There’s one word that people start to dread at this time of year. Winter. Folks here tend to start wincing and grimacing when it comes up in conversation toward the end of February. I enjoy the snow, some cold, and know the importance of having these season, but it can be hard not to grow weary of all the layers needed just to leave the house, the freezing wind, the cars that don’t want to start or need digging out. And we get grumpy about it now, because honestly, we’ve still got a ways to go.
I’m a homebody by nature anyway, but we definitely spend more time at home during these cold weeks. As a mama, it can be nice to have a *few* activities up your sleeve to do with the kiddos, that doesn’t involve snowsuits. Today I’m sharing some of the things that Sammy & I have been up to this winter, to pass the time cozy & warm.
This boy of ours turns SIX years old today!! I can not even begin to fathom that we are parenting a six year old now. It just suddenly happened. I’ve heard it said so many times before of parenthood; the days are long, the years are short. And it is absolutely true.
Of all the blogging I do, I find it most difficult to put into words this boy. Partly because he is so all encompassing and consuming. My world revolves around my role as mama to him. I used to easily write monthly posts about his progress & growth.
Sam and I spent many afternoons this summer on the back deck being paleontologists (dino hunters according to Sam). We froze some of his smaller plastic dino models in a block of water and used a toy hammer to chip them out of the ice. This is a pretty simple activity to get setup, it makes hot afternoons go a bit faster, and you get to cool down eating ice chips as you go. (more…)
Sammy and I recently had quite the fun afternoon painting bits of his nature collection and then painting with bits of nature. For quite some time now, he has kept a nature box, where he stashes away things he finds on our daily adventures, from twigs & leaves to stones & moss. Feathers have their own special place. The actual box where he stores all of this is overflowing and so I knew that some arts & crafts projects were on the horizon.
We’ve been moving Sam away from nap time the past few weeks because his nighttime sleep was getting pretty crazy. He gets quiet time in his room instead of naps, which he is growing to like more and more. No naps in the afternoon can make for long days though. I recently whipped up this little activity for him to try out just to break up one particularly long afternoon.
This has been a big week. Between bathroom renovations, our washing machine officially dying and rearranging bedrooms to accommodate Sam’s new big boy bed {all in a five day period} I feel like our home was turned upside down and inside out. Or at least, that’s how these changes are making my tummy feel. A little queasy and uneasy. I’m not necessarily a fearless person when it comes to change. I hesitate, I deliberate, I ponder and I get a bit grumpy.
Ok. So I have to admit that I actually did this project with Sam well over six months ago, back when he was a toddler. Somehow I didn’t get around to posting about it until now. Go figure.
This is a simple project for you to make when your creative time with the kiddos needs a little refreshing. Sam was getting bored with the typical paint options, so I put together his own little paint roller to add some fun.
Here are the supplies you will need for this project:
empty toilet paper roll
bubble wrap
scissors
tape
paint tray (we have cardboard trays that I saved from something, but use whatever you prefer, as long as it is wide enough for the the toilet paper roll)
canvas (or paper depending on what you want to paint on)
washable kids’ paint
Simply cut a piece of bubble wrap large enough to wrap around the toilet paper roll. Fold a couple pieces of tape under the edge of the bubble wrap to secure into place. Using your paint tray, pour in your child’s choice of paint colours {Sam wanted every colour}.Once the paint is in the tray, it’s time to play. Have your child experiment with placing the paint roller in the tray to “pick up” different colours. When there is paint on the roller, have them try rolling it across their canvas.The bubble wrap roller creates very interesting textures. Your child might like rolling it across the whole length of the canvas, or they might enjoy using it more like a stamp. Let them explore with it.TIP: If colours start to get too muddy on the roller, simply give it a quick rinse and start over. Sam also enjoyed using some of his previously painted canvases and rolling new colours on them. They are some of my favorite paintings now.
After thoughts:
The toilet paper rolls are a nice size for the little ones to use, but you could also try empty paper towel rolls. And of course, I hope the the bubble wrap is inspiration for you to try other materials too. It’s fun for them to see what textures different things create. Here are some other DIY Paint Roller techniques to consider:
glue leaves (or other natural objects) onto an empty toilet paper roll
glue buttons onto an empty toilet paper roll (just thought of this one & really want to give it a try)
Also, just a note to mention, that at the same time I was writing this post, my friend Kerri was experimenting with bubble wrap painting on FABRIC!! You can see the results of her project on her newly started blog Soham Design.
