Eye Spy With My Little Eye

We have a lovely weekend at home with no plans. Of course there is a list as long as my arm of house 'stuff' to be achieved (of which 2% will be done) but while not unpacking, re packing and trips to the tip we will head outside and take advantage of this amazing weather! Is it not an instant morale booster? I havent checked the weather forecast though so it probably will pour with rain now..... but in current morale boosted mode I have made a little nature trail sheet for the kids for them to search for while we are out walking. If you fancy the same just drag the image onto your desktop and print..... who knows we may get them round the walk without moaning they're tiiiiiiirrrrreeed (ha ha ha, as if!)

chirp chirp....

Truth be told trying to get Lenny to do any craft at the moment is like pulling teeth. He is all about superheros or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and anything else is borrrring. So, this is quite a quick and simple but super cute Easter card. Well it's quick and simple as you do most of the work then the little ones come in last minute laden with glue, feathers and glitter and make it their own! Slightly older children will manage on their own I reckon.....

step 1 - draw around a bowl on some card and cut it out

step 2 - fold the circle in half and make a 90 degree cut half way up the folded side

step 3 - fold each side of the cut at a 90 degree angle to make a triangle. Fold both ways to make the crease quite strong

step 4 - unfold the circle and push your fingers through the cut to make a beak shape

step 5 - stick in to the inside of a card

step 6 - decorate!

we cut out some egg shapes to cover in glitter and stick on the front of the card

Happy Hedgehog

Pull on those hats and boots and head to leafy fields, gardens, parks or pavements. Collect as many shapes and sizes as you can and stick 'em down to make this friendly fellow. Super easy and fun for all ages!

Egg Box Bird Masks

Are the holidays in front of you like a blank, rather scary canvas to fill?! One of the reasons I sent Lenny to a nursery not a pre school is because there are no holidays... haa haaaa haaaa (evil laugh)...... Well I am going to try and step up the craft ideas on L&theM over the next few weeks to give some ideas to fill an hour! Today we made egg box bird masks. To be frank it would be better with slightly older kids but I did all the initial cutting with the scalpel (actually on 2nd thoughts maybe a grown up should do this bit for any age!!) but the decoration and flapping our bird wings outside were a massive hit! So get flapping people.....

Foolproof Playdough Recipe

Sometimes the oldies are the goodies. This playdough recipe is not only completely foolproof it is my longest lasting toddler activity by a long shot! If you need at least half an hour to drink that tea and catch your breath whip some of this up and take a pew. If you don't have any playdough toys forks, cookie cutters, rolling pins will work or there are lots of 2nd hand bundles on ebay that are well worth the investment.

PLAYDOUGH RECIPE

2 mugs of plain flour

1 mug salt

2 tablespoons of oil

2 mugs of water

4 teaspoons of cream of tartar

food colouring

1. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan.
2. Cook on a low heat stirring all the time.
3. When the dough has formed place on a plate to cool,
4. Store in an air tight container.

guess who made him?!

Mo Bot cannot resist eating the pink goo so the rolling pin sufficed!

Loo Roll Octopus

Urgh. The rain is back. So, stuck indoors, we made these octopus' today..... what is the plural of octopus?! Octopae?!

Mother's day Gem

Sssssssh. Dads, Grannys and Grandpas this one is for you - keep it a secret from those mums! Pick up some celery on the way home and make sure you have paper, red and green paint and string. This Mothering Sunday activity will make one mummy very happy. How many people forgot last year and ended up giving your loving, dedicated and yummy mummy a seriously below par card from the local Londis... uch um, Rupert! I tried this with Lenny today and well, put politely, it was a bit of a mess! He was just interested in hand painting on himself as well as the paper but oh well you can't win them all! So I'm afraid the finished result here was made by moi, for moi.