What She's Wearing: Valentine's Craft for Kids_Make a Doll Purse by Upcycling Gift Bags

How to make a purse from a gift bag for dolls or girls it makes a cute classroom valentine tote too.

She's wearing red for Valentine's Day, and so is her Teddy Bear with its upcycled gift bag purse craft. Ready to recycle? Grab a gift bag, (we like the shiny ones) and make a clutch hand bag for your favorite Valentine. It's easy and it doubles for a classroom valentine goody bag. Enjoy!

This purse or gift envelope was cut from the bottom of a large, gift bag.

Five Fab Classroom Valentine Crafts

Cut the bottom of a large bag to recycle the existing lines as a pattern or use an easy cheat and make your own pattern with a gift card envelope, separate it where it's been glued, lay it out flat, and trace it onto your gift bag. PDF pattern here tomorrow.  Fold the paper on the lines where the envelope had been glued folding a 1" section at the bottom of the envelope to serve as a base for your doll's clutch bag and also on each side.

Poke holes in the sides and insert ribbon for the purse strap. Tie a knot inside the purse at each hole. Get crafty and add a sticky gem or gems from the dollar store. Any American Girl Doll would kill for this purse, now if we could just find her some ruby slippers to match. Yep, I'm a matchy poo-poo.

Mayhem prefers high-top sneakers to ruby red slippers 
and teddy bears to "girly" dolls.

Recommended Reading:


Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! (If You Give...)*


Valentine Recipe for Kids










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24 Best Educational Toys To Gift Your Kids This Year

Gift Guide: 24 Cool Toys for Kids

As a parent, one of the biggest dilemmas for every birthday and holiday season, is what gifts to buy for your kids. Recently, it's become a trend to give kids gadgets, but always giving the gift of technology is proving detrimental for your kids well-being of our future adults. Instead, why not invest in something that's both educational and enjoyable. This way, your children will develop and grow into well balanced adults and still have fun along their childhood journey.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

For More Help
Buying presents for infants and toddlers is even more difficult than for older children. Luckily, there are many websites and blogs to guide you with gift ideas and recommendations. Snugbaby is one such helpful blog. From reviews about the best strollers for your young ones to life-saving advice for new struggling parents, Snugbaby.net has it all. So, be sure to check it out for more helpful gift reviews and advice on parenting little ones.

0-1 year olds Educational Toy Gift Ideas

Melissa and Doug Shape-Sorting Set
This classic toy is a popular educational toy for kids and comes in a variety of themes. See the farm sorting set pictured above, It gives a basic introduction to shapes and colors, as well as, problem solving skills and manual dexterity.  Kids have to insert the blocks into the correct shape.

VTech Musical Rhymes Book
This colorful book with baby-friendly pages engages your toddlers with nursery rhymes while providing a fun way to learn the rhymes.


Skoolzy Rainbow Counting Bears with Matching Sorting Cups
Another simple game, it's an excellent way of teaching colors and simple math skills. Here, toddlers learn to put the bear in the matching colored cup. They also have to count the number of bears available to fill each cup, which makes it a helpful lesson in mathematics.

Download our counting math activity printable to use with this game.

VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker
This popular toy encourages 9-month-olds to walk while engaging them with colorful activities and sound, thus developing their sensory skills and coordination.

1-3 years (Toddlers)

Learning Resources Alphabet Island Game
Using the classic ABC rhyme doesn’t have to be the only way to teach kids the alphabet. Make learning fun for your toddlers while they go treasure hunting for the alphabet.

Sensory Alphabet Activity

Learning Resources Fine Motor Hedgehog
The spikes on the hedgehog are color-coded and easy to grip, making it a great game for kids to play to  enhance motor skills, color coordination, and sorting abilities.

LeapFrog Scribble and Write Tablet
What a great way to introduce letters and numbers before your kids start preschool. Kids trace the letter or number using the tracing tool without the need for writing with crayons or pencils.

The Learning Journey: Match It! Spelling
Visual learning is a great method to teach kids. Linking words with images helps children learn more quickly. Moreover, the puzzle nature of the game also develops kid’s dexterity.

VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
This game is a great way to introduce an active toddler to sports. The Smart Shots Sports Center comes with a net and two balls. It teaches counting by scoring hoops for points and also teaches shapes, songs, and simple words.

ehome Toddler Musical Instrument
People of all age groups enjoy music, kids are no different. This set contains various musical instruments, so parents don't have to worry about which instrument to buy. Encourage your kids to try out playing the different instruments. Who knows, you may have the next Michael Jackson in your house. These also make a great gift for Easter baskets!

3-5 years (Preschool)

Magnetic Drawing Board Mini Travel Doodle
There's nothing wrong or right when it comes to art. This is the basic concept behind this old, yet popular toy. Give your kid free reign over the board and let the pen do the rest. It's fun for trips with family too!

Tips for Family Travel

Learning Resources Pretend and Play Doctor Kit
Playing doctors is still just as popular as ever. The doctor kit is a great gift for aspiring doctors and it's also a great way to teach kids to be kind, helpful, and patient.

ThinkFun Zingo Bingo Board Game
This award-winning game is a fun family activity. Essentially bingo with tiles that have labeled images, it teaches kids word-picture association, and it's also a great way to teach preschoolers new words.

Ideal My First Magic Set
Magic is always fascinating to kids, and what better way to teach your kids confidence, social skills, and self-discipline than using this fun magic game? The 25 tricks in this set, which comes with props, instructions, and online videos, make a great Christmas gift for children.

Back To Nature Outdoor Toy Set
For little explorers, this set includes a flashlight, binoculars, compass, and a magnifying glass. Make the game more fun by making a map and preparing a treasure and set your kids out treasure hunting. Can you imagine a memorable childhood play experience?

5-12 years (Elementary School)

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Exploration Kit
Does your kid love tinkering around with electronics? This is the perfect gift for engineers in the making. The color-coded circuit components come with a guide and after they have mastered the basics, watch your kids build their own circuits!

See our Snap Circuit Activity for Homeschoolers.

Melissa and Doug Fashion Design Activity Kit
Science isn't the only subject of educational toys. Let your child's creative side flourish with this attractive fashion design kit that contains fashion plates, pencils, and crayons.

Scientific Explorer Mind Blowing Science Kit
This kit is equipped with 11 fun activities that will entertain your little ones’ inquisitive minds. Build curiosity for new things and a love of science with this science experiment kit that's easy to clean and will quickly become your kid’s next favorite toy.

Grow ‘n’ Glow Terrarium
A unique toy that even adults have fun playing, is this gardening terrarium game. Kids plant the Chia seeds in the terrarium. The kit also comes with glow in the dark stickers and resin figurines to decorate.

IQ Builder Building Toy Set
This building toy set, featuring various shapes and sizes, challenges your kids to expand their creative boundaries in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Equipped with a storage box, this must-have STEM toy, barely takes any space in your room. 

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Logic Game
Develop strategic thinking skills with this innovative game. It uses blocks arranged in different ways to  creatively work around the effect of gravity. The difficulty level increases as the game gets more complex.

Scharkspark Telescope For Kids
This birthday, gift your kids something out of this world. This wonderful telescope helps kids realize the beauty of our vast universe. Introduce your kids to the amazing world of star-gazing and also teach them to take care of their toys with this real working scientific instrument.

National Geographic Break Open Geodes
For the little James Huttons and Florence Bascoms who love scavenging and exploring, this amazing geology set is the perfect gift. Watch your kids squeal in delight when they discover beautiful gems after breaking open the included rocks.

Thames and Kosmos Candy Chemistry Kit
Inspire your kids love of chemistry with this fun game that rewards kids with handmade sweet treats. Sweets and science have truly undeniable chemistry together, a match made in heaven.


Summary
Parents spend a lot of money and time trying to give the best educational toys for kids. From toys to education, parents try not to compromise anything for the sake of their children. However, the best gift that parents can give their children are good values and a strong support system. Always encourage your children to try new things on their own and give their best effort. Eventually, your little one will grow to guide you on the journey of life, instead of the other way around. 

Good luck on your journey of parenthood; you'll need it!



Recommended:

Activity Games you can Play with Things Around the House

Sensory Play Ideas

Looking for 1 Year Old Birthday Gifts?

Best Toys and Gift Ideas for 1 Year Old Girls

Have a one year old baby's birthday coming up? So, what are the best toys and gifts for a one year old? Nothing feels better than watching your baby girl grow. You want to be there when she makes her first step, and you want to be the first one to hear her alter her first word. These moments are magical. Believe me, it gets even more exciting when she turns a year old. It's her first birthday and it's normal to feel super excited and overwhelmed. How do you make it special and unforgettable? Other than holding a birthday party and inviting all your friends and their kids to celebrate, getting the perfect gift is the best way to ensure that your baby girl never forgets the day.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

But wait! Which is the best gift for a one-year-old girl? A toy is the best catch here. You want the best for your daughter, something that she will like and even if you were to keep it and show it to her when she is already all grown up, she would have the same smile she had when you first showed the toy to her when she was one year old.

What to get a 1 year old girl on their Birthday? 

Choosing such a toy can be a daunting task. This article aims to make the work easy for you by outlining a list of the best gifts and toys for a one year old girls.

A VTech pull and sing puppy

Kids love puppies, and they find them to be the cutest thing, and it gets even better when puppies and toddlers are combined. Not all girls are into barking, taking dogs for walks and having a pooping pooch. You do not have to get a real puppy to match the experience for your baby girl. If she loves puppies, a VTech pull and sing puppy is an excellent choice.

The little guy can do tricks and other stuff that real dogs can do and more. He can sing, teach numbers, body parts and colors as the baby pulls him around his leash. It comes with over 50 songs and melodies to keep the kid entertained, and she will never get bored even if you were to leave her alone as you do chores around the house. You, however, need to include a battery.

Baby Einstein take along tunes

Kids are sensory. Its smell and touch alone are enough to make the baby glued to the creature as she tries to figure out how the machine can respond to her queries. If your kid is already a young jammer trying to get her tune in line, this toy will do her good. It's a kind of jukebox that switches between a total of seven melodies.

What's more? It lights up as it sings. It also comes with a volume control button and two AA batteries. It's a perfect toy for small hands, and your kid will not struggle as she plays with it. Even better; it is made of a soft polypropylene surface which makes it safe for children. The color and design are cute, so it does not scare the baby away.

Fisher Price brilliant basics first doll

Girls love trying to play-pretend at this age, and a baby doll is a perfect gift to help foster her imagination. She can tote the doll around as she tries to learn new words and understand different body parts like the mouth, legs, hands, and eyes. Dolls are soft and cuddly which makes it ideal for helping the baby in social recognition and giving them a sense of comfort when playing with it. She will carry the doll where she goes which is also a way of learning a sense of possession.

Fisher-price Baby’s first Blocks playlist

Your child will have a blast with this gift set on her birthday. It features two Fisher-Price toys a baby’s first block and a rock-a-stack. What she has to do is sort them for fun, which is a perfect way to keep baby busy and put her mind at work.

Such toys help develop problem skills too. The toy is meant to prepare kids for preschool through mental development. Grasping, sorting, and stocking the blocks is a fun way for your baby to stay happy as she explores. It will teach her a sense of discovery as she tries to see what happens after all the rings are sorted and stacked.

LeapFrog count and crawl number Kitty

Get your child on the move on many skills with this unique, cute kitty. The doll is designed to enhance a great push and play experience for little ones, keeping them busy and offering them a positive way of having fun. It comes with keys, that when pressed, make the cat start counting in a rhythm. How exciting is that? That's not all.

There are also music mode keys that command the cat to play meows in low and high modes as she makes silly sounds. Pushing the kitty makes her produce fun counting songs that your baby girl will want to listen to the whole day. The kitty can sit, bat, scoot, and crawl. This toy is a perfect way of nurturing mental development and balance in your baby as she explores and counts numbers one to twenty and learns new music. It comes in beautiful colors to keep your baby's attention.

The choices are endless, and these are only a few of the best and highly reviewed toys. The best part is that they are all durable and you can keep them and show them to your baby girl when she is all grown up.

How do you choose a good toy for a one year old?

You shouldn't choose the first toy that comes when conducting an online searches in sites. Let's take look at what should inform your purchase of a one year old's gift. 

Considerations when buying a present for a one year-old girl

• Safety – some toys are just not safe for babies and they even come with a safety warning signs. You will realize that some of them have been written to explain that they aren't recommended for kids under the age of five. This is probably because the toy has some aspects that could compromise the baby’s safety. Kids at this age love putting things in their mouth and you have to ensure that what you get cannot choke your baby. Also, make sure that the toy is non-toxic and doesn't have sharp edges.

• Go for educational toys – it shouldn't be all about play and fun. The child should be able to learn something when interacting with the toy. This is the developmental stage, and therefore, the toy should at least sharpen her mental development, communication skills, and cognitive capacity. Your baby will probably be spending most of her time with the toy, and therefore, it should be in a position to help her learn.

• The toy should enhance coordination – it's around this time of her life that a baby girl will be learning how to roll over and pull up as she tries to take her first step. Choose a toy that can help her enhance her motor skills and coordination as she starts to stand and walk. Keeping baby's hands and legs busy improves her strength too.

• Color and material – these are also aspects to keep in mind. You want something that will attract a baby girl and you should choose brightly colored toys over the dull ones. Pink, blue, yellow, red, and white are the most recommended colors for girls. The material takes you back to safety. Choose something soft but durable.

Recommended:

Baby Articles for New Moms from Kids Creative Chaos

Best Selling Toys for One Year Old Girls

Gift Ideas for Girls

5 Gadgets for Dad: Father's Day Gift Ideas

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas: Gadgets for Dad

These 5 gadget gift ideas for Dad for Father's Day are the perfect, unique gadgets for Dad under $25.00. Does your Dad buy everything he needs? Not all Dad's wear neckties or have a mustache! It is difficult to come up with a unique, inexpensive idea the kids can give Dad for Father's Day. We found a few things that might make Dad smile. Enjoy!

Get Fit with these Fitness Gift Ideas

 Gift Ideas to Stay Fit and Healthy

Here I am again, out of shape. This time, I'm not alone. Covid isolation wasn't kind to many of us. So, once again, I have to get fit. The last time, I really thought I'd kicked it, I had maintained my weight loss and healthy habits for over five years. Sigh. Life is a constant battle. I thought you might want to join me on the journey this time. Are you ready to get fit with these fitness gift ideas? It's okay to buy them for yourself! We all deserve pampering after the past year and a half.

                        This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links for your convenience.

It's July 2021 and I'm kicking off my fitness routine-  Again.  You can follow along on Instagram. Step one, buy cool fitness products to keep motivated!

Fitness Gift Ideas List:

• I've had these Jenn Ardor walking shoes for over two years now. They are lightweight, sturdy, comfortable, breathable mesh. This makes them perfect for hot summer days. 

What I love about them: They just slip on and off, they're comfortable, and they're easy to clean.

Hop over to Instagram to see the shoes on my feet! 

Since then, I've walked in them (you know, back in 2019.) I even mowed the yard in them. Don't you do that, they're a thin mesh, you should mow in boots to protect your feet. Anyway, the point is, these are durable, inexpensive, walking shoes!

• It's not Lemonade, it's Nakedade.  Can you get fit and feel good about yourself naked? I sure hope so! I tried the Nakedade Electrolytes Powder Packets in Fruit Punch flavor. It smells delicious! 

What I like about it: The sweetener is derived from beet juice. Beets are rumored to lower blood pressure. No idea if that works with this powder, but you can read about it, beet benefits.

Here's the blurb about Nakedade:

Nakedade starts with Palatinose™ (isomaltulose), a low-glycemic smart carb derived from sugar beets. We isolate the sucrose from sugar beets, and remove any potentially harmful fructose and glucose. Palatinose™ improves fat oxidation and provides a steady supply of energy to increase exercise endurance.* 285 mg of potassium in Nakedade helps you stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes lost through sweat.

My thoughts:  

• I wish I'd tried Blueberry Lemonade too. It sounds so good. Next time!
• I had to use scissors to open the packet, maybe I'm just a weakling?
• Play fair. Don't drink this after you've had hardcore sweetener like regular juice or soda. Cleanse your  palette with water first. 
• Don't drink it warm. Pop it in a cooler or the freezer for a special treat after a work out. 
• It's a great alternative to those other electrolyte drinks with sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• It's good, especially if you aren't a sugar addict. If so, it may take some getting used to. 

How can you stop consuming sugar? Try these tips.

As always, remember, you can do it!

• I don't know if this falls in the category of fitness gift ideas, but a really good way to help rid your body of sugar loving yeast is to take a daily probiotic. This affordable probiotic from Amazon works well, but it gave me some unpleasant side effects when I used it daily. 

Everyone seems to react differently to different strains. There are many types of probiotics so try a few options before you give up on them. My favorite is the Align generic from Target. My Gastroenterologist actually recommended Align. The Target knock-off is much less expensive and works just as well for me. 

Tip: If I take too much of it without eating properly I get shaky and emotional. You're supposed to take probioitcs with a full glass of water.  Start slowly with one probiotic a day or even every other day.  As you begin to succeed with Candida die off you can get Herxheimer syndrome. A Herkheimer reaction can make you feel tired and cranky. Once you work past the yeast die off, life on the other side of too much yeast and sugar over indulgence is so much better. Just remember Stevia can be your best friend. Learn more about the downside of probiotics.

What I like about it: It keeps thing moving.

• Stevia is a great replacement for sugar. Like the Nakedade above, replacement sweetener can take some getting used to. There are several Stevia based drinks and Gift Packs available.

What I like about it: Stevia comes from a plant that you can grow yourself!

Russel Stove Chocolate sugar free sweetened with Stevia.

• Joy Lab work out clothing for women is comfortable and affordable. At Target, I found navy and peach leggings, tanks, and sports bras.

What I like about it:  This fitness wear is comfortable and well made.

 

• My favorite get fit fitness gift idea is this Weight Gurus Scale from Target.  

What I like about it:  No struggle to turn it on, step on the scale and your weight appears. Connect the Bluetooth app to track you weight loss and bmi.

Recommended:

More on my weight loss journey

Quotes about weight loss

Shop at Dollar Store for Family Gifts from Kids and teach about spending

Teach about finances and spending with a trip to the Dollar Store as a Math lesson this Christmas

Want to do something fun  neat with the kiddos?

Okay, it might not be fun for you, but the kids will have a blast while learning valuable lessons about finances, sharing, anticipation, and 'you can't have everything you want'.

I buy these every year and embellish with glitter and baubles.

Give them $10-20 to spend on gifts for Grandma, Grandpa, Cousins, Siblings, Etc.

Dollar Store Gifts.

1. Write a list with everyone who needs a gift.

2. Decide on the gift spending limit ($1-2) per person.

3. Let your kids shop and guide them with prompts.

4. Ornaments are a good option, you can personalize them later with the date and make it a tradition.

"Is that the best bang for your buck?"  

"What looks more valuable?"  

"Will this be a tie-on gift?"  

"How will we package this?" 

"Do we need to buy paper, a bag, or basket?"

"No, we aren't buying for ourselves today."

Remember, presentation is everything. Let the gift receivers know that this gift was bought for them by your child. It is so exciting for the kids. You can discuss budgeting money and time.  (Let's not stay in this store forever.)

Let the kids wrap the gifts.
It doesn't matter what it looks like, this is their gig, not yours.
Don't ruin the fun by being a perfectionist.

Oh what fun!  The gift exchange will be extra special, and your kids will learn the joy of giving.

• The kids picked out two squishy skeleton heads in the Toy aisle. The eyes pop out when you squeeze them.  It will make a great stress ball for Daddy.
• A Million Dollar Chocolate bar and a brownie candle for their teenage sister.
• A bead and word jewelry kit for their cousin and a jingle toy for the cat.
• We found science experiments for my classes: snow, grow a crystal tree, and fish eggs.

My kids had the best time wrapping the presents which made up for the stressful shopping experience.

Store clerks and customers were laughing at us and saying things like, "My kids are grown." or "Oh, Honey, I feel your pain."  Some just gave worried looks.

There was a lot of screaming and rivalry over who is buying what for whom.

And Mommy's quiet, whisper screaming, "Put that down." "I said, No!" "Get back here right now!"

And...  "You better hope Santa didn't see you do that."

Jake:  (Whimpering) "It's too late. I know he already did. Now I won't get what I want!"

Isn't Christmas fun? 

How to Make a Paper Valentine Treat Basket for Mom Gift as a Classroom Project.

Make a Paper Valentine Treat Basket (a great gift for Mom)

This paper basket craft is easy for kids and can be made for an Easter or Valentine's Day gift with a simple change of colors. Add a bunny or an egg for a fun, festive diy Easter Basket. Enjoy!

Post contains affiliate links.

Valentine Gift for Mom kids can make.

Follow the steps as pictured then add embellishments such as crepe paper, heart cut-outs, and glitter. Poke a hole in two opposite sides and insert two braided (twisted) pipe-cleaners forming a handle. Inside the basket, make a "t"with the pipe-cleaner to lock in place. Fill your paper Valentine treat basket with candy or trinkets when complete. It makes a great classroom project valentine for friends.









Use a paper plate as a pattern, trace onto construction paper, and fold on the lines shown.

Fold corners in , glue, and tape to secure.

Paper base should look like this when done folding.

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Valentine's Paper Doily Gift Basket

American Girl Paper Crafts

Construction Paper Quilt Squares




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