By Quiet Waters

Embracing the Full, Hard and Good Life, While Pausing Often by Quiet Waters

“Frozen” Invitation to Play

By

Busy Bag Inspiration

I found some FUN Frozen inspired ideas for a toddler or preschool busy bag on the Disney Family website.  My wheels are often turning for the different ways to keep little ones busy and this printable was a great find. 

Quick and Easy

Using this Frozen printable, I created quick and easy invitation to play.  After printing the template, I roughly cut each piece out, then laminated the set. (I use this Scotch laminator)  Then, I cut out each of the pieces again.

Olaf Magnets

 

Olaf Magnets

Olaf in laminated pieces

Applying adhesive magnets to one set, I instantly had an activity for the refrigerator.  I popped on the magnets and designed an invitation to play right there on the fridge.  And that invitation might well extend to older members of the family.  Seems “big” kids find magnetic characters too tempting to resist.

Olaf Magnet

 

Olaf Magnet

The second set of laminated printable went into a ziploc bag and is sitting in the “busy bag” tote for kiddos to find.

Super easy, fun little Olaf magnet and Snowman play forms provide an invitation to play.  

Do you reserve space on your fridge for grandkids to play?  Check out the Imagination Tree for Invitation to Play inspiration.

 

Affiliate Disclosure

Where Does Love Hide? Children’s Book

By

where-does-love-hide-cover

A cheerful new book is available from TyndaleKids, with a simple but most important message; Love hides in each of us, until we give it away. Then it grows!

This cheerful book arrived in the mail on the same day that Miss Joyness’ beloved Papa arrived home from his work in North Dakota.   When I first opened the package and looked at the book, I wasn’t sure Miss Joyness, at almost 4 years old would take to it.  She’s getting quite big, you know?!  But lifting flap to find where love might hide became a delightful activity.  I think the storyline is a little abstract at first, but with some conversation Miss Joyness began to understand  a little better.

On each page of “Where Does Love Hide” there is a question about where love is hiding, in many different situations a child would be familiar with.  Under the flap, the hiding place is found, along with simple Scripture to make the connections of truth and love.

Continue Reading

Busy Bags, Keeping Little One Positively Busy

By

busy bags keeping little one positively busy

Busy Bags, for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Keeping little ones safely occupied for 10 or 15 minutes can be difficult.  When my children were toddlers and preschoolers, I didn’t know anything about “busy bags”, but I am thrilled to have a basket of busy bags for my grand-daughter.  They keep her attention for 15-30 minutes, and many times longer, depending on the activity.  The activities in busy bags help to promote reading readiness, number awareness, fine or gross motor skills and creativity.  It is not uncommon at all for these activities to lead my grand-daughter, Miss Joyness, into more creative play.

Today I’m going to share some of the ideas with you.  These ideas are for the younger crowd, but might still be a little fun for a preschooler.Continue Reading

Clothesline Busy Bag, Another Busy Bag Activity

By

busy bags

This Clothesline Busy Bag has sat in a tote full of activities that I cycle through with my grand-daughter.  Recently I pulled out this one, for the first time and spent some time showing her how to clip the fabric with a clothes pin.  The fine motor skills needed for this activity were a stretch for Miss Joyness, which made this a fantastic activity for her on that morning.  I originally found the idea and pattern for this busy bag at Money Saving Mom.

To make this activity I used felt from the stash that supplied other busy bags, and found a package of clothes pins at Target.  After I made the felt set I took some other fabric scraps and cut a lightweight cotton set as well.

Continue Reading

An Invitation to Play, The Early Years

By

We have a fun little plastic sand and water table that is super fun to have on the back patio.  In the winter it serves another purpose.  Filled with pom poms it becomes an invitation to play!

Invitation to Play

Pom Pom Table

After the initial exuberant joy over so much color and texture, Miss Joyness settles down a little and started “cooking dinner”.  She served green pom bacon, which had me chuckling!

A little later she made an exciting discovery.  In the mass of poms I had hidden a few things.  She was very taken by the sparkling butterflies.  We counted them and talked about what butterflies are.  It was precious.

Continue Reading

Favorite Board Books

By

Books are among my favorite things, so it makes sense that with a grand child, I have some favorite board books, right?!  It is a habit of mine at the library, to check out the board book shelf and the picture book shelves to bring home a stack of “new” stories and old favorites.  That is how I discovered Global Baby Girls.  Readers of By Quiet Waters probably know, I am an all girl mom, and am starting out as an all girl Nana!

favoriteboardbooks

My granddaughter is definitely taken in by the beautiful photographs of baby girl faces, children from all over the world.  The photographs are beautiful, for sure.  What I also like is the message of this little book.  Baby girls are beautiful, strong, capable, smart and can change the world!  I love reading this book  to Joyness, and I get tickled when her aunties are also in the room to hear the true words.  Usually one or two or three “big girls” will gather around and the spirit of affirmation grows!

After I returned this book to the library, I promptly placed an order for our own copy.  We keep stacks of books for sweet baby girl in a couple different rooms and I often find Global Baby Girls on the top of the stack!  If you have baby girls in your life, I encourage you to take a look at this book!  Global Baby Girls is also available in Spanish at Amazon!

Continue Reading

Need Ink?