Birch Forest Playscape

 So I fell in love with these birch straws from https://www.etsy.com/shop/CupcakeSocial an HAD to order them.  They arrived this week and are adorable!  I knew exactly at I as going to do with them - create a birch forest playscape, of course.

I used Crayola's light blue Model Magic for the ground then simply stuck the straws right in - instant forest.  The deer is from Safari Ltd and the fox, bluebird, owl, and skunk are buttons from dressitup.com

 Here are Mooshka dolls.  Aren't they adorable?  I found them for $4.99 each at Target and thought they fit in well with my birch forest theme.

I am obviously playing around here.  I have had the Flu and my creativity has been zapped.  But today, I am feeling good and full of ideas. I found this pillow favor box at Joann by K&C Company.  I thought,"What a cute party favor! And I can add a Safari Ltd koala to it for party perfection."  ust something I am working on.

Well, while I still have good light, I am going to get back to my photosafari!

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Planting a Toddler Garden 2

A couple weeks ago, I did a different version of this toddler garden but with fake flowers (and broccoli, too!).  Roo,age 20 months, LOVED it.  It's a great activity to strengthen those little finger muscles.  (You want strong finger muscles, so you can hold a pencil and control it when writing.)  I decided to do this activity again for a few reasons:
1. She loved making the garden
2. It's Spring
3. I found a Flowers Toob at Joann

This fun, colorful Toob from Safari Ltd has 8 flowers (2 Toobs are shown here).  Their stems easily pushed into the Model Magic dough from Crayola.  Doesn't it loo like a garden in full bloom?

Roo was busy "planting" her garden then "unplanting" over and over.  I think her Babyzilla side took over and she enjoyed destroying the garden as much as planting it!:)  Such a toddler.  Then, Big Sister walked into the room.

"I want to plant a garden, too.  I love working in the garden with Daddy." G, age 4.  So G planted the garden and Roo picked all the flowers.  Then, G had to replant.  It was a cycle - again and again with lots of giggles in between.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Planting a Toddler Garden

Roo had so much fun helping Big Sister make her Rainbow Forest that I decided to create something just for her to do and realized that it is a great fine muscle builder!  I had random fake flowers left over from a project, picked up the wooden fence recently in Target's Dollar Spot (it was $3), and used a coupon at Joann to get the Crayola Model Magic for under $3.

First, let the child squish and smoosh the model magic into the "garden".  This was a lot of fun.  Roo doesn't like much sensory stuff like playdough, because it leaves a film on her fingers.  But Model Magic does not feel like that at all and she loved it.

Then, just start poking the plants in.

Add more and more...

Yes, we did add some broccoli heads.  We had them left over from the weekend and were kind of soft.  But it does make a good connection...broccoli>garden>plants>earth.

Of course, I added some animals.

They are Jesse James Dress It Up buttons.

It actually makes a cute centerpiece, right?

Love her chunky little hands.

I think she had more fun "picking" from the garden!  What can I say?  She is a toddler.  Destroying things is in her dna.

As we are expecting yet another snow, it's fun to plant a garden and hope for Spring.  Hurry, Spring!  What's the saying...To Plant A Garden Is To Hope For The Future. 

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel