play Archives - Mimi's Lake Life

September 27, 2022September 27, 2022

Sensory Bin: Reptiles & Amphibians

Getting creative with sensory bins is so overwhelming. Honestly, we mom’s don’t have the time to plan out extravagant sensory bins or trinket trays. I will say it over and over again. Sensory play is, can, and should be simple!

Life has been crazy busy so I went back to basics! A simple Rice bin with miniature amphibians and reptiles.

Everything in this bin we got from the Dollar Tree: rice, bin and even the reptile/amphibian miniatures. Sensory play can not only be simple, It can be frugal too! Total cost of this bin was $3, the hours of play… Priceless.

I purchased double the items at the time of this photo to help build up my sensory items for future bins. You definitely don’t need double!!

Mr. Man is definitely much younger in this photo, but that didn’t stop him from engaging with the dry sensory bin! I think at the time this was taken, he was not quite 2 years old…

He and I were looking at photographs and stumbled across this one. He remembered playing with this rice bin and asked if he could play with it again! I said yes and brought out all the materials. Not only did it give us an hour of play over a year ago, It gave us and hour or more of play again!! I’d say it has been very worth the $3!!

Stop over at our Instagram to see this bin and many more. Click on the instagram link or search our handle @yoyoclubmn. Check out and save this idea on Pinterest or search our page yoyoclubmn. Lastly check out other sensory play posts. We look forward to engaging in all things sensory, frugal, outdoor, and educational play with you. See you soon!

May 10, 2022May 11, 2022

Infant Sensory Mat Sewing Project

An infant sensory mat is a fun way for babies to stay focused during tummy time to build core, neck, and arm muscles while also making neural connections through stimulating visual and tactile experiences.

The joy of sewing for my grandsons is that it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be fun and functional. NO STRESS, only joy! I love that these projects allow me to be creative. There was no pattern or directions for this mat. I saw something similar on Pinterest and I wanted to take it up a notch. Based on how much Mini Man loves this mat, I think I nailed it…and you can too!

I decided to set my mat up in sections to look similar to a quilt pattern. But you could set yours up any way you want. A round mat may be just as functional as a rectangular mat!

Now comes the fun part! When creating an infant sensory mat, think about a wide variety of fabric textures and colors: soft, rough, bumpy, smooth, stretchy, beaded, etc. Be sure to incorporate different shapes to provide visual stimulation, but also vocabulary development as baby grows!

Next, I planned out the other sections of the mat. This is a great time to dig into your trims and accessories drawer(s), and of course, button boxes (yes, I have multiple boxes/containers of buttons 🙂 ).

Remember those old patches we used to put on our jeans? OK maybe you are not as old as I am! I had a cute sequin heart patch and a dinosaur patch that I just had to include.

I also found some soccer ball beads that I had from another project. Placed under some clear vinyl with enough room that a patting hand would make the beads move is tons of fun!

Mini Man Exploring How the Soccer Balls Move

I also have an eyelet kit. So I put a line of metal eyelets on a piece of teal cotton fabric for a colorful, textured strip. The idea is to be creative!

Finally, I just had to have the sequin flip fabric on one section. This is so much fun! If you rub the sequins in one direction, they are colorful. But if you rub them in the other direction, they change to a solid color. This piece was rainbow and silver. What great visual and tactile stimulation! It just had to be included!!

As I was finding all of these fun things to include, I was laying them out on my mat. I’ll be honest, my layout changed several times and that is OK! I pinned things on and moved them around until I liked the way it looked and it fit with the binding that I was putting on at the end. There is no pattern for this project because the idea is to release your own creativity. But the infographic below shows the steps to create a fun sensory mat for your little one.

For more information on sensory play ideas, visit the yoyoclub page on our site. Click here.

May 10, 2022May 11, 2022

Water Table Sensory Play

Water play is VITAL for child development, and Mr. Man doesn’t shy away from an opportunity to get wet and messy… This week is perfect for us to get outside and play at the water table!

Playing with water while our new water table is being put together.

Early on we exposed him to water play in the bathtub and again with a simple bucket. That exposure quickly grew into splash pads, sprinklers, pools, lakes, and, of course, a water table!

Scooping, dumping, pouring, sea life, pond life, and lake life all get explored with water play. His new favorite is a watering can. This is great since this summer we will be planting a garden; he can practice his watering skills at the water table.

We love our Pump & Splash Shady Oasis (exclusive with Costco; This one is only available in-store. Click here for a smaller one). It has already given us hours of exploration and fun and I know it will serve us well all summer long.

Infant water play

Mini-Man is still a bit too little… and unbalanced… to sit or stand at the water table. So we improvised a bit. He has to be included in the fun!

It was easy to put him in his little seat, fill his tray with water, and add teething rings to grab. He had the same opportunities to splash and find things, just in a safer and more controlled space… Not to mention, CONTAINED. I didn’t have to keep my eyes on him every second. Give this momma a break!

What are your favorite summertime, water-based, play activities? Leave a comment and share your ideas!

Enjoy other sensory ideas with You’re Only Young Once, relax with Lake Life posts, or start a new hobby with a Sewing project.

May 6, 2022May 6, 2022

Under Construction

The next project is on the machine. Check back soon!

May 5, 2022May 17, 2022

Welcome to the club!!

Welcome to the club! the YoYo club that is… here we acknowledge that you’re only young once (yoyo) but play and fun are ageless! I am a working mom who is constantly learning how to balance mom life and work-life while optimizing my kids’ learning and play opportunities.

Mimi is my mom, and we (my young boys, myself, and my husband) are her muses for all things sewing and fun. She has built this lake life and I made it an exclusive club for moms and dads of littles. By day I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a specialty in child and adolescent mental health. I aim to bring my knowledge of development to all parents.

Mr. Man learning to fish 🎣 outdoor play is vital to overall learning outcomes.

Join our club to find all things sensory and play-based from my littles (Mr. Man and Mini Man). We make fun sensory bins and share budget-friendly ideas. Explore how these play ideas are supporting your child’s development. Hop over to Instagram @yoyoclubmn to see all the ways we learn through play and accompany me in the fun and adventure!!