My favourite paints for kids

I thought I would share some of my favourite art supplies for kids. I love these washable dot paint markers for kids. I can't find these particular ones online but I bought these in my local toy shop. I guess they are kind of like bingo pens but they come in an array of colours. We like to use them to decorate plain paper for personalised gift wrap. We have been using this set for over a year now and they are still going strong.

We also like the Faber-Castell Finger paints which come in a set of six. The small pots of colour are great, but only last a few sessions (if that).


I'm still looking for some good paint in tubes or large format. I did buy some large bottles at my local art shop, but the colours dry dull and are still potentially messy after they have supposedly "dried". They are so successfully washable that the paint will get wet again if you touch the work with slightly damp hands. Please note that my son is using the paint that I am not fond of. I put it in the little Faber-Castell pots.

What are your favourite paints for kids?

Leaf rubbings

The other day we were driving in the car and my son was talking about the different sizes of leaves on the trees. Aha I said, we should do some leaf rubbings! So a few days later we set off on a walk to collect some different leaves to try. It was still a bit hard for my four year old to get much impression from rubbing over the paper and leaves, so I did need to help him at times. My one and a half year old also had a go.

Toilet Roll People

Inspired by Playschool and Onegirl. Ok, I did most of them because we were using wood glue and scissors, so it wasn't quite as child involving as I'd hoped. But I'm sure it will work better when the Cat is a bit older. He and I had a ball anyway so that's the main thing. I may have spilt a whole lot of glue on my new jeans but thankfully I got it out in a hurry! Meanwhile the Cat was shouting at me to help him get the masking tape off his fingers.

How cool is "the Monster" that the Cat made!? Originally it had enormous eyes but they were falling off because the Cat kept touching it before it dried, so later he changed them for little eyes. Ok now go read this because Amber Dusick is awesome.




For this activity we used:
toilet rolls
other cardboard tubing
wood glue
fabric scraps
pipe cleaners
old bits of ribbon
googly eyes
felt pens
rope from bag handle
rick rack
masking tape
mesh from garlic packaging

Next time I would get some yarn for the hair.

Winter fun indoors

This winter has been particularly cold. I have been feeling it a lot especially considering that I was pregnant this time last year and I was feeling pretty toasty! So this winter the Cat and I have been enjoying some time indoors doing craft.

Visit to a maze park

Dear Cat - 3 years 4 months

You have recently been very sick with Bronchialitis. We have never seen you so sick. Generally when you are sick it doesn't slow you down, you just keep going at normal. But this time you slept for 3 1/2 days and had a temperature around 39 degrees celcius which hardly went down with paracetamol. Normally you like medicine, but we had trouble giving you anything and you wanted lights off, curtains closed, TV off and you just slept. I slept with you at night to make sure you were ok and keeping hydrated. Now you are much better but clingier than usual, you want more hugs and affection.

Your most annoying habit at the moment is to pick a time when I am really busy and attach yourself to me so I can't move. You know the exact way to make yourself really heavy and hindering. I can't wait until you get over this stage.


You are not sure about your sister "the monster". I think you are afraid of her when she cries or makes loud unintelligible sounds. But we have fun playing together with her sometimes. Today we rolled a ball around with her, we had a lovely time. She just adores you and thinks you are hilarious and also cries if you leave the room if I am not there.

At the moment you favourite thing is space rockets and planets. You love to watch the rocket launch on Apollo 13 (the movie) and also read your books on space rockets and planets. Your first word was star and we have to sing "twinkle, twinkle" every night before you go to sleep as part of your routine.


You like to help me cook cakes, muffins and biscuits and also recently you have taken an interest in watching me cook dinner. Your new habit is to get a stool to peer in my pot to see what I am making. I would not be surprised if you turn out to be a cook yourself.


You like to pretend you are different animals, one day you are a dog, the next a bird, then a cat or a bunny. We nicknamed you Cat because you love your little Kitty Cat toy. It is your best friend.

You are growing up quickly, you have just lost your baby look and you are starting to look like a boy. You are acting more grown up too. You will often help me with things when I ask you to.

You have been doing great at swimming, starting to follow instructions really well, wearing your goggles and kicking and blowing bubbles. We decided to take you out of swimming over winter because you kept getting sick. You might take up soccer in July with your friend Torren.

You are clever and pick most things up very quickly, I showed you how to use scissors today. We cut up some tissue paper for a craft activity. You said "mummy show the cat how to use the scissors" (meaning you kitty cat toy sitting beside you) and I showed you and you started cutting like a pro right away.

You can not stay still, you are not easy to cuddle because you are always jerking around. You are just full of beans. It is hard to get a photo of you that isn't in a blur, it doesn't help that you want to see the photo before it has even been taken!

Thank you sweet little man for being my son.

Mum

Easter Eggs

Easter craft with E. We drew on hard boiled eggs with crayons, mum and I dripped candle wax on some and we dyed them different colours with food colouring. I was reliving fond memories of my childhood. Easter is my favourite holiday.

3rd Birthday Party

E's third birthday was last Sunday. We had a train party because trains are his current obsession. I had so much fun organizing this party, I think there is a frustrated party planner in me... what with the Wedding and High tea I planned last year for my sister. It is nice that he is a bit older now so they can play some party games. We did pass the parcel and some train craft activity. The train cake was the first cake I had made on my own. My mum made the cupcakes last year and for his first birthday mum helped me make the aeroplane cake.

Cookies and craft

My friend organised a Cookies and Craft party for some little friends of her son. It was held at a cafe in a local park. The cafe holds these one day a week. They get out some little boards covered in non stick paper and fill bowls with various things to decorate the cookies. On arrival every child dons an apron, sits down, is given a ball of shortbread dough and selects from some plastic cookie cutters. Each child is given a baking tray of their own lined with baking paper to put their finished creations. These go into the oven and while they are baking the children are given a paper bag to decorate in which to put their finished cookies. It was a fun morning and I thought it was an interesting business model.

Christmas wrapping paper

Star Wrap is white and blue stars drawn with crayon. Then painted over with my favourite kiddy craft supply - Dot paint dispensers!!

White, green and yellow Christmas trees with purple and green painted over it.


Gifts wrapped and under the tree. The wrapping paper was a big hit with the family.

Christmas activites

My friend from Mother's group held a Christmas craft party for the kids, so I decided to make some gingerbread men with E to take to the party. I must admit I find it hard to relax and let him get too messy while cooking and crafting, I am too much of a control freak and my husband hates mess too. The recipe is a great one from Donna Hay's Modern Classics 2. I want to use this recipe to make a gingerbread house because it made a nice sturdy gingerbread.



She read a book about the Christmas story, we sang Silent Night and we did some craft activities like these star pictures using bits of paper stuck on vellum with a star frame around it. When you stick it on the window it looks really pretty with the light shining through it.

O Christmas tree....

When people ask what he wants for Christmas E's reply is always "A Christmas tree!" When asked what he wants for his upcoming birthday, he says "a cake!" Like, why are you even asking?

Finished quilt!

Finally this quilt is done! It is my first finished quilt for my firstborn. I used some Peas and Carrots fabrics and various others I picked up to match. I decided to hand quilt it in a circle pattern because I much prefer the look of hand quilting.


I love the binding that I chose recently to finish it off. It ties all the fabrics together I think.

My independent boy

Onegirl inspired me to write an update about what E is up to right now. I am terrible at keeping track of what he is doing. Currently I have snippets written down and kept in different places.

27 1/2 months old
He still loves the moon (has to point it out in books and in the sky.)
Likes to eat playdough (ugh) and uncooked dough when we are making pizza.
Is afraid of his electric trains but likes us to turn them on for him.
Loves his "kitty cat" a soft toy kitten which he carries around everywhere.
Likes to introduce his cat to salespeople and strangers at the shops.
Says "Mummy!" with great satisfaction and pointing to me.
Says "Yes please" when he wants something.
Current favourite foods are bread, scones, milk, yoghurt, vegies, olives, vegemite on toast, zucchini slice and sausages.
Likes to pretend to be a dog "doggy is getting dressed", "doggy is having a bath", "doggy is brushing his teeth." Yesterday he was a horse.
Waves and says "Bye I'll see you next week!" when he gets into his toy car.
Loves books, his current favourites are "The Gruffalo", Hairy Maclary and "Guess how much I love you".
He knows all of his books by heart and will recite bits from his favourites at random.
Loves puzzles, the ones with lots of pieces.
Knows his ABC.
Can count to twelve.
knows his colours.
Makes pictures with his alphabet, letter and shape magnets on the fridge.
Is allergic to mosquito bites.
Likes to scratch himself everywhere in the bath.
His hair grows really slowly.
Prefers to play in the bush than play on the equipment at the playground.
Is very independent.
His favourite word is NO.
He doesn't like getting in his car seat.
He loves it when people sing to him.
He loves to go in Dad's shed and help Dad with things in the shed.

[Edit] He just started jumping with his legs together today! (Whilst saying NO, he didn't want to get in the bath)