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Soft and silky play dough for kids using 2 ingredients

Silky and stretchy playdough

February 11, 2014 by Kate 175 Comments

I’m very excited to share with you how to make silky and stretchy playdough. It’s wonderfully soft, much like touching a cloud, and can be super stretchy for added fun for the kids. You also only need to use 2 ingredients to make it so it’s really easy.   Possum (aged 2.2 years) loves playdough and will often request […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, featured, Fine Motor, Making, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: fine motor, play dough, playdough, recipe

Invitation to play, create and learn

Invitation to Play and Create

February 7, 2014 by Kate 34 Comments

Here is an invitation for children to play and create. You can use common household items, various pieces purchased at a discount store and include some wonderful homemade play dough. Setting up an invitation to play and create for kids is a fabulous way to engage them in creative play and experimentation.   Suggested age : 6 […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Fine Motor, Making, Playdough

Colour sorting activity for toddlers

January 31, 2014 by Kate 11 Comments

Here is a fun and educational colour sorting activity for toddlers that can easily be done at home or in a classroom environment! It has been the last few weeks that I’ve really noticed that Possum (aged 2) showing a greater interest in the colours of objects. She will often blast out with, “that’s green” […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, Numeracy Tagged With: activity, color, colour, contact paper, fun, grouping, learning, sorting, teaching, toddler, toddlers

Toddler activity decorating fans for Chinese New Year.

Decorating Fans for Chinese New Year

January 23, 2014 by Kate 7 Comments

Craft activity for kids in decorating fans for Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is an important Chinese holiday the begins on January 31st and runs over many days. I’m sad to say that I’ve never experienced the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations, although it is on my list of things to do. Splashes of […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Celebrate, Paint, Uncategorized Tagged With: 2014, art, chinese new year, fans

Scented sensory rice

Aussie scented sensory rice

January 17, 2014 by Kate 22 Comments

Australia is very well known for our cuddly koalas, kangaroos and squeaky clean beaches. As a nod to my Aussie love, I chose to make some unique Aussie scented sensory rice for play and exploration. Australia is one of the largest countries in the entire world, we even have our own continent. More than that, […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, Celebrate, featured, Sensory Play, Uncategorized Tagged With: Aussie, Australia Day, sensory play

Clapping Sticks

Aboriginal Clapping Sticks

January 13, 2014 by Kate 19 Comments

There is so much about Australia that I love, however, I have always been interested in the beautiful art of our indigenous Australians . With this in mind I thought it might be fun for Possum and I to make our own version of the traditional musical instruments called clapping sticks.    Suggested Age: 2 years + You will […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Art & Craft, Celebrate, Fine Motor Tagged With: music, painting, play, sticks

Cherry Blossom Paper Lanterns

January 7, 2014 by Kate 15 Comments

It’s hard to believe that another year has past and we are well and truly in the throws of 2014. I’m predicting an exciting year with new improvements to Laughing Kids Learn and even more wonderful activities you can do with your children at home.       Cherry Blossom Paper Lanterns   One activity […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft, Celebrate, Fine Motor

Create a Christmas Scene with Rice

December 16, 2013 by Kate 1 Comment

Christmas is such a visual time of year. It brings joy to my heart to see lights appear on indoor Christmas trees at night and community decorations make their yearly show on telephone poles and shop front windows.  Here is a great activity that you can do with children. Using coloured rice (tutorial can be […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft, Christmas, Fine Motor, Sensory Play

Christmas playdough and cookie cutters

December 12, 2013 by Kate Leave a Comment

  Christmas time is such a wonderful time of year and it’s nice to be able to break free a few seasonal cookie cutters that have been hiding at the back of my over packed cooking utensil draw.    Each year I try and bake some cookies for friends and family but this year I […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Christmas, Playdough, Sensory Play

Mess free Christmas sensory activity for kids. Playing with Santa snot will have them in fits of laughter.

Santa Snot

December 8, 2013 by Kate 3 Comments

Lets be honest, kids love things just that bit gross and disgusting, so for a bit of fun get them to have fun with some Santa snot. It’s a mess free sensory activity that will have them in fits of laughter.    Let’s be honest, kids love to play and experiment with things we might […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, Christmas, Fine Motor

Decorating shoes

December 5, 2013 by Kate 1 Comment

You may remember that a little while ago we made some glow in the dark shoes. They were super popular with those who follow the blog, and so I thought I’d share a type of shoe decorating that the little ones would love just as much!   I love gift giving and here is a […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Fine Motor, Gift Idea, Making

Milk Carton Christmas Ornaments

December 3, 2013 by Kate 3 Comments

  There is a real air of excitement around this coming Christmas Day. Possum will have turned 2 years old and its already becoming very clear to us that she is quickly working out what all the fuss is about.     She loved helping her daddy bring our Christmas tree to life (yes, it’s fake) […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Christmas

Invitation to explore wrapping paper and introduce the concept of ‘area’

December 2, 2013 by Kate Leave a Comment

  It has only just ticked over to December and we are already enjoying the thrill of gift giving and receiving. Of course that means that we are also swimming in lots of gift wrapping paper! LOL    As usual, I find it hard to simply throw out the scraps of paper that can simply […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Christmas, Numeracy

How to make a window sandwich

November 25, 2013 by Kate 6 Comments

Who wouldn’t enjoy eating one of these adorable window sandwiches?  They are so easy to make and perfect for lunch or to take to a children’s birthday party.  You will need –  2 pieces of bread 2 cookie cutters of the same shape but different size 1 tbsp butter or spread topping Simply begin by […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, Cook, Party, Recipes

healthy bite recipe for toddlers

Healthy bite recipe toddlers can make!

November 25, 2013 by Kate 29 Comments

There are a few things that I want Possum (22 months) to really value in life and one is her health and the importance of healthy eating. It can be so hard to instil in children, especially when we find ourselves exposed to so much highly processed foods.    Now don’t get me wrong, I […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, Cook, Recipes Tagged With: cooking, healthy, recipe, toddler

Tinsel Playdough

November 21, 2013 by Kate 2 Comments

I love the shiny sparkle that comes with Christmas tinsel. It only seemed like a great idea to add it to some lovely white playdough and have Possum enjoy it as a great sensory experience. Give tinsel playdough a try.   I just love the gorgeous, colourful stands of shiny tinsel that gets used at […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Christmas, Making, Playdough Tagged With: Christmas, play dough, recipe

DIY chalk rake

October 31, 2013 by Kate 24 Comments

Children love chalk and so here is a unique way they can draw with it. Why not make a DIY chalk rake that they can use to draw and write with. It’s also a great way for children to build their upper body strength and get creative.    Drawing with chalk would have to be […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft Tagged With: chalk, drawing, literacy, writing

Exploring Tin Foil

October 23, 2013 by Kate 15 Comments

  Process vs product So what does that mean? It basically boils down to placing a greater value on the experience a child achieves rather than the actual finished product.    We can often get caught in the trap of asking children to complete an activity in order to reach a final product. Instead, we […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft, Fine Motor, Sensory Play

Colour Sorting Activity using Envelopes

Colour Sorting Activity for Toddlers

October 14, 2013 by Kate 20 Comments

Here is a fabulous colour sorting activity for toddlers that you can do simply at home. Children can be so incredibly curious and will often test and experimenting from a very early age.    I love this approach to learning because –  it can be used to teach across all areas of a curriculum (maths problems, […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Fine Motor, Literacy, Numeracy

Share It Saturday – 10 educational and creative preschool activities

October 11, 2013 by Kate 3 Comments

I don’t really remember much about my days as a preschooler and I certainly don’t remember doing activities as brilliant as those I’m about to show you as part of my weekly ‘Share It Saturday’ collection.  I decided on sharing the following posts as I felt they suited the preschool environment well and were educational, […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, Share It Saturday

Bubble Painting with a DIY Wand

October 8, 2013 by Kate 14 Comments

Here is a sensational activity that you can do with your children at home. It’s Bubble Painting with a DIY Wand!! I saw this on an episode of ‘Play School‘, which is a long running educational children’s program in Australia, and knew I had to give it a go with Possum. We had such a terrific […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft

Chalk Rake

Chalky Paint for Sensory Play

September 26, 2013 by Kate 7 Comments

I recently came across a terrific post about sidewalk chalk by ‘Growing A Jeweled Rose’ that was a liquid consistency! Who knew such a thing existed? Of course before I know it I’m in the kitchen whipping up myself some in different colours and heading down to the local school with hubby and Possum both bracing […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft, Paint, Recipes, Sensory Play Tagged With: chalk, feature, paint, sensory

Tugging Box

DIY tugging box for fine motor development

September 23, 2013 by Kate 119 Comments

I’m thrilled to share with you my DIY tugging box for fine motor development.    Give a toddler a box of tissues or baby wipes and you can be sure that within seconds they end up all over the floors. I know you know what I’m talking about – hahaha. It is part of a […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, featured, Fine Motor, Sensory Play

DIY Sensory Activity with easy home set up

September 11, 2013 by Kate 12 Comments

  Here is a super simple activity that takes seconds to set up at home, is fun, engaging and brilliant for sensory awareness.          Quite often sensory experiences are designed for children to use with their hands. I think it’s important not to forget that children can learn so much about sensory […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, Sensory Play

DIY Nature Sensory Board

September 5, 2013 by Kate 11 Comments

He is how to make your own sensory board using items found from nature.  It’s an exciting time of year here in Australia as the seasons are really starting to change from winter to spring. It is times like these that our family seem to take more notice of our garden and what to be […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, activities for babies, Natural Materials, Sensory Play

Painting with Bubble Wands

September 2, 2013 by Kate 22 Comments

Painting with children is lots of fun and especially when it’s done with bubble wands!  Such a unique and fun learning experience for children and the creative markings look great!      Possum’s current obsession at the moment is with bubbles. Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles! We usually make our own bubble solution. I love how she […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Art & Craft, Paint

Decorating golf balls for father’s day gift

August 29, 2013 by Kate

Decorating golf balls for father’s day gift is a simple way to get little kids involved. These decorated golf balls will dramatically improve any golfers swing and the receiver will work hard to remain on the green and keep forever. Ha!  Decorating Golf Balls for Fathers Day Gift It is almost Father’s Day here in Australia. […]

Filed Under: 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Art & Craft, Celebrate, Father's Day, Fine Motor, Gift Idea Tagged With: Father's Day, gift, preschool, toddler

Painting with Kitchen Scrubbers

August 14, 2013 by Kate 11 Comments

    I was visiting my local Daiso store where everything you see is $2.80. You can imagine how strangely thrilled I was to see a pack including three kitchen cleaners, which included a sponge, soap-free scourer and bristle brush for next to nothing in price.   Sure, some people would use these in the […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art, Art & Craft, Paint, Play, Sensory Play Tagged With: art, paint, painting, toddler

Fun Activity for Kids using Wool

August 9, 2013 by Kate 34 Comments

  Here is a fun activity for kids using wool! It will work with kids of any age. In the past I’ve used contact paper and leaves, as well as contact and tissue paper but here is something a little different but just as much fun if not more!   It was in my local craft store that […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, 3 - 5 years, Art, Art & Craft, Fine Motor, Sensory Play Tagged With: activity, baby, contact paper, toddler

Mess Free Painting with Kids

July 21, 2013 by Kate 67 Comments

    I absolutely love painting with Possum but, lets face it, the thought of cleaning it all up can be a little off putting at times. So here is a great activity that is mess free painting with kids, which is easy for you to set up and your children will absolutely love!     Materials […]

Filed Under: 0 - 12 months, 1 - 3 years, Art, Art & Craft, Paint, Sensory Play Tagged With: mess free, painting, toddlers

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Welcome
Hello and welcome!
My name is Kate and I am a mum to two little girls, Possum and Boo. We have lots of fun together learning with play at home and are pleased to share some of what we do with you.
Read my about page to find out more.

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