Young At Heart Mommy

Managing Motherhood Through Love & Laughter

Mommy β™‘ Daughter Date: The Young At Art Museum #YoungAtArt

It’s been over a year since our first visit to the Young At Art Museum here in South Florida. Last week was intense stressful around here. Between working, preparing for a birthday party, and Valentine school festivities I was extremely exhausted by the time Sunday arrived. I was more than ready to relax and unwind a bit since I was off of work Monday & Tuesday. Typically when I am off during the week I take advantage of having free time to myself because Toodie is in school until the afternoon and it gives me a chance to get things done without any distractions. Since I was able to get some rest and run a few errands yesterday I thought it would be nice to spend a day at the museum before heading back to reality on Wednesday. Toodie has been asking me to take her to visit the Young At Art Museum again for a while now & this seemed to be the perfect time to do so. Yes, I let her play hooky from school today.. shhhhh!
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How To Make Homemade Glitter Silly Putty

Silly putty is a timeless toy that gave me hours of enjoyment as a child. I remember it coming in a red elongated egg shaped container that had the strangest smell. The concept of putty has expanded since I was a child. These days we have silly putty, slime, GAK, Play-Doh, and even play foam. All of these products can be manipulated, folded, squished, and rolled up to form different shapes. Toodie has grown fond of these types of toys so I decided to attempt the re-creation of the classic putty by adding glitter. Everything is better with sparkle!
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Toddler Craft: Handprint Owl With Fingerpaint

Looking for an easy Summer time craft to do with your toddler? Sometimes all you need is a few bottles of finger paint, colored construction paper, and a simple white poster board. A paintbrush isn’t necessary for this project but you may need it to create your tree stem. Your little one’s fingers will do most of the work! It may get a bit messy but I guarantee this will be a ton of fun and also a great way for them to create a picture based on their creativity.
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Our Day At The Young At Art Museum In South Florida #YoungAtArt

After many months of hectic holiday preparations, I was ecstatic when presented with the opportunity to take a break and spend the day at our local children’s art museum. Here in South Florida there are many attractions, museums, and zoos to keep families busy all year round. While it seems that there is always something new to experience, at times it can be hard finding activities that are geared toward younger children. When I was first told about the Young At Art Museum it was undergoing renovations and an expansion to prepare for its grand re-opening. Now that it is opened and fully functioning, a learning experience for all ages is provided. From birth all the way to adulthood, the museum is designed to transform the way our children appreciate art. The Young At Art Museum is a very unique hands-on children’s museum where kids learn within the wonderful world of ART! Sparking imagination through art provides endless possibilities and opens a creative outlet in each and every child. Here they have the ability to learn by creating, touching, imagining, and exploring.

When entering the museum there was no clear path to where we should begin or where we should end up after exploring. The choice was ours and with so much to do, it was just a matter of what we wanted to try first! It was immediately stimulating and the exhibits were visually stunning. You could tell that A LOT of hard work and thought went into the layout. Since our visit was around Christmas, they had a Gingerbread House Workshop for $10 per child. I was happy to see seasonal crafts being offered to get into the holiday spirit. While our creation was drying we headed to the different “scapes” throughout the museum.

The museum is divided into four main sections- the Wonderscapes, Artscapes, Culturescapes, and Greenscapes. Each area offers activities and exhibits true to the theme. For example, the Greenscapes will encourage your child to connect with nature and the environment. Toodie got to play with blocks made from recycled material and make her own puppet. Right around the corner, the Wonderscapes offer a journey of words, music, fantasy play, and literacy. There was also a comfy cozy area to read books. This is where we spent most of our visit and I noticed many of the kids were gravitating towards the fun inside. As a toddler, Toodie usually gets distracted and bored very easily. This is one of the very few places I have found that has kept her attention the whole visit! We never ran out of things to do here ad when it was time to leave, it was a struggle. I had to promise another visit back VERY soon. 

In conjunction with the museum, the Broward County Library is open within the same hours. This includes free public library services, materials, internet access, and tutoring rooms. You can stop in during your visit to read a book with your child or wind down after a long day of play. Don’t forget your library card! As you can see this is not a traditional museum. This means there are more than the exhibits to enjoy. The Young At Art Museum offers workshops, camp programs, a museum pre-school, and even a place to host a birthday party full of creativity. The art stations, interactive experiences, and educational activities are sure to stimulate your child’s mind. There is enough to do that you could practically spend the whole entire day enjoying everything within the museum. You can even grab a bite to eat at their cafe during or after your visit. A gift shop is also on the premises if you want to bring home any keepsakes! They really do have everything… I can see why they have received so many rewards and are highly recognized within the community. We have visited a few museums within the last few years and none of them have compared to how well their concepts are executed.

 
If you are interested in visiting the Young At Art Museum and would like more information, stop by their website here. You can also connect by liking them on Facebook where you will be the first to know about events, activities, and promotions the museum is offering. If you are already a member or have visited with your family, please share any thoughts on your experience!


Disclosure: My family and I were granted complimentary admission into the museum as part of a blogger event. I will not be compensated for this review or blog post. All opinions are my own!

Holiday Crafting With BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers + GIVEAWAY #BICMarkIt

I am still in awe that the month of November has come and gone. It seems like only yesterday I was taking my little girl to pick out her Halloween costume and now we are weeks away from Christmas! On top of all the fun decorations and yummy baked treats, this season wouldn’t be the same without a craft to get into the holiday spirit. Toodie and I have always enjoyed doing crafts together and this year we had a little help from BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers. As a Smiley 360 blogger I was sent a package containing everything needed to make a Lightbulb Snowman. Of course, the supplies featured the Bic Mark-It Permanent Marker pack containing an assortment of 36 vivid colors! These are also non toxic so there is no worrying about any smelly fumes that most permanent markers tend to have.
In addition to the huge pack of colorful markers there were other materials inside that helped to bring our snowman friend to life. These included a single white light bulb, several pieces of colored felt, and three glitter glue pens. The BIC Mark-It Markers were the perfect tool for this type of craft and I imagine many others in the future. With the tips being fine and precise, Toodie had more control over the designs she was drawing. I worried that her determination to use every single color within 5 minutes would cause a mess, smearing all over the lightbulb and her hands. But to my surprise and relief, there was no smudging. These markers dry immediately when applied which makes them even more appealing. This holiday craft was a no mess success!

The BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers sure do make crafting and projects much easier. Did I mention cleaner? No messy hands, table, or clothing. I can see these being a “permanent” part of our craft bin. These markers are also great for writing cards, lunchbox notes, scrap booking, and just plain DOODLING! With their soft grip and smooth packaging they can be comfortably used by little hands. These would make a nice gift for any teacher during the holiday season. I know my daughter’s classroom would have a blast with these. I can’t wait to see what we can do next with them!
For more information on BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers and other fun holiday themed projects, you can visit their website an become a fan on Facebook.

 

You can enter to win your own 36 pack of BIC Mark-It Permanent Markers by entering through the rafflecopter form below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Disclosure: As a Smiley 360 blogger, I received the products above for my consideration and to share my honest opinion of my experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this post. As always, opinion are my own! 

Wonder Box : Sparking Creativity In Your Child!

Monthly subscription boxes created for children are one of my favorite things to review! That being said, when I came across the wonderful world of the Wonder Box I couldn’t wait to see how “wonderful” it was. The Wonder Box is filled with creative activities designed to stimulate the minds and imagination of your child. Each month, for $19.99 your box will be delivered to your doorstep. This includes free shipping and the option to cancel at any time. You can also purchase the Wonder Box as a gift whether it be for one month, three, or even twelve.

Each month the Wonder Box is curated around a different theme. While the contents of the box will remain a mystery until it arrives at your door, they will always include at least three educational projects. Each activity will come with everything you need to assist your child in exploring their creativity including instructions and supplies. All Wonder Boxes are carefully put together by Education.com experts and are designed to help your children work on essential Kindergarten skills. Some of these skills include Shape Recognition, Color Exploration, Fine Motor Skills, Reading Readiness, and many more. While this program targets children ages 3-6, it is never too soon to pave the learning path for your little one. The activities can be easily modified to stretch imagination and challenge younger and older children.

When the Wonder Box arrived I couldn’t resist capturing the cuteness of the packaging. Everything was wrapped in a pretty blue tissue paper fastened together by a sticker of their mascot, Ed the Otter. Why an otter? Simple, they are curious little creatures that enjoy exploring their environment just like our children!

The theme of this particular Wonder Box is “Once Upon A Time.” It included puppet play materials, a design your own cape kit, story cards, and an interactive coloring story book paired with a recipe. In total, there were six different activities provided including the Stone Soup recipe card!

  
The illustrated story cards allowed us to create a fun story by using our imagination.  I laid out about eight cards on the table and had Toodie choose one at a time. Based on the picture, our story kept growing on growing. I enjoyed hearing what she came up with and how wacky it turned out! Three year olds REALLY do have an incredible imagination that can bring any adult’s silly side out.

The Puppet Play pouch had everything needed to create a fuzzy felt friend. I was impressed because there were more than enough pieces and we even had plenty left over. Wonder Box sure isn’t stingy when it comes to materials. There was glue, string, googly eyes, and felt pieces in different shapes. Toodie had so much fun with this project. She created a dragon-dog looking creature with a beard! The glue kept everything secure and after a lot of play, her puppet friend is still strongly held together.

Next up was the Story Cape. How ADORABLE is this? I almost wished they had sent a cape for mommy to make! I couldn’t get over  the excellent quality and thought behind this activity. The cape was a soft green satin material on one side and fabric on the other. Supplied with multiple fabric crayons, Toodie could design her cape whether she wanted to be a princess or superhero. We agreed that she was “Super Toodie” and decorated together. I am beyond happy with how it turned out and she pranced around the house acting as though she was soaring through the sky. To keep the design on the cape, the instructions said to iron it on with a sheet of paper. This took about five minutes and prevented the fabric crayons from smearing or transferring. If Toodie wants to change the design all we have to do is throw it in the washing machine! Very cool..

Last but not least, Toodie colored the story of the “Stone Soup.” This coloring  book was interactive and encouraged her to participate by drawing pictures that coordinated with the story. There was even a recipe card with instructions on how to make our very own stone soup. YUM!
If you can’t tell by this review how impressed I am with Wonder Box than I may have to say it one more time! Hands down, the Wonder Box is one of the best monthly subscription programs I have ever reviewed for children. You can tell that the curators behind the box have really put effort, thought, and consideration into its creation. It wasn’t just thrown together. The activities and projects are engaging and entertaining. They kept my three year old intrigued and that alone impresses me. 

For more information on the Wonder Box visit their site and get social by following along with Education.com on Facebook & Twitter.
Disclosure: I received the products above from Wonderbox  for my consideration and to share my honest opinion and experience. I am under no obligation to post a positive review on them. I will not be compensated for this review. As always, opinion are my own!

Toodie’s New Clubhouse!

A few weeks ago I got a great deal on the “Little Rascals Clubhouse” by Easy Playhouse on Sneakpeeq. These cardboard houses are easy to put together and are a blank canvas for children to color, paint, scribble, and design. There were only two large pieces that had to be assembled and they fit into one another easily.

After a quick assembly, I secured some of the edges with a hot glue gun just to make sure that they were held together well. I only did this for the roof because I noticed the flaps were loose and I wanted to be able to move the playhouse around the house without it falling apart each time. Each side of the house has a door opening and the opposite sides each have windows that open as well.

I set up the playhouse in our patio to begin painting. We started working on the roof together and I couldn’t wait to see how it would look when we were all finished! Toodie was just as excited and kept putting down her paint brush to go inside the little house.

She was very focused on her work…

But there’s always time to be silly!

Toodie did a great job painting on her own. Red was her color of choice and it’s no surprise that half way through, we used all of it up!


Not the most conventional way to paint but it sure get’s the job done! Toodie was taking a little break..

Since we started painting the roof first, it didn’t take very long to dry. To add a little sparkle I outlined the stars with Elmer’s glue and sprinkled chunky glitter to make them stand out.

Someone was going to need a nice long bath after this project! She didn’t seem to mind.. Artists get a little messy here and there.


This is the back view of the playhouse. It’s not as decorated as the front but when it’s completely dry I am sure Toodie will enjoy adding stickers to it.

6 empty bottles of Crayola paint, half a change of wardrobe, a siesta on the tile, one tired mommy, and a peanut butter sandwich later …. we have Toodie’s playhouse!

As time consuming as it was, I really enjoyed painting Toodie’s playhouse and making it perfect for her. This is a really great project if you have a little one who loves their own space. Now that Toodie has her own playhouse, maybe she will stop building a fort in my closet! 

Easy Playhouse also sells castles, crafty cottages, and their classic playhouse.

Let’s Make Puffy Paint!

What You Need:
  • 1/2 Cup of Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons of Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
  • Food coloring
  • Water
  • Cardboard Paper
  • Q-tips
  • Paint Brushes (optional)


Directions:
  • Mix your flour, salt, baking soda, and food coloring color together adding water until it creates a paste. 
  • Distribute different color paint into cups or bowls.
  • Use your cotton swabs or paint brush to create a picture on to the paper.
  • Make sure that the paint is applied thick so that it will rise.
  • When your painting is finished place it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds for paint to become fluffy! 

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