Polar Vortex = Time to get crafty!

These past couple of weeks, it has been VERY cold outside (single digits!).  They are calling this a "Polar Vortex."  So other than getting groceries or going to gym class, we have been trying to stay indoors to keep warm.  Also, Vidya has started consistently taking a morning nap, which lasts about 2-3 hours.  This has given Keshav and me a chance to spend some one-on-one mommy/son time together, just like old times!  Luckily, Keshav is at an age where he enjoys doing projects with me, and I certainly LOVE being a crafty mommy!  In preparation for our Valentine's Day playgroup in a couple of weeks, we have been doing all sorts of fun projects related to Valentine's Day!

One project that we did was to make a heart mobile!  I cut out some hearts out of cardboard and painted them pink, red, and purple.  Then I attached some yarn to the backside, and Keshav threaded the yarn through the middle of the heart and all the way around to make a striped design!  He loved watching the yarn get shorter and shorter as he made more loops!  This activity is great for hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and concentration.

Another project we did was to make heart shaped crayons!  Dadi helped us peel the paper off of a bunch of crayons of different colors.  Then we broke the crayons into pieces (this was Keshav's favorite part as he got to step on them and hear them crack)!  We filled a silicone baking pan that had heart-shaped cups with all the crayons and then baked in the oven until the crayons were all melted.  After letting it cool completely, they harden into heart shaped crayons that you can actually use!

Finally, we got super messy with shaving cream today!  We squirted some shaving cream into a tray and drizzled in some food coloring of different colors.  Keshav had a blast rubbing his hands around the tray and making a mess!  Then we placed a piece of paper on the cream and peeled it off.  When it dried, I wiped away the excess shaving cream from the paper, and it made a beautiful marbled pattern on the paper!  I cut that paper into heart shapes, and we can use that to decorate the sign we are going to make for our Valentine's day playgroup!

It has definitely been so much fun doing these projects with Keshav, especially since we have been stuck inside the house so much lately!  Stay tuned for more :)