Thing 1 and Thing 2 Puppets

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Popsicle stick puppets come together easily with minimal supplies to create an invitation to engage in dramatic play for toddlers and preschoolers!

My 3 year old loves to play with puppets and I love to encourage dramatic play for her developing mind! We made these super simple little puppets which were the perfect size for her small hands. She loved including Thing 1 and Thing 2 in all of her pretend play!

These are so easy. All you need is:

2 Popscile Sticks

Red Paint or Markers

4 googly eyes

a small bit of blue paper

2 small rounds of white paper

a pen or marker

Glue

Instructions:

Paint or color  2/3 of the craft stick red

Cut the blue paper to look like 2 shocks of hair.

Glue the hair on each stick

Give the sticks 2 eyes

Write Thing 1 and Thing 2 on the circles of paper and glue it on the center and you have your easy and fun puppets!

These are perfect for an easy peasy play session or a fun way to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday.

Easy DIY Ladybug Valentine's for Kids with Welch's Fruit Snacks

Valentine's Day embraces all things sweet! From cards to decorations and of course, the treats!

Thanks to Welch's Fruit Snacks for se

This year we are making an effort to offer healthier alternatives to the standard miniature chocolates and hard suckers. Our go to choice was fruit snacks and naturally, we turned to Welch's this year! They have these awesome emoji designs out just in time for Valentine's Day!

Inspired by the warm fuzzy feelings that my children give me when they are happy, I came up with this sweet little handmade Valentine to share with Rolf's classroom at their party next week!

These are so cute and easy to make!

One black sheet of construction paper
One red sheet of construction paper
2 googly eyes
One long section of red ribbon
One pink doily heart
Glue
Scissors
Stickers
Welch's Fruit Snacks

Begin by cutting an oval for the body, a medium size heart for the head and several smaller hearts from the back paper.

Cut 2 smaller ovals and a small red heart from the red paper.

Place the two red ovals on the sides of the black oval for wings.

Cut your heart doily in half. Glue one half on each wing.

Add the black heart to the top of the wings to make a head.

Glue 2 googly eyes on the heart head.

Glue the small red heart for a mouth on the head.

Curl on 3 inch section of ribbon for the antenna.

Decorate the body with the small black hearts and a few fun stickers!

Take the rest of the ribbon and tie it around the body, then affix the fruit snacks to the back of the card.

There you have a sweet and cute candy free Valentine Treat!

Welch's Fruit Snacks are available in these fantastic 28 count packages that are perfect for Valentine treat sharing, or just a tasty after school snack! Have you ever given fruit snacks at a holiday party?

8 Crafts and Recipes to Make for Groundhog Day!

Groundhog Day is a fun way to break up the monotony of winter while offering a healthy dose of optimism! These craft and snack ideas are the perfect way to add a little something special to the day, for the delight of the kids!

These ideas are cute and easy and I know you are going to love them! I can't wait to hear which one is your favorite! I can't go wrong with any of the pudding ideas as my kids are serious pudding fans! HA!

Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Pancakes

Groundhog Parfait

Quick and Easy Groundhog Pudding Cups

Groundhog Cup Craft

Groundhog Face Craft

Shadow Puppet Play 

Aren't these adorable and easy ideas!? I think we are kind of obligated to make the groundhog face craft because it is crazy cute!

8 Scrumptious Red Velvet Recipes

Red Velvet is one of my favorite flavors. From Red Velvet Cappuccinos to those yummy little Russel Stover Candies that beg to be devoured and of course, we can't forget the cakes! This year I want to make something incredibly sweet to share with my friends and family and naturally, I am leaning towards Red Velvet!

I have 8 awesome sweets to share from some of my favorite blogs, and a one of my own to add into the mix for your easy reference!

Red Velvet Squares with Cream Cheese Filling

Red Velvet Strawberry Parfaits

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Ice Cream

Red Velvet Cookie Bars

Red Velvet Fudge

Red Velvet Oreo Cupcakes

Easy Red Velvet Cookies

One of my favorite Red Velvet Recipes is Blueberry Red Velvet Whoopie Pies. Oh my gosh, these are so good! What is your favorite way to enjoy the flavors of Red Velvet desserts?

The Topiary Park of Columbus

Columbus Ohio is one of our go-to places for family fun. The city has so much to offer to families. From the Columbus Museum of Art to the awesome playgrounds for kids, there is always something to do in Columbus!

A few weeks ago we attended Brick Universe, to the delight of my Lego loving kids. After we had taken the time to play with all kinds of legos and browse the vendors, we decided to take in the Topiary Park of Columbus on Town Street. This is such a lovely little spot in the city. If you have never been, you are really missing out on something amazing.

Giving my kids exposure to art is important to me. Both kids love to sculpt with playdough and they both love to draw. Encouraging their love of the arts keeps them interested in creating! A little-known fact is that as a child, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I often wonder what might have been if only someone told me to keep sketching or had taken me to a fashion week kind of thing...

So, as we arrived at the Park, and found ample parking opportunities, we entered an almost empty park. An elderly man sat reading on a bench. At the other end of the park, a father-son duo conversed quietly. It was nice to be able to allow the kids a little freedom to stretch their legs and observe this living art in their own ways.


The park is one of a kind. It is a gorgeous, green and lush atmosphere with breathtaking flowers, a pristine pond, and these amazing topiaries. It is an interpretation of the painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte by Georges Seurat.

The experience is delightful. It offers one the chance to walk amongst the art, a rare occasion in this digital day we live in. The stroll was nothing short of magical for my kids. They have been several times and they never tire of a trip to The Topiary Park of Columbus.

I loved how serene the park was, despite the location in the city. If I were frequently in the downtown area, I could see myself slipping away to the Topiary Park for coffee and contemplation or a dreamy place to pass time with a good book in hand.