March 20, 2013

Sneak peek as DisneyNature brings ‘Wings of Life’ to DVD and Blu-ray in time for Earth Day

DisneyNature brought us “Earth,” “Oceans,” “African Cats” and “Chimpanzee” and just in time for Earth Day they bring to us the opportunity to see “Wings of Life.”   This movie is a a spectacular, closer-than-close, high-definition look at the intricate world of butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and bats, and their life-sustaining collaboration with flowers. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg (“America’s Heart & Soul”) and narrated by Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep, “Wings of Life” will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, Digital and On Demand on April 16, 2013.

Enjoy this first look at the trailer and preorder your copy today! Continue Reading …

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March 2, 2013

DIY play dough recipes

Image: © Nevit Dilmen found at Wikimedia commons

Image: © Nevit Dilmen found at Wikimedia commons

Try this all natural recipe at home to not only create but to color your play clay/play dough:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/8 cup salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Add color naturally with cocoa, beets, paprika, turmeric.  To create use 3/8 cup hot water (more or less as needed) and 4 tbs cocoa powder, or 1 tbs paprika, 1 teaspoon turmeric.  This will create great fall colors in yellow, orange, and brown.

You can also use vegetable or fruit juices. To do, divide dough into different sections, warm 3/8 cup of the juice and then add to the dough mixtures. Try using carrot, spinach, or tomato for vibrant colors.

A reader offers this recipe – which varies a little bit from my own. . .

Combine the ingredients below in a saucepan over medium heat.
two cups white flour
½ cup salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
cup cream of tart
a drop of food colouring
Make sure that the mixture is smooth, cool it down and then the fun begins. Enjoy !

I like to store in Ziploc bags, but you can also recycle jars or plastic containers from around the house.

Want DIY Playdough without doing it yourself?  Try these on for play.

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Amazon.com Widgets

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December 15, 2011

Top games, books & gifts for tweens

Are you looking for gifts for kids ages eight and up? It’s adios to Diego and Dora. These tweens have new skills, longer attention spans and they are ready for some new games, toys and books to challenge and entertain them and our list is totally “unplugged.”

Qwirkle wins for best family game.

Qwirkle comes with 108 wooden tiles wearing colorful shapes to match up. It’s like cards and dominoes rolled into one and on steroids. It’s a four-time toy award winner and the best selling game of all time for Mindware.

Why I like it:
Ages seven and up can be successful. It’s easy to make some kind of match but with some added strategy players can really challenge themselves and rake up the points.
In our house, parents and kids a like vote for Qwirkle for family game night.

Why kids like it:
It’s super easy to set up and the rules are easy to learn so everyone can start play right away.

Science Kits from Educational Explorer give kids a taste explosion.

These fun science kits from Educational Explorer Continue Reading …

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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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September 1, 2011

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.

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May 1, 2011

Under the Sea Bulletin Boards & Lesson Plan Ideas

Sea animals are a popular theme teaching unit and you’ll find an ocean of lesson plan ideas here for Under the Sea Bulletin Boards.

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December 13, 2010

Best Chemistry Sets: Can chemistry look & taste good?

Are you looking for some hot chemistry gifts for Christmas 2010?  Some kids are naturally drawn to chemistry and others are terrified of the word alone.  If we present chemistry as what it is, a combining of substances and matter and their reactions, and even better help kids explore some of the fun ways to use chemistry like cooking and creating perfumes, we can bring chemistry home and off of the Bunsen burner so to speak.  Here are 3 hot chemistry gifts for 2010 that will appeal to chemistry lovers or sneak basic chemistry in through the window for those kids who think they’d rather shut the door on chemistry.

The Candy Factory

Kids can make their own candies including chocolates, caramels, gummies and hard candies using this fun kit.  It’s sweet yes but very educational too.  The booklet describes the history of candy, the biology of taste, the chemistry of sugar and more.  The Candy Factory comes with 25 recipes and 48-page experiment manual, thermometer, spatula, molds, cutters other tools, lollipop sticks and candy wrappers.  The Candy Factory is recommended for ages 10 and up.

Perfumery Science Kit by Scientific Explorer (An Elmer’s Product’s Inc. Company)

Girls ages 8 & up can have fun creating their own perfumes by doing real chemistry experiments and learning more about both the history and science of fragrances. Fragrance oils, pipettes, vials and easy instructions are included for Continue Reading …

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December 5, 2010

Winter science lesson plans: How do animals get ready for winter?

Winter is coming and families are getting ready including animal families.  Build vocabulary and science concepts with the fun animal lesson plan on How animals get ready for winter.

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December 3, 2010

Create mini Learning Centers at home in jars

We’ve always enjoyed “center time” or “exploratory play” in our home during which time our young children could choose an activity to enjoy independently in a defined space such as on a tray or a rug.  I’ve kept a stock of center time ideas and supplies from play dough and accessories to strings and beads to plastic dinosaurs and dioramas.  These center time activities have allowed my children to play and learn independently while I was busy paying bills, scheduling appointments by phone, preparing dinner, doing my bible study or enjoying the latest issue of my favorite magazines.

Traditionally we stored center time activity supplies either in the containers they came in or in plastic storage containers or bags.  Recently two of our family goals came together to lead us to reusing glass jars to store our center time activities.  First off, we’re trying to buy cereals and other foods in bulk for the price break.  Foods purchased in bulk need storage containers but we’re also trying to live greener and reduce purchasing plastics.  Once we began recycling glass, we became aware of just how many glass jars were entering our home.  We began using them for bulk foods and soon our eyes were opened to how glass jars were also a good solution for storing small toys and center time activities.

Glass jars automatically address one of the biggest issues with educational toys, which is “out of sight is out of mind.”  As parents many of us buy educational toys from microscopes to matching games, find an out of the way place to store them, and then sadly forget about them.  Jars won’t work for all educational toys and games but we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many items we can store in jars.

Using jars means the learning toys are organized, visible and attractive.  Plastic square containers are stackable but are less opaque and buying more plastic storage containers is certainly less eco-friendly. I’ve noticed that my children and their young friends are much more attracted to the activities presented in glass jars.  There is something just so novel about the row of glass jars showing off their wares. Continue Reading …

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