Creative Family Fun

Your one-stop shop for kids activities and family fun

Terri Thompson

Pompom Picture Frame Craft

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Do your kids have treasured photographs that they want to keep?

Here’s a fun way to display them. They can make their own picture frame!

This pompom picture frame craft is so easy to make and it is a fun and whimsical display for a treasured photograph.

You can make this fun and simple pompom picture frame to display your favorite pictures in this easy craft for kids or tweens.

Disclosure: Thank you to CraftProjectIdeas.com for providing the supplies for this craft project. All ideas are my own. There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

This craft is a fun independent project for older kids and tweens and your younger kids will have fun making one with a little bit of help.

Let’s grab some craft supplies and get started.

Supplies Needed:

4 large (jumbo) craft sticks per frame
Pompoms
Glue
Photograph
Tape

How to make a pompom picture frame

First, you’ll need to create your frame from your craft sticks.

Place down two parallel craft sticks and overlap with two more craft sticks to create a square. Glue your four craft sticks together.

While you’re waiting for your glue to dry, select the pompoms that you want to use for your frame.

Line your pompoms up along the crafts sticks and glue each one down. Press your pompom down to make sure it attaches to the craft sticks. Try to cover all the craft sticks so that you don’t have any gaps.

You can make this fun and simple pompom picture frame to display your favorite pictures in this easy craft for kids or tweens.

You can put your pompoms in a specific pattern or just add them in a random order. You could do a picture frame in all one color, two alternating colors, or whatever you like best.

Get creative! This project is entirely yours!

You can make this fun and simple pompom picture frame to display your favorite pictures in this easy craft for kids or tweens.

After all your glue is dry, choose the photo you want to display. You may need to cut off the edges off the photo to fit your frame. (We did!)

Flip the picture frame over and use your tape to attach the picture to your frame.

Ta-da! It’s done!

If you would like, you can add a couple of magnets to the back to create a fun magnetic picture frame.

You can make this fun and simple pompom photo frame to display your favorite pictures in this easy craft for kids or tweens.

You may also enjoy one of these fun crafts for kids:

Craft Stick Bracelets: Combine Science with Art

Pompom Caterpillar Craft for Kids

Magic Wand Reading Pointers

Koala Bookmark

Yarn-Wrapped Picture Frames at What Can You Do With Paper & Glue

You can make this fun and simple pompom picture frame to display your favorite pictures in this easy craft for kids or tweens.

My recommended kids activity resources:

In addition to the fun ideas I’ve share here at Creative Family Fun, I also like to have a simple library of go-to kids activities. It’s great for weekends, summer vacation, or any time. Here are some books I’d recommend:

Do more activities with your family

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Easy Sun Prints STEM Activity

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We’ve been reading and learning about the sun lately. It seemed like a fitting subject to learn about during the summer.

While thinking about some things we could do I remembered making sun prints when I was a kid.

It was an easy and fascinating project; one that was perfect for a summer day.

So, we combined a little science with a little art and made sun prints.

Let’s gather our supplies to do this fun STEM project.

Combine art and science with this fun Sun Prints STEAM activity that uses the power of the sun to make art. It's a fun project for a sunny day!

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Supplies Needed:

Dark, bright colored construction paper (red, orange, blue, or black would work perfectly)
Pennies
Tape
Lots of sunshine

How to make sun prints

Find a nice sunny spot to work on your project. Once you’ve arranged your coins, you will not want to move your paper until your project is complete, so choose wisely.

We chose a spot in our backyard that had sunshine for many hours during the day.

If the day is windy, you will want to tape your paper down so that it won’t blow away. We made the mistake of not taping ours down and had to go rescue our pennies halfway through the project. Let me tell you, pennies are hard to find in a grassy lawn!

Arrange your pennies in a pretty design on the paper. Then, don’t move them for several hours. Create a pretty design, try to write a word, or make a simple picture.

Observe the process

Make some observations along the way. Is your paper getting darker or lighter? What do you think is happening underneath the pennies? Touch a penny. How does it feel?

Combine art and science with this fun Sun Prints STEAM activity that uses the power of the sun to make art. It's a fun project for a sunny summer day!

We left our paper outside for 8 hours. You don’t have to leave it out as long as we did, but the longer the sun shines on your paper, the more contrast you’ll have on your design.

The first thing we noticed on our design was that our paper was a lot lighter than when we first brought it out.

Combine art and science with this fun Sun Prints STEAM activity that uses the power of the sun to make art. It's a fun project for a sunny summer day!

Next we started removing our pennies and saw the design form right before our eyes.

The paper underneath stayed dark because the pennies blocked the paper-fading UV rays of the sun, a process described as “really cool” by my girls.

Above is a close-up of one of the pictures. If you can’t tell, it’s a girl with long pigtails standing on the ground.

Have you ever made sun prints? It’s a fun experiment to show just how powerful the sun’s rays are.

You may also like one of these fun STEAM activities:

Color Mixing Lab

Spinning Tops Color Mixing STEM Activity

Melting Crayons Science Experiment

Summer Science Experiments and Activities for Kids at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

My must-have STEM resource

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have time to prep a fun science project. That’s why I love Green Kid Crafts Discovery boxes. The boxes are packed full of projects that are fun and inviting. You can choose to get a subscription or a one-off box based off of a specific theme. Any one you choose would be a lot of fun!

Get a subscription here.

Get STEM fun delivered to your inbox

Wouldn’t it be so much fun to get STEAM family activities delivered to your inbox? I think so! That’s why I’ve created this fun series, STEAM Family Fun, to be delivered to your inbox. After going through all the letters in STEAM each week with a fun activity devoted to each, you’ll start receiving a fun STEAM activity once a month. (And I’ll also pop up in your inbox occasionally if I’ve got other fun things to share.)

Fill out the form below to start receiving STEAM Family Fun in your inbox.



Fun Elephant Crafts for Kids

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One of my favorite animals to see at the zoo is the elephant. They’re big, beautiful, and majestic.

But, they can also be adorable, especially when used as the inspiration for a cute kids crafts.

These fun elephant crafts for kids are all adorable. They’re easy to make and fun for kids of all ages.

You’ll find crafts appropriate for preschoolers, elementary kids, and even tweens.

Your animal loving kids will love this fun collection of elephant crafts! You'll have so much fun creating these awesome craft ideas.

So browse around these fun ideas. I know you’ll find something fun to do!

Hit the recycling bin and grab a few craft supplies. It won’t be long until you have your own super-cute elephant craft.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Fun elephant crafts for kids

Make an elephant from a cardboard tube with this cute Cardboard Tube Elephant craft from our Cardboard Tube Zoo.

Turn an old cd into a cute Elephant Puppet with this idea from JDaniel4’s Mom.

Create a fun jungle scene using Handprint Elephants with this fun idea from Fun Handprint Art Blog.

Learn how to paint a beautiful Indian Elephant with this tutorial from Art Projects for Kids.

Use coffee filters to create this cute Elephant Craft idea from Look We’re Learning.

Crumple up some newspaper to make this super-cute elephant from Buggy and Buddy.

Use cupcake liners to create this fun elephant from I Heart Crafty Things.

More fun elephant craft ideas

Make an elephant hand puppet with this printable template from Easy Peasy and Fun.

Recycle a box into this cute Cereal Box Elephant from I Heart Crafty Things.

Use foil to help make this beautiful Asian Elephant Craft from Kid World Citizen.

You can use a paper plate to make this cool Elephant Puppet from I Heart Crafty Things.

If you need an easy craft, you can print and color this Elephant Mask from Itsy Bitsy Fun.

Turn the letter E into an elephant with this fun preschool alphabet craft at From ABCs to ACTs.

Recycle a K-Cup and turn it into a cute elephant with this craft from Artsy Momma.

Which of these fun elephant crafts for kids do you want to make?

Elephants are so cute and so are these awesome elephant crafts for kids. These crafts are perfect for a zoo unit or an animal unit.

You may also like one of these fun animal crafts:

The Cutest Caterpillar Crafts for Kids

Cardboard Tube Panda Craft

The Cutest Bear Crafts for Kids

10 Easy and Fun Farm Animal Crafts at Rainy Day Mum

Zoo Handprint Animals at Crafty Morning

Recommended elephant books

Combine one of these fun elephant craft ideas with a good book and you’ll have the perfect craft afternoon with your kids. Here are some elephant books that I recommend:

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Simple and Fun Activities for Toddlers

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What can you do with your toddler? There are so many things!

Over the years, we posted about many fun activities for toddlers. We’ve got crafts, sensory play, outdoor play, and holiday ideas. You’ll definitely find many fun ways to play with your little ones.

Have fun with your little one with these fun activities for toddlers. You'll find crafts, sensory play, outdoor play, holiday fun, and lots of great toddler play ideas.

If you’re looking for simple fun, I’ve got you covered. These activities are all easy to set-up and easy to do. You’ll love them as much as your kids do.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Keep scrolling for all the activities or jump ahead to your favorite category:

  1. Art and Crafts
  2. Sensory Play
  3. Outdoor Play
  4. Holiday Fun
  5. Learning Activities

Art and Crafts for Toddlers

These crafts are all simple and easy enough for your toddlers to do themselves. Let’s have fun getting creative!

Cardboard Roll Stamping

Fun Window Art

Simple Suncatchers

Painted Suncatchers

Simple Cloud Craft

Leaf Shape Collage for Toddlers and Preschoolers

We’ve got quite a few other Simple Crafts for Toddlers here.

Sensory Play for Toddlers

Get messy and have some fun with these sensory play ideas.

Water Play Ideas for Toddlers

Simple Water Play for Toddlers

Sensory Play for Toddlers

Get messy and have some fun with these sensory play ideas.

Water Play Ideas for Toddlers

Simple Water Play for Toddlers

LEGO Washing

Ice Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Colored Ice Fun

Outdoor Play for Toddlers

It’s always fun to play outside and these outdoor activities  are so much fun to do with your kids.

Shape Hopscotch

Driveway Obstacle Course

Let’s Go On a Listening Walk

Go Outside: Counting Walk

Sidewalk Painting

Silly Races

Tips for Hiking With Young Children

Leaf Hunting

Outdoor Shape Activities

Backyard Color Match Game for Toddlers

Holiday Fun for Toddlers

Have some holiday fun with these crafts and activities.

Silly Heart Puppet Valentine Craft

Fun and Simple Valentine Crafts for Toddlers

Heart Stamped Valentines

Sponge Printed Valentines

Painted Easter Egg Suncather

Shake Art Easter Eggs

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

Simple Halloween Garland

Painting Pumpkins

Pumpkin Counting Activities

Stained Glass Window Christmas Ornament

Christmas Tree Number Hunt

Learning Activities for Toddlers

Play and learn with these fun activities for toddlers.

Shape Toys for Toddlers

Indoor Color Scavenger Hunt for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Math Play: Circle Hunt

Math Play: Counting Blocks

We Make Music: Music Fun for Kids

Follow the Leader

Farm Animal Charades

Butterfly Color Match

Sorting Puff Balls

Simple Bird Feeders

Get Moving with Nursery Rhymes

Snowball Toss Alphabet Game for Toddlers

Hockey Toys for Toddlers

Have fun with your little one with these fun activities for toddlers. You'll find crafts, sensory play, outdoor play, holiday fun, and lots of great toddler play ideas.

Are you inspired yet? I hope so. Have lots of fun playing together with your kids while trying some of these simple and fun activities for toddler.

You’ll have lots of fun and plenty of quality time together.

Tips for Hiking With Toddlers

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Does the thought of hiking with toddlers send shivers down your spine? Where can you go? Will I end up having to carry my kids half-way through? How can I keep them safe? All. The. Worries.

I’m here to tell you to stop worrying. You’ve got this.

Hiking can be such a fun family activity. It gets everyone moving. You can explore a new place. And, it’s a fun way to learn and explore in nature.

.All the best tips for hiking with toddlers

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

How to have fun hiking with toddlers

I took my kids hiking by myself all the time when they were younger. But, here’s the thing, our hikes looked a lot different than they would if it was just me and my husband.

But, no matter how they looked, they were fun and they were valuable. My kids loved a family hike.

The key: keep it simple and keep it on your kid’s level.

You don’t need to hike up a mountain or go deep in the woods to experience all the fun of a hike. For our hikes we often stayed local and would choose a paved path in a wooded area.

We also kept it short, stopping and turning around when the girls requested it. After all, there was no way I could carry both of my kids back to the car if we went too far.

A long hike for a toddler may not necessarily seem long to you and that’s okay.

Let your kids lead the way

Another thing that worked well for me when hiking with young children was to let my girls lead the way. I would stop when they stopped. I would look at what they looked at.

We would examine anything and everything that they wanted to look at. I saw so many nature treasures that I would have missed if I didn’t have the kids along.

We’d look at a cool rock or feel the texture of the bark on a tree. My daughter had an eagle eye when it came to spotting wildflowers.

We picked up sticks and laid them all out to examine and figure out which were the best ones. Apparently there is special 4-year-old criteria when it comes to finding the best stick.

If you look high and look low, you’re sure to find something interesting, like this bird’s nest already abandoned for the winter.We also found bright yellow leaves, a big curvy tree, a small batch of berries (which we learned not to touch since we don’t know what they are), a secret path leading to a dock on a small lake and lots of nature treasures.

We found all of these on small, simple hikes.

Tips for Hiking With Toddlers

  • Keep it short.
  • Bring along water and small healthy snacks for energy. (And be prepared to carry your waste until you find a trashcan.)
  • Keep it slow. Let your kids explore and examine as much as they want.
  • Go someplace familiar. You will feel more comfortable if you know the area well.
  • Turn back if the kids start getting tired. You don’t want to push them and end up having to carry an exhausted child!
  • Use your eyes, ears, and nose to learn a little about the natural world around you. Experience the hike, don’t just walk it.
  • And the most important… Keep it simple! You will all enjoy yourself more.
Yes, you can go hiking with young children. It's a fun and rewarding family activity. Find all the best tips for a successful hike with your toddlers and preschoolers here so you can plan a successful family hike.

Let’s Go on a Family Hike!

Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Pick a location, get the kids ready, and just go. I guarantee you’ll have fun and want to go hiking over and over again.

Hiking is such a great family activity that you can do with kids of all ages. Keep it simple while hiking with toddlers and then as your kids grow older, you can go on longer and longer hikes.

Get out, explore, and have fun.

You may also like one of these fun outdoor family activities:

Top Ten Simple Summer Field Trips

Go on a Family Adventure and Discover a “New to You” Park

10 Fun Walk Ideas for Families

10 Reasons to Visit a State Park This Weekend (or any Weekend)

20 Summer Scavenger Hunts at EDventures for Kids

Kids to Parks Day

I wrote this post to help celebrate Kids to Parks Day from the National Park Trust which happens on the third Saturday of May of each year. It’s a fun day to get out and have fun with the family. You can attend an official event or do something on your own, like a fun family hike! You can check here to find a local event.

No matter what you do, take the opportunity to celebrate the outdoors and to celebrate your family. Have fun! Share your adventures with the #KidstoParks hashtag on social media.

Yes, you can go hiking with toddlers! Find all the best tips for a successful hike with your young kids here so you can plan a successful family hike.

Do you want to do more fun activities with your family?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.