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
The Flat Stanley Project
Do you remember the book by Jeff Brown called Flat Stanley? It was a childhood staple when I was little, but for the past 15 years or so, the story has taken on a whole new role. Flat Stanley is not only a picture book, but it can also be a creative and fun way for learning geography, math, writing, science, cultures – the list
Write an Autobiographical Poem
Write an Autobiographical Poem I love writing in rhyme, but ask me to write free verse, and you’ll probably get something that sounds forced and contrived. Fortunately for me (and those reading my poems), there are a lot of non-rhyming forms of poetry that have guidelines, making them easier to figure out. One of these is the autobiographical poem. If you have a child
Writing About a Personal Experience
Write About a Personal Experience Every once in a while when we’re cleaning things out, I’ll come across a box with some of my children’s old journals. We laugh and giggle as we read them together – and reminisce. Even if your child doesn’t keep a journal, it’s still fun to remember and write about a personal experience that had an impact on him.
Illustrated Poem
This project is easy to do and yields beautiful results. Your child might even give his or her illustrated poem as a gift to a grandparent or friend. Here’s what you’ll need: Favorite Poem printed on heavy paper, such as cardstock. Plain white paper to draw on (computer paper is fine) Pencil and Eraser Black drawing pen Soft pastels – These are the
The Story of Ferdinand
One of our favorite books (and probably one of yours too) is The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson. In the story, a little bull in Spain loves to sit under a tree and smell the flowers while all the other young bulls fight and butt each other. When they all are grown, the other bulls dream of fighting in
It’s in the Bag!
This is a fun activity that can be played with children of all ages. It not only introduces children to the sense of touch, but also helps them think descriptively, which is helpful when writing. Here’s what you’ll need: *Brown paper lunch bags *A variety of small objects from around the house or outside. Some possibilities are: Toiletries – a comb, a hairbrush, a
Photo Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
This is a fun activity that can be done either indoors or out. All you need is a digital camera and some creative thinking! Here’s what you do: With your camera in hand, start searching for the letter “A” in your surroundings. Don’t look for objects that start with an “A”, but the actual letter itself. Where will you find it? Maybe you’ll see
Egg Shakers – Music Makers!
This easy craft will inspire children of all ages to make some music!
Advertise It! Game | Afterschool Activities
Here’s a fun activity that will get creative juices flowing! All you need are some random objects and a little imagination to advertise them.