It's Coming Up Candy Canes

Craft Time: Using red and white (or red and silver) pipe cleaners, make candy cane tree ornaments. Just wrap the two pipe cleaners around each other, then form into a cane shape. This is an excellent alternative to hanging the real thing on the tree. In our home, the ornaments will be replaced by real candy canes after the kids go to bed Christmas eve. Then, in the morning, they will find that Santa traded out their ornaments for candy and will be so thrilled.

Story Time: Keep reading your children Christmas stories.

Indoor Time: Play Make the Shape. In this game we will keep with our candy cane theme. Using toys, pillows, etc. have your kids lay out objects on the floor in the shape of a candy cane. Create the first one for them so they see the object of the game. If the kids are really young, you may want to pick out the objects for them to place into position.

Art Time: Break out the playdough and make candy cane shapes.

Outdoor Time: Play "I Spy" with your kids. Look around and pick out an object in the yard that is easily seen. Say, "I spy with my little eye something that is..." then give one word that describes the object such as "square," "blue," or "tall." Then have them try to guess what you have picked. Take turns picking the object.

Music Time: Play with any musical toys you might have - whether they are toy instruments or toys that play different kid songs. Sing the songs with your kids and interact with them with their toys. They have so much fun sharing their play time with you and will love showing you how good they are at making music.

Holiday Jam Session

Craft Time: Today make a Christmas collage. Cut pictures of trees, ornaments, wreaths, and anything else that seems like Christmas to you. Have your kids glue them on construction paper - red or green preferably!

Story Time: Let's move into Christmas story mode. Head to the library and check out some books to help get your kids in the holiday mood. (like they need help, right!? lol!)


Music Time: Holiday jam session. Put on the holiday music for some more dancing to Christmas tunes.

Art Time: Print out holiday coloring sheets for your kids from the internet. Better yet, head to the dollar store and pick up a whole coloring book so you have plenty on hand.

Indoor Time: Remember that game they played on Sesame Street - they would sing the song about "one of these things is not like the other?" They would have four objects and one would be different somehow. You can play this game with your kids. Do groupings such as: 3 teddy bears and 1 doll, 3 red blocks and 1 green block, 3 small toys and 1 large toy, 3 round toys and 1 square toy.

Outdoor Time: Pattern play - have your kids do patterns of movement and keep adding to it to see how long they can remember. Example: First you jump. Then you jump and take a step to your right. Then you jump, step to your right, then run forward. Then you jump, step to your right, run forward, then turn around in a circle twice. etc, etc. It's up to your own imagination.

End the Madness!

Did you go out into the holiday madness this weekend? Well, never fear, Monday is here. Have some fun with the kids today.

Craft Time: Today we are making Christmas balls for the tree. But these are no ordinary balls - these are filled with chocolate candies. Below you see all the supplies you need to make them: egg cartons, pipe cleaners, candies, and metallic tissue paper. hint: you can find pretty much all you need to make these at the dollar store.

Cut the egg carton cups into sections. Stack one cup on top of the other and tape one side so that it can flip open like a lid. Fill with candy. Close the cups then wrap up in a square of metallic tissue paper. Use half of a pipe cleaner to close. The pipe cleaner then twists around the branch to attach on the Christmas tree.

Now you not only have a decoration on your tree, but a candy surprise as well. On Christmas day, if anyone needs a sweet treat, they can just help themselves to a Christmas ball ornament from the tree! :)

Indoor Time: Play beanbag toss. You don't even need a bean bag to accomplish this game. Get yourself an empty clothes basket for the target. Use balled up socks to act as bean bags. Make 3 bean bags. Take turns tossing the bags into the target, seeing who can get the most in. Keep moving farther and farther away to make it more challenging.

Story Time: Today find books that teach about circles. If you don't have any specifically about shapes, help your kids to identify circles in the various pictures of the stories you read.

Art Time: Break out the crayons today and have your kids do a winter wonderland drawing complete with Frosty the Snowman, who just happens to be made of ...circles!

Music Time: Teach your kids Frosty the Snowman today. This is a great song to dance and skip around to. It almost begs to run around as you adventure along with Frosty! Don't know the words? You can find them here:

Frosty the Snowman

Outdoor Time: Target toss. Similar to your beanbag toss, but now use a big bouncy ball. Select an object to be the target. (a tree trunk, swing set leg, rock, patio chair, etc) From a good distance away, toss the ball with the goal of getting the ball to stop close to the target. Mark their position and try to get closer with the next toss.

Too Many Toys!

This is starting a new category - quick tips.

Are you buried under a mountain of toys? Here is a quick tip that worked for me. When the kids were soundly sleeping, I gathered all the toys together. I took three plastic crates and divided all the toys into the crates. I'm talking about all the little stuff - the slinkies, baby dolls, race cars, Shrek watch, bouncy balls, teething toys, etc. I tried to separate like items so there was some of each in the crates. Then I packed up 2 boxes and put them in my closet. I let the kids play with the toys in one crate until I notice that they are starting to spend more time exploring non-toy items, i.e. getting into cabinets, dragging around my broom, etc. Then that night, I pack up the toys and exchange out the crate. The next few days are so exciting as they find "new" toys to play with and forgotten about long lost friends.

Keep smiling! :)

Holiday Bling

Craft Time: Today we are making jewelry. You will need construction paper, tape, glue, and some advertisements from the paper or an old store catalog with pictures of jewelry. Cut strips of construction paper. Cut out pictures of jewels from advertisements. Let your kids choose which items they want even if you have to do the cutting for them - it's their jewelry, after all! Have them glue the cutout jewels onto the strips. Once they are dried, use tape to hold the ends together. Your kids will love having a little bling to wear! (picture below is bracelets in the drying stage)

Now, fair warning, your child may have a completely different idea of what a diamond bracelet should look like than you do. Remember, this is their project, so no editorial comments on how they decorate their bracelet. If you must, make your own so you can do it the "right" way. *wink*

I hear you saying, ummmm, I have 3 boys and not one of them is interested in making a diamond bracelet. Never fear - let them make a watch. Have them pick out a watch face to cut out and glue on, and then they can decorate the "watchband" however they like.

Music Time: Put on a classical music station and practice ballet dancing. Moms of boys, before you go telling me how your little one won't want to ballet dance, here is the solution. Don't tell them it's ballet. Just have them spin around, leap through the air, jump, hop, whatever they want. Try to get them to tailor the movement to the music - that's the real gist of it anyway - getting into the timing and mood of the music. Have fun with it though. Don't become the dance nazi and get overly critical. If they are jumping up and down like they are hopped up on sugar when the music is slow and calm, let them burn the energy!

Art Time: How is the photography going this week? Good! This is your last day to get some great shots. Have you noticed that your kid is getting better at taking pictures? Doesn't take long does it!

Story Time: Find all the books you have about opposites and make that your topic for the days reading.

Indoor Time: Indoor bowling. Use whatever you have on hand that might work as pins - some ideas are empty plastic soda bottles or rectangle shaped blocks. Get a ball (preferably big soft squishy type that kids are so enamored with, but even a tennis ball would work fine) and let them have fun trying to knock down the pins.

Outdoor Time: Our outdoor time was filled with the game - catch the snowflake on your tongue. Obviously one you can only play when it's snowing! In the event that you don't have snow falling when you want to play with your kids outside, grab a bag of mini-marshmallows and practice tossing them up in the air and trying to catch them in your mouth. Decidedly more delicious than snowflakes any day, and your face doesn't get all wet! For a variation, try tossing marshmallows into each others mouths.

Letter to Santa today! Woo-hoo!

Indoor Time: Play Drop the Barrette in the Bottle. Here is the game as we played it in our home - but as you read on, you will see that you may need to be creative on recreating the game for yourself. Having two little girls, I have an abundance of small plastic barrettes. This game was created in an effort to get the girls to pick them up after they were strewn all over the living room. I took an empty plastic apple juice bottle (you could use empty milk jug, litre soda bottle, etc.) and had them drop the barrettes into the bottle, making sure that they started low and kept raising the height to make it challenging. (of course, for the 14 mo. old it was just enough to drop them in - total joy!) If you don't have barrettes find something else small enough to fit through the opening...crayons would work great.

Outdoor Time: An oldie but goodie, have some fun with Simon Says today. Be sure to get them to do things to burn some energy.


Story Time: Practice making up stories. Start with the favorite saying, "Once upon a time..." You tell a story then let your kids give it a try. This is great imagination practice for them. Don't criticize or try to add to their story - just enjoy what their little minds come up with, and let them know it. :)


Craft Time: Write a letter to Santa on Christmas stationery - the catch is, your kids will do the decorating to make it holiday stationery. If your kids are too young to do the writing themselves, you can write it for them, being sure to have them tell you what they want for Christmas. Draw a square in the center of the sheet and do all the writing inside the square. Then let your kids decorate all around the letter. Give them whatever works for their age and ability - glue, glitter, stickers, construction paper to cut out their own Christmas symbols, crayons or colored pencils for drawing, etc, etc. When it comes time to put it in the envelope, have them draw/color the stamp for the envelope - this step is completely optional. Go ahead and put a stamp on it if you would like to be part of the $185,000 or so that the postal service makes on Santa letters. But you can explain to the kids that Santa's letters don't require postage other than their own creation. (part of the whole being good thing)


Music Time: Put on some music and dance. Make a game out of it - the kids dance around as long as the music is on. Turn the music off (or down so you can't hear it) and the kids have to freeze. Done correctly, this can induce lots of giggles!


Art Time: Back to photography today. We took a break yesterday and colored a Christmas tree, but today we are back at trying to capture the perfect photo (or photos) to make into Christmas cards.

A Decidedly Christmas Activity Day!

Craft Time: I know we are already into the month of December, but creating an advent calender is a great craft to do with your kids. Below is a picture of the one our kids grandmother made for them. It gives you an idea of what you can do for your own. Use felt to create the calender. The Christmas balls are numbered 1-25 and can be attached using Velcro. On the bottom of the calender are little pockets numbered with the dates. If you have older kids that won't try to eat small things, then you can use tiny ornaments to hang on each day of December. They store nicely in the little pockets until their day is reached.

(our kids are still in the "eat small things" phase, so we are just using the velcro balls for now!) You can put more effort into this project and make something you keep for year after year, or just minimal effort and make one for just this year. Then you can have the fun of making a new creation each year with your kids. You decide what works for your family.

Story Time: Include a Christmas story today in your reading time with your kids. If you don't have Christmas books, then head off to the library and stock up!

Indoor Time: Try a new twist on an old game - play pin the star on the Christmas tree. Either draw a picture of a tree or print one off the Internet. You could even draw a tree on a white board or chalk board. Cut out stars from construction paper and have fun! (do I need to say it? use tape on the stars - not pins!)

Art Time: Break out the crayolas and have a tree decorating contest via a coloring page.

Music Time: Teach your kids Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Don't know the words? You can find them here...
Rudolph

Outdoor Time: Have a Santa obstacle race. Have them start at the "North Pole," then fly their sleigh onto the "roof top." Next they have to go down the chimney. If you have a swing set with a slide, I recommend the slide be the roof top and going down the slide is going down the chimney. After that, they have to high-tail it back to the North Pole. Cheer them on as they make their way along the route.

Shrill Shopping

An old man was grocery shopping with his grandson. The toddler was crying and at times screaming at the top of his lungs. As the old gentleman walked up and down the aisles, people could hear him speaking in a soft voice..."We are almost done, Albert....try not to cry, Albert....life will get better, Albert...." As he approached the checkout stand, he carefully brushed the toddler's tears from his eyes and said again, "Do not cry, Albert... we will be home soon, Albert..." As he was paying the cashier, the toddler continued to cry as a young woman in line behind him said, "Sir, I think it is wonderful how sweet you are being to your little Albert." The old gentleman blinked his eyes a couple of times before saying, "My grandson's name is John....I'm Albert..."

We have all been there. We must go shopping and the little one(s) must come along. Does anything fill your heart with dread more? I read this little amusing story that came my way via email and thought - story of my life!

I can remember being at WalMart with my two girls this summer. Somehow the two them got started on a screaming frenzy. The younger loves to imitate her older sister. So, there they were, in my shopping cart, one screaming then the other screaming, and grinning like they were the coolest thing since Dora the Explorer. I couldn't get them to stop. What do you do? I mean, I had visions of duct tape over their mouths, but of course THAT would never happen outside of my dreams. I walked through the store, pushing this cacophony along, literally talking out loud..."I don't know these kids, I just found them in the parking lot, I have NO idea who these children are..."

Have you ever been there and done that?

Stars and Stripes Forever, Take II

Craft Time: Christmas tree decorations are the order of the day. These are the Christmas version of stars and stripes - we'll just call them stars and icicles. Cut out stars and strips of construction paper. Take some of the strips and stack them together. Now start cutting off little bits at angles, creating paper confetti. Put glue on your cut-outs and sprinkle your confetti paper over it until it is covered. Shake off the extra confetti. Use yarn, string, rubber bands, twisty-ties, etc. to hang your ornaments. Just tape onto the back and hang on the tree.

Story Time: Read a Christmas story with your little ones. Today we added O Little Town of Bethlehem, A Pageant of Lights, published by Candy Cane Press. It is a great book for all ages. It is a board book, so highly tolerant of your littlest ones, and has light up stars and music. What fun!


Music Time: Practice singing your ABC's with your kids. Incorporate any toys that play the tune. If you have toys with the alphabet on them, use them to teach the letters while you sing.


Art Time: Repeat - this whole week is going to be Focus on Photography. Let your kids take pictures to make home-made Christmas cards. Help your kids play photographer by setting up scenes for them to photograph. How about a favorite teddy bear holding a Christmas stocking? How about a favorite teddy bear in a Christmas stocking?


Indoor Time: Hide and go seek Tag.... sounds wrong, but it is right. You have probably played this before, but just never put a name to it. I play this all the time and my kids love it! Say, "I'm going to get you!" then run up and tickle them. Run away and hide around a corner or behind a doorway. As your kids come out looking for you, jump out and say again, "I'm going to get you!" Your kids will run squealing with delight as you chase after them to tickle them again. Repeat the process until you are all laughed out. :)


Outdoor Time: Teach your little ones how to skip and practice skipping around the yard.

Problem Solving 101 - Take II

For a list of craft items needed for this week, check out last weeks postings under Stars and Stripes forever. Add Velcro to that list, preferably the kind with the sticky backing so you don't even have to sew. Now on to the activities!

Craft Time: We are going to start with the garland for our Christmas tree. Cut strips of colored construction paper. Form a loop and tape it together. Form the next loop inside the 1st one and continue to create a long chain. I had to help my almost 3 year old, but she did most of the work herself and loved this activity.



Story Time: Read a Christmas story with your little ones. In honor of my daughter Angelina, we checked out Angelina's Christmas (of the Angelina Ballerina fame) by Katharine Holabird, from the library. The story is a good one to teach about helping others. Use your story time to not only read stories but talk to them about the lessons they are learning from the books.

Music Time: Sing Christmas songs. Start with "Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh..." Have fun with them and dance.

Art Time: This whole week is going to be Focus on Photography. Let your kids take pictures to make home-made Christmas cards. Group together holiday decorations for close-ups or let them take scenic shots in your local neighborhood. Does your city have a nice holiday display? That can make a great picture for a Christmas card. If you get snow this week, head out with your kids for some winter wonderland photos. Let creativity be the guide, and listen to your kids ideas for pictures.

Indoor Time: I call this game Island Hopping. Gather some pillows together. These are your islands. Lay out a path of pillows from your couch to a chair or other piece of furniture. Tell your kids that the floor is the ocean and the furniture and pillows are the islands. The goal is to stay on the islands. Have them practice walking along the pillows. Now, take it up a notch by removing a pillow and spreading out the remaining ones. Keep removing pillows until they have to hop from pillow to pillow. (this is great fun for them!) Try teaching problem solving skills by giving them only 2 pillows and tell them they have to reach some far away piece of furniture. See if they can figure out to stand on one pillow and put the other one ahead of them for the next step, continuing to pick up the pillow behind them to put ahead of them for the next step until they reach their destination. Help them out if they need it.

Outdoor Time: Ball play. Practice throwing. Toss the ball back and forth. Also toss the ball and see how far they can throw it. Put a marker down after the first throw and see if they can beat it.