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Hands On As We Grow

Engaging our kids with simple, fun activities, every day.

Hands On As We Grow has activities, crafts and art projects for kids up to school age, and even into their beginning years of school. You’ll find fun things to do with them, crafty ideas, and easy ways to make learning fun.

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39 Edible Sensory Ideas + Next Week's Activity Plan
Featured Post

39 Edible Sensory Activities + Next Week's Activity Plan

Hi Reader - Thank you! I got some great feedback that you like the weekly plan of activities and the supply list - and that Friday is a great day to send it so you can prep over the weekend. Any other suggestions? We have our 'spring break' this weekend - just a long 4-day weekend with Friday and Monday off of school. Do you have a spring break coming up? My youngest (who is now 13!) has a basketball tournament this weekend at Wisconsin Dells (have you been? it's known for its water parks!)....

2 days ago • 2 min read
36 Crayon Activity + Next Week's Activity Plan

Hey Reader!I hope this newsletter finds you well. It's been a while and I'll be trying something new - so please send me your feedback on what you think - and what you'd like to see in your inbox. I'm also sending this on Friday which is new to me, I've always sent newsletters on Sunday or Monday -- so I'd appreciate your thoughts on when you'd like to see it in your inbox as well. This newsletter includes a fun hands-on activity plan for you to do with your kids this coming week. Its...

7 days ago • 2 min read
Christmas countdowns don’t have to be complicated—try this simple idea to spark joy, make memories, and keep holiday stress at bay.

Hey Reader!Christmas is now right around the corner!!! -- and kids are probably asking "how many more days", right? Create a Christmas Countdown to build on the anticipation, but also keep it at bay. These are the days we long for as a parent, picturing ourselves sitting around as a family, doing crafts, listening to Christmas music and everyone is super happy and all is perfect. Unfortunately, this time of year also brings out a bunch of stress, tension and utter chaos. Our goal = BALANCE....

3 months ago • 3 min read
Help your kids understand gratitude with a simple Thankful Chain (or Tree!). Easy to set up, fun for little hands, and meaningful for the whole family.

Hey Reader!With Thanksgiving coming up in a couple of weeks for us here in the United States, I'd like to share with you a quick and easy way to begin the thoughts of thankfulness in your home. It is SUPER hard to express this to really little kids. So it's easier to lead by example and hopefully they'll follow suit. They will eventually. Brigitte, a contributor on Hands On As We Grow®, shared this super simple Thankful Chain she and her girls make every year. You start by having the kids...

4 months ago • 2 min read
Carving is fun… but messy and short-lived. These 28 creative no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas are kid-friendly, last longer, and just as festive!

Hey Reader!Do you carve pumpkins every year? We do -- however there's a couple things I don't like about it -- My husband and I did all the cutting until the kids were 8 or 9... It's a huge mess. My kids are asking to do it from the 1st of October... ... and they only last a few days after they're carved. But the look on the kids' faces makes it worth it year after year. So we still do it. But I want to offer my kids a way to decorate pumpkins themselves each year -- and this way they last...

5 months ago • 2 min read
Activity Capsule - 6 mini activity capsules!

Hi Reader!I’ve been really into card games lately, and it got me thinking about all the fun things you can do with just a deck of cards. When I was younger, I used to play games like Nerts (also known as Peanuts), Crazy Rummy, War, Golf, and Go Fish! But did you know there are many more ways to play with cards? You can easily carry a deck in your purse or bag, so whenever you’re out and about and need something to keep you occupied, other than staring at a screen, you’re all set! Here are...

6 months ago • 2 min read
Worksheets aren’t the only way to learn—here are simple, hands-on activities to help preschoolers build writing and fine motor skills.

Hi Reader!Did you know that kids can be super smart and creative when they figure things out on their own, without being told exactly what to do? It's true! I read an article a long time ago that has stuck with me over the years. It talked about two studies on why preschool shouldn't be like regular school. You can read more about it here if you want. It reiterated to me that worksheets are not the best way for kids to learn, especially little ones like preschoolers and toddlers. Those...

6 months ago • 2 min read
From pumpkin crafts to spaghetti slime, these simple fall activities will keep kids engaged, learning, and having fun all season long.

Hi Reader!Fall is almost in full swing here in Iowa -- and I love Fall weather, so I'm a happy girl :) I've made a FALL WEEK of activities -- Fun Week of Fall Activities It includes a nature scavenger hunt, spaghetti slime, find the letter on the apple and so much more. To keep the fun going all season long -- here's the most popular activities for fall. 40 Pumpkin Activities for Kids 36 Pumpkin Crafts for Kids Fall Button Tree Quiet Bin for Preschoolers A Sticky Spider Web Slimy Eyes Sensory...

6 months ago • 1 min read
One mom discovered the joy of letting go—and found that simple letter activities (like “Disappearing Letters”) made learning fun again.

Reader-Planning enough activities to keep an active preschooler (or toddler) busy -- can get daunting and overwhelming to keep up... ... and can end up being not-so-much-fun anymore... “It wasn’t that fun because I was trying to control it too much.” Do you ever feel that way? That's actually a quote from Liz R, a member of The Activity Room -- ROOM has allowed her to let go of that control a little bit and let the activity go where it naturally needs to go. I felt like I was all over the...

6 months ago • 3 min read

Reader! How have you been? I once got asked something that makes me feel the need to come clean with you and share this every once in awhile. Now, don't get me wrong... it's not like I've lied to you in any way, shape, or form. But the internet is very misleading. And it definitely shows the good over everything and magnifies it like no other. And tends to leave out the bad. Well, the question was this. "How many activities should I do each day?" Well... for me - the reason I suggest doing...

8 months ago • 3 min read