Friday Activity: Colorful Butterflies

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

This week's activity is...

Colorful Butterflies

Butterfly print out
Paint
Marbles
cardboard box flats or shallow box

Place the cut out butterfly in the box. Take 3 marbles and place them in the box. Place paint spots sparingly all over the butterfly and then let the kids roll the marbles through the paint by moving the box around. Makes pretty butterflies to hang around the room and is fun for the kids to do!

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Thursday Games: Cold Potato Game

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

This week's game is...

Cold Potato Game

Balloons
a safety pin
water

HOW TO PLAY: Using a pin, poke a hole in a balloon. Then fill it with water, so that it becomes a time bomb with a slow leak. Players stand in a circle and toss the balloon around. The idea is not to be the one holding the balloon when it runs out of water. Still, the focus really isn't on winning or losing--it's on how cool you get while playing the game.

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Crafty Wednesday: Balloon Brushes

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

This week's craft is...

Balloon Brushes

1 package of balloons
sticks or dowels
rubber bands or floral wire

Gather a bunch of balloons (deflated) around a stick or dowel. Take a rubber band or floral wire and secure the balloons to the stick or dowel. Have the children dip the "balloon brush" into paint and explore!


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Tuesday Recipe: Beluga Bubbles

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

This week's recipe is...

Beluga Bubbles

1 C. Warm Water
1/4 C. Blue Dishwashing Liquid
1 Tsp. Salt

Combine all ingredients. Mix well until salt dissolves.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our kid's recipes and craft recipe ideas and Father's Day ideas

Friday Activity: Fireworks In The Sky

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

This week's activity is...

Fireworks In The Sky

Salad spinner
Black construction paper circles to fit inside the spinner
purple
pink
& white tempera paint
silver glitter
silver pen to write child's name on finished product

Simply put the circle in the salad spinner & have child drop some paint onto the paper. I hold the bowl of the spinner while they turn/churn the spinner. Off with the cover to see their design, and while the paint is still wet, sprinkle on the glitter! Simple, but spectacular on our bulletin board!

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Thursday Games: Neighborhood Bike Parade

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

This week's game is...

Neighborhood Bike Parade

Have the neighborhood children decorate their bike with streamers/flags, etc. Then assemble them into a line and have a bike parade through the streets of your neighborhood. You can have recorded patriotic music playing as they ride! You can also have the children make and wear red-white and blue hats!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas and Memorial Day ideas

Crafty Wednesday: Patriotic Paper Chain

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

This week's craft is...

Patriotic Paper Chain

red construction paper
blue construction paper
white paper
stapler
tape
misc. craft supplies

Start by cutting strips of paper 2" wide. Make the first loop and secure with either a staple or tape. Slide the next piece of paper through the first and secure. Continue till all strips are used - make sure to alternate colors. When done making the chain you can embellish with markers, glitter and stickers!


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Tuesday Recipe: Bake Sale Suckers

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

This week's recipe is...

Bake Sale Suckers

Hesheys Bar Chocolate
or Chocolate Chunk Bars any flavor
Craft Sticks Or Sucker Sticks
Chocolate Mold
Cooking Spray
Candy
Candy Decoration
Sandwich Bags
Any Color Curling Ribbon
Scissors

Microwave chocolate in microwave safe bowl for two minutes at a time until melted stirring in between two minute intervals. Spray Chocolate molds with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place candy decorations inside Chocolate mold before adding chocolate. Pour chocolate into molds. Place craft stick or sucker stick at the end of the mold 1/2 on the chocolate 1/2 not. Cover the 1/2 of stick on the chocolate with a dab of Chocolate to make sure it stays put. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or untill Chocolate is firm. If you're in a hurry you can freeze the Chocolate for 1 hour or until firm instead. After the Chocolate is firm the suckers should pop out with a little tug on the stick. Take sandwich bags and individually wrap suckers with the stick end sticking out of the hole of the bag. Tie the ribbon in a Knot the where the chocolate ends and curl with scissors. These suckers were a big hit at our back to school night bake sale they sold for $.75 each they are a great change from the cupcakes and cookies.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our kid's recipes and craft recipe ideas and Father's Day ideas

Monday Music: Apples & Bananas

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

This week's song is...

Apples & Bananas

From Teletubbies:

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

I like to ate, ate, ate ay-ples and ba-nay-nays
I like to ate, ate, ate ay-ples and ba-nay-nays

I like to eat, eat, eat ee-ples and bee-nee-nees
I like to eat, eat, eat ee-ples and bee-nee-nees

I like to ite, ite, ite i-ples and by-ny-nys
I like to ite, ite, ite i-ples and by-ny-nys

I like to ote, ote, ote oh-ples and bo-no-nos
I like to ote, ote, ote oh-ples and bo-no-nos

I like to oot, oot, oot oo-ples and boo-noo-noos
I like to oot, oot, oot oo-ples and boo-noo-noos

Visit The Idea Box for all of our music and song ideas and Father's Day ideas

Friday Activity: Alphabet Dominos

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

This week's activity is...

Alphabet Dominos

Large piece of Tag board
one permanent Black magic marker

Cut the tag board into 1" by 2" pieces. On each Piece print 2 letters, Make the pieces look like dominos ..but with letters. Use all upper case, or lower case. If the children are ready for a challange use both upper and lower. Play as you would with regular dominos! Have fun. You can also make these using shapes, colors, animals, etc.

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Thursday Games: Name Game

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

This week's game is...

Name Game

Child will practice and learn spelling first name by having squares of each letter of his or her name. It will be put in order, scrambled then child must put back in order. When done child should be rewards.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas and Father's Day ideas

Crafty Wednesday: 3D Flower Fridge Magnets

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

This week's craft is...

3D Flower Fridge Magnets

1 empty 35mm film canister
white glue or hot glue gun
4 small magnets
spray of small artificial flowers
may need a few cotton balls for filler

1. Using white glue or hot glue gun, attach the 4 magnets in a column along one side on film canister.

2. Arrange flower spray to your liking inside of the canister. Stems of spray should be long to suggest a flower vase, or short if you'd like your magnet to look like a flower pot. Cotton balls on bottom of canister can help bolster flowers, and keep them in place. You might want to decorate the canister before attaching magnets, using stickers, clip art, foil, etc.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our crafty ideas and Father's Day ideas

Don't forget to enter our contest!

Tuesday Recipe: Apple Cake

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

This week's recipe is...

Apple Cake

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4-5 skinned apples
plastic knives
mixing bowls
wooden spoons

1. Give a group of children plastic knives and instruct them to cut apples into small cubes.

2.Have another group measure the dry ingredients and mix them together in a small bowl.

3. Give a 3rd group the eggs and sugar and beat together until well blended in a large bowl. Then add the oil and beat again.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients until moist. Fold in the apple cubes.

5. Pour the batter into a greased 11"x15" baking pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 18 squares.

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Monday Music: Five Little Squirrels Fingerplay

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

This week's song is...

Five Little Squirrels Fingerplay

Five little squirrels sitting in a tree. The first one said, "It's getting cold for me." The second one said, "The leaves are falling to the ground." The third one said, "Let's get busy there's nuts to be found." The fourth one said, "We better not wait." The fifth one said, "Fall is really great!" 

(Hold up five fingers during the first line. For following lines hold up the correct number of fingers to correspond with the squirrel's number) Follow up this activity by going on a nut scavenger hunt!

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Don't forget to enter our contest!

Friday Activity: Childrens' Fun Box

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

This week's activity is...

Childrens' Fun Box

small cardboard box with lid
several different colors of felt
buttons
plastic eyes
glue
tape
scissors
markers
paper
and any other material you may want

1. Take the box and have the child decorate it with markers.

2. Then put the materials in the box along with some ideas or coloring sheets.

3. You can use this box for trips and such. have them crate different things out of the materials or make a product they would want to sell. They can also use this to carry along toys on a long trip.

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The Idea Box has a new look!

The Idea Box website has been redesigned to make it more user friendly. We hope you enjoy the new look and feel. Please stop by for a visit to see all of our crafts, recipes, activities, songs and more!

www.theideabox.com

To celebrate, we are hosting a giveaway. Enter you name to win some fun books and videos! Be sure to look for the contest on our right side bar, enter through May 31st!

Amanda, Chief Editor

The Idea Box 

Thursday Games: Flip the Fish

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

This week's game is...

Flip the Fish

Newspapers
scissors
pen
finishing line (tape measure
masking tape or jumprope)

Cut large newspaper fish in preparation - you could also use construction paper. If you have lots of kids let them decorate anad put their names on them. Lay out your start and finish lines. Give each child a newspaper folded in half, and have them line up with their fish. Now they have to flap the newspaper vigourously to make the fish "swim" along the floor. the winner is the first across the line. Larger groups could do a relay race with the children taking over from one another on the start and finish lines.

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Crafty Wednesday: Mother's Day Bookmark

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

This week's craft is...

Mother's Day Bookmark

cardstock colored paper
picture of child
short poem
hole punch
ribbon or tassel

Cut cardstock into 4 pieces the short way (the size of a bookmark). Give each child a rectangle. Punch a hole in the top with a holepunch. Have them copy a short poem about their Mom, or let them write their own. Then allow the children to paste or glue their picture at the top. It may be best to punch holes first. If you have access to a laminating machine, laminate the bookmark. Tie ribbon through hole. Now mom has a bookmark for that book she's reading and each time she reads she'll see her little darling's face.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our crafty ideas and Mother's Day ideas

Tuesday Recipe: Chicken Rollups

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

This week's recipe is...

Chicken Rollups

soft tortilla shells
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb bacon
1 tomato
lettuce
6 oz. cheddar cheese
1 bottle ranch dressing

A great change from sandwiches, my daughter loves these rollups, and they're great in lunches and also for dinners on warm nights, as they're served cold. Cook the chicken and cut into small pieces. Cook bacon till crisp and crumble. Chop tomato small, and shred some lettuce, and the cheese. Mix all together in a bowl and add ranch dressing. Spoon some of mixture onto tortilla shell and roll up. Makes about 12 of the smaller sized shells. These can be filling, so when my daughter takes them in her lunch, she just likes a fruit rollup to go with it, and a drink.

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Monday Music: Mother's Day Song

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

This week's song is...

Mother's Day Song

Here is a great song preschoolers will love to sing for their moms, and it will help them learn how to spell mommy.

It is sung to the tune of BINGO

I love my mom and she loves me

And Mommy is her name-o

M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y

And Mommy is her name-o!

- each time you sing it, take off one of the letters and replace with "clap". Repeat until all letters are gone. Have fun!

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Friday Activity: Mom and Me Memories

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

This week's activity is...

Mom and Me Memories

pictures of mom & child (as many as there are letters in your childs name)

lots of colorful cardstock paper

colorful pens/pencils

two pieces of cardboard (5x7 or 8x10)

glue

scissors

Create a mini photo album of memories by using the letters of your childs name. For a 5x7 album, lay two cardboard pieces side by side and cover them with paper to create a "folder. Use your card stock paper and fold pieces in half, glue photos on each side of the inside folded part. Glue the outside of the folded part to another paper to create a fanned booklet. Glue the front and back to the covered cardboard folder to make your book. Use pens and crayons to record the memories on the pages the pictures are glued to. Start with the first letter of the child's name and let each page be a letter of the name and a memory beginning with that letter. Let child think of a memory that begins with the first letter of their name (ex. A - always laughing)and use a picture of mom & kid with all smiles.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our activities for kids and Mother's Day ideas