Lately, I've been inspired to have a daily "play" activity ready for Brynn-- whether that involves Play-Doh, adventure walking, painting, coloring, or whatever I can throw together, or potentially plan for her, to allow her a little control, but keep her imagination busy, and just let her be a kiddo...
After spending some time exploring through all of my Pins that I've had in my "For the Kids" board, I've also been inspired to start a new series about do-it-yourself adventures with your toddler.
DIY Toddler Adventures on BabyBerry.
The good. The bad. And the messy! :)
Basically, I'll just be "Pin-testing" activities that mommies can whip up on one of those days where you need something in a pinch. ;) Things that you can find in your kitchen cabinets, or somewhere around your house! And, of course, we'll also be sharing a little review on our experiences.
for those that may not be familiar with cloud dough-- because I certainly wasn't-- it is similar to the Moon Sand they sell in stores.
BACK-STORY: I have really wanted to build Brynn a "sand table" for some time now, but when I went to pick up some PLAY SAND from the store, I noticed a warning on the bag that said "contains material known to cause cancer in the state of California." Hmmmmm. Whether we're talking about California or Indiana, here... That's not cool.
For obvious reasons, I decided against a sand table... And where in the heck are you going to get SAFE and SANITARY sand in Southern Indiana, if it doesn't come out of a bag? This is why I was so very excited to find this ever-magnificent recipe for cloud dough.
And, of course, we decided to choose it for our very first Toddler Adventure post!
CLOUD DOUGH RECIPE:
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8 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup baby oil (or coconut oil, olive oil, etc-- if you have a "taste-tester")
mix flour and baby oil together in a bowl with rubber spatula
use your hands to "squish" it together. this will help to mix it more thoroughly. :)
after mix is ready, put it in container for playing
add "play" utensils and HAVE FUN!
But, wait...
Before you begin, here is a little advice from us:
1. wear old clothes that you don't mind getting a little "dirty." and yes, this means BOTH of you! be prepared to get your hands dirty too!
2. if you can, go OUTDOORS and use an old blanket or a play area that is easy to clean up. this is definitely a messy activity!
3. try to have as many different toys and cups as you can... Brynn really enjoyed experimenting with the different cups and molds!
4. for easier clean-up, have your washing machine ready for a load ;)
5. have a broom handy, and maybe a towel for clean-up.
6. i hope you enjoy the strong scent of baby oil (if you use it instead of the coconut or olive options), because you should be prepared to smell it for the rest of the day... I thought this was kind of a bonus, but if you don't enjoy this smell, you should probably toss the remaining dough and take a shower after you are finished! :)
"living in the moment" jason mraz
here is a glimpse at the fun we had with our cloud dough!
Brynn played contently for a solid 30 minutes, until things started getting a little WILD, and she started to venture away from the tub-- and then the backyard was fair game... and so was the dog. So, we decided to put it away for later. :)
Luckily, Oz thought it was a little bit tasty...
(no worries, he didn't get very much)
i hope you have as much fun as we did!
