The best minimalist gift ideas and clutter-free toys for 2019. Take a peek to see my favorite clutter-free gift ideas that kids will love!
Our "Good Manners Chart" will help you teach manners and etiquette for kids, including basic good manners, table manners, at school, and more.
Put a bar of Ivory soap into the microwave and observe what happens with this quick and fun STEM/STEAM activity for kids. Fun for all ages!
40+ Gift Ideas Made by Kids
Giant Game of Operation: I was recently asked to be in a dunk tank at my elementary school's end of the year carnival. As much as I love being continuously dropped into a tank of cold water by vindictive elementary students, I instead offered to make a game. What I c…
During winter we don't have so many outdoor activities because temperatures here are constantly below zero. But luckily there are tons of winter crafts and arts activities to make with kids and have cold winter days amusing. I especially love seasonal Waldorf activities inspired by nature, followed by Waldorf books that are helping us understand
Try these easy sound experiments -- Elementary & Middle School kids will LOVE testing the science of sound with this fun wave experiment to create a 'gong' and explore how sound waves travel!
Use marbles and natural acorn caps to make acorn pendants for a necklace with this acorn marble necklace DIY jewelry-making tutorial.
These hand clapping games are more than just fun! They offer many developmental benefits from motor skills to cognitive skills and more!
I made these "light houses" from used milk boxes. The little secret is that you have to make many little openings so the plastic inside will not be burned.
DIY puppet theater- how to make a woodeen stage for a toy puppet. This is homemade and patterned after the vintage Guignol children's theatre in France. This booth for putting on a play is a great gift for kids
I am excited to partner with Oak Meadow today to bring you this post on teaching kids to knit. Teaching your child to knit might sound a little daunting. It certainly did to me a few years ago when it was time to teach my son. I learned to knit myself when I was very
Memorable Experiences You Can Give To Your Children. Non-Toy Gifts Kids Will Love.
Turn upcycled boxes into cute wall art with black and white photos. DIY mini photo dioramas are a great activity and an easy craft!
30+ engineering STEM challenges with simple materials. Kids can tinker with bridges, catapults, boats, and more using recycled and inexpensive materials.
Oh yes we're going there today. No matter what you choose to call them fart noises are funny and this house of boys is no exception.
Kids will love this cooperative activity that builds teamwork, planning, communication, and fine motor skills.
Want to add a personal touch to your Christmas decorations? These DIY ornaments are a cinch to make, and they'll get kids excited about trimming the tree.
Best 10 DIY detective kits for kids - fun and affordable ideas for creating a spy kit.
'Do you think you can fit through this index card?' My daughter looked at me like I was crazy as I asked her this question and held up a 3x5 index card. She emphatically answered no, and was very curious when I told her that I could show her how she could very easily fit through an index card. What followed was one our favorite science experiments for kids as we learned how to make an index card chain. Why this experiment is fun for kids With this science experiment, kids will learn about how physical objects change. As a bonus,
List of easy origami for kids, picked by parents! | Simple Origami Butterfly | Origami Bookmark | Easiest Origami Tulips | Origami Fortune Teller |
Enjoy these adventurous and easy crafts for kids that will spark their imaginations. With Gathered, keeping the kids entertained is easy!
Best gifts for long distance boyfriend for birthday, anniversary, or Christmas! These fun & creative long distance relationship gifts for guys & care packages are a great way to show him just how much you love him, even when you are miles apart.
We are beginning to move full swing into the holiday season and I have been planning the two weeks we will all be at home. With some down time I thought it would be a great chance to plan a few activities with my little ones, and since I do love all things Waldorf, I
Check out these 2 fun, creative, and hands-on activities to help kids of all ages Learn the Books of the Bible. These are great for Sunday School lessons.
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Hitting the road soon? Or, perhaps you're just a lover of tiny, wonderful things? Get inspired by Silvia Chenault's super-charming accidental altered mint tins collection!
To live a simple life means providing practical gifts for homesteading kids. Gifts for farm kids or homesteaders is quite simple. Think homesteading ideas.
Learn about fingerprinting for kids & play detective! Fun ideas for a CSI or spy party or science activity for preschool & elementary ages!
Rebecca’s DIY blog is a treasure trove of creative and easy-to-follow tutorials, and her post on making candle wraps is no exception. The tutorial shows how she used photographs of Sto…
Do you want easy arts and crafts ideas for kids? Try these engaging projects with kindergarteners, preschoolers, or toddlers!
These DIY ribbon wands are easy to make and can be done in about 5 minutes! The video tutorial will show you exactly how to make them..
I love making things with stuff we might throw away. We have been collecting cardboard tubes or loo rolls for ages to make this super cute cardboard t ...
Kids will enjoy learning about Ancient Greece and Greek Mythology with these great books and hands-on activities!
This fire breathing dragon made from a toilet paper roll is an easy kids craft that uses simple craft supplies. When you blow into the end of the tube the tissue paper looks like flames coming out of the dragon's mouth! Fire Breathing Dragon Craft Add this activity to your crafty bucket list, because it's SO MUCH FUN! And it's ridiculously simple to make. Kids, toddlers and preschoolers will love to see the dragon blowing fire! The photos make me smile, just looking at them. Watch the Video Tutorial Here: (Or scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial and printable
So, did you survive Halloween? I personally really enjoyed the fact that it was on a Friday this year. 🙂 Now that Halloween is over, I’ve started thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the holidays in general. It’s always such an exciting time of year for the kiddos! Unfortunately, I think it’s all too easy for kids to become too focused on the “gifts” part of the holidays. The media and advertising play a big role in this. BUT I do think we, as teachers and parents, can definitely do something about it! I think it’s important to teach kids about all the ways that people can give to one another. Giving doesn’t have to involve gifts – giving can include helping people in intangible ways, using kind words with others, etc. I recently finished a mini-unit that focuses on just that – teaching kids the many ways that people can give to each other. Read on for some ideas and books about teaching kids how to give, and for more details on the unit! The unit starts by having kids discuss their prior knowledge about giving (which likely includes giving gifts). You’ll make a class chart and/or give students a drawing/writing task to see what students believe about what it means to give (at the end of the unit you’ll give the same assignment to see how the kids have grown!). Then, you’ll use readalouds and writing activities to open kids’ eyes to all of the ways that people give to each other. You definitely won’t need all of these books for the unit, but here are some of the options that you can choose from: Books About Giving Tangible Items: The Mitten Tree (Candace Christiansen) My Most Favorite Thing (Nicola Moon) The Elves and the Shoemaker (Jim Lamarche) Books About Giving Help: Frog and Toad All Year – “The Surprise” (Arnold Lobel) The Berenstain Bears Lend a Helping Hand (Stan Berenstain) My Friend is Sad (An Elephant and Piggie Book) (Mo Willems) When You Are Happy (Eileen Spinelli) The Lion & the Mouse (Jerry Pinkney) A Sick Day for Amos McGee (Philip C. Stead) Books About Giving Kind Words: One (Kathryn Otoshi) Chrysanthemum (Kevin Henkes) Ish (Creatrilogy) (Peter Reynolds) Books About Helping the Community: Boxes for Katje (Candace Fleming) Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) City Green (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) A Castle on Viola Street (DyAnne Disalvo-Ryan) In addition to the reading and writing activities, the kids will practice giving to their friends and families through a few different activities. They’ll make a “helping chain” with ideas about how they can help others: They’ll also make a coupon book for their families (with ways that they can help out around the house): After these and a few other activities, they will (with your guidance!) plan and implement a very simple community service project. By the end of the unit, the kids should have a more complex and complete understanding of what it means to give to others. The lessons are great for teaching around Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter holidays, Valentine’s Day – or any time at all! The unit also includes supplementary literacy materials like a poem, student reader, and reading passage. Click on the image below to find out more: Happy teaching!
If you are looking for a simple toy that you and your little one can make together, you will love learning how to make Yarn Dolls. These easy, frugal little toys might just become the next favorite.
2015 Topic 23: Christmas Cards and Gifts Hello everyone, Leandra here for the final topic of the year, but there is no challenge for this as we know you are busy enough, so think of it as eye candy! Our bloggers will still be blogging for the next 2 weeks with lots of homemade Christmas gift and card ideas to help you in the final push towards the big day! I have an amazing Christmas Pinterest page for this topic with lots of ideas, more than we are showing here, so take a look when you find that rare 5 minutes!! Before we start, let's see who won the Topic 22: Masterboards Challenge... Hi, Darcy here. Well you are all masterboard masters! You lot are a whizz with a brayer and created some luscious backgrounds before turning them into mini marvels such as cards and tags. Great to see so many people joining in right before Christmas, we know how busy you all are. The winner of Masterboards is: Jules B. Contact Darcy to claim your prize [email protected] Ok, Leandra back with you to present some fun and hopefully achievable ideas for decorating your home, gift giving and more over the seasonal period. Christmas can be such a stressful time for us all, planning food, people to stay, budgeting, all these pressures can really take the shine off the day if you don't keep it all in balance. I try to focus on enjoying the quality time spent with friends and family, and nothing says that more than a thoughtfully prepared gift. It might be a crafty make, some home cooking, a jar of sweet treats or a wreath for the door. Whenever you create something with your own hands for someone else, they do seem to appreciate the care and effort you have gone to, just for them. In this post you will find many such ideas, and often using supplies you probably have to hand. Candles.... I do love a candle, but the icicle idea is easily done with our frosting glaze, or even metallic or pearl glaze if you want a bit more sparkle - less messy than a load of glitter too! What about adding a paper-cut scene into the mix? Instructions here. Or maybe other glass ideas, these tree decorations are not too much of a challenge, and very pretty Or perhaps trees on top of glass decorations?? I do love a centerpiece, but i struggle with fitting food and centerpieces on the table at the same time, but here is a nice window ledge idea... ...and perhaps this could fit among the food with less of an issue, plus it is see-through, so you can still talk to the person opposite! So lets look at tree decorations, I always aim for a colour scheme and go from there, but it often goes awry or gets sabotaged by aquiring must-have decorations! I'm sure you are all the same, even harder when the kids were young and would bring home all kinds of colourful creations made at school that required pride of place on the tree! Now they are older, it is easier for me to be more restrictive in our colour options, and if you are making your own, even easier to stick to the plan! But how fun are these simple, yet effective critters made from cones, nuts and more! This idea we used as a make and take at Ally Pally, lace was glued onto a wooden heart with matte medium, then we base coated with a white paint, and did a patine with French Roast. of course you can use any colours of paint to suit your theme. And we added a tickle of Treasure Gold! You can buy glass decorations that are designed to be filled. Usually people use glue and glitter, but this version is adorable! Very elegant. Here is another version of a paper decoration, this time on the outside - perhaps you are changing colour scheme and have some naff baubles to paper over in the loft?? Got some spare letters floating about? how about covering them with Christmas Papers?? I cannot leave felt out of this blog post, i think at Christmas, one of the first crafts I ever did was making angels from felt and calico with twiggy legs, very shabby chic even 20 years ago! So here are some cute as a button Robins.... And trees. There are som many ways you can take this....Felt trees type 1, simple triangles with buttons - love the base idea! Trees type 2, the rolled method! Liking the grey a lot! And tree Type 3, this looks like more work, but aren't they lovely! This little angel is adorable too - all from a cork! And these are brilliant twig re-purposing!! Skinny Santas! or Snowmen ... and Christmas Angels too by Mary Jane Chadbourne. I know lots of you enjoyed Mary's tinytopia class this year, so check out her blog and website here for her class schedule. This one too...is she a grumpy angel?? Love the attitude! She cracks me up! So how about some cards? This is a Squiggly Christmas by Emma Godfrey Minimalist JoFY by Joanne Wardle... Eclectica {Lin Brown} stamps made into gorgeous Cards by Wanda... Liz Borer gets colorful with her own Winter stamps... Ellen Vargo makes Xmas trees from her flower petal stamps! See them here. And we all love Anneke's bright and cheery style! with JoFy here... And again with JoFy baubles here... And here are some cards from Jo Firth-Young herself using her newest Christmas stamps... And the cards I made last week from my masterboard video fit this topic perfectly too! Again with Jo's new Christmas stamps... Ok, as ever, I could go on, don't forget to follow my Christmas pinterest board, you will see plenty more examples there! And of course you have 2 weeks of glorious blog posts coming on this topic to enjoy! I'd just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas! What an unusual year it has been for the world in oh so many different ways, and we sincerely hope that 2016 is prosperous and fruitful for you all! From all of us here at PaperArtsy HQ, we wish you peace, love and happy times over the festive season and beyond. We very much enjoy your compnay through all our social media platforms, share with us your seasonal pictures, we'd love to see how you all celebrate the festive season! Love and goodwill to you all Mark, Leandra, Emma and (big) munchkins xxx
DIY Cinnamon Stick Stars!
A few weeks ago I shared a cool technique that my boys and I used to create 3D Sharpie artwork. We enjoyed the project so much that I thought we could use a similar process to create Sharpie tinfoil pendants. These pendants can be used as necklace charms, keychains or backpack clips. To make a Sharpie tinfoil pendant: 1) Cut a small (1 ½ inch) circle from an old cereal box. 2) Cut a slightly bigger circle from tin foil. 3) Draw a simple design on the cardboard, cover the outline of the design with glue and yarn, and set it aside to dry. 4) Cover the dull side of the tin foil with a glue stick, wrap the tin foil around the cardboard containing the design, and secure the tinfoil with a piece of tape on the backside of the pendant. 5) Rub the tinfoil on the front of the pendant with a piece of felt to help the yarn design show through. 6) Colour the design with Sharpies, and allow to dry. 7) Punch a hole in the top of the pendant, and add a pendant clasp. (These can be purchased inexpensively wherever craft supplies are sold, but a paper clip would work too.) You could use a piece of yarn or ribbon, but I hung mine from a chain I had in my jewellery box. Cute, right? I think this is a fantastic craft for kids of all ages. These Sharpie tinfoil pendants would make a fun homemade gift for Mother's Day too! ♥ Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)
A quick and easy picture filled turotial on how to make fire startes for free using recycled items you have laying arounf your house.
You know those grammar errors your students make in 4th and 5th grade and are still making in high school? Yes, those.
This Blubber Experiment lets kids experience for themselves how blubber keeps an animal warm in cold temperatures.
