Handprints and Fingerprints For Gift Giving

Thumbprint Reindeer - a fun way to record your families fingerprints and create a lasting memory - perfect for framing.  Another idea is to buy blank greeting cards and create greeting cards with Thumbprint Reindeer.

This idea was found over on the Little Pink Monster website.  Click here to see full instructions.

Snowmen Footprints - Not only does tish make a lasting gift to hang during the Christmas season but could even be used all winter long with a Snowman theme.  This adorable ideas came to us from Craft Interrupted.  Click here to see the full idea and details.

Hand print Christmas Tree -  This will bring back memories for years of your children's hand prints.  This make a great gift for giving.  Ucreate with kids  gives step by step how to instructions.  Click here to get your how to instructions now.

I think this would be fun with all five of my kids - Having each child do one row.

Christmas Wreath Hand prints - Trace those sweet hands and create a fun Christmas wreath with R.I.C. Publications easy to do instructions.  Click here to get the how to instructions now.



 





Snowman Hand print Ornament - Decorate your tree with these adorable hand print snowmen ornaments .  Fun to create with your kids for gifts.  Diary of a Crafty Lady gives her tips on creating these as keepsakes.  Click here to go to Diary of a Crafty Lady.

5 DIY Advent Calendars To Make

 The 25 day count down fun is about to begin with lots of activities  in the days ahead.  Here are 5 ideas to create your own Advent calendars.   Looking for ideas for daily countdown activities?

Click here to read about the 25 Days of Christmas Activities

Click here to read about Christmas Countdown experiences verse things.



#1 Wilton Favor Tins

Makoodle created a fun and simple magnetic Advent calendar using the Wilton favor tins.  She even created free printables for the daily countdown numbers.  Click here for her complete instructions and free printables.




#2  Dollar Store Advent Calendar 

Here is a creative idea for an advent calendar using Dollar Tree pails and a large painted board from infarrantly creative.  Click here for complete how to instructions and create a fun tradition.  This would be also cute for Valentines day with some changes.

#3 Over The Door Shoe Organizer Advent

eighteen25 dreams up some of the best ideas including this over the door shoe organizer Advent count down.  eighteen25 even provides the free printables numbers and simple how to instructions.  Click here to go to eighteen25 now.



#4  Advent Bags

Use either lunch bags or small colored bags yo can purchase at your local craft stores.  Print and place the  FREE printable numbers on each bag.    Then Place each note in a numbered Bag and fold the top of the bag down and close secure with tape or a sticker for no peeking opportunities.. You can download our 25 day count down numbers by clicking here.




#5 Envelope Advent

No time to create an Advent - when i first began the 25 Days of Christmas countdown I purchased Green and red envelopes.  I numbered 25 envelopes and placed our daily activity into each envelope and then gave one envelope out each day for the kids to open.  This was quick and simple.

DIY Kids - PVC Pipe Playhouse

Kids love their  own cozy space and now you can create this fun PVC playhouse for your kids with these instructions from Sweetest Littles.  Click here.

This would be a fun gift to give.

DIY Kids- Super Hero Town

All three of my boys have been Super Hero fans  spending hours playing in a make believe world.  Do you have Super Hero playing boys?  your will love this fun DIY Kids project creating a Super Hero Town from Green Acres Hobby Farm.  Help your kids create their own town with these instructions.  Click here to get them now.

DIY Kids - BOO T-shirt for Halloween

Help your kids create their very own Halloween BOO t-shirt to wear during the month of October.  i Love To Create gives simple how to instructions.  Your kids will enjoy creating their own shirt.  Click here to get complete how to instructions.

DIY Kids - Rock Candy

Do you remember as a kid when you would visit a candy shop and there would be this jar full of crystal edible rocks? Ah, the famous rock candy I can still remember the taste and the feeling of the crunching in my mouth.  Years later I began seeing rock candy sticks and wondering how could one make this at home.  Thanks to the blog Gluesticks and their simple to follow how to instructions you and I both can not only make our own rock candy colorful sticks, we can also teach our children how to create this fun and edible candy.

Click here for the complete how to and recipe.

Forts Made From PVC Pipe

Kids love forts and their own space.  These PVC pipe forts are easy to build with the how to instructions from Angry Julie Monday.  Click here for instructions and create a fun space for your kids.

Add this to your Summer bucket list of fun ideas

Tin Can Phone- Summer Bucket List Fun

Here is a simple and fun experiment to add to your Summer Bucket list of fun - Recycle those tin cans and help your kids make a tin can telephone. Click here for how to instructions.

5 Homemade Playdough Recipes - Summer Bucket list

Remember the days of playing with play dough creating shapes, people and various other things?  The next time your kids or you are in the mood to create with play dough get even more creative an make your own play dough. I came across a fun website Playdoughrecipe.org that has lost of fun and even edible recipes to make your very own play dough.

Here are 5 of the ones that sounded like fun to me and could even be added to your Summer Bucket List of fun ideas to do.



Peanut Butter PlayDough

Kool Aid PlayDough

Chocolate PlayDough

Microwave PlayDough

Jell-O PlayDough

Kids Outdoor Summer Crafts

By Leslie Pleasants
It's sunny outside and kids need things to do.  Try to always keep a supply of crafts so when your kids are bored or doing something that they shouldn't be doing entertain them with crafts!  Some of these crafts you can do with them or they can do by themselves. 

Nature's Paint Box by TLC Family
Nature's paint box is a fun and easy outdoor craft that will inspire the inner artist in kids of all ages. Who needs to buy paints and markers when nature has a free supply of coloring tools for you?

What You'll Need:

•Leaves

•Bark

•Flowers
•Rocks
•Soil
•Sticks
•Berries from the lawn or garden
•White paper
•Fine sandpaper

How to Make a Nature's Paint Box:
The colors you see in flowers, leaves, and berries are from chemicals called pigments. Pigments also give color to paints, markers, and crayons. You can use natural pigments to create colorful pictures.

Step 1: Find a variety of flowers, leaves, and berries outdoors. Rub them on the paper to make marks.

Step 2: Experiment to see what kinds of colors you can make, then make a picture with them. Try bark, dirt, sticks, or rocks to see if they will make marks as well.

Step 3: After you have experimented on white paper and learned to make pictures, try making pictures on fine sandpaper. The colors will come out more strongly, and you will have an attractive picture to frame and put on your wall.


Painting Clay Pots by kiddie gardens
Painting clay pots is the perfect activity for a sunny afternoon, suitable for any age group and skill level, from toddler to up, allowing creativity and imagination to run wild. Painted flower pots brighten up balconies and windowsill and make the perfect personalised gift.

What you will need:
~a clay pot

~suitable paints in various colours (we usually just use poster paints)
~small paintbrush
~a container with clean water
~lots of newspaper to save your table from being painted!

1)Wash the clay pot in warm soapy water to remove any traces of dirt or grease.

2)Cover the table or painting area with newspaper, find paints, paint brushes and a mug of clean water (to clean the paint brushes when swapping colours).

3)When the pot has dried, start painting whatever design you like!

4)Ensure each layer of paint dries thoroughly before adding another colour on top.

5)Allow the painted flower pots to dry out.

And hey presto! you have delightful one-of-a-kind painted clay pot!


Potato Painting by kiddie gardens
Creating a potato painting by making stencils is a fun and easy kids craft project for a rainy afternoon. Just convert a potato into an easy stencil to create a variety of interesting patterns and pictures.


What you will need:
a nice firm potato

a sharp knife (or craft knife)
a pencil
some poster or tempera paint in a tinfoil dish
paper or card to print on
crayons

1)Cut the potato in half and dry it with some paper towel.

2)Then draw a simple shape on it. Hearts, Xs, and circles work well.

3)Use the knife to cut away the potato around the drawing, so that you are left with a 1/3 inch raised design.

4)Blot the potato with paper towel again, then dip the raised design into your paint and stamp it onto the paper.

5)Repeat the process until you have the desired design. The stamps can be arranged to form a pattern or a flower or house. You can add additional detail with colored crayons, eg two stamped circles could become two balloons, just by drawing in the strings.

6)Leave the painting to dry.

**Instead of using a knife to carve out the design, you can use cookie cutters - simply press into the potato after cutting in half, and remove the excess around the cutter.



Popsicle Paints by busy bee kids crafts

These popsicle paints are a fun summer crafts for kids. Just make sure you make a lot because they may melt before you've finished having fun with them! Just make sure the children you are doing this craft with know that these 'popsicles' don't go in the mouth!

What you will need:

•A container to make your paints in like an ice cube tray (as in the picture) or a real Popsicle container.

•Water

•Food coloring
•Popsicle sticks
•Cling rap (optional)

1. Fill your container with water and add 5 drops of food coloring in each section. Make as many colors as you wish.

2. Insert the popsicle sticks into each section. They don't need to be straight. If you are using an ice cube tray you can cover with cling wrap and insert the sticks through the wrap to keep them straight.

3. Freeze until solid and then you're ready to bring them outside..paint on paper, paint the side walk or fence, make some wonderful creations!

Sandscape by busy bee kids crafts
Kids can spend some time at the beach by making their own Sandscape, complete with real sand, shells, starfish and seagulls!

What you will need:

• Printed Boarder and Background Template*

• Construction paper

• Sandwich-size zip-lock baggie
• Glue
• Sand
• Measuring spoons
• Small macaroni shells
• White paint and brush
• Food coloring

1. Cut off the part of the baggie that is above the zipper, but don't cut off the zipper!

2. Cut out the template and trace it onto a piece of construction paper (we used dark blue). On a sky blue piece of paper trace around only the outside of the rectangle to make the solid background.

3. With the longest side of the rectangle running vertically, paint on some white seagulls onto your blue background paper, both on the top and the bottom (that way it will look the same no matter which way you turn it) You'll want to paint your seagulls between 1½" - 2" from the top so that the top boarder doesn't cover them up!

4. Cut out star fish from yellow construction paper. Color your macaroni by placing a few into a baggie and adding 2 drops of food coloring. Seal the bag and squish it around until the macaroni is covered. It will only take 1-2 minutes for it to be dry and ready to use.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of sand into the baggie and add your shells and starfish. Seal the bag.

6. Get all the sand into the center of the bag. Sandwich the baggie between the two papers by spreading glue along the edges of the baggie, front and back. Also spread glue on the outer edges of the paper boarder. In other words - The Sky rectangle with the painted seagulls is glued behind the baggie, and the boarder is glued on top

Turn your seascape upside down and right-side up and it will look the same!


Kool-Aid Play Dough by squidoo
My toddler can stay busy for a long time with this stuff. How much more fun would it be to make the stuff! Here is a colorful and great smelling recipe:

What you will need:

~ 2 1/2 cups flour

~ 1 cup salt
~ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
~ 2 cups boiling water
~ 2 packages unsweetened Kool-Aid

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Wearing gloves, knead for 10 minutes. Store in zip lock bag in refrigerator.


Windsock by fave crafts
The Blowin' in the Wind Windsock project is perfect for a Hodge Podge Crafts event. If you are a Mom or Dad planning a party, or a school or local park district looking for ideas with some left over crafts, the windsock craft project is perfect.

What you will need:

•Aleene's® FunCraft™ Foam Glue

•Ribbon, 1/8” or ¼” wide ribbon about 8’ long

•Brads, metal

•Scissors: regular, wavy edge
•Fun Foam: 4 or 5 sheets in bright colors, flower shapes and letters
•Hole punch, 1/8” circle
•Clothespins


1. Cut a piece of foam 7-½” x 16” with regular scissors. Cut the two long sides with wavy edge scissors. Punch holes along wavy edges using hole punch to create a lacy edge. Following directions on glue bottle, glue short edges, overlapping at least 1” to create a cylinder. NOTE: Hold glued edges together with clothespins until dry.

2. Cut two strips 1” x 15” of a different color foam. Glue around top and bottom to create stripes.

3. Spell out name or word with Fun Foam letter. Glue in place. Apply Fun Foam shapes in various sizes and colors to create your own unique style.

4. Layer and glue different colors and shapes of flowers. Glue randomly on cylinder.

5. Add metal brads in several places to add sparkle and dimension.

6. Cut streamers in different shapes - circles, oval, squares. Attach to windsock with brads through holes around bottom edge.

7. Cut ribbon in half. Fold in half and tie in a knot about 5” from fold to hold together. Attach loose ends, evenly around top edge of cylinder with brads to create hanger.

8. Add any extra accessories to personalize your very own windsock!


Kids Garden Markers by better homes and garden
Make these cute bug friends to embellish your flowerpots and mark garden rows.

What you will need:

■Tracing paper
■Scissors
■9 1/4x12-inch sheets of lightweight copper

■Crafts foam: orange and yellow
■Sparkling modeling wire mesh
■3/16-inch hole punch
■Copper wire: 16- and 24-gauge
■Wire cutters
■Pencil
■Golf tees
■Cabochons
■Two green pony beads


1.Trace patterns onto tracing paper. (see link below) Cut them out.

2.Trace patterns onto copper sheets, crafts foam, and wire mesh and cut out as follows: from copper, two grasshopper wings and one ladybug wings; from yellow crafts foam, one dragonfly wings, one firefly body; from orange crafts foam, one ladybug body; from wire mesh, firefly wings; from pink crafts foam, one butterfly body.

Punch 3/16-inch holes in cutout pieces as indicated on the patterns, folding wings and bodies in half to reach inaccessible areas.

3.Cut a long piece of 16-gauge (the thicker) copper wire; wrap it around a pencil to make a long coil. Slip the pointed end of a golf tee through the bottom two or three coils, then tighten those coils around the tee. Repeat to make one for each flower marker.

Dragonfly
1.Cut a 2x3-1/2-inch piece of copper. Starting at one long edge, roll the copper into a cone for the body. Trim ends. Randomly wrap the body with 24-gauge (the thinner) copper wire. Wire on green pony-bead eyes. Add wire antennae at the head.

2.Slip the top coil of a golf-tee assembly through the wing holes. Pinch the coil to secure.

3.With thin copper wire, attach the body to the wing/golf-tee assembly using punched holes.

Butterfly
1.Cut a 6-inch length of 24-gauge copper wire for the antennae. Push the ends through the foam at the tiny circles on the pattern. Twist the two wires together close to the foam. Curl the ends.

2.Slip the coil of the golf-tee assembly through center holes. Pinch the coil to secure. Glue cabochons to the wings at the Xs.

Grasshopper
1.Cut a 3 x 4-inch piece of wire mesh; roll into a 4-inch-long tube about 3/4 inch in diameter for the body. Press one end flat horizontally (for the tail) and one end flat vertically (for the head). Trim straight across the tail end and in a slight curve across the head end. Use thin wire to attach orange pony-bead eyes to the head. Twist the wire ends to secure.

2.Cut a 6-inch length of green chenille stem for front legs. Push half the stem through the body. Bend the stem into leg shapes.

3.Starting 1/2 inch from the arms, push half a full-length chenille stem through the body for back legs. Punch holes in the copper wings. Slip a wing on each back leg. Use a piece of thin wire to secure the wings. Bend the chenille stem into leg shapes.

4.Slip the top coil of the golf-tee assembly into the mesh body. Pinch the coil to secure.

Ladybug
1.Cut six 2-inch lengths of thin wire for the legs and two for the antennae. Push pairs of wires through the foam body at the tiny circles. Twist ends of each wire pair together; trim to desired length.

2.Set wings atop body. Slip the top coil of the golf-tee assembly through the holes in the body and wings. Pinch the coil to secure.

3.Glue cabochons to the wings.


Sun Handprint by activity village
Bring a little sunshine into your home with this super easy sun handprint craft for summer! And as it involves some painting, some tracing, some cutting and some sticking, it proves a particularly popular craft for kids!

What you will need:

Paper plate

Yellow paint

Black marker

Yellow, orange and gold construction paper
Scissors
Glue

1)Start by painting the paper plate and leave to dry.

2)In the meantime, trace around your child's hand onto the three colours of construction paper. You will need about 12 handprints. A mixture of colours looks great but you could just use yellow if you prefer. Cut out the handprints.

3)Use the black marker to draw a cheerful face on your sun. If you are using a permanent marker, you should supervise this bit carefully!

4)Now turn the sun over and stick the handprints around the edge to form the rays.

DIY LEGO Capes Kids can make

Hanging out at LEGO land this week with my two of my LEGO addicted boys got me thinking about fun craft projects boys might be able to do with a LEGO theme. In my search I came across this fun idea from Zakka Life - LEGO capes.

This would be a great LEGO birthday party activity as well.

Click here to get the complete how to instructions.

Valentine Kid Craft - Cute Enough For Framing

Framing our kids art is one way of inspiring our kids to be creative.

When I came across this fun and easy Valentine craft over at Zakka Life my first thought was this would be a great Valentine art project for my kids to create and then I could frame it and use as one of my Valentine decorations. These also make great homemade classmate exchanges.

For complete instructions on this simple kid craft click here to go to Zakka Life.

5 MINUTE Summer Fun - Sponge Water Bombs

Today's 5 Minute Summer fun is perfect for water fights or bath time fun. Be the Super Summer MOM and take 5 minutes to create fun for your kids.

Check out yesterdays 5 minute Summer fun - Light Sabers



Materials Needed
3 - sponges 1/2-by-2 3/4-by-4 1/4-inch.
1 - 10 '' piece of string or twine

DIY MOMS - Scented Playdough

It is week two of 24/7 MOMS new weekly segment called DIY MOMS. Where we feature a DIY ( Do it yourself) project by a MOM each week. So, get ready for some super fun and creative ideas from MOMS.

If you have a DIY Mom project email us at trisha@247moms.com.

Today we are featuring Redtedart's Blog and her fail proof scented playdough recipe.

Kids love to playdough and what more fun could it be then with homemade playdough that smells yummy as well. Click here for instructions.

24 Must Have Craft Supplies For Summer fun

My Kids love to create and with summer ahead of us and plenty of days for our kids to create and get crafty I have created a list of the 24 must haves for summer crafting time

Trisha's 24 Must Have Craft Supplies:

Sidewalk Chalk

Paint Brushes

Paint

Google eyes

Popsicle Sticks

Pipe Cleaners

Glue dots

Dye cut shapes/ Foam shapes

Glue Sticks

Scotch Tape

Scissors

Pom poms

Felt
Tacky Glue

Crayons

Markers

Colored pencils

Hole puncher

Stapler

Stickers

Glitter Glue

stamps

buttons

Construction paper

TIPS:

- Inventory your supplies, make a list of what you need and shop before summer begins.

- Create a Summer craft kit filled with my 24 must haves for a special end of the school year gift?

- Take your kids with you to pick up supplies giving them a budget that they can spend.

What craft supplies are on your Must Have list?

The Famous Pepper and Soap Trick - A Mom MUST Know

Hey - Moms I have a fun trick for you to show your kids. Have fun!

Nate-No Novotny
24/7 MOMS Kid Team Member

14 Earth Day Crafts

Whether you’re planning to celebrate Earth Day (April 22 is right around the corner!), or are simply looking to inspire and educate your kids on going green, below are a few ideas from Disney FamilyFun magazine. Family Fun's green crafts taht are featured in the April issue of the magazine, encourage kids to recycle, and at the same time are clever (and budget-friendly!) treasures they won’t be able to put down. Check out the gardening ideas that bring both city and country kids outside to learn about the earth, and have some fun!

Green Crafts

Jug heads: To liven up the laundry room, mount a menagerie of plastic-jug trophy heads. Our hunting grounds yielded the makings of a pig, a warthog, and an antelope, but your recycling bin may suggest a different animal collective.

Treasure-keeper frog: What tadpole wouldn’t love to fill this case with marbles, coins, or trinkets? We’ve come up with a trick for attaching the zipper in a snap.


Soda-bottle tractor: Thanks to its jumbo rear wheels made from cardboard disks and old CDs, this green machine is surprisingly speedy. A seat cut from the corner of a soap box makes the perfect perch for toy tractor operators.

Tropical bottle fish: These bottlenose beauties make great decors indoors or out. If you plan to hang yours poolside, brush on a coat of Outdoor Mod Podge first.

Cardboard petal picture frame: This fanciful frame gets its flair from snips of painted cardboard tubes. To achieve our free-form look, we cut two petal sizes.

Easy-weave newsprint basket: You won’t be-weave how fast this basket comes together when you work around a form. We used a roll of paper towels for ours. Clear tape keeps the strips secure.

Gardening’s not just for grown-ups! Gardening Craft Projects to Inspire a Young Gardener




The Stepping Stone Path: This stepping-stone path offers a concrete method of preserving your most precious garden harvest: happy memories. 


Create a Gourd Birdhouse: Gourds prove that nature has a sense of humor: their wild markings, eye-popping colors, and space-alien shapes transform the late-summer garden into a natural amusement park. If you've considered growing gourds but wondered what in the world to do with them, this project will answer your question--and please the birds in the process.


Make Your Version of the Very Hungry Caterpillar: This soddy creature makes a fun first-time gardening project while bringing a little bit of spring into your home.

Create a Garden Guardian: With her bean-vine skirt and hair that really grows, our garden guardian is proof that this summer's hot color is definitely green. Plant your seeds at the end of May (or whenever the time is right where you live), and you'll see a full skirt of foliage by mid-July. As if good looks weren't enough, Mrs. Green Beans offers the bonus of a three-month harvest.

Open a "Ladybug Inn": One way for your kids to get acquainted with the industrious ladybug is to gather a few from your garden and put them up indoors for a couple of days in a see-through ladybug inn.

Gardening Projects for Apartment Dwellers:

Create a Door Step Garden: Turn an old boot into a stylish planter. 


Create a Windowsill Garden: Nothing cures a family-wide case of cabin fever--and makes a home more fun to live in--like a little gardening in the great indoors.

Create Plant Pals for the Indoor Gardener: Your indoor gardener may not get your "bad hair day" jokes, but the fun of this grassy-haired friend won't be lost on him. Like a Chia Pet, the project requires just a sprinkling of seeds, a bit of sun, and a few drops of patience.

Additional Tips:

10 Ways to Make Gardening More Fun: By maximizing the magic and minimizing the chores, our readers bring out the green thumb in their kids.

Tips for Creating Your First Garden (with your kids!): Giving your child his or her own miniature flower garden provides the right balance of big dreams and little tasks. A small garden of annual flowers is easy to take care of, and she will learn many skills as she nurtures seedlings and cuts bouquets for the kitchen table.

Find more fun earth day ideas at Family Fun

Double Duty Kid Activities

by Brenda Nixon

You can have special memories with your tots by doing projects together. Kids love spending uninterrupted time with Mom or Dad and your activity can serve a duel purpose – supporting growth and development. When learning is like play, kids don’t even realize you’re making the activity educational.

Try these fun, easy, and memory-making activities to “teach” your children:

Countdown Combo Mix
Why not reinforce numbers and counting while you keep little hands busy, minds active, and mouths watering for this tasty, healthy individual snack. Help your kids count out:
10 small round pretzels
9 raisins
8 Cheese-It crackers
7 pumpkin seeds
6 chocolate chips
5 Rice Chex
4 peanuts
3 miniature marshmallows
2 cashews
1 M&M
Place all items in a snack size baggie, close, shake to mix, and enjoy.

Hand-sized Squeeze Balls
Balls are a sure play-promoter for preschoolers. But they also strengthen small muscles in the hand and serve as sensory calming.

Stretch a balloon by blowing it up a few times and letting it deflate. Then assist your child with packing it with a cup of sand, rice, flour, sugar, or salt. You may want to use a funnel.

Place the one filled balloon inside a second stretched balloon as this makes your squeeze ball more durable. Tie off both balloons and you’re ready to play.
Toss them in the air, play catch, aim for a bucket, or just squeeze as hard as you can. Your kids will think you’re great for showing them how to make a small, personal ball but you can feel smug knowing they’re learning during the fun.

My Family Tree
This activity helps instill pride for your family. It’s also an excellent way to stimulate small motor skills, language, memory, and build eye-hand coordination.

Begin by gathering:
Green construction paper
Markers
Scissors
Yarn
Single hole punch
A Styrofoam or paper cup
Playdough or florist clay
Glue stick
Glitter
Small twigs or tree branches from your yard

Give your child a small ball of playdough or clay to press in the bottom of his cup. Firmly insert the twig so it’s secure and held upright.

From the construction paper, cut out large, green shapes to resemble leaves. Give your child the number of leaves that represent each person or pet in your family. Decorate the leaves with glitter or markers. Write each family member’s name on a leaf. If your child can print, then encourage him to identify and label each leaf. Grandparents or anyone living in your home can be included on this tree.

Punch a hole at the top of each leaf and tie it onto the twig with yarn. Now you have a “family” tree filled with colorful leaves representing colorful members.

Food Face
Ever say, “Don’t play with your food?” This time you can encourage your kids to have fun with food because it will teach language, colors, and creativity while strengthening eye-hand coordination.

Place toasted, frozen pancakes on a plate. Set out bowls of raisins, licorice strings, peanut butter, and alfalfa sprouts.

Instruct your child to push the raisins into his pancake to look like eyes or a nose. The licorice can be a smile or squiggly mouth.

Next use the peanut butter to “glue” on alfalfa sprouts hair.

During this activity talk about the different feelings we have; sometimes we feel silly and sometimes we’re sad. Explain that all feelings have a purpose and can teach us about ourselves. Remind your child we must be careful how we act on our feelings. This is an excellent time to prod your child to talk about when he’s angry or sad and try to find the underlying cause. Then you can teach him appropriate ways to respond.

Bringing up kids is a complex task. But your rewards come when you have fun together with them and, at the same time, feel competent as their most important teacher.

©2007, Brenda Nixon.
As a speaker and writer to parents, Brenda Nixon builds stronger families through parent empowerment. She’s the author of The Birth to Five Book: Confident Childrearing Right from the Start (Revell) and working on a book for parents on child discipline. Free parenting articles and discipline tips are available at www.BrendaNixon.com.
Brenda also is the Host of The Parent's Plate www.toginet.com/shows/theparentsplate

Valentine's Day Crafts For Kids

Red and pink is taking over the store isles as we begin counting down the days till Valentines Day. Today we have a two fun and simple crafts that can be used as class party crafts .

Candy Necklaces

Materials
Plastic wrap
Scissors
Unwrapped or wrapped candy
Red, pink, and/or white ribbon

1. Unroll plastic wrap and cut 36 inches for child’s size or 48 inches for adult size.
2. Starting at the center lay unwrapped or wrapped candies 1 to 2 inches apart. Leave about 3 inches on each end.
3. Fold the plastic wrap around the candy forming a long tube.
4. Cut the ribbon 3 to 4 inches long.
5. Tie the ribbon between each candy.
6. Tie the ends together and add a ribbon for decoration!

Heart Wreath

Materials
Valentine's Day color Construction Paper Paper Plate
Paper Plate
Scissors
Glue
String for hanging

1. Cut lots of different sized and color hearts (white, pink, red, purple etc.).
2. Cut out the middle of the paper plate leaving just the rim.
3. Glue the hearts all the way around the rim to make the wreath. 4. Tie the string on the back of the wreath for hanging.

Reindeer hands and feet pillow

The perfect simple craft and gift for you kids to create and give.

Valerie and Janelle showed us this fun craft on our 24/7 MOMS live web show on November 17th.

They suggested using a thick piece of material that you allow your children to place their foot print on as the Reindeer's face, then place their two hand prints on for the Reindeer's antlers. Add wiggle eyes and a red small pom pom nose along with a bow tie. Then sew these into pillows.

* Idea - Use the same idea on a apron, tote bag or t-shirt.