I tried to think of a fun way for my son to remember his chores as we begin to give him responsibilities around the house, and designed this fun chore chart.

You will need:

• Assorted Colored Felt
• One 12”x18” Sheet of Stiffened Felt
• Glue Gun (or Sewing Machine)
• Popsicle Sticks (Colored Sticks Work Well)
• Scissors (Strait-edge and/or Decorative-edge)

Good to have:

• Magnets
• Ruler
• Sticker Labels
• Writing Utensil

The Project:

Cut assorted pieces of felt into squares or rectangles to represent each day of the week and each chore.  Glue, or sew, the squares on the large piece of stiffened felt, leaving the top of the square open so you can slide the popsicles into each felt pocket.  Label the pockets according to its use.  Place the popsicle sticks into the appropriate slots at the beginning of the week, and you are ready to keep track of your child’s chores.  Every day, after a chore is completed, encourage your child to move one popsicle stick from the appropriate chore’s slot and place it in the pocket for current day of the week.

Tips:

• Think about what you would like to include on your chart, and use this as a guide when designing your own chart.  I suggest color coding, one color per chore, making the pocket for that particular chore’s popsicle sticks the same color as the sticks.   You could also write the chore or glue fun cut-outs that represent the chore (such as a tooth, for brushing your teeth) on one end of the popsicle stick.  The nice thing about marking them like this is that you will be able to look back later in the week and see what your child did and didn’t accomplish on certain days, as opposed to just seeing that three out of four tasks were completed.
• The size of the pockets depends on your design and how many sticks you are planning on keeping in each slot.  More popsicle sticks require a larger pocket with more room.  Fewer popsicle sticks allow you to make smaller pockets.  The entire project should be based on your personal design and the use you have for the chart.
• I spent a little time cutting out letters for the days of the week at the bottom of our chart, but you could use a marker, sticker label, felt/foam letter stickers, or anything else you can come up with.
• Put magnets on the back so you can hang it on your fridge.  Simple, available, and pretty.
• I doubled up on felt for aesthetic purposes, but you certainly don’t need to.  I think the felt will do just fine for the basic purposes of this chart and should last you quite a while whether you use one layer of felt or two.
• If your child is old enough, let them design the chart on their own.  Perhaps you could come up with a few designs of your own to get their ideas flowing, but this would be a great way to get them interested in their chart.
• You could easily design a reading chart (one stick per section finished or per time spent reading), homework chart (when they finish, you give them a stick to put in the day’s pocket), discipline tracker (one color for time-outs or offenses, another for good behavior), or other chart for whatever tasks you might be working on with your children. 
• The background felt comes in different colors.  You can make each child their own color of chart(s), or make each subject (discipline, homework, chores) a different color if you needed to.  If you want to use one chart for multiple children, assign each child certain colors of popsicle sticks or write their names on their popsicle sticks.  
• Customize it any way you can so that you will be more likely to use it!

We just signed my son up for Pre-School.  To help him keep track of the days he has school, we sat down and made a fun calendar for him to mark off the days.

You will need:

• Paper (Construction paper worked well)
• Scissors
• Pen, Pencil, Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils, etc.
• Glue or a Glue Stick

Good to have:

• Ruler
• Cookie Cutters (to trace shapes)
• Stickers
• Decorations

The Project:

We cut small strips of colorful paper to make the grid of the calendar, and glued them in place.  Next we filled in and decorated his calendar.  Done!

Tips:

• I traced some seasonal shapes (leaves and an acorn) for him to glue along the border for fun.  I tried to keep the paper colors appropriate for the season, as well.
• Microsoft Word had a template for blank calendars in the New Project section.  I just picked one of those, adjusted the font and added any special days directly on the computer and printed it on the background paper we were planning on using (brown construction paper in this case).  It worked out really well!  If I had any color ink right now, I’m sure it would have printed the gridlines, too, which would have made it easier as we were gluing on our fun strips of paper.
• When we were finished, we added some scraps of paper to mark his school days.  Stickers would be ideal for this!
• It’s such an easy project, and will certainly be useful for tracking all kinds of things.  Chores, homework, school, allowance day, etc.

Lite-Brite Online is a digital version of the old fashioned toy.  Rather than messing with all those tiny little pegs, you just use the mouse to click on the color peg you’d like to use and place it on the digital Lite-Brite.  They even have an option to print your design so you can create it on your actual Lite-Brite!

Let me know if you like their site!  And please feel free to share any websites you let your kids explore!

Thanks!

This is a fun project that can be assembled on the go or at home, and can be as complex or simple as you want to make it.

You will need:

• Paper
• Popsicle Sticks
• Glue
• Scissors

Good to have:

• Markers
• Cookie cutters (to trace the shapes)
• Cut-outs for the facial features
• Embellishments (glitter, buttons, etc)

The Project:

Cut out the basic shape of a pumpkin, ghost, or other Halloween fiend.  Decorate your puppet however you would like, then simply glue it to the end of a popsicle stick.  Ta-da!  Instant fun on a stick!

Tips:

• You can use a variety of papers for this project (whatever you have on hand, really), but I prefer the foam paper if my kids are going to play with them afterward.  The foam paper is more rigid and lasts a lot longer.  If you just want something cute that can be tossed afterward, construction paper is great.  White computer paper is fine, too.  Let the kids color their own pumpkins orange.  Honestly, little kids aren’t usually all that picky, so it’s up to you.  They just like playing with them when you’re done!
• If you have time, you could always cut out some features for the kids to glue on their puppet’s face.  Simple shapes like circles and triangles work well and are easy to cut out.  (Use a hole punch for some perfect circle eyes.)  Think of cute pumpkin mouth shapes and cut them out ahead of time, too.  (Make a half circle, then go back and notch out some teeth; it’s a lot easier than you’d think!)  Variety is key, if you’re doing this, so make more than you need!  And be creative!  Don’t just do the faces if you’re making monsters or other ghouls.  Consider hands, witch brooms, pumpkin leaves, and pointy hats.  There is no limit to how cute you can make these!
• If you are using foam paper, I find that a hot glue gun will permanently bond it to itself.  When you are planning to give the puppet to a chewy little one, like my one year old, consider using foam paper and a glue gun.  It actually holds up pretty well.  Just remember to watch them, since kids seem to get a kick out of scaring moms by choking on things!
• Take this project on the go by putting the supplies in a zip bag and tossing it in your purse or diaper bag.  It’s great to have a quick project like this on hand for little ones to do while you run errands, and they have something to occupy their imaginations when they are done with the project!

Bean bags are great for all ages, and there are a million and one games to play with them.  They are easy to make and can be customized for different holidays, like these Halloween Bean Bags.

You will need:

• Felt
• Glue (I prefer a glue gun)
• Dry Beans or Peas (split peas work great)
• Scissors

Good to have:

• Cookie cutters to trace
• Pen or Marker
• Funnel
• Googly eyes
• Embellishments to decorate your bean bag

The Project:

Simply draw or trace any basic Halloween shape on a piece of felt twice, then cut it out.  Glue three quarters of the shape shut, leaving a large enough opening to stuff the bean bag with the peas or beans.  Fill the bean bag and glue it shut.  You can decorate your beanbags any way you desire!

Tips:

• The more simple the shape, the better.  Of the four pictured, the best for playing with is the pumpkin.  The other shapes are really stiff and rigid, but cute enough that the kids will still happily play with them.
• The larger, the better.  Small shapes don’t fill as comfortably, and they feel really stiff and hard longer.  The glue makes the edges really rigid on small shapes, but isn’t as noticeable on larger shapes.  If you can make it larger than a child’s hand, preferable about the size of an adult’s hand, they really turn out much better.  Sadly, I ALWAYS forget this and trace my cookie cutters as they are, rather than enlarging the shape, so my shaped bean bags are always hard feeling.  Argh! 
• I like to glue the bean bags most of the way on my own before involving my kids.  My son’s favorite part is pouring the beans through a funnel into the bag!  We make a few at once so that he can move on to stuffing the next one while I close the one he’s just finished stuffing.  His portion of this project moves quickly, so be ready for the kids to be done first!
• See Basic Bean Bags for more tips on making bean bags.

Bean bags are great for all ages, and there are a million and one things to do with them.  They are easy to make, and keep kids busy for hours if you are willing to teach them a few fun games.

You will need:

• Felt
• Glue (I prefer a glue gun)
• Dry Beans or Peas
• Scissors (straight or pinking shears)

Good to have:

• Funnel
• Sewing Machine

The Project:

Simply cut out a simple square shape.  Glue (or sew) three sides of the square shut, leaving one side open to stuff the bean bag with the peas or beans.  Fill the bean bag (with or without a funnel) and glue (or sew) it shut.  Done!

Tips:

• The glue makes the edges really rigid on small shapes, but isn’t as noticeable on larger shapes.  If you can make it roughly about four inches on each side and not over-glue, the bean bags really turn out much better.  I don’t measure anything, though.  I just guess… They don’t have to be perfect squares even!
• I like to close the first few sides of the bean bags on my own before involving my kids.  My son’s favorite part is pouring the beans through a funnel into the bag!  We make a few at once so that he can move on to stuffing the next one while I close the one he’s just finished stuffing.  His portion of this project moves quickly, so be ready for the kids to be done first!
• This would be a WONDERFUL first sewing project for kids!  All straight lines and simple construction…  Even a few pivots to learn from!  If you’re sewing them, do not start on a corner.  Start just before the first corner and sew all four sides, leaving only one or two inches open right in the middle of the first/fourth side to stuff it.  After stuffing, just sew that side from corner to corner, overlapping the original starting and ending points for reinforcement.  (If you need more info on sewing them, email me; I’m happy to help!)
• Our bean bags are always different designs and/or colors on each side.  It just makes them fun, and lends them to more game possibilities that way.  Plus, they are just the right size to be made out of scrap felt, so it’s easy to make each one unique!
• I like to either clip the corners or cut the square with pinking shears afterward for a fun finish.  That might just be me, but I think they look better that way.
• Our bean bags have been used quite a lot, as I’m sure you can tell from the photo, but they hold up pretty well for how inexpensive the project is, and can easily be replaced.  Just remember to cut them open and re-use the beans!

• Bean bag games can be as simple as tossing it into a bucket from different tiles in the kitchen.
• Think skee ball, and award points for different containers set at varying distances from the toss line.
• You could set up multiple targets for them to hit or knock over.  Try empty soda bottles or stuffed animals and action figures.
• I like to use them to help our son practice throwing back and forth like a ball; the shape and material seem to be easier for him to catch and aim. 
• Don’t forget the classics, like Hot Potato! 
• Take them out and about with you to play in the car using the radio; when a song begins, have the kids pass it back and forth.  Whoever doesn’t have it at the end of the song wins! 
• Try putting one bean bag at different spots through the living room (such as the couch, entryway, and coffee table), then call out a color of beanbag for the child to find and collect.  See how fast they can remember where each color was placed, or how quickly they can find it without being told where each one is before beginning.  This could also be a good competitive game.  Whoever gets there first earns that beanbag.  The most bean bags at the end wins.
• Be creative…Make it up as you go!

 

 

 

 

I love surprising our friends with unusual little treats, so this Halloween we got really creative and made cute little Jack-O-Lantern treat balls!

You will need:

• Orange tissue or crepe (streamers) paper
• Glue
• Water
• Balloons
• Black marker
• Small bowl (plastic containers work fine)
• String
• Clips (I like clothes pins)
• Halloween treats (candy, bubbles, plastic trinkets)

Good to have:

• News paper or plastic table cloth to cover your workspace

The Project:

Blow the balloons up to fit in your hand and knot them.  Set them aside.  Cut the paper into strips about a half inch wide by a few inches long.  Set the paper aside.  Pour the glue in a small dish and water it down a bit.  You still want it a little thick and sticky, but liquid enough that it drips easily off the paper.  Lay out your newspaper (or whatever you have on hand) to protect your workspace, setting the strips of paper on one side and the glue toward the middle.  One strip at a time, dip the paper in the glue, wipe off any excess with your fingers and then smooth it on a balloon.  Continue with the next strip, working your way all around the balloon, overlapping each piece just a little.  Try to get the paper as close to the knot as possible, but DO NOT COVER THE KNOT!  When you are done covering the balloon with several layers of paper, hang the balloon to dry by clipping the knot of the balloon to a string with the clips.  Let them dry until they are hard, usually overnight.  When you think they are dry, pop the balloon and pull it out of the paper, leaving you with a great little hollow paper globe.  Fill the paper ball with treats, and then patch the opening with a few strips of wet paper.  Let it dry again.  Decorate the paper ball with a Jack-O-Lantern face!

Tips:

• Make sure to separate all the paper as you cut it, or you’ll have a hard time later when they are all stuck together and your hands are all sticky with glue! 
• The first row is the hardest, because the paper is kind of wiggly and moves around a bit.  It gets easier and stays in place better with each layer. 
• If the balloon sticks to the paper, use a fork to help get it out.  If the paper ball collapses, just blow it back out as if you were blowing up a balloon; it should pop back into its original shape like magic!
• Try to keep the opening as small as possible.  The first batch we made turned out to be flat on one side because I left the opening too big and the patch had to be spread out too far.  Without the balloon, it left us with either a large flat spot or an indentation; very ugly.   A small slit would work well, because you could push one side down to get the treats in and then use your finger (or a tooth pick or fork) to pull it back up into shape.  The patch to close it would be harder to find if the edges of the paper ball were touching or close to touching because it would maintain its shape, even though the balloon isn’t still inside to keep it round while it dries.
• We only made enough for our friends, but think how cute this would be for your kids to pass out at school!  C’mon, you know you want to make 50 of them! 

This summer, my lucky little family had an opportunity to visit the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA.  While we were there, they had a fabulous melted-crayon painting project that I couldn’t wait to recreate at home! 

You will need:

• Crayons
• Cupcake pan (the disposable ones work well)
• Q-Tips
• Thick paper (like watercolor paper, cardstock, or possibly construction paper)
• Some sort of heating element, like a stove or toaster oven

Good to have:

• Baking dish that the muffin tray fits in, filled with a little hot water
• Something to cover your workspace and protect it from inevitable drips

The Project:

Unwrap the crayons and break them into small pieces.  Fill each cavity of the muffin tray with a different color of crayon bits.  Heat the crayons to melt them, about 200*, until they are nice and liquid.  Use the Q-Tips as paintbrushes, and paint away on your paper!  Reheat the crayons as necessary.

Tips:

• This is a project that requires supervision!  Hot, melted crayons plus kids might equal burns, so be prepared!  I find that if you are very clear about the fact that it’s hot, they tend to be careful, but you ought to be ready with some Neosporin just to be safe! 
• If you don’t want to work over the stove, you could probably boil some water to fill a baking dish (bigger than your muffin tray) and set the whole thing on a hot pad on the table.  It would be like those buffets where they use hot water to keep everything warm without the heating elements present.  You might have to add more hot water every so often, and I wouldn’t put too much water because you don’t want to get it in your crayons, but it would probably work long enough for the kids to do their project!
• Experiment with your paintbrush substitutes.  I also tried some lip-gloss test brushes from a department store, which worked well, but because they are plastic I had to watch that they didn’t melt.  The Crayola Factory used long Q-Tips, like at the doctor’s office.  Q-Tips only last a little while before they start to unravel, so plan on using more than one for each color.
• Choose colors that fit a theme.  We only used black, orange, lime green (yellow + green), purple, and white because I wanted it to be a Halloween picture.  You don’t need a lot of colors for the kids to have fun!  If it comes down to it, just pick one color and let them have at it! 
• This might be a great opportunity to teach your child about colors and how certain colors mix together to make other colors… (red+blue=purple, red+yellow=orange, yellow+blue=green)
• When you’re done, let the crayons harden in the tray and then pop them out.  You could store them in a bag or an empty frosting container and reuse them again next time.  For this reason, I use about three crayons per cavity. 
• Look around at different stores for the cheapest crayons; I found boxes of 24 crayons at Target for $.17 each.  Don’t pay more than you have to.  And remember, old broken crayons are PERFECT for this type of project!  Why else would kids constantly be breaking their crayons than to provide you with supplies for future projects, right?
• For the younger kids, it’s not about the picture, it’s about the experience and excitement of watching the liquid crayon return to its hardened state and the fun of feeling it afterward.  If you want to, and have the time, trace a picture on the paper first (like a coloring book page) and ask them to fill it in.  Even if you just end up with a lot of dots and squiggly lines, though, this is a great project for kids to experiment with.  My son must have said, “Wow! This is a fun project, Mom,” ten times while we did ours!  So, HAVE FUN!

We really took advantage of the season with this project!  Everyone has hot cars right now, so we put all that heat to work for us.

You will need:

• Broken crayons
• Ice cube mold

Good to have:

• A support tray, such as a cookie sheet or piece of cardboard
• Paper towels
• Non-stick cooking spray

The Project:

Break up some crayons into small pieces and put them in a fun shaped ice cube tray.  We put it in the car and let the crayons heat up until they melted.  Let them cool and harden, then pop them out of the tray and you have some awesome summer crayons!

Tips:

• Since I am impatient, I put them in the freezer until they hardened, rather than letting them cool on their own.  Sadly, the edges cooled too quickly and resulted in a raised ridge around that edge, with the center of the crayons sunken in.  Instead, I suggest letting them rest in warm water overnight so that they slowly cool with the water and solidify nice and evenly across the top.
• Ice cube trays are pretty easily found right now.  Look for large, open shapes, such as hearts and the citrus slices.  Check Target’s Dollar Spot for the stars and citrus slices in my picture.  (The citrus slices were the better of the two, in my opinion, because the tips of the stars broke off really easily.) 
• Here is something I learned after doing this project multiple times: if you soak the crayons in cold water for a while, the wrappers practically fall off with little to no effort!  Wish I’d known this a few months ago! Until recently, we’d been slowly unwrapping each crayon’s tedious paper every time we sat down to do it. 
• To clean out the molds, spray them with non-stick cooking spray (I have the kind with flour in it) and wipe them clean with paper towels.  Some colors will stain permanently, so be prepared to dedicate these molds to crafts only.
• Rubber molds will get soft and flexible, so it is a VERY good idea to put a support tray under the mold BEFORE melting the crayons.  Also, I do not recommend using the rubber trays in the oven or toaster oven; they melt.  Trust me.