Bubbles

2-6 teaspoons of dishwashing soap. 1 cup of warm water. 1 tbsp. gelatin or 1 tsp. glycerine.

Finger Painting

3 tsp. sugar. 1/2 cup cornstarch. 1 cup of water. Mix salt and water in saucepa, bring to a boi, stirring continuously. Cool. Pour into small baby food jars and add food colouring.

Microwaveable Home-Made Play-Dough

You will need:
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Salt
• 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 1 cup Water
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Optional:
• food colouring can be added to make different colours
• Kool-aid crystals can be added to make it smell nice and change the colour

Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl; mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl; then mix the two together. Once they're mixed together you can add the food colouring or kool-aid.
Microwave on high for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Let cool and then knead.
Store in an air-tight container (e.g. Glad/Ziploc disposable container). Should last for a couple months (if not longer) when the lid is kept sealed.

Scoop-Rinse-Store with the Frog Pod

Baby Banz and Kid Banz Sunglasses

Musical Rain Sticks

You will need:
• A paper towel tube or wrapping paper cardboard tube
• Aluminum foil
• Small dried beans (like lentils), unpopped popcorn, dry rice, or tiny pasta
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Crayons or markers
• Stickers

Instructions:
Take the cardboard tube and cover one end completely with masking tape.
Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is about one and half times the length of your tube and about 6 inches wide. Crunch the aluminum foil into a long, thin snake-like shape. Then twist the foil into a spring shape. Put the aluminum foil spring into your tube.

Pour some dry beans, unpopped popcorn, dry rice or tiny pasta into the tube. The tube should only be about 1/10 full.

Using the masking tape, cover the other end completely, making sure that no beans or rice can fall out. Decorate the tube by making designs with crayons or markers. Put stickers on it or cut out shapes from construction paper and glue them on.

When finished, hold the Rain Stick upside-down and listen to the sound as the beans/rice flow through the tube to the other end. If you’re making more than one, try using a different seed on the inside and/or using a different amount to hear the difference in sounds they make.

Blow Painting

You will need:
• Washable non-toxic paint
• Straws
• Paper (the smooth finger painting paper works great)
• Plastic table cloth

Instructions:
Cover your table with the table cloth to make clean-up easier. Place spoonfuls of paint on the paper and have your child blow the paint around with the straw. Use different colours to make layers. This makes for interesting paintings and your child will enjoy using the straws to blow the paint. Make sure there are no other objects on the table as they may get splattered. This project will be appropriate only for children who have mastered blowing rather than sucking.

Baby and Toddler Foods

Steamed Apple or Pear Sauce

-Makes 2 ice cube trays. Use 6-8 apples or pears aor a combination. Wash, quarter, core, peel, then thickly slice the fruit. Bring 1" of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the fruit is just fork-tender. Timing depends on the variety and ripeness of the fruit. Transfer cooked fruit to a food mill, blender or processor. Puree to desired consistency, thinning with a little water or juice if necessary. Pass the puree through a sieve for very first time eaters to catch any lumps. Spoon into ice cube trays and cover tightly. Freeze and transfer cubes into labelled freezer bags. Flavour variations: Add stewed prunes, pureed strawberries, bananas, steamed peas or asparagus