Thanksgiving Crafts: Turkey Handprints

Handprint Turkeys

How cute is this?  I want to thank my little friends at Little Blessings Preschool for sharing this wonderful invitation with me.  Many of us have seen the cute handprints that make perfect turkey feathers for a Thanksgiving Day craft but I love this one with a family of turkeys.  The kids used the “fist down” for the bodies and got to make several handprints instead of just one to create these  turkey family handprint crafts for Thanksgiving.

These cute Thanksgiving Day crafts are fun for invitations, cards or even place mats.

Halloween party foods & more photos

A picture can say a thousand words and these Halloween party photos can give you instant ideas for creative healthy Halloween snacks and original party ideas. Forget the instructions this time, you’ll get the picture!

Recycled Halloween Crafts

Make this adorable Pumpkin Pals and Halloween photo frames from recycled materials.  Get the details here in Green Halloween Crafts.

Candy Alternatives for Halloween Party Goodie Bags

Fall Craft Bags

We like to invite our friends over for a Halloween party each fall.  I’ve been committed to not serving candy or sending our guests home with any in Halloween party goodie bags.  From trick or treating to trunk or treat parties to school parties, there will plenty of candy to go around each Halloween.

On the other hand most parents don’t really want to add any more tiny, junky toys to their collections either.  Our Halloween party goodie bag is a Fall Crafts Bag.  You can either put in specific directions for fall, Halloween or even Thanksgiving crafts or else include lots of open ended crafts supplies like pipe cleaners, pom poms, stickers and paper and fabric scraps.

We used a simple brown paper bag and reminded our guests when we handed out our Halloween party goody bags that even the bag could be used to create fall crafts. It’s a simple way to put a little “green” in your Halloween.

Easy Play Dough Recipe

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1/2 cup salk

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup floor

food coloring, natural coloring or scents if you like (like beet juice to make it red and cinnamon for scent).

Combine all ingredients in a pan on the stove. Cook until playdough like consistency. Store in an air tight container.

Gift Idea:  Divide out into portions.  Add a small cookie cutter to the container.

 

Birthday Party Favors for Older Girls

Tweens are at such a unique age. They are caught in this cosmos somewhere between Strawberry Shortcake and Rhianna. Once kids get to the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth birthday, bottles of bubbles and sidewalk chalk just aren’t going to win tween favor in the birthday party favor department. My own tweenager has been both hostess and guest at several tweenage parties. We’ll share the best summer party favors for tween girls here. Continue Reading …

Peace symbol party cake, food & more

Whether you’re hosting a back to school party or a birthday party, the peace symbol is a popular theme. Get easy cake ideas, original food ideas, invitations and more here in Peace Symbol Party Ideas.

Throw an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Party

Whether it’s to celebrate back to school, the end of summer or a birthday, any day is a great day to Throw An Old Fashioned Ice Cream Party.

 

4 Nature crafts for Labor Day Weekend

Spend an unplugged weekend this Labor Day weekend getting kids connected to nature with these fun Nature Crafts for Labor Day.  Decorate, play and create the all natural way.

Cool Summer Snacks for Kids

Kids really dig DIY snow cones.

Snow cone stands pop us across the country every summer but this sugary, sweet syrup isn’t the healthiest choice. Kids can make their own snow cones by crushing ice in a blender and adding fruit juice or sports drinks for flavor and color. Serve homemade snow cones in a fancy cup for sipping or with a teaspoon for digging in.

One yogurt plus one stick in the freezer equals a too cool treat.

Frozen yogurt dozen just have to come in a cone. We love to freeze individual yogurt and make yogurt pops. Simply make a slit in the top of a yogurt container and insert a craft stick. After about half an hour in the freezer, gently massage the container until the frozen yogurt separates. Remove the top and pull out a cool and refreshing homemade yogurt pop.

Fruit kabobs are the trick to a smart snack on a stick.

Any fruits you would add to a fruit salad are perfect for a frozen fruit kabob. Chunks of pineapple, grapes, strawberries, slices of kiwi can all be added to a wooden skewer kabob style. Place the fruit kabobs in a freezer bag and freeze for up to an hour. Kids love munching on this naturally sweet treat to beat the heat.

Get mellow with individual cups of Jell-O.

Sugar free Jell-O is made with water and it’s a fun way to stay hydrated. Have kids follow the recipe for Jell-O and then pour into individual cups. Kids can even add non-citrus fruits for mini gelatin salad. Place the cups and in the refrigerator according to directions for a sugar-free snack that is colorful and cool.

Everybody stops for homemade juice pops.

From dollar stores to grocery stores you can find sets of homemade popsicle makers. Use your favorite fruit juices or sports drinks for DIY popsicles. Most will freeze in about an hour. Submerge below the tops in warm water to help release the pops and kids can enjoy a refreshing homemade frozen treat.