Your child can mark spring’s arrival with this colorful egg-shaped chalk.  Plastic eggs Petroleum jelly Plastic spoon Plaster of Paris Powdered tempera paint  To make a piece, first separate the halves of a plastic egg. Liberally coat the insides with petroleum jelly, adding extra near the seam, and then set both halves […]
Carrot Tree  Lure the Easter Bunny to your house with this mini indoor tree bearing his favorite snack.  Several 12-inch orange bumpy pipe cleaners Several 4-inch lengths of green embroidery floss Newspaper Bare tree branch Small flowerpot Decorative stones or glass beads  To make one, first cut several 12-inch orange bumpy pipe […]
A simple homemade doll gives greater meaning to familiar words.  • woman’s ribbed sock • shredded paper or batting (for stuffing) • thick thread • craft items such as yarn, ribbons, sequins, etc. Read a book of nursery rhymes and discuss the characters. Make your own Humpty-Dumpty! Flatten the sock so that the sole of the foot is face […]
Watch how water spreads through a plant. • celery stalk with leaves • 2 cups • water • red and blue food coloring • knife Make a cut up the center of the celery. (Only parents should use the knife!) Start at the bottom and go about halfway up so the celery has two “legs.”  Fill each cup with water. […]
Enhance bath-time learning with this homemade rainmaker. • Plastic milk container • Large sewing needle Punch holes in an empty plastic milk container. Using a large sewing needle, create an interesting pattern of holes around the bottom of the container. The more creative the arrangement is, the prettier your water streams will be. Fill the container with water. […]
Tickle your child’s tongue with a homemade book of rhymes.  • magazine or catalog with appealing pictures • children’s safety scissors • glue stick • stapler • drawing paper • marke • die  Ask your child to staple together several sheets of paper. She can make a cover for the book with crayons or markers. Give your child an appealing magazine […]
Look for these signs of progress in your pre-reader. As the 4 year olds arrive at the Mountain View Parent Nursery School, they pick out their nametags and hand them to teacher Betsy Nikolchev to fasten. “Great job finding your name, Elaine,” Nikolchev says. “How did you know that says Elaine?” “Because it starts with […]
Try these crafty ideas for those long holiday vacation days. Holiday vacation is the perfect time to share memories and to start new traditions like creating a year-end scrapbook. Plan some time to clear off the kitchen table, heat up some cocoa, and make something with your child that will capture the spirit of family, […]
