How to Make Rainbow Rice for Sensory Play

If you're new to sensory play and want to try your hand at making some sensory rice for home you've come to the right place. Sensory rice is a rather broad term incorporating different types of dyed rice or scented rice. The most popular version of sensory rice is rainbow rice and I'm going to give you step by step instructions to make your own rainbow rice in just a few minutes.

You can also use these directions to make single coloured rice or themed rice e.g. red, green & white rice for Christmas or red, white and blue rice for 4th of July. 

Love Bug Valentine's Day Gift {+ printable}

If you're after a really simple, cute and cost effective Valentine's Day gift your children can give to classmates, friends or family then this love bug jar is it. These love bugs are a great Valentine's Day class gift idea for toddlers, preschoolers or elementary {primary} school kids to let their classmates and teachers know they're thinking of them and appreciate them.

Elf Duck Song Lemonade Stand

A duck walked up to a lemonade stand, and he said to the man running the stand. Hey! {bum bum bum} Got any grapes?

Chances are if you have school aged children then you've heard the duck song approximately 400 000 times and it gets stuck in your head for hours. I feel your pain!

We've been doing Elf on a Shelf for a few years now and in an effort to not repeat easy elf ideas from previous years, Elfie's had to get a little more creative. This year she's recreated some of the kids favourite pop culture things like among us and Pokémon, so naturally the duck song got added to her list. Thankfully it's really easy to make a duck song lemonade stand and I'm going to show you exactly how I made it so your elf can do it too.

How to make an Elf Pokemon Card

If your kids are into Pokémon and they have an elf on the shelf, they'll lose their minds if the elf or elves turn up for a Pokémon battle with their very own Pokémon card. In this post I'll show you exactly how you can make your own customised elf Pokémon trading card in a few easy steps.

Fun Elf on the Shelf Game Ideas

Just like adults and kids, elves love getting together and playing games too, so it makes sense that while they're visiting for December they'll get into the games cupboard and have some fun, they may even make up their own games. I've put together a list of games the elves can play and most of them use items you probably already have at home.

Image: @elf_on_the_shelf_joy

Doctor Squish Squishy Maker Review

Are your kids obsessed with anything squishy like mine? If they love Squishmallows, stress balls, fidget toys and other squishies then they'll love being able to make their very own squishy at home with the new Dr Squish Squishy Maker.

Free Printable Christmas Word Search

If your kids love all things Christmas and doing word searches then they'll love this free 12 word Christmas word search. It's a great way for children to practice early literacy concepts like letters and spelling with a fun theme. Perfect to use at home for fun, as part of a homeschooling unit, or in class as a group rotation activity, English activity or during free time. 

The free Christmas word search printable download includes the word search page + the answer key page and you can print off as many copies as you need for your children or students.

The Best Black Friday 2022 Deals: Toys, Books and more

If you're looking for some awesome Black Friday deals for 2022 then you've come to the right post! I love nothing more than looking up bargains and shopping online, so naturally I've been scouring the internet for the best deals in the lead up to Black Friday. 

I've found quite a few stores that are already having early sales and have linked them below. If you have more Christmas shopping to do, or just love a great bargain, check them out.

Decorate a Gingerbread House Craft {Free Template}

If you have younger kids and the thought of making and decorating an edible gingerbread house has you wanting to rock in the corner {don't worry, you're not alone, that's exactly how I felt} then try this easy gingerbread house craft activity instead. I promise it's a lot less messy, it won't collapse and there's no sugar high after.

I've also included a free printable template to make the activity even easier to set up if you're a teacher and want to do it as a group activity in the classroom, or are using it at a playgroup or a childcare centre.

Super Easy Elf on the Shelf Hiding Spots

If you're looking for easy Elf on the Shelf ideas then it doesn't get much easier than these hiding spots. There's no stress, no mess and no clean up required for any of these elf ideas, so if you want a month of smooth sailing with your elf then get ready to play hide and seek with these 32 super easy elf hiding spots. Yes that's more than enough ideas to last until Christmas.

If you have younger children like toddlers and preschoolers then these ideas are also the perfect way to introduce your elf for the first year. Having the elf hide in different spots each night is not only an easy option for parents, but it's also great for children who can't grasp the whole concept of Elf on the Shelf yet. They're also great lazy elf ideas for when you have no motivation.

Image: @elf_on_the_shelf_joy