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Easy Peasy Playdough Recipe

I LOVE playdough and so does Monte. Playdough is such a great activity to keep little ones busy for hours. It is the perfect activity station to have available during the day, to play with. I always put out cookie cutters, rolling pins, cups, and any other fun factory toys we may have on hand.

You can either go out and purchase playdough at the store and probably end up paying more then you want OR you can use some baking items you have at home and make your own!

Ingredients & Directions

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

Add food coloring, scents, glitter, etc.

Heat on medium heat to form ball

The other great thing about playdough is you can spice or sparkle it up 🙂 Last year we made Fall Scented Playdough and had so much fun with all the scents and making turkeys!

 

There are a lot of different playdough recipes floating around online and on Pinterest, but this was in bullet proof and easy. I made the green, yellow and blue playdoughs in 25 minutes including clean up. You cannot beat that!

What fun things do you and your kiddos do with playdough?

 

Activity Stations

I thought I would share a new thing I am doing with Monte. Since I have been home full time and watching other kiddos, I have been trying to find an easy way to have different activities out to play with daily. I usually keep puzzles, paints, playdough, busy bag items, etc. out of reach, for obvious reasons.

I decided each day, I will place 2-3 trays out with different activities in them. That way Monte and the other kiddos can choose what they would like to play with and everything is in one spot. It makes for easy clean up also!

This was last week. I had our “sewing” busy bag in one tray and matching cards in another tray. I also had Monte’s favorite hippo game out! It was nice because he would run around and play, then stop, sit and work on one of his trays. It’s hard for Monte to sit still for a length of time, if he is not in the mood. This way, when he is ready, he can play!

I picked up the two trays above at Target. They are actually just letter trays and were about $6 a piece.

I already had this red plastic one which is very sturdy. I use it for crafts such as paint, glitter, glue, etc. like when we decorated our witch’s hat!

The trays are also easy to carry things outside like when we did the Erupting Sidewalk Chalk.

What tricks do you do to make kids activities for you and the kids?

Des Moines Halloween Events 2014

There are so many Halloween events that go on this time of year, in the Des Moines area! It’s so hard to pick and choose a few to do and see. We did some more fun activities this past week and none of them disappointed!

The Great Pumpkin Party was a three day event held by Valley Church in West Des Moines. We were not able to make it out until the final night, Thursday. Tuesday night was was specifically for families with special needs, which I thought was awesome! This event was so large, it was held at the Valley Church and the Valley Community Center across the street.

We were there right at 6 pm when the doors opened!

They had pony rides, right outside. Monte was soooo close to ride, but he got very nervous once he sat down on the pony.

The worship area was full of inflatables and right when you walked in,there was a huge Lightning McQueen inflatable slide. You should have seen the look on Monte’s face!

This event also consisted of live music, an illusionist, face painting, photo booth pictures, games, a petting zoo, ice cream, popcorn, lemonade, and MORE! All of this was FREE!

Monte’s favorite part of the evening (besides the large inflatables) was taking his picture with the super heroes!

Saturday evening we made it to the Annual Grimes Halloween Fest at the Grimes Community Center.

The whole building was filled with fun activities. As you walked through the building there were people dressed up, handing out candy. There were two different bake sales going on! Inflatables to play on (one of Monte’s favorite), a haunted house (we did not go in), a soft-play area for the little kids to run and jump, AND free tours of an ambulance and fire truck!

Monte though the fire truck and ambulance were way cool!

Sunday after carving and painting our pumpkins …

We went to the Valley Junction Pumpkin Walk. The event was 2-6 pm and we went a bit late, around 4ish. A lot of the things were just finishing up when we got there, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

The highlight of the event was, of course, getting candy.

A lot of the stores participated and as you walked through the junction you could stop and get candy! One store, gave away fancy, collectible rocks! Monte thought that was pretty neat!

Green Grounds Cafe hosted children’s activities and you could get a balloon animal! Monte got a GIANT sword! There was also a chance to get a FREE pumpkin.

What fun Halloween activities have you been checking out?! 

Erupting Sidewalk Chalk

I want to share a fun activity Monte and I did last week … Erupting Sidewalk Chalk

We had so much fun making a mess and painting on our patio outside. I came across this site for the recipe.

Ingredients & Directions (per color)

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • Add coloring
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water
  • Mix

When adding the water to the mixture, make sure to add it slow. I used 1/2 a cup and I think it wasn’t thick enough. I would start with 1/4 cup and then add more if you want. You want it to be thicker so it’s more like paint.

I decided to just make three colors, but you could make any and however many colors you want! You can also add glitter to the paint, and/or scents. You can also use whatever items you want, to paint with. Get creative! I had a couple of apples that were going bad, so I cut them in half, and placed a popsicle stick in them to paint with.

Monte had a blast!

After you are finished painting your masterpiece! Place vinegar in a squirt bottle and begin squirting your artwork. It will begin to fizz and bubble! I think that was Monte’s favorite part!

I definitely recommend this activity! I love how simple it is to put together, easy clean up (the rain will wash it away), and you can change up what you paint with and what colors you paint with!

Have you tried using Erupting Sidewalk Chalk before?

Dinosaur Exhibit at the Science Center of Iowa

We had Family Night, Friday night and it was a blast!

We began our evening at Zombie Burger. If you have not been, you definitely need to check it out! They have awesome, crazy burgers and even crazier, spiked milkshakes. I enjoyed a Cinnamon Toast Crunch shake spiked with Rum Chata … delish!

Travis ordered the Undead Elvis … which includes peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, american cheese, egg, mayo, and somewhere on there … a hamburger patty!

(Image Source)

After dinner, we made our way to the Science Center of Iowa! They opened the Dinosaur Exhibit during Family Night. Family Night is the second Friday of every month 5 pm – 8 pm and it’s only $5. It’s a great thing, when you cannot make it to the Science Center during the day and it’s an awesome family night activity. As a Science Center member you can enter in at 4 pm to see the exhibit early, before the crowd hits. Also, as a member, the $5 entrance fee is waived. You also get free registration on monthly member family workshops. You can view upcoming workshops here.

We started out exploring in the Small Discoveries area. Monte loves this area and it’s perfect for toddlers. He loves the fruit and vegetable activity AND the bubble activity.

The dinosaur exhibit was pretty awesome. There is something for everyone, it does not matter your age! Monte was pretty much only interested in the large dinosaurs and hands on things.

The exhibit does a great job explaining everything with videos, pictures, and large dinosaurs! If there are questions there is someone available to ask.  There are a lot of hands on things for the kiddos.

Monte’s favorite were the stamps. At the beginning of the tour there are sheets of paper with six squares to fill. Each square is a different type of dinosaur. When you walk through the exhibit you look for that type of dinosaur and somewhere near by is a stamp to stamp your sheet. Each stamp is white and looks more like a fossil then a stamp.  It helps keep the kids involved and interested.

There were also smaller, toy dinosaurs you could play with!

After we toured the exhibit, we made our way upstairs to check out the When Things Get Moving area. You could spend hours in this area. You can build cars with legos and have races, build rockets and launch them, wrap an “egg” and drop it to see if it will break, dominoes, and much more!

If you have young kiddos and are not a member of the Science Center of Iowa, I definitely recommend becoming a member! I love taking Monte when it is cold and dreary out. We can spend a good 3 hours or more keeping busy with all the activities. It definitely pays for itself quickly! You get a discount on IMAX films, discount in the store, discount at the Food Chain Cafe, and more!

There are also events that happen which are included with your membership. One event that is coming up on October 25th is Spooky Science. A perfect event for your kiddos to get dressed up in their costumes and check out the Science Center of Iowa.

For more information about becoming a member, check it out here!

What is your favorite thing to do at the Science Center of Iowa?

Ironwood Park

I have to tell you about a REALLY fun park located in the Des Moines area, Altoona to be exact!

Ironwood Park or also know as the Pirate Park!

Ironwood Park

If you have kiddos Monte’s age or older, you know how popular Jake and the Neverland Pirates is! Monte loves acting like a pirate and this is the perfect place for him to be even more like Jake!

You can even walk the plank!

This is a newer park located on the very southwest edge of Altoona. We actually accidentally found it last summer when we were looking to meet for a play group. We ended up staying here to play because it’s so much fun!

There are two playgrounds. The pirate ship shown above, and a much larger wooden playground off to the left side. The wooden playground also has slides, a bridge, and climbing walls.

This park is perfect for a half-day outing. Pack some snacks and even a sack lunch and spend the morning running and playing. There is even a HUGE green hill that kids love to run/roll up and down! This park can definitely entertain for hours.

I would recommend checking out this park now, while it’s cooler out, instead of in the middle of the summer. Since it’s a new area of town, they are still building in the surrounding area and there are not much trees for shade. It can get super hot, super quick!

Have you been to Ironwood Park before? What is your favorite park in the Des Moines area?

Midwest Mom & Wife Child Care

In my previous post, I mentioned how I started my own business. Midwest Mom & Wife is no longer just a blog, but a business also! I have many hopes and goals for this business, and I have  started offering child care.

I have started accepting part-time and/or drop-in daycare and I am so excited!

  • Cloth diaper friendly
  • Love to plan activities, but also allow free play
  • Enjoy fun trips and activities in the Des Moines area
  • Knowledgable with breast milk and breastfeeding
  • Love to baby wear (it’s a life saver)
  • Natural minded

Everywhere you turn, in our home, we have something kid-friendly and fun to do!

Upstairs, we have our reading and art “nook”. I have an easel set-up, a small rocking chair, and a basket of books. There is no TV in this area, so it’s a nice place to come and focus on reading, writing, drawing, painting, etc.

The kitchen is where all the messiness happens! This little area is where I keep our paints, play dough, markers, glue, etc. Usually, when we have a particularly messy project, we set-up here.

Downstairs is our “living area”. Off this area, is the play room. The play room is LOADED with lots of toys, train table, an enormous amount of books, puzzles, etc.

Outside! I like to spend as much time outside as possible, because once winter sets in, we don’t get out very often. I have been very blessed with a LARGE backyard. There are two fun areas to our yard …

This is the “natural scape”. There are tree stumps to climb on, a large tire full of sand and sand toys, and a plastic pool that I fill up with water for fun activities.

This area is our swing set and plastic slide area. As you can see, the whole thing is not covered with gravel, yet, so it’s easy to ride around on the tons of trucks and 4-wheeler toys we have.

I have so much to offer for your little ones and am very flexible on days and times.

Also, look for the Child Care tab at the top of the page to keep track of what I am accepting and adding!

Please contact me here for questions, more information, and pricing.

Turkey Plates

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Is everyone ready to eat lots and lots of turkey?! Monte is ready!

Excuse his snotty nose 🙂

I thought I would post one final Thanksgiving activity before the big day! This project was inspired by Cheap Crafty Mama’s turkey plates.

I was a little nervous making these hand-print, foot-print turkeys not knowing how well Monte would do. He ended up being very cooperative and had lots of fun!

Supplies Needed

1. Porcelain plates for the Dollar Store

2. Acrylic paint various colors

3. Foam Brush

4. Paper plates

5. Googly Eyes

6. Hot glue gun

7. Permanent marker, puffy paint, or acrylic paint pens (something to write with)

Directions 

1. Gather all your supplies before you start! Because once you start, you do not want to be running around gathering more things while paint is at reach with a 2-year old! 🙂

2. Squirt all your paints onto paper plates. Take your foam brush and brush the paint onto the bottom of your little ones foot. Instead of having them step onto the plate, bring the plate to their foot and make a print. Then wash off his foot!

3. Then start with the hand prints! I brushed a color on Monte’s hand, pressed it onto the plate, then immediately washed his hand off before he got paint all over our kitchen. It is helpful to have a bowl of warm water and towel near by.

Monte enjoyed the brushing of the paint because it tickled 🙂

4. After we placed all of our hand prints around the foot, I went back through and filled the hand prints and foot print with paint where there were gaps.

5. Let dry over night.

6. Give your kiddos a bath because they WILL be a mess 🙂

7. The next day, add your googly eyes with a hot glue gun and add your writing.

I plan to save one as a Thanksgiving decoration for years to come and giving one to my in-laws since they will be hosting Thanksgiving this year!

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Crafts

It’s hard to find Thanksgiving or turkey specific activities to do for a 22 month old. There are a LOT of ideas out there on Pinterest, but nothing I thought Monte would be rrrrrrrrrrrrrreally interested in.

I did come across this post for Fall Scented Play Dough! I am so happy I made this! It smelled yummy and Monte has had so much fun with it. A win-win for the both of us 🙂 I followed her directions and used the Kitchen Aid. I ended up kneading the dough though, so you could probably just mix in a bowl with a spoon and knead if you did not have a huge mixer.

  • Orange – Pumpkin Spice
  • Yellow – Nutmeg
  • Green – Candy Apple
  • Red – Clove
  • Brown – Cinnamon

We defiantly made this into a Thanksgiving activity 🙂

Monte enjoyed trying to make his own turkeys …

AND
mashing it all together 🙂

I also made a trip to our local library (check out the Local tab, I added all of the Des Moines area libraries!) and checked out several turkey and Thanksgiving children books. We have been reading them off and on and looking at all the turkeys!

Here are some titles to look for …

  1. Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
  2. Thanksgiving is Here! by Diane Goode
  3. Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey by Teresa Bateman
  4. ‘ Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
  5. I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Allison Jackson
  6. This Is the Turkey by Abby Levine

 

Another fun idea you can do is make a turkey using your kiddos feet and hands! I have to admit we didn’t actually do this at home, but he had fun making them at preschool. I’m not sure how they kept a 22 month old still enough to get this made! I LOVE all these fun ideas to use feet and hands to make various crafts.

Check out my Pinterest Board for more turkey and Thanksgiving ideas!

DSM Activities & Events 11/7 – 11/13

 

As always make sure to check out the calendar on the right hand side of the page for more events going on in the area! Have a great weekend!

1. Science Center of Iowa

When: Friday 5 pm – 8 pm

What: TWO great events are going on at the same time!

  • Family Night: You can build a rocket, travel through outer space, eat some snacks from the cafe, and more! $5
  • LEGO Build: The Iowa LEGO Users group will discuss the process and engineering behind the SCI LEGO Build. There will also be plenty of LEGO bricks to play with! $5

 

2. Wells Fargo Arena 

When: Friday & Saturday

What: Are you wanting to get out and go to a concert this weekend? You have two opportunities! Pink will be performing Friday night at 8 pm and Keith Urban will be performing Saturday night at 7 pm. Check out Iowa Events Center to get your tickets!

3. Iowa’s Premier Beer, Wine and Food Expo 

When: Friday 4 – 10 pm & Saturday 10 am – 8 pm

Where and What: Find a sitter and make it a date night! This event is a great way to try wonderful food from various chefs in the Midwest, and to try beer and wine! Please check out the Iowa’s Premier Beer, Wine and Food Expo’s website for a list of scheduled events, vendors, and to purchase tickets!

4. Holiday Open House

When: Saturday 10 am – 1 pm

Where and What: It’s that time of year! West Glen Town Center is hosting a holiday open house. There is a chance to win a $500.00 gift card and Santa will be available for a FREE family photo! Everyone is encouraged to bring a personal hygiene product that will be donated to Children & Families of Iowa.

5. Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. 

When: November 8th – December 1st

Where and What: Today is the opening night for this wonderful show at the Des Moines Playhouse! The show is for ages 5 years and older, so if you think your kiddo can sit, listen and watch a classic, this would be a great family event! Tickets are $17 for adults and seniors, and $13 for students and children. To purchase tickets and for show times check out the Des Moines Playhouse.

6. Infant & Children’s Clothing Swap 

When: Saturday 10 am – Noon

Where and What: Little Padded Seats, located in Valley West Mall is hosting a great event! Are you looking for winter clothes, for your little one or looking to get rid of some clothes? This is also a great way to make some extra cash for the holiday season too! Please check out all of the rules and guidelines whether you are looking to sell or buy here.

7. On the Wagon Ride 

When: Saturday 6 pm – 10 pm

Where and What: Do one last Fall celebration before all the Holiday activities start! Summerset Winery, in Indianola is hosting “On the Wagon”. Join them for a bon-fire, hay rack rides, hot dogs, chili, and of course wine! The cost is $25 per person and RSVP is requested. For more information check out Summerset Winery.

8. Central Iowa Wind Ensemble Children’s Concert 

When: Sunday at 2 pm

Where and What: The Central Iowa Wind Ensemble will be conducting a special children’s concert at the Temple of Performing Arts. This is a FREE event, so bring the whole family! There will be themes from the Hobbits, Peter and the Wolf, Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite, and more. It is a great educational event for everyone! For more information regarding the concert and directions please check out Central Iowa Wind Ensemble.