The Mama Workshop

DIY Magnetic Chalkboard with Animal Magnets

We usually avoid going out to eat. The kids get crazy! But, with this DIY Magnetic Chalkboard, they can play, color and doodle while waiting! There is hope!

It’s really hard to go out with 3 kids. For real.

So, HARD.

We sometimes usually try to avoid it. If the restaurant is too noisy, my kids want to outdo the noise. If it’s too quiet, well…they’re noisy too. And they’re so wiggly and want to climb under the table.

Why is that fun? I really want to know.

So, without listing all the crazy things my kids do at restaurants, let me just say. “It’s difficult to occupy the kids while waiting for the food to get to the table.”

One way we try to occupy them is by playing games.

We have played these table games (maybe you have too):

  • how many sugar packets can you stack?
  • sort the sugar packets by color
  • “air hockey” with a sugar packet (we flick the sugar packet back and forth)
  • draw a picture on a napkin (if there isn’t a coloring page they bring out)
  • I Spy
  • find a letter on the menu

We try to get creative. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

So, I thought making a magnet chalkboard with fun magnetic animals would do the trick! It’s a toy and coloring activity rolled into one. It’s fun!

This would totally work while traveling with kids too! Set it on their laps and have them play during the car ride!

Multi-purpose item for the win!

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Thanksgiving Prep for the Busy Mama

Thanksgiving prep is my best friend for turkey day. Read about my game plan, meal plan and kiddo activities. You can do it too!

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving Day is sneaking up on us! It’s in less than two weeks! Eek! So, it’s time to make a game plan.

I am hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year (which stresses me out a bit), but it’s always an enjoyable time. I love to come up with a plan that makes the day go smoother. This includes an inventory check list, menu plan, assigning dishes to family members and keeping the kiddos occupied.

The first thing I like to do is check my kitchen. What do I have already? What do I need? And when I say check my kitchen inventory, I mean:

  • Do I have all the serving dishes and spoons?
  • Should I use paper plates for less mess?
  • What spices and herbs do I have?
  • Do I have enough paper towels?

So, really just an inventory of staples and dishes in my kitchen.

If I’m good there, I move on to planning the menu. This helps with the grocery list. I added some links to recipes I enjoy.Continue Reading…

How to Be a Creative Mom When You Are Not

Moms ask me how I’m so creative. I can never really give them a reason how. So, I thought I’d write a post about how to be creative when you are not.

Hopefully, it helps you have more fun with your kiddos at home!

How to Be a Creative Mom When You Are Not

Step One. Think positive. Really. If you think you’re not creative, you won’t be. There are times, I look at my projects and say out loud, “This is horrible! I’m not creative!” But, creativity is tying new things and seeing what happens. It can come out great, it can come out looking like poop; but, did you have fun? Which leads me to step two.

Step Two. What I am trying to say is that the projects you’re doing don’t have to be Pinterest worthy. What matters most is the fun you have with your kids. They don’t know that mom is just making it up as she goes along. They don’t know that it’s not the prettiest project. All they know, is mom is making an effort to have fun and do something with them.

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Monster Moon Sand – Sensory Activity

Make this Monster Moon Sand with your kiddos and have such a fun time! Dig your hands in and mold shapes and creatures. Such a fun sensory activity. And it smells like lime!

We have been learning the letter M this week. So, I wanted to make an activity that was hands on for my kiddos to dig their hands into.

And this was the perfect activity that kept them entertained for awhile! Yay! I even got my hands in the Monster Moon Sand. It was fun!

Halloween isn’t for another month and a half, but this activity would be fun to do around that time too. So, we will most likely be doing this again next month!

Surprisingly, my kiddos kept it all in the plastic bin. But, the candy eyes vanished real quick. So, if you don’t want your kiddos eating candy, leave those out. But, then it’s just green moon sand. It was fun while it lasted.

It didn’t stop my daughter from playing with it though. She pretended to make cookies with it.

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Toddler Shapes Activity (a Pineapple Game)

Play this Toddler Shapes Activity with your little one to introduce shapes!

My daughter was so curious about shapes when we played the Pineapple Shapes Memory Game. She kept pointing at them and asking, “What’s that, Mama?” She would pick them up and show me over and over again.

I love her curious little mind. She never ceases to amaze me!

So, I decided to make a shapes activity for toddlers (pineapple style) for her, so she can play something more at her level. She matched them all up!

I will have to make multiple pineapples with different shapes! She’s a smart cookie! But for now, we will play this shapes activity for toddlers over and over to her heart’s desire.

In case you want to have pineapple and shapes fun too, I’m sharing this simple little craft and game with you all below. I hope you play it with your little ones! Playing and learning is our favorite over here (if you haven’t figured that out yet. LOL).

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