Category Archive

diy

Make your own indoor sandbox to combat the dreary weather blues

My nineteen-month-old children can’t actually say that they’re bored yet, but it’s pretty easy to tell when they are. This week the city of Toronto has been a giant slushy and the minions haven’t made it outside much: at daycare or at home. Even prison inmates get yard time, and after more than a day without outdoor play, someone’s going to get shanked in their cell… err, crib.

Toddler aliens are cute: how we DIYed our daughter’s alien-themed photo session

TRIGGER WARNING: we’re gonna talk about aliens here. I mention this because when we ran Nicole’s alien abuduction-themed maternity photos in September 2011, it freaked a few people out. This year Nicole’s back with another alien-themed session, this time featuring her now-18-month-old daughter, Taylor, decked out in homemade alien regalia. Here’s the scoop.

How to spend $5 or less and make your own back seat mirror for your car

A back seat mirror can run you $10-20 on a regular day, but why spend all of that if you can spend $5 (or LESS) and make your own? I originally tried this out using hot glue, which I advise against (it melts) — but now I’ve got all the kinks worked out, and this mirror works like a dream.

Bath time + Valentine’s Day = an awesome mess-free, water-friendly craft

I set up the fun bath for my two preschool-aged children by tracing foam hearts on the walls around the tub using bath crayons. Inside the hearts, I wrote short words and phrases, very similar to the candy hearts you can buy around Valentine’s Day.

Nerdy for all things crochet? Here’s a tutorial so you can make your own zip-up baby hoodie

As I sit and crochet the things I literally dream of the baby wearing once s/he is here, I have started to write down the patterns I create — and this one for a hoodie is pretty damn good if I say so myself. Like most inventions (even though this item itself is nothing new) this pattern was created of necessity; I couldn’t find a good baby hoodie pattern to save my life almost a year ago. Now I have created a great blocked pattern that can be made into any size and I want to share it with anyone who will use it.

2 ways your kids can use a plastic bag to fingerpaint without the mess

A lot of kids loooove fingerpainting, which I think makes sense — it is a fun sensory experience. Most kids enjoy squishing paint through their fingers and getting messy. Although I have to confess, I’m not always up for the mess fingerpainting creates. Mess-free fingerpainting is perfect for those days when you don’t have time to clean up messy kiddos!

A full-size C-3PO costume and 5 other wonders kids can create from empty paper towel rolls

Environmentalism, for me, is less about recycle and far more about reuse. “Recycle” smacks of some propaganda feel-good program for using too much crap in the first place. As a parent, I naturally impart my opinionated views on my offspring. They’re all about reusing things — from junk mail to paper towel rolls.

Make these three low-budget toys (and then get into some open-ended play!)

One of the things I love most about this time of year is how excited so many people get to spend time with their families and friends over the holidays. In all the excitement, though, there are always some unexpected lulls. Whether you’re their awesome uncle or their godmother from another state, here are some new ideas to help you have fun and connect with the children in your life. Make them in 30 minutes or less, toss them in your bag, and you’ll be prepared no matter how unexpected the lull.