Thursday Games: Coin Toss Game

Each Thursday we'll bring you a fun game to play with your kids! 

This week's game is...

Coin Toss Game

index cards

a coin

On one side of several index cards write something that the children are supposed to already know. For example, in my music class, I put musical symbols, and written questions that the students should be able to answer concerning what we are currently learning. (Math facts, letters, numbers, could be also used.)

Place the cards, face down, concentration style.

Give a student a coin and have them stand behind a designated line, a distance from the cards. They then toss the coin to land on one of the cards. The teacher turns over the selected card, asks the question and the student tries to answer. This could be done by teams or by individuals. My older elementary kids enjoy this game.

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Crafty Wednesday: A Handful of Love for Mommy

Each Wednesday we'll bring you a fun craft to make with your kids! 

This week's craft is...

A Handful of Love for Mommy

Construction Paper

Paint

Pipe Cleaners

Photo of Child

To make a hand print Butterfly for Mommy...

Have the child dip their hands in paint. Then place both hands near the top of the paper with thumbs about two inches apart. Then dip their hands in another color of paint and have their hands go in the opposite direction ( just below the other hands) with the thumbs about two inches apart again. Let hands dry and paint a body down the middle. Write "A Handful of Love for Mommy!" on the butterfly body and place a small picture of the child on it. Add pipe cleaners on the head for antenna. This craft makes a great Mother's Day gift.

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Tuesday Craft Recipe: Dryer Lint Modeling Material

Each Tuesday we'll bring you a tasty recipe or craft recipe to make with your kids! 

This week's craft recipe is...

Dryer Lint Modeling Material

3 c Lint (from laundry dryers)

2 c Cold or warm water

2/3 c Non-self-rising wheat flour

3 drops oil of wintergreen

Old newspaper

Put lint and water in a large saucepan. Stir to dampen all parts of the lint. Add flour and stir thoroughly to prevent lumps. Add oil of wintergreen. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture holds together and forms peaks. Pour out onto several thicknesses of newspaper to cool. Use as you would papier-mâché pulp or shaped over armatures (boxes, bottles, balloons, and so forth) or press into a mold. This material will dry in 3 to 5 days to a very hard, durable surface. When wet it has a feltlike consistency. It dries to smooth or rough, depending on how it is used. When pressed into a mold, a hard, smooth finish is obtained. Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for several days.

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Monday Music: Five Pretty Mommies

Each Monday we'll bring you a fun song to sing with your kids! 

This week's song is...

Five Pretty Mommies

Sing to tune of "Five Little Ducks"

Five pretty mommies I once knew,

Fat ones, skinny ones, tall ones, too,

But the one in the middle that belongs to me...

I love her and she loves me!

Down to the grocery we did go,

Wibble - wobble, wibble - wobble, to and fro,

But the one in the middle that belongs to me,

I love her and she loves me!

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Friday Activity: Fingerprint Spring Flowers

Each Friday we'll bring you a fun activity to do with your kids!

This week's activity is...

Fingerprint Spring Flowers

poster/tempera paint for stems & flower petals
paper

Create varying shades of color of choice (i.e.: lavendar & purple, light & dark pink, etc.)Have child paint stem(s), then using his/her fingers, create hyacinths (or similar spring flowers) by dipping fingers in paint, and pressing on either side of the stem, starting w/ a wide base of prints at the bottom, and working toward the top w/ just one or two. It looks great when larger fingers are used first, graduating to pinky prints at the top. - - - create a beautiful spring scene with several, or create just one & cut it out to enjoy solo!

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Thursday Games: Buddy Tag

Each Thursday we'll bring you a fun game to play with your kids!

This week's game is...

Buddy Tag

Participants: 8 to 14

Set boundaries and get the group to pair up. Have each pair pick someone to be "it" first. The buddies may only tag each other. Have them run around, as soon as the player who is it tags their buddy then tries to tag them back. This game has no end so have someone call time when the players look tired.

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Crafty Wednesday: Earth Day Flowers

Each Wednesday we'll bring you a fun craft to make with your kids!

This week's craft is...

Earth Day Flowers

Digital camera
computer printing program
bullentin board paper
tempra paint
glue

Snap each child with your camera and enlarge on computer. Have each child paint flower petals around their face. (Encourage then to paint with bright colors and large petals). When these have dried cut them out and glue on the bulletin board paper to create the look of a flower garden. Be sure to add stems and leaves. Title "We are the flowers of the Earth"

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Tuesday Recipe: Apple Cubes

Each Tuesday we'll bring you a tasty recipe to make with your kids! 

This week's recipe is...

Apple Cubes

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups water

6 oz can apple juice concentrate

Pour 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin into a bowl and add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add one 6 oz. can of apple juice concentrate. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan and chill. Cut into squares when firm.

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Monday Music: Rain Fingerplay

Each Monday we'll bring you a fun song to sing with your kids!

This week's song is...

Rain Fingerplay

Pitter Pat, pitter pat (drum fingers on floor), the rain goes on for hours. And though it keeps me in the house, it's very (hold hands palms up and closed into fists in front of you) good for (open fists) flowers (lift hands imitating flowers growing up).

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Friday Activity: Earth Day Snack Cup Project

Each Friday we'll bring you a fun activity to do with your kids!

This week's activity is...

Earth Day Snack Cup Project

empty Yogurt or Pudding Snack Cup (rinsed clean)
leftover wrapping paper
Dirt Pellets
Seeds

Recycling isn't just for grown-ups! It also means re-using things we might normally throw away. Re-use your snack cup by decorating it with leftover birthday wrapping paper. You can glue the wrapping paper on the cup, or wrap it around and tie with string or ribbon. Then, drop in a dirt pellet (available at walmart/kmart/etc) Add water and watch the dirt expand to fill the cup. Cool! Now plant your seed. Watch your plant grow and let it remind you to recycle and be kind to the Earth.

Find more Earth Day crafts, recipes, activities and more

Thursday Games: Cat and Mouse

Each Thursday we'll bring you a fun game to play with your kids!

This week's game is...

Cat and Mouse

One child is the cat and hides. The rest of the children are mice and sneak up to the cat's hiding place and scratch. This is the signal for the cat to chase the mice and try to catch one. Then choose another child to be the cat until each child has had a turn. Optional: music in the background.

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Crafty Wednesday: Cloud Dough

Each Wednesday we'll bring you a fun craft to make with your kids!

This week's craft is...

Cloud Dough

Flour
Vegetable oil
Powdered tempera paint
Large bowl
Water

Mix 6 cups flour with the desired amount of tempera paint in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups oil and 1 cup water and knead well. If necessary, add more water, in small amounts, until the dough is soft and fluffy. More flour can be added if the dough becomes too sticky. Have Fun!

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Tuesday Recipe: Rainbow Crackers

Each Tuesday we'll bring you a tasty recipe to make with your kids!

This week's recipe is...

Rainbow Crackers

graham crackers (1 square per serving)
vanilla frosting
yellow
red
and blue food coloring

Color 1/3 of the frosting with each of the colors of food coloring. Place a small dollop of each color on each cracker. With clean finger, kids mix the colors to discover new colors through color mixing. Eat up your delicious new discovery! A rainbow on a cracker!

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Monday Music: Everybody Line Up

Each Monday we'll bring you a fun song to sing with your kids!

This week's song is...

Everybody Line Up

Sing to the tune of "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread"

Everybody line up, line up, line up
Everybody line up at the door.
Not on the ceiling, not on the floor
Everybody line up at the door.

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Friday Activity: Egg Counting Fun

Each Friday we'll bring you a fun activity to do with your kids!

This week's activity is...

Egg Counting Fun

egg carton & plastic eggs

Write numbers on the side of each egg (1 - 12). Also write numbers on the bottom of each egg slot in carton. Then ask your children to match the egg to its correct slot! You can also put the corresponding number of jelly beans in each egg for an added counting surprise!

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Thursday Games: Egg Toss

Each Thursday we'll bring you a fun game to play with your kids!

This week's game is...

Egg Toss

Plastic Easter eggs
stickers
prize box

The children line up facing each other and then toss the eggs back and forth. The one to still have their egg when the music stops is the winner. All children get an Easter sticker just for playing the game. The winners also get to pick out of the prize box.

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Crafty Wednesday: Fluffy Rabbit

Each Wednesday we'll bring you a fun craft to make with your kids!

This week's craft is...

Fluffy Rabbit

paper towel tube
cotton
lightweight cardboard
construction paper

Cut the paper towel tube in half. To make the body, cut legs and feet from lightweight cardboard and glue them to 1/2 of the towel tube. Cover them with glue and white cotton balls. Cut ears, eyes, whiskers, nose and mouth from construction paper. Glue them to the bunny body. Add a large cotton ball for the tail!

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Tuesday Recipe: Easter Basket Cupcakes

Each Tuesday we'll bring you a tasty recipe to make with your kids!

This week's recipe is...

Easter Basket Cupcakes

Baked cupcakes frosted with green frosting
chocolate licorice
marshmallow peeps bunnies or chicks
jelly beans

Take a piece of licorice and bend it to look like a handle. Stick it into the cupcake, pointing the ends in towards the center for support. Place a bunny or chick behind the handle and then arrange three jelly beans in front to look like eggs. You can wrap them individually in colored plastic wrap and tie off with curling ribbon for children to take home from school church, etc. This is fun and easy for kids to do with you!

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Monday Music: All the Bunnies

Each Monday we'll bring you a fun song to sing with your kids! 

This week's song is...

All The Bunnies

Have children lying on the floor, pretending to sleep as the set up for this song. It can be done even in a relatively small space.

All the bunnies fast asleep,
All the bunnies not a peep,
If I should sing my song today,
Will all those bunnies get up and play?

(Children get up and hop around room)

Get up little bunnies hopping, hopping,
Get up little bunnies hop, hop, hop.
Get up little bunnies hopping, hopping,
Get up little bunnies hop and stop!

I do this several times in a row, and preschoolers just love it. The song can easily be adapted for any other animal or theme. (i.e. balloons - floating,  frogs - leap,  etc.)

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Friday Activity: April Showers

Each Friday we'll bring you a fun activity to do with your kids!

This week's activity is...

April Showers

Bubble wrap
tempra paint
construction paper
oil crayons

Spread out a section of bubble wrap (small bubbles preferably)with slightly over half of the bubbles popped, cover the bubbles with a thin coat of light blue paint. Place a piece of light blue construction paper over the bubbles and rub gently. Remove paper and let dry.

While paper is drying students can write a spring saying such as "April Showers Bring May Flowers" on a cloud shaped cut out from white paper.

Glue the saying on bubble print and add oil crayon drawing of flowers, sun, etc.

I use this in my kindergarten class as a motivating writing lesson. A bulletin board intitled "What Do April Showers Bring?" is a sure hit!

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Thursday Games: Musical Hugs

Each Thursday we'll bring you a fun game to play with your kids! 

This week's game is...

Musical Hugs

This game is very similar to musical chairs, except everybody wins. The teacher plays music and the children dance to the music. When the teacher stops the tape, the children find ONE friend to hug (nice, gentle hugs). The teacher can make a rule such as every time the music stops, find a different person to hug. This is a great game for boosting the children's self-esteem and self-worth... everybody feels loved and everybody wins!

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Crafty Wednesday: Robins Nest With Eggs

Each Wednesday we'll bring you a fun craft to make with your kids! 

This week's craft is...

Robin's Nest With Eggs

You will need
1 Cup of flour
1 Tablespoon salad oil
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Salt
2 Teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring

Garlic press

Combine all of these ingredients in a large saucepan. Use a wooden spoon to stir over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. The mixture will be soupy for several minutes and then suddenly it will stick together and can be stirred into a ball. When it thickens, remove from heat and continue stirring. Turn the hot ball out onto a floured surface, and begin kneading as it cools. This recipe makes nice soft dough that can be colored brightly with food colors. Color 3/4 of your dough with equal amounts of yellow, red and blue food coloring (to make brown) and the remaining dough with blue.

Squeeze the brown dough through the garlic press to create "straw" to build the bird's nest. Shape the straw pieces into a rounded nest. Roll small lumps of blue dough into egg-shaped balls. Moisten the bottom of each "egg" and stick it into the nest. Let air-dry until hard.

Note: This dough keeps in the refrigerator or freezer in a covered container. Use it to play around with or to make small objects whiich can be air-dried until hard. When dry, they can be painted and sprayed with an arcylic sealer.

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