7 Simple Kid’s Crafts for Mother’s Day

Mother's Day Art, Simple Art Projects for Mother's Day, Mom Art

Why not surprise a mom by helping her kids create a heart-felt, homemade gift to show their love this Mother’s Day? Here are 7 simple DIY gifts kids can create with a little help from you to make any mom feel special:

1. Mother’s Day Coupon Book

Download our Mother’s Day Coupon Book printable template to make an extra-thoughtful gift mom with coupons for “washing the dishes,” “folding the laundry,” and even “one hour of quiet time.” Have your little one color-in and draw on each coupon to personalize it. Complement your coupon book with an UrbanSitter gift card!

mother's-day-coupon-book

2. Yarn Wrapped Bottles

A Mother’s Day art project older kids will enjoy is creating these beautiful vases for Mom.  It’s an easy way to present a few flowers on Mom’s big day.

via Huffington Post
via Huffington Post

3. Craft Stick Flower Pot

Another fun easy art project for kids to make on Mother’s Day is to create a colorful flower pot. Find a recycled can or other small container and craft or popsicle sticks and some glue. After the flower pot is finished, fill it with her favorite plant for a long-lasting gift that will keep her smiling.

via Somewhat Simple
via Somewhat Simple

4. Baby Feet Butterflies

If you’re looking for an easy art project for Mother’s Day for a baby, using their fingerprints or footprints is a wonderful way to create sentimental art. One homemade gift for mom from a baby is to dip the baby’s feet into non-toxic washable paint and create footprints.  After the paint has dried, turn them into butterflies with just a few swipes with a marker.

via Pinterest
via Pinterest

5. Tissue Paper Flowers

Truly a classic craft for Mother’s Day! Who doesn’t love a few tissue paper flowers, and even more so if they were created by the little ones they love. WikiHow tells you how to make them three ways.

via Rust and Sunshine
via Rust and Sunshine

6. Craft Stick Jewelry Box

For the elementary kids, a simple Mother’s Day craft is this beautiful keepsake box. All they need to make this box are craft sticks or recycled popsicle sticks and embellish with anything from beads, sequins, buttons, drawings or even stickers. Mom will love storing her treasures here.

via Spoonful
via Spoonful

7. Flower Photos

A free printable background, cupcake liners, construction paper and favorite photos are all it takes to make these adorable flower photos. Photos of children’s faces are cut into 1.5 inch circles and pasted to the center of flowers.  Once they are completed, these can be used to make a Mother’s Day card or a picture frame. For a picture frame, either buy a new frame or find an old picture frame and just remove the glass to make room for the 3D flowers.

via Raising Arizona Kids
via Raising Arizona Kids

Homemade Mother’s Day crafts like these are the ones that will truly touch her heart. She’ll appreciate the time and effort you made to help the kids create such meaningful Mother’s Day gifts. UrbanSitter.com gift cards make great gifts, too!

Get Busy with Spring Break Crafts for Kids

The kids are home for Spring Break, and chances are you could use a few craft ideas for entertaining them. Here are 5 Spring Break arts and crafts that are sure to keep them busy!

1. Yarn Eggs

Our first Spring Break craft idea could pass as an Easter-time craft, but really it works any time of year. It’s a fun project for school-age kids who will love the process and the end result – big, colorful orbs to hang in their rooms.  You’ll need thin cotton yarn, balloons, craft glue, newspaper, waxed paper, a clothespin and a hanger. The project involves making a watered-down glue mixture, dipping strands of yarn in it and and wrapping around a balloon. Once dry, you pop and remove the balloon, and you are left with a funky, colorful egg.

2. Spring Blossom Painting

The blogger from Toddler Approved created the idea for this gorgeous painting that is worthy of hanging on a prime spot on your walls. Check out her handy tutorial for a detailed how-to that includes photos of each step. Be assured that it’s a simple project involving materials you likely already have in the house, which is perfect for crafts for Spring Break… watercolor paper, paint and a Sharpie is all you need!

Blossom Painting by Toddler Approved
Blossom Painting by Toddler Approved

3. Chalkboard Flower Pots

We’ve tweaked this Spring Break craft a bit to make it more kid- friendly.  The day before you tackle this project with the kids, paint a few flower pots with chalkboard paint. The ingenious paint now comes in nearly every color of the rainbow.  Once dry, big kids they may enjoy embellishing the pots with trim, ribbon or buttons (similar to the project shown here). Kids of all ages will love using the colorful pots to plant a few fast-growing seeds or actual flowers or plants you’ve picked up from the home improvement store or local nursery, and then decorating their pots with chalk drawings that can be erased at whim.

Chalkboard Flower Pots by Paint Me Plaid
Chalkboard Flower Pots by Paint Me Plaid

4. Button Flowers for Counting

This cute craft helps young kids count and learn to associate numbers. It’s simple, too.  Help kids use green Wikki Stix  (wax covered yarn sticks you can bend and mold to any shape) to make stems and leaves for flowers and attach to a piece of white paper.  Children can then attach a button to the top of the stem (the Wikki Stix will adhere the button so no glue is necessary). Label the stems of the flowers with any numbers the children are working on.  Have the children place the corresponding number of buttons on top of the flowers.

Button Flowers for Counting by Sixty Second Parent
Button Flowers for Counting by Sixty Second Parent

5. Bunny Paper Plate Photo Frame

Here’s a cute Spring Break craft that even the tiniest tots can handle. Simply cut the middle out of a paper plate, paste cotton balls on the remaining circle, and staple two bunny ears made from additional plates and also covered in cotton balls You can either paste it around a photo of your child’s face (like a frame) or tie a string from side-to-side on the back and make a fun mask.

Bunny Love by I Love 1st Grade

Need a break from Spring Break? Find and book babysitters with UrbanSitter. Sign up for free and start searching for babysitters!

10 Spring Break Staycation Ideas for Families

If a big trip isn’t on the calendar this year, you might be looking for Spring Break staycation ideas to keep the kids entertained for 10 consecutive, school-free days. Fear not! There are tons of fun activities that feel special enough for a school vacation, and will keep you or the sitter and your kids happily entertained at or near home.

10 Fun, Family Activities for a Spring Break Staycation

  1. Go camping in your own backyard. If the temps aren’t feeling sub-zero, pitch a tent in the backyard or on the back deck and have a family night under the stars. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, check out our round-up of family-friendly camping spots and hit the road!
  2. Turn your home into a restaurant for a day. With kids to feed, you might already feel like a short order cook, but why not get the kids in on the action by pretending to run a restaurant. You can divvy up duties – setting the table, prep, cooking, serving, being the customer and clean up. It’s a fun way to get little ones involved in menu planning, and hands on in the kitchen, which has been shown to open their minds to trying new foods and appreciating the value of good, whole foods. It’s also a nice opportunity to work on table manners and to talk about money.
  3. Dive in! Just because you aren’t at the beach, doesn’t mean you can’t take a swim. Bust out your beach bags and head to a pool for the day. Your kids will love it!
  4. Take a local hike or bike ride. Get outside and get moving with a family hike or bike ride through a familiar or waiting-to-be-discovered part of town. If you don’t already have one, think of investing in a quality baby seat for your bike. You’ll open up tons of opportunities for getting fresh air and exercise with baby in tow.
  5. Play tourist in your own town. Visit a local attraction you’ve never seen before, whether it be a little known museum, a school or neighborhood park in another area, or even an unfamiliar library branch.
  6. Wake up in “Paris” or any other foreign land you’d like to visit. With a little advance planning, you can have make-believe feel quite real by greeting your kids with “Bonjour!” and a croissant, sharing books or stories about the land you are visiting (maybe a Madeline story), doing a foreign craft, watching a movie, and making an easy meal together. It’s a fun way to open their minds to new cultures.
  7. Host a lemonade stand. Even if you don’t live on a street with many passersby, you might be able to recruit some neighbors or friends to come by to buy a cup or two. It takes some time to make a sign, mix up a pitcher of lemonade, set up a stand and wait for your customers!
  8. Do good. A day off is a fine time to volunteer for a local cause, together as a family. Clean-up a favorite park, help out at a food bank or visit a nursery home to teach your kids the value of giving back.
  9. Have a family movie night and sleepover. With no early morning alarms to set, you might feel a little more lax about bedtime. Pile the family in front of the TV for a movie or find a fun family-friendly game to play together. Make it more  fun with a big batch of popcorn or a special sweet treat. If your kids are past the crib stage, try gathering your sleeping bags and sleeping together sleep-over style.
  10. Set up a BBQ. Our last Spring Break staycation idea really sizzles! Nothing says spring like firing up the grill for burgers and hot dogs. Get the kids involved in the cooking, helping prepare the sides, drinks and desserts. It’s a great way to enjoy a spring break together after a long week.

No matter how  you spend your Spring Break staycation, remember there’s always a sitter available on UrbanSitter to give you a break! 

Simple St. Patrick’s Day Crafts for Kids

As luck would have it, there are oodles of St. Patty’s Day crafts to keep your kids happily entertained. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorites that are just right for little ones.

Simple St. Patrick’s Day Crafts for Kids

Rainbow Streamers
A simple craft made from a paper plate, paints and tissue paper strips.

Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 12.27.30 PM
via Activity Village

Handprint Rainbow
Kids’ handprints made in every color of the rainbow lead to a pot of gold.

via The Logan's
via The Logan Family of Five

Paper Bag Leprechaun
It’s double the fun when you turn a paper sack into a googly-eyed leprechaun who makes for a perfect puppet.

via Pin Inspired
via Pin Inspired

Rainbow Necklace
Buy a box of fruity O’s cereal and help your child string a rainbow (or make it leprechaun green) on a shoe string. You’ll have a fun project, cute necklace and a yummy snack. 

via Eighteen 25
via Eighteen 25

Shamrock Bouquet
Here’s a craft that’s as much fun for Mom as it is for the little ones. Make an adorable bouquet of shamrocks using the handy template provided here, and you’ll have a happily entertained crafter and a cute centerpiece for the table.

via Sweet and Lovely
via Sweet and Lovely

Paper Rainbow
A simple craft for even the tiniest tots. Glue dots make it even easier and eliminate the mess.

via Scrappin' Danielle
via Scrappin’ Danielle

Leprechaun Green Oobleck
If you haven’t yet played with the strange, non-edible substance called Oobleck, here’s your chance. Make a green batch!

via Oobleck
via Food.com

Green Pepper Shamrock Stamp
A green pepper easily becomes a shamrock stamp. Who knew?!

via Family Fresh Meals
via Family Fresh Meals

Pot of Gold
There’s a template for a shamrock and a pot, but we’re guessing you won’t need them to create this adorable pot of treasures.

via Play and Learn with Dana
via Play and Learn with Dana

Leprechaun Beard
Love, love, love this DIY leprechaun beard you can make for a fantastic dress-up accessory.

via No Time for Flashcards
via No Time for Flashcards

 

Search for crafty sitters on UrbanSitter.com! How will your family celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

12 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day for Kids

Not sure how to create a special Valentine’s Day for kids? Holidays offer ideal opportunities to create traditions your kids will remember for life. Creating Valentine’s Day activities for kids is a win-win for both parents and children alike. Start making those special holiday memories and creating your own family Valentine’s Day traditions.

Here are 12 fun Valentine’s Day Ideas for Kids to make the day extra special:

  1. Make memorable meals.

    Create signature dishes you will have every family Valentine’s Day from here on out. Some delicious ideas to get you thinking:
Valentines Day Ideas for Kids

  1. Create Valentine’s Day decoration together.

    They are bound to pull at your heartstrings when you pull them out each year. For an easy, simple Valentine’s Day activity for kids, make paper chains to hang from the ceiling

  1. Decorate their duds for a festive day.

    We love these simple heart button covers and these, too. Or how about a red dotted bow tie?

  1. Celebrate with a little pampering by giving mini manis and pedis.

    Another fun family Valentine’s Day activity – draw teeny hearts with nail art pens!

  2. Host a perfect Valentine’s Day party

    Follow these tips and the neighbors will all be raving about the perfect Valentine’s Day party you hosted or have the kids host a special tea party for favorite friends, real of imaginary. A tea party takes snack time to a whole new level. Serve finger sandwiches spread with strawberry cream cheese or jam, cookies and tea, of course.

  3. Share the love with Valentine’s Day ideas for kids.

    Load up your table with craft paper, doilies, foils, markers, crayons and paints to create homemade cards to deliver to Mom or Dad, a favorite sitter, and the grandparents.

  1. Have a photo shoot.

    This Valentine’s Day Photo Shoot will give you some good ideas on how to use props to mark the day. Try some fun props, such as a chalkboard, balloons, streamers, or candy.

  1. Get crafty.

    Who doesn’t love making crafts out of hearts? Check out UrbanSitter’s Fun Valentine’s Day Crafts. If you need more ideas, you’ll love Martha Stewart’s roundup. Or tell kids Valentine’s Day jokes!

valentines day ideas for kids

  1. Do good.

    Do you know an elderly neighbor or friend who might not have a Valentine to celebrate with this year? Make their day by delivering a bouquet of flowers and a homemade card.

  1. Snuggle in for family movie night.

    There are many cute Valentine’s Day movies for kids, including: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Ever After,” “Lady and the Tramp,” and a sweet compilation of some of Disney’s best couples – “Mickey & Minnie’s Sweetheart Stories.”

  2. Whip up a special dessert to enjoy after dinner.

    You can’t go wrong with these impressive-to-look-at, even-more-impressive-once-you-bite them brownies from Smitten Kitchen. For something simpler, try Raspberry Cream Cheese Heart Tarts from Weelicious.

Valentine's Day for Kids Family Valentine's Day

  1. Choose a few Valentine’s Day books to read together before bed.

Finally after a full day of making special memories with your children, plan a night out with your partner or friends. Be sure to book a Valentine’s Day sitter early using these tips. Interested in what it’ll cost you to go out on that special night? Here’s a look at babysitting rates on Valentine’s Day.

Looking for a babysitter for Valentine’s Day? Visit UrbanSitter to find a caregiver nearby.

40 Funny Valentine’s Day Jokes for Kids

Spark joy and giggles with Valentine’s Day jokes for kids. It’s cold out and we’re ready for a little fun. Children love jokes and there are very funny Valentine’s Day jokes for kids. Not only do Valentine’s Day jokes and puns bring laughter, they can also be a fun activity. Teach your kid some of these jokes, have them write the jokes on paper and create their own Valentine’s Day joke cards for friends and family.

Let the laughter commence!  

  1. What did one volcano say to the other? I lava you!
  2. Knock, knock, Who’s there? Abby. Abby who? Abby Valentine’s Day!
  3. What do you call the world’s smallest Valentine’s Day card? A valen-teeny.
  4. What did the mommy sheep say to her baby sheep? I love ewe!
  5. How do snakes show their affection on Valentine’s Day? With a hug and a hiss.
  6. Do skunks celebrate Valentine’s Day? Of course, they are very scent-imental.
  7. What did the calculator say to the pen? You can always count on me.
  8. What did the big brother sheep say to his little sister sheep? You’re not so baaaa-d!
  9. On a hot day, what does one ice cream scoop say to the other? You make me melt.
  10. What type of shape is most popular on Valentine’s Day? Acute triangle. 
Valentine's Day Jokes for Kids
  1. What do you call two birds in love? Tweethearts!
  2. Who always has a date on Valentine’s Day? A calendar. 
  3. What kind of flowers should you NOT give on Valentine’s Day? Cauliflowers!
  4. What did Ketchup say to the tomatoes? I love you from my head to-ma-toes.
  5. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Arthur. Arthur who? Arthur any chocolates left for me?
  6. What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine’s Day? I’m stuck on you!
  7. What did the girl squirrel say to the boy squirrel on Valentine’s Day? I’m nuts about you.
  8. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Al. Al who? Al be your Valentine if you’ll be mine.
  9. What did one strawberry say to the other on Valentine’s Day? I love you berry much.
  10. What did the cat say to her best friend on Valentine’s Day? We are purrrfect friends!
Kids Valentines Day Jokes
  1. What did the painter say to his Valentine? I love you with all my art!
  2. What did the rabbit say to his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day? Somebunny loves you!
  3. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Egg. Egg who? Egg-cited to be your Valentine.
  4. How did the coin propose to his girlfriend? He gave her a jingle.
  5. What did one bee say to the other? I love bee-ing with you, honey!
  6. What did the train say to his Valentine? I choo-choo-choose you!
  7. How did the orca ask the other to be their Valentine? Whale you be mine?
  8. What did the pickle say to the other on Valentine’s Day? You’re a big dill to me.
  9. What did one cantaloupe write to the other in their Valentine’s card? You’re one in a melon!
  10. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Bea. Bea who? Bea my Valentine.
Kids Valentines Day Jokes
  1. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive who? Olive you!
  2. Why did all the other fruit ask the banana to be their Valentine? She was very a-peel-ing.
  3. What do you call an affectionate dog on Valentine’s Day? A Smooch Pooch.
  4. What kind of candy is never on time? Choco-LATE.
  5. Why did the banana go out with the prune? Because it couldn’t get a date.
  6. What is Cupid’s favorite card game? Hearts.
  7. What did the chocolate syrup say to the ice cream? I’m sweet on you.
  8. Knock, Knock. Who’s there? Haywood Haywood who? Haywood you be my Valentine.
  9. What did the light bulb say to his Valentine? I love you watts and watts!
  10. What did one monster say to the other monster? Be my Valen-slime.

Want more Valentine’s Day activities? Here are 12 fun Valentine’s Day ideas for kids to make the day extra special.

After you’ve delighted your child with Valentine’s Day Jokes, treats and cards, switch gears and go out on the town with your love. Book your sitter early using these tips and enjoy a night out! Here’s a look at babysitting rates on Valentine’s Day.

Looking for a babysitter for Valentine’s Day? Visit UrbanSitter to find a caregiver nearby.

4 Fun Holiday Projects that Make Great Gifts from Kids

Hopefully you’ve taken advantage of UrbanSitter to score a sitter or two so you can get out to enjoy a holiday party or take care of some shopping without the kids. Why not make it fun for the kids and a little easier on the sitter by leaving them with instructions and supplies for holiday crafts to tackle together?

We’ve selected four crafts that will score big points with kids and are simple enough as to not to stress out the sitter. What’s even better? These crafts make awesome homemade gifts. Your kids will love wrapping their masterpiece and will beam with pride when they deliver it to a lucky recipient this holiday season.

Our top four, fun-to-make, homemade gifts, along with instructions and a handy shopping list for each:

  1. 1. Salt Dough Hand Print Ornament

Those tiny hands, whether they belong to your newborn or your 7-year-old, won’t last for long. These classic handprint ornaments made with salt dough are an adorable, touching way to cement a moment in time.  You’ll cherish them so much, you won’t want to give them away… so have the sitter and your kids make one for you, too.  Click for instructions.

Here’s what you’ll need to leave the sitter:

4 cups of flour

1 cup salt

Food coloring

Large Mixing Bowl

Cookie sheet

Canola oil

Small rolling pin

Drinking straw

Ribbon

Photo by Stephanie Severin
Photo by Stephanie Severin

2. Magnified Magnets

This is a good project for bigger kids who have better focus and dexterity than their younger  siblings. Half the fun of the project is hunting down tiny pictures to fit on the back of glass pebbles. Good places to search for images include: scraps of wrapping paper, Christmas cards, homemade drawings, and thumbprints made with a stamp pad. Simply cut out the image and glue it right side up to the flat side of a glass pebble. Once dry, glue a magnet to the back of it. The blogger gives you more detailed instructions, and lots of photo for inspiration.

You’ll need the following, available from a craft supply store:

3/4 inch circle punch

Glass accent marbles/pebbles

Adhesive

Stamp pad

Craft paper, wrapping paper, cards

¾ inch magnets

3. Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels

pretzels
Photo by: food.com/938006

This is a yummy cooking project for kids of various ages.  Everyone can help break up the chocolate; older kids, with the help of a sitter, can dip the pretzels into melted chocolate (candy canes work well for dipping, too); and little ones can sprinkle and/or roll pretzels in crushed candy, sprinkles, nuts or coconut. There is no shortage of recipes for this one, but here’s a favorite of ours.

You’ll need:

Pretzels rods or candy canes

Chocolate chips or melting chips

Candy, sprinkles, nuts, coconut – anything you want to roll them in

Wax paper for cooling pretzels

  1. Holiday Cards

crafts for kidsHere’s a good project for preschoolers. It’s a DIY holiday card using their handprint and finger paint. The instructions recommend using washable finger paint because it’s thicker and of course, easier to clean up than the real deal paint. You simply help kids coat their palm in paint and press it onto the front of cardstock to make a Christmas tree or menorah. You can use other colors and fingerprints to decorate the tree if you are making a Christmas tree print, or for the flames on the tips of the menorah candles.  It’s a simple project that requires few materials, and  produces great results.

You’ll need:

Finger paint

Cardstock

Paint brush

Pen

Have you found other holiday crafts for kids that your kids are going ga-ga for? We’d love to hear about them. Please share with us!

Summer Boredom Busters: 5 Fun Activities For Your Sitter and Child To Do Together

5 Fun Activities For Your Sitter and Child To Do Together

Looking for some fun summer babysitting activities to keep the kids entertained? Look no further – we’ve found 5 fun boredom busters that are sure to work for the kids.

First, parents book a sitter – UrbanSitter makes it easy to find one that is just the right match for your child – and with these creative ideas, set up a fantastic day they will both enjoy:

1. Tackle something new. Let your sitter introduce your little one to a new sport or hobby. Give them some basic equipment to take to a local field, playground or indoor play space.

2. Learn about a new culture. Pick a place or culture that has piqued the child’s interest – maybe somewhere they’ll be traveling together in the near future or the native culture of a friend — and dive in to explore it together. Cater to the child’s age and ability:

Preschoolers:

  • Choose a book to read together.
  • Draw a picture about something they saw in the book or learned about the culture they explored.
  • Try a new treat or snack from an ethnic grocery store or take-out restaurant.

School-aged kids:

  • Grab the PC to do some simple online research.
  • Take a trip to the library or local book store.
  • Create a collage or poster to showcase findings.
  • Tackle a simple recipe to create a native dish.

3. Plan a double date. Everything is more fun with friends. Invite a friend and his sitter along for a day out or over to your house for an inside play date. Visit a local museum or science center, or host a movie day, make a music video, put on a play, or have a water balloon fight.

4. Get crafty! Another fun summer activity for the kids is to work together to choose an interesting, age appropriate project or series of projects that build upon a theme:

Preschoolers:

  • Go camping! Build an indoor tent, and create a pretend campfire or pictures of animals that live in the woods (a bear? an owl?). The sitter can cap off the afternoon by making s’mores in the microwave as an additional fun summer activity.
  • Send them to the kitchen to make a fun, good-to-eat treat, such as this fun recipe for Spider Snacks.

Spider Snacks

Ingredients:

2 round crackers

8 pretzel sticks

2 raisins

Peanut butter

Directions:

1. Spread peanut butter onto one of the round crackers.

2. Place the pretzel sticks on the edges of the cracker. These are your spider’s legs!

3. Place the second cracker on top of the first cracker.

4. Spread two small dots of peanut butter on top of the second cracker.

5. To make your spider eyes, stick one raisin to each dot of peanut butter

School Age:

  • Make friendship bracelets to wear and share with pals. Here is a good how-to.
  • Everyone is intrigued by origami. These origami animals are easy enough for kids and are very cool!
  • Create a fairy house in your backyard or neighborhood park. Any kind of natural materials will work, so just use what’s there – leaves, rocks, moss, flowers, wood chips, sticks and even shells.

5. Venture out to check out a community event or activity. Check local online listings to find a festival, an outdoor movie showing, fair or even a farmer’s market. The two of them can plan the big day out together, and  get away for an easy, yet fun break from the usual routine.

Escape the summer doldrums and book yourself a fun, energetic sitter at UrbanSitter!

Cool Summer Activities for Preschoolers on Hot Summer Days

toddler summer activities, preschooler water play

Summer is chock full of opportunities for entertaining and enriching little kids’  development through new experiences and activities. Need some ideas for summer activities for preschoolers? Check out these ideas for summer activities for the 3-5 year-old set. They’ll come in especially handy during the dog days of summer, headed our way. 

1.  No-Stress, No Mess Water Play

Take advantage of a sunny day (or even a rainy one, provided there’s no thunder or lightning) to set your kids loose outdoors and let them burn some energy doing what all kids love to do as a summer activity – play with water. Fear not, city dwellers, simply set a big plastic container filled with water on whatever outside space you have and arm your tikes with any of the following, all which make for great water play for little hands:

Summer Activities for Keeping Preschoolers
Ice Cube Boat via Alpha Mom
  • Small plastic fish or animals
  • Barbie or Polly Pockets dolls
  • Sponges and a wash cloths
  • Small paint brushes for “painting” the sidewalk
  • Matchbox cars for washing
  • Boats – make your own Ice Cube Boats with nothing more than an ice cube molded in a plastic cup set with a drinking straw and flag for a sail.  These boats are adorable, and perfect for hot days.
  • Plastic cups for pouring and filling
  • A watering can for watering plants
  • A garden hose
  • Pull out the inflatable pool and let them splash for hours.

2. Easy DIY Crafts Just for Kids

Every kid needs a creative outlet, not to mention a quiet, inside activity once in awhile. We’ve found loads of great summer crafts for kids of all ages, some that can be made in minutes and others that will occupy a preschooler for the full duration of his baby sibling’s nap. Check out our Summer Crafts for Kids Pinterest board for ideas, including these adorable and easy-to-make Flowers.

3. Explore a Good Book

Be sure to save time in your summer schedule for the simple pleasure of reading with and teaching your preschooler skills that will help him learn to read.  You can encourage preschoolers to spend time with books by having them join older siblings in a summer reading program, whether it be one from a local library, Scholastic or a homemade incentive program. Encourage any form of reading, including pre-reading activities, like tracing or practicing their ABCs; “reading” to you or a sibling; or having a summer ritual of reading  together as a family, perhaps a chapter of an endearing family-friendly favorite like Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey, before bed. Scholastic has a helpful list of book recommendations for kids of all ages, including good picks for 3-5 year olds.

4. Get Your Groove On!

Another good hot summer activity is getting your groove on. Turn a playdate into a musical instrument making extravaganza (hint, hint, call in a babysitter to help!) and create the neighborhood’s next musical sensation. Check out Meaningful Mama’s fantastic list of 20 DIY Musical Instruments for Kids and see how simple and easy it can be to make anything from a bottle-cap tambourine to a full-on drum set.

Summer Activities for Keeping Preschoolers
DIY Musical Instruments via Meaningful Mama

5. Master a New Skill (and give Mom and Dad a helping hand!)

Teaching kids new skills helps develop their independence and shows them that they are an important, contributing member of their family… and eventually of the bigger world. Early childhood education experts recommend building skills by assigning chores, and believe that most preschoolers are capable of any of the following simple “taking care of myself and my house” chores:

  • Setting and clearing their place at the table
  • Making their bed
  • Sorting their clothes from the dryer
  • Picking up and putting away toys and art supplies.

See our handy guide to age-appropriate chores for kids for more ideas.

After all the fun with these summer activities for preschoolers you might need a parents night out. Book an UrbanSitter and leave the entertaining to the sitter!

Father’s Day Gift Ideas from Kids

Just like every year, Father’s Day is coming up in June! Get ahead of the curve and start the kids on a homemade gift craft project! Choose one of these simple DIY Father’s Day gift ideas from kids, get your kids busy at the kitchen table with either you or a babysitter to lead the charge, and in no time at all you’ll have a touching and memorable gift to give Dad for Father’s Day.

Terrarium

We can guarantee this awesome gift won’t end up stuffed in a drawer or lost by the end of June. A terrarium is a way cool way to add a little green space to Dad’s world. These instructions from Hallmark’s Think.Make.Share blog are easy for kids to create this in one hour. And it does sound pretty simple – choose a wide-mouthed, clear container; fill with the appropriate soil or sand; plant small succulents or seedlings; and water moderately. 

Terrarium via Hallmark Think.Make.Share

Bright and Brilliant Picture Frame

Dad will be happy to replace the boring old photo frame he has displayed on his desk or bedside table with this customized frame creation. Choose a sweet photo of your child, whether it be a school portrait or a candid shot, and insert it in a simple wood frame. The frame pictured here is from Ikea and cost $2 for 3. Have the kids paint the frames black, and once the paint is dry, mod-podge with bright mosaic paper squares like these from Lakeshore.

 

Frame via Teachers Bits and Bobs

Daddy Questionnaire

Another Father’s Day gift idea kids from kids is to turn a free printable “All About My Daddy” questionnaire into a framed piece of art that’s bound to keep Dad laughing for years to come. The framed questionnaire pictured here uses a custom questionnaire created by Mom and filled in with the answers her child provided. The completed questionnaire was matted and framed in a simple white frame and decorated with a miniature banner created from craft paper and twine. Here’s another free printable questionnaire we found, or create your own. Definitely don’t forget to include your child’s age — it speaks volumes about the thoughtful responses.

Questionnaire via Free Pretty Things for You

Homemade Sweet Treats

Haven’t they always told us that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Give it a shot. You and the kids can whip up some yummy Dad’s Day cupcakes, a batch of his favorite brownies, or even a big waffle breakfast. You’ll have just as much fun baking the goodies as Dad does gobbling them up. Be sure and make extras for tiny tasters. Need some inspiration? Check out these cool cupcake creations for Dads who like to fish, Dads who like to golf, and for those who simply sport a tie.  Cupcake images found on Pinterest. 

Fish cupcakeGolf cupcakes

 

Looking for a sitter to take that special dad out for Father’s Day? Join UrbanSitter to browse profiles and book jobs online.