Christmas Treasure Basket

Here is the Treasure Basket I put together for Beatrix to explore Christmas! Like always, the items included are safe for little hands to explore.

What's inside:

A Christmas Teeny Beanie with jingle bells inside (not new, I have had him for quite a few years)

A clean and empty AE eggnog bottle (Beatrix LOVES eggnog)

3 crocheted snowflakes

A small wooden nativity

The always popular nutmeg-inside-a-ground-nutmeg-jar shaker/smelling jar

A plastic snow globe ornament

A sled ornament

A miniature stocking

and

A book about the true meaning of Christmas

I set the basket under the tree for her to discover and she was quite smitten. Her favorite object is the snow globe. There is no liquid inside - just glitter - but she loves to shake it and to crawl around with it in her hand. 

A Christmas Treasure Basket is a safe way for babies and toddlers to discover the different textures and shapes that come with Christmas. To make your own, simply gather up some non-breakable ornaments, and place them in a baby-safe container. For an older toddler, it would be fun to include a mini tree and some small ornaments to decorate it! For an Advent calendar twist, wrap one item for every day until Christmas and keep them in a separate basket. Let your child choose one item to unwrap and add to the basket each day! You could even have each item represent something significant - either about the Christmas story, or something to do with your family traditions, and talk about the meaning with your child. 

If you have never put together a Treasure Basket for your little ones, there is no better time than Christmas! 

Messy Monday: Homemade Finger Paint Artwork!

I have been wanting to try finger paints where I could actually keep the artwork Beatrix made. She is still exploring the world with her mouth, so I am not super comfortable with letting her use commercial paints. I found THIS RECIPE for non-toxic finger paint, so I decided to give it a go! Knowing exactly what was in it, and that everything was edible, made me feel a lot better about her getting her hands into it!

For the paint:

3 TBSP sugar
1/2 TSP salt
1/2 C cornstarch
2 C water
Food coloring

Combine all ingredients except food coloring in a small saucepan and warm on low heat while stirring until mixture begins to thicken. Pour into containers (one for each desired color) and add food coloring. Make sure the paint is not too hot before you start painting!

The first batch I made, I let it thicken too long and when I went to use it this morning, it was firm - almost like a rubbery play-dough. Thankfully it doesn't take long at all to stir up a batch, I just put Beatrix up on my back in the Tula and she watched!

You could do this on paper, but we did it on a canvas I had prepared, because I want to give it as a Christmas gift to someone. For the canvas, I painted it yellow, then when that was dry, I drew the design with pencil freehand and filled it in with tape. I would have used painters tape, but I didn't have any, so I used some washi tape. The color bled through slightly though, because it got wet, so just a warning there. I cut it in small pieces and really made sure there were no bubbles where paint could seep under. I pulled the tape off while the finger paint was still wet.

We used the paint basically right away, while it was still a little warm, since she already had her footie-pj's-turned-paint-smock on on top of her clothes and was itching to go.

First she just wanted to paint with the fork that I had stirred the paint with, but she switched to brushes, then her hands.

Then she painted her hands and my hand! It was most definitely a Messy Monday!

She accidentally spilled 2 of the pots of paint, thankfully it was thick enough that it didn't soak through the towel. I am not going to post the finished project, as it is a Christmas gift, but it turned out really cute! It did stain our hands, but I haven't tried that hard to wash it off yet. Based off past experiences, food coloring washes out after a bath pretty well. You could also use liquid watercolors, which are washable, just not quite as taste safe. She did try to put it in her mouth a couple of times, so I am glad we used a non-toxic recipe!

Kitchen Treasure Basket

Sorry for the absence last week, I was crazy busy getting ready for Beatrix's birthday and party. It is so hard to believe I have a one year old!

I put together this treasure basket right after Halloween, but I never got around to posting it. I thought a kitchen basket would be an appropriate nod to Thanksgiving

Whats in it:

• Assorted containers to stack
• Assorted kitchen utensils
• Some crumpled up aluminum foil for something new to explore

That is really about it. I added some things here and there, and took some things out (because I was tired of yogurt lids everywhere, and I needed the spatula) 

She didn't show as much curiosity about this basket as others. I am guessing that is because she has played with almost all of these objects before. But it still kept her busy!

This would be a great way to keep your kiddos entertained while cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Just throw some assorted kitchen items into a big pot and let them have at it while staying out of your hair (and the hot oven!)

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Messy Monday: Cupcake Pudding Paint!

It is hard to believe, but little Bea turns one this Friday! For her Birthday week Messy Monday activity (and since we skipped last week as Mr. Fish was on vacation) I thought we would make a big birthday mess!

 I made some vanilla instant pudding and poured it into a muffin tin. I added some food coloring to make each cup a different color. Right before play time I added some sprinkles for some extra birthday fun! I set a white cutting board on a sheet tray for her to paint and I supplied her with a silicone basting brush.

The colors were so vibrant! We have done baby cereal paint in the past, but I like the smooth texture of the pudding paint!

She was rather hesitant at first, as she tends to be with cold things and new textures.

She came and sat on my lap for awhile and watched me smear the paint around and I finally got her to taste some!

After that she was a happy little artist!

Oh my, what a mess!

I put some soap in a big bowl and ran some warm water in it, We did a very splashy sponge bath and then she helped me wash the floor. This was a great start to her last few "baby" days!

Muffin Tin Sorting

This activity requires zero planning ahead and is good for developing fine motor skills. Just grab a muffin tin - even an egg carton would work! Gather together some objects that will fit into the cups (make sure they are not a choking hazard if your little one is still mouthing things!) We have been using seashells, but you could get really creative with this!

Show your child how to set things in the cups and dump them out. Depending on the age of your child you could use tongs or clothespins while transferring objects to add to the fun!

With Beatrix we just focused on putting a shell into each cup. With older children you could sort different colored objects or objects of different shapes in to different cups - the possibilities are endless!

Dumping them all out at the end is her favorite part right now! 

Can We Fit All of That into a Shoebox?

Every year we our family packs a shoebox full of toys, school supplies and hygiene items for Operation Christmas Child to bless children in need around the world - you can too!

To start, all you need is a average-sized cardboard or plastic shoebox. Once you decide on an age/gender category, the fun begins!

Choose a "WOW!" item - a bigger gift that will really catch the child who receives the box's eye. A doll or a soccer ball (deflated, with a pump) are a couple good ideas. Fill the rest of the box with small toys, clothes, hygiene items, and school supplies. Really pack it full! Taking items out of their bulky packaging allows you to squeeze more inside. You are also encouraged to include a picture of yourself and/or a note.

Most importantly, be sure to pray for the child who will receive the box. After receiving a shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enroll in a Bible course that teaches them about God's greatest Gift to mankind - Jesus! 

We are packing for a 2-4 year old girl (the closest category to Beatrix.) What's inside our shoebox? 

We chose 2 dolls for our "WOW!" item, because Beatrix loves dolls. Also a toy flute, some princess dress-up jewelry, a coloring book and crayons, a jump rope, a foam puzzle, stickers, a picture book, a sun hat, a pair of mittens, a warm hat, 3 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of flip-flops, a cup, a spoon and fork, a toothbrush with a case, a bar of soap, a "magic" washcloth, a frog bath-puppet, a frog washcloth, and a bunch of hair pretties!

It took some creative packing to get it all inside, but we did it! 

A prayer for the shoebox before it goes off by car, plane, boat - maybe even by donkey-back - around the world, to a special little girl who is waiting to hear a message of good news and hope! You are never too little to change someones world!