There is nothing more special than a homemade Christmas tree ornament, especially when the ornaments are made by kids. A few years ago, my dad said that he wanted Christmas tree ornaments made by all of his grandkids, so these are the ones the kids made for him! The DIY snowman handprint ornament was a hit because not only did Papa love his handmade gifts, the kids also loved making them!
For the jar lids, I used lids of spaghetti and Alfredo sauce jars and painted them red with acrylic paint. I had to do several coats of red paint to cover up the words on the lids completely because I didn’t want to see anything through the paint.
Once the lids were completely covered and dried, I used white paint on the kids’ hands to make the snowmen. I painted their fingers (3 fingers for Sylas and Peyton, 4 fingers for Josie and Liam) to create the snowmen. I also painted the top of their palm to make a snowy hill underneath the snowmen.
Peyton’s hands were too big for this (he was 10-years-old), so I had him do the top half of his fingers and use a paintbrush to create the snowy hill. Once the white paint dried completely, I added the scarves with green paint, hats, eyes, buttons, and mouths with a black sharpie and the noses with orange paint. Peyton did his own, but I did this part for the babies.
Once everything is dried and ready to go, you will spray one coat of clear spray paint over the front and back of the ornament. This ensures that the paint doesn’t flake off.
Finally, you will use a hot glue gun to glue the string or ribbon in a loop at the top of the ornament. Make sure you put the glue on the back so that it is hidden from sight.
Final Thoughts On DIY Snowman Handprint Ornaments
I love the finished product SO MUCH that I wanted to keep them for myself. My dad loved them, and the kids really enjoyed making them and giving them as a gift.
I’d love to see the Christmas crafts you’ve done or are planning to do with your kiddos this season!! Please share them in the comments. 🙂
*This post was originally written for my old blog, and was dated September 28, 2017. It was one of my favorite posts and we have done this exact craft or one very similar each year since. Foil printed fall art for kids quickly became a favorite in our house. If you like this one, come back in December for a foil printed winter craft!*
Chris took the little boys with him to Peyton’s football practice tonight, so Josie and I had a little one on one time. I literally never get alone time with JoJo so the minute the guys were out the door, Josie and I got started on our mommy-daughter time.
We painted first, which she was pretty excited about. She isn’t a HUGE fan of painting, but she is a huge fan of making a mess and gets excited when she sees me get it all out. The goal of our artwork tonight was to create fall artwork using foil as our “brush”.
Fall Art For Kids – a Simple Fall Craft
I gave Josie a small sheet of foil and told her to crumple it up. It was a fun sensory part of our craft and she loved it. I let her crumple mine up, too.
I quickly painted the tree trunk before I let her begin painting. She’s a bit too little to paint her own trunk and I wanted her to sort of understand where to put her painted “leaves”.
Once the trunk was painted, I showed her how to create the leaves and let her go to town. She loved it and had so much fun with this one.
When we were done painting, we baked some cookies. I used my go-to cookie recipe that I’ve been using for years (click here to try it yourself!). Josie really likes dumping the ingredients in the bowl and eating the chocolate chips when mama’s not looking.
The guys were excited that we surprised them with cookies, and Josie & I had a blast bonding. It was such a good night.
I’d love to see some of your guys’ fall art creations! Share them in the comments so we can try them, too!
Whether you need birthday gifts, a “just because” gift, or Christmas gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy, this is the perfect gift guide. At 12, boys stop asking for toys as much and become a little more difficult to buy gifts for. I think it’s important to still find gifts for boys to “play” with, so I make sure to mix in toys for a 12-year-old with the video games and electronics that they always tend to ask for.
Since they are sometimes hard to buy for, I did my research (including asking our own son) and put together this list of gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy.
22 Best Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy
1. Atmosphere Smart Galaxy Star Projector
This projector can transform the color and mood of the room in only seconds. There are 16.7 million colors to choose from, and he can control the speed settings and brightness. The best part is that this is a smart projector, so it can be controlled right from a phone. It can also be connected to an Alexa or Google device, and you can set a timer for when it shuts off.
2. Game System
A PlayStation 4 or Xbox 1 are both great gifts for a 12-year-old boy, and Fortnite gifts are always a safe choice.
2. Xbox Live Membership
If your son plays online (which is the case with most games) this is a necessity. You can choose a 6-month option or a 12-month option. This allows the gamer to play online with his friends.
3. Drone
Drones are so much fun, and they normally get kids outside to play. If you’re unfamiliar with a drone, the child will use a remote control to fly the device through the air.
4. Amazon Echo
Our 12 year old loves to listen to music, and we are always finding our kitchen Echo in his room. He’d LOVE to have his own, so I know that it is a great gift for a 12-year-old boy.
5. Fortnite Nerf gun
It seems as if kids are growing up quicker than ever before, and I’ve found that 12 is about the age when kids stop asking for as many toys. This one is perfect because it does help them return to their younger years and relax a little more, but it is also a little cooler because it is Fortnite. 😉
Really, though, our son doesn’t ask for many toys anymore, but I always make sure to get him one Nerf gun. Since I only get him one, I make sure it’s cool and different from anything he’s had before.
6. Xbox controller
If the 12 year old boy plays video games, he could normally use another controller. And if he doesn’t NEED one but wants a cooler one, why not, right?
7. Bluetooth headset
Again, if your son plays online and with his friends a lot the Bluetooth headset is kind of a necessity. They want to be able to communicate with their friends while gaming.
8. Legos
There are so many Legos to choose from, and it can be difficult to choose just one Lego set for a 12 year old boy. To avoid the stress of picking the “perfect” one, you could choose an option that allows the child to build many different thins.
9. Wireless ear buds
If your son has a smartphone, and an older sibling, this one is definitly a want on their wish list. And lets be honest. No one likes the wires;)
10. Apple Watch or Fitbit
If your son has a smartphone this comes in handy as a parent as well as a kid. Kids like it because its the latest and greatest and you’ll love it because you’ll always be able to get ahold of them (without an excuse) and kids don’t follow the “street light” rule anymore.
11. Waterproof Bluetooth speaker
12. K’Nex Thrill Rides
There are so many cool options when it comes to K’Nex Thrill Rides as a great gift for a 12-year-old. It was so hard for me to decide on one as a gift for a tween, only because there were so many potential options.
13. Monopoly Voice Banking
14. Chromebook
15. Over the door basketball hoop
16. Electric scooter
17. Go pro
18. Gaming chair
So I never knew why kids wanted “office chairs” for their bedrooms when they never sat at their desk anyway, but then I learned that these are “gaming chairs”. My bad. Anyway, if you’re buying for a kiddo who plays video games, he’d love something like this!
19. Madden 20
This is one game that I have found that boys of all personalities love! I buy the newest version each year.
Playstaton 4:
Xbox One:
20. NBA 2K20
PlayStation 4:
Xbox One:
21. Champion clothing
22. Amazon Music Membership
If you are interested in giving Amazon Music Unlimited as a gift for a 12-year-old boy, you can try it out yourself first. If you’re anything like me, you have to feel confident in the gifts you’re giving. The free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited will allow you to see exactly what it is before you gift it.
Final Thoughts On Gift Ideas for a 12 Year Old Boy
With the holidays coming, there are so many kids to buy for. It can be hard to come up with awesome gift ideas for a 12-year-old boy since that’s about the age when they stop asking for toys as much. Luckily, I’ve done the research for you, and I hope this gift guide for a 12-year-old helps you find the perfect gift!
What would you add to this list of best gifts for a 12-year-old boy?
Think back to your favorite Thanksgiving memories. For me, I think of waking up and smelling food cooking and of the excited anticipation of the day ahead, knowing that I would be seeing family and eating a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
I think of relaxing with my family, laughing, talking, creating more memories to look back on. Mostly though, I think of the years we had a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Aside from spending time with family and being thankful, the food is literally the most important part of the celebration!
If you’re anything like me, you always feel like you are missing a crucial part of Thanksgiving dinner. You’re worried you will ruin Thanksgiving in some way by forgetting something or not being prepared. No worries, however, as I have come up with a list of Thanksgiving dinner must-haves.
For a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, you should choose at least 3 side dishes, plus a salad of some sort, and of course, rolls with butter. Some of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes include:
Corn
Green bean casserole
Mashed potatoes
Stuffing
Sweet potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Carrots
Brussel sprouts
Scalloped potatoes
Oh, and you can’t forget the gravy!
With all of these Thanksgiving side dishes, you can browse around for different recipes so that you can make them to your own liking.
Thanksgiving dessert
Pumpkin pie
Apple Crisp
Apple pie
Rhubarb pie
Whipped cream
Pumpkin cheesecake
Drinks to have on Thanksgiving:
This is up to the personal preference of each family. Think about the people you will be hosting in your home, or about the family that is hosting you in theirs. What do they like to drink when they are celebrating a holiday? What pairs well with the foods and desserts being served? Some options include:
Wine
Beer (is this normal or just my family?! LOL)
Cider
Hot cocoa
Water
Coffee
Apple cider sangria (please, please, please Brandy?!?! P.S. – Brandy is my sister, and she makes a killer apple cider sangria.)
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Other Things to Consider When Making Thanksgiving Dinner
Does anyone have allergies? Are there other dietary needs such as a vegan option? The most important part of planning food for Thanksgiving or taking a passing dish is to consider the other people who will be attending.
Final Thoughts on Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves
Thanksgiving time is my favorite time of year. It’s a time for feeling and showing thankfulness, a time for spending with friends and family, and a time for reflecting on the year that has gone by since the last Thanksgiving gathering. Thanksgiving should be close to perfect, so including as many Thanksgiving dinner must-haves as you can is the way to go.
What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? Leave a comment below and let us know!
My son is severely allergic to eggs and since his diagnosis, I have become so much more aware of the ingredients in any food my family eats. Last Halloween was the first time I paid much attention to candy ingredients, and I was shocked by all of the popular Halloween candy that is not safe for allergy kids.
I realized that my little man couldn’t eat more than half of the candy in his trick-or-treat bag!! It wasn’t a huge deal last year since he was only a year old, but this year he’s really starting to notice that he doesn’t get what his brothers and sisters get all of the time.
My son isn’t alone in this battle, either. There are 1 in 13 kids in the United States who suffer from an allergy to one of the 8 main allergies.
For these kids, coming into contact with the ingredient can cause a minor reaction of hives and an eczema outbreak OR a serious reaction that requires an EpiPen and hospital visit. Worst case scenario (but completely possible) is that the child could die. I don’t mean to be blunt, but it’s the harsh reality of living with an allergy.
8 Major Allergies
The 8 major allergies that tend to be the most unsafe include:
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Dairy
Egg
Soy
Wheat
Fish
Shellfish
Popular Halloween Candy That Is Not Safe For Allergy Kids
1. Snickers
Of the 8 major allergies, Snickers contains dairy, soy, peanuts, and egg. There is also a warning that it may contain tree nuts.
2. Milky Way
A Milky Way candy bar contains soy, dairy, gluten, and egg.
3. Butterfinger
Of the major allergies, Butterfinger contains peanuts and dairy.
4. Kit Kat
Kit Kat candy bars contain dairy, soy, and gluten.
5. M&M’s
Dairy and soy are both found in M&M’s.
6. 3 Musketeers
This popular candy bar contains dairy, soy, and egg.
7. Twix
One of my favorites, but it, unfortunately, contains dairy, soy, and gluten.
8. Hershey’s Kisses
A Hershey’s Kiss contains both dairy and soy, making them unsafe for many allergy kids.
9. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
Obviously, this one contains peanuts, but it also contains dairy and soy.
10. PayDay
Many people know that this candy bar contains peanuts, but are surprised to learn that it also includes dairy, egg, and soy.
Allergy Friendly Halloween Treats
So, now that you know most of your favorite Halloween candy contains some of the top 8 allergies, you may be stumped on what to pass out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Think outside of the box here! You can pass out fun toys and other items that kids love just as much as candy.
I love this option, as it includes quite a few choices.
Kids like more than just candy, so it’s not spoiling the fun if you opt-out of the option. Plus, the kids will likely be MORE excited to have an extra surprise that they weren’t expecting in their bag!! Since this day is dedicated to candy, however, I also included allergy-free candy in the list.
Please remember: The manufacturing process can change at any time, so always read ingredient labels and check for warnings just in case it has changed since the publication of this blog post. If you are ever unsure about the ingredients in a piece of candy, it is always best to skip that one.
The Teal Pumpkin
If you see a teal pumpkin, this signifies a place with treats that are not food. This movement ensures that all treats are safe for children with allergies, and prevents anyone from being in an unsafe position or feeling left out.
If you see a home with a teal pumpkin on Halloween, they’re likely joining in on the movement for non-food Halloween treats. If you’re interested, check the list above which contains some non-food treats.
***Plus, you can buy a teal pumpkin by clicking on THIS link.***
***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***
What is the “Switch Witch”?
The “Switch Witch” is where the unsafe candy is traded out in the middle of the night for treats that are safe. Some parents have a non-allergy sibling switch with the allergy sibling, while others buy candy that they know is a safe option to switch with their allergy child’s unsafe candy.
Can You Offer Both Options?
Sure! If you keep the allergy-friendly Halloween treats separate from the other candy, most allergy kids will be able to choose those options. Don’t be offended if an allergy child has to refuse if you offer both, but most of the time keeping the candy in a separate container will be fine!
Final Thoughts On Popular Halloween Candy That is Not Safe for Allergy Kids
Allergies are becoming very common for children, and oftentimes these allergies are life-threatening. For these kids and their parents, holidays such as Halloween that revolve around food and treats are incredibly stressful and frustrating as it requires heavy monitoring on the parent’s part and lots of sadness on the child’s part.
Knowing which treats are safe and which ones are unsafe ahead of time can greatly help allergy families during Halloween. The even better option, however, is to have allergy-friendly treats available and separate from the allergen-containing options. Non-candy treats are the best option yet!
What non-candy treats can you think of to pass out on Halloween? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
Halloween is so much fun, and it’s a holiday that can be celebrated in so many ways. From pumpkin carving to dressing up in costumes, Halloween is fun for everyone. I like to find extra ways to make Halloween fun, so I created a Halloween math printable that can be used with candy, cheerios, crayons, or anything else you’ve got around (plastic spiders?!).
Ways to Use the Printable
These printables are perfect for any age group because you can do so many different things in the boxes. When our 11 year old did a couple of these, he doodled different designs in each box. My kindergartener colored the squares, and my 4 and 2 year old both put cheerios in the boxes.
Drawings of pumpkins, bats, or other Halloween related drawings
How to Print the Free Halloween Math Worksheets
I didn’t want these Printable to be huge, so I created them to fit two to a sheet on portrait mode. When you click ‘print’, you will need to change the printer settings and choose 2 pages to 1 sheet so that 2 pages of the Printable will print on the same page.
If it doesn’t automatically make the printables fit on the same page, just choose to print them as 5×7 images, which will definitely fit 2 to a page.
Now, if you prefer to have large printables, go ahead and choose to fit one page of the printable to one sheet of paper and it will print well that way, too.
Halloween Math Printables
You may notice a slight difference from the original graphics for this post… the only change is that I added 10 boxes instead of 8 boxes.
Final Thoughts on Halloween Math Free Printables
Holidays are the perfect time to implement fun learning opportunities. This Halloween Math Printable can be used anywhere and can be fun for all ages, although it is more designed for ages 6 and under.
What Halloween learning activities do you like to do with your kids? Tell me about it in the comments!
The fall fun has begun, and that means we’re doing ALL of the fall activities at our house. When Peyton created his Layers of the Earth 3D Project, I was inspired to dye rice in all fall-inspired colors and create an easy fall sensory bin.
How to Make an Easy Fall Sensory Bin by Dying Rice
What you need:
4 cups of white rice
4 teaspoons of white vinegar
Food coloring (I used orange, yellow, brown, and red)
Add a differet color of food coloring to each bag.
Zip the bag and mix the rice with the food coloring.
Once the rice is completely coated and dyed to the color you want, dump it onto dry papertowel and let it dry for about 1 hour
Once all of the dyed rice is dry, mix the 4 colors together in a bowl or sensory table.
Add small Halloween toys or fall colored leaves for more fun.
Halloween Dyed Rice Sensory Bin
Using the same ingredients and similar steps, you can make an easy hallowed sensory bin for your kiddos, too! Instead of separating the rice in 1 cup increments into 4 separate bags, you will put two cups of rice into two separate bags (4 cups of rice total, still).
Once the rice is distributed, you will put 2 teaspoons of vinegar into each of the 2 bags, and then put orange food coloring into one bag and black food coloring into the other bag.
Follow the remaining steps, waiting for the dyed rice to dry before mixing colors together.
Another Easy Halloween Sensory Idea
Instead of doing orange and black for the Halloween sensory bin, you could dye all of the rice purple and add fun things like googly eyes or witches cauldrons in the sensory bin.
You could really do this however you want. Just follow the steps and change up the colors as needed.
And if your kids are like my kids they will do this:
I’m not sure if I should blame Liam or Josie for mixing the fall sensory bin with the Halloween sensory bin, and then they added purple and pink rice, too.. they both blamed one another. Still fun, though!
Final Thoughts On Easy Fall Sensory Bin With Dyed Rice
I love fun and easy activities, so this easy fall sensory bin with dyed rice was perfect for us. It was incredibly easy to make, pretty inexpensive, and the food coloring goes a LONG way so we were able to make a ton of dyed rice in all different colors.
My kids loved this… my 11-year-old loved it just as much as my 2-year-old, so it’s definitely a hit with everyone. My favorite part is that it is easy to clean up. You can simply sweep it up and throw it away, with no sticking or staining.
What is your favorite easy sensory activity to do with your kids? Have you tried dyed rice before? Leave me a comment and tell me about it!
A note from Sara B. (the author of this guest post): As a widow and mother of two, I know from experience how important it is for parents to have a strong financial plan. So, naturally, it concerned me when I read recently that only 25 percent of Millennial parents have life insurance and that only slightly more than half of parents have wills.
Her goal with this article is to explain the importance of financial planning for parents and give tips on how to get started.
Building your life one piece at a time is exciting, but it can become more and more difficult financially. According to GOBankingRates, the cost of living in the U.S. has increased by 14 percent, and median household incomes aren’t covering the jump.
Throw the cost of raising a kid into the mix, and Americans are even further from living comfortably within their means. The only way to get ahead and thrive is by thinking critically and coming up with a plan. Start developing your personalized financial plan today by using the tips below, so you can get back to creating the life you want for your family.
Down With Debt
Before you can start planning your financial future, you have to get rid of debts that casts a shadow on things like procuring a home loan or any other line of credit. Some debt is unavoidable, but if you don’t take care of it now, you’ll feel its effects later.
Calculate your personal debt-to-income ratio and start working toward lowering it. Your credit will get a boost from the dropped DTI, and interest rates on future lines of credit will most likely drop as well. If it’s out of hand, consider debt consolidation or meet with an advisor. A professional will help you get on the path to saving more for your future rather than paying for mistakes in the past. Once you’ve got a handle on your debt, it’s time to start saving for everything you hope to accomplish.
Figure Out Your Aim & Budget
Think about what you want for yourself and your children in the future, and what it’ll take to get there. You have to figure out the destination before you can map out a way there. Do you want to buy a home with a bigger yard, send your kid to a private school or start saving for college? Your goals can be short-term and/or long-term. Maybe you’re focused on providing for your kids after you’ve passed. All of these goals give you something to work toward and will help you develop a budget.
Even if you’re already running your home within a budget, you should revisit it in light of your goals. You should be putting money into a variety of savings accounts, but the first one you should stock is an emergency fund. Whether something happens to you, your home or your employment status, the last thing you want to do is stress yourself and possibly risk incurring more debt.
Life happens, so you should be ready for it. Protect your family by thinking ahead, and teach your children financial health by being a role model for them. They will be watching and will appreciate your budgeting down the line.
Life happens, so you should be ready for it. Protect your family by thinking ahead, and teach your children financial health by being a role model for them. They will be watching and will appreciate your budgeting down the line.
Prepare For The Future
Now that you’ve figured out where you want to save, it’s time to put it into action. Put some of your savings to use by investing, which is part of every financial plan. From contributing to your 401(k) to 529 college savings accounts, there are many ways you can invest in yourself and your family.
If you feel comfortable handling investments on your own, build an investment portfolio. If you prefer to have some help, look into using a robo-advisor, which offers a much lower fee than an in-person advisor. Save that bit of money to tackle another significant part of your future.
Additionally, get your estate planning handled as soon as possible. Avoid probate court with a living trust, protect your heirs’ property and designate a guardian to look after your children. If your children are grown, consider giving one of them control of your finances.
You should also look into life insurance to lessen financial stress after your departure. Specific financial needs like childcare, debts, and healthcare costs can be alleviated with life insurance. Use a tool, like an online calculator, to help you determine which insurance policy is right for you.
Everyone’s situation is different, including their finances. One thing that is consistent is the desire to do what’s best for the family. Make your financial plan today to help solidify a secure future for you and your children.
Peyton (our 11 year old) loves school projects where he gets to use his creativity. In 4th grade, he had to create a 3D animal and he chose a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake, which turned out SO cool. This time, he had to create a 3D model of the layers of the earth (6th-grade science) and he chose to use dyed rice in a mason jar.
How to Make the Layers of the Earth with Colored Rice
Paper towel — *You’ll be mad if you don’t check out this AMAZING deal I found on paper towel!!*
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
How to Make it:
Divide 2 cups of uncooked rice into 5 parts. The parts should be divided based on the sizes of each layer of the earth… some will be smaller than others.
Add each of the 5 parts into individual Ziploc bags and add 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar to each.
Then, begin adding the food coloring to each bag. The amount of food coloring you use will depend on how you want the colors to look.
Dump each color out onto a dry paper towel, keeping all colors separate.
Allow the dyed rice to dry for one hour.
Pour the dyed rice into a 16 oz. mason jar, beginning with the innermost layer of the earth. In Peyton’s case, this was the inner core, which he made yellow and poured into the bottom of the jar.
Pour each additional layer on top of that one, working from the inside layers to the outside layers. The outermost layers will be at the top of your jar.
Put the lid on, and your layers of the earth project is complete!
Layers of the Earth Used in this Project
Yellow: bottom layer, inner core
Orange: 2nd from the bottom, outer core
Red: 3rd from the bottom, lower mantle
Green: 4th from the bottom, upper mantle
Brown: top layer, crust
Tips:
*Fill the mason jar ALL the way to the top with rice. This prevents the rice from moving around and mixing together. You’ll want to keep your colors separate, as those represent the layers of the earth.
*Distribute the rice to 5 bags before dying any. Determine which bag of rice will be making up which layer, and write it on the outside of the bag. This way, your largest layer (the upper mantel in Peyton’s case) has the most rice in the bag and it doesn’t get mixed up with a different layer.
*—->This<—- pack of food coloring is the exact one I bought for this project. It contains all the colors Peyton needed plus some additional colors, too.
Other Ideas for Layers of the Earth 3D Project
His original idea was to use 5 different colors of glitter, which I thought would have looked super cool. He changed his mind and decided on the rice model instead, however.
Some other ideas include:
Styrofoam ball
Play-doh or clay
Colored sand
Glitter
Cake
Final Thoughts on Layers of the Earth 3D Project
I’m always so excited when Peyton is assigned a school project. He is SO creative and has so much fun with them.
What project would you create if you were to make a 3D model symbolizing the layers of the earth? Tell me about it in the comments!
This rubber band character rescue was a HIT with my kids. It kept them busy and having fun while fine tuning their fine motor skills. Some days, keeping them productively busy is hard to do when they just want to watch YouTube and Netflix or play video games.
I admit, my kids get a little too much screen time. I try to balance it out with activities that work their hands and minds at the same time. As a busy mom, that’s sometimes difficult when so many activities take just as much time preparing or cleaning up as your kids will spend doing the actual activity. Because of that, I’m always trying to find new ideas that don’t require much preparation, clean-up, or supplies.
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
This easy fine motor activity was perfect because:
It required less than 5 minutes of preparation.
I was able to pick random toys that we already had and that I didn’t have to search for. You can literally use ANYTHING.
My kids loved it.
They spent quite a bit of time taking rubber bands off (rescuing) and putting them back on (re-trapping).
They spent time sharing toys and trading fairly.
Helped develop fine motor skills.
This can be done anytime and anywhere. If you throw a pack of rubber bands in your diaper bag or purse you can always count it. I bought *these* rubber bands (click for link) because the rubber bands are sturdy, stretchy, and affordable).
Fine Motor Rubber Band Character Rescue
Choose their favorite characters, or do a variety of different characters. I chose PJ Masks characters, a Paw Patrol, and a dinosaur… mostly because those toys were some of the first ones I found, but also because my kids love those ones and play with them daily.
This activity is so easy. You can just grab a couple characters that your child loves and throw some rubber bands on them. Be creative and add more fun by using multiple colors of rubber bands and wrapping the rubber bands different ways.
Your child will then get to rescue their favorite character from the rubber bands while fine tuning their fine motor skills.
Take Activity a Step Further
Once your child has rescued their character from the rubber bands, challenge them to wrap the characters back up in the rubber bands.
My kids were excited when I told them that they had to tie the character back up so that we could see if I could rescue them, too.
Final Thoughts On Rubber Band Character Rescue – An Easy Fine Motor Activity
I love doing fun developmental activities with my kids, but life gets so busy that it’s hard finding the time. It took me too long to figure out that fun stuff doesn’t have to require tons of prep or clean-up. A quick bit of time after work/school can make for just as much fun as the more complicated activities.
Since trying out different easy fine motor activities, this rubber band character rescue has become a favorite for my family. From “trapping” spider man to PJ Masks toys, we spend time rescuing pretty much everything.
**What character would your kids love to rescue?! Tell me about it in the comments! **
My kids love this one and ask to do it all the time. It’s become my go-to activity in the car, in restaurants, and during any other “boring” wait times. Give it a shot and tell me how it goes for your child!
Do you have a favorite easy activity for kids that you like to do when you don’t have much time? Let us know!
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