Friday, May 30, 2014

Washi Tape Flower Pot Spring Craft for Kids

Looking for a quick and easy craft for kids? Try making a washi tape flower pot! This spring craft would also make a great homemade gift idea for Mother's Day.

I love easy crafts. I also love washi tape projects.

And I especially love easy crafts that double up as homemade gifts to give. Just pop in a little succulent, maybe a potted aloe vera plant, a cacti, or small flower into the finished plant pot.

Take this cute washi tape flower pot craft idea for instance. While we initially made them to keep and grow some herbs in, my boys ultimately decided to gift them to their Mee-Maw (aka my mother-in-law) for her birthday since she likes flowers.

This spring craft is great for kids of all ages. Yes, even toddlers and preschoolers, which is precisely the age my kids were at the time of creating these. But I knew my kids would love making these given their love for playing with tape. I feel like most kids probably enjoy playing with tape...would you agree?

Anyway, I love how these flower pots turned out. They're the perfect mess-free flower pot decoration ideas for toddlers and preschoolers. Much better than trying to paint them or something.

I also love that they are so simple and inexpensive to make! We just used materials that we had on hand or that can be picked up from the dollar store. Well, at least my dollar store carries a washi tape roll or two these days. Hopefully yours does too.

As an added bonus, flower pot decoration projects like this craft are a great way to work on fine motor skills and sneak in some extra scissor skills practice with your kids. Ready to make some yourself? Let's take a look at what you'll need...

Washi tape flower pot spring craft for kids

A version of this post originally appeared on the CBC Parents website.

Washi Tape Flower Pot Craft: What You'll Need

There are two things toddlers love: scissors and tape. Okay, maybe it's just my toddler that loves these things...regardless, whenever I tell him that scissors or tape will be involved in some activity or craft, he is ready to go! So, to play off of his interests, we used both scissors and tape for this craft.

You don't need much in terms of supplies to make these. Just a couple of things from the dollar store. 

Here's the full list of what you'll need to make some washi tape decorated flower pots with your kids:

  • Scissors - To cut the washi tape into smaller pieces

Simply set out the flower pots, washi tape, and scissors for your child. I set out one pot for each of my boys, as well as their own pair of scissors. The tape was a free-for-all and they could pick and share whichever tapes they wanted.

The Mod Podge will be used later on, once the flower pots are all done and decorated.

Two flower pots decorated with washi tape

How to Make Your Own Washi Tape Flower Pot Crafts

Let your child pick out the tape they want to use and cut it into little strips. My two year old liked to put the tape on the top of the pot, like shown below, to make it easier to cut.

Close up of a toddler cutting yellow washi tape with scissors

And look at how pleased he is! He is completely in his element, happily cutting and taping away.

Happy toddler with scissors who is decorating a flower pot with washi tape

Once the tape is cut, simply place the tape strips onto the pot however you want. Then repeat the process of cut and stick over and over until done.

Close up of a toddler's hands placing colorful washi tape on a small flower pot

My four year old also enjoyed making this craft, but maybe not to the same extent as my youngest. My oldest made quick work of his flower pot, declared he was all done, and moved on to something else. I do love the contrasting patterns and colors that he chose for his flower pot, as well as the layering.

Small flower pot decorated by a child using washi tape

Once the boys were done decorating their flower pots, I sealed them with two coats of Mod Podge.

After they dry, you can plant some herbs or succulents in the finished flower pots. Then you can display them around the house or gift them to a grandparent or relative as a gift.

That's it for this simple washi tape flower pot craft. Have fun crafting!

Washi tape flower pot spring craft for kids

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Playing with Cars on the Light Table

One of the reasons we do a lot of light table activities in our house is that it is so versatile. Translucent or not, many items look more appealing on the light table. This particular car themed light table activity for kids combines translucent objects with non-translucent objects on the light table to encourage creativity and imaginative play.

Cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

This post contains affiliate links.

Car Themed Light Table Activity for Kids

While playing with our latest new toys, Learning Resources Letter Construction Set, I noticed that the pieces would be a neat way to make roads on our DIY light table.  So together J and I set up a translucent city complete with translucent roadways.  We used our super awesome Magna-Tiles to make the houses in our city.  Then we grabbed some cars.  Okay, I'll be honest, J may have grabbed a lot of cars.  Then it was time to play!

Translucent city and cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

J enjoyed driving the cars around the town, but eventually had them all park (or perhaps crash?) in one small corner of town.

Playing with cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

Playing with cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

Playing with cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

However, I soon found out that all those cars were parked in front of this house for a party.  

J started using his pointer finger as an imaginary person from each of the cars.  He even walked his pointer finger from the cars to the house.  J also scoffed at me for offering some of our Safari Ltd. people to use in the town.  He much preferred his "finger people."

Playing with houses made from Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

Playing with houses made from Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

Meanwhile, K was reading books in his bedroom, which was eerily quiet, but so refreshing.  When he eventually joined us, he was his mischievous little self, setting up little tragic collisions across town from J's house party... 

Cars on the light table from And Next Comes L

Other Ideas You'll Love





Playing with cars and building a translucent city on the light table to encourage imaginative play from And Next Comes L
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Monday, May 26, 2014

Learning Music Theory with Cars {Music Activities for Kids}

It poured rain here this morning so I took the opportunity to try out a new music theory game with the kids. When using the giant homemade grand staff with one of my beginner piano students the other day, I realized that the spaces on the grand staff would work great as parking spots for cars. And, obviously, they worked just like I had intended since I'm posting about it.

This car themed music activity for kids is a great way for kids to practice learning about lines and spaces, intervals, note reading on the grand staff, and more. It's such a versatile music theory activity that I like to use with my piano students.

Music theory game for kids: learning about grand staff using cars from And Next Comes L

This post contains affiliate links.

Music Activities for Kids: Learning Music Theory with Cars

For this activity, I used:

I cut the painter's tape into little rectangles so that I could label the cars and the lines and spaces of the grand staff.  For older kids, this step wouldn't be necessary, but since my boys are still young, the alphabet matching component was very helpful.

Music theory game for kids: learning about grand staff using cars from And Next Comes L

Musical alphabet cars for learning about music theory from And Next Comes L

K quickly grabbed a car, said the letter, and "drove" it onto the grand staff.  Naturally, he said "Vroom!" as he did so.

Learning about music theory with cars from And Next Comes L

He continued to park the cars into their spots on the grand staff.

Learning about music theory with cars from And Next Comes L

Learning about music theory with cars from And Next Comes L

Eventually, K ditched the cars in favor of his feet.  He inched his way slowly across the lines and spaces of the grand staff, saying the letter names with each tiny shuffle of his feet.

Toddler friendly music theory game from And Next Comes L

J also checked out the activity for a little bit.  While he parked his cars, we talked about line notes versus space notes, as well as the letters on the cars.

Learning about music theory with cars from And Next Comes L

Music theory game for kids: learning about grand staff using cars from And Next Comes L

The cars were a huge hit!  I can't wait to try this game out with my newest piano student who is just starting to learn how to read notes on the grand staff.  He is going to love it!

Other Ideas You'll Love


Music theory game for kids: learning about grand staff using cars from And Next Comes L
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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Fine Motor Light Table Play

If you're looking for ways to practice fine motor skills with your kids, then you'll be happy to know that many items from the dollar store and even around the house can be used in unique ways to encourage fine motor development. Take, for example, this super simple fine motor light table activity for kids. It uses two items normally found at the dollar store for simple learning. You might already have the items on hand anyway!

Fine motor light table play for toddlers from And Next Comes L

This post contains affiliate links.

Fine Motor Light Table Activity for Kids

While perusing the dollar store recently, I came across a clear bathmat that I figured would look cool on the light table.  Then I remembered this bathmat and marble counting activity from Creative Playhouse, so I recreated it on our DIY light table to work on some fine motor skills.

I placed the clear bathmat on the light table with the suction cup side facing up.  K spent the better part of twenty minutes just rolling and unrolling the bathmat.

Clear bathmat on the light table from And Next Comes L

Once K had his toddler fun, I set out some glass stones and that is when K lost interest.  J, on the other hand, placed the glass stones, one at a time, onto each individual suction cup on the bathmat. He also did some counting while placing the stones on the bathmat.

Fine motor light table play for toddlers from And Next Comes L

J and I also worked together to place green and blue glass stones to create an approximate version of an Earth.  Before I was able to take a picture of our Earth, little tornado child (aka K) came along and rolled it on up!

Other Fine Motor Ideas You'll Love



Fine Motor Name Game from House of Burke


Lego Sensory Bin for Math and Fine Motor Skills from Little Bins for Little Hands

Simple Weaving Felt Page from Powerful Mothering


Puffy Paint Cake Decorating from Still Playing School

Fine motor light table play for toddlers from And Next Comes L
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Alphabet Tracing Activity with Chalk & Rocks

Head outdoors and try this simple alphabet tracing activity that uses chalk and rocks. Tracing letters has never been this fun!

It is officially sidewalk chalk season here at our house. Which, if you have a hyperlexic child, then you know that's a big pretty deal. That means letters and words and numbers everywhere. And I mean everywhere!

Literally every surface in our backyard has been colored with chalk, including K's black fedora. His hat may or may not be covered with random strings of numbers. So I came up with this chalk alphabet tracing activity, hoping that hats would be spared.

Alphabet tracing activity with chalk and rocks


Chalk & Rock Alphabet Tracing: What You'll Need

Here's what you'll need to do this tracing activity at home:

  • Sidewalk chalk - To draw large letters for tracing. You could do lowercase letters or uppercase letters. Your choice.
  • Small rocks and pebbles - What will be used to do the tracing and letter formation practice.
Before we did this alphabet tracing activity, we actually went on a rock hunt. I was hoping to walk to the pond near our house to collect large rocks, but the boys had other plans. Instead, we went for a walk around our crescent and collected some small rocks along the way.

When we returned home, I drew uppercase letters with the sidewalk chalk. I then showed the boys how the rocks could be used to trace the chalk letters. They were immediately interested. Of course they were...hello, hyperlexia!

Time to Work on those Letter Tracing Skills!

Now that we had all of our materials and some chalk letters draw, it was time to start tracing letters. Together, the three of us traced the letter A with rocks, carefully following the chalk lines. We tried to trace them using the correct letter formation. But if you have toddlers and preschoolers, you know that they have a tendency to do their own thing which is totally okay too.

Sidewalk chalk & rock letters

After the letter A was completely traced with rocks, my boys moved on to tracing the letter B.

Child tracing letters with rocks outdoors

Tracing letters activity with chalk and rocks

Child tracing letters made out of sidewalk chalk

Tracing chalk letters with small rocks

The boys worked their way through a few different letters, in a random order, before deciding it was snack time. Apparently they were too hungry to even finish the letter C...but the stomach wants what it wants. And now! So food will always trump doing yet another different alphabet tracing.

Sidewalk chalk ABC & rock letters activity for kids

But there you have it! A quick and easy way to do some alphabet tracing practice outdoors.

Other Fun Ways to Practice Letters You'll Love




Outdoor alphabet tracing activity for kids using chalk and small rocks - a fun preschool activity for practicing tracing letters
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Sunday, May 18, 2014

5 Ways to Learn About Music Using Sidewalk Chalk

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

At our house, summer means we go through a lot of sidewalk chalk.  J easily spends hours upon hours freely drawing, writing, and coloring with sidewalk chalk.  However, sometimes I like to set up some quick learning activities using chalk, ranging from rocket hopscotch to coloring a rainbow to fun music activities.  

We've done a couple of music activities with chalk in the past (with many more ideas floating around in my head!), but I also found a couple of other neat music theory ideas using chalk.  You can click either the images or the titles below to read more about the activities.

1. Xylophone Hopscotch


Introduce young toddlers to instruments while teaching them how to spell their name!  This xylophone hopscotch is inspired by the shape of the instrument and can be used to show toddlers how the bars on the xylophone get shorter as you move from one end to the other.

Xylophone hopscotch - 5 ways for kids to learn about music using sidewalk chalk from And Next Comes L

2. Outdoor Spell-A-Keyboard Game from Color in my Piano


Here's a great way to work on piano key identification with beginner piano students.  Draw a giant keyboard using chalk then toss bean bags onto the keys to spell some words.

Spell a keyboard game - 5 ways for kids to learn about music using sidewalk chalk from And Next Comes L

3. Water Balloon Keyboard Toss from Color in my Piano


This game involves a giant chalk keyboard to work on piano key identification.  Find out how to play the game using multiple kids!

Water balloon keyboard toss - 5 ways for kids to learn about music using sidewalk chalk from And Next Comes L

4. Giant Chalk Keyboard


This chalk keyboard is a great way to learn about the musical alphabet, chords, and intervals.

Giant chalk keyboard - 5 ways for kids to learn about music using sidewalk chalk from And Next Comes L

5. Musical Sidewalk from Life with Moore Babies


I love this music activity so much.  It's great for discussing note values, time signatures, and rhythm.

Musical sidewalk play - 5 ways for kids to learn about music using sidewalk chalk from And Next Comes L

Looking for more music activities?  Check out all of our music activities here or follow my Music Activities board on Pinterest for even more great ideas!

5 ways for kids to learn about music using chalk from And Next Comes L
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Friday, May 16, 2014

Exploring Symmetry with Magna-Tiles

We have fallen in love with Magna-Tiles at our house.  The boys have been playing with them daily for hours on end.  I decided to enhance J's play with them one day by adding a mirror to explore symmetry.

I set up a star shape with the Magna-Tiles as an invitation.  His first reaction was, "Oh it's a star!  Cool!"

Exploring symmetry with mirrors and Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L


Simple Math Activity for Kids: Exploring Symmetry with Magna-Tiles

So J started putting some of different Magna-Tiles next to the mirror.  He then leaned the mirror back and forth to see how the reflections changed.

Exploring symmetry with mirrors and Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

Then in typical J fashion, he started creating numbers out of the Magna-Tiles.  Here he is with the number two (and its reflection as the number five).  J was curious about why the two turned into a five in the mirror's reflection.

Exploring symmetry with mirrors and Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

J continued to make more numbers, such as the number seven pictured below.

Exploring symmetry with mirrors and Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

This house or camel shaped design is actually the number 10.

Exploring symmetry with mirrors and Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L

It's amazing how J can turn literally everything he sees and plays with into numbers!  What a kid!


Other Ideas You'll Love




Simple mirror play for kids: exploring symmetry with Magna-Tiles from And Next Comes L
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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Grand Staff Music Theory Activity Using Mirrors

This music theory activity using mirrors and glass stones is great for teaching the grand staff to kids.

Growing up, I always had to do a boring music theory worksheet or two every week with my piano lessons.

My goal as a piano teacher, however, has always been to make learning about different music theory elements fun and engaging. And as hands-on as possible. More games, less worksheets.

So, as a piano teacher, it's probably unsurprising that I've created a lot of music activities for my boys. I've even made fun free music theory printables for them (see some of the music I spy games here for instance).

However, this is the first time that we have used mirrors to explore music theory. And I love how this music theory activity turned out! It's so pretty and inviting.

I also love how this activity can be tailored to different ages or used for teaching a variety of music theory concepts. You can use it to teach basic music theory such as lines and spaces or use it to do more advanced music theory review. I share some suggestions below.

Music theory activity for teaching the grand staff to kids using mirrors

What You'll Need for this Grand Staff Music Theory Activity

Teaching the grand staff is really easy and engaging to do with this simple hands-on music activity. Here's what we used:

  • Small mirror (ours is from Dollar Tree) - While it's a great item to have on hand for simple music theory exercises like this one, we've used it for other activities as well. It's such a versatile item to have for play!
  • Colored glass stones or something similar such as buttons, pom poms, or transparent counters - These will be our music notes to explore different music theory concepts.

To prep this activity, I drew a grand staff on the mirror using the window markers. Then I set out a variety of colored glass stones. Then it's ready for play as that's all you need to do for set up.

Grand staff drawn on a mirror

Grand staff drawn on a mirror with colored glass stones used for music notes

Teaching the Grand Staff with a Simple Music Theory Activity!

First, I let the boys explore the materials on their own for a bit to see what they would do with it. I then pointed out how the grand staff has lines and spaces. Identifying the differences between lines and spaces is an important step in reading music, so it's an easy music theory activity for preschool aged children. Additionally, counting the lines and spaces is also preschool friendly.

Older kids can practice note naming by placing the glass stones on the lines and spaces for particular notes. Or you can use this activity to work on intervals (the distances between notes), making chords, or whatever else you might think of.

I'm sure there are plenty of other fun music theory games you can come up with using these materials. But let's look at how my boys explored with the materials.

My oldest, J, started placing glass stones on each line and even counted each line, quickly telling me there were ten lines in total.

Young child adding line notes to grand staff on a mirror

Adding line notes to a grand staff drawn on a mirror

Adding line notes to grand staff

Then both of my boys did the same thing with the space notes. They counted the number of space notes on the grand staff, placing a stone in each space as they went along.

Adding space notes to grand staff

Young child adding space notes to grand staff

Toddlers may also enjoy identifying lines and spaces or counting the number of each on the grand staff. However, sometimes toddlers have other creative ideas in mind...

Like standing on the grand staff...One foot for each clef, I guess! Who needs a hands-on music activity when you can have a feet-on one instead - haha!

Toddler approach to music theory (aka close up of toddler feet standing on a grand staff drawn on a mirror)

And since a mirror was involved, my youngest, K, of course, had to take a peek at himself. That lead to him getting blue marker all over his face. Then J joined in until the mirror (and their faces!) were completely smeared with blue marker. The giggles that erupted from these two were definitely a highlight for me! Whatever makes music theory more fun, hey? Hahaha

Toddler approach to music theory (aka toddler pressing a mirror up to his face)

I always test out any new music theory games or activities with my boys first before using them with my piano students. So I'll definitely be using this simple music theory activity with mirrors in lessons going forward.

Other Music Theory Game Ideas & Activities You'll Love

Montessori Inspired Rhythm Building Music Activity for Kids

Learning Music Theory with Cars

Giant Chalk Keyboard: Outdoor Music Activity for Kids

Music theory activity for kids using mirrors - it's a great way to teach kids about the grand staff and other music theory concepts

Continue reading "Grand Staff Music Theory Activity Using Mirrors"