Pasta Play

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Looking for the perfect sensory game for your baby? Look no further than cooked pasta from your pantry! As soon as your baby can pick up food and chew, you can safely play this texture game.

I cooked a batch of rotini pasta, figuring the swirls and ridges would make for the most exciting texture. Let cool completely, then set out a bowl or strainer of the pasta for your little one. It helps to have a blanket underneath – this game is about to get messy!

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Veronika got her hands right in there.

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First we simply talked about texture. I used words like soft, squishy, and cool to describe the noodles that she pulled up by the handful.

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Picking up individual pieces is great for developing her pincher grip.

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She also loved scattering them about on the blanket.

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And of course a few made their way up to her mouth!

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In sum, this is simple fun, as cheap as it comes and perfect for kicking off a summer of play!

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Spring Flower Arrangements

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We’re only one week away from the end of spring and the spring flowers are fading, making room for summer counterparts. It’s the perfect time to put together a floral arrangement for someone special – perhaps a graduate in your life, or a dad you’re celebrating this weekend!

Travis wanted to put together this bouquet for dad; we skipped the store-bought stuff, and opted instead for a wildflower hunt! (Okay, maybe a hunt around our apartment complex).

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Travis loved gathering an assortment of greenery and different colored blossoms, as we took care to take only one flower from each bush.

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Once home, we laid out the flowers and a pretty vase. Fill the vase 2/3 of the way with water – a good little fraction lesson!

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To help our flowers stay healthy and strong, we added 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar.

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Travis was then in charge of arranging our blooms. Any that were too long, he seriously and carefully snipped shorter.

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Teach your child to hold the stem of each flower on the outside of the vase to assess if it is too long or too short.

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Tada! A beautiful spring bouquet.

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For more flower fun, check out our recent ikebana craft. And for garden recipes to go with these garden blooms, check out our strawberry shortcakes!