Play Challenge - Day 30

Well this challenge did not end the way I had hoped with all the sickness in my home but for those of you who followed all the way through I'm finishing off the challenge today.  Thank you for joining me and putting up with the crazy ending :)  Day 30 - keep on playing!
One of my readers commented that her kids are having so much fun she is going to put all the activities into a jar for the kids to chose one each day!  I am so thrilled with that idea I'm going to do it myself.  My kids keep asking if they can "make music" or "draw big" like we did before!  I have learned that those 15 or 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with them really did mean a lot - I need to be more focused on getting in time with them and put my agenda aside! 
So I found these ideas on pinterest from How To Nest For Less

 and one of my favorite crafting blogs The Crafting Chicks

I am working on my own jar/can for the kids and I'll be sure to post it when I have it finished :) 
For now - keep on playing and enjoy your kids.  
This time has taught me these things about . . . 

• My daughter - she loves the time with me - many of the activities the boys lost interest in long before she did - she can play for hours on her own but really enjoys just being in the same room with me - she loves to "cook" and the flubber project & science experiments were her favorite activities
• My oldest - he craves one on one time and love to be a leader - if I gave him the instructions he was in heaven telling the others how to make this project or that project work - I need to praise him more for taking the lead and being a GOOD example when he does it instead of always telling him to stop bossing his siblings around 
• My middle boy - he is crazy (nothing new learned here) and really enjoyed the active days - his favorite was probably the play islands and horse playing because he just loves that type of physical activity - he knows he is loved when I tickle him, wrestle with him and "fill up his love tank" with kisses 
• Me - I spend way too much time on the computer!  I sit down to just look this one thing up or get this recipe or check my e-mail and before I know it the morning is shot!  I need to get off and spend purposeful time with my kids . . . on that note

What did you learn throughout this experience?                     

Opperation Smile Fundraiser going on now
for more information check out my post here

.

Pin It

Hands On Play Challenge

Good morning friends.  I am still pretty sick and with having come into close proximity to others this weekend that are sick with the flu I am anticipating a rather difficult week for us here in the home of Broken Treasures.  With that being said I'm going to list out the challenges for the week.  I may or may not get photos posted but at least life can continue as normal or whatever for you all :)  I have some regularly scheduled posts ready to go and some giveaways coming up so don't write me off this week :)  Thanks!
Day 24 - Play with Junk (I have the idea to make things out of paper tubes - hoping to get some space ships made with the boys for their lego men)Day 25 - Small World Play - get out those trains, cars, little people, legos, etc.  Create city scapes with blocks and cereal boxes, make roads and train tracks if you have them.  I'm looking forward to this day with my kids :)Day 26 - Printing with objects - my plan is to take a basket around the house and have the kids pile in different objects they find.  Then get out paint and paper and have them print with the objects they find - what shapes will them make? Day 27 - Roll Play - play house, dress up, use kitchen items make a meal together , etc.Day 28 - Play in a Box (I'm thinking my kids will go crazy with this one) make cars, houses (if you have a large enough box) or trains.  My kids love to push each other around in the laundry basket - I'm thinking boxes will have the same reaction :)Day 29 - Sticky art - get some contact paper and paste things to it or my plan is to just use foam sheets, water and our backdoor window :)  What will stick and what won't

Have fun!  I'll post as I can and Day 30 will come next week for sure!  I have enjoyed this journey with you all.  I'm sorry for the breaks and illness.  As a side note I'm trying out the linky followers tool.  I think I like it better as I can sort the blogs I follow by categories (food/recipes, papercrafting, kids projects, etc.) Please consider re-following me on the linky box - if it works well enough I'll most likely get rid of the google friend connect.  For now I'm keeping both as the linky tool is still brand new.  Thanks so much :)  

                   

Opperation Smile Fundraiser going on now
for more information check out my post here

.

Pin It

Hands on Play - Day 22

We are coming down the home stretch - I hope your kids are having as much fun as mine are :)Today's challenge - investigate
My son took apart his camera to find out why it wasn't working (needed new batteries) and unscrewed their shake and go cars to see if we could figure out how they work.  Boys love this type of thing and they could have done this for hours.  This is sort of a vague challenge - so just investigate whatever you have in hand and be creative :)  Excited to see what you come up with!

                   

Opperation Smile Fundraiser going on now
for more information check out my post here

.

Pin It

The Heart Project & Hands On Play Challenge

Well I have had a ton of posts to do today - it is not often that these things all fall on the same day but this time it has.  The Stamp of the Month Blog Hop post is here and you will find the Cooking for Cricut Challenge post here.  For those of you who have been following my Hands On Play Challenge (inspired by Jamie over at Hands On As We Grow) we are on day 21 already!  Today's challenge is make music!  We gathered some fun things from my kitchen cabinets, put on some music from pandora and went to town in the living room!  

My son wanted to wear his monkey suit again (even though it is way too small)

that look no his face is priceless - makes me laugh every time!

Now, I have been super inspired by Jamie and have joined her in another project this month - the Heart Project: American Heart Association Collaborative Fundraiser.  You will find all the details over at Jamie's blog post but I'll give you a quick summary :)

 

70 + bloggers have gathered together to put together a beautiful book of heart projects!

As a mama of three little ones my heart just aches for other moms who have to live through trials like little Ellie's mom and family.  It also rejoices with them in the glorious moments of raising a precious little "gril" as my boys call them :)  It is because of Ellie's story, people like her, my deep gratitude for Jamie and her desire to help and my own story (like my husband's grandmother, my own grandparents, and the surgery I had to relieve pressure from my own vital organs including my heart) that I am involved in this project.  You can read Ellie's story here.

Mom's around the world unite!  We can (and do) make a difference starting with our own children!  This book includes 100 projects that are both heart and kid related!  These projects include art made by kids, with kids, for kids or about kids :)  You will find inspiration for cooking, creating, decorating, and playing with your kids!

 You can receive a copy of this book by donating $5 to the AHA and we hope you will joining us in spreading the word to reach our goal of raising $1000 by Valentines Day! Here is a sneak peek of what is included in the book

Receive a copy of this book with your $5 donation

(this book is only available for donation through the month of February)

For every book purchased Craftprojectideas.com is donating an additional $1 (up to $500)!

You can stop by Craftprojectideas facebook page and thank them for their donation :)

There is also a printed version (full color, 8.5 x 8.5 and paperback) available as well.  Five dollars ($5 US) will be donated to AHA for every paper version sold.  

US $20.00

Order the Printed Version

  If you would rather just donate without receiving a copy of the book you are welcome to do that

In addition from now until Valentine's Day several blogs will be hosting giveaways (some of their own handmade projects, items related to their projects or heart related items) including yours truly :)  Others will also be donating giveaways over at Jamie's blog so be sure to check back often to enter!  My giveaway will be a heart related stamp set on February 6th so be sure to stop by here that day :)

hands on : as we grow	♥	A Little Learning for Two	♥	Among Many Blessings
Angelique Felix	♥	At Home with Ali	♥	Broken Treasures
Busy at Home	♥	Busy Kids Happy Mom	♥	Carrie Saindon's Photo Journey
Child Central Station	♥	Classified: Mom	♥	Classroom Magic
Creative with Kids	♥	Creativity My Passion	♥	Critters and Crayons
De Tout et de Rien	♥	Dilly-Dali Art	♥	Dinosaurs & Octopuses
Excited 2 Learn	♥	Hand Over the Cookies	♥	Handprint & Footprint Art
Happy Hooligans	♥	Heart Journey	♥	Imagination Soup
Jamie's Jumble	♥	Kitchen Counter Chronicles	♥	Kreative Resources
Let Kids Create	♥	Little Illuminationss	♥	Living Montessori Now
Loudness of the Lambs	♥	Love and Lollipops	♥	Mama, hocemo nesto da pravimo
Mama Pea Pod	♥	Mama Smiles	♥	MemeTales
Messy Kids	♥	Mindful Meanderings	♥	Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Mommy Labs	♥	Mommy Perks	♥	Mum Paints Lives
Mummy Mummy Mum	♥	My Creative Family	♥	NurtureStore
One Artsy Mama	♥	Peace Love & Rainbows	♥	Play Dr Mom
Putti Prapancha	♥	Rainbows within Reach	♥	Reading Confetti
Ready. Set. Read!	♥	Red Ted Art	♥	Sense of Wonder
Share & Remember	♥	Stacy Molter	♥	Sun Hats & Wellie Boots
Teach Preschool	♥	The Artful Child	♥	The Chocolate Muffin Tree
The Craft Barn	♥	The Educators' Spin on It	♥	The Golden Gleam
The Imagination Tree	♥	The Iowa Farmer's Wife	♥	The Joy of My Life
The Kids Fun Review	♥	The Outlaw Mom Blog	♥	The Preschool Toolbox
The Seeds Network	♥	Toddler Approved

                   

Opperation Smile Fundraiser going on now
for more information check out my post here

.

Pin It