It's Thanksgiving Day and you've got a house full of kids and adults...how do you keep them all entertained? Try these four activities that will get them interacting together: Word Search/Memory Game: 1) Make a list of of Thanksgiving related words. How many words depends on the number of adults you think will be willing to participate. Number the words 1-?? 2) When your guests arrive, give each adult a word from the list along with what number it is plus the following word from the list. Give each child a piece of paper and pencil and word #1. 3) Throughout the day/evening the children will search for all the words in order by asking the adults to act out the word he/she (the adult) was assigned. 4) The children will ask the adults to act out words until they find #1. That adult will give them word #2 and the children will have to hunt for the adult that acts out word #2. That adult gives them word #3 and the process is repeated until the children have found all the … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2011
Glittery Snow Globe
Here is a "nearly free" and fun project. This is one that I would say to let the parents do because of the mess involved. I use this when my kids are sick in bed, they will sit and look at the glittery globe for hours (OK minutes, but in kid time that is a long time). Let me preface this with "yes, I know snow globe usually equals winter, but this is a great "sick kid" activity." My son recently had surgery and I made one of these for him to play with in the hospital...he loved it! Here is what you need Baby food jar or a water bottle if you want a big one Glitter Mineral oil (or Baby oil) One drop of food coloring Super glue Simply sprinkle a little glitter in the jar, fill the jar half way with mineral oil and the other half with water, add one drop of food coloring, glue the cover on tight and hand it over to your sick kiddo. They'll love to watch the oil and water try and mix and to see the glitter bounce around. … [Read more...]
How to make rainbow fish sun catchers using old CDs
We all have old CDs laying around that, for some odd reason, we haven't gotten rid of. If not, go through your kids' CDs, I'm sure you'll find some scratched, unusable ones in their collection! What do you do with those CDs (besides throw them away)? You make stuff out of them! I'm not a fan of cutting up CDs because they are full of heavy metals and once cut, the metals can leech out of them. I prefer to do crafts that do not require cutting them up and risking heavy metal exposure for me and my kids. Rainbow fish sun catchers are perfect! You'll need: Old CDs--2 per child Water soluble markers Coffee filters Super glue A spray bottle of water Scissors Small piece of paper Wiggly eyes String/yarn/fishing line Cookie sheet Step 1) Have your kids color all over the coffee filters with the markers. Step 2) Put the colored filters on the cookie sheet and spray them with the water so that the colors bleed. (The cookie sheet keeps the water and … [Read more...]
Candied Turkey
I recently saw something in a magazine that I thought would be so fun and so great to make (and share with you). The treat is 100% sugar so how could I go wrong? Here is what you will need: Double stuff Oreo's (the ONLY way to go) Candy corns Candy corn pumpkin Rolo's Mini peanut butter cup Mini marshmallow Chocolate frosting Mini Oreo's Step 1: Stuff 7 candy corn's into the frosting of the first Oreo cookie (point down) Step 2: "Glue" (with chocolate frosting) the Oreo's together with the one with the candy corns standing up and the other one laying down. Step 3: Attach peanut butter cup with chocolate to the belly. Step 4: Attach candy corn pumpkin just above the peanut butter cup. Step 5: Cut one mini marshmallow in half, attach sticky sides to the top of the candy corn pumpkin. Step 6: Attach one cookie piece from a mini Oreo to the Rolo (upside down) to make the hat and glue with frosting to the middle candy corn. Step 7: Use chocolate … [Read more...]
How to make a candy wreath for Christmas
Yummy!!!!! I love me some peppermint candy! The smell, the taste, the color, and the time of year. My kids love them too! I knew this project would be a sure fire hit with them (and me, tee hee hee!) I gathered my three oldest kids (knees and feet seen above) and had them help me unwrap all the peppermints! I let them eat one for every dozen or so they unwrapped, I was the BEST mommy ever (or so they told me) While they continued to unwrap I started gluing the candies onto the styrofoam wreath (which I got at the dollar store!!!) When it was all covered I added a bow and we all sat back and enjoyed what we had created together! It was so much fun to make, and pretty darn cute, if you ask me! … [Read more...]
creative birthday party ideas
As each year passes I learn more and more ideas of what I can do to make my child's birthday party a sure fire hit. (And if I am being totally honest- they probably would be fine with some cake and a candle to blow out, but the party is so much fun!) For my children's first birthdays I tried to keep with the theme of their rooms (i.e. my eldest child's room was frogs-so he had a frog 1st birthday party). I thought it would be fun to share a few tips, tricks, and ideas I have learned along the way. 1. A "themed" cake- Sure, it's not required but it sure does help bring the theme together. When you choose a cake make sure you keep in mind that for their first birthday you will probably want a smash cake (one they get to dive into all on their own). 2. First birthdays are the ones that most people will come to (so if you want to impress this is the one to do it, wink, wink). It is a ton of fun to share photos of their first year with people but be creative about it, plaster them … [Read more...]
