Ripples of Joy

Glimmers

The little things that keep their sparkle

A glimmer is a small thing that makes a whole morning shine. These are 77 little finds, chosen to match the baskets, parties and bookshelf of Ripples of Joy. For each one I’ve written what it is, where it fits, and why it made the list.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Everything here is picked to suit the activities on this site, and prices and availability are set by the shop.

Start here: the basket basics

If you are building your very first basket, these are the open-ended supplies that stretch across the most activities on the site.

Large bottle of white school glue

Large bottle of white school glue

What it is
A big refill bottle of washable white glue.
Where it fits
Papier-mâché figures at our back to school party, and most collage mornings.
Why it made the list
Buying the big bottle once means I never say no to a messy glue project because we are running low.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Play dough, 42 mini tubs

Play dough, 42 mini tubs

What it is
A bulk pack of tiny individual play dough tubs.
Where it fits
Party favor boxes at our back to school party.
Why it made the list
One tub per child, no leftovers drying out, and a favor that gets used instead of thrown away.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Foam clay, 5 primary colours

Foam clay, 5 primary colours

What it is
Light modelling clay full of tiny foam beads that air dries firm and stays light, in five mixable primary colours.
Where it fits
The gratitude pumpkin we fill with thank you notes before Thanksgiving dinner.
Why it made the list
It holds a shape over a bowl without cracking, and the children mix their own orange and green instead of being handed them.
View on AmazonSee it in 5 Thanksgiving Crafts We Love →
Air-dry modelling clay

Air-dry modelling clay

What it is
Clay that hardens on its own, no oven needed.
Where it fits
Weighting and sealing our walnut shell boats.
Why it made the list
No baking means the activity finishes when their attention does.
View on AmazonSee it in Walnut Shell Boats Basket →
Blue painter's tape (4 rolls)Most reused

Blue painter's tape (4 rolls)

What it is
Low-tack blue tape that peels off cleanly.
Where it fits
Floor games, hopscotch and roads in the one roll of tape basket.
Why it made the list
It holds all afternoon on wood and tile and comes up without a mark.
View on AmazonSee it in One Roll of Painter's Tape Basket →
Wooden sorting tinker tray

Wooden sorting tinker tray

What it is
A compartmented wooden tray.
Where it fits
The acorn cap tinker tray and every collection since.
Why it made the list
Compartments make a pile of nature finds look like a treasure worth arranging.
View on AmazonSee it in Acorn Cap Tinker Tray →

Showing 77 of 77 glimmers

Picture books we read again and again

Every one of these is on our shelf. They have clear characters and big feelings, which makes them wonderful for dressing up and acting out.

The Rabbit Listened by Cori DoerrfeldOur number one

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

What it is
A quiet story about a child whose tower falls down, and all the animals who offer advice.
Where it fits
The book we open first in our hand puppet theater basket.
Why it made the list
It taught my kids more about comforting a friend than anything I have said out loud.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
The Boy and the Bear by Tracey Corderoy & Sarah Massini

The Boy and the Bear by Tracey Corderoy & Sarah Massini

What it is
A winter friendship story about making room for someone new.
Where it fits
Story time with a blanket cave and a bear costume.
Why it made the list
The illustrations are so cozy that it slows the whole room down at bedtime.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
A Little Bit Brave by Nicola Kinnear

A Little Bit Brave by Nicola Kinnear

What it is
A shy rabbit discovers courage on a small adventure.
Where it fits
Our go-to before anything new and slightly scary.
Why it made the list
Perfect for a cautious child who needs to hear that brave can be small.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
Tom's Magnificent Machines by Linda Sarah & Ben Mantle

Tom's Magnificent Machines by Linda Sarah & Ben Mantle

What it is
An inventor dad and a son who learns to see the magic in what he builds.
Where it fits
Read before every cardboard building morning.
Why it made the list
It sends kids straight to the recycling box to invent something of their own.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
On Sudden Hill by Linda Sarah & Benji Davies

On Sudden Hill by Linda Sarah & Benji Davies

What it is
A story about friendship, jealousy, and making space for three.
Where it fits
Story time with cardboard boxes, exactly like the book.
Why it made the list
The best book I know for siblings and for the third friend who feels left out.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
Just Right for Two by Tracey Corderoy & Rosalind Beardshaw

Just Right for Two by Tracey Corderoy & Rosalind Beardshaw

What it is
A lonely dog learns that treasures are better when shared.
Where it fits
Read with a little suitcase of collected treasures beside us.
Why it made the list
It always ends with my kids emptying their pockets to show me their own treasures.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →
Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

What it is
A rabbit who collects far too much and learns to share his home.
Where it fits
Story time with animal puppets, one per friend in the story.
Why it made the list
Funny enough to be requested nightly, and it makes tidying up a joke we share.
View on AmazonSee it in Dress-Up Story Time →

Everyday tools we actually use

The few things that live on our kitchen counter and get pulled out again and again, week after week.

Laminating machineMost used in our home

Laminating machine

What it is
A small, quiet home laminator that warms up in a couple of minutes.
Where it fits
Our whole laminating basket: memory cards, paper dolls, bingo boards, recipe cards.
Why it made the list
It turned every printable in this blog into something reusable. Nothing gets torn, spilled on, or reprinted.
View on AmazonSee it in The Laminating Basket →
Laminating pouches

Laminating pouches

What it is
Letter-size 3 mil pouches, sold in a big pack.
Where it fits
Every laminated card, coaster, and dry-erase page we make.
Why it made the list
3 mil is the sweet spot: stiff enough for little hands, thin enough that the machine never jams.
View on AmazonSee it in The Laminating Basket →
Large bottle of white school glue

Large bottle of white school glue

What it is
A big refill bottle of washable white glue.
Where it fits
Papier-mâché figures at our back to school party, and most collage mornings.
Why it made the list
Buying the big bottle once means I never say no to a messy glue project because we are running low.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Pastel honeycomb beeswax sheets for candle making

Pastel honeycomb beeswax sheets for candle making

What it is
21 soft 8x8 inch honeycomb beeswax sheets in seven macaron colors, with wick included.
Where it fits
Our rolled beeswax candle basket — rolling candles and pressing on little wax stars and hearts.
Why it made the list
No melting, no heat, no mess. The sheets soften between small palms and stick to themselves, so even a three year old finishes a real candle.
View on AmazonSee it in Rolled Beeswax Candle Basket →
Acrylic paint pens for rock painting

Acrylic paint pens for rock painting

What it is
A set of quick-dry, waterproof acrylic paint markers that write on stone, wood, glass and ceramic.
Where it fits
Our stone painting and sorting basket — the creek-side afternoon where we painted pizza, a turtle, a campfire and a beehive.
Why it made the list
Pens beat pots of paint outdoors: no water, no spills, they dry fast and the colours stay bright after rain. Even my four year old can control them.
View on AmazonSee it in Stone Painting & Sorting →

Toys and play supplies

Open-ended pieces that keep coming back into new baskets instead of being played with once.

Road-patterned washi tape

Road-patterned washi tape

What it is
Wide masking tape printed like a road, with lane markings.
Where it fits
Our car tracks and parking lot basket, taped straight onto the floor.
Why it made the list
It peels off wood and tile without leaving marks, so a whole city can appear and disappear in one morning.
View on AmazonSee it in Road Tape & Numberblocks Parking Basket →
Numberblocks character figures (1–10)

Numberblocks character figures (1–10)

What it is
Small collectible figures of the Numberblocks characters, one through ten.
Where it fits
Parking each number in its matching numbered parking spot.
Why it made the list
Number recognition happens by accident here, while my kids are busy parking and telling stories.
View on AmazonSee it in Road Tape & Numberblocks Parking Basket →
Safari animals toy set

Safari animals toy set

What it is
A set of realistic small safari animal figures.
Where it fits
Matching each animal to its printable silhouette card.
Why it made the list
They match our printable cards, and they later became the buried treasure in our sand dig basket.
View on AmazonSee it in Safari Animal Silhouette Cards →
LEGO DUPLO My First Colorful Creative Box (80 pieces)

LEGO DUPLO My First Colorful Creative Box (80 pieces)

What it is
A box of 80 chunky DUPLO bricks in bright colors, with a few special pieces.
Where it fits
Copying our printable Build It! brick cards, one card at a time.
Why it made the list
Chunky enough for small hands, endlessly versatile — the same box becomes bowling pins, bath rafts, water chutes and dough stamps.
View on AmazonSee it in Build It! Brick Cards Basket →
Play dough, 42 mini tubs

Play dough, 42 mini tubs

What it is
A bulk pack of tiny individual play dough tubs.
Where it fits
Party favor boxes at our back to school party.
Why it made the list
One tub per child, no leftovers drying out, and a favor that gets used instead of thrown away.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Polymer clay oven-bake kit (50 colors)

Polymer clay oven-bake kit (50 colors)

What it is
A big kit of soft oven-bake polymer clay in 50 colors, with sculpting tools.
Where it fits
Rolling and baking the beads for our polymer clay jewelry.
Why it made the list
The colors stay bright after baking, and 50 colors means every child finds exactly the shade they were picturing.
View on AmazonSee it in Polymer Clay Jewelry →
Foam clay, 5 primary colours

Foam clay, 5 primary colours

What it is
Light modelling clay full of tiny foam beads that air dries firm and stays light, in five mixable primary colours.
Where it fits
The gratitude pumpkin we fill with thank you notes before Thanksgiving dinner.
Why it made the list
It holds a shape over a bowl without cracking, and the children mix their own orange and green instead of being handed them.
View on AmazonSee it in 5 Thanksgiving Crafts We Love →
Soft rubber carving blocks

Soft rubber carving blocks

What it is
Soft blocks for carving your own stamps, with carving tools included.
Where it fits
Our hand carved turkey stamps for pressing into playdough.
Why it made the list
The blocks are soft enough that children can deepen the lines themselves once an adult has made the first cuts.
View on AmazonSee it in 5 Thanksgiving Crafts We Love →
Yellow and green mosaic tiles

Yellow and green mosaic tiles

What it is
A bag of small glossy mosaic tiles in mixed yellow and green shades.
Where it fits
The corn mosaic we glue onto a little wooden board every autumn.
Why it made the list
The two colours are exactly right for corn, and sorting them into bowls is its own quiet activity.
View on AmazonSee it in 5 Thanksgiving Crafts We Love →
Shrink plastic keychain kit

Shrink plastic keychain kit

What it is
Thirty blank shrink plastic sheets with a hole punch, keyrings, clasps and jump rings included.
Where it fits
The charms we clip onto napkin rings on the morning of the holiday.
Why it made the list
Blank sheets mean they draw their own turkeys and leaves, and everything needed to hang them is already in the box.
View on AmazonSee it in 5 Thanksgiving Crafts We Love →

Nature and outdoor kit

The small pieces of equipment that turn a walk or a garden morning into something my kids take seriously.

Bug viewer jar with magnifying lid

Bug viewer jar with magnifying lid

What it is
A small plastic jar with a magnifying lid.
Where it fits
Inspecting whoever moved into our bug hotel.
Why it made the list
The magnifying lid means they look properly instead of poking, and every creature goes back safely.
View on AmazonSee it in Bug Hotel Observation Basket →
Clear window bird feederDaily use

Clear window bird feeder

What it is
A see-through feeder that suctions onto a window pane.
Where it fits
Our kitchen window bird watching station.
Why it made the list
Birds land an arm's length away while I make breakfast. Nothing else gets this close.
View on AmazonSee it in Window Bird Watching Station →
Wooden bird feeder craft kit

Wooden bird feeder craft kit

What it is
A build-and-paint wooden feeder kit.
Where it fits
The pinecone bird feeder basket, hung beside the homemade ones.
Why it made the list
Building it first is half the activity, and it survives a whole winter outdoors.
View on AmazonSee it in Pinecone Bird Feeder Basket →
Frog life-cycle figurine set

Frog life-cycle figurine set

What it is
Five hand-painted figurines: egg cluster, tadpole stages and an adult frog.
Where it fits
The frog pond basket, lining the stages up beside the life-cycle wheel.
Why it made the list
The figures match the printable stages one to one, so the wheel stops being an abstract idea and becomes something they can hold.
View on AmazonSee it in The Frog Pond Basket →
Kids' binoculars and compass set

Kids' binoculars and compass set

What it is
Child-sized binoculars with a built-in compass, a carry pouch and a reusable field guide card.
Where it fits
The butterfly basket, watching a butterfly settle without ever getting close enough to disturb it.
Why it made the list
I love the strap — it is safe for kids running around outside, so nothing can catch around their neck. The eyepieces are soft and padded, and the bonus is the field mission card that comes with it.
View on AmazonSee it in The Butterfly Basket →
Plastic test tubes with rack

Plastic test tubes with rack

What it is
Unbreakable test tubes in a stand.
Where it fits
The mud kitchen potion lab.
Why it made the list
A potion in a test tube feels like science. The same mud in a cup does not.
View on AmazonSee it in Mud Kitchen Potion Lab →
Flower and leaf press for kids

Flower and leaf press for kids

What it is
A wooden screw press for flowers and leaves.
Where it fits
Pressing everything we collected for the leaf silhouette cards.
Why it made the list
Pressed properly, our finds last for months instead of curling up by the next morning.
View on AmazonSee it in Leaf Silhouette Match Cards Basket →
Air-dry modelling clay

Air-dry modelling clay

What it is
Clay that hardens on its own, no oven needed.
Where it fits
Weighting and sealing our walnut shell boats.
Why it made the list
No baking means the activity finishes when their attention does.
View on AmazonSee it in Walnut Shell Boats Basket →

Bits that make the printables work

Cheap, sturdy pieces that pair with the free printables and get reused across a dozen different baskets.

Blue painter's tape (4 rolls)Most reused

Blue painter's tape (4 rolls)

What it is
Low-tack blue tape that peels off cleanly.
Where it fits
Floor games, hopscotch and roads in the one roll of tape basket.
Why it made the list
It holds all afternoon on wood and tile and comes up without a mark.
View on AmazonSee it in One Roll of Painter's Tape Basket →
50 coloured wooden clothespins

50 coloured wooden clothespins

What it is
Wooden pegs in bright colours.
Where it fits
Clipping colours onto the printable colour match cards.
Why it made the list
Pinching a peg is real fine-motor work, and they end up in half our other baskets.
View on AmazonSee it in Colour Match Peg Cards Basket →
70-piece counting and sorting bears

70-piece counting and sorting bears

What it is
Chunky coloured bears in several sizes.
Where it fits
Sorting onto the shape hunt cards and counting games.
Why it made the list
One set covers colour, size and counting for years.
View on AmazonSee it in Shape Hunt Cards Basket →
Wooden sorting tinker tray

Wooden sorting tinker tray

What it is
A compartmented wooden tray.
Where it fits
The acorn cap tinker tray and every collection since.
Why it made the list
Compartments make a pile of nature finds look like a treasure worth arranging.
View on AmazonSee it in Acorn Cap Tinker Tray →
Alphabet rubber stamp set

Alphabet rubber stamp set

What it is
A full set of letter stamps.
Where it fits
Writing and decoding messages in the secret code basket.
Why it made the list
Stamping letters is far more tempting than writing them, especially for a reluctant writer.
View on AmazonSee it in Secret Code Basket →
Learning Resources geared student clock

Learning Resources geared student clock

What it is
A hands-on clock where the hands turn together correctly.
Where it fits
Alongside the printable clock wheel and time cards.
Why it made the list
The geared hands teach why the hour hand creeps, which paper clocks can never show.
View on AmazonSee it in Clock Wheel and Time Cards Basket →

Theater, music and storytelling

The props that get my kids performing instead of watching someone else perform.

Melissa & Doug farm hand puppets (set of 4)

Melissa & Doug farm hand puppets (set of 4)

What it is
Four soft farm animal hand puppets.
Where it fits
Acting out nursery rhymes behind a sofa-back stage.
Why it made the list
A shy child will say through a puppet what they will never say as themselves.
View on AmazonSee it in Nursery Rhyme Puppet Basket →
33-piece wooden percussion set

33-piece wooden percussion set

What it is
A boxed set of small wooden and metal instruments.
Where it fits
Our animal parade marching band.
Why it made the list
Enough instruments that nobody has to share, and they actually sound good.
View on AmazonSee it in Animal Parade Music Basket →
Kids voice recorderSurprise hit

Kids voice recorder

What it is
A simple handheld recorder with playback.
Where it fits
Recording our radio play and all its sound effects.
Why it made the list
Hearing themselves back is the whole activity. They re-record for an hour to get it right.
View on AmazonSee it in Radio Play Sound Effects Basket →
Kids karaoke microphone

Kids karaoke microphone

What it is
A wireless mic with a built-in speaker.
Where it fits
The newsroom reporter basket, interviewing everyone in the house.
Why it made the list
Holding a real microphone makes a six-year-old speak in full, clear sentences.
View on AmazonSee it in Newsroom Reporter Basket →
Storymatic Kids storytelling cards

Storymatic Kids storytelling cards

What it is
A box of character and situation prompt cards.
Where it fits
Roll-a-story dice mornings and the improv prompt jar.
Why it made the list
It removes the blank-page panic. Two cards and they are already telling a story.
View on AmazonSee it in Roll-a-Story Dice Basket →
Beginner magic set for kids

Beginner magic set for kids

What it is
A starter set of classic close-up tricks.
Where it fits
The beginner magic show basket, performed to the whole family.
Why it made the list
Practising a trick until it works is the most patient I have ever seen my son be.
View on AmazonSee it in Beginner Magic Show Basket →

Party supplies that were worth it

Everything here was bought for a real birthday in our house. These are the pieces I would buy again.

Silicone bug mouldLoudest shrieks

Silicone bug mould

What it is
A soft silicone tray with beetle and roach shaped cavities.
Where it fits
The chocolate roaches on the Mad Lab table.
Why it made the list
Melted chocolate chips, 20 minutes in the fridge, and you have the most disgusting plate at the party for almost nothing.
View on AmazonSee it in Funny Yucky Halloween Party: The Mad Lab →
Bat shaped cutter

Bat shaped cutter

What it is
A stainless steel bat cutter, big enough for a burger bun.
Where it fits
The bat burgers, and bat cheese slices for the children who skip the meat.
Why it made the list
One press turns ordinary party food into Halloween food, and it works on bread and sandwiches all season.
View on AmazonSee it in Funny Yucky Halloween Party: The Mad Lab →
Fairy dust glitter jarPure magic

Fairy dust glitter jar

What it is
A jar of very fine iridescent glitter, the kind that catches the light on a windowsill.
Where it fits
Our tooth fairy party — a pinch on the sill, a trail on the bedside table.
Why it made the list
A pinch of this is the difference between a story and proof. It is the cheapest magic in the house.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Wooden tooth keepsake box

Wooden tooth keepsake box

What it is
A small wooden box with compartments for baby teeth.
Where it fits
The first lost tooth, for the child who wanted to keep her teeth rather than hand them over.
Why it made the list
It gives a child who does not believe in the fairy her own version of the ritual, and it lasts.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Gemstone hearts

Gemstone hearts

What it is
Smooth polished heart-shaped stones in rose quartz and amethyst.
Where it fits
The fairy turned the tooth into a gemstone overnight.
Why it made the list
Buy a batch once and there is always one ready at midnight. Children hold them, sort them, and keep them for years.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Tooth fairy coins

Tooth fairy coins

What it is
A set of small keepsake coins made for lost teeth.
Where it fits
The simplest version of the tooth fairy visit.
Why it made the list
Less surprise than a gift, but it builds into a collection they count and re-count.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Miniature fairy garden setGrows over years

Miniature fairy garden set

What it is
Tiny fairy figures with a little table, chairs, a door and mushrooms.
Where it fits
Given one piece at a time — a fairy, then a table, then two chairs.
Why it made the list
By the last baby tooth there is a whole fairy garden, and the fairies keep visiting without needing a lost tooth as an excuse.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Calico Critters family set

Calico Critters family set

What it is
A family of small flocked animal figures in fabric clothes.
Where it fits
The collection we started with one lost tooth.
Why it made the list
I like starting a collection with the best seller — it is the best seller for a reason, and it plays beautifully.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Heirloom doll family

Heirloom doll family

What it is
A beautifully made family of posable fabric dolls in detailed clothes.
Where it fits
The gift I love most for a lost tooth.
Why it made the list
Properly crafted, worth the effort, and they set imaginative play going like nothing else we own.
View on AmazonSee it in Tooth Fairy Party for One →
Frilled party food picks

Frilled party food picks

What it is
A big pack of little frilled cocktail picks.
Where it fits
Fruit, cheese and sandwiches at the teddy bear picnic — and every party since.
Why it made the list
They turn ordinary fruit into party food in one move, which is the best value per shekel of any decoration I own.
View on AmazonSee it in Teddy Bear Picnic Party →
UNGLINGA kids spy and detective kit

UNGLINGA kids spy and detective kit

What it is
A spy kit with fingerprint powder, invisible ink and a magnifier.
Where it fits
The detective mystery party, dusting for prints on the crime scene.
Why it made the list
It gave the whole party its structure, and it kept being played with long after.
View on AmazonSee it in Detective Mystery Party →
Smoke bubble machineGuest favorite

Smoke bubble machine

What it is
A bubble machine that fills each bubble with harmless fog, so it bursts in a little puff of smoke.
Where it fits
The circus, pirate, superhero, and fairies & knights parties.
Why it made the list
It is the single most magical thing we own. Every party stops for it, and it works outdoors too.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
Circus tablecloth

Circus tablecloth

What it is
A red and white striped tablecloth in classic big-top colors.
Where it fits
The main food table at our circus party.
Why it made the list
One cheap tablecloth did more for the theme than any other decoration.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
Striped foil balloons

Striped foil balloons

What it is
Red and white striped foil balloons.
Where it fits
The entrance arch and photo corner of the circus party.
Why it made the list
Foil holds its shape for days, so I could decorate the night before and still sleep.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
Glass drink dispenser with spigot

Glass drink dispenser with spigot

What it is
A large glass dispenser with a tap.
Where it fits
The slush and lemonade station at the circus party.
Why it made the list
Kids serve themselves, which means no one is asking me for a drink every three minutes.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
Tablecloth for the face painting table

Tablecloth for the face painting table

What it is
A wipeable plastic tablecloth.
Where it fits
Under the face painting station.
Why it made the list
Face paint wipes straight off it. Worth it for that alone.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
Gable favor boxes

Gable favor boxes

What it is
Sturdy cardboard boxes with a handle on top.
Where it fits
Take-home favors at the circus party.
Why it made the list
They stand up on the table as decoration before they leave as gifts.
View on AmazonSee it in Circus Party →
School bus shaped favor boxes

School bus shaped favor boxes

What it is
Small yellow boxes shaped like a school bus.
Where it fits
Back to school party favors, filled with play dough and a mini bus.
Why it made the list
They doubled as place cards and centerpiece pieces on the table.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Small plastic toy school buses

Small plastic toy school buses

What it is
A pack of little yellow toy buses.
Where it fits
One tucked into each favor box.
Why it made the list
Tiny, cheap, and my kids still drive them around months later.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Back to school balloons

Back to school balloons

What it is
A themed balloon set with pencils, books, and a school bus.
Where it fits
The chairs and the entrance of the back to school party.
Why it made the list
It set the whole scene in ten minutes, before the kids came down for breakfast.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Mini chalkboard signs

Mini chalkboard signs

What it is
Small standing chalkboard signs with chalk markers.
Where it fits
Labelling every dish on the food table.
Why it made the list
Reusable for every party since, and they make a simple snack table look planned.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
School bus shaped paper platters

School bus shaped paper platters

What it is
Long serving trays shaped like a school bus.
Where it fits
Sandwiches and fruit at the back to school party.
Why it made the list
Instant centerpiece with zero styling effort.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Stainless steel time capsule tubeKeepsake

Stainless steel time capsule tube

What it is
A sealed metal tube made for burying letters.
Where it fits
Our end-of-party time capsule with the kids' notes and drawings.
Why it made the list
It actually seals, so we can bury it in the garden and open it in a few years.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →
Ann Clark bear sandwich cutter

Ann Clark bear sandwich cutter

What it is
A 3.5 inch bear-shaped steel cutter for sandwiches, cheese and cookies.
Where it fits
Bear sandwiches, cheese slices and melon on the teddy bear picnic table.
Why it made the list
One press turns ordinary lunch into picnic bear food - it does more for the table than any decoration.
View on AmazonSee it in Teddy Bear Picnic Party →
Alphabet cookie cutters

Alphabet cookie cutters

What it is
A full set of letter-shaped cutters.
Where it fits
Cookies and cheese slices spelling each child's name.
Why it made the list
We use them for play dough and clay far more often than for baking.
View on AmazonSee it in Back to School Party →

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