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Saturday, December 28, 2019

Fireworks Salt Painting Craft

I remember when we were young each year we'd travel all the way into the city and spend hours setting up a picnic to secure the perfect spot to watch the fireworks at Southbank. We looked forward to it all year. We loved all the different colours, shapes, sizes and the fact that they appear out of nowhere. They're just so magical, especially for little kids. 

Unfortunately fireworks are also quite loud, so unless you want to invest in a pair of headphones, sometimes it's best to watch them on the TV not up close, particularly for children with sensory issues. My girls don't like crowds and aren't fans of loud noises so we haven't ventured out for live fireworks yet, but we have found another way to join in with fireworks celebrations. We create fireworks salt painting process art at home.

red and blue fireworks salt painting

Fireworks salt painting is a great process art activity for preschoolers, and a great classroom activity too. It's also a great stem activity, combining art process and science concepts like absorption. It can get a little bit messy though, so if you're doing it inside you'll probably want to use a tray and a splash mat or plastic table cloth. Art smocks might be a good idea too if the kids get a little too excited by glue and painting. Alternatively set it up outside and just let the kids wear old clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Fine Motor Fun with Lalaboom Beads

For the last few years we have been a somewhat Montessori family, especially when it comes to toys and learning. In our house our toys are all presented on open kallax shelving so that the girls can choose which toys they want to play with. We also rotate the toys regularly based on their interests and provide toys that help them develop specific developmental skills.

We believe that so much learning happens during play so we've invested in some great toys and resources in the past few years. The majority of the time this means I purchase wooden toys, however my main desire in any toy we bring into the home is that it's open ended. For this reason I'm quite selective with the items we have for the girls. I love toys that can be used in multiple ways and to teach multiple skills and our latest addition has been Lalaboom beads. I've put together a detailed review of Lalaboom sensory balls and beads so you can learn everything you need to know about them and decide whether they'll be a good addition to your home too.

Lalaboom snap together beads in a basket