Happy New Year

I hope that all of you get into the new year happy and safely!

Have a happy new year,

Nadine

New Year’s Eve Ball

By: Amanda Formaro

Difficulty: Very Easy

Age: 6 and up

Average User Rating:

12345(0/5)
Parental supervision is recommended
Every year the sparkling New Year’s Eve ball is lowered one minute before midnight during the countdown. Make your own New Year’s Eve ball to celebrate the changing of the calendar!

For more great Christmas ideas, be sure to check out our Christmas crafts, homemade Christmas ornaments, Christmas printables, and our main Christmas area.


What you'll need:
Miniature paper plate
Silver paint
White glitter glue
White craft glue
Colorful sequins
Scissors

How to make it:
Cut the center circle out of a miniature paper plate.
Paint the non-shiny side of the circle with silver paint and let dry.
Paint the circle with white glitter glue.
Use white craft glue to add dots in a triangular pattern.
Add sequins to the glue dots and let dry.

Tips:
Add a piece of silver ribbon and hang from the ceiling or chandelier as a New Year's decoration.
Buy sequins in a variety pack and store in a zipper sandwich bag or empty jar.
Keep a stash of paper plates for craft projects such as this.

via:http://crafts.kaboose.com/new-years-eve-ball.html

7 LAYER BARS

7 LAYER BARS


1/2 cup Butter
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
1 cup Semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup Butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cup Flaked coconut
1/2 cup Walnuts; chopped
1 can Sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over butter. Sprinkle in layers, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, and top with coconut. Pour condensed milk over all. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut in bars.

From Alexis F.
age 4 1/2

via: http://www.childrensrecipes.com/article_057.htm

Dealing with Divorce

Dealing with Divorce and Effects on Kids: How to Help Children Cope with the Family Changes

Parenting is a challenging proposition no matter what the situation, but when a divorce is taking place, parenting becomes an obstacle course. Not only are you dealing with your personal tragedy and are attempting to keep your life moving forward, but in addition to dealing with your crisis you can only guess how your child is being affected, especially when the divorce is less than amicable.

Making matters worse is the new parenting arrangement that forces the parties to the divorce to suddenly become master communicators about parenting, school issues, and of course the visitation schedule. In some cases the joint custody agreements that now make up the majority of shared parenting requests during divorces are extremely complex and complicated, determining the when and where of parenting down to the second.

If you find that you are in this maelstrom of chaos, sit back and go back to the basics. Here to help you is the divorcing parent's guide to parenting in a simple do and don't listing.

The Do's

Maintain and open door policy with your children and make yourself available at all times to talk about the separation of living quarters between you and your spouse. Your children need to understand that they had no role in your decision to divorce and that they are not to blame for anything that happened.
Children will need to work through the grief that comes from losing the family. This might cause the typical stages of grief, including bargaining, reasoning and anger. You may find that you are the target for these emotions. Remain calm, even if your children express anger, and remember that you are the adult in the room. While you do not need to justify yourself to your children, you should answer their questions factually, in an age appropriate manner.
Stabilize the upheaval your children are experiencing. This is not the time to move them to a new school or daycare center, but instead it is the time to keep everything exactly the same, even if you need to drive out of your way to pick up your children.
Set up a support network. Your children's teachers, caregivers, and other adults should know that you are divorcing and on the lookout for odd behaviors. This may also help them to make themselves available if your children need to open up to someone other than you.
Involve your children in your plans. If you are thinking of moving, enlist your children's help in the process. Give them a lot of warning ahead of time so they can get used to the idea. Anything that presents a change to their already upside down home environment should be discussed well ahead of the event.
Listen closely to what your children tell you. No matter how small the matter may appear to you, to your child they may be of greatest significance, especially now that their living situation has changed completely.
Come up with new family traditions and way of doing things. This provides a sense of continuity and also a sense of belonging.
Here are the Don'ts

Refrain from speaking in negative terms about your former spouse. Remember that she or he is still your child's other parent, and no matter what you think about the person, your child still loves them dearly! Forcing your child to take sides will backfire on you, even if initially they side with you.
Avoid using your children as messengers to your former spouse. If you have something to pass on, contact your former spouse or their attorney directly, but do not make your kids pass notes or carry verbal information back and forth. If it is a bad message, your children will be on the receiving end of the frustration!
Word to Live by

Truth be told, there is no easy way out of a divorce. Help yourself and your children to adjust to the new way of life with the help of a mental health specialist. In some cases it may take a bit of time for obvious behavioral outbursts to take place, but even if they are slow in coming, they are nonetheless virtually inevitable.

Remember that both you and your child are adjusting to the new living quarter, the environment, and the absence of the other parent. Individual and also family counseling may help everyone to move on.

via: http://www.parent.net/article/kids-divorce.shtml

Water Bottle Noise Maker

Some more noisemakers for you!
Have fun,
Nadine

By: Amanda Formaro

Difficulty: Average

Age: 8 and up

Average User Rating:

12345(0/5)
Parental supervision is recommended


Save that water bottle from the landfill by creating this fun noise maker for New Year’s Eve!

For more great Christmas ideas, be sure to check out our Christmas crafts, homemade Christmas ornaments, Christmas printables, and our main Christmas area.


What you'll need:
Empty plastic water bottle
Beans, coins, or other items to place inside
1 sheet white tissue paper
Scraps of tissue paper in various colors, cut into small squares
24” long strip of light blue crepe paper streamer
24” long strip of pink crepe paper streamer
White craft glue
Water
Scissors

How to make it:
Place a handful of beads or coins inside the clean, dry water bottle. Run some glue around the mouth of the bottle and replace the cap.
Make a mixture of 1/2 white craft glue and 1/2 water that will be enough to cover the bottle a few times over.
Tear white tissue paper into large chunks, approximately 4”x2”.
Paint a small section of the outside of the water bottle with the glue mixture. Place a torn piece of white tissue paper onto the glue mixture and paint over it with the glue mixture. Repeat this process, covering the entire bottle with 2-3 coats of white.
Apply small colorful squares of tissue paper randomly over the white tissue paper to resemble confetti.
Cut each strip of crepe paper streamer in half. Carefully tie one of the pieces around the neck of the bottle. Repeat with other lengths of crepe paper. Use scissors to cut each length to about 4” hanging length, and then cut upwards into thin strips. Use a couple pieces of the excess crepe paper you just cut off to twist around the neck of the bottle and glue in place. Allow to dry for several hours.

Tips:
Save tissue paper from birthday parties to use in projects such as these.
Always save extra, and used crepe paper streamers from parties to use in craft projects.
If you don’t have any crepe paper you can use regular ribbon.

via: http://crafts.kaboose.com/water-bottle-noise-maker.html

New Year’s Resolution – Talk More

Here is a resolution, that all of us should take to heart, because this is for the benifit of our children!
Have fun talking,
Nadine

Last Updated: December 23, 2008 Related resource areas: Parenting

View as web page

Researchers have found that the more parents talk during a child’s first three years of life, the more the child’s vocabulary and IQ improve.
Released December 19, 2008

BATON ROUGE, La. – A wise New Year’s resolution for parents is to talk more to their young children by reading aloud to them, according to LSU AgCenter family and child development expert Rebecca White.

Researchers have found that the more parents talk during a child’s first three years of life, the more the child’s vocabulary and IQ improve. The children also become more prepared for school. Additionally, the more parents speak encouraging words, the better the children become.

Books can be a means of talk, according to White.

“Committing to and developing the habit of reading every day can go a long way in helping your child be more successful in life,” the child expert said.

Children benefit when parents take them in their arms, cuddle them and talk to them through the magic of books. Reading aloud strengthens parent-child bonds. Books are a natural way to expose children to new words and positive conversation. They guide children to more complex thinking, and they help children discover new thoughts and ideas.

“Children who have lots of books read to them are more likely to develop an enhanced vocabulary and IQ by the time they enter school,” White said. Also, children’s books are usually encouraging and positive.

“When parents use a greater proportion of words that are affirming, approving and encouraging, it makes a vast difference for their child’s future,” the child expert noted.

Reading is a purposeful way parents can increase their child’s exposure to words. White recommends daily reading. A simple way to incorporate daily reading is by reading a book each night at the youngster’s bedtime.

Reading a short book also is a great way to help a child “wind down” and prepare to sleep. Let this become a daily routine for you and your baby, White advises. Over time, this will become a favorite time for your and your child.

“Parents make the big difference in the success of their children – more than school teachers do, more than early child caregivers do,” White said, adding, “Daily reading is one way parents can really help their children have a great future.”

via: http://www.extension.org/pages/New_Year%E2%80%99s_Resolution_%E2%80%93_Talk_More

Thumbprint art

Very cute! This will be fun for older kids as well!
Have fun framing,
Nadine

Safety tips for new years eve

This artivle is already a bit older, so some of the nmbers in there are well, from a while ago, bit still it summs it up well. Pleas have a very happy and safe new year everybody,
Nadine


"Alcohol-The smallest amount of alcohol can have catastrophic consequences to a child. Drinks are usually colorful and appear to look like juice. Children are attracted to these colors and are naturally inclined to drink them.


1.Keep your bottles of alcohol away from the reach of small children. If you have a bar set up for guests, make sure the bottles are up at counter level


2. Warn your guests to please not leave glasses of any form of alcohol laying around for your child to pick up and drink. Leave little notes on low lying tables to warn against leaving drinks laying around.


Fireworks- Fireworks are a tradition for many families. Unfortunately, injuries from fireworks are another tradition that often seems to follow when kids are allowed to play with fireworks..


1.Never let a child handle or light a firework or sparkler. EVER!!!!


2. Sparklers, which can reach over 1000°F, cause half of the injuries to children under age five though, and 10 percent of fireworks-related injuries overall


3. 4 people died in 2006 associated with using fireworks


4. Over 10,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks in 2006


5. Almost half of the injuries were to children under age 15


6. Firecrackers caused the most injuries, followed by rockets and sparklers


7. Burns are the most common injuries from fireworks


Candies/nuts-Small- candies and nuts are a serious choking hazard for children


1. Move all candies, nuts, popcorn etc.. up to levels that a small child can't reach. These objects are an instant choking hazard


Confetti

Though fun for everyone, please note the most recent confetti recall that could be quite dangerous to your child, even when not released in celebration.
DesignWare® Confetti Bursts ,Distributor: American Greetings Corp., of Cleveland, Ohio .The surface paint on the individual bags of confetti contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. This latest recall came out 11/29/07.

New years Eve is meant to be fun and a start of new beginnings for everyone. Don't let the party get out of hand and please take precautions. And as always ,BE AWARE!!!!"

via:http://safetydad.blogspot.com/2007/12/happy-new-yearssame-old-safety.html

Homemade Instruments - Trumpet

Noise makers are so important for any New Years Party! I will post some more noisemaker craft idaes tomorrow. Have fun being loud,
Nadine

This homemade trumpet will allow the children to "toot" very noisily whenever a loud noise is required! Great for New Year's Eve parties, birthdays and kitchen bands!

You will need:

A cardboard tube
Paint (gold or silver)
Glitter and sequins
Glue

To make:

Paint your tube and leave to dry.

Decorate the tube with sequins and glitter.

Toot loudly into your tube to make some music!

via: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/homemade_instrument_trumpet.htm

How to Celebrate New Year's Eve With Your Children

via: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvhoI5mqp7M

Time Capsule Can

what a wonderful idea! I love it and we are definitely going to do this on new years eve!
Have fun with this one,
Nadine


By: Amanda Formaro

Difficulty: Very Easy

Age: 5 and up

Average User Rating:

12345(0/5)
Parental supervision is recommended

Make this a tradition with your family each New Year! Place one item from each family member inside a decorated can marked with the year on the front. Wait until all the kids are grown to open all the time capsules for a wonderful family memory!

For more great Christmas ideas, be sure to check out our Christmas crafts, homemade Christmas ornaments, Christmas printables, and our main Christmas area.


What you'll need:
Empty can with plastic lid (mixed nuts, peanuts, potato chips, etc)
Yellow construction paper
Tape
Red glitter glue
Gold chenille stem
Scissors
Red acrylic paint
White craft glue
Piece of paper
Pen or marker

How to make it:
Be sure that can is clean and dry. Wrap can with yellow construction paper, glue or tape in place.
Glue a piece of gold chenille around the bottom of the can. You will need to hold the chenille in place until the glue adheres.
Dip one finger from each family member in red paint and dab off excess on paper towel. Place a red fingerprint on the side of the can.
Use red glitter glue to write the year on the front of the can. Let it dry completely.
When dry, have each family member place a small item inside the can. Use a pen to write an “inventory” list on a piece of paper stating what each member added to the time capsule.
Place the list inside with the other items and seal the can with its lid. Don’t open until all children are grown (or at least not until next year)!

Tips:
For very small children, make sure they don’t place something inside the can that they will miss too much.
Talk about how fun it will be to open the can next year and look inside.
Use a different container each year to have a fun variety to open.

via: http://crafts.kaboose.com/time-capsule-can.html

New Year's Cookie Party

Here is a terrific idea! Make it a party. Kids will have so much fun baking them. Teach them how great it feels to make something and then share it with someone else! I love it,
Nadine


What you need:

Your favorite family cookie recipes, such chocolate chip or sugar cookies (or use the store bought slice and cook cookie dough).
Ingredients needed for your recipes (including cookie cutters and stamps).
All family members.
Fancy paper plates (or pretty tins or boxes).
Aluminum foil.
Ribbons and gift tags.
What to do:
This idea is a perfect way to brighten someone's day! Spend part of New Year's day baking a batch of cookies together as a family. Wrap them up in pretty packages and deliver them as presents to friends, neighbors, and family.

Variation: For added fun, invite your friends and neighbors to make the cookies with you. They all get to take a care package home when they leave. Yummy!

via: http://familycrafts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=familycrafts&zu=http%3A%2F%2Ffamilyeducation.com%2Farticle%2F0%2C1120%2C1-4460%2C00.html

Ways to make shopping enjoyable...for everyone!

Here they are, the after Christmas sales! Whoo-hoo! You are ready to spend all of that hard earned money, pumped up and good to go!
I know how much fun shopping can be, but I also know how fast it can become a nightmare for all involved if you have children with you that are just simply not interested in getting all the good deals available, they just want to go...NOW!

I am here to give you some pointers on how to make a long shopping day enjoyable...you heard me...you can make this fun, for all!

Prepare before you go shopping! Pack some snacks in your purse, always have something to drink along with you and here is my secret... carry entertainment with you! Be it a game boy for older kids or an mp3 player, a toy or stuffed animal for smaller kids, anything that will keep them busy for a little while.

Tell them what you expect of them and what their reward will be if the meet the expectations. For example: I expect you to listen when I ask you to stay with me, to not scream or yell, to not whine and to always stay where I can see you! If this day goes well we can play 2 games of memory together and have some cookies after we get home.

Set realistic goals. For example: We will go to 4 stores. Tell your kids where you will go and what you are looking for! They can help you look for the items and that will make time go by faster for them. Reward them for good behavior. We like to take our son out to one of his favorite fast food places right around the middle of our shopping day.

Set your child up for success! If you notice your children getting tired or grumpy, don't get aggravated or try to cram as much shopping into the remaining time you have before they have a complete melt down! Take a break. Go sit down on a bench somewhere with them or hang out in the car for a few minutes while eating a snack. Give them time to relax before you return to your shopping!

Make it exciting! Yeah we found a great deal on this! Thank you for helping me find this! Hey, we can use this for your room! I am so proud of you for being so good! Tell jokes, be a little silly...you get my point, right?

All in all...have fun hunting for good deals together,
Nadine

Secret Snowman

This game involves lots of pats on the back and laughs, so it's perfect for family gatherings.

Players try to stick a paper snowman (ours is made of card stock with a loop of painter's tape to attaching it) on a person's back without her noticing. When that person realizes the snowman is on her, she has to stick it on someone else's back. Don't worry about the snowman staying on just one back for hours -- giggling kids are sure to give the person a clue before too long. Try to have the snowman visit everyone's back by the end of the day.

via: http://familyfun.go.com/games/holiday-games/feature/secret-snowman/secret-snowman.html

Marshmallow Snowmen

How cute are these? We will be making some this afternoon! let your creativity go nuts! A great craft project for the entire family!
have fun,
Nadine


Marshmallow Snowmen
Recipe Feedback: User Rating 3 out of 5
(3 reviews)
23 Write a review
By Elizabeth LaBau, About.com


Children will love making these cute snowmen! You can use any types of candy or decorative foods you have on hand. Assembling these snowmen would make a great activity for a holiday kid’s party.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bag large marshmallows
1 container chow mein noodles
1 package orange tic-tacs
1 package multi-colored tic-tacs
2 ounces melted chocolate
Assorted small candies of your choice
Preparation:
1. “Glue” two marshmallows together by placing a small blob of melted chocolate on top of one of the marshmallows, and placing another marshmallow on top of the chocolate.

2. Repeat this procedure with a third marshmallow, so that you end up with three stacked marshmallows, stuck together with chocolate. This is your snowman body.

3. Give the snowman arms by sticking two chow mein noodles in the sides of the middle marshmallow. Pretzels would also work for this purpose.

4.Make buttons by pushing tic-tacs into the front of the middle marshmallow in a vertical line.

5. Use an orange tic-tac to represent the carrot nose: dab a small amount of chocolate in the front of the top marshmallow, and push the tic-tac slightly into the chocolate to get it to stick.

6. Finish decorating the face and body with whatever candy or decorations you have. Try adding sprinkles, red hots, or M&Ms, or drawing on your snowmen with icing or melted chocolate. Hair can be created using shredded wheat cereal, or you can make a hat using wafer candies. Let your creativity run wild!

via: http://candy.about.com/od/kidfriendlytreats/r/mmsnowmen.htm

A great christmas leftover recipe

I know how it goes. You have a wonderful big Christmas dinner...but then you have all of this food leftover! What to do with it?
Here is a great recipe to use some of your leftovers.
Happy cooking,
Nadine

Ham Stuffed Manicotti
Recipe Feedback: User Rating Be the first to write a review

By Linda Larsen, About.com


This fabulous casserole has the most wonderful flavor. It freezes really well too, so make a couple of batches this holiday season.
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
14 manicotti pasta shells
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
3 cups cooked cubed ham
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
6 Tbsp. flour
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Cook manicotti as directed on package. Drain, rinse in cool water and set aside. Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, and green bell pepper in 4 Tbsp. butter or olive oil until tender. Add ham and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
In another heavy saucepan, cook 6 Tbsp. butter or olive oil until foamy. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles, about 3 minutes. Add milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens. Stir in cheese. Mix 1/4 of cheese sauce with ham mixture.

Fill manicotti shells with ham mixture (your fingers work best for this; it's messy, but most efficient). Spread about 1/2 cup cheese sauce in greased 13x9" glass baking dish and arrange filled shells over sauce. If there is any leftover stuffing, just sprinkle it over the filled shells. Pour remaining cheese sauce over filled manicotti. At this point the casserole can be cooled in the refrigerator, then wrapped and frozen up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator, then uncover, sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. If not freezing casserole, sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until bubbly. Serves 8

via:
http://busycooks.about.com/od/pastacasserolerecipes/r/hammanicotti.htm

Sparkling Beaded Napkin Rings

Trying to keep antsy children busy? Here is a great way for them to make something that you can use on the Christmas table. It will give them somehting to do and the oh's and ah's of relatives are going to make them feel so good about themselfs and like they contributed to a wonderful christmas.
Happy crafting
PS: Don't like it too sparkeley or colorful? Adjust the beed colors to your table decorations to make them match.



Christmas Crafts for Kids - Sparkling Beaded Napkin Rings


Your child can help you set a pretty holiday table, with these easy
to make beaded napkin rings. This is also a festive touch to a
New Year's Eve party table. Easy enough for little fingers and a
super holiday craft for classrooms, Sunday school or scout troops!

You'll need:
Tinsel pipe cleaners (craft store)
Metallic shiny pony beads

Order your supplies here >>

How To Make:

Simply bead approximately 24 beads to the pipe cleaner, leaving about
2 inches on each end.

Make a circle with the beaded segment and secure by twisting the pipe cleaner once or twice.

Then loop the remaining pipe cleaner segment around a pencil to make the curly design on top.




Variation:
Use two pipe cleaners for each napkin ring. This provides extra
pieces to swirl and add more glitter effect.

via:http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmas-crafts-for-kids-bead-napking-rings.htm

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths

How cute are these? I love them! Do you have family or other company coming over tomorrow. These will make some wonderful table decorations and you can make them with your child which makes them even better!
Have fun!



Rated by 2 people
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Makes: 12 wreaths

View Nutrition Facts

Ingredients
1 bag (10.5 ounces) mini marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Green food coloring
4-1/2 cups cornflake cereal
Jumbo red nonpareils
Light corn syrup
Red sour belts

Directions
1. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat a 1/3-cup measure with nonstick spray.

2. Stir marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and tint with 5 or 6 drops of food coloring. Gently stir in cornflakes.

3. Scoop 1/3 cupfuls of the mixture and drop into 6 piles on each baking sheet. Let cool 5 minutes. Spray fingers with nonstick cooking spray and shape each pile into a wreath, gently compressing the flakes together. Refrigerate until firm.

4. Decorate wreaths with nonpareils or candy balls, attaching them with a dab of corn syrup.

via:http://www.parents.com/recipe/cookies/cornflake-christmas-wreaths/

Elf yourself for laughs all around

Here is a great way to give everyone a good Holiday laugh. it is free and so much fun to watch...not just for kids.
You can send it via email, so that everyone can laugh with you!

From my family to yours, merry christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Cookie Gift Bag

By: Amanda Formaro

Difficulty: Easy

Age: 5 and up

Average User Rating:

12345(3/5)

Just baked a giant batch of Christmas cookies and want to share? This craft is a great way to give the gift of baking and share your crafty talents as well!

What you'll need:

Paper lunch sack
Acrylic paint in white, green and red
Foam stamps: star and circle
Paint brush
White craft glue
Silver glitter
Green glitter glue
6-8” ribbon
Cookies
How to make it:
Open the lunch bag to make sure that none of the sides or ends are stuck together before you start. Close it back up.
Fold bottom of bag against itself so that it lies flat and is not folded upwards.
Use a hole punch or wooden skewer to make a small hole in the top center of the bag. (Later you will tie the bag shut with a ribbon.)
Paint the circle foam stamp with red paint. Stamp onto the bag. Fill in any gaps with the paint brush. Allow to dry.
Paint the star stamp with white paint and stamp onto bag, overlapping the circle and running off the right edge of the bag. Fill in gaps with paint brush. Let dry.
Paint the star stamp with green paint and stamp onto bag, overlapping the circle and running off the left end of the bag.
Decorate the “cookies” with sprinkles by dipping the handle end of a paint brush into paint and dotting onto the circle and stars.
Use white craft glue to write the word “cookies” at the top of the bag.
Sprinkle completely with silver glitter and let dry. Tap off excess glitter.
Water down a little bit of craft glue and use a paint brush to paint the glue mixture onto the undecorated spaces on the bag.
Lightly sprinkle glitter onto the areas you painted with glue and tap off excess.
Use green glitter glue to write the words “For: ______” at the bottom of the bag. Let dry completely.
When bag is completely dry, fill with cookies and thread a piece of ribbon through the top hole. Tie in a bow.
Tips:
Wrap your cookies in wax paper or plastic bags so you don’t get any grease spots on the bag.
To make many bags at once, line up several bags in a row and do this craft assembly line style.
We did not have a circle stamp so we used a smiley face stamp and filled the gaps
with the paint brush.

via: http://crafts.kaboose.com/cookiebag.html

Hands and Feet Reindeer Craft

Here is a great craft project for almost all ages. What a wonderful idea fo a cold day this close to Christmas! Have fun crafting ;),
Nadine


Christmas Crafts for Kids - Hands and Feet Reindeer Craft
An easy to make reindeer craft for classrooms, a Christmas party,
or with your children at home.


You'll Need:
Large plastic eyes
Large red pom-poms (glitter pom-poms are a fun addition!)
Brown construction paper, craft foam or cardstock paper
Lighter brown or tan paper for the ears (optional)
Construction paper in any color; optional if you would like to glue
the reindeer onto another piece of paper.

How to Make It:
First, with one shade of brown, cut the antlers and reindeer,
using your child's handprint and shoeprint as a pattern.
Then, cut the ears with the other brown. We used a lighter shade of
brown to add yet another layer to the ears but that's not necessary.
Glue the antlers together at a slight angle. Then add the ears and glue
the head on last. Glue the eyes and nose the the head and add a smile with a marker.
It's that simple!

via: http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/christmas-crafts-for-kids-paper-reindeer.htm

Happy Holidays

Oh yes, it is almost here! Children all around the world are becoming so excited, one can see it on their faces! Moms and Dads all around the world on the other hand are becoming more and more stressed out!
Why is this the most stressful season for Parents? We only have one child and it is already pretty chaotic with all the Christmas parties and getting all the gifts in time, making sure we don't go way over budge, trying to make our home look perfect and presentable at all times, having dinners planned out into detail, all the while answering tons of questions thrown at us by our 4 year old about Christmas and presents...my goodness...just typing this made my blood pressure go up!
I want to remind all of us real quick what the Holidays are really supposed to be about!
It is about spending time with loved ones and reflecting on the year that is almost over. If you celebrate Christmas then you should think about what it is that you are celebrating and share those toughts with your children, as I think goes for whatever you are celebrating these Holidays.
Make happy Memories with your children, not stressed memories, because how you make these Holidays is how they will remember them when they are adults! Partake in Family traditions and show loved ones what they mean to you!
Just a little thought!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you!

Nadine

Top 10 Christmas Toys For Kids 2008

Top 10 Christmas Toys For Kids 2008
By Sandra Maria Stammberger


"Top Christmas Gifts
Shop for Top Christmas Gifts Find gifts for all types!
SnapDragonGifts.comChristmas is a season of giving. But sometimes picking the perfect gift can be such a difficult decision, especially when it comes to shopping for the children on your list. It can be hard to figure out what toys kids will enjoy. So take the guesswork out of your Christmas shopping this year and consider these Top Ten Christmas Gifts for Kids this holiday season.

1. Fur Real Friends Biscuit My Lovin Pup. This interactive toy is the perfect gift for any pet loving child. This life-sized dog can obey commands and even wag its tail, which gives kids all the benefits of owning a dog without any of the hassle.

2. Kidizoom Digital Camera Pink from Vtech. For the tech oriented little girl in your life, consider the Kidizoom Digital Camera. Not only will she look stylish sporting this pink camera, but she can take real photos and video as well. Vtech has designed all version of their Kidizoom Camera to fit in small hands and be resilient enough to survive in a child's care. This camera is a great idea for kids who want to take pictures but still are a little too young to handle more expensive cameras.

3. Bakugan Battle Arena. This Japanese style game features both collectible cards and figures which opponents can use to battle one another. This game of skill has players rolling marbles on a magnetic board to determine which figure will go into battle for them. Once two players have done this, the battles can ensue, leading to hours of fun.

4. Transformers Movie Leader Optimus Prime. Based on the blockbuster movie, the Transformers Movie Leader Optimus Prime is a great gift for a young sci-fi fan. This toy, which features both light and sound, transforms from a robot to a well-concealed vehicle with a partially automated transformation process that must be seen to be believed.

4. LEGO Mindstorms NXT. This LEGO toy is a fantastic gift for a child who loves to build. The LEGO Minstorms NXT comes with easy to follow instructions that help create a robot complete with sensors that can open the door to the imagination. This is a gift that keeps on giving with hours of discovery, entertainment, and learning to be had.

6. Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House. There is no show popular than Hannah Montana, which makes this Malibu Beach House a great gift to give this holiday season. Designed after the sets of the hit show, the Malibu Beach House is the perfect accessory for the Hannah Montana doll collection and will light up any fan's face on Christmas morning.

7. Blokus Classic. This award winning game is fun for the whole family this holiday season. Designed for two to four players, each time Blokus Classic is distinctive, keeping players guessing and interested. This colorful game encourages logic and strategy and should be a must-have on every Christmas list this year.

8. EyeClops Night Vision Infrared Stealth Goggles. These goggles offer hours of adventure for kids of all ages. With real infrared technology, the EyeClops Night Vision Stealth Goggles allow users to see up to fifty feet in the dark, which can open up the night to hours of nighttime entertainment.

9. LeapFrong Learn and Groove Musical Table. For the younger children on your shopping list this year, be sure to check out this Learn and Groove Musical Table. Designed for children ages six months to three years, this table can help develop the skills young children need. With a wide selection of music and a range of actions to be performed on the table top, babies will love the Learn and Groove Musical Table.

10. Speed Racer Sky Jump Track Set. This Track Set features all the thrills of the Speed Racer movie in your own home. On this set, the cars can complete spectacular leaps and crashes, sure to thrill children of all ages.

Please visit us to learn more about the Top 10 Christmas Toys For Kids 2008

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Maria_Stammberger"

via: http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Christmas-Toys-For-Kids-2008&id=1635445

Gingerbread-type House

I do love those beautiful big Gingerbread houses, but here is a great much more afordable way to make Gingerbread houses with lots of kids. Have fun!


Find out how you can make miniature gingerbread-type houses using graham crackers.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
Graham Crackers
Icing
An Assortment of Candies
Preparation:
What you need to do is line a small sheet of card board with tin foil then place 4 crackers in a square standing up to form the base of the house. 'Glue' them together with iceing. Gently place 2 more graham crackers over the top to be the roof. Decorate your house using a variety of candy, which can be 'glued' on using the frosting.
Be creative and try your hand making different sized houses! For more support use a small box or milk carton as a base for your 'gingerbread' house. This will help it be sturdier.

via: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/creativesnacks/r/gingerhouserec.htm

these 10 things a day keep the Doctor away!

'tis the season...

...for lots and lots of germs all around you and for all kinds of viruses making their rounds. Now don't get me wrong, I am not one of those paranoid people that take their sanitizer along everywhere and don't shake any one's hand or touch anything in public.
However I do have a child with asthma and I know that getting sick means inviting long nights of staying up with tons of asthma attacks into my home.
And lets face it people, even if you or your child do not have asthma who wants to be sick for the Holidays?
So here are some things that we do in our house that have helped us keep colds away.
Now I am not saying that you will never get the sniffles again if you do all of this, but I can tell you that when one of us does start to feel a little under the weather (and that happens maybe once or twice a year) then there are a few simple things we do to get back to good health without it ever hitting us so hard that we feel really awful and sick. So here are the 10 things that in my opinion help to stay healthy throughout the winter:

1 - eat fresh! At least 2 servings of fruit and veggies each a day! This goes especially for your kids!

2 - get at least one hour of fresh air a day. Best is running or walking or some sort of active play. Even when it is raining...one hour is the minimum to get a lot of good clean air in your lungs!

3 - get enough sleep. I know that especially during the Holidays things can be hectic and it is hard to get enough sleep, but for kids in particular it is important to get all the sleep they need because a tired body is weak and unable to fend off anything harmful.

4 - keep limits on the sugar intake! As much as candy and all kinds of treats go hand in hand with the Holidays...it is important to keep up your vitamin intake. So do indulge in the good stuff, but don't overdo it!

5 - wash your hands! In this season more then in any other make sure you and your little ones wash hands as often as you can. This is a great way to keep germs at a minimum.

6 - Open the windows at least twice a week! Now I do this every other day, because fresh air is just that important. Let fresh air into all of your rooms, but especially the rooms you sleep in!

7 - Keep Media-time to a minimum. No more then two hours a day! A body that just sits and is not actively working, thinking or playing will eventually get tired and unmotivated. Use the rainy and cold "indoor" days to spend time making cards, puzzling playing board games or baking...you get the point.

8 -Laugh! They say laughter is the best medicine and they are right :). Keeping a positive outlook and not letting the stress overwhelm you is important to your health!


9 - DO disinfect, so that existing germs don't even get the chance to hop from one to the other person in your house. I like to use Lysol disinfectant spray, cause it is handy and fast to use. Make sure you get all the surfaces that get touched a lot like your doorknobs, phones, keyboard, computer mouse, toilets, light switches, remotes...you know what I mean, right? Now I don't mean go around the whole house every day and use a whole can of Lysol in the war against germs... every couple of days will do and you don't have to go nuts over spraying.

10 - If you do start feeling a little sniffle don't choke down every medication you can find against a cold. Maybe take some cold medicine before you go to sleep, so your body can actually rest. Eat vitamin c rich fruit like oranges. Take some vitamins on the side as well. Try to keep warm, at all times. (This is not for when you or your child have a fever). Drink onion-juice...disgusting...but it helps! You cut up an onion and smother it in honey, let stand over night, or for 8 hours and then separate out the juice and drink it....yum ;)

Now good luck, no health throughout the winter!

Nadine

Clothesline Theater

What a wonderful Idea! I love the fact that you can spend the time together painting the scenery on and then have fun watching/performing the Act!
A great idea for a fun Family day in the Yard!
Have Fun



This simple theater sets the stage for hours of backyard fun. CRAFT MATERIALS:
2 (6-foot) lengths of polypropylene clothesline
3 old sheets
Paint
Clothespins
Dozen 1 1/4-inch binder clips

Time needed: About 2 to 3 Hours
1. String up two parallel lengths of polypropylene clothesline 6 feet apart. Paint scenery on a background sheet, as we've done -- or pin on scenery cut from or painted on craft paper -- then use clothespins to attach the sheet to the line farthest from the audience.

2. For the curtains, suspend two sheets from the front clothesline using 1 1/4-inch binder clips hung at 1-foot intervals. The clothesline should go through the clips' triangular centers, allowing kids to slide the curtains open and closed for dramatic effect.

via: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11440

The 100 Best Children’s Books

When it comes to great children’s literature, kids have hundreds of books to choose from – everything from the enduring classics to award-winning, modern-day picture books and novels.

Here, listed by category, title, author and illustrator is our list of the best children’s books on the shelves – stories that will excite your kids and remain in their memories for years to come. This list represents the views of parents, children’s literature experts and our own readers.

While not every classic children’s book is listed, these are the books that strike a special chord and stay with us through adulthood.


Books for Babies l Picture Books l Chapter Books l Nonfiction or Poetry

Books for Babies

• Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

• Have You Seen My Duckling?, by Nancy Tafuri

• Pippo (series), by Helen Oxenbury

• Spot (series), by Eric Hill

• Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle


Return to Top
Picture Books

• Alfie (series), by Shirley Hughes

• Arthur (series), by Marc Brown

• Babar (series), by Jean De Brunhoff

• Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban

• A Chair for My Mother, by Vera Williams

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Lois Ehlert

• Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes

• Doctor DeSoto, by William Steig

• Dog Heaven, by Cynthia Rylant

• Frog and Toad (series), by Arnold Lobel

• Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson

• Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, by Eric Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

• A Hole Is to Dig, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

• Horton Hears a Who, by Dr. Seuss

• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

• Jumanji, by Chris Van Allsburg

• Lon Po Po, by Ed Young

• Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans

• Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey

• Martha Speaks, by Susan Meddaugh

• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton

• Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag

• Miss Nelson is Missing!, by Harry Allard and James Marshall

• Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney

• The Mitten, by Jan Brett

• Mr. Gumpy’s Outing, by John Burningham

• Olivia, by Ian Falconer

• The Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall

• Peter Rabbit (The Tales of), by Beatrix Potter

• The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg

• Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, by Eleanor Coerr

• The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats

• The Spider and the Fly, by Mary Howitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi

• The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson

• The Story of Holly and Ivy, by Rumer Godden

• The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams, illustrated by William Nicholson

• Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears, by Varda Aardema, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

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Chapter Books
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Sir John Tenniel

• Anastasia Krupnik, by Lois Lowry

• Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery

• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume

• Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo

• The Borrowers (series), by Mary Norton

• Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Patterson

• Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

• The Devil’s Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen

• Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers

• The Friendship, by Mildred Taylor

• The Giver, by Lois Lowry

• The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Patterson

• Grimms’ Fairy Tales, by the Brothers Grimm

• Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh

• Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Mary Grandpré

• Hatchet, by Gary Paulson

• Henry and Mudge (series), by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson

• Holes, by Louis Sachar

• Homer Price (series), by Robert McCloskey

• The Indian in the Cupboard (series), by Lynne Reid Banks

• Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell

• James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

• Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia series), by C.SLewis

• Little House (series), by Laura Ingalls Wilder

• The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

• M.C. Higgins the Great, by Virginia Hamilton

• Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli

• Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry

• One-Eyed Cat, by Paula Fox

• Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

• The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

• Ramona (series), by Beverly Cleary

• Redwall (series), by Brian Jacques

• Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan

• The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

• Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

• Stone Fox, by John Reynolds Gardiner

• The Story of Dr. Doolittle, by Hugh Lofting

• Stuart Little, by E.B. White

• The Summer of the Swans, by Betsy Byars

• The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke

• Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt

• Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls

• The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

• Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne

• The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare

• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle


Return to Top
Nonfiction or Poetry

• Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank

• It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley

• A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein

• The New Kid on the Block, by Jack Prelutsky

• Talking Like the Rain (anthology), by Dorothy and X.J. Kennedy

• The Way Things Work, by David Macaulay

• You Be Good and I’ll Be Night, by Eve Merriam

via: http://www.parenthood.com/article-topics/the_100_best_childrens_books.html

Teach Problem-Solving

The Summer can be rather challenging for Parents! There you have all of your children together in one House and all you do all day long is medeate between Kids about who had what first and how unfair it is that someone did something that they weren't supposed to.....You can relate.
Here is a nice Article that I think might help you.
I wish you Sanity today!

by Johanna Sorrentino


rate this article 1 2 3 4 5 Not Rated
Children are impulsive. And to avoid mishaps, parents often resort to simply telling children what to do. Yes, it may be simpler. But it removes the opportunity for a valuable lesson: teaching kids how to make effective choices. Clinical psychologist Erik Fisher says most first graders understand that they have many choices when deciding how to act, but they often rush head-long into the wrong ones. In his book, The Art of Empowered Parenting (Ovation Books, 2007) he encourages parents to slow down a child's thought process, so she can practice problem-solving.

What does he mean by slowing things down? Well for one, teach children to weigh their options before jumping head first into a decision. Here are three things you should teach your child to ask himself before making a choice:


1. Is what I am going to do (or did) a good idea?

2. Could it hurt, harm, or interfere with anyone, anything, or myself?

3. Is there a different or better way to do it?

Note: While stealing Jimmy's lunch box may not be a better alternative to pulling his hair, don't lose hope: your child's ideas will eventually become more reasonable with practice.

If you think these questions are too complex for your first grader, think again. It's important to introduce your child to these questions early on in her development, says Fisher.

One way to help simplify the concept of problem-solving is to give visual and auditory clues to each question, in order to help your child remember, he says. Take the questions above, for example. A band aid would be a good visual cue to help kids represent and remember Question # 2.

Emotional boo-boos are no fun. And you can help your child with some preventative First Aid. The consistent application of these question gives kids the opportunity to slow down long enough to think about their choices. It may be just what your child needs to bring out his emotional intelligence.






via: http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Power_Struggles_First_Grade/

Mommy, I'm bored!

Here is a long List of things that are sure to keep your Child busy for a while!
Happy Picking,
Nadine




Fun activities for your toddler

by Jenny Wanderscheid


Toddlers love to draw, paint and experiment. ChildFun's Jenny Wanderscheid offers these fun activities for your toddler, using materials you probably already have at home. Now, you'll have something to give them whenever they cry, "Mommy, I'm bored!"

Tracing your child
Have the child lie on his back on the paper. Trace around the child. Then each child colors in his face, clothes etc. Don't forget freckles, jewelry, etc. Then cut it out for them.

Contact paper
Go for walk with children. Let them pick leaves, daisies, etc. Bring them back and arrange their treasures on contact paper. Then cover with second contact-paper, smooth out air bubbles. Trim contact paper into a shape like circle, etc. Hang their treasure project in window so sun can shine through it.

Science experiment
Do balloon -- static electricity. Inflate a small-medium balloon. Rub balloon on child's hair for about 10-15 seconds. Then place balloon on wall(it will stick because of static electricity). Rub balloon again in hair & lift up slowly so that hair will stand on end. The little children just kept on laughing & having fun with this.

Finger painting
Finger painting is the "classical" art activity for toddlers-and a very good place to start. They enjoy it as much for the feel as for the cause and effect designs they make.

Shaving cream
Many toddlers will not like to get their hands messy with paint, but they will almost invariable love to finger paint with shaving cream. A soft, billowy, good smelling mound of shaving cream is almost irresistible. It has the advantage of being easy to clean up, and leaving everything, including the artists, cleaner and sweeter smelling than before.

Make sure to rinse their hands afterwards to avoid skin irritation. Let children paint right on the table top. You could also give children "cafeteria trays" or cookie sheets to paint on to minimize a mess. For variety you could add a few drops of food coloring to the shaving cream to create pretty pastels.

Heated shaving cream
It's a wonderful treat, and very soothing, to fingerpaint with heated shaving cream. To heat the shaving cream you can use one of the small electric appliances designed for that purpose. If you cannot locate on of these, simply place the can in hot water for a few minutes. It works!

Window painting
Toddlers love to fingerpaint on a low window. When the paint dries they can use their fingers or a cotton tipped swab to scribble designs through the paint. Mix detergent or powdered window cleaner with the paint so it will wash off easily.

Do a group fingerpainting
Tape a long piece of shelf paper to a table top and let several children paint at once. They'll enjoy the social aspect.

Scribble d飯r
Tape a large sheet of butcher paper to a table top and make that known as your scribble table. It can stay on the table several days, even a week or two. Put different things on the table for toddlers to scribble with freely. When the paper gets all filled up, simply remove it and replace it with a clean sheet. This could become a permanent fixture in your room.

A scribble easel
Tape a large piece of paper to an easel. Tie a piece of yarn about 2 feet long around a fat crayon with a notch in it so the yarn doesn't slip off. Tie the other end to the top of the easel. This is now a "scribble place" where a it so the yarn doesn't slip off. Tie the other end to the top of the easel. This is now a "scribble place" where a child may make a mark whenever she pleases, without waiting for an adult to set out the materials. You could attach several different colors of crayons.

Paint with roll-on deodorant bottles
By pressing your thumb hard against the plastic collar and prying underneath with something metal you can pop the ball and collar off roll-on deodorant bottles. Wash out the inside and fill it with liquid tempera paint. Snap the ball and collar back on. You've just made a "giant ball point pen" that's a very effective scribbling tool for toddlers. Bright swatches of paint appear on the paper with minimal mess.

Straw painting
Put spoonfuls of paint on paper and have toddlers blow the paint with straws. This will be appropriate only for children who have mastered blowing rather than sucking.

Paint boxes
Paint boxes with small paint brushes. The boxes can be turned into boats, buses, houses, mailboxes, spaceships, etc, depending on the theme you are using.

Chalk
You can use colored chalk, large pieces of sidewalk chalk Draw on a chalkboard, sidewalk, cement wall, wet paper, dry construction paper. Draw roads and lakes to use for playing with cars, trucks, and boats. You can leave your chalk drawings for the rain to wash off, or let the children use squirt guns or squirt/spray bottles to wash off the artwork.

Collage
Put a piece of sticky contact paper on a table with the sticky side up and tape down all the sides. Model putting on collage items such as feathers, leaves, shapes/objects cut from paper, and any small you can place sheets of construction paper on it and cut it into sections for pictures to take home. If the objects are all flat, the sections can be used for place mats.

Fingerpaint with food
Depending on the developmental level of the child, I have successfully fingerpainted with chocolate pudding, applesauce, and stained baby food fruits with little ones that still put everything into their mouths. You can also seal fingerpaint into a Ziplock bag and tape the seal. Even very small children enjoy mixing colors together safely this way. For children old enough not to mouth the paint, I use a washable fingerpaint as a base and let each child chose two colors of paint to paint and mix together. Just before we end the activity, we do a handprint on another sheet of clean white paper.

For these older toddlers, you can fingerpaint on a mirror with shaving cream or whipping cream that is in a spray can. This is a good activity for fine motor skills-let the children try to squirt out the cream.

Gluing
Glue sticks, paper or cardboard, things to glue (noodles, feathers, pieces of torn paper, Kleenex ?, tissue paper, leaves, flower petals).

Caution: Gluing is often a difficult activity for toddlers since they maybe more interested in exploring the feeling of the glue than sticking objects on paper. Before you begin, consider what your limits will be in the ways the children will be allowed to use the glue.

Select paper to be use as the background. Select materials to use as picture. The number of items used at one time will probably depend on the age/interest level of the child. Most children will do better with one or two items at a time.

Have children put one or two spots of glue on paper. You may need to demonstrate how to use the glue if this is a new activity. Put things to be glued on top of the spots of glue and push down. Just do as much as each child is interested in. The process is more important than the product.

via: http://geoparent.com/family/fun/imbored.htm

Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke

With the Summer heat cranking up and everyone planning more and more Outside activities here is some Information that every Parent should have!
Have a safe Summer!


How to Keep An Eye on Your Child for These Heat-Related Illnesses
Children have more body surface area per pound of weight than adults. This makes children more prone to heat illness. Early warning signs include dehydration.

Symptoms of Dehydration


Thirst
Fatigue
Irritability
Dry mouth
Feeling hot

If your child complains of thirst, feels hot or become irritable in the heat, the child may have early dehydration. Make sure the child drinks plenty of cool fluids. Keep the child out of the sun and in a cool, comfortable place.

If theses symptoms are ignored, more serious heat illnesses can occur, like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, putting your child at great risk.

What Is Heat Exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion requires immediate attention. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, weakness, profuse sweating, excessive thirst, muscle aches and cramps, agitation or irritability, and sometimes unconsciousness. In some cases, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which requires emergency medical treatment.

What Do I Do If My Child Has Heat Exhaustion?
Bring the child to a cool place and have the child drink plenty of fluids. The child should not be allowed to play again that day.
If the child is becoming unconscious or confused, has a seizure, difficulty breathing, vomiting or diarrhea, seek medical attention immediately.

What Is Heat Stroke?
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms of heat stroke include a high body temperature (104°F-105°F or higher); nausea and vomiting; seizures; disorientation or delirium; hot, dry skin or profuse sweating; unconsciousness; coma; shortness of breath; decreased urination; or blood in urine or stool.
Heat stroke can occur suddenly, without any symptoms of heat exhaustion.

What Do I Do If My Child Has Heat Stroke?
Get the child to the emergency room immediately. Cool the body while awaiting the ambulance by removing clothing and placing ice bags on the neck, in the armpits, and the groin areas. Fan the child and spray with cool water. If child is awake and able to swallow, give fluids.

via: http://onetoughjob.org/summer.aspx

Bubble Pictures

This is a great craft idea for the summer. We tack up some pieces of construction paper on a fence at the children's face height. Then we mix a little bit of food coloring in some bubble solution. We usually mix up a couple of bottles in different colors. Then we have the kids blow bubbles onto the paper. They have a ball doing this, but make sure they are wearing old clothes or swimsuits so they won't get food coloring on good clothes -- it could stain.


via: http://www.freekidcrafts.com/summer.html

Ice Cream in a Bag

Here is a wonderful Idea for an afternoon with the Kids!
Enjoy the fruit of your Labor!

By: The contributors of Kaboose.com, plus additional recipe testing and photography by Christina Stanley-Salerno

Difficulty: Very Easy

Average User Rating:
4.2/5

Parental supervision is recommended



Milk can become ice cream in five minutes! This homemade ice cream-in-a-bag creamy treat is a summertime delight for kids and adults alike.

Visit our main summer crafts page for more quick and easy warm-weather projects that will delight children.


What you'll need:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes
How to make it:
Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!
Tips:
A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.



Here's an improvised version from another parent:

These are the ice cream ingredients . . .

1/4 teaspoon imitation vanilla butter and nut flavor
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup 1% milk


These are the other supplies . . .

Plastic sandwich bag (e.g., Ziploc)
12 water softener pellets
1 tray of ice (My ice cube tray makes small cubes, so it produces only about half a tray.)
Large plastic bag



Put the ice-cream ingredients in the small bag, and then put the bag, salt, and ice in the big bag. Hold the bag shut and stir it around on the floor for about 5 minutes. Although the salt pellets hardly dissolved, I got ice cream. It was not as smooth as ice cream, probably because of the low-fat milk. Instead, it was a little like sherbet. I think if I had more ice in the bag, I could have shaken it better. I'd recommend wearing gloves. It is incredible that it is ready in 5 minutes (not counting assembling the ingredients.)


Next, I changed the recipe, using a tablespoon of cocoa, a tablespoon of sugar, and a cup of milk. I really wanted to use carob, but I didn't have any. It was a tad too chocolatey, but good! My daughter has milk allergies, so I suggested she try this with fruit juice. She used straight pineapple juice and got a terrific fruit sorbet


via:http://crafts.kaboose.com/ice-cream-in-a-bag.html

Have some fun...don't stay dry!

Here is a great Idea for a Party Game. All Kids, no matter their Age, LOVE Water Balloons!
Have a blast!


What You'll Need:
Several Small Water Balloons
A Large, Outdoor Playing Area

Preparation:

Fill up several balloons with water. You will need one balloon for every two players, but it won't hurt to have a few extras on hand. Store them in a large bucket in case they pop before the party.




At The Party:

Divide the children into pairs. Have the members of each pair stand across from each other, forming 2 lines with 2’ to 3’ in between them. Give a water balloon to each player in one of the two rows.

When you say, “Go!” the players on each team must begin tossing their water balloon back and forth to each other. Each time a player successfully catches a balloon, he or she must take a step backwards. The space between the two rows will grow with each toss, making it harder for the players to catch the balloons. When a player misses a toss and a team’s balloon breaks, that team is eliminated from the competition. The last team with an unbroken water balloon is declared the winner.

via: http://www.birthdayinabox.com/party-ideas/guidesdetails.asp-aseq-523-bgs-3-dept_id-

Box Fort or Habitat

Here is a great indoor activities! In our area there have been many Wildfires and we have been restricted to our House due to smoke. This is a wonderful Activity to pass the day, and I actually remember doing this as a Kid ;)
Have a great time exploring your Child's Imagination!


Required: Large boxes, tape, marker and scissors

Find some large boxes to play in. You can either use those leftover large present boxes or acquire a few large boxes from a nearby store. Have the kids figure out how they want their fort to look with passageways to the other boxes. What type of windows? Windows that open up, open down or open out. Have someone that is knowledgeable with scissors cut out openings, use caution when doing so. Use duct tape or shipping tape to keep the boxes together. Kids can decorate their fort with markers and other ways. Discuss with kids different types of forts that were built in America, Canada and other countries. Have them do some research on the Internet as to these types of forts. For younger children have them think about different types of habitats that animals use for protection. Whenever your children try a new activity or game, this is your greatest opportunity to tie it into a learning experience. Games can always be a learning process for kids and adults; you’ll learn many things in the process. - R. Scheel, Fun-Attic Inc.


via: http://www.funattic.com/game_family.htm

Easy sponge painted eggs

I will be trying out this method over the weekend. It looks like something that smaller children would be able to do as well. Enjoy!

Easy sponge painted eggs
By: Amanda Formaro

Difficulty: Very Easy

Age: 7 and up

Average User Rating:

12345(0/5)


Looking for something different this Easter? Try sponge painting! You can get creative with different colors and designs.



What you'll need:
Hard boiled eggs
Acrylic craft paints in the colors of your choice
Household sponge
Paper towel
Small bowl of water
Egg holder or empty egg carton
How to make it:
Soak a household sponge in water, then ring it out completely. Cut the sponge into several different pieces, enough so that you have one for each color.
Using a paper plate as a palette, squeeze out small amounts of several different colors of paint.
Place an empty egg carton upside down so that you can rest your eggs on it to dry once painted.
Hold an egg in your fingers, and with your other hand, dab a sponge into desired paint color.
Dab the sponge onto a piece of paper towel. The object is to remove the excess paint, but not completely dry it out.
Now dab the sponge directly onto your egg, using any type of random pattern you like. Paint as much of the egg as you can and place it down to dry.
Repeat steps four to six for each egg, using different colors.
For a colored background with white sponge marks, simply paint the egg a solid color with a paint brush or with one of your sponges. When dry, sponge on a pattern with white paint.
When one side has dried, complete the other side and allow that to dry as well.
Place eggs into an egg holder, or fill a bowl with Easter grass and arrange the eggs atop the grass.
Tips:

To make pastel paints from primary colors, simply add enough white paint until you have reached the shade you want.
Use a pair of scissors to round the edge of the sponges. Square edge can make your design look choppy, whereas a rounded edge looks softer.
Instead of painting the eggs a solid color, you can always dye them with traditional methods, then sponge paint them with white. This is an easy alternative if you don’t have several different paint colors on hand.
Get creative! Make different shapes by cutting hearts or letters from the sponges. Dollar stores will sometimes have shaped sponges in the kid’s bath section.
When boiling eggs, start the flame at medium high rather than on high. You will have less cracked eggs this way as they are not bouncing around in the pot as they would at a fast rolling boil.

via: http://crafts.kaboose.com/easter-sponge-painted-eggs.html

Party Carrots

Oh what an adorable idea! We will absolutely do this at our house this easter. Very creative...I love it!

Make one of these carrots for each party guest, then display them in a big bunny-tempting pile on the brunch table. CRAFT MATERIALS:
Orange paper napkins, dinner size
Green plastic utensils
Green pipe cleaners

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. For each carrot, fold one of the paper napkins into a rectangle. Place a set of utensils across the lower left corner of the rectangle, fold in the lower right corner as shown, then roll it up loosely.

2. Wrap one or two green pipe cleaners around the napkin and necks of the utensils, then twist them to secure, as shown.

3. Trim the pipe cleaners a bit, if desired, so they look like leafy carrot tops.

Tips:
Be sure to check out The Great Easter Egg Hunt for more great Easter ideas.

via: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11412

Easter Egg Ideas by the Dozen: Masked Designs

Here are great ideas to enjoy with kids that are a little bit older.
Have fun!

Adhere common supplies such as tape, stickers, or even little leaves to eggs; when you dye the eggs and remove the "masks," the designs stand out. There are lots of ways to vary this technique to create original eggs.

Design Possibilities
To make a plaid egg using masking tape, start with a white or brown egg, or dye one a light hue. Wrap 1/4-inch masking tape lengthwise around the egg for stripes; rub the tape at the edges with your fingernail for a good seal, so dye can't seep underneath. Dye egg to desired color. Blot with a paper towel. Let dry 10 minutes. Make stripes around the egg crosswise using 1/8-inch masking tape. Rub down tape; dye in a darker color, and dry as before. Remove tape. For other design options, use rubber bands or small stickers (such as dots, stars, and ring-shaped paper reinforcers, available at office-supply stores; big stickers won't lie flat on the rounded surfaces of an egg).

Botanical Eggs
Grace eggs with the delicate shapes of greenery. You'll need an egg white, small leaves or sprigs such as those from various herbs, a tiny paintbrush, a nylon stocking, string, dye, and paper towels. Apply egg white to the back of a leaf with the paintbrush, place the leaf on an egg, and press gently with fingers. Cut stocking into 4-inch squares. Lay egg in center of square and pull nylon around it, stretching it taut; tie with string. Submerge egg in dye for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove egg, and blot with a paper towel. Snip string, and unwrap nylon stocking to check color. If egg isn't the desired hue, retie, and dye again. When the desired color is achieved, remove nylon; peel away leaf carefully. Blot with a paper towel, then dry egg on paper towels for 10 minutes, leaf side facing up.

Return to Easter Eggs by the Dozen.

When you finish making these egg projects, don't forget to rate or comment to let others know what you thought of the craft. Then, share your completed crafts with the group by posting a picture of your finished project on our message boards.

via: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=f2e3f1355daf4110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d14dab78367ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=collage_crafts_egg-decorating_p1&lnc=d14dab78367ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD

Nadine wants to know

written by Nadine Clifton

I have added a new section to The Parent Lab. Every week you will find a "Nadine wants to know" article here, in which I share a question with you and would love some feedback!
I think it can be very inspiring to hear how other Parents and Caregivers handle situations that we all encounter with our children.
Today I would like to touch the subject of TV.
We currently have a poll going that I want to include in this conversation, so don't forget to vote.
The majority of you let their children watch between 1 and 3 hours of TV a day.
I have covered my opinion in the September article: "The controversy of Television"
Since I have written that article a couple of things have changed in our house.
It has now become media time, not TV-time anymore. My son can decide what he wants to use his one hour on. He can either watch TV, or play games on the Computer, or play Nintendo, or play Wii...you get the idea.
I have divided the one hour into three 20 minute periods. That way it is not used up all at once.
Now I want to know from you:
How do you handle your children's requests for TV and Video games and so on?
Do you limit only TV or other Media as well?
How Do you decide what your Child may or may not watch or play?
Do you feel that the whole fuss over too much TV being bad for your child is overrated?

I can't wait to find out what you have to say on the subject! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is enjoying Monday as much as possible ;)!

Egg Garden

How excited your children will be when they make these beautiful table decorations and see them on the table on Easter morning. Have fun!


Turn your Easter eggs into a blooming centerpiece for the table with these flowering pedestals. CRAFT MATERIALS:
Craft foam in green and other colors
Cardboard tube
Scissors
Masking tape
Eggs (real or plastic)
Sandwich bag
Uncooked rice or beans

Time needed: About 1 to 2 Hours
1. Cut a pair of petal patterns from craft foam (or download our templates). For the center hole, trace the end of a cardboard tube, then cut out the circle.

2. To make the stem, glue a piece of green craft foam around the cardboard tube, using masking tape to secure it until the glue dries.

3. Push the foam-covered stem through the holes in the foam petals and set an egg in place for the flower center. For added stability, place a sealed sandwich bag of uncooked rice or beans inside the stem to anchor it.

via:http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11710

Trick your Tongue

Hey, do you have a bit of a longer car ride planned for this weekend? Do your kids look a little bored today? Why not try this to pass the time a little faster?
Sounds like fun to me ;)



Trick Your Tongue

Looking for something fun to do?
Here are some clever ideas to
keep your tongues busy!

What You Will Need:
Your Tongue!
A Sense of Humor

What You Do:
Say the alphabet, out loud, slowly. Feel how your tongue and your lips move as you say each letter.
Now, keep your tongue up against the roof of your mouth and say the alphabet again. What letters were hard to say? Are there any letters you couldn't say at all? Can you say your name this way?
Now keep your tongue down at the bottom of your mouth and say the alphabet again. Were there different letters that were hard to say? Could you say your name?

The Science: When you talk, your mouth, lips, and tongue all work together to make one sound right after another, so you can say words and sentences.

Tongue Twisters Tongue Twisters are groups of words with sounds that are hard to say together. Try saying these tongue twisters out loud. They may look simple, but can you say them 5 times as fast as you can?


Toy boat
Selfish shellfish
Mixed biscuits
Red leather, yellow leather
Greek grapes
Unique New York
Knapsack Straps
Black bug's blood
Shredded Swiss cheese


Ready for more of a challenge? Try these...


Which is the witch that wished the wicked wish?
Pass the plain pliable painted paper plate, please.
A bloke's bike's back brake block broke.
Shave a cedar shingle thin.
Does the wristwatch shop shut soon?
"Mrs. Smith's Fish Sauce Shop", said the shiny sign.
Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.
The sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick.*


*According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is the hardest tongue twister in the English language!



Did You Know...

Speech therapists have used tongue twisters to improve people's pronunciation. By giving you a difficult series of sounds, tongue twisters make you aware of how you move your mouth to make sounds.

Can you come up with your own tongue twisters?

Have fun!!!

via: http://www.escapadedirect.com/tryoto.html