Chocolate Cake Day of Play

Celebrate chocolate cake day with this chocolate inspired play date.

Start the day by playing with chocolate scented play dough. Natural momma in me has her kids make cupcakes, providing muffin tin and sprinkles for inspiration.

Get the instructions here:
http://naturalmommainme.blogspot.com/2015/01/sensory-play-chocolate-playdough.html

Next, practice some skip counting with m&ms with this worksheet from kids learn.

Get the instructions here:
http://kids-learn.org/chocolate/isenberg/isenberg.htm

Next, make this easy one bowl chocolate cake recipe from planning with kids.

Get the instructions here:
http://planningwithkids.com/2011/04/03/easy-chocolate-cake-recipe/

End the play date by reading Rachel Bright's super cute Love Monster and the Last Chocolate.  Check it out from the library.  It's also available at Amazon.

A Cold and Blessed Play Date

Celebrate the snow with snow angels and this fun day of play featuring a snow angel craft, snack, activity and book.

Begin the day by making these paper plate snow angels.  For younger kids punch holes into the angels to make them lacing cards for fine motor skill practice.  The manger shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://themanger.blogspot.jp/2009/12/celebrate-with-stars-angels-sheep-and.html

Next, step outside for some snowy fun and make snow angels.

Next, come back inside for these cute angel snacks consisting of bugles, icing, pretzels, cherios and oyster crackers.  Catholic icing shares the recipe.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.catholicicing.com/angel-snack-play-with-your-food/

End the day by reading The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck.  A sweet story about the importance of family.  Check it out from the library or find it at Amazon.

Squirrel Appreciation Day of Play

Today's a great day to pay homage to our furry friend the squirrel on Squirrel Appreciation Day.

Begin the day by making a squirrel from a paper brown bag, construction paper and of course googly eyes.  Read it again mom shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://readitagainmom.blogspot.com/2011/09/squirrel-storytime.html

Next, sing the fun Grey Squirrel song and shake your bushy tail.

Next, take a break with a fun squirrel in the tree snack, using cereal, blueberries, and pound cake.  Alt plastic shares the details.

http://altplastic.ru/2013/dhdhdhundhndhu-dhdhnendhdhdhdh-dhnedh-dhudhnf/

Next, have a fun reading of Melanie Watt's Scaredy Squirrel, a squiirrel who is afraid of everything.  Check it out from the library or it's also available on Amazon.

End the day with a fun viewing of the movie The Nut Job a story about a mischievous squirrel looking for the tastiest nuts to store away for winter.  Check it out from your library.  It's also available on  Amazon.

Penguin Appreciation Day of Play

Celebrate Penguin Appreciation Day with these fun games, crafts, activities, books, movies and snacks.  A fun day for our friends from the South.

Start the day with this fun pretend penguin mask craft.  A white paper mask is layered over and glued to a black circle of paper to make a penguin face.   Next, a triangle beak is glued and eyes cut to make a mask.

The original site is no longer available.

Next, go fishing with this free penguin color matching card game from criss cross applesauce learning.

Get the template here:
http://crisscrossapplesaucelearning.blogspot.com/2012/02/preschool-penguin-game-freebie.html

Next, read the adorable Oliver Jeffers' book Lost and Found about a boy who travels over an ocean to help get a lost penguin home. Check the book out from the library or get it from Amazon.

Take a break and have these cute olive, fresh mozzarella and carrot snacks found on pinterest.

End the day by watching the Lost and Found movie.  Check it out from the library or download it from Amazon.

Dragon Appreciation Play Date

Celebrate dragon appreciation day with this fun-filled day of crafts, snacks, books, games and movies.

An egg carton cut in half is painted and folded and turned into a dragon with paper forked tongues and googly eyes.  Happiness is homemade shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.happinessishomemade.net/2013/02/10/kids-craft-chinese-new-year-dragons/

Next, read this fun and silly book about a not so fierce dragon.  Check it out from the library or it's also available at Amazon.

Next, take a break and make a dragon from a paper cup and construction paper by giving it eyes, wings and a tail.  Than fill the cup with yummy snacks.  Kix cereal shares the detail.

Get the instructions here:
http://kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-4-exciting-and-fun-viking-and-dragon-party-kids-crafts/

Next, have fun with this math game from arithmetic for kids.

Get the template here:
http://arithmeticforkids.com/Kids_Resources.html

Next, get the kids outside by hiding toy plastic dragons in box eggs for a fun hide and seek game.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.oneartsymama.com/2015/06/knights-and-dragons-party-dragon-mountain-party-game.html

End the day with a viewing of the How to Train your Dragon movie.  Check it out from the library or it's also available for immediate download at Amazon.

One Chilly Playdate

Bring the chilly weather indoors with these icicle inspired activities, crafts, snacks, books and movies.

Begin the day with this fun glue and paper craft.  Glue is squished to the top of a piece of paper and tilted to let the glue run down to make icicles with inner child fun.

Get the instructions here:
http://innerchildfun.com/2011/02/easy-icicle-craft.html

Next, read the classic tale Ivy's Icicle by Gary Bower, a wonderful story about forgiving others.  Check it out of your local library.  It's also available on Amazon.

Next, take a break and have an ice cube tray filled with yummy fruit and veggie snacks.  Spring free trampoline shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.springfreetrampoline.com/blog/2013/06/03/post-jump-snack-ice-cube-tray-buffet

Next, practice scissors and cutting skills with the fabulous sugar aunts.  After the kids cut them out they hang them up in the windows around the house.

Get the template here:
http://www.sugaraunts.com/2014/01/icicle-winter-scissor-skills-activity.html

Wrap up the day by watching the kooky ice age movie.  Check it out from the library. It's also available at Amazon.

A Snowy Play Date

Shake up some winter fun with this snow globe inspired winter play date. 

Start the day by making these cute paper snow globes using paper blue circles to represent the glass.  Kids can then draw on their snowman or whatever snowy scene they like.  Next use a strip of black paper to make the holder.  Found on pinterest.

Next, read Jane O'Connor's book The Snow Globe Family about a family that lives inside a snow globe and wonders when the next snow will happen.  Check it out from the library or it's also available on Amazon.

Next, make a yummy snack inspired by the always amazing Jill Dubien, using tortillas, cookie cut out snow flake cheese and many tiny cutouts to make a snow baby in the middle.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.meetthedubiens.com/2011/12/fun-food-friday-snow-globe-angel.html

Finish the day by writing snow globe poems or simply coloring it in for younger kids.  Kids can make acrostic poems or write their winter wishes.  From third grade grid iron.

Get the template here:
http://www.3rdgradegridiron.com/2012/01/math-and-writing-freebies.html

Step in a Puddle Day of Play

Happy step in a puddle and splash your friends day.  Find fun activities and things to eat and do to help celebrate the day.

Cut out puddles and rain drops and dress the kids up in their rain gear with melissa and doug.  A great way for kids to expend some energy indoors.

Get the instructions here:
http://blog.melissaanddoug.com/2012/04/13/vals-crafty-corner-indoor-puddle-jumping/

Next, make clouds with the ivory soap in the microwave experiment.

Take a break and make this fun puddle inspired snack featuring crumbled Oreos, gummy worms and little drink umbrellas from celebrations at home blog.

Get the instructions here:
http://celebrationsathomeblog.com/2012/04/a-peppa-pig-muddy-puddles-birthday.html

Next, make some real, albeit tiny puddles by making it rain with a pitcher and colander.  Then have toy plastic animals or people jump in the puddles.  Find the details at pleasantest thing.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.pleasantestthing.com/2013/01/indoor-puddle-jumping.html

End the play by reading the classic kid's book The Puddle by David McPhail.  Check it out of the library or Amazon.