This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

It finally feels like fall is around the corner! Don’t get me wrong, I love summer but this summer was ridiculously hot 98% of the time and it made it so uncomfortable to be outside. I’m enjoying these cooler temperatures and being able to be outside with the kids a bit more. Unfortunately, I know that this weather is short lived and soon we’ll be stuck inside once it gets cooler. Being stuck inside with a very busy and energetic toddler means that fun, engaging play dates and sensory play are a must have to burn off some of that energy and to curb the cabin fever. Aiden’s favorite thing is having guests over and I love being able to chat with my mama friends while the kids play.

I’m sure some of you moms can relate, but play dates are some of the few times during the week that I get to actually have a real adult conversation. I love being able to swap stories and parenting tips with my mom friends and sometimes only they can understand how tough this mama thing can be day in and day out. Some times I think that play dates are more for the parents than the kiddos.

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Check out a few of my favorite play dates ideas below and start filling up that calendar with play dates and chatting for you and your little ones. A few of these ideas are a bit messy, so be sure to have some chemical free WaterWipes around to clean up those messy hands and faces.

Shaving Cream Fluffy Paint

Although a bit messy, this is super fun and quick to prepare. The only ingredients you need are:

  • Heavyweight paper
  • Shaving Cream (a white foam like Barbasol is perfect)
  • Food coloring
  • Paint brushes
  • WaterWipes for easy, quick and nontoxic cleanup

Simply spray some shaving cream in a bowl, add a few drops of food coloring and paint away. You can also use this to paint on windows (outside) and simply spray clean with a hose. This is a great sensory activity that allows kids to get a little dirty and creative, but easy enough to do indoors without too much mess.

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Making and playing with handmade playdoh

I don’t know any kiddos that don’t enjoy this activity! There are so many different types of playdoh you can make (edible, glitter, scented, erupting). The sensory play from this activity allows kids to really get immersed into their play. Add in some rolling pins, cookie cutters, plastic knives and they’ll be thrilled.

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Pumpkin Decorating

Fall is my favorite when it comes to crafts and pumpkin decorating ranks up there at the top. Bring out all the paints, glitter, googly eyes and go crazy! We did this last fall instead of carving pumpkins for Aiden since he was younger and he had so much fun. He loved pointing out his pumpkin to everyone that came by the house.

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Baking/Cooking

Aiden has a huge interest in cooking suddenly. He wants to help me with everything so I’m always on the lookout for fun cooking ideas for him. Cookie decorating is always a winner, especially when you make the cookies from scratch. Measuring, pouring and mixing ingredients is a great way to help improve fine motor skills and help with counting skills too. Another favorite is making pizza. Rolling out and kneading the dough, spreading the sauce and selecting toppings are all great for kiddos. And of course, enjoying the meal afterwards with family and friends.

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A lot of these crafts can be a little bit (or a lot) messy! Be sure to keep lots of WaterWipes on hand for quick and nontoxic clean up!  I love using these wipes as I don’t have to worry about them being irritating on kiddos skin and they only contain two ingredients: 99.9% pure irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract.  They are super durable and clean so well that you find that you’ll use much fewer wipes than other competitors brands. Chemical free, extremely tough and a great natural, cleaning baby wipe, WaterWipes are a huge winner for this mama (and her friends too)!

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