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.

Winter Sensory Bins

Celebrate winter with a sensory box using one of these many elements. 

White rice makes a great filler for a winter sensory bin.  The Iowa farmers wife also uses glittery snowflakes and plastic penguins and snowmen.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.theiowafarmerswife.com/2012/02/winter-sensory-bin.html

Fake snow is the base for this winter sensory bin.  Rubber boots and elf shoes also adds pompoms and foam snowflakes.

Get the instructions here:
http://rubberbootsandelfshoes.blogspot.com/2013/01/winter-sensory-bin.html

Suzy home schooler uses grated soap for her version.  She also adds a spoon and white beans for scooping fun.

Get the instructions here:
http://suzyhomeschooler.com/winter-sensory-bin/

Hollys art corner uses snow dough.  She then adds small foam penguins and snowflakes and pretty marbles along with measuring tools.

Get the instructions here:
http://hollysartcorner.blogspot.com/2013/01/toddler-sensory-activtiy-winter-sensory.html

Teaching my blessings uses cotton balls and Styrofoam balls along with winter words.

Get the instructions here:
http://teachingmyblessings.blogspot.com/2012/01/winter-sensory-bin.html

Childhood beckons uses cotton batting and lots of plastic winter accessories for her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.childhoodbeckons.com/2010/12/winter-sensory-box.html

1 plus 1 plus 1 equals 1 uses packing peanuts and lots of plastic penguins and snowflakes.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/2011/01/winter-sensoryimagination-bin/

Two little seeds uses polystyrene balls, lots of spoons, beads and a common theme, penguins.

Get the instructions here:
http://twolittleseeds.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-sensory-box.html

Playing house in Maryland uses lots of stuffed penguins, measuring cups, baby pine cones, and beads.

Get the instructions here:
http://playinghouseinmaryland.blogspot.com/2011/02/january-sensory-bins.html

How we learn at home uses salt and pom poms for her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.howwelearnathome.com/2013/01/winter-wonderland-sensory-bin.html

Make snowmen from ping pong balls.  Katherine maries adds shredded blue paper to cushion the snowmen parts.

Get the instructions here:
http://katherinemaries.com/blog/archives/11089

Measure Your Feet Day of Play

One crazy holiday the kids are sure to love is Measure your Feet day.  Find fun activities, foods, crafts, books and movies too help you appreciate and spend the day. 

Start the day by making cute foam feet embellished with curling ribbon and pointy toes.  Alpha mom shares the details.

Get the instructions here:
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/activities/where-the-wild-things-are-monster-activities-for-kids/

Next read the fun filled The Foot Book by the famous Dr. Seuss.  Check it out from the library.  It's also available on Amazon.

Next, take a break with a yummy snack, this amazing homemade fruit by the foot by against all grain.

Get the recipe here:
http://againstallgrain.com/2012/06/26/homemade-fruit-by-the-foot/

Next, actually measure your feet.  After all, that's what this day is all about isn't it?  Education shares this fun worksheet.

Get the template here:
http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/measurement-foot-second/

Finally, end the day with a viewing of the cute penguin movie Happy Feet.  Check it out from the library or it's also available on Amazon.

Snowman Door

Decorate your door by turning it into a snowman with one of these nifty ideas.

Dress up your front door or even any white inside door with two eyes made out of paper coal, along with a scarf, carrot nose, buttons and a great smile using construction and scrapbooking paper to make an adorable snowman.  The creative stamper spot shows you how with this super cute idea. 

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://thecreativestamperspot.blogspot.com/2012/12/pins-to-creation-post-snowman-door.html

Found on pinterest are several other examples of door snowmen including ones with hats, extended arms and circle cut outs.

Blessed beyond crazy puts her snowman in her window.

Get the instructions here:
http://blessedbeyondcrazy.com/12-days-christmas-crafts-kids-day-5/

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.

Popcorn Trees

 

To celebrate popcorn appreciation day, first paint it.  Then, after painting the popcorn, if it's not all eaten, popcorn can double as leaves for trees.

Paint on the ceiling creates a tree template and lets the kids glue the popcorn on the branches.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://paintontheceiling.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/popcorn-tree.html

Serving pink lemonade uses plain popcorn and a paper cut out for the tree trunk.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.serving-pink-lemonade.com/2009/04/popcorn-popping-on-apricot-tree.html

Squish ideas for preschool paints her tree trunk.

Get the instructions here:
http://squishideasforpreschool.blogspot.com/2012/02/march-ideas-color-green-trees-grass.html

 

Craft penguin paints her tree trunk as well.

Get the instructions here:

http://craftpenguin.com/crafts/spring-blossoms-popcorn-tree

Craft ideas for kids uses pasta for the tree trunk and branches.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftsideasforkids.com/easy-crafts-for-spring-make-3d-spring-tree.html

Mama musings sketches her trunk with colored pencils.

Get the instructions here:
http://momamusings.com/index.php/2012/05/spring-blossom-tree-art/

Happy hooligans makes a fall tree by coloring the popcorn with paint powder the kids create by shaking it up in plastic zipper bags.

Get the instructions here:
http://happyhooligans.ca/popcorn-trees/