Homemade Sensory Toys, Part II: Sensory Bottles

In my last post I showed you how to make Sensory Bags and talked a little bit about why sensory toys are so important, and how easy they are to make at home. Another really fun and easy sensory toy to make at home is a sensory bottle.

Sensory Bottles:

These sensory bottles are all about colour and shaking fun! After you fill the bottle up with water you can add any colour of food colouring you like to make a rainbow collection of them. Plastic pop bottles or water bottles don't work very well for these, you want a hard sturdy bottle like the Vitamin Water or small Gatorade bottles. Like the bags, please check the toy before each use to make sure the cap is firmly attached still! And perhaps the best part about these bottles is that since the lid is just taped on, you can undo it and re-fill the bottle with new and different things when it starts to get boring for your little one. You can change the colour of the food colouring and the sensory items you've put inside.

 

Materials:

- as many bottles as desired with their lids, washed

- water

- food colouring

- cooking oil (any kind will do!)

- sensory items (glitter, marbles, mini dinosaurs etc!)

- coloured duct tape

 

Instructions:

- fill up a bottle about 2/3 full of water

- add in a little bit of oil, just enough to make some bubbles (you can add this to some, and leave it out for others)

- add in enough food colouring drops to achieve desired colour (hint: don't make it too dark or it will be hard to see the sensory items inside!)

- add in sensory items

- screw lid on tightly

- wrap lid with duct tape to make sure it stays on securely!

 

 

Green and Yellow Sensory bottles

One with marbles and glitter, one with mini dinosaurs

Homemade Sensory Toys, Part I: Sensory Bags

If you've never seen them before, sensory toys come in all shapes and sizes and are usually incredibly simple. They don't require batteries and they are super easy to make at home! Sensory toys are so important because they help to teach your little ones about the world through touch, sight and sound. The most important thing though is that they provide these learning opportunities without being overwhelming. They are simple toys but they accomplish an extraordinary task!

I first came across some home-made sensory toys while the boy-o and I were at a drop-in play center, and the staff there told us how to make some of our own. So on our way back home we stopped off at the dollar store and loaded up on some materials, and then I impatiently waited for him to fall asleep at nap time so I could go play worker-elf!

Todays post is going to look specifically at Sensory Bags!

Our first incarnation of the sensory bag had a label on the zipper bag.

It's much better without one! But the boy-o had fun with it either way.

Sensory Bags:

These bags provide great, simple entertainment for babies who are trying to sort the world out! They provide lots of squishy fun, it makes them think about the stuff inside the bag and why they can't actually touch it when it looks like they can. They have a limited shelf life because they will eventually wear out, but they're so cheap and easy to make--you can just make some more! As always, please make sure you inspect the bag before each use to make sure there are no leaks!! Wrapping the WHOLE bag with packing tape helps to ensure the gel stays inside the bag by protecting against razor sharp nails and teeth!

Materials:
- bottle of cheap hair gel (I used Dippity Do)
- box of no-name zipper lock freezer bags (no label on them that way!)
- glitter, buttons, tinsel or whatever you plan to put inside the bag (avoid anything sharp or pokey!)
- packing tape
- coloured duct tape

Instructions:
- open one of the freezer bags and squeeze in a liberal amount of hair gel. You want enough in there to make a thick enough layer across the full surface area of the bag that you can squish it around.
- add in your sensory items (glitter, tinsel, buttons etc)
- close the zipper seal on the bag, trying to get as much air out of it as you can
- wrap both sides of the bag with clear packing tape (this will help prevent nails or teeth ripping a hole in the bag!)
- then take some coloured duct tape and wrap up all four edges making sure the corners are well protected
- squish away!



 

Sensory Bag with tinsel and glitter

 



Sensory Bag with buttons and glitter

So, with a few simple materials you can make yourself some pretty great sensory bags at home with out having to spend big $$ to buy pre-made ones. I hope you enjoy the bags and stay tuned for Part II of home-made sensory toys for some more suggestions of simple toys you can make at home!

Silent Sunday: The Boy-o's First Snowstorm

Mexican Casserole: Weeknight Dinners

Life with a baby on the go is hectic to say the least! I'm afraid to turn my back on him for more than few minutes at a time, because even though we've baby proofed as much as we can, it seems to be his constant goal to try and knock himself out! And since as far as I'm aware, there is no "Staple My Baby's Butt to the Floor" machine invented yet, weeknight dinners to need to be something I can make QUICK!

This delicious Mexican flavoured casserole is not only quick, it's pretty cost effective, makes 8 servings, is wonderfully spicy, and actually not too bad on the health meter either! The leftovers make a great next-day lunch, or they can be frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!

Mexican Casserole:

Ingredients:

• 1 can kernel corn
• 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese
• 4 oz can of chopped green chiles
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cayenne Pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 15 oz can of black beans
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 2 cups cooked brown rice/or quinoa
• 3 or 4 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced

Directions:

1. Combine sour cream, 1 cup of cheese, green chiles, taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, cumin, black beans, salsa, rice/quinioa, and chicken.
2. Place in a greased 9X13 casserole dish.
3. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

 

 

 

To up the veggie quotient of this meal, serve with a simple side salad and you have a delicious, QUICK meal that will set your tastebuds tingling!

Top Toys: Christmas Review

This was the boy-o's 1st Christmas and he was spoiled accordingly so! In fact we're drowning in toys over here (really, we're drowning in MEGA Blocks alone!). Of all the toys he received though there are certainly some favourites that stand out from the rest. So here's a look at our Top Toy Run Down from Christmas 2013!

Top Toys from Christmas:

1. Baby Einstein Jolly Jumper: This was a gift from my parents which we specifically requested and the boy-o LOVES to bounce around in it and play with the toys. It takes the entertainment of an Exersaucer to a whole new level! It also has some buttons you can push to make music or educational sounds like colours and shapes. There are extra fabric hooks to add on more of your own toys as well. But possibly the best part about it is that is has 5 height settings! For a mama with a tall boy this is super important!!

2. Laugh and Learn Crawl Around Car: This was a gift from hubby's parents and was also specifically requested. I think it's probably safe to say that this was his favourite Christmas gift! There is so much to do with this car. You can turn on the sound for music, sound effects and songs when they push the buttons on the dash board etc., or you can turn it off and still play with the shape sorter on the one door, the ball chute on the other door, the spin wheel at the back, turn the gas tank, or spin the back wheels! One door actually opens up so your kiddo can crawl in and out and it's sturdy enough to pull up on when trying to stand. WIN!

3. Tobbles Neo: The boy-o got these as a gift from his Aunt and Uncle, and although he doesn't understand how to "stack" yet, he loves knocking over the tower when I build it, and he's fascinated with how they spin since the bottoms are weighted. They're also nice and brightly coloured which helps to keep his attention. I don't remember what the actual age rating on them is, but my 8 month old loves them!

4. Darth Tater/Spud Trooper/R2 Potatoo Head: This was another gift from my parents that was meant almost as much for my husband as it was for the boy-o! He's too young to play with it yet, but this was a big hit with the adults. Ha! I'm sure once he gets older he'll love it since I've never met a toddler who didn't like Mr. Potato Head. The set comes with three Star Wars themed potato heads and stores nicely in the large Darth Tader plastic tub.

5. Plush Airplane Rocker: This was a gift from hubby and I and the boy-o seems to really enjoy it! It's certainly more $$ than I think it's worth, but we waited for Boxing Day sales to buy it half priced and that I can totally get behind! Like most rockers he needs a lot of assistance to use it, but he loves rocking back and forth on it and since it's all soft and plush there's no worries of him face planting on the front of it from vigorous rocking. So now we have a car and plane... we just need a train!

So those were the top 5 Christmas Toys in our household. What were your kids favourite toys this year, and how old are they? The real test of time will be to see which toys still hold his attention a few months from now. We have so many toys we need to start storing stuff away so we can rotate it out and keep things new and exciting for him!

Christmas Traditions Make the Holidays Bright

The holidays often feel overwhelming, and that can make it difficult to stay positive and enjoy the festive season with our friends and family. Between fighting off the mobs in the malls to buy gifts, booking flights or rental cars, putting up all the decorations and doing your baking, plus maybe hosting a Christmas dinner or party there seems to be little time left to REALLY enjoy the holiday season and Grinch-like tendencies start to set in.

This is my first year celebrating Christmas with my own family unit (hubby and the boy-o) and we've already committed to a few traditions that we hope to continue throughout the years, as well as build new ones as the boy-o gets older. It's up to you what kinds of traditions you want to set with your own family, but even now that I have my own family, the "yearly stuff" that happened each Christmas are some of my fondest memories!

Here's a few of my favourite holiday traditions from when I was a kid:

1. Music Boxes. I don't know how old I was when this tradition got started, but I know that for as long as I can remember it was always something I looked forward to! Every year one of females in the family got a new Christmas themed music box (me, my sister, or my mom) and we would line them all up across the fireplace mantel. Then each night before we went to bed we would each select one to wind up and play. Music boxes began to fade in popularity after a while though, so it became really hard to find them and sadly the acquiring of new ones ended, although they still get displayed each year.

 

 

2. Christmas Pins. Another yearly tradition we had was getting a new Christmas themed pin on our stockings. It was always a lot of fun to try and guess which one was the new one, and as the years went on it became harder and harder to tell since there were so many! We still carry on this tradition today, except that now that my sister and I are grown up we take turns buying the pins too so my mum gets a surprise as well. We've extended this tradition to our partners too, so that since their first Christmas celebrating with my family they've gotten pins on their stockings too.

 

3. Boxing Day Lunch. One of my Dad's best buddies is affectionately referred to as "Uncle" Randy, and since we were quite little we've had the tradition of getting together with him (and before she passed away, with his mom "Grandma" Hadash) for a delicious lunch every boxing day! The lunch is always roughly the same, and it's awesome! He has his own sausage made at the butchers, there's perogies, cheese, crackers, pickles, and all sorts of relishes and canned experiments to test out. This one has been harder to maintain since we've moved away from home, but whenever we are home for Christmas proper (rather than an early/late celebration), we make sure to make a lunch date for Boxing Day!

4. New Year's Day Soup Kitchen. This wasn't a "family" tradition, but it was a yearly activity that some friends and I started when we were in high school. Every year on New Years Day we would volunteer with the Inn of the Good Shepherd (a local soup kitchen) to serve meals to anyone looking for something hot to eat. It made us feel good to know that we were helping people who were less fortunate than we were, and it helped us to develop a better awareness of others. This was an excellent way to end the holiday season, and it helped to set us in the right mind frame for the coming year!


So, now fast forward to my own family and what holiday traditions will we have?

1. Advent Calendar. We have bought a wooden re-useable advent calendar that will be brought out every year. Rather than simply filling it with chocolates however, I plan to make the calendar a little more creative as the boy-o gets older. Some days might just be a chocolate, but other days will contain riddles like a treasure hunt to find the prize, or instructions for activities that require family interaction like making paper snowflakes or building a snow fort. Since I'll be the one putting the item in each day I can make sure the weather is co-operating for snow related activities etc. I think the calendar will be a great way to promote some family bonding and provide us with some silly memories.

2. Rudolf Gift. I really hate the commercialism of the holidays, and I think it's quite silly to spend a small fortune on gifts at Christmas, so rather than go crazy buying everyone big gifts we'll have the Rudolf tradition instead. Everyone will of course have their stocking and a few small things to open, but each year ONE person will receive the "Rudolf" gift. An extra gift that Rudolph has left which will be something beyond what we would normally get for each other. The recipient of the Rudolph gift will change each year so everyone has a turn.


3. Christmas Morning at Home. Travelling at Christmastime can be rough... and my parents and hubby's parents don't even live in the same province! So we've decided that Christmas morning will be spent at our own house. We will wake up Christmas morning at home, and after we've done our own family gifts and what-not then we can take on the task of travelling We think it's important to make sure that we take time to strengthen our own family traditions and celebrations, and thankfully the Grandparents were all supportive of this decision!


4. Mass on Christmas Eve. Tis the Reason for the Season after all! I always liked going to mass Christmas Eve as a kid to the "Family Service" when they had the pageant re-enactment, and I hope to continue that tradition with my own family. I think it's a pretty crucial part of Christmas to keep CHRIST in it, and the boy-o (as well as any future siblings) will grow up understanding why we celebrate Christmas, and why that little baby boy changed the world.

Your Turn!

So what are some of your favourite holiday traditions, either from when you were a kid, or ones that you've started with your own family?
 

Silent Sunday: 1st Santa Photo