Cork Your Excitement! It's Pumpkin Painting Time!

Calling all crafty kiddos (and grown-up helpers)! Fall is in the air, and that means pumpkins are everywhere! But this year, why not skip the mess of carving and try a fun, textured pumpkin project using everyone's favorite leftover - wine corks?

Looking for a fun and festive fall craft for the kids? Look no further than cork pumpkins! This project is perfect for little hands and even littler attention spans. It's easy to set up, uses recycled materials, and lets kids unleash their creativity. Plus, it's a great way to introduce them to painting in a tactile way.

Here's what you'll need:

• Wine corks (enough for each child to make a pumpkin)
• A paper plate
• White paper
• Orange paint
• Paint brushes
• Green paint
• Black paint 

Pour a quarter sized drop of paint onto a paper plate.

Offer your little artists the corks, and encourage them to begin by stamping a circle shape with one color of orange paint.

Encourage the kids to now fill in the large outline of a circle by dipping their cork into orange paint and stamping it in.

When the pumpkin is filled in, dip the side of the cork into the green paint.

Slide the cork upwards to form a stem. 

Let the kids dot the stem with the wine cork.

Allow to dry and display on the fridge.

These are so cute and fun that you might want to make a few and share with a special neighbor or a grandparent.

Building Fine Motor Skills

Grasping a wine cork is a great way for little hands to develop the strength and dexterity needed for important tasks like writing and buttoning clothes. The wide, rounded surface is easy for children to hold, allowing them to focus on the creative process rather than struggling with grip.

Encouraging Exploration and Experimentation

Cork painting is all about having fun and getting messy! There's no right or wrong way to use a cork stamp. Kids can experiment with different dipping techniques, applying pressure to create lighter or darker prints, and even using multiple colors at once. This freedom to explore fosters a love of learning and experimentation, which are essential for a child's development.

Find more favorite cork painting projects here:

Cork and Button Apple Tree Art

Christmas Tree Stamp Painting

Hungry Caterpillar Process Art

Corked Stamped Corn Craft

 

More Than Just Brushes: The Fun and Learning of Painting with Unconventional Tools

Painting is a beloved activity for kids, but it can sometimes feel limited to just brushes and paint palettes. Here's a secret: there's a whole world of creative exploration waiting to be discovered with everyday objects like wine corks! In fact, incorporating unconventional tools like corks into your child's next art project can be both fun and educational.

This is such a fun project for little ones, and the results are simply stunning. You will love adding this cork stamped corn art to your refrigerator.

Why Unconventional Tools?

• Sensory Play: Wine corks provide a unique texture for little hands to explore. The cork's bumpy surface creates interesting marks on the paper, adding a new dimension to sensory play, which is crucial for early childhood development.

• Fine Motor Skills: Grasping and maneuvering a cork requires focus and hand-eye coordination. This strengthens the small muscles in the hand and wrist, which are vital for tasks like writing and buttoning clothes.

• Problem-Solving: Using a non-traditional tool like a cork encourages kids to think outside the box. They'll experiment with different ways to hold the cork, apply pressure, and achieve desired effects on the paper.

• Creativity Boost: Stepping away from the standard brush opens the door to a world of artistic possibilities. Kids can create unique textures, patterns, and shapes with the cork, fostering their creativity and imagination.

The Case for the Corked Indian Corn

Your corked stamped Indian corn craft is a perfect example of the magic of unconventional tools. It combines the classic appeal of a seasonal craft with the exciting exploration of using a cork for stamping. This project allows kids to:

• Learn About Nature: Indian corn, with its vibrant colors and unique shapes, can spark conversations about nature and harvest traditions.

• Practice Colors: Painting the corn provides an opportunity to explore different colors and how they mix together.

• Develop Pattern Recognition: The repetitive stamping with the cork creates a pattern, helping kids develop basic pattern recognition skills.

Supplies:

Paint in red, orange, yellow, green and brown colors.

A paper plate

A cork

Paper

Directions
Pour a quarter size dab of paint in each color onto a paper plate.
Using a cork, begin to shape the green husk of the corn. To make it easy

for little ones, you could ask them to stamp the shape of a U onto the paper. 

Now, ask the artists to begin stamping, using one color at a time, to fill in the ear of corn. Ask your artist to use each color several times.

Allow to dry and display.

Beyond the Cork:

Wine corks are just the tip of the iceberg! There are endless possibilities when it comes to unconventional painting tools. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Nature's Paintbrushes: Use leaves, pinecones, or even feathers to create unique textures and shapes.
• Kitchen Creativity: Spoons, forks, and even rubber spatulas can be transformed into fun painting tools.
• Recycled Fun: Give plastic bottles, cardboard tubes, or even bubble wrap a new life as creative painting tools.

So next time you're planning a painting activity with your kids, ditch the traditional brushes and explore the world of unconventional tools. You might be surprised at the fun, learning, and creativity that unfolds!

Find more cool crafts for kids here:

Hungry Caterpillar Process Art

Cork and Button Apple Trees

Sunflower Stamped Apples

Sensory Bins: A Fun Way for Kids to Learn

 Sensory bins are a fantastic way to engage young learners in open-ended, creative play. These bins, filled with interesting textures and materials, provide a stimulating environment for children to explore their senses of sight, touch, and smell. But sensory bins are more than just fun – they offer a wealth of developmental benefits for children of all ages.

Why Sensory Play is Important

Sensory play allows children to learn about the world around them through their senses. As they explore the textures, sounds, and smells of the materials in a sensory bin, they are developing important cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Sensory play also helps to refine fine motor skills, those needed for tasks like grasping, pinching, and pouring.

In addition, sensory bins can be a calming and therapeutic for children. The repetitive motions of scooping, pouring, and sorting can be very soothing, and the focus required can help to improve concentration. Sensory bins can also be a great tool for promoting social interaction as children take turns playing and exploring the materials together.

Getting Started with Sensory Bins

Creating a sensory bin is easy and affordable. All you need is a bin or container, a filler material, and some objects to add variety. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Filler Materials: Dry rice, beans, pasta, crinkled paper, play dough, sand, water beads
• Objects: Scoops, cups, spoons, tongs, toy cars, figurines, buttons, pom poms

Once you have assembled your bin, let your child take the lead in exploring it. There are no right or wrong ways to play with a sensory bin. The important thing is that your child is having fun and engaging their senses.

Sensory Play Ideas

Here are a few sensory bin themes to inspire you:

• Rainbow Disc Sensory Bags: These rainbow bags are easy to make and offer a colorful yet mess free sensory play option.
• Garden: Fill the bin with crinkled paper grass and add plastic flowers, ladybugs, and gardening tools for a one of a kind, kid friendly garden sensory bin.
• Pot of Gold Sensory Bin: Make this easy sensory bin for Saint Patrick's day to offer a hands on play experience.

Sensory bins are a fun and educational way to keep your child entertained. So next time you're looking for a creative activity, consider putting together a sensory bin and letting your child's imagination run wild!

You can find more of my sensory play ideas here:

Starry Night Sensory Bags

Easy Dyed Rice

Lemonade Sensory Bin

Veggie Garden Sensory Bin

Rainbow Sorting Bin

Stars and Stripes Bin

Unicorn Fine Motor Bin

Egypt Sensory Bin

Feeding Frenzy Sensory Bags

Glow in the Dark Sky Bin

Fun and Creative Kids Activity: Stamping Bunches of Grapes Process Art

 Looking for a fun and creative kids activity that is both educational and festive? Look no further than stamping bunches of grapes with pencil erasers and wine corks! This activity is perfect for kids of all ages, and it can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors.

We love to paint with all kinds of things! From wine corks, to dried flower heads, and everything in between. This easy painting project is perfect for kids of all ages. Little ones will love working on a few bunches or grapes, while tweens and teens can create more elaborate works of art.

What is Process Art for Kids

Process art for kids is a type of art where the focus is on the process of creating the art, rather than the finished product. This type of art is often open-ended and allows kids to be creative and expressive. There are many different types of process art that kids can do, such as:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Collage
• Sculpture
• Performance art
• Installation art

Process art is a great way for kids to explore their creativity and to learn about different art materials and techniques. It can also help them to develop their fine motor skills and their problem-solving skills.

Here are some tips for doing process art with kids:

• Provide a variety of art materials and let kids explore them.
• Don't be afraid to get messy!
• Encourage kids to be creative and expressive.
• Don't judge their art.
• Celebrate their creativity.

Process art can be a lot of fun for kids. It's a great way for them to express themselves and to learn about art. So get creative and let your kids explore the world of process art!

Supplies:

• Purple Paint
• Green Paint
• A paper plate
• A pencil eraser
• A wine cork
• White paper

Begin by stamping one purple dot, then on the next row, stamp two. Repeat thru 4 to 5 rows of grapes.

Repeat until your paper has plenty of purple bunches of grapes. 

Now grab your wine cork and dip into the green paint.

Fill the blank space in between grapes with green dots for leaves. When you are finished your paper should look like this.

So pretty! Let this dry and display it somewhere in the house. You could stick it on the fridge, but this turns out so cute you might want to frame it.

This is a perfect spring or summer craft for kids of all ages. It is easy, and needs no special supplies. I know you will have fun with this process art project.

Find more fun kids craft ideas here:

Pineapple process art

Cork and Button Apple Trees

Here are some process art for kids ideas:

• Painting with natural materials: Gather some natural materials, such as leaves, flowers, twigs, and grass. Dip the materials in paint and then stamp them onto paper.
• Collage: Collect a variety of materials, such as magazines, newspapers, fabric, and yarn. Cut out shapes from the materials and then glue them onto paper to create a collage.
• Sculpting with playdough: Playdough is a great material for sculpting. Kids can use their imaginations to create anything they want, such as animals, people, or objects.
• Performance art: Performance art is a type of art that is performed in front of an audience. Kids can create their own performance art pieces, such as dances, songs, or plays.
• Installation art: Installation art is a type of art that is installed in a specific space. Kids can create their own installation art pieces, such as sculptures, paintings, or photographs.

These are just a few ideas for process art for kids. There are many other possibilities, so get creative and let your kids explore their imaginations!

Homemade Play Dough Recipes: A Fun and Easy Way to Keep Kids Entertained

 Play Dough Recipes: A Fun and Easy Way to Keep Kids Entertained

Play dough is a great way to keep kids entertained for hours on end. It's also a great way to help them develop their fine motor skills and creativity. And best of all, it's easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.

Here are a few of our favorite play dough recipes:

Ice Cream Playdough by Bitz n Giggles

This playdough idea is perfect for a mess free ice cream play session with the kids.

Thanksgiving Playdough by Making Frugal Fun

Make this for the family feast, and give the kids something to do while they wait to have dinner!

Shimmer Makeup Playdoh by In the Playroom

Who knew you could make playdough with make up?! This is a fun idea for girls who love all things glam.

Cornstarch and Lotion Playdough by The DIY Nuts

This recipe makes for the softest playdough ever. You are going to want to squish this a few times before letting the kids have it.

Pumpkin Spice Playdough by Suburbia Unwrapped

Playdough is always fun, but when it smells of pumpkin spice, the experience is twice as nice.

Super Soft Fairy Dough by Little Bins for Little Hands

This recipe for fairy dough is so soft it feels nothing short of magical!

Glittery Pumpkin Pie Playdough by Retro Potluck

A pinch of glitter takes this pumpkin pie play dough experience to the next level.

Glow in the Dark Playdough by Our Wabi Sabi Life

This playdough glows in the dark for an incredibly fun experience for kids.

Kool Aid Playdough  by The Best Ideas for Kids

This playdough is made with kool aid for such a vibrant color!

Chocolate Play Doh by Rainy Day Mum

Make a batch of chocolate play doh for kids to play with!

5 Minute Playdough by Made in a Pinch

This recipe only takes 5 minutes to make and is just the thing for a rainy day activity!

Color Changing Playdough by STEAM Powered Family

This recipe makes for a magical color changing dough that kids are going to love to play with.

Extract Scented Play Doh by The Typical Mom

This dough is scented with extracts for a sensory experience that kids are going to love.

Glittery Blue Playdough by Tikkido

This glittery blue play doh is perfect for a Frozen themed play session.

Conditioner Playdough by Sweet Silly Sara

Make this recipe with conditioner for a really soft playdoh to share with the kids.

Play Dough Variations There are endless possibilities when it comes to play dough variations. Here are a few ideas: Add glitter or confetti for a festive touch. Add essential oils for a calming aroma. Add herbs or spices for a sensory experience. Add different types of flour for different textures. Add salt dough to make ornaments or other crafts. With a little creativity, you can make play dough that's perfect for your kids. So get started and have fun!

Find more play doh ideas here:
Play Doh Food Puzzles
Play Doh Pie Counting

Button Sorting Sensory Bag

Toddlers need sorting skills for a variety of reasons. Sorting helps them learn about the world around them, develop their fine motor skills, and improve their problem-solving skills.

Learning about the world around them

When toddlers sort objects, they are learning about the different characteristics of those objects. They are learning about colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. They are also learning about the relationships between objects. For example, they may learn that all of the blue objects go together, or that all of the small objects fit in the small container.

Developing fine motor skills

Sorting requires toddlers to use their fine motor skills. They need to be able to pick up small objects, hold them in their hands, and move them around. This helps to strengthen their muscles and improve their coordination.

Improving problem-solving skills

Sorting also helps toddlers to develop their problem-solving skills. When they are faced with a problem, such as how to sort a group of objects, they need to use their logic and reasoning skills to come up with a solution. This helps them to learn how to think critically and solve problems on their own.

If you would like to make a DIY sorting activity for your little learners, you might love this easy buttons sorting bag. You might have everything you need at home to make this easy and engaging activity.

Supplies:

A zipper seal baggie

Clear hair gel

Buttons

Markers

First, figure out what colors of buttons you have to work with. You will want to use coordinating markers to make this work.

Start by drawing a large circle with one color of marker.

Then repeat using all of your marker colors.

When you have used all of the colors of markers, add about 2 tablespoons of hair gel into the baggie. You don't need a lot; just a little to make the activity extra fun! Little hands will love the way the buttons glide thru the hair gel. Spread the gel out with your hands.

Add the buttons to the bag.

Seal the bag. You can secure the seal with duct tape if you like.

Encourage your toddler to sort the buttons by color, and maneuver the buttons into the circle.

This activity is so simple but so awesome for hands on learning because it combines sorting skills with fine motor work.

Fine motor skills are the small, precise movements of the hands and fingers. They are important for a variety of tasks, such as eating, writing, and playing musical instruments. Fine motor skills also play a role in cognitive development, as they require children to use their brains to coordinate their movements.

Here are some of the reasons why kids need fine motor skills:

• To perform everyday tasks: Fine motor skills are essential for performing everyday tasks, such as eating, dressing, and using the bathroom. Children who have difficulty with fine motor skills may struggle with these tasks, which can lead to frustration and delays in development.
• To learn: Fine motor skills are also important for learning. Children who have good fine motor skills are better able to hold a pencil, write neatly, and turn pages in a book. This can help them to learn more effectively in school.
• To participate in activities: Fine motor skills are also important for participating in activities, such as playing sports, playing musical instruments, and doing arts and crafts. Children who have good fine motor skills are better able to participate in these activities, which can help them to develop their social skills and have fun.

There are many things that parents can do to help their children develop fine motor skills. Here are a few tips:

• Provide opportunities for practice: One of the best ways to help children develop fine motor skills is to provide them with opportunities to practice. This could include giving them toys that require them to use their hands, such as blocks, puzzles, or play-dough.
• Encourage exploration: Children learn best by exploring. Encourage your child to explore their environment and use their hands to interact with objects. This could include letting them help you cook, garden, or clean.
• Be patient: It takes time for children to develop fine motor skills. Don't get discouraged if your child doesn't master a skill right away. Just keep providing them with opportunities to practice and they will eventually get there.

Fine motor skills are an important part of child development. By providing children with opportunities to practice and develop these skills, you can help them to succeed in school and in life.

Find more fine motor ideas here

Dino Rescue

Sensory Ball Fine Motor Activity

Button Stacking