Have you seen the Giant Jar of Crafts at Michael’s? I bought one for my daughter, and it has provided HOURS of entertainment!

I love toys and activities that inspire creative, original thought. This bucket certainly fits the bill. It’s a large plastic bucket filled with all sorts of trinkets for crafting – buttons, beads, crepe paper, foam balls, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, and more.  It even comes with scissors and glue.  Oh, and the best part…it’s only $9.99! And there is a coupon right now for 50% off, so you can pick it up for only $5. Seriously, how can you beat that?

So far, my daughter has used it to make a caterpillar habitat in a box, a lizard nest, and bracelets that she is selling to raise money for the local animal shelter.  And the jar is still nearly full!

It’s a great thing to have on hand for a rainy day, a playdate, or even to give as a birthday gift.

You can see more details HERE, and get a 50% off Michael’s coupon (good through June 18th, so you need to use it soon!) HERE.

Happy Crafting!

This year, I am helping Santa get a little more creative with my daughter’s stocking.  Not that she wouldn’t love silly bandz and lollipops, but it might be nice for Santa to bring some more interesting and, dare I say it, “educational” items.

So, here are three of my favorite ideas:

“Seeing Stars”  - a book that comes with its own mini flashlight and punch cards so kids can shine constellations onto the wall or table.  What a fun way to learn about the night sky!

Classic Tangoes – a classic puzzle game.  This game can be played with one or two players (or in teams), and encourages problem solving and spatial reasoning skills.

Do-a-Dot Art paint set in sponge-tip bottles.  A great way to paint without the spills and mess.  Can be used in the car for travel bingo (thanks to a mom friend for this idea!), to mark chore charts or calendars at home, or just for fun art projects.

For other fun ideas, or to read more about the items above, check out the “Stocking Stuffer” section in the RealOCMom store.

I was flipping through my most recent copy of “Family Fun” magazine, and saw the cutest idea!  It’s one of those things that makes you think “I wish I would have thought of that!”.  Genius, really…

It’s a place with a cute little face on it.  The face is bald and unadorned.  Which means you and your kids get to decorate it with all sorts of food.  What a fun activity AND a great way to get your kids to try new foods!!! There’s the boy face:

Or the girl face (with eyelashes and fuller lips)

What a great way to get creative and get healthy food on your kid’s plate!  I showed the pictures to my daughter, and we couldn’t help but giggle at some of the funny faces, like this angry man:

Or this older gentleman:

And while the girl with the nose ring was not our favorite, we really enjoyed the granny sprinkle-hair and the spa lady with cucumber on her eyes:

If you’re looking for a unique gift for a toddler, or just a way to introduce some new foods and fun into your family’s mealtime, you might want to check these out.  They’re made by Fred & Friends and available in my Amazon store – $10 for the boy or $15 for the girl (not sure why the price difference).  I love that they are not icky plastic, but beware if you feel your kid isn’t ready for ceramic just yet.  They are also dishwasher safe – hip, hip hooray!!!