This Week's Spotlight Crafts

This week we can make wallets, pumpkins, finger puppets, and so much more.

• How to Make Felt Finger Puppets - Character toys make a child's imagination flourish. This video will teach you how to make some basic felt finger puppets that you can adapt to any character you want.

• Drink Pouch Wallet Craft - Follow these directions and you can make a functional wallet using 2 empty juice pouches.

• Decoupaged Jewelry or Desk Organizer - Find out how you can make a unique jewelry box or desk organizer using an egg carton and decoupage techniques.

• Light Bulb Pumpkin Craft - Find out how to create a pumpkin or jack-o-lantern craft using a light bulb and a few other supplies.

• Apple Print Craft - Try your hand at printmaking by making these nice prints using apples and other fruits.

• Wizard Hat - Find out how you can turn an ordinary birthday party hat into a fun wizard hat.

• Vampire Face Painting How-To Video - A how-to video from RoByn Thompson. Take a spooky vampire Halloween costume to the next level with colorful face paint. You can customize the steps and make your little vampire unique using these tips!

Enjoy, and remember, if you complete any of these crafts, take a few moments to send me a picture and it can be featured here too!

(Photo © 2010 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)

via familycrafts.about.com

Here's some great craft ideas for kids.

Fun Pre K Reading Activity

I found this activity on Activities of Downstream Parenting. We started with the book "I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean". I wrote all the words out, and then we laid the notecards out on the floor. We used them like a matching game with the words in the book. It was a big hit. 

Hanna then grabbed a new book the next day and began working on note cards for each word in the book. She did a great job, had a lot of fun and stayed busy for quite a long time!

Can't Beat a John Deere

Hanna got a John Deere Ride On Gator for her birthday last year. She is loving it. She rides it all the time (when it's charged up). She has helped me bring compost to the garden, grab hay from the barn with it, and crate weeds from the garden to the burn pile. It's actually quite handy and a great way to get more outside play time. 

Whenever a friend comes over that's the first thing she wants to show them, and she takes them for a ride all around the property (if she can get them to let her drive ~ with the boys the answer is usually not). 

It's a little pricey, but I'd say for the time spent on it and the fun had it paid for itself. 

Fun and Imaginative Play

I just saw this Step 2 Neat and Tidy Cottage. It's super cute, with an electronic phone, working doorbell and built in sink, stove, table and seats. I think Hanna would have loved this when she was a little bit smaller.  It's a great way to get their imaginations going, and keep them busy for a bit!

What do you think? Does your little one have a playhouse? 

Fun Project ~ Make Flubber

I'm always on the lookout for a fun activity to do with Hanna. I just found this video to make flubber. It sounds pretty fun ~ and I bet she'd like it.

Have you made flubber with your kids? I'd love to know how it went!

Our Scholastic Book Order (round one)

Today was the due date for the first of our scholastic book orders. (I wish someone had told me last year it would happen more than once lol). 

This time around we ordered the "Licious" set ~ Pinkalicious, Purplicious and Goldilicious

I also ordered some I Spy books and some Sight Words books to help her start the reading process ~ which she is dying to do. :)

What books will you be getting for your kiddo this year?

Get Moving Activity Calendar

Last night we went to Preschool open house. They handed out a great little calendar with simple activities to do with your kids to get them moving more. 

I have a goal to stop work for a little bit each hour while Hanna is home and play with her ~ this will hopefully keep her happier when I'm working.

Here's a couple examples of the activities:

turn on some music and shake rock and roll

help put clothes away by balancing them on different body parts as you take them to your room

roll across the yard as a little ball, a long long and a rolling wheel

Simple stuff, but a great way to get moving and stay engaged through the day.

Balance a paper plate on a paper towel roll as you walk.

You can find the whole calendar (and a bunch for the past few years) at www.headstartbodystart.org