Playful Projects
- Celebrating Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights
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Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which usually occurs sometime in December on the secular calendar, when the days are the shortest and the nights are the darkest.
- Storytelling Props
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On one of my recent holiday shopping sprees, I noticed a great child’s toy. It was simple in nature. In fact, it was something you and I could create on our own — a tiny pouch filled with 10 to 15 tiny trinkets. The instructions were for the child to select five trinkets out of the pouch and create a story around these items. So, if you have created an “I SPY” holiday wreath, either as a game or for your holiday card this year, consider having your children use the items from the wreath to create their own year-in-review story.
- “I SPY” Christmas!
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My kids love playing “I SPY.” It never gets old in the doctor’s office or wherever we go. So, last year I thought it would be fun to turn our Christmas card into an “I SPY” game. At first glance it looks like a simple holiday wreath card, but look more closely and there is much to find!
- Sibling “Iron Chef” Showdown
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In thinking of male chef role models, the television show “Iron Chef” gave me a fun idea for my boys to emulate. What we got out of the sibling “Iron Chef” challenge was a surprisingly tasty afterschool snack and a very fun activity! Here’s how our showdown played out.
- How to Make a “Unique” Store-Bought Halloween Costume
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Here are some simple ideas to make your child’s Halloween store-bought costume “pop.”
- Halloween Costumes Evoke Storytelling and Imaginative Play
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Halloween may quickly pass, but that doesn’t mean the costume party has to end! What story does your child’s costume tell? Is it a fairytale or perhaps an explorer expedition? Take the opportunity to utilize your child’s costume in a creative, storytelling fashion!
- United Nations Day
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Hope, love, friendship, sharing, understanding, tolerance, equality, peace, caring. United Nations Day is October 24th, so why not center your child’s creative play on this idea? Perhaps your children are too young to understand the diversity among the nations. That’s …
- Fall Into Apple Season
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It’s time to retire the lemonade stand and hang up your beach towels because summer is coming to a close. Now, before you start getting worked up about the fluffy white and bitter cold, treat yourself to this season’s finest: …
- Quick Project: Silly Hats!
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Now that your kids have places to create their unique works of art, it’s time to test these spaces out! Here’s a fun and quick way to inspire one-of-a-kind creations using your “creative spaces!” I helped the kids make a …
- Back to School Book Covers
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School supplies. The glorious list that allows you to go on multiple store trips that you never imagined in your day dreams of parenthood. As a kid myself I remember staring at the shelves debating over Care Bears or Cabbage …