Thinking of something fun activity this summer? Try this Jell-O Pool Party! 

Setting up a Jell-O Pool Party is so easy!

Materials:

• Kiddie pool
• 3 boxes of Jell-O
• Various kitchen utensils and miscellaneous toys
• For this activity, we made three batches of Jell-O for the four toddlers to play with. That actually seemed to be the perfect amount for 4 toddlers to “share”. You will want to make your Jell-O the night before, let it set, then dump it into your pool the next day. We added in trucks and kitchen utensils for fun.

It was definitely a naked party because Jell-O always stains. The kids loved being able to run around the backyard, in and out of the Jell-O pool with each other.

I love giving toddler’s chances like this to really get messy. And since it was a backyard activity in the summer, the mess stayed outside and contained. My white couches can live to see another day!

The hit of the party (aside from the Jell-O) was the kitchen colander. I would highly recommend adding one to your Jell-O Party list. The kids loved working the Jell-o through it, pushing it, and using it to mix.

Clean up was actually a breeze for this because we set up a sprinkler on the other side of the backyard so the sticky bodies could run through and rinse off before even stepping food back in my house. The Jell-o rinsed out of the pool easy peasy and everyone was happy as a clam.

Hosting this Jell-OPool Party was the highlight of the summer activities. The kids still talk about the day we made the Jell-O pool. There’s always room for Jell-O, especially in summertime toddler activities.

Source: busytoddler.com

What if a sorting activity didn’t have to be stationary? What if we could make it full body and full fun? That’s the basis of the color sorting cube!

We use sorting in so many subjects and aspects of life. This is one majorly important skill. How do you make a color sorting cube?

Materials:

-Tissue Box

-Construction Paper

-Dot Stickers (THE BEST)

-Packing tape

Grab a tissue box as your “cube” and glue four sheets of colored paper on the sides of it (each matching a color of dot stickers).

On the other two sides, put black paper so those would be the “blank” sides of the activity.

To help keep this cube safe from toddler hands, add some clear packing tape over the top to laminate the cube so to speak.

To put the correct colored sticker on the right sides of the cube, my nephew (2.5) needed to twist, turn, rotate, and maneuver the cube.

Immediately, this activity changed from him just placing stickers on a simple surface to one where he is dramatically rotating the cube to find the correct next color.

The hand-eye coordination, problem solving, dexterity – oh man, there is a whole lot of motor skill goodness in this little cube!

This was such an easy activity to through together for my nephew– the learning, the moving, the independent play – this color sorting cube had it all!

Source: busytoddler.com

What's gooey on the inside, crackly on top, and supremely delicious all over? 

A fresh take on this crowd-pleasing dessert. Unsweetened chocolate and brown sugar impart a rich, well-rounded flavor, while adding a bit of oil to the batter results in the addictively chewy texture that makes this version an instant classic. 

Source: Martha Stewart Living, November 2016

Total Time:  1 hour

Prep: 20mins

Yield: 16 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking pan
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (1 1/3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons safflower or coconut oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter with oil. Remove from heat. Add both sugars and whisk 10 seconds. Add eggs and whisk vigorously until glossy and smooth, 45 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, stir in dry ingredients. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing top with spatula.

3. Bake until set and a tester inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes, then remove using parchment; let cool completely on rack before cutting into squares. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.