Sharing Lent With Your Kids

Lent is a special time to practice prayer and giving, compassion and sharing (important concepts for kids too!)  The best way to teach kids just about anything is through fun and engaging activities.  Here are a few ideas to try with your little ones.

Chocolate Pretzel Treat
A traditional Lent snack, pretzels can be used in all sorts of fun crafts and kid-friendly recipes.  This one is especially easy to create with your little ones.  (I am not sure how appropriate chocolate is for Lent, but it's the pretzels that count!)

Cleaning Game
Spring is a great time to get some cleaning done before the hustle and bustle of Summer gets here.  Kids are not too young to learn to help out, even in little ways with the cleaning!  This game is a great way to get them started.

Scoop of Love
Although Valentine's Day is passed, showing love is always in season.  Adapt this craft to reflect a Spring theme and use it to teach your kids how to show compassion.

Share Package
During Lent many people focus on giving as a way to prepare for the Easter holiday.  This Share Package idea will help you teach your kids about giving, while also getting some of that Spring cleaning done and de-cluttering the toy box.

I hope these ideas inspire you and your kids as Spring approaches!

Enjoy!  Remember, we love feedback and photos!

Mardi Gras Fun Preschool Style!

Since Mardi Gras is all about bright vivid colors, beads, masks and merry making, it sort of reminded me of preschool!  If you teach preschool, volunteer at a preschool, or have a child in preschool, consider one of these craft ideas to do with the kids!  Preschoolers are natural born party animals!

You Are My Sunshine

This sunshine craft idea is guaranteed to brighten your classroom and your mood.  It's a simple craft to prepare for and conduct with little hands and makes a fun take home project too!

Jelly Bean Count

Jelly Bean Count is perfect for the 3 & 4 year olds learning and practicing their numbers and counting.  Plus, they can gobble up the jelly beans when they are done and you've just saved yourself a snack attack.

Fish in a Bowl

I had never heard of "Fish in a Bowl" until reading this craft's instruction page.  It sounds like a little bit of work for the adult, but tons of fun for the kids.  Toddlers will love this one and hopefully you will get a giggle out of it too!

Enjoy! We love feedback and photos!

More Valentine Crafts!

We found some darling crafts for your little ones to create for Valentine's Day.  These crafts are easy and frugal to make, and can be managed by little hands.  There is still time to make any or all of our featured crafts this week!

Love Bugs

My personal favorite, these love bugs will not only make super cute valentines to give but I know my boys will have tons of fun making the furry little guys.  

Heart Sun Catchers

The heart sun catchers are another simple and thoughtful gift for Valentine's Day.  These would be so pretty hanging in my kitchen window or better still...my grandmother will love receiving them from two of her favorite great-grandsons!

Friendship Bracelets

This friendship bracelet craft is a also a favorite of my 7 year old son.  He thinks they are super fun to make and "so awesome!"  The pipe cleaners can be bent to almost any shape and you can get really creative with the colors of beads too!

Enjoy!  We love feedback and photos of your project!

We Heart Valentine's Day!

With so many store-bought options, it's hard to remember that you can create super cute valentines and valentine boxes at home, using stuff around the house.  I love the idea of upcycling items that were destined for the land fill but come to life as something new and with a different purpose than what they were intended for...

Glitter Coffee Can Valentine Box

For example...I tend to hoard empty coffee cans.  Why you ask?  I am really not sure.  All I can say is that I think to myself "hey, I wonder if I should save this?  It might come in handy someday!"  Yay!  Someday is here.  Although the picture shows a glitter version...I'm pretty sure I can find a way to testosterone it for my boys.

Heart Hug Flowers

This entails using up scrapbook paper, letters, embellishments and chenille stems (which you have in abundance if you have ever taught preschool or the 3-4 year olds Sunday School Class).  I love how these little flowers are made of four heart shapes.

Heart People

Back to using scrapbook paper and whatever else you can find in your stash, how about helping your kiddos create a whole crew of heart people.  We used paper hearts for the hands and feet, but tracing your kids hands and feet to use would be so cute!  Also, this little guy is pretty simple and you could really step up his game by adding glitter, buttons, and other bits of embellishment.

Enjoy!  Remember, we love feedback and photos!