CD Rom or Margarine Lid Campfire Craft Contributed by Leanne Guenther

The margarine lid version of this craft is slightly easier than the cd rom version, but both turn out to make a cute campfire that kids can display.  Our favorite part of the craft is walking around outside collecting the twigs and pebbles.

Materials:

• old CD rom or margarine container lid
• small rocks
• small sticks
• yellow, red and/or orange tissue paper
• glue (white school glue not a glue stick)
   

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Instructions:

• Collect some twigs and pebbles (you can do this during a nature walk).
   
• If using a CD Rom, make sure you ask mom or dad if it is ok.  You don't want to accidentally build your campfire on dad's old tunes!

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• Pour a good amount of glue into the margarine container lid (the lip of the lid will keep the glue from running out.
   
• If using a CD Rom, you need to be a bit more careful applying glue to each rock but still use lots.
   
• Arrange the rocks in a circle all around the outside of the lid.

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• Scrunch a bit of tissue paper around the end of a pencil and place it in the center of the lid.
   
• Lift the pencil out - this should leave a little "flame" of tissue paper on your lid.
   
• Repeat until the center of the lid is full of flames.

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• Put a little glue on each of the twigs and lay them around the tissue paper in a pyramid shape like you would laying out a fire.

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• Sing a campfire song around your blazing fire!

Summer!!!!

USA Handprint Wreath

This hand print wreath is a good choice for memorial day, veteran's day or the 4th of July.

It works equally well as a group or family project (with each person contributing a hand print or two) or a solo craft.
 

Materials:

• glue,
• scissors,
• red, white and blue paint or construction paper.
   

Instructions:

• There are two ways to do this craft.
  • One is to trace the child's hand onto paper and cut out the prints.
  • The second is to make paint hand prints on the paper and cut those out.
     
• Make nine hand prints (3 of each color).
   
• Cut out the prints and glue to form a wreath.
   
• Decorate as desired with flags or poppies from the templates provided or your own photos or drawings.
   

Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back

In Native American Legend, the thirteen scales on Turtle's shell stand for the 13 cycles of the moon, each with its own name and a story that relates to the changing seasons. Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London collaborate to reveal the beauty of the natural world around us, while Thomas Locker's illustrations honor both Native American legends and the varied American landscape.
Available at  http://amzn.to/1jRGF03

Pete the Cat: A Pet for Pete

When Pete gets a goldfish, Goldie, he decides to paint a picture of his new pet. Word spreads of Pete's cool paintings, and soon everyone wants one. But Pete doesn't have enough time to make one for everyone in town. With a little help from his mom, Pete finds the perfect solution so that everyone can enjoy a Goldie painting and Pete has time to finish his homework!
At http://amzn.to/1oirRcT

Celebrate your children's birthday with these wonderful craft ideas

Crafts and Giggles offer children’s craft parties which are a fun form of party entertainment. All of the craft activities are entertaining and creative introducing a unique twist on conventional entertainment at children’s birthday parties! We devise each craft party to your requirements to make it a distinctive and exciting experience full of crafts and giggles, be it in your home or a venue of your choice.

Our children’s craft parties allow children to enjoy making something as an individual, or as a group. From cupcake decorating to fabric fun you can watch your child get creative, learn something new, and most importantly have a treasured memory of the best party ever!

See a small selection of our craft and giggles party options below! If these don’t grab you, we can develop a bespoke craft party for you!

Celebrate Memorial Day with books ,music and more

Educational toys for toddlers

Make a rainbow wind spinner

Teach your kids about the importance of recycling by reusing some stuff from your recycling bin. This cheerful rainbow wind spinner is made out of a recycled plastic bottle and is an easy craft activity for kids.  Watch the video tutorial below to find out how to make your own!

Number of players:

1 +

What you need:

• 1 x recycled plastic soft drink bottle (with a plastic lid)
• 4 x rolls of electrical tape (green, blue, red, yellow)
• 1 x small stanley knife
• 1 x brass barrel swivel ( a fishing accessory found in the fishing section of K-mart)
• string
• 1 x paperclip

Activity:

Watch the video below to find out how to make a recycled bottle wind spinner.

First take the label off your recycled bottle.

Now, where the label was, you are going to make the bottle look pretty by placing stripes of electrical tape in different colors around the centre of it. About six to seven layers of tape should do it.

Next you are going to make vertical slits at 2cm in the area that is covered by the electrical tape. Measure out 2cm intervals as a guide and then use a stanley knife to make the slits. (Kids you should get Mum or Dad or an older sibling to do this.) When using a stanley knife always make sure your hand is not in the 'line of fire' -  don't put your hand in the direction you are cutting. Always cut away from your supporting hand.

Now that you have your vertical slits, push the top of the bottle down to make the strips flare out. When they do, pinch each strip across the middle to make a fold.

Next you have to angle the strips at the top and bottom so that they will catch the wind. Do this by making 45 degree folds to the right at the top and bottom of each strip.

Now get the bottle top.  You are going to make a hole in the top of it. To do this you can either:

• heat the paper clip or a kitchen skewer so that it melts through the plastic to make the hole
• use a small hand drill
• hammer a nail through it

Unfold the paper clip so it's a straight piece of wire. Thread it through one eyelet of your swivel. Fold it over and twist the two ends together. Now thread them through the hole in the top of the bottle lid and fan them out so it stays in place.

Tie string to the other end.

Put the lid on the bottle.

Hang your spinner from a tree outside and watch it spin in the wind!

Winnie the Pooh and The Honey Tree- Short Children's Stories - Audio Books

A Little Princess

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905)

Sara has a privileged background but is now living as a Cinderella figure; and she plays at being a princess. But her response shows that being a princess is less a social ranking than a state of mind.

Good book for children to read

Charlotte’s Web

E B White (1952)

The New Yorker writer cherished for his elegance of style gives us an altruistic spider with exquisite manners, and a pig to make her proud. There are intimations of mortality, but a plot of fame and legacy thumbs its nose at the inevitable.

Puzzles from MindWare: Lab Mice (+playlist)

KidKraft Pink Vintage 53179 Childrens Play Toy Kitchen Educational Woode...

Children's Toys

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES

Secretary-General's Message for 2014

As we commemorate this year’s International Day of Families, we recognize the meaningful contributions that families make to advancing the mission of the United Nations.

By providing economic and emotional sustenance to their members, families can raise productive, caring citizens committed to the common good. Strong, well-functioning families, whatever form they may take, can help reduce poverty, improve the wellbeing of mothers, promote gender equality and uphold human rights.

Support for families is crucial to realizing their full potential.  That means factoring their needs into development policies, considering their circumstances in addressing conflicts, and advocating for the equal treatment of all families, regardless of their structure. As we strive to usher in a more sustainable future, achieve the Millennium Development Goals, shape a new development agenda and combat climate change, let us mobilize the world’s families.

On this International Day of Families, let us strive to strengthen these small but critical units found in every society so that we may advance as one human family toward greater progress.

Ban Ki-moon

Simple Wood Crafts

Clothespin Giraffe

This lovable giraffe can stand up all on its own thanks to sturdy clothespin legs.

Make It: Cut an oval from chipboard; paint it and three clothespins yellow. Add black paint to the tip of each clothespin as shown. Once the paint has dried, let your child use his fingertips to create brown paint spots all over the oval body and clothespin legs and neck. Clip the legs and neck onto the body and glue in place. Glue a yellow pom-pom face onto the neck and adhere a folded chenille stem along the back of the neck to complete the giraffe.

Map craft for children

Kids have all sorts of creative ideas that are just waiting for the opportunity to be expressed. Give your child the chance to explore textures, colors and shapes through fun arts and crafts for kids. Each of the simple activities for kids has a list of materials, step-by-step instructions, and a list of skills it develops, making it easy for you to select and facilitate projects. They're fun for families, so pick crafts for kids that you can do together.

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• MAP SKILLS
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• Large sheet of paper
• Pens or markers
• Glue
• Paints and paintbrushes
• Sturdy cardboard or wood, and milk cartons or small boxes (optional)

Instructions

• Paint and decorate milk cartons or small boxes and glue them onto the map to make buildings.
• Instead of a city map, draw a map of your yard, your house or your child's bedroom.
• On a very large sheet of paper, draw an imaginary city map big enough for your child’s toy cars and trucks..
• Include familiar places like the bank, grocery store, gas station, park, school, church, post office, and so on.
• Let him color and decorate the city.
• Tape the finished city map to the floor so your child can travel around the city with his cars, trucks, dolls, and fire engines.