Contributed by a site visitor who keeps a “bit box” full of scrap paper, colored foil, sequins, pieces of wallpaper collected from their local DIY store, tissue paper, wrapping paper, and other scrap craft supplies for her little ones. She even cuts out her children’s favorite shapes to add to the box. Â I thought […]
2 cups warm water 1 cup pure laundry soap or flakes Electric mixer  Put water and soap in large bowl and beat with mixer until very fluffy. Add food coloring if desired. This can be molded into shapes and left to dry.
Go digging. Embed plastic dinosaurs in “stone” and let your amateur paleontologist dig them out: Mix together equal parts of plaster of paris (find it at craft or hardware stores), vermiculite (available at gardening stores), and water in a disposable bowl. Drop in a few dinosaur figures and cover with the mixture. Let harden for […]
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 […]
