BACK YARD activities, to be OUTDOOR brings FUN!

With the spring the sun shines brighter, birds sing louder, flowers blossom, life seems to be more energetic and you want to sing from all of this. Karolina is so happy when we are outside. Apart from the time which she spends on her favourite trampoline, or when she gives water to the flowers, she comes to me with question: "Mama, what will we play today?" And she waits for my "Well..."
So, when I am still powerful, we can play with her a football. You know, womens football with our womens rules is FUN-). A tree is kinda gates...You can kick the ball or hit with your hand-)))
She loves "Hide-and-Sick". And it doesnt matter if the mum sees her standing by the next tree. Mum must look for her for about 5 minutes pretending she cannot find Karolina, although Karolina gives mum signals abt herself like an owl or cuckoo,lol.
We paint with colourful chalks, or I teach her to a hopscotch. Thats a good training for big motor skills as well.
We have several hoops of different colours. So, we play "Where is...a red hoop" game. She must close her eyes, and I must hide all hoops after what she is looking for them. The most interesting is when Karolina  must hide the hoops...she does it in the same places like me-))) But I'm trying to find them of course everywhere in the garden...
A racket-ball game takes a place from time to time in our entertainment. The thing is that mostly my task is to catch the ball in order it doesnt fly to our neighbours-)
ABC search (First letter- word match game) makes Karolina very excited too. We have wooden puzzle letters, and I hide some letters which we learn with my girl at the moment and put them on the objects the names of which start from this or that very letter. "W"-water: the letter W was laying over the pipe/tun where we take water for plants. Or "G" for "grass",etc. The funniest was "P" on papa's shoe, who had to stand still till Karolina sees the letter,lol. Thank you, papa, for your patience-)
Outdoor activities include a great teaching element. Thats not just the time for hanging around, which is also good by the way-)))Childhood is the time of having fun and at the same time learning from all what a child does. That's why we hope this summer will be enough warm and sunny that we could spend all days outside and do our "hanging around/learning" stuff-)
And what is your favourite outdoor acitivity? Will be very glad to read about it-)

Shopping Queen and Ice Scating Princess

I love to go shopping with Karolina. I should say she has patience to spend 2-3 hours in the shopping centre  and a good taste. She knows what to choose-)))as I told already before, like a real girl she is crazy about sparkly-glittery-pinky stuff-)))and it is sooo cute when she brings me a new and a new, and a new hanger with this or that skirt or dress, whatever. Moreover, she doesnt forget anyone: "Mama, this is for me...I love these pink shoes...Mama, this is for Nicole...Mama, you look beautiful..."
   One of our last time we were looking around mostly in one of the accessories shops where Karolina tried on almost every single thing. I saw the face of the shop assistant who was smiling already not so friendly-)))anyway, we managed to catch some pics with my Shopping Queen
Another mini story is about Karolina's first experience on the Ice-)))Oh yeah...my daughter is much more brave like me...she fell in love with this kind of sport and couldnt stop skating. Poor papa...he was all the time behind her in the position of letter Z as we say in Russia-) Anyway, it was more fun with him like with mum as speed and new adventures on ice conquered the heart of my girl. By the way, I should open a secret...there was someone else who helped Karolina to stand on the ice...what do you think, who it could be? there is a little tip: that was not a person...Can you guess?
Here she is, my little Ice Skating Princess
P.S. as soon as I copy pics on the ice from my big camera I can upload them, as these shots were done with a mobile. And they will show you the answer but meanwhile...think and say who it was...

So, although spring has started, but we were lucky to have party on Ice. And what kind of sport does your kiddie like most of all?
Wish you all a nice weather, and sunny days-)))


4 DIY accessories for girls

Hey, Hey!!!mum of two is a little bit busier time like with one kid!But I like it-) my Karolina seems to be such a big girl! she loves her sister a lot, plays with Nicole, helps me to entertain the baby and she takes care of her quite well.

Anyway we still have some time for us, 2 big girls, to do something and of course what do all girls like? when sth is sparkling, looks beautiful, and ...and...and...jewerly...ok, in our case some accessories but they are hand made and the most favourite ones.

Here, my dear friends, you can see what we managed to do in the time apart from nappies, cooking, garden, etc.

1) Necklace from cardboard:
 Karolina is crazy about Prinzessin Lillifee who is really a very nice Fairy and character for the girls of this age. We buy every month a magazine where we find lots of stories, useful and educational information, craft ideas. In one of the magazine there was a craft activity with such a lovely necklace.  But you can do it yourself and decorate it in different ways.
All you need is...
1. cardboard of one or different colours
2. toothsticks (about 17 pcs)
3. thick thread or yarn
4. scissors, glue
5. some pictures for decor (alternative)
You must cut out about 17 triangles from the cardboard (you need to check yourself how much is enough to make the desireable length). Then roll triangles around the toothsticks and glue it quite good, beginning from the middle of the triangle. Let it dry for some time. After that you can take out all toothsticks and it will look like you have 17 paperbeads. You put them on the yarn, in the middle you can make a kind of medallion, like it is Lillifee by Karolina, and decorate it with anything you like.

 2) Hairband with sparkling stars

 Also a simple and cute  idea for your little princess.
You need:
- a piece of decor ribbon, length must be enough to make a knot, or bow from behind
-coloured cardboard
- glitter
-glue, scissors

I drew 3 stars for Karolina, which she cut out herself (oh, yeah-)))she can cut out already such kind of shape). Then we spread some glue and sprinkle with glitter. When it got dry, we glued the stars to the ribbon and Thats it!!!

3) Accessories from pipe cleaners

Pipe cleaners are one of my favourite supplies for crafts. You can do so much stuff with it! Even accessories like rings or bracelets, or glasses...
One evening we just had fun with twisting these fluffy pipe cleaners, bringing them in the shape of various figures. What I managed to catch into close shot was this flower ring and glasses in the shape of heart (by the way, that was our papa's idea!well done, daddy!!!) But be careful working with it as it can be quite sharp at the end and don't leave your child alone during the craftwork.
By the way, here is video how you can do it: Pipe Cleaner rings.

I hope you found it somehow useful and enjoyed it and would be also very glad to read about your DIY accessories ideas.
See you soon.