Journaling the Summer
Usually, the first few days of summer are a blur for us. It seems like there’s so much to do and so many places we need to go. But eventually the schedules do slow down. And, as with many families, they always slow down to the point where my children are saying, “What can I do? I’m bored!” “Journaling” can help them get started in
Getting Creative With Puppets
There’s just something about a puppet show. Even though you know someone is making the puppets move and talk, it’s easy to suspend disbelief for a while and just enjoy the puppets’ antics. What you might not have realized, however, is how much fun kids can have creating a puppet show themselves. And although the children might not recognize it, they will be learning a lot in
Making Multiplication Fun
I remember a contest our school had when I was in the fourth grade. The challenge was to see which person in each grade could write out the multiplication tables by a certain date, beginning with the ones and going through the twelves. Looking back, I can see I was pretty competitive even then. I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. And I
Make a Stop Motion Video
A few weeks ago, our local library offered a class for 8-12 year olds. The topic: How to Make a Stop Motion Video with Legos. My son went to the class with a friend, and he’s still making movies! I didn’t know it at the time, but Lego has a free app for iPads, iPods, and iPhones. Download the app, and your child can
Create a Grandparent’s Book
My niece has been working on a special project for my mother that I’m sure she’s going to love. It’s a Grandparent’s Book, but not the kind a grandparent fills full of memories. In this book, the grandchildren do. We have a rather large family with thirty grandchildren and ten (or more — I’ve lost count!) great-grandchildren. While this may seem like it would
Create It With Sculpey!
Sometimes our days are so busy, it seems like there’s not enough time to get everything done. But then other days have a slower pace. While I welcome those kinds of days, it usually leaves my son saying, “What can I do?” Fortunately, we’ve found a creative answer to that question – modeling with Sculpey! Sculpey is a type of polymer clay that you
Art Contests for Kids
Art Contests for Kids Do your kids love art? Did you know there are a number of art contests for kids online? Most are free to enter, and some give away really great prizes. My children have entered several online contests – and even won a few! The prizes they received included ribbons, certificates, and gift cards. If you’re looking for some art contests
Make-Your-Own Pizza Party
Whether it’s a party for just you and your child or you invite friends and families over, a make-your-own pizza party is a great way to celebrate an occasion or even create one yourself. What the children don’t know is that it’s a learning experience, too! We have a friend who hosts a pizza party every year, and it’s so much fun. Supplies are
Easy Paper Mache: Mache It!
The term “ paper mache ” refers to using paper and a mixture of glue and water to form something that hardens as it dries. For this project, you don’t need any glue – just flour and water will do! It’s is a great project for children who are tactile learners, love textures, or love getting messy! What You’ll Need Newspaper Flour Water Large
Easy Paper Mache: Forming the Sculpture
It’s messy, it’s fun, it’s paper mache! Here’s an easy way to make paper mache projects that even younger children can do with a little help. You can even make your own paper mache sculpture! Paper Mache Process The whole process takes a while, mostly because of drying time in between putting on the layers of paper mache. The first step, though, is forming
