Ouiser and I have been a bit under the weather. Our sincerest apologies. I am on my second day of a nightly routine of eat, 2 horse pill antibiotics, 2 sprays of nasal spray per nostril, 1 drop for each eye, and a tsp of lovely prescription cough syrup. So we called in the reinforcements. So, ladies and gentlemen, my awesome mommy friend Kristina answered the call with some amazing (and cheap!) ideas to entertain younguns of any age.
<3 Truvy
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Hello all! I guess I should introduce myself first- I am Kristina, I have known Truvy for 6 years. I am the proud and exhausted mother of 2 under 2 (for 8 more days!) and a military wife. Translation = poor. Very, very poor, enabling me to be fiercly creative and totally cheap when trying to keep my kids entertained. Here are a few crafts you can do with your kids for under $5 each! Don’t let age limit your kids’ artistic abilities, and don’t worry what they will think of your art. Trust me… my almost 2 year-old doesn’t hesitate to say “No Mom! Paint like dis. Paint like Georgia Grace.” I am incredibly artistically challenged. I just tell her I can do it how I want to! (Yes, she runs this household). Anyhoo… here ya go.
1. Recycled junk = toys!
Whilst attempting to make beef stroganoff (recipe anyone?) my little lady who was around 10 months at the time was hanging on to the back of my knees for dear life. What can I do to entertain her? Expanding on a friend’s idea, I washed the sour cream container, dried it thoroughly and tossed in some dry noodles. Of course this needed to be sealed so my clever little princess couldn’t access the choking hazard inside so I taped it up. I highly recommend gluing any of you creations with nail glue or hot glue. Some alternate ideas are: water bottle with rice, ketchup bottle and mac noodles, quaker oats tube and those dried beans you always say you are going to make but don’t have a clue what to do with. Just make sure to dispose of these musical instruments after a few months if you suspect any molding. Bleck! Final cost? Under $2 for rice, beans, etc.
2. Scratch and sniff paint? Wait really? Yes really!
Grab a few packets of kool-aid mix at the store mix em individually in about 1/3 c water (more or less based on how much you need) , and let their imaginations go bananas! I love to use any chance I can to explain to the little lady how colors work. She knows almost all her colors but thinks pink rules the world. The best part is that when they are done painting with this completely safe to eat (and they will prob taste it) paint, it smells like a sangria… which is the closest thing to a drink I will get before bedtime =) final cost? Depends on how many colors you use but usually less than $2
3. Marble art is a little more expensive but a ton of fun!
Take a shoebox (diaper box, hamburger helper box, etc) Dip a marble (pebble, large bead, golf ball) in one color of paint. Turn on the music and let your cutie bug shake the box to the beat. Rinse marble and dip in next color. Turn on a new song and rock out! Tear open your box if you used a recycled package and see the awesome marbled results! Under $5 depending on how many paints you buy.
4. Need to make your own paint? Bring 2 cups water to a boil and slowly add 1 cup flour and stir until it’s like gravy. Simmer for about 5 mins to thicken. Pour into separate containers and add food coloring or left over kool-aid mix. Let cool. My 5–month-old sweetie bug looooooves painting with his feet! Under $2 depending on cost of food coloring.
Thanks for letting me join you tonight and have a great time introducing your kids to art and music! My diva and future qb are tucked in for the night so I must do the domestic goddess gig. Or I could curl up and catch up on 16 and Pregnant.
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