This easy salt dough project encourages imagination and gift-giving.

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water
• Food coloring

1. Mix the flour, salt, and water. If necessary, add more flour until mixture has a doughy, but not sticky, consistency. Add food coloring for vibrancy. (Dough can be stored in a plastic container for a few days.)

2. Talk about giving gifts. Invite your child to think about the person he will be making his gift for. What colors does the recipient like? What are some of her favorite things? Does she have any collections, special interests, or hobbies?

3. Let your child work with the dough, shaping it into a sculpture, candleholder, small decorative plate — or anything he would like to make.

4. Allow to air dry and give as a gift.

Learning benefits:
• Promotes creativity
• Encourages generosity
• Builds fine-motor skills

Art projects in the home can help reinforce the lessons learned in school, and with your help, they can produce some amazing end results as well. This activity will not only help your child learn to better follow step-by-step instructions and improve their hand-eye coordination, but will leave you with a pop-up family album to enjoy, too!

1. unbreakable hand mirror
2. arge index cards or sheets of stiff paper
3. child scissors
4. glue
5. markers and crayons 

What your child will learn

1. to compare similarities and differences
2. to follow step-by-step directions
3. to develop hand-eye coordination

What to do together

1. Sitting beside your child, hold up the mirror and look at each other’s faces. Talk together about your features. How do you look similar to one another? How do you look different? Invite your child to work with you to create an exciting pop-up family album.
2. Make a pop-up nose by folding an index card or stiff paper in half. Crease it. Then make two parallel cuts, about an inch apart, in the center of the folded edge. Pull up the cut section like a tab. Crease it well and then fold it back down. Unfold the card and position the tab from behind so it pops out inside like a nose as you open the card.
3. Create a picture of a family member by illustrating more facial features around the nose. Try tricky embellishments such as making little cuts in a piece of paper and gluing it above the nose to make fringed hair ‘ or glue it below the nose for a mustache. For curly hair, cut out a medium-sized circle. Then draw a spiral in the circle and cut along the line. Glue it above the nose and watch it bounce.
4. Your child can draw other facial features with the markers and crayons. Then write the name of the person he illustrated beneath the picture. Continue making pictures of people in the family. Then staple them together to create a moving family album.

 

Challenge: Your TASK is to move various Objects into a Container from a marked area without touching the objects or putting any part of your body into the marked area. Using the materials provided, come up with ways to move the Objects out of the larger marked area into the Container without touching the Objects or reaching into the marked areas with any part of your body. You may not damage the Container, nor may you modify the Objects.  Move the Objects from the larger marked area one at a time. You may not touch the Objects with any part of your body. No part of your body may cross over into any marked area. Put the Objects into the Container in the center of the smaller marked area.

 

Set-up:

 

1. Using masking tape, mark an area on the floor that is 4 feet square. Mark places around this space where the Objects can be placed, such as with labeled pieces of masking tape or dot stickers. The Objects should be of different sizes, shapes and weights. They should be placed exactly the same way each time the challenge is set up. Select 5-10 objects from the following list, or generate your own list:

 

1 metal spoon

1 cotton ball

1 twist tie

1 balloon

1 index card

1 pencil eraser

1 pair of scissors

1 plastic bottle lid (such as from a milk or soft drink bottle)

1 toilet tissue roll, empty

1 penny

 

2. Inside the large marked square, mark a smaller square that is 1 foot square. Place the Container in the center of the smaller square, which should be marked.

 

Special considerations:

 

The Container may be moved during any part of the Challenge (but not damaged). However, it must sit or lie in the center of the smaller square by the end of Part Two in order “for each Object in the Container ” to be scored.

 

The Objects must fit completely within the 1-foot square in order to be scored for “being removed from the larger marked square.” The outer edge of the masking tape marks the outer edge of the smaller square.

 

 The outer edge of the masking tape marks the outer edge of the larger square.

 

3.  Collect Materials

 

Materials:

 

1 envelope

2 straws

5 toothpicks

1 golf ball

2 pipe cleaners

2 rubber bands

6 pieces of spaghetti

1 sheet of paper

2 paper clips

1 paper cup

2 adhesive labels

2 balloons

 

Collect objects around the house that children can press into paint and press on paper (empty plastic pudding cups, plastic bottle caps, corks, cardboard coasters, jar lids, and the like).

 

Invite your child to press the objects gently into small cups of paint and press them onto a large sheet of blank paper.

 

 

Talk with your child about the different shapes he is making and the colors he is using.

 

See if your child can make a pattern on the paper by pressing the objects in a specific sequence on the paper (pudding cup, bottle cap, cork, pudding cup, bottle cap, cork).

 

Later, see if your child can point to the different impressions on the paper and recall the objects that made the impressions.

Need ideas for the “I’m bored!” blues? There are tons of things that you and your children can do that require little or no additional expense. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

 

I Spy – To play this game simply choose an object within eyeshot and state the letter that it begins with. For example, if your object is a candle you say “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ‘C’ ” Each family member takes turns guessing what object you spied. Whoever guesses the object gets to go next.

 

Coloring – It is quite possible that there is not a child on this planet that does not enjoy coloring with crayons and markers. Pick up coloring books at the dollar store and keep them up high for special “boredom days”.

 

Hide It – Hide an object in an obvious place. For example, place your portable telephone on top of the television. The first person to find the telephone gets to pick the next object and hide it. The only rule is that the object cannot actually be “hidden”, it must be in a visible place and not hidden from view.

Puzzles – What a great way for the family to spend some relaxing time together. Puzzles come in all shapes and sizes, different age ranges and difficulty levels.

 

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

 

Picnic at Home – Have a picnic on the front lawn. Spread a blanket out and enjoy some sandwiches, fresh fruit, and chips. Don’t forget the fruit juice! If the weather does not permit for such outdoor festivities, you can enjoy your picnic in the living room.

 

Backyard Camping – Who says you have to travel and pay for camping space? Set up your tent in the backyard, roast marshmallows on the grill, and sit around and tell ghost stories. In “The Kids Campfire Book” you will find a variety of stories, songs, games, and outdoor activities.

 

Gardening – If possible, allow your children to have their very own planting area. If space does not allow for it, let the kids help you plant flowers and potted herbs. Be sure to explain the importance of sunshine and water for proper growth of your garden.

 

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

 

Family Movie Night – Rent a movie from the video store, or if you have cable, order a pay per view movie where appropriate. Make popcorn and snuggle up on the couch with blankets and pillows. If your diet allows for it, include soda pop as a special family night treat.

 

Hot Potato – or Hot Beanie Baby, or whatever you have to toss around. Beanies actually work really well if you aren’t a serious collector and worry about their condition. If you have some of the knockoffs, they work just fine too. Have everyone sit in a circle and toss the beanie from one person to another, never knowing where it’s going to end up. It’s a lot of fun for all the kids and keeps them occupied for absolutely no money.

 

Mystery Bag – Place an object inside of a black plastic garbage bag. First allow the children to feel the object from outside of the bag. If they are unable to guess what’s inside, allow them to reach into the bag and feel the object. If they still don’t know the answer, provide fun clues. For example, if the object is a framed photo of Mom, give hints such as “who puts bandages on your scraped knees?” or “Daddy thinks she’s picture perfect.”

 

FUN CRAFTS

 

Paper Bag Puppets – Nothing could be easier than taking a brown paper lunch sack and drawing on a face. Voila, instant puppet. You can add some color and creativity by bringing out the glue, scissors, yarn, glitter, markers and buttons. Use buttons for eyes, yarn for hair and markers to decorate the face.

 

Paper Loop Caterpillar – You will need colored construction paper, paper hole punch, glue, and scissors. Cut 1-inch-wide strips of colored construction paper. Cut and glue the strips into various sized loops. Glue together small paper loops. Attach paper-punch dots to decorate. Add eyes, mouth and antennae.

 

Sidewalk Chalk – This recipe is for sidewalks only. Do not use this chalk on any other surface. You will need 4-5 eggshells, 1 teaspoon flour, 1 teaspoon very hot tap water, and food coloring (optional). Wash & dry eggshells. Put into bowl and grind into a powder. A mortar and pestle works fine for this. Discard any large pieces. Place flour and hot water in another bowl and add 1 tablespoon eggshell powder & mix until a paste forms. Add food coloring if desired. Shape & press mixture firmly into the shape of a chalk stick, and roll up tightly in a strip of paper towel. Allow to dry approximately 3 days until hard. Remove paper towel and you’ve got chalk. Eggshell chalk is for sidewalks only.

 

FUN FOOD

 

Ice Cream in a Baggie – You can make your own sundaes with this fun ice cream project.

 

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup half and half

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 sandwich size Ziploc bags

1 one gallon size Ziploc bag

2 cups ice

1 tablespoon coarse salt

 

Put one small Ziploc bag inside the other and add the milk, half and half, sugar, and vanilla extract to the inside bag. Seal both bags securely, removing excess air. Add ice and salt to larger bag and place smaller bag inside. Seal firmly. Let the kids shake themselves silly — shaking, tossing, and turning the bag. Ice cream will be soft and ready to eat in 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!  Top this off with chocolate syrup made from scratch.

 

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup cold water

1 tbsp vanilla

 

Mix together cocoa and sugar; blend until cocoa is smooth and lumps are gone. Add water and salt; mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, bring to a boil. Boil until thick, keep stirring so that it doesn’t burn or overflow! Remove from heat; let cool. After the mixture has cooled, add the vanilla.

 

Slushies

 

1 package of unsweetened Kool-Aid drink mix, any flavor

2 cups of water

1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar

4 cups ice

 

In a blender, combine Kool-Aid, water and sugar. Blend. Add all the ice and blend. That’s it! Pour into cups, add a straw and enjoy on those hot summer days. Great for Mom and Dad too. For Coca Cola, simply add one can of Coke and enough ice to cover and blend.

 

Granola Fruit Kabobs

 

1 cup granola

1 medium apple, cut into chunks

1 small banana, cut into chunks

1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 cup fruit flavored yogurt

 

Place granola in shallow bowl. Toss fruit with a small amount of lemon juice to deter browning. Insert toothpicks into each piece of fruit. To serve, dip fruit in yogurt, coat all sides. Roll in granola. When bringing these kabobs to a picnic, pack the granola, yogurt and fruit separately in tightly covered plastic containers. Keep cold in a cooler until ready to serve.

 

There are so many things that you can do with your kids. Go to the park, enjoy a nature walk in your own neighborhood, inspect the insects that live in your yard, identify the different types of flowers blooming on your street. Kids love word games, brain teasers, math puzzles and much more. Take advantage of your knowledge and share it with them.

 

Gather your materials. You will need an Oven set at 275, a muffin tin, with liners, and all those old broken crayons we all have laying about.  A good time to acquire them if you haven’t been saving them is at the end of a school year – see if your child’s teacher has old ones they’d be throwing away.  Avoid washable crayons, as they separate when melted.

 

 

Line your muffin tin with paper liners, and about half full with the crayon bits.  You can keep the colors in the same family, or put in a jumble of colors for crazy crayons.  Sorting crayon pieces by color family makes a good early math activity for young ones!  Bake for about 8 minutes; watch them closely because they melt fast.  Take them out of the oven once they are melted and let cool for 30 minutes.  (If you prefer, you can pour them into an inexpensive candy mold and allow them to cool there for interesting shapes.  Don’t worry if it spills over; you can peel it off when it dries.)  Remove the liners and get coloring. If they break put them aside and do it again.

Chose the colored version or the black and white version of the game, and print the patterns. If you choose colored just simply print all the pages. If you choose the black and white, print and color in all the pages.  Cut out all the pieces  Mount the 26 lettered Suns onto an open file folder.  Mount the remaining 26 lettered Suns onto a piece of tag board then cut out.  Glue directions and game title onto the front of the file folder.  Glue the game label onto the file folder tab.  Laminate the inside of the file folder and the tag board pieces.  Add a small piece of Velcro to each of the 26 lettered Suns on the file folder. Add the other side of the Velcro to the back of the loose 26 lettered Suns.  Store pieces in an envelope.

 

 

Read “Stone Soup” by Marcia Brown.  It’s a picture book classic that has remained one of Marcia Brown’s most popular and enduring books. This story, about three hungry soldiers who outwit the greedy inhabitants of a village into providing them with a feast, is based on an old French tale.

 

Comprehension/Thinking Skills

 

a. “Why didn’t the villagers want to feed the soldiers?”

b. “Where did the villagers hide their milk?”

c. “What enabled the soldiers to trick the villagers into adding

ingredients to the soup?”

d. “Had the king really dined with the soldiers?”

e. “In whose house did the soldiers sleep when the feast had ended?”

 

Art Activity: Draw pictures of all the vegetables that were in Stone Soup.

 

Language Activity: Play the memory game using vegetables for soup. Example: When I make stone soup I put in a stone. Next person: when I make stone soup I put in a stone and carrots. Continue repeating and adding on with each person.

 

Hands-on Activity: Make and serve vegetable soup for your family.

 

Early Math Activity  (sorting and discrimination): Edible, Non-edible: Collect an assortment of items both edible and non-edible and bring them to your large group in a sack. Provide a large pot and a basket in order to sort the items. As each item is pulled out of the sack the children tell you if it is something you eat or something you don’t eat. If it is something you eat, put it in the pot. If it is something you don’t eat, put it in the sack. When you’ve finished you can count to see which contains more items, the pot or the basket.

 

Nutrition and Health Activity: Have child  name the ingredients that were used to make the soup.  The ingredients list will include water, seasonings, potatoes, milk, carrots, onions, and meat.  Ask students to recall what other foods were served with Stone Soup in the story.  Display a a Food Guide Pyramid.  Explain the categories on the Food Guide Pyramid.  Explain that the Food Guide Pyramid gives us information to keep us healthy.  Explain that although there are no bad foods and all foods can be a part of a healthy diet, there are five major food groups that are needed in a healthy diet.  Identify the five major food groups.  Explain that eating the foods from the five food groups keeps the body healthy.  We need food from the five major food groups.  We do not need the food in the “Use Sparingly” group.  However, we may want foods from this group.  Discuss the difference between needs and wants.  Recall the list of ingredients and items served with the soup.  Discuss if the meal the soilders had in the end contained all five food groups.

 

More Ideas

 

Another Post