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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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One mom discovered the joy of letting go—and found that simple letter activities (like “Disappearing Letters”) made learning fun again.
Featured Post

When learning letters becomes actually fun 🎉

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...

3 days 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...

about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Snakes and worms are fun… but there’s so much more you can do with play dough! Try these 35+ playful, creative, and learning-packed ideas.

Reader! Play dough is a go-to for most parents and kids generally love it. But what the heck do you do with it besides makes worms and snakes?? No worries - I've rounded up a LOT of ideas for you to do with Play Dough -- and you will never wonder what to do with it again. Not only a lot of ideas, but there's ways to create and make art, use play dough as a way to encourage pretend play, items to add in to play dough for never ending fun, and PLUS you can learn with play dough. YES, I said...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Reader! This amazing post by That's Inappropriate that has stuck with me over the years... Go ahead, go read it... but then come back to hear my take on it. ... ... ... Here's my take on it... let me know what you thought when you read it. At first when I read it, I was so inspired by it. To get out there and play WITH my kids. To be a part of their lives. To be the fun, silly mom. To do all the things. It has great intentions, of course. But as I was lying in bed that night, that post...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read
When it’s too hot to play outside but your kids are bouncing off the walls—these indoor movement ideas are a lifesaver (and sanity saver).

Reader! This email comes from a place that has always been of necessity in my house. Mid-Summer in Iowa mean lots of indoor time... the heat and humidity make it unbearable to be outside for too long some days and having three boys in my house has always meant lots of energy that needs to be burned off. Even still as they're older. I've created a week of just INDOOR + GROSS MOTOR activities. Do you need these as badly as I do? Or am I just over exaggerating this necessity and my kids should...

about 2 months ago • 2 min read
These quiet, no-fuss ideas help turn around a tough day—perfect for when you're short on time, energy, or patience (been there!).

Reader! Do you ever have one of those days where you're just struggling and you need to turn the day around... and you really just need something for the kids to do that's quiet... and not messy.... and easy to set up quickly? Not asking for much, right? (ha!) The Activity Room® has been brilliant for helping with this for the last 9 years. *Hint Hint-- if you're not already a member, you can still enroll for the rest of 2025! Sort pom poms by color in a muffin tin Thread Cheerios on...

2 months ago • 2 min read
Start cutting safely and confidently with fun, easy materials kids can handle — no straight lines required!

Snip Snip, Reader! Handing your child a scissors is sometimes a scary thing. But trust me on this -- I bet they can do it. Just don't expect them to do it right. Don't expect your child to hold the scissors with their thumb up, or even with one hand. Don't expect straight lines, or even lines at all. Don't expect a lot. Give them the rules -- no running with scissors. Point down when walking with scissors. And scissors are meant for cutting.... and that's it. Notice - I didn't restrict it to...

3 months ago • 2 min read
Simple activity ideas for active kids who need to move, think, and stay engaged—without forcing them to sit still.

Reader... My kids are busy kids. Moving. All. The. Time. Letting them be bored can be good... but it can also be oh-so-bad. Crafts are not their thing. Sitting is not their thing. What do you do when you have a kid that's always super busy? By busy, I mean that they don't like to sit still, they may fidget a bunch, they just have to always be doing something. My kids just bounce -- a lot. Below are some quick ideas that might work to keep your busy kid... well, busy! Keeping Kids Busy...

3 months ago • 3 min read
Easy water balloon games your kids will love—plus clever ways to sneak in learning while they play.

Reader... If it's getting hot where you are, we've got you covered with some sizzling summer activities. Simply grab some water balloons and let the fun begin. I love it so much that we can now fill up 100 water balloons in like 30 seconds with those doodad thingies... remember the days when it took hours at the faucet and tying each one? We have a ton of water balloon target games, water balloon learning activities, and more water balloon fun. Note: Balloon activities can be educational and...

3 months ago • 2 min read
Bring back those summer camp vibes with 30 easy, nostalgic crafts your kids will love doing—just like you did years ago.

Reader... Is there anything more nostalgic than summer crafts? Whenever I think of crafts for kids, I remember making crafts as a child out in the sun at summer camps or Vacation Bible School. Even just the smell of things like paint and Elmer's glue can bring back all the good memories. Making crafts with your kids is a fun way to pass on the traditions you grew up with in a way that’s fun, creative, and collaborative! I’ve created a special list of 30 Classic Summer Crafts you are likely...

4 months ago • 2 min read