Category: Holidays

0

PreK Craft: Spaghetti Yarn Art

This Spaghetti Yarn Art is a cute, quick craft you can do with your 2-5 year old. This was a really good project even for ED, who was age 2 at the time.  She could pretty much do it on her own as long as I reminded her of the steps along the way. For this activity we needed cooked spaghetti (we used fettuccine), bits of yarn or string, and glue. We had one bowl of...

0

Summer Activities: SPUD (20-30 mins.)

My kids are the perfect age for introducing them to some of my childhood summer favorites.  For some reason, the kids in my neighborhood called this game “Baby in the Air.”  I think it’s better known as “spud.” Anyway, whatever the name, the kids really loved it.  This is a game that combines catch and dodge ball. We played this with four of us. It seems like 4-6 players would...

0

Summer Activities: Sun-Sensitive Nature Pictures

When I was at camp years ago, we made sun prints using photo paper and photography chemicals. I remember being thrilled to work in the darkroom. This isn’t quite as exotic, but it is a quick and easy version of that with sun sensitive paper… no chemicals needed! We got our paper at Oriental Trading. It was $6.25 per dozen sheets.  (Nature Print Sun-Sensitive Paper).   I sent the kids...

0

Summer Activities: Sun-Sensitive Nature Pictures

When I was at camp years ago, we made sun prints using photo paper and photography chemicals. I remember being thrilled to work in the darkroom. This isn’t quite as exotic, but it is a quick and easy version of that with sun sensitive paper… no chemicals needed! We got our paper at Oriental Trading. It was $6.25 per dozen sheets.  (Nature Print Sun-Sensitive Paper). I sent the kids outside...

0

Summer Activities: Big Bubble Wands & Foam Snakes

I’ve seen these activities all over the internet, but we have never given them a try. What a huge, huge hit these two activities were! The bubble solution was easy to make, I just had to make sure I ordered glycerine ahead of time. I mixed up another batch in under than five minutes when we (quickly) ran out of our first bowlful. This is the solution we used: 1...

0

Summer Activities: Kick The Can

This game instantly became a family and friend favorite!  Kick the Can is cross between hide-and-go-seek and tag with a “jail” thrown in for those who are captured! This was such an amazingly fun game to play in the woods where there are places to hide everywhere! This is a great game for 4-7 players. To begin, designate a place to be the “jail.” Not far away, the can should...

2

Summer Activities: Sponge Ball

I’ve seen this activity several different places — over at Erica’s blog, Confessions of a Homeschooler and also at Betz White’s blog. The kids were pretty excited to make these… especially since we had an activity lined up for the right afterward! These are super fun for playing catch in the pool or just tossing around in the yard. You could get them wet and play hot-potato or use them...

0

Greek Myths for Kids – Download Free Stories at StoryNory

This summer, hubby and the kids are going on a long road trip and will spend a lot of time in the car.  (I’ll stay back at home because I’m recovering from ear surgery.)  For years and years we have loved and listened to the free audiobooks provided by Natasha over at StoryNory.  We love her Katie stories and fairy tales.  This summer, though, it is time to revisit some...

9

Do we Homeschool in the Summer?

I was recently asked if we planned to homeschool throughout the summer.  We often start back to school a bit earlier in August than our public school friends, but our family has decided that we need most of the summer off… at least from our more formal approach to school. For one thing, the majority of the kids’ friends have “off” during the summer, so we set up more playdates...

0

Books and Series My 8-Yr Old Has Been Racing Through

My daughter reads all the time. She will grab anything that’s out and about… from the easy readers that ED brings home from the libraries to books that LD recommends.  I thought I’d share some of the series that she’s flown through this semester. Dog Diaries: She’s read them all… Ginger, Buddy, Barry, Togo, Dash. She said they were wonderful.  I notice there is also a series called Horse Diaries...

Who Are You Remembering This Memorial Day? 0

Who Are You Remembering This Memorial Day?

Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day and started after the Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union Soldiers. By the 20th century Memorial Day was extended to honor all Americans who have died in wars. A couple of years ago, I had a long conversation with my Dad and extended family about the members of our family who have served in the U.S. military. As I asked for...

0

Fishing — It’s Not Hard or Mysterious!

I consider myself pretty outdoorsy. I love to hike, backpack and go camping. I love learning the names of the lizards, snakes, bugs and birds in our area. But I had never, ever gone fishing.  For some reason it seemed mysterious. Hard. Something only real “fishermen” did.  So when I heard that our local park was offering a free fishing workshop for kids, we signed the kids up. The ranger...

Nature Scavenger Hunt Free Printable 0

Nature Scavenger Hunt Free Download

Are you looking for free Nature Scavenger Hunt printables? We have several fun options!  Every spring, as the weather gets nicer and nicer we spend more and more time outdoors. We’ve been doing this scavenger hunt for years. I know we’re not alone because this printable has gotten well over 50,000 downloads since I first made it years ago!! We found a lot of cool critters that very first year we did...

0

Celebrate Earth Day with These Activities

  The celebration of Earth Day began over 40 years ago. It is a day to celebrate our planet and think about how we can help our environment. Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency was established not long after that first Earth Day in 1970? The Clean Air Act also passed that same year. Now Earth Day is celebrated in more than 175 countries by an estimated 500...