Build a fairy bower. To make a twinkling hideout, hang flowered sheets over two strings suspended between walls. Then run holiday lights under the sheets (alongside the strings), and your daughter will have a sparkling fairy bower where she can eat fairy food: tiny jelly sandwiches and tea with honey and a drop of pink […]
Create an easy-to-make game to go with this holiday story.  • Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear! by Don and Audrey Wood • index cards • crayons and/or markers • wrapping paper scraps (optional)  This book tells the story of a little mouse who is very worried that the big hungry bear up the mountain will steal his […]
Can you figure out who’s who? • The Donkey’s Christmas Song, by Nancy Tafuri (optional) • paper • crayons In The Donkey’s Christmas Song, a variety of farm animals and the sounds they make are portrayed. What animal noises can your child make? Play a guessing game with your child. Make a variety of animal noises and invite your […]
Remember family traditions during the holiday season. • Christmas in the Country, by Cynthia Rylant and Diane Goode • paper • crayons and/or markers This book tells the story of how a family gets ready for and celebrates Christmas. Although timeless in many ways, the story is set in a rural community many years ago. As you read the […]
Add a multicultural twist to your holiday with activities that teach your child about other traditions. Today, you might be trimming the Christmas tree, your neighbor next door might be sharing a Hanukkah meal, and friends across town may be fasting in preparation for ‘Eid-ul-Fitr. Still, most of us will end the year in a […]
Have your children help you decide which pieces of art they would like to have displayed. Children can help guide you to pieces that both of you appreciate. Â Gather a long piece of wood, spring clothespins, glue and paint. Have your children decorate the piece of wood with paint and other materials they choose. […]
Patterns are everywhere on this special frame — make one with your child. • several pre-cut picture mats or small cardboard, wooden, or plastic picture frames • glue • craft stick or glue brush • small cup to hold glue • a variety of tri-color and plain pasta shapes (wheels, shells, elbows, and so on) • several small plastic containers, bowls, […]
A secret ingredient makes letter play colorfully fun.  • White glue • Two cups of salt • Shallow pan • Watercolor paints, paintbrushes • Cardboard Your child can use glue as a writing instrument by squeezing it to draw a letter, word, or name on the cardboard. Encourage her to go slowly, making very thick lines of glue. Together, lay […]
