Lego Stamped Pumpkin Art

 Harper and I love to paint with, well, anything but a paint brush! Last week she came home from school and asked me if I wanted to make something with paint, and how could I resist the invitation? This lego pumpkin idea was just the thing. It pairs cute and creepy together just right.

This is such an easy activity, and it is fun for kids of all ages! Even Rolf, who is 12 now, was curious about this and told us it was a "cool idea" before dashing back to his busy preteen activities. 

Supplies:

Orange Paint

Black Paint

Green Paint

Legos

Paper Plate

Paper

Directions:

Pour a small amount of orange, black and green paint onto a paper plate.

Offer your child legos in assorted sizes and paper.

Encourage your child to dip a lego into the orange paint and make the shape of a pumpkin.

Now, fill that shape in with more lego stamps.

When you have filled in the shape of the pumpkin, dip a lego into the black paint and make a face.

Next, give your pumpkin a stem with the green paint.

Allow to dry and display.

These were a really fun, kid led Halloween craft. I know your kids will love making pumpkin art this way.

You can find all of my Halloween crafts here

Painting projects here:

Reader favorites include:

Pumpkin Window Clings

Ghost Play Dough Ornaments

Prickly Play Doh Cactus

Are you looking for a fun project for older kids that something you probably already have at home? This prickly play doh cactus craft is awesome for tweens and teens and maybe even Mom or Dad too. Anyone who loves cacti will appreciate this easy and fun way to add a little cactus flair to your space.

I have always been a big fan of play doh. When I was a kid myself, I begged for it all the time. When I was a tween, I did every school project possible with play doh. As a twenty something, I made my much cooler friends roll their eyes at my play doh collection. Now I am a mom, and guess what? I STILL LOVE PLAY DOH! 

This project came about during an afternoon of missing the kids while they were at school. I started playing with green doh and here we are, making a cool, prickly play doh cactus.

Disclaimer. This is NOT a kid project. Do not do this with your toddlers, preschoolers, infants, or kindergartners. They will get hurt. 

Supplies:

A small terracotta pot

Green play doh

Toothpicks

A few rocks

Directions:

Fill half of your pot with rocks. 

 Shape your green play doh into a long lump.

Attach a few lumps to the sides, like the arms of a cactus.

Now, take about ten toothpicks and break them in half.

Start sticking the toothpicks into the play doh, like the little spikes of a cactus, insert them broken side into the doh.

As you can see, I thought a little purple flower was a nice touch. Feel free to vary this as you like.

Display on your desk, or on a shelf out of reach of little hands. Over time this will dry out. You can toss it, or keep it as is when that happens. It is a matter of preference.

If you liked this project check out all of my play doh projects.

Reader favorites include:

Toddler Play Doh Puzzles

Play Doh Pie Counting

I would be so grateful if you shared this post on social media, or pin it to your crafts for adults board.

Apple Process Art

 This easy process art project is perfect for little ones this fall. It requires only a few supplies, only 1 minute of set up, and it creates a gorgeous work of art that kids will be so proud to display!

Harper and I love to craft and create together. We love nothing more than a trip to Hobby Lobby, or a few bottles of paint and blank paper. We have been making art with a bunch of things, without brushes! This cork stamped apple art is our latest creation. 

We used a cork from a wine bottle, some acrylic paint and copy paper to make this. Really, that is all you need!

Supplies:

Paint in green, brown and red.

A cork

Paper

A paper plate

Directions:

Pour a small amount of each color of paint onto a paper plate.

Offer your child a cork and encourage the child to begin stamping the outline of an apple in red.

Encourage your child to stamp in the center of the apple until it is covered.

Ask the artist to roll the side of the cork into the brown paint, and then roll the cork onto the top of the apple to form a stem.

Next ask the artist to dip the cork into the green paint.

Ask the artist to give the apple a leaf.

Allow the painting to dry and then display.

This is so cute right? It begs to be displayed on the fridge!

Grandparents would also love to have an original from their favorite artist!

You can find all of my favorite kid crafts here.

Leaf Fox Craft

Paper Pizzas

15+ Fin-tastic Shark Crafts for Adults

Take a bite out of the lost pencil situation and make this Shark Pencil Pouch by The Patchwork Posse. These are so cute that everyone will want one!

Add a lot of personality to your clothespin bag with this Shark Clothes Pin Bag by the Polka Dot Chair. It is sure to make laundry chores feel more like a day at the beach!

Make your own super funky shark jewelry with this tutorial from Morena's Corner. This is an awesome idea for teens and adults!

Shark Mittens are an adorable way to keep the cold from biting little hands! They also double as an awesome tool for puppet play. Check the tutorial out from A Night Owl Blog.

Surfs and sips up with these etched shark wine glasses by Doodle Craft. These are perfect for making your glassware unique!

Patchwork Shark Pillow Cases by Today's Creative Life are perfect for adding a one of a kind touch to your home.

Make a DIY Shark Bag for a special kid and they will be fin flipping happy! Get the tutorial at the Small and Friendly site.

Let a hammerhead guard the fridge with this DIY shark magnet project by Kids Activities Blog.

Add a bite of fun to your next pool party with these cute pool noodle sharks by Views From a Step Stool.

Beaded Shark Necklaces are a great way to DIY your own accessories! Get the instructions from Buggy and Buddy.

Don't lose your place in your book. These shark bookmarks from Red Ted Art are a colorful way to leave a shark in charge of your reading materials.

Make a DIY Shark Tooth Necklace with this tutorial by Happy Go Lucky.

Make your own wrap around shark shirt with this free file from Where the Smiles Have Been.

Add a touch of eerily elegant to your wardrobe with this gold foil shark shirt by Doodle Craft.

Make a flip flop wreath to warn visitors of Shark Infested Waters with this tutorial from Dollar STore Crafts

Best Toys of Summer

Is it just me, or does it feel like summer of 2020 has been going on for a really long time now? My kids have been riding their bikes, playing Minecraft for days, and taking plenty of dips in the pool. But, even with all of that fun going on, they are still looking for ways to play! We rounded up some of our favorite toys of summer and I know you are going to want to check some of these ideas out for your family too.

Samples might have been provided for some items listed or affiliate links may have been used.

My kids have been hip to politics since the 2016 election when they made a facebook hit song about the new president. We put our difference of opinion aside and appreciated the innocence and patriotism of little kids. To keep their interest in this presidential election year, we got this fun Election Night board game the whole family can enjoy. Play one on one, or form teams to make your way to the white house. Order this fun game for about $40.

My kids are crafting kids. Some of you know this already. For years we hosted a kids crafting show on facebook with our friends at Quirky Momma. Now that they are older, we love to add education to craft time. Little Learning Hands is the perfect option for kids. It gives a taste of other cultures with a fun project, and a chance to practice life skills. My kids thought the little backpacks were cute, and they really enjoyed learning about other cultures! Order a subscription for a little global learner in your life. These would be perfect for kids who will be attending school remotely this year as a fun way to add social studies to their day!

My kids are big fans of stomp rockets. These are fun, kid powered  toys. I love them because they encourage active play. The kids love them because it becomes a competition to see who can stomp their rocket the highest. There are a ton of different stomp rockets to chose from. Check them out and find a retailer near you on the Stomp Rocket website.

The men in my house are big fans of  Evel Knievel. So much that my son was fully prepared to portray Evel in the wax museum at his school, until the pandemic upended his plans. Luckily, the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle rode into his summer with daring jumps and stunts. This throwback toy is perfect for adding a little pizzazz to the day. Order online for about $40 to delight kids of all ages. Husbands will dig it too!

STEM projects are my favorite way to keep the kids learning, engaged and creating. This Solar Powered Rovers kit from Thames and Kosmos gives kids everything they need to make vehicles that are powered by the sun. This is the ideal amount of challenge and fun for elementary aged kids. Order it online for about $20.

Take the fun outdoors when the sun sets with this My Discovery Telescope by Thames and Kosmos. This is perfect for introducing kids to astronomy in an economical fashion. Order this starter telescope for about $20. Kids will also love exploring wildlife with great detail at a distance. 

Osmo Creative is a great way to step up screen time to include games and invitations to get creative. For about $88 you can buy a 3 game starter with an Osmo base, that works with ipad or Kindle Fire. These are so much fun for elementary age kids. I think this is a must have for anyone keeping their kids home this fall too.

Kids First Crystals, Rocks and Minerals from Thames and Kosmos is a great way to get kids learning about geology with hands on fun. This kit has everything you need to complete introductory experiments. Kids will love admiring the rocks and crystals too. Order for about $45. This makes a must have for  a home school and is a perfect way to entertain the kids all summer long!

Little kids will love to build in a unique way with Magformers. These are magnetic tiles that kids will want to play with all of the time. These are perfect for imaginative building sessions. Basic sets start at about $13. There are an assortment of great options including vehicles, animals and more.

Set your sights on fun and be prepared to hit a Bull's Eye with this fun game for preschoolers that brings non stop fun while building short term memory skills. This game has mini plungers that make picking up the cards fast and fun! Order at Amazon for an action packed twist on memory games.

We have been LOVING this really fun Wizards and Werewolves game from Starlux. It gives the kids and their friends something fun to do after dark, and it keeps them super active! I don't know about your kids, but mine always sleep good after a good running session and this game offers just that. Kid can be a wizard or a werewolf; they hunt for the glowing red gems or protect them in this action packed game. Order it for about $30. It is well worth it.

Keep the fun of game time going strong with this fun Doggy Bag game. It combines fine motor skills with hand eye coordination for a ton of fun for preschoolers!  Order this from Amazon because it will become a favorite with your little kids!

I hope these ideas help keep your kids entertained this summer!