DIY Activities

Dried or cooked, for eating or for playing with, when it comes to kids, pasta never disappoints. And for sensory bins, pasta is a mainstay filler. Here’s a simple recipe for how to create your own colored pasta for crafts.

Journaling is a powerful way to process our world and emotions. It has unlimited creative potential. It is how we understand ourselves, imperfect as we are, and everyone can write. Here are some ideas to get you and your child journaling—an entry point (not a guide). Start in the shallow end and see where you go once you traverse the depths where there is buried treasure.

Sometimes it’s hard not to hover. Sometimes it takes every ounce of will I have not to jump in to stop forthcoming messes from happening or show my kids the right way to do their art project. This is when I remind myself about “process art”—art that focuses on the process rather than the finished product—and I force myself to observe their discoveries and experiences in creating art. 

It's amazing what you can create with just your fingers and a bit of paint. I spent a rainy afternoon with my kids coming up with fun and creative ideas of things to make with our fingerprints or thumbprints, and here are a few of our favorites. 

Sure, it can be fun to just put interesting sensory items into a bin for play, but it can also be fun to create themes for creative play. (Parents need a creative outlet, too, right?) Here are 25 of our favorite sensory bin themes and filler ideas to get you started on your own.

You see them in classrooms and museums, yet there’s no reason you can’t make a sensory bin for your child at home. They’re hands-on tools for children to explore their world through senses. Okay, yes, it can be messy, but sensory play is also fun, engaging, and open-ended. Find out what the benefits are and how to start making your own sensory bins.