Search Results for: fun arts crafts activities other projects

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Party Activities

Nothing says love like giving into your child’s pleas to host a Valentine’s Day party for a few of her closest first grade friends. It’s either love or a momentary lapse in sanity, one of the two. Either way, if you are scrambling to find ways to entertain a house full of pint-sized partygoers this weekend, consider these, quick, easy and affordable Valentine’s Day-themed activities: Heart Tree If your last minute party is truly being put together with moments to spare before guests arrive, then put your partygoers to work by having them help with the decorations. A simple project … Continue reading →

Having Fun When the Temperature Plummets

The Weather Channel is predicting snow for parts of Georgia today. I guess no one is being spared from this nasty winter weather. Of course, a little snow is nothing compared to the 40 below temps other parts of the country dealt with last week. Still, it’s a sign that Old Man Winter is far from packing up and moving out. This might be good news to kids who are itching for another snow day, but for most parents winter has already overstayed its welcome. If you are looking for new ways to beat cabin fever, consider the following: Freeze … Continue reading →

Fun Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained on Thanksgiving

With a turkey to baste, gravy to stir, and pies to bake, the last thing you need in your kitchen on Thanksgiving is a gaggle of children constantly asking when dinner will be served. To help keep kids entertained while you are putting the final touches on your Turkey Day feast, consider placing one of your teenage (or tweenage) guests in charge of game time with these Thanksgiving-themed activities: TURKEY HUNT/CORN HUNT Last year we used the plastic turkeys from my daughter’s farm set and hid them around the house. Next, we set a 3-minute timer and sent the kids … Continue reading →

Keep Your Kids Busy this Summer by Starting an Activities Co-Op

I spent much of last Saturday afternoon playing at a local gymnastic studio with my daughter. It was a blast. She had been invited to a birthday party by one of her preschool playmates. As I watched her tumble, hang, somersault and spin (with a grin that lit up the room) I immediately went to the front desk to find out the class rates for the summer. I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. A class for one child cost thirteen dollars per three hour session. While that wouldn’t break our budget too badly, I … Continue reading →

Quickie Crafts for A Busy Family

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Modern family life is a busy enterprise. There is school and work, of course, but then there is tee ball practice, ballet class, and gymnastics along with countless other childhood endeavors to contend with and schedule family time around. Next time you are feeling strapped for quality family time, consider squeezing something quirky, quick and fun into an unexpected timeslot. For example, our mornings are, like most American families, pretty hectic – and we only have one child right now! We need to somehow peel back the comfortable sheet and comforter and rise for yet another jam-packed day and then … Continue reading →

Ten Reasons Why I Love Doing Projects With My Daughter

I am one of the least crafty people I know. For years, I would watch my mother see items or objects in magazines and create them without even trying. She could sew, she could paint, and she could build bookshelves and more. I never seemed to be able to enjoy similar activities much less perform them. But being a parent is about more than just providing shelter and food for your child, but about inspiring their own creative impulses. I’m a writer, but my daughter seems to have the same artistic leanings as my mother. So being her mother and … Continue reading →

New Scrapbooking Products: American Crafts

American Crafts is a scrapbook company that has always offered beautiful paper and quality embellishments consumers. They did not disappoint with their latest releases and I would like to share them with you. Patterned Paper They have come out with a new line of paper titled “Play.” There are five different color palates within this collection with some of the patterns being repeated in different colors. The names of the paper are just as fun to look at the paper itself. They are all titled using names of activities familiar to us from our childhood such as stickball, old maid, … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day Date Night for Kids

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day exclusively with your spouse or do you involve the kids in the holiday fun? For most families February 14th is an adult-centric holiday. Mom and dad go out to dinner while a sitter comes to watch the kids. You can still enjoy a romantic evening out with your beloved, but before you go why not share some Valentine’s Day love with your kids? The following activities are ideal for a family date night: ALL HEART Bust out the pink and red construction paper and scissors. One of the easiest Valentine’s Day craft projects is the … Continue reading →

Keeping Kids Busy on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving recess for school children begins a week from today in most parts of the country. Unless the time is being spent traveling, it means parents must get creative to keep their little monkeys entertained until Turkey Day. Whether you need some kid-friendly activities to keep your children busy in the days leading up to the holiday or you are looking for fun and easy crafts for kids to prepare while the bird is cooking, these next ideas might come in very handy: PLACEMATS Give each child a large piece of construction paper along with markers, glitter glue, stickers, buttons, … Continue reading →

Strengthening Fine Motor Skills

This year, the kindergarten classes at my school have many students with weak fine motor skills. It seems as though each year the number of children who lack the ability to control a pencil is increasing. We now have occupational therapists working with several children. Many children with fine motor deficiencies are reluctant to practice. Fine motor activities are hard for them and their muscles are weak. Because practice is exactly what these children need, teachers and parents must create activities that are both fun and beneficial. Below, I have listed some activities that my children enjoy. Strengthen hand and … Continue reading →