Best No Cook Play-Doh a Multi-Sensory Learning Experience

by Jenny Irvine // March 26, 2016 // 2 Comments

After years of buying store bought play-doh, and many play-doh recipe failures. I think we have officially stumbled across the best no cook play-doh recipe ever. We use play-doh both during read loud time and for busy bin free play.

I have found when children are able to keep their hands busy during read aloud time they are more likely to pay attention with their ears and less likely to want to speak over me; thus, making our time together much more enjoyable and productive.

While play-doh can be messy at times – it is still my preferred messy, fun activity {especially over glitter glue..} Play-doh is great for fine motor development. The malleable properties make it an excellent choice for building hand strength and pre-writing development. It can be squashed, rolled, chopped, poked, and shredded allowing for hours of endless imaginary play.

Check out just some of the creations our kids created in our time together this week. Everything from play-doh pizza’s, ‘sugar’ cookies, to snakes, snails, and turtles –

Want to make their open ended play-doh play time even more exciting? With a few simple supplies you can create an expansive play-doh tool box at a minimal cost. Here are some of the play-doh tools in our box;

small toys {dinosaurs, fish, farm animals}
straws
rolling pins
egg cartons
sea shells
buttons
plastic letters and numbers
popsicle sticks
plastic spoons, forks, and knives {you can omit this of coarse…our kids are a bit older now so I am comfortable with their ability to use them safely}
plates/bowls

Each of our children are typically given a tray with their selected dough color {they are encouraged to share}. I then, place a ‘tool box’ of supplies in the middle of the table for community use. They play and I read to them. When you add open ended play items to their dough experience the imaginations explode. {Encouraging them to create things they hear in the story is also another great way to ‘test’ their listening and comprehension.}

Want a multi-sensory experience? Flavor up your dough by adding any of these –

pumpkin spice
cinnamon
essential oils
ginger
oregano

Make it pink, blue, and yellow too…we use plain old food dye but, you can try any of these too I’m sure with an equally good result…

Add some texture –

rice
sand
glitter
tiny pasta
sequins
pebbles

Want to try the recipe we use?

Best Ever Play-Doh Recipe

Be sure to visit our Kids in the Kitchen page for ‘live’ demonstrations, kid friendly recipes, more mess, and lots of fun. Never miss a thing from My Happy Homestead sign up to get “The Homestead Daily” Free to your in box.

Easy St. Patricks Day Crafts For Kids With Supply List

by Jenny Irvine // March 4, 2016 // 9 Comments

I have searched around the web and gathered up some of my favorite “St. Patricks Day Crafts For Kids” to share with all of you.

If you missed my post on not quite feeling like and A+ mom – maybe you should head over there first. Whether you do one or none of these – you are still awesome! The real joy and contentment of motherhood comes from knowing that we alone are enough to our kids – no crafting required!

Still feeling crafty? Here are some of my St.Patricks Day Kids Crafts in no particular order;

Try your hand at a “Hand Print Shamrock” and capture the memories of those sweet tiny hands

Don’t feel like getting that messy? How about just a “Thumb Print”?

I simply love this little gem of a leprechaun from crafty morning …I think my kids are going to have a blast making this guy.

After teaching a mosaic arts class last semester – I have some big plans for these St. Patricks Day Mosaic Shamrocks from Happiness is Homemade… I’m thinking they will make the perfect bunting decor for our homeschool window.

I did this project many moons ago with our girls but, it is now time to revive an oldie but, goodie. The Fruit-loop Rainbow is always a big hit {we use dye free/ gluten free fruit loops since there is always snacking involved}

Short on time? Here is a rough St. Patricks Day craft supply list just for you – order now, so you can spend more time crafting and less time running! (affiliate links included)

Freedom Foods Tropicos

Heavy Weight Card Stock

Wiggly Eyes (we like the peel and stick ones)

Construction Paper

Mosaic Cardstock Squares

Fork

Chasing Fear Out of Your Homeschool

by Jenny Irvine // November 17, 2015 // No Comments

Oh my goodness, sorting through old blog posts both published and unpublished I stumbled across this cute little gem ….look how tiny they were! Looking back at these pictures I am reminded of how quickly they grow up. I am reminded that all the curriculums in the world can not compare to ‘play’ at these young ages.

I have read posts, counseled, conversed, and literally spent hours with concerned parents – ‘are we doing enough’? “What if I keep my 3 year old home for preschool – will they ever make it into college?” I get it! I’ve been there! That fear of ‘are we enough’ sweeps in like a raging storm. That fear can be crippling but, one should never be afraid to fail – one should only fear not trying. The fear of ‘damaging’ our kids through homeschooling is an insecurity brought forth by the very system in which saw us through our own school days – are we smart enough, good enough, wise enough?

7 years later in our homeschool journey – I’m still asking those same questions.

As if, our own doubts weren’t enough – there are/will be the inevitable ‘curious cat’s “;

“So, do you plan on doing this ‘homeschool thing’ forever?”

“So, what about high school? I mean it’s fine for elementary but, what about the upper grades?”

Sometimes these questions and comments come across as curiosity, genuine concern, plain old noisiness, and sometimes they are just shear antagonistic. My response varies but, it normally sounds something like – “We started this journey as a family; one day, one year, and one kid at a time…and that is the path we will continue to take.“

Choosing a life of virtue, wisdom, nurtured curiosity, and self expression for our kids is something to be embraced not something to be shamed out of doing. You are giving your child a gift. Whether you homeschool for 1 year, twelve years, or are simply supplementing your traditionally schooled child’s education there is no curriculum for an ‘atmosphere, a discipline, a life’ yet to be explored.

I am in no way opposed to traditional school options: I have certainly looked into, and been intrigued by the option. At the end of the day it is a matter of heart – what is best for your family? Curriculum is a tool and ‘school’ is a location – the real question you

should be asking is; “What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Let your faith be bigger than your fear and do that!“

We alone are not enough – never have been and never will be!