Friday, April 15, 2011

check it out!

My sisters and I are working on a craft blog. This is a sneak peak of what I will be contributing every month. (or something like it) It isn't quite ready to view, but soon and I was so excited about this stuff I wanted to make sure it is viewed. So enjoy!!!

Need some fun ideas for things to do with young children for the month of April? Here are some of my ideas and ones that I have found. Take a look and steal away, join in the fun. We are loving spring, especially when it is nice weather!

Easter Ideas
Pastel Colored Play-dough
We have been playing with homemade play-dough all month long. We love to use cookie cutters with it, plastic knives, and of course make lots of snakes and balls. Here is a great recipe. I have also heard it is fun to dye it with kool aide too! On the stove top heat:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water

3/4 TBSP oil

1 TBSP cream of tarter
food coloring or kool aide


Rag Cloth Painted Easter Eggs
We got pastel colored paper, scraps I had laying around (purple, blue and pink). Then we used rags and dapped the paper with pastel colored acrylic paint. Let dry and cut into Easter egg shapes.

Egg Carton
Paint an egg carton all different colors and make it pretty to hold your hard boiled eggs in. We have plastic eggs in it right now. each one has a letter inside and we are using it for mini lessons with my three year old for capital and lower case letters as well as sounds and trying to write them himself.

Fun Ways to Dye Easter Eggs
Using Silk Tie's

Scuba Eggs/(from family fun magazine)

Materials: straw, water bottle lid, white label, marker, rubber band, hot glue, dye, and hard boiled egg.







http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/dyeving-dudes-1002013/
Easter Eggs Hiding in the Grass: Craft for Kids (family fun)


Spring & Easter Preschool Crafts for all abilities!
for Ages 3 Years and Up
Supplies Needed:

* Uncooked Spaghetti (10-20 strands)
* Green Food Coloring
* Plastic Bag (that seals closed)
* Rubbing Alcohol
* Waxed Paper
* White Glue
* White Foam Paper or White Construction Paper
* 3 Different Colors of Construction Paper
* Scissors

Time Needed:

* For Spaghetti: 5 minutes plus drying time
* For Craft: 15 minutes plus drying time

What To Do:

1. Break spaghetti into 2-3 inch pieces and put into a plastic bag.
2. ADULT ONLY: Add 5 drops of green food coloring and 2 capfuls of rubbing alcohol.
3. Remove as much air as possible and then seal bag closed and then tape closed.
This isn't ready yet. Notice the different colors. Keep "mixing' until it's uniformly colored
4. Shake the bag and gently move the spaghetti around until they look evenly colored.
5. ADULT ONLY: Pour colored spaghetti out of the bag and onto the waxed paper. Flatten and spread out spaghetti and let dry completely.
6. Cut out an Easter Egg shape from each color construction paper you've chosen.
HINT: Stack the 3 sheets of paper together and cut them out at the same time if you want them to look the same size and shape.
7. OPTIONAL: Decorate the eggs.
8. Glue the eggs to the white foam paper or white construction paper.

9. When spaghetti has dried use white glue to attach them to the bottom of the paper, under the eggs.
Try to put the grass on only 1 layer thick.
Overlapping pieces may not stick.
10. Let dry completely.
11. ENJOY! You're done! Show it off by hanging your masterpiece on the wall!

Easter Window Silhouettes (Studio 5)


You will need a roll of clear contact paper, paint brushes, paint (we used acrylic), fine sandpaper and masking tape. First cut a piece of contact paper from the roll. Cut squares about 5″ x 5″. Take a fine piece of sandpaper and lightly sand the shiny surface of the contact paper where you will be painting. Wipe off any dust. This step helps the paint adhere to the slick contact paper. Tape a piece of wax paper to the table to catch the mess. Tape the piece of contact paper shiny(sanded) side up onto the wax paper. Paint onto the contact paper square. Allow the painting to dry completely. Once the paint is completely dry take another square of contact paper the same size as your painting and peel off the paper backing. Cover your painting with the clear contact paper. Smooth out any bubbles. Trace around any shape of your choosing. Cut out the shape. Carefully remove the paper backing. This takes some time —-make sure you are only removing the paper (the back of your painting should be sticky). If you use acrylic paint it is plastic enough that it has a tendency to peel away from the contact paper, so peel carefully! If it does peel away and it won't stick back down just put a little glue stick between the layers. Once you are finished stick your silhouettes to your window. (taken from www.kidcraftweekly.com)


Remember Christ
Make a tomb out of a shoebox. Put a picture of Christ in it three days before Easter. On Easter Sunday take Christ out of the tomb and talk about how He is risen.
Make it a tradition to do the Easter Bunny and the hunts on Saturday.


Earth Day Ideas/Recycling

Go on a nature walk and collect things to make a nature collage.
Discuss what it means to recycle
Make a robot with trash items
Do some gardening or planting together (maybe plan
t grass)
Recyclable Egg Carton/Box Doll House (Family Fun)
House & Carton

Rainy Day Box April is known for it's crazy weather. But together a box for each child that has fun little toys or activities in it that are knew or not played with very often. Pull them out on these bad weather days. Also a good idea to have things like this for the doctor's office, long car rides, restaurants or church. They will play better with things they haven't seen recently. At least that is always the case with my children. A few suggestions that we like in our house for these types of boxes; puzzles, books, coloring book, little toy, snack, etc.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Flying Kites in between Saturday Sessions of Conference








Spring is Here

Well we got a glimpse of it, but now it has been snowing for the past few days. Pretty crazy weather around these parts. But, don't think we didn't take full advantage of the warmth when it was here. Cameron made the comment too his grandparents that it was too hot. He just loves the cold, I don't know what is wrong with him.










Friday, April 8, 2011

Miley came to Visit (and Sheri)


Unfortunately this is the best picture I got, but it is pretty funny. I couldn't get one with the three of them. Cameron and Kennedy just love their cousin Miley. We had so much fun with her when she came. We went to Taffy Town, Discovery Gateway, the Zoo, fun in BC, and even threw a baby shower for my cousin in the mix of the trip. We miss you guys so much, can't wait to see you again soon!

Bedtime Fun






Disney on Ice


Seriously so fun! In Cameron's words it was spectacular and grand. Because we have awesome friends they told us about taking canned food and scoring tickets to Disney on Ice. We got a ticket for Kennedy, but decided not to bring her (thanks again for watching her Staci), and Cam brought his friend Makayla.







I loved it and if you can't tell so did Cameron. When the characters all came out for the first number he leaned over to Tyson and said, "I can't believe it"They really but on a cool show and our seats weren't bad. If we drive by the Energy Solutions Arena Cameron will tell you all about how he wants to take you there to see Disney on Ice. So fun!!!!

St. Patrick's Day

I probably over kill most holidays, but we had a lot of fun with St. Patrick's Day (although the kids were sick again, second year in a row on the actual day).
Some fun things we did for the holiday:

decorated our door with green clovers
several spring and rainbow themed FHE nights, one including rainbow sherbet
read St.Patrick's Day stories
made green cupcakes
made a rainbow on our wall with a treasure behind the T.V.

went to a St. Patrick's Day parade with our friends from Ireland


had a neighborhood treasure hunt all around the playground



Had to add this one in of Kennedy mad at Cameron getting on her car (which is his). Oh, siblings.