We had a blast today at the park playing with our homemade Marshmallow Shooters!

They are very easy to make with some basic supplies.  Here is all that you need to make two shooters:

Supplies:

• Plastic cup – I used a Glad disposable food storage cup. The tops had cracked but I couldn’t bear to throw away the little cups because I just knew a fun project like this would come along. I like these cups because they are sturdy. I’ve also used regular disposable drinking cups for this and that is fine but they aren’t as sturdy.
• Balloon
• Marshmallows (mini works best)
• Scissors

Step 1: Cut off the bottom of your cup.  This was the hardest part of the whole project because I had to stab the bottom of the cup with my scissors to get a hole started so I could make the cut.  This step is for adults only.

Step 2: Cut about 1/2 inch off the top of the balloon.  Tie a knot as you usually would.

Step 3: Slide the open end of the balloon over the open end of the cup.

Step 4: Put some marshmallows in the opening.

Step 5: Pull back the balloon by the knot and release.

Step 6: Watch the marshmallows go flying!

Both of my kids had so much fun with this.  It was easy to load and easy to launch.  My son experimented with different size marshmallows and different numbers of marshmallows.  He says that the jumbo marshmallows are too heavy to travel very far.  The mini marshmallows travel the farthest.  While it is fun to load up the cup with lots of mini marshmallows, they won’t travel very far.

He says that 2 mini marshmallows at a time is his favorite way to shoot it.

You can adjust the height and distance that the marshmallows travel by where you aim the cup and how far back you pull the balloon.  Here is the farthest that my son was able to shoot a marshmallow.  Impressive!

We also tried shooting little craft pom poms instead of marshmallows.  They are lighter and seemed to travel a little farther.

But marshmallows are just fun and much tastier than pom poms!

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Glitter is huge at our house… and glue!  The more the better!  We dug out some of our old tiny toys and coated them with glue then doused them with glitter.  Love the effect!  We used tacky glue and I was not impressed with how well the glue “stuck” – the kids pealed the glitter off a few days after we hung them.  If any of you make similar ornaments, let me know what glue would be more lasting.  Our glittery toy ornaments were inspired by Martha.  Love her.

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These were my youngest’s favorite ornaments.  Seriously, she is constantly trying to get “her bells”.  Tip:  If you make them with preschoolers, use a plastic upholstery needle for them to thread the bells.  My kiddos were frustrated with the yarn until I remembered we had a stash of needles hidden away!

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I first made cinnamon ornaments when I was a child, the ornaments pictured I made with my oldest when she was a tot.  They have seen a number of Christmases and still look and smell great!  I spritz them lightly with water each season to help rejuvenate the scent – yummy.  P.S.  Make sure your kiddos know that while these ornaments may be non-toxic, and they may smell really good – they are not food.  One of our stars is “missing” one of it’s “points”.
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This ornament was inspired by Junk Garden Girl.  She featured a felt wreath ornament and my kiddos had to make one!  We had lots of leftover felt from previous projects.  This ornament is a great way to put scraps to use!  String the felt squares into a stack then tie the ends together.  Easy.

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Love these ornaments??  We have more homemade Christmas ornament crafts for kids to do and there are several dozen suggestions from blogs I love on my pinterest board: Ornaments.  Cheers and Merry Christmas!

We made both cinnamon ornaments and pipecleaner twists this week.

Love how these icicles turned out! Home Adventures made them with clear packaging destined for the recycle bin and some silver glitter.

Craft Snob, a teacher in training, made these fun I Spy ornaments - great tutorial.

The DIY Dish suggested making a flower ornament by using a whiffle ball. Brilliant idea!

The momma over at Toddler Approved is daring! Her kiddo practiced sewing with these Easy Quilted Tree Ornaments.

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Wreaths make me smile.  This cute wreath ornament is made out of buttons and pipecleaners.

Make little pine cone people to “guard” your tree – via Home Adventures with Mom.

Who said all the ornaments need to be inside? Here are some decorations for the birds from Salt Water Kids.

Paint Cut Paste - used memento shells from their summer vacation to decorate their tree, and as gifts for family.

These paper canes were such a hit (made by The Chocolate Muffin Tree) that there are several other versions out there, including one from Happy Hooligans (who also linked up that Popsicle Stick tree).  Thanks both of you for linking up!

Here is a fun game you can play with your kids and the ornaments – I Spy!  Thanks Imagination Soup for this game idea.

Creativity My Passion added a twist to the traditional salt-dough decorations with glitter.

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Want more kid-made ornament ideas?  Stop by facebook the rest of the week, I’ll continue to add ornaments I discover.  Also, check out our collections on Pinterest – there are literally dozens of ornaments on there.  Too many to make!  If only I had more time!!

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Happy linking for another week of It’s Playtime.

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Many thanks to my co-hosts, for making this weekly link-up a lot of fun! If you are ever looking for more ideas of ways to play with your kids, check out their blogs:

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Dukes and Duchesses created a cute gumball machine costume for their daughter using items from the dollar store.

DIY Pterodactyl Costume.  This one was created by one of my new favorite blogs, Dinosaurs and Octopuses.  She has lots of activities!

Eli and Melissa created a Rocket-Man costume with soda bottles, spray paint, duct tape and tissue paper.

We were lego’s this year, but this fella was the lego man.  What a fun DIY costume idea!

Shannon of Milk and Cuddles had fun with her daughter.  She created a Chinese Take-out Costume.  Adorable!

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Other tutorials for homemade costumes:

• Transform a brown sweatsuit with a felt mane and some masking tape into a Giraffe (via Family Fun Go)
• Love how simple this “Homeless Child Outfit” is!  All you need are worn clothes, make-up and a sign.
• Tip Junkie featured a fun circus performer costume – complete with a balloon barbell, balloon “muscles” and a fake mustache.
• Another simple costume is this Yoda one by It’s Overflowing.  She includes instructions so you can make your own “ears” hat.

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And our winner is…. Tiffany!!  I am sending your email address to our PR rep, they’ll contact you soon.  She came up with the winning costume idea, Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat:

Lego blocks are one of our favorite things to play with.  All. Day.  Long.  The kids absolutely love building and creating.   Red is my son’s favorite color.  He’s thrilled with his costume – and I was thrilled with how easy it was to create.  All it took was a short trip to my local Lowes.

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How to Make a Lego Costume?

Spray paint your boxes.  We needed to do about 5-6 coats.

Cut out neck, arm and leg holes.

Add “circles” and arm straps – and viola!  You’re a Lego!

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We would love for you to check out the sponsor for today’s post.  Lowes has tons of Creative ideas.  They are on facebook and have a fascinating magazine full of DIY tips and inspiration.

Thanks Lowes for sponsoring Quirky Momma this month!!

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Have you been inspired by a costume?  I’d love to hear about it or see what your kids will be wearing for Halloween this year!

The costume idea that most enthralls my kids will win a $50 gift card to Lowes and we’ll feature the best of the ideas mentioned in a round-up “Best Costumes” post for next week!

A play tent is super easy to make!  We made this one out of PVC pipes and old sheets.  It is great for pretend play.

Have a favorite game?  These boys did, and they re-enacted Angry Birds.  Pick your kids favorite book of wii game and try to replicate it through play.

Dress-up clothes help put our kiddos “in character” with the personality they are acting out.  Bloesem Kids had fun creating a variety of paper glasses for her kids to play pretend with.

Every princess enjoys having tea parties… and every cowboy loves decorating his own cupcakes.  Love these photos from Pretties and Posies.

“Don’t touch the laser beams!”  Those were instructions given at a Super Spy Party.  The kids had a blast avoiding the beams.

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To help my kindergartener with her sight words we love throwing a beach ball around.  She has to tell me the words on the color she catches.

Vanessa of Pre-K Pages made math fun with a flyswatter.  The students had to “swat” the right answer.

Trying to teach your kids how to create sentences?  Or chunking words?  I love these DIY word blocks.

Looking for learning apps?  If your 5 year old is like mine, the ipad or phone can entertain them for hours.  Here is a collection of best learning apps for kids.

Science experiments in a box.  Here is a collection of simple science experiments.  Sure to enthrall a kiddo.

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My kids love to create.  We made wall letters out of foam board with lots of textures.

This mom re-purposed old toys into works of art.  They primed them and painted them.  How fun!

My five year olds love to interact with each other.  Lissy Bug had a great idea – play pass the drawings.  Have each child contribute to the work, then when the timer dings, switch to the next person.

Make a community work of art with a collection of frames.  A Bird and a Bean used painters tape to create a silhouette for her kids work.

Who said that art has to last?  Tinkerlab gives us instructions on how to make an easy DIY light table.  Her kids had fun creating and re-creating in salt.
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Like this post but are looking for activities for other age groups of kids?
Check out our other age sets:

Activities for One Year Olds

Activities for Two Year Olds

Activities for Three Year Olds

Activities for Four Year Olds

Activities for Five Year Olds

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How to Convert a too-big T-Shirt into a dress:

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She still needs to wear bloomers, and it could probably be a bit smaller in the arm holes  and across the chest, but she can look like the rest of her class now – and not drag her sleeves through her plate!  I love it!

If you have pencils (or pens) toilet paper tubes and a hole punch, you can create your very own tinker toys!  Almost Unschoolers created a set with her kids.

We had a table like this growing up – and I should create one for my kids!  Old electronics, once the batteries are removed, are great toys to practice taking and putting things back together again.  Thanks Irresistable Ideas for the inspiration.

Have a Kiddo who loves to live outside?  Make mud or sand bricks for him to build with using an ice cube tray.

My kids personal favorite “building” activity is creating structures with marshmallows and toothpicks.  Looking for something more healthy?  Try Grapes.

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Use a set of lids.  On each lid paint a different element of the scene.  Stack the lids to create a 3D image.

Use Glue to create the “lines”.  After the glue has dried, paint over it and your “leaves” will have a great pop factor! Thanks Having Fun at Home.

We’ve enjoyed Ball Painting before, Casa Maria has a version where you squirt paint in the box lid, then smash it with a papertowel roll.  The results are stunning.

Here is a Whirly-Gig Toy that you can make yourself with just a bit of wire, add a “person” and your child can watch them swing.

Henry at Hands On: As We Grow enjoyed exploring in his yard with some scrap wood.  He made balance beam bridges.

Bowling.  WHo said it needs to be played indoors.  Here is an outdoor DIY bowling game.

Have kids and want to keep them outside?  All you need is some string and two sticks.  Frugal Family Fun shows us how to make gigantic bubbles.

Practice jumping and catching with a homemade Kick board.  Sometimes the simple activities are the most engaging.

We made these Marshmallow Guns for our nephews last year for Christmas time.  They were a huge hit!  Outdoors is best.  I am still finding a stray marshmallow underneath a dresser or two.

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Like this post but are looking for activities for other age groups of kids? Check out our other age sets:

Activities for One Year Olds

Activities for Two Year Olds

Activities for Three Year Olds

Activities for Four Year Olds

Activities for Five Year Olds

Now as a homeschooling family, recess is still the highlight of my day!  We enjoy playing twister outside with our neighborhood (also homeschooling) friends.  We recently made our circles on the driveway with chalk and colored a giant dice with the different options. Roll the dice to find out what color you need to move to next!  Don’t have an empty driveway?  You can spray paint twister onto your yard.

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Children have lost an average of 8 hours of recess a week. Danimals Rally for Recess is a national initiative designed to create healthy competition, pitting school against school.  They are offering a chance to win $20,000 for your Elementary school playground. Plus each day Danimals is giving recess-related prizes to keep kids healthy and active. Go to Rally for Recess for more information on how your school can win!
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What was your favorite recess game?

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Danimals. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest Rules.