Oodles of Noodles

What can you do with these supplies?

Make Noodle Doodles, of course!

This week the girls and I tried our hand at making noodle art, from an idea I saw at Flip Flops & Applesauce. It's a pretty simple project that kept both of my girls entertained for more than 30 minutes. Here are the directions:

1. Boil the noodles, for about half the time it says on the package so the noodles don't end up too soft. Don't forget to add a little oil so the noodles don't stick to each other.
2. Rinse the noodles in cold water.
3. Get creative with noodles and construction paper. You can use a table knife to slice the noodles to different lengths.

Sometimes it is difficult to come up with activities that are appropriate and interesting for both a 4-year-old and a 16-month-old. The Sweet Bee still has the overwhelming urge to put everything in her mouth, which doesn't work so well when it comes to traditional coloring or painting. But this activity was perfect since it was non-toxic and allowed for hands-on creativity at all levels.

It also worked well as our afternoon snack!

One of the Ant Bug's creations. She called it "A fun playground ballet dance".

Here's mine: House with a Flower.

Once you're finished creating, cover your artwork with a strip of wax paper and a heavy book so it will dry flat.

Check out these great suggestions from Kiddio for more activities to do with your mixed age kids. Next up, we're going to paint with pudding!