Showing posts with label imaginative play. Show all posts
Showing posts with label imaginative play. Show all posts

No-Sew Doctor Lab Coat

My boys love to engage in pretend play, and recently they decided to set up a teddy bear clinic in our living room.  We needed a quick doctor lab coat costume, so I came up with this simple no-sew version.


Isn't it cute?  I started with an inexpensive (adult) white t-shirt.


Then, I used a sharpie to draw a red cross onto the t-shirt.


Finally, I used sharp fabric scissors to cut straight up the middle of the shirt.


My boys had a great time playing "doctor" with all of their stuffed animals.  Such a great way to spend an afternoon, don't you think?  Would your little ones love this "no-sew" doctor lab coat?


Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Indoor Campfire

Today I want to share a really simple indoor activity that my 4 year old came up with.  We decided to play "indoor camping", and my little guy had a fantastic idea for an indoor campfire.


We put a flashlight inside a container (which was actually our play tunnel), and then we covered the flashlight with crumpled up tissue paper.  Doesn't it look like a real fire?


We sang songs around our fire and pretended to "roast" marshmallows.  Such a fun way to spend an afternoon!  Have you ever played "indoor camping" with your little one?


Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Playing Spies

Yesterday my boys and I had a "spy day", and today I am sharing all the fun DIY elements with you.  I really enjoyed watching how engaged my boys were in all the fun activities I planned for them, and I hope you are inspired to plan a similar day with your little ones.


In the morning, when the boys came downstairs, they found a homemade dollar store spy kit, and a folder containing their "missions".


The missions (which you can download here) were as follows:

1)  Conduct surveillance... using the surveillance worksheet you can download here.

2)  Engage in a kitchen dance party... wearing disguises.

3)  Navigate through a laser maze... which was made using red yarn and tape.

4)  Write secret messages using lemon juice.  (The messages were revealed when held over a lamp.)

5)  Complete a scavenger hunt... which you can download here.

We had such a fantastic day "playing spies", and my boys are still playing with their spy kits. What do your kids love to "pretend to be"?


Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)


PS - Find another 5 SPY GAMES here.

DIY Dollar Store Spy Kit

My boys LOVE pretending they are spies, so today we are having a "spy day".  As a surprise, I went to the dollar store yesterday, and I purchased supplies for three super-fun dollar store spy kits.


Can you believe I put each kit together for under $8?  My boys LOVE them!  Here's what each spy kit includes:

Zipper bag (to hold the contents of the kit) - $1.25

Label for front of bag - $0.19

Stick on moustaches (for the perfect disguise) - $1.00

Spy notebook (for writing down important clues) - $1.00

Passport cover - $1.25

Magnifying glass - $1.00

Secret agent ID (printed at home and placed in a dollar store self-
laminating pouch) - $0.25

Sunglasses (for the perfect disguise) - $1.25

Laser beam (finger light) - (4 for $1.00) - $0.25

Jar of lemon juice and a Q-tip (for writing secret messages) - (6 jars for $1 and a full jar of lemon juice for $1) - $0.25

Don't you just love how easy and inexpensive this idea is?

For the kits, I created adorable spy IDs on my computer.  I printed them, cut them out, and put them in laminating pouches from the dollar store.  This is what they looked like:


I also made simple "top secret" labels for the front of the zipper bags.  If you right-click on the picture below, you can save and print a 4X6 copy.


This kit is fun for an afternoon of imaginative play at home, a themed playdate, or birthday party.  Do you have a child that would love this dollar store spy kit?


Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)



Find more spy fun here.

20+ Awesome No-Sew Costumes for Kids

For those moms out there who don't sew, this is the perfect collection for you. These "no-sew" costumes are not only great for Halloween -- they are excellent for playing dress-up any time of the year. I also have several options suitable for older kids! Number 26 is my favourite, but let me know what you think.





Click on the links below for all the easy DIY (no-sew) details:


1)  Zombie Waiter - This is a simple idea if you want a costume that is a little spooky. Splatter fake blood on an old white dress shirt, put on a suit, glue a fake arm to a dollar store tray, and add some zombie make-up. That's it! 




2) DIY LEGO costume (from a box) - Such a simple and cute idea from Semi-urban Mom.  {Here's the link.} 



3)  DIY Ninja - I based this no-sew ninja costume on "Zane" the white ninja from LEGO Ninjago.  It cost less than $10 to make, and it was a huge hit with my 7 year old.  {You can find the full tutorial here.}


And, if you prefer a black ninja, you can find a fantastic step-by-step tutorial here.



4)  No-sew angel wings - I don't think I could convince my boys to wear these, but I think Creative Connections for Kids did a beautiful job on these no-sew angel wings.  {Here's the link.} 



5)  Doctor - Recently, boys decided to set up a teddy bear clinic in our living room, and I made this quick doctor lab coat from an adult t-shirt.  It took less than 5 minutes!  {Here's the link.}



6)  Soldier - My boys love pretending to be soldiers, and I think they would love this adorable version from Frugal Fun for Boys.  Aren't the moustaches too cute? {Here's the link.}



7)  Olaf - I made this adorable "no sew" Olaf costume for my five year old, and I am so please with how it turned out.  If you have a Frozen fan in your house, you can find the full tutorial and free templates here



8)  Pirate costumes (from old clothes) - My boys and I recycled old clothes and transformed them into perfect pirate costumes.  {Here's the link.}



9)  Norman the slug - How original is this costume from Zing Zing Tree?  I love it!  {Here's the link.}



10)  Skeleton (using paper and tape) - This skeleton by Red Ted Art is the perfect last minute Halloween costume.  I love how easy it is to put together.  {Here's the link.} 



11)  Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates) - Here's a cute costume I put together for my oldest son.  I have included a full step-by-step tutorial and a template for the cardboard sword.  {Here's the link.} 



12)  Peter Pan - Peter Pan is a great character, and this costume is super cute and easy to put together.  {Here's the link.} 



13)  Witch (with a DIY tutu) - What is cuter than a witch in a tutu?  I just love this purple, green and black costume from Red Ted Art.  {Here's the link.}



14) Mickey Mouse - This adorable Mickey Mouse costume from The Chirping Mom is too cute for words.  I love the great big ears.  {Here's the link.} 



15)  Minnie Mouse - This Minnie Mouse costume by School Time Snippets is a great choice for a toddler or preschooler.  I love the polkadot tutu and the yellow shoes.  {Here's the link.}  



16)  Detective - This DIY detective costume by Toddler Approved is really original and totally cute.  {Here's the link.} 



17)  Captain America - This Captain American shield by Toddler Approved is the perfect accessory for a little super hero in training. {Here's the link.}



18)  Super Hero masks - I made these foam super hero masks for my boys in a bunch of different colors.  They are super fun, and you'll love how easy and inexpensive they are to make.  {Here's the link.} 



19)  Super Hero capes - I made a bunch of these capes for my boys' super hero birthday party a couple of years ago, and my boys still play with them all the time.  They are made from felt which makes them really easy and inexpensive to make.  {Here's the link.}


Here is another version.  Click the link for a full tutorial for t-shirt capes and toilet roll cuffs.



20)  Army men - My boys are big fans of their bucket of soldiers (from Toy Story), so I know they would love these army men costumes by Frugal Fun for Boys.  I love the platforms for their feet... so cute!  {Here's the link.}  



21) Explorer - Is your little one always up for an adventure? It doesn't get much easier than this simple explorer costume. {Here's the link.}




22) Mad Scientist - The secret to these adorable mad scientist costumes are the easy no-sew lab coats. Find out what we used to put together these mad scientist costumes here.





23) Clark Kent aka Superman - It doesn't get much easier than this. I bought a $7 Superman shirt from Walmart, added a white shirt and tie (that I already had), secured things in place with safety pins, and added some glasses. The result is fantastic... don't you think?




24) Diary of a Wimpy Kid - To make this simple literary favourite, you just need black and white clothes and a bristol board mask. Easy peasy!




25) Secret agent - This is the perfect costume for kids that already have a suit hanging in their closet. Just add a dollar store hat, sunglasses, and mustache. I also used my computer to make a "secret agent" nametag and my son carried a toy briefcase we already had. So easy... and super cute!




26) Minion - This minion costume is made from a dollar store bowl and laundry basket. It's adorable... and totally genious! Find the full "how to" here.



27) Robber - Pop on a striped shirt, a black hat, mask, gloves and black pants. Then, just add a money bag! Easy... peasy!




Which of these 27 costumes is your favorite? Have you ever made a great no-sew costume for your little one? I'd love to hear about it!


Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)



PS (For more great ideas... you can check out my "no sew" costume Pinterest board here.)




You can also find more frightfully fun Halloween ideas here.

Don't miss any of the fun....