DIY No-Sew Felt Tacos for Imaginary Play

This post about no-sew felt tacos may contain affiliate links. This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Dragons Love Tacos, it’s authors, or it’s publishing house.

If you or your kids love Dragons Love Tacos, or it's sequel, you'll love these fun taco felt food ideas! DIY No-Sew Felt Tacos are perfect for mixing and matching, and they're perfect for play kitchens. If your child loves imaginative play, make these for a fraction of the cost of buying them from big name companies... and make exactly the taco flavor you'll want for your playroom. Perfect for kids who love to play cooking, and great for future chefs.

Psssst… let me clue you in on a secret. Dragons. Love. TACOS. Seriously, if you want to hang out with a dragon, you should probably have some tacos for the party. Maybe even a BOATLOAD of tacos. It’s something that Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri explore in their book, Dragons Love Tacos, and then they explore the complete lack of tacos on earth in the sequel, appropriately titled Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel. When reading aloud to my kiddo, it helps his comprehension to have something to play with while we read. The kiddo and I have bought felt foods in the past, but I’ve found out just how easy it is to make DIY no-sew felt tacos at home (and, like the name implies, you totally don’t have to be a master crafter or great at sewing to make these).

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Easy DIY Chalk for Tons of Sidewalk Chalk Fun All Summer Long

This DIY chalk recipe may contain affiliate links.

DIY Chalk is so easy to make-- it's the perfect way to prepare for summer. Simply make your own sidewalk chalk with a few easy-to-find ingredients for a bucketful of chalk that will last you all summer long! This homemade chalk recipe is also perfect for giving fun-shaped chalk pieces as party favors or gifts to friends! You can make your own chalk in any color you can imagine. Perfect kids DIY.

As a child, I remember many, many hours spent playing with chalk. There was just something fun about creating artwork for hours. I spent so many hours getting my hands and knees and elbows multicolor from sprawling on the driveway to draw. My kiddo is a big fan of chalk art, and all of his friends love it, too, so we’ve been going through a ton of it lately. I decided it was time to get creative to bring forward the most pigmented, best chalk for our money (and guess what? It’s easy to make, AND more affordable than buying boxes of chalk).

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Unicorn Kinetic Sand

This recipe for DIY Unicorn Kinetic Sand may contain affiliate links.

This Unicorn Kinetic Sand is the perfect sensory toy, and in bright, vibrant sparkly colors, it looks just like a unicorn, too! Easy to make and fun to play with, you can make DIY Kinetic Sand at home!

I love kinetic sand. There’s just something so peaceful about squishing it, shaping it, and playing with it. But what I didn’t realize was that I was spending way too much on the kinetic sand at the store… making it at home in my favorite unicorn colors is easy and affordable! Kinetic sand is such a great therapeutic tool, too. My son has autism, and allowing him to play with kinetic sand while listening to me read has been a huge help to him when it comes to focusing. It’s also a great sensory tool! Here’s how to make your very own kinetic sand at home!

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Activities for the Book “Very Last First Time”

This post about Very Last First Time Activities may contain affiliate links.

What was your Very Last First Time? We all experience important “lasts.” Our last first day of school, our last first time going to the dentist, and more. In the book, the main character experiences her very last first time doing something alone-- going and collecting mussels off of the sea bed. Whether you are rowing the book or just enjoying reading it with your kids, here are some extension activities for the book Very Last First Time. | Five in a Row | FIAR | Homeschooling | Unit Study | Hands-On Learning | Play to Learn | Kindergarten | Arctic Homeschooling Activities | Tundry Homeschooling Activities | Books to Go Along With Very Last First Time |

We all have Very Last First Times in our lives. A very last first day of school, a very last first time doing the monkey bars all by yourself, a very last first thing that you’re doing all on your own. For the main character in Very Last First Time, it is the very last first time she’ll ever walk on the seabed by herself. After that very last first time, she will have already done it before. It won’t be a first time anymore.

The book Very Last First Time is so packed with things you can explore and learn: amazing information about Inuit culture, how mussels are gathered, and what an arctic tundra is like. It’s also packed with information about family relationships. It discusses how to handle fear and important situations. Of course, it is also about growing up and tackling new milestones. Maybe you’re enjoying the book with your child for fun. Or, perhaps you’re rowing it as a part of your Five in a Row curriculum. You might even be tackling the book as part of a unit study. Regardless, there are plenty of fun Very Last First Time activities to do with this book!

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7 Things My Son Has Learned from Playing Minecraft Every Day

If Steve and Alex are household names, if your child hears a hiss and thinks "creeper," or if you see everything in block form... you might have a Minecraft player in your house! Don't Panic-- Minecraft teaches some really amazing skills to kids (and adults) of all ages! Here are some things my child has learned from playing Minecraft-- it's incredibly educational, but it also promotes good social skills, too! Here's how.

Minecraft. It’s one of those ubiquitous games that it seems most kids are playing at one point or another. I’m not too worried about the Minecraft fascination, though. The thing is, there’s a lot of educational value in Minecraft. Many schools are even adding it to their curriculum! At first, I really didn’t get the appeal… so it’s a game. With blocks. And… everything is super boxy. And there’s no real end goal* (I’m from the Mario generation… you play the game, you save the princess, game over) which just blew my mind. When we got it, I didn’t think much of the game, obviously. But there are 7 important things my son has learned from playing Minecraft every day.

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Chocolate Cranberry Braid (and the Science of Cranberry Sauce!)

Cranberry braids are really easy to make, and so delicious when you make homemade cranberry sauce, too! Plus, learn the science behind cranberry sauce and how to make it at home! It's part science experiment for kids and part delicious thanksgiving recipe!

I love cranberries. Something about that fall flavor just tastes awesome. That said, they can be pretty stinkin’ tart when you just taste one. The kiddo found out the hard way because when we cook together, he insists on tasting every single ingredient. It got me thinking about the science behind cranberries and a way we could learn by experimenting while we cook!

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5 Ways to Play in Fall and Winter

Meteorologists are predicting the winter of 2016 to be a warm one! Take advantage of it with plenty of ways to play this fall and winter. #CLIFkids [ad]

Just a few days ago, meteorologists in Kansas City started releasing their weather reports for winter 2016. Most of them agreed– winter would be mild, and at times unseasonably warm, with little snow. While that may be a bummer for snow-lovers, it’s a great thing for everyone who loves to play outside! This fall and winter is going to be a great one for PLAY, and today, I’m sharing my 5 favorite ways to play in fall and winter (with a few tips on where to play in Kansas City, too)!

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How to Throw a Smarty Pants Party!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Healthy4School #CollectiveBias

Do you have a Smarty Pants in your family? Celebrate school success and the back to school season with this Smarty Pants Party! It's complete with plenty of brain food, and goodie bags that are fun AND practical for staying stocked up on essentials for the school year. #Healthy4School [ad]

Do you have a smarty pants in your house? Maybe more than one? I love to celebrate school success during the back to school season with a fun party! It’s a great way to say “You’re doing a great job, and keep up the good work!” When you celebrate back to school and the success of your learner, you’re showing them that you’re proud of them! So, gather some goods and invite your learner’s closest friends over for a celebration.

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Where I Find TOTALLY FREE Educational Apps for Our Homeschool

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

One thing I love about homeschooling is the flexibility… homeschooling can happen anywhere at any time. So, if the kiddo is really big on a certain topic, we can center experiments, books, math problems, and more around that specific topic… the flexibility works really well for us. Another thing that I love is how additional tools, like educational apps, can really supplement the learning process!

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

It’s a fact of life that technology is now a major part of education– even public schools are embracing the use of apps as an educational support, and it’s something we’ve embraced in our homeschool as well.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

But apps get expensive. I think the worst part is when I pay money for an app, only to find out it’s only partially accessible because much of the app is locked away behind in-app purchases, meaning I have to pay more and more, or ultimately find a cheaper app to fill it’s place. I dream of a world where the entire app costs one price, without a ton of in-app purchases… and that world is actually starting to exist with Amazon Underground.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

If you haven’t heard of it, and you homeschool, Amazon Underground is a MUST-HAVE. It works with Android smartphones, but also Amazon Fire tablets.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

With over 300 educational apps, you just download and go… and in-app purchases on the apps that have the “actually free” sash on Amazon Underground? THEY ARE FREE.

We’ve got a lot of favorites– most of the Dr. Panda series, for example, is available on Amazon Underground, meaning we can play to our hearts’ content.

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

For us, Amazon Underground means the freedom for Zack to explore apps that are educational and still interesting… lately, he’s been fascinated with maps, so we can use Actually Free Amazon Underground Apps like GeoFlight USA, a fun geography quiz. When his interests were all about dinosaurs last week, he could play Caillou the Dinosaur Hunter. Because his interests change so fast, I’m not trying to buy educational apps to keep up. Now, I can be assured that it’s just free.

But you know, life isn’t always spent on school, so luckily there are a ton of great apps that Zack and I both love for leisure, too. One of my personal favorites is Fish Out of Water… I’m a little bit obsessed with those fish! The game there has in-app purchases where you can purchase crystals to do different things… and check out what happens if you push the button to buy more– it says it’s FREE (even for that $15 pack!), and that Amazon Underground is buying the in-app purchase for me. A few seconds later, and the crystals magically appear (and my bank account stays completely intact!)

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

Educational apps are a great addition to the homeschool classroom, but they can be expensive. Here's how we get FREE apps for our homeschool! #AmznUnderground [ad]

Outside of homeschooling, we’re also loving the new Frozen Free Fall Icy Shot game! It’s a twist on the popular Frozen Free Fall app, and with over 100 enchanting levels– and I can’t get enough of it. It’s got all of my favorites– Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and even some Snowgies (aren’t they so mischevious?!), and it’s got that classically fun “take aim and shoot” gameplay that I loved with the first Frozen Free Fall. Snag that app totally free right here!

What is your favorite educational app? Let me know in the comments below, then learn more about Amazon Underground and get some totally free apps on your Android Smartphone here!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

DIY No-Sew Cow Masks

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

Having a play date? These fun cow masks made out of felt are perfect for play dates, imaginary play, or just a fun afternoon craft with your little one... plus, they're no-sew and super easy to make! #HorizonLunch [ad]

When it comes to imaginary play, you can never get enough of it. My son’s favorite forms of this kind of play are the times when he gets to be an animal…. So, I love to give him opportunities to make costumes for these fun personalities he’s developed when he acts out his animal characters’ ideas. This cow mask is super simple, no-sew, and a perfect craft to make at play dates and more.They also cost less than 50 cents to make, making them the perfect craft to do together!

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