Ground Hog's Day Fun!

Pop-Up Groundhog

Are you so excited for Groundhog's Day? Well, maybe you aren't but the kiddos will be! What a fun holiday?!

It provides an opportunity for teaching kids about nature and animals...and a reason to do fun crafts based on a super cute small fuzzy creature! Kids can relate.

I've rounded up some really fun crafts, all with a groundhog theme. First, try out AllKidsNetwork's Pop-Up Groundhog craft with your little ones.

Here are some other groundhog crafts and activities in honor of our furry little friend, from The Idea Box.

Popping Groundhog

Groundhog Tunnel Game

Groundhog Day Song and Puppet

Groundhog Day Shadow Screen

Groundhog Snacks

Visit The Idea Box for crafts and activities for many different holidays and occasions. Or connect with us on Facebook to share resources and more fun creative crafts for kids!

Pumpkin Love and some Crafts!

Pumpkin Pie Craft

Are you ready for November, Turkey Dinner and Pumpkin Pie? Me too! I've collected some fun and easy pumpkin themed crafts and games for you to enjoy with your kiddos, to help while away the fall. Cooler temperatures mean more indoor time - what better way to keep kids entertained?


Pumpkin Patch Game
This is a great game for teaching manners, language development, money awareness, descriptive words and so much more. Visit the link for the details.

Musical Pumpkin Game
A combination of charades and musical chairs...With some music and a plastic pumpkin, you can play this game with preschoolers and older kids too!

Pumpkin Cookies
A fun snack craft for your kids to do - decorate their own pumpkin cookies. You provide the decorations, they'll provide the giggles.

Mr. Pumpkin Head
Like Mr. Potato Head only bigger! Set out your pumpkin with some washable markers, damp sponge and accessories and watch your kiddos decorate their own Mr. Pumpkin Head!


However you celebrate November, enjoy the pumpkins and play. Connect with us on Facebook to share your favorite pumpkin craft or visit The Idea Box for more Thanksgiving and pumpkin games and ideas.

Hoppy Easter!

Miss Bunny

If you like to crochet or need an Easter mascot for your class, visit our sister site for the free crochet pattern to create your very own Miss Bunny.

Egg Toss
This activity is a fun game using simple supplies, that almost every age group can play.  Since it involves tossing, be sure to use the plastic eggs!

Eggstraordinary
This craft is a creative way to decorate eggs with out the mess of dyes, stained fingers, and disaster cleanup. Well...there is still some cleanup but it's pretty manageable.  Even little hands can do this craft.

Fluffy Rabbit
Since rabbits tend to be alot of work and most parents would prefer you not send their kid home with a new pet, how about helping your kids create their own fluffy rabbits?  They are cleaner and don't require food!

Spring Lilies
This is a very sweet craft for even the littlest peeps, since it uses their handprint to create an Easter lily to share with their parents and grandparents.  This one is a quick craft with simple supplies.

Visit our Easter page for more activities and craft ideas.  We love feedback and photos so send us some!

Thursday Games: Blow Football

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

This week's game is...

Blow Football

1 box lid
1 yogurt container
12 dried beans
2 straws

Cover box lid with construction paper and draw a line across the middle. Trace a circle using the yogurt container in the middle of the line. Cut the yogurt container in half and tape each half on the end of each side of the box. Place beans inside of circle and have children begin blowing beans into their side of the box into the container. See who can blow the most beans into the container. You can give each side a name of their favorite football team. Have Fun!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Menorah Race

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

This week's game is...

Menorah Race

(for each team)
8 toilet paper rolls
1 paper towel roll
paints
block

Ahead of time, have children paint eight toliet paper rolls and one paper towel roll in hanukkah colors (blue, yellow, gold, white). Attach construction paper or tissue paper "flames" with tape or staples. The day of your Hanukkah party, after sitting through stories, candle lighting, playing dreidel and eating latkes, the crowd will get fidgety. Have a menorah race. Divide group into fairly even teams. Set a long block at the farthest point of the race, with the paper towel roll "Shamesh" (helper candle) in the middle. Each child gets a candle. Each team would have 8 candles and a menorah block base with Shamesh in the middle. The race starts. It is a relay. One by one, children on a team run to the menorah, add a candle and run back to give their next teammate a turn. The first team to build the menorah wins.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Holiday Present Surprise

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

This week's game is...

Holiday Present Surprise

several boxes
wrapping paper
tape
gifts
candy
tape player

This game is based on the "cake walk" concept.

To prepare for the game, get several boxes incremental in size (they fit inside each other). You can use anywhere from 3 boxes and on up. Fill the smallest box with the prizes and candy, then wrap. Place it inside the next box and then wrap. Place that one inside the next box and wrap. And so on. Put a pretty bow on the last box to finish it off.

Now for the game: Have all the children get in a circle. (optional you can have picture or number markers for them to stand on). Play the music and have them walk around the circle - placing the present in the center. When you stop the music, pick one child (either by picking one of the numbers that they are standing on, or having a specially marked one on the floor). That child gets to go to the center and start unwrapping the present. (Most won't realize that there will be another box inside and it will get them excited!) Then start the music again and repeat the process.

Try to pick a different child each time. When a child opens the last box it contains the prize. That child can share the candy/prizes with the group. If you are doing a class party, you could fill the last box with little baggies of candy and prizes for each child. Have fun!!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Feed the Turkey

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

This week's game is...

Feed the Turkey

large box
brown craft paper
construction paper
poster board
yellow fabric
beans
rubber bands
markers
glue

Remove the flaps from one end of the box leaving an open space. Cover the box with brown craft paper, leaving the open end open. Place the box open end down. Cut out eyes ,beak, and feet from the construction paper. Glue to the front of the box. Cut out tail feathers from colored poster board and glue to the back of the box. Now, cut out an opening under the beak large enough to throw a bean bag in. The best shape is a triangle to accent the beak. Now cut out several 7" in diameter circles from the yellow fabric. Fill center with beans. Gather edges together and wrap tightly with a rubber band. TO PLAY: Have the children stand back, then take turns tossing the "ekernels of corn"e into the turkey's mouth. See who can get the most in!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Stuff The Turkey!

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

This week's game is...

Stuff The Turkey!

Brown paper bag
two small brown lunch paper bags
newspaper
tissue paper
tape
stapler
glue

Fold down about 4" of the large brown bag - keep the fold inside. Fold and staple in each of the four edges of the bag so that the opening is smaller. Smooth out the opening to make it rounded. Stuff the two small paper bags with newspaper. Twist the top of the bags and tape to form the drumsticks. Cut strips of the red tissue paper and glue around the twisted top of the drumsticks for decoration. Glue the drumsticks on the sides of the "turkey". For the stuffing, wad up pieces of the newspaper and tape together to form balls.

TO PLAY: Players stand back about four feet and take turns tossing the "stuffing" into the "turkey". See who can get the most in.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Spider Web Spin

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

This week's game is...

Spider Web Spin

large sheet white paper
black permanent marker
precut spider shapes
blind fold

Draw a large spider web with black marker on the white paper.

Use same instructions as Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Blind fold child and spin them around three times. Give them spider cut out and have them try to place the spider in the middle of the web. We use this game at our annual Halloween party, but it's also great for an insect unit!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Mummy Wrap

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

This week's game is...

Mummy Wrap

rolls of toilet tissue
children
music

Have children take turns being the "mummy". Place one child in center and have other children start to wrap the child up with the toilet tissue. You can have halloween music playing in the background. When the music stops, the next child goes. Have plenty of trash bags available to collect all the torn tissue!! *have children avoid the head/face area when wrapping, esp. with The younger ones!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Mr. Pumpkin's Nose

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

This week's game is...

Mr. Pumpkin's Nose

Cut a large pumpkin shape out of orange bulletin board paper. Draw only the eyes and mouth on the pumpkin, you can add a stem and lines if needed. Laminate the piece. Attach it to the wall at the child's level. Give each child a triangle cut out of black construction paper, and label with the child's name. Attach a piece of rolled up tape to the back. Have each child close his/her eyes and place the nose on the pumpkin. You can give awards such as stickers for the one who was the closest, making sure each child gets a sticker. Optional: You can also make a body and laminate and attach it to the head, making sure that it can be at the child's level.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Haunted Hangman

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

This week's game is...

Haunted Hangman

This is a quick and easy game to play at any party. Use the list of words below to play. You write a line for each letter in the word. Write out the alphabet to the side. Each time a child guesses the answer, cross the letter off. You also fill in the blank if the guess a letter correctly, or draw a shape on the hangman (head, arm, leg, etc.) If the hangman gets filled in first, they lose. If the word gets filled in first they win!

Here is a list of words you can use for a Halloween party:

Spiders
Black cat
Bats
Chills
Scarecrow
Haunted house
Hayride
Scary
Cauldron
Witch
Ghost
Black widow
Mummy
Pumpkin
Goblin

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Roly Poly

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

This week's game is...

Roly Poly

Place children in a circle. Teacher calls a child's name and rolls the ball to that child. The child then rolls the ball back to the teacher. This continues until all the children have had a chance to roll the ball. As the children learn each other's names, the game can be changed to have the children call another child's name and roll it to them. This game is great for recognizing each child in the class and letting them know the teacher knows who they are! We use this game in the beginning of the year...but it quickly becomes a favorite among the children. Especially when they can call each others names!

Optional: you can also use this as a learning game. Call out a subject and the child has to call out a related term before they roll the ball. Example: Bugs! Before the child rolls the ball they need to call out a bug (spider, butterfly, ladybug, etc.).

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Pumpkin Patch Game

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

This week's game is...

Pumpkin Patch Game

various sizes of pumpkins
coins

Start the game with 3-5 pumpkins of various sizes or textures. Give 5 coins(pennies) to 5 different students. Chant the following- "5 orange pumpkins in a pumpkin patch You know, the kind that are big, and round, and fat Along came (child's name) with a penny to pay He bought his pumpkin and took it away." The child then steps forward, pays the penny, and chooses a pumpkin. For language development, have the child ask, "I want the big/small/medium/bumpy/smooth/etc pumpkin, please." This is a great game for teaching manners, language development, money awareness, descriptive words-- lots of stuff. The students join in the fun, and hardly know they are learning from this simple game!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Pass the Pumpkin

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

This week's game is...

Pass the Pumpkin

Pumpkin
music

Children sit in a circle. They begin passing the pumpkin. Turn on the music as they continue passing the pumpkin. Stop the music. The child holding the pumpkin sits in the middle. Continue playing. One child at a time replaces the one in the middle of the circle.

(Same concept as Musical Chairs)

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Pin the Crow on the Scarecrow

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

This week's game is...

Pin the Crow on the Scarecrow

Scarecrow
crows
push pins or tape

Make a flat scarecrow for hanging on the wall out of child shirt and pants. Add a paper face and straw hat. You can also use a store-bought cutout. Cut out crows from black and yellow (for beaks) fun foam. Give each blindfolded child a crow with tape or tack. Pin the crow on the scarecrow's shoulder!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: I've got a friend

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

This week's game is...

I've got a friend

This is a great introduction activity, but the kids like it so much that we play it all through the year.

All children are seated in a circle. Teacher starts the song, children join her.

"I've got a friend and her name is____, ____ Stand UP!
Do a little dance now! Make a funny face now.
Touch your toes now. _____ sit DOWN!"

Always do this with a SMILE on your face! The teacher works her way around the circle, choosing a new childs name each time. That child moves to the center of the circle when she stands up..then moves back to her place when told to sit down.

The words can be changed to any activity that you can think of..the sillier the better! My students sit on carpet squares so that they always stay in a circle and know where to return to, and the circle maintains its shape!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Pop the Cannon Ball

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

This week's game is...

Pop the Cannon Ball

black balloons
string
trash bag

Blow up balloons - make sure to leave them semi-uninflated. If they are too full of air - they will pop when they scrape the ground or grass.

Tie each balloon to a piece of string - and then tie to the ankles of a child. (one balloon for each ankle).

The object of the game is to have the children run around in an area determined by you. They need to try to step on the other person's ballon and try to pop it. The last person left with at least one cannon ball wins!

Optional: You can also make this into a team game. Warning:

Please collect all the broken balloon pieces and place in trash bag. Broken balloon pieces can be dangerous to small children.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Musical Beach Towels

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

This week's game is...

Musical Beach Towels

This game is played just like musical chairs. Make sure to start out with enough towels for each child playing. Lay the towels out in a circle and have each child sit on them. Start the music and the children get up and walk in a circle around the towels. When the music stops - they all scramble to sit on a towel. Each time you remove one towel. The last child 'sitting' wins!

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas

Thursday Games: Balloon Battle

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

This week's game is...

Balloon Battle

Balloons
string
inflated balloons

Designate a certain color for each team. (If you have a LOT of children you can have more teams or you don't have to have teams at all) Tie a balloon to each players ankle. Each team tries to burst the other's balloon first. The team with the last balloons wins. As your balloon is burst, you withdraw from the game.

Visit The Idea Box for all of our game ideas