discover new areas. It’s a natural curiosity. This posting activity for baby activity allows them to do just that. All you need are a few household items. Possum loves it! Begin with a clean 3L milk bottle. Carefully remove the spout and check for any sharp edges. […]
Discovery Bowl
I decided to create a simple treasure bowl for Possum. Basically I went around the house looking for safe and interesting objects that I could use for creative play. I threw them all into a bowl and watched as Possum she examined each items one at a time. It was thrilling to see her banging […]
Glitter Discovery Bottle
Discovery bottles are wonderful and give babies lots of pleasure. They develop a greater understanding of weight and co-ordination by simply holding the object. They are incredibly easy to make and cost very little. Here is how to do it – First, find a bottle that is small in size and would be easy enough for a […]
Peek-a-Boo!
PEEK-A-BOO Peek-a-boo games can be giggle producing favourites. Possum absolutely loves it! I read that from about 5 months of age babies are beginning to understand that things continue to exist even when they are out of sight. Here is my sister playing Peek-a-boo with Possum. “Where has Aunty gone?” “Boo! There she is”. Of […]
Playing Ball with Babies
Possum is at the age that she is starting to sit up somewhat independently. I’m still not comfortable with allowing her to sit without support behind her because it became clear that when she had had enough of sitting she would launch herself backwards. Argh! So I started to become inspired to think up a […]