November 30, 2011

Easy Star Advent or Christmas countdown calendar

Today’s project for us is to put together our Advent/Christmas countdown calendar.  Here’s how to make one at your home.

Start with a star.  You can use white, yellow, or gold construction or card stock paper.  I use white and then the girls get to go “glitter” it because they love the sparkly stuff!

Here’s a star template for you to use if like me you find it difficult to make one on your own.  You can also use whatever your favorite holiday symbol is from Santa Claus to Snowflakes using these printables.

 

Last year we cheated about purchased the strips of paper to make the rings with. But this year for some reason mom is working more so we are going to use what we have.

Cut strips of paper from construction paper in your favorite colors or use heavy duty wrapping paper.  Strips should be about 6-7 inches long and approximately 1 inch wide.  This is great for cutting practice or if you are in a hurry use the paper slicer like for scrap booking.

You will need 24 strips for each countdown calendar.

Optional – right down an each strip something to do like watch a holiday movie, have a family game night,  donate money to a charity, or gather up your coats and shoes that could be donated to others.  You can also write down a favorite holiday memory, or something nice about another family member.

Create your garland making one strip into a ring and glue. Then thread the next strip through the first and glue to make a ring.  Do this until all strips make one 24 strip long garland.

Attach garland to bottom of star point (I found a simple staple or two works best) and hang.

Each day tear off one of the garlands and do what the strip says or simply count down the days until Christmas.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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November 29, 2011

12 Handprint Christmas Crafts & Handmade Card Ideas

It’s time to start thinking about those Christmas crafts for kids and handprint crafts always get applause.  Here are 12 ideas for Christmas crafts in The 12 Days of Christmas crafts using handprints.

You don’t have to stop at Christmas wreaths.  Check out these ideas for doves, baby Jesus, Santa, Christmas trees, fire places, reindeer and more all using precious handprints.

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November 24, 2011

To Grandmother’s house we go . . .

Normally you hear that song about the Christmas holidays but for us this year the whole family is together for Thanksgiving so we have a great deal to be Thankful for!

 

From our Family to Yours – Happy Thanksgiving! 

Your A to Z Learning Tree hosts,

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November 23, 2011

How to throw an Elmo birthday

Young kids get “tickled” over an Elmo or Sesame Street birthday party and decorating for the party is as easy as A,B, C and 1, 2, 3.

1. Go through your child’s plush animals and books and pull out everything Sesame Street. Tuck Sesame Street characters around the room and stand books up as fun and easy decorations for the food table.

2. The Sesame Street website has a wonderful collection of free printables that you can use to decorate for your Elmo party including letter printables that can be used to make a birthday banner with your birthday boy’s or girl’s name.

3. Since Sesame Street is all about bold primary colors you can do a fun and simple science experiment with your child and create a pretty party centerpiece at the same time. Purchase a bouquet of white carnations. Separate into four different cups of water. Add drops of red, blue and yellow food coloring into three of the cups and add blue and yellow into the fourth cup to make green. Over night your child can watch the white carnations turn into a rainbow of colors. Arrange the flowers together for a centerpiece for the party.

4. Since letter blocks are part of the logo for Sesame Street, it’s fun to create your child’s name from letter blocks to decorate a table or even the cake for an Elmo party.

5. The Sesame Street website also has free printables featuring numbers one through twenty. Print out your child’s age and make a welcome sign for your party guests.

 

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November 22, 2011

5 minute Pumpkin Pie the kids can make

This Pumpkin Chiffon Pie was so delicious!  And my children made it all on their own. So why not save some time in the kitchen and let them make it for dessert for your Thanksgiving Dinner?

1/2 Jar Roberts Reserve Spice Maple Pumpkin Dip (this is what my grocery store carries but you could use what your store has available)

1 Pint (2 cups) Half and Half or Heavy Cream

2 small boxes or 1 large box instant Vanilla pudding mix 

1 prepared graham cracker crust (or keep them busy even longer by making your own).  Crush crackers inside a sturdy zip lock bag using a rolling pin.  Then add butter to make the crust and flatten into pan.

1) In a mixing bowl combine pumpkin dipg and cream. Wisk to combine.

2) Add pudding mix and stir until it begins to thinking.  For best results use 2 small boxes of pudding with half and half.

3) Pour mixture into crust and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to set.  If you use half and half refrigerate for at least one hour.  Garnish with whipped cream.  (That’s how you can finish off the cream you bought!)

Seriously yummy!

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November 22, 2011

Cornucopia Place Settings for Your Thanksgiving Table

Cornucopia Place Settings

Cut the shape of a cornucopia from brown construction paper. A pattern is available on Scholastic. Cut fruits and vegetables from a grocery store flyer or magazine. Be careful with the flyers as they can contain newsprint making everyone’s fingers black. Cut out leaves in different colors of red, gold, brown and red. Glue the fruits, vegetables and leaves onto the cornucopia to create either name cards or take them to get them laminated and use them as placemats.

Cost: $2.99 for construction paper, .99 for glue and lamination if desired.

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November 22, 2011

Easy Thanksgiving Day Crafts & Activities

Looking for an easy Thanksgiving craft for that won’t just hang on a wall but will get kids dancing? Try “Turkey Tail Feather Belts!

You can make turkey tail feather dancing belts with items you already have at home. You can use cardboard (that can be cut with scissors), poster board or construction paper.

Older children can draw feather shapes, Continue Reading …

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November 21, 2011

Cover Your Table in Thanks: A Thanksgiving Table Cloth

Get the whole family involved in decorating the table the night before dinner. This is also a perfect way to keep those overnight guests entertained.   Continue Reading …
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November 21, 2011

Create a “family tree” of Thanksgiving Centerpiece

To create the Thanks Giving Tree, place cut outs of leaves in greens, browns oranges, reds and yellows on the dining table. Be sure to provide markers, crayons (for the kids) and pens for the adults. Each person writes down (or draws) something they are thankful for and their first name. You can fill out as many as you want, but make sure that everyone has the opportunity to do at least one. Patterns for leaves are available on Scholastic.

On the center of the table have a large flower pot, filled in with rocks and that contains branches (sticks for branches). Tie with pieces of yard the Thanksgiving leaves, and you now have not only your centerpiece but a Thanksgiving Tree you can enjoy for long after the day is gone.

Children can even be involved in this project, with their scribbles. It allows them to participate in the family fun, express their gratitude, learn valuable pre-writing skills and pretend to be a big kid for the day.

My family actually has done this for years, (my oldest is 20 now) and each year I looked forward to theThanksgiving that we all had to give.

Cost of project: Varies on the size of the planter and number of rocks used and $1.39 for construction paper.

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November 19, 2011

How to throw a Winnie the Pooh birthday party

I just love Winnie the Pooh, that silly old bear, and his friends Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl, Rabbit and of course Christopher Robin. Winnie the Pooh is a favorite nursery theme and it is wonderful young birthday party theme. Here are some tips for inviting your friends and family over the 100-Acre Woods to celebrate a special birthday.

Dress for success Winnie the Pooh style.

The birthday boy or girl can be dressed for a day in the 100 Acre Woods Pooh style with a red t-shirt. Mom, Dad and the siblings can done red t-shirts for the special day too and take a honey of family photo at the birthday party.

You’ve just got to have a honey pot.

Whether you fill it with flowers or serve popcorn in it, every Winnie the Pooh party has to have a honey pot. Start with a pottery crock and either paint on the letters if you want a permanent keepsake or use removable letter stickers if you just want a honey pot for the day. Don’t forget, Winnie the Pooh’s pot is a “hunny” pot.


Have your Winnie the Pooh cake and eat it too.

You can find 45 Winnie the Pooh birthday cake ideas at CoolestBirthdayCakes.com
from simple and sweet to the fanciest honey pot of Winnie the Pooh cakes.

You’re invited… to print free Winnie the Pooh invitations.

If you want save money and make your own Winnie the Pooh party invitations you can find several cute ones at the unofficial Pooh Printables Page. There’s also some cute Pooh themed lined paper there that’s perfect for thank you notes.

Decorating the 100 Acre Woods.

You can find fun printables for decorating for your Winnie the Pooh birthday party at Disney Junior website. If you have preschool age guests, these printables also make fun party favors.

Raid that plush animal collections and pull out all of the Winnie the Pooh and friends characters. Plop them along your party tables up against flower arrangements or potted plants. Arrangements of leaves are perfect for a rustic 100 Acre Woods.

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