Christmas Tree Ornament Craft (made from lids)

Have you gotten out your Christmas tree yet?!  Ours is filled with many special ornaments, including quite a few made by the kids over the years.  Usually they have done this at school or daycare, but it is something you can easily do at home with the entire family as well!

For these ornaments, we used old plastic lids, glitter and beads, some ribbon and lots of glue!  You can really use any sort of items to decorate the lids - paper would be great as well!  Or colorful pages from magazines.  Older kids might like to look through their old teen magazines and cut out sayings or pictures that they like.  Anything will do!   Keep it light and simple and let your child experiment creating a n ornament that truly reflects their personality  (be sure to write the date on the back too!)

For the ones we made, we covered the entire center of the lid with glue and then for one, simply dumped some glitter on top of it and shook off the excess.  We then glued a ribbon hanger to the back and added a picture to the front.

For the second ornament, we again covered the enter center with glue, but this time used sequins and beads to make a tree design.  And like with the first, we also glued a ribbon hanger to the back.  VERY EASY!!!  you may sparkle a bit for a while if using glitter, but the results will be well worth it!  Have fun!

Michael Hague's Treasury of Christmas Carols

Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is now over so people are beginning to pull out their Christmas decorations and get into the holiday mood.  In the stores familiar Christmas carols can be heard over the sound systems.  Though you may not have snow in your neck of the woods, it is beginning to look, and feel, a lot like Christmas!  (ok, in some stores that actually began with Halloween!)

I picked up this new book by Michael Hague because of the cute fuzzy cover (it's velvet feeling) and was pleasantly surprised by the adorable animal illustrations.  The one down side I can see, is that it only contains four carols! In classic Hague style, the illustrations are so adorably cute, it leaves you wishing there were more. But nonetheless, your child will love the cute pictures and you will be able to sing a few carols together.  It's a great book to have around the holiday especially for your younger children (2-4).  Of course, older kids will like to sing along to!

Check out this beautiful book at your local library today, and start your day singing!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by John Rox

This is not a song familiar to me from my childhood, so I was a bit curious when I saw the cover of this 2008 holiday book based on the song and lyrics by John Rox (1902-1957) and illustrated by Bruce Whatley.  I have heard of the song, but could only recite one line... well, little did I know how cute it is.

Bruce Whatley has done a wonderful job capturing the joy and excitement one little girl experiences anticipating a hippopotamus for Christmas.  It made me Google the song and take a listen with my own little boy, who of course then said to me "Hey mom, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas!".

Check out Dr. Demento Presents: Greatest Christmas Novelty CD for a great version of the song too!

The Woods by Paul Hoppe

Every night the boy goes to sleep with his stuffed bunny, but tonight… he has searched and searched and cannot find it! There’s only one place left to look… THE WOODS!

This adorable bedtime story is a hoot to read aloud. As the boy goes further into the woods, the line is repeated “And we weren’t afraid at all. Until…” and the next page provides the perfect opportunity for a fun little fright (and giggles, I am sure) shouting out such things as “we ran into TWO SCARY GIANTS!”

Definitely reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are , complete with boy in bravery inducing costume and spooky forest, but that is where the similarities end. This is an excellent story on its own with a gentle tale and wonderfully fun full spread illustrations.

Couple this with The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt for a fun fairy tale woodsy adventure!

One Christmas Night by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton

This sequel to One Snowy Night , One Winter's Day , and One Rainy Day finds Hedgehog preparing for Christmas but he has forgotten to get presents for his friends!  Poor Hedgehog discovers that his house isn't all that Christmac-y though; no sparkles or decorations.  Thankfully mouse shows him how easy it is to find and make decorations (with the addition of a little glitter!), but then!  No! Hedgehog forgot to get his friends presents! 

See how creatively Hedgehog solves that little problem by thinking about his friends and things that they like.   A sweet, gentle Christmas story with plenty of ideas on simple decorations you can make at home!  Be sure to check out Hedgehog's other stories as well!

A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck

This cozy holiday read is the perfect choice for tucking your little one in to sleep. It is the perfect choice for a “bedtime Christmas Eve” book or even a “Christmas-day night” going to bed book. Oh, read it any time! It will surely become a favorite! The simple sentences and repeated words make this one which little ones will be able to help to read in no time. A natural coupling would be The Night Before Christmas .

Curious George Curious about Christmas by Anjali Pala

This latest Curious George board book is something to talk about. For starters, like the Happy Thanksgiving, Curious George tabbed board book, the illustrations more closely resemble the George of yesteryear. (yes, I love the classics). In addition, it is a touch and feel book! Your baby can feel a velvety smooth stocking or the rough corrugated paper of a sled. A great sensory experience for your baby from birth on up! On the back, as with other “Curious Baby Curious George” books, the publisher highlights the positive aspects of the book (rhyming text and touch & feel pictures) as well as provides tips for parents on how to make the most out of the shared reading experience.

For more information on the Curious Baby books, check out their website here: http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/cgsite/cgbaby/

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

For those visitors in the United States, you know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  Like many other homes across the nation, we are preparing to celebrate!  I'm sorry to say that I won't have much time to post, but will pick it up again this coming weekend with some neat Christmas book ideas.  In the meantime, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and if you're going to begin your holiday shopping this weekend, remember that books make great gifts!

Chronicles of Harris Burdick : 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg

Back in  1988, I was undertaking student teaching in middle school english classes (yes, I not only survived, but was also named student teacher of the year!).  I had 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, all working on slightly different things of course:  grammar, literature, and writing.  The 8th grade (loud, rambunctious, hormone crazed) writing class was the most fun and most intriguing.  I remember (now, with a grin) the young man who completed a writing assignment using every variation of the word "right", and little else.  Ohhh those were the days.

In any case, I had a wonderful lead teacher, Mrs. K, who taught me a great deal that semester.  One thing I will be forever grateful for is being introduced to The Chronicles of Harris Burdick.   Something she did every year was to making a writing assignment from the illustrations in the book.  She would xerox the pictures and tape them all over the black board, allowing the children to choose the illustration that they were going to write about.   The class and I had a wonderfully fun discussion about the illustration labeled "Just Desert" and the meaning of the word "desert" as opposed to "dessert".  It was one of those teaching moments that makes one smile. 

When I saw that a new book was coming out, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales, I thought "Hey! They stole Mrs. K's idea!!!" knowing full well, really, that thousands of kids around the world had done the very same thing that we had taught back in 1988 and before.  That is what a book full of gorgeously fascinating illustrations does to people - it makes them wonder about the story behind each and every picture. 

Awesome authors such as Stephen King, Lois Lowry, Walter Dean Myers, Louis Sahar and Jon Scieszka lend their creative talents to this compendium of incredible stories.  This would be a perfect pick (or Christmas present!) for any middle reader, family or 20-something year old who was first introduced to the original book so long ago.  And definitely a must have for any lover of children's books!  Check it out!

Thanksgiving Craft Kits Aren't Always a Bad Thing!

This past weekend I hit the craft stores looking for Christmas and winter ideas and guess what I found?!  Tons of adorable Thanksgiving (and even Halloween!) craft kits and decorating items really deeply discounted!  We snatched up the turkey kit (shown in the photo) for less than a dollar, and there were lots of other deals as well.  If you want to do some craft for Thanksgiving, but aren't sure what, this is a great time to check out the big craft stores (Michael's, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, etc) who are trying to clear out all their fall things to make way for the loads and loads of Christmas and holiday items!   You will more than likely get some really good deals plus will have on hand some cute activities to keep the little ones busy on Thanksgiving Day!

Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

Tonight in our town is the big parade ushering in the holiday season.  It's a huge event with thousands of people braving the cold to see the grand light display and welcoming Santa to our city.  We may not have gigantic  balloons in our parade, but it is grand nonetheless.  And really, who could make balloons as huge or awe inspiring as those which started with Tony Sarg and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Melissa Sweet has created a fascinating book sharing Sarg's story and giving the reader a glimpse into the amazing and exciting life of this creative puppeteer. Sweet's wonderfully whimsical illustrations and a lively flare to the intriguing story.  A great book to share this Thanksgiving as you're watching the glorious parade and celebrating the holiday!

Rock Your Style by Laura Torres

Rock Your Style: Create cool looks with fun craft projects is a new crafting book by Laura Torres.  I just took a look through it and am SO HAPPY to see new, creative & fun ideas for tweens and teens.  One project that really made me go WOW was making a necklace pendant out of a hinge!  How clever is that?!?!  The hinge is like a little locket that you can open to show your surprise inside - maybe a picture of your crush or a sweet poem.  Decorating possibilities are endless really.  You just need some glue, colorful paper, and any little items plus a dose of imagination and there you go!   Check out that project idea, plus about 50 others in this great new book and get crafting!  (P.S. homemade items make fantastic Christmas or birthday gifts!)

The Emperor's Cool Clothes by Lee Harper

What a fun and timely reminder for today's kids that clothes don't make you cool!  In this updated twist of the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, Harper has created a dweeby cool Emperor using an Emperor Penguin!  Very clever indeed.  As a child other kids picked on him and made fun of him.  When he became emperor, he grew obsessed with looking totally cool and wearing the coolest clothes.

Well, you know how the story goes... and yes, he does get called out in the end while he's marching in the parade in all of his "finery".  But this really is an updated version that can reach a new generation of kids.  The illustrations are lively and fun and the text  doesn't drag - it flows well with a nice, quick pace.  And the illustrations are detailed and fun - such a wide range of cool characters.

The ideal book to use this winter in a storytime.  How can you go wrong with a penguin theme, especially when it's cold outside?!!

Twilight - Breaking Dawn Party or Library Program

Do you have a Twi-hard just waiting for the release of The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1 ???  It might be hard to get their mind on anything else right now, so why not keep them busy!  The following project ideas would work for a library program as well as at home.

Glittler Gel - if you can't be a Cullen, you might as well shimmer like one!   Get your sparkle on with a bit of Glittler Gel.  Simply put some Aloe Gel (nice for your skin) into a container of your choice (sealable - if all else fails, use a ziploc baggie!) and add some extra-fine iridescent glittler.  Remember, a little bit of glitter goes a long way!!!  Stir and it's ready to use!  Apply to your skin, hit the sun and watch your adoring fans gasp at your sparkly glow.

Duct-Tape Roses - Nothing says I love you like a duct tape rose (ok, LOTS of other things do, but still - we're going for inexpensive).  I actually made that blue one in the photo.  It look like a billion petals (ok, maybe 50) and I thought it would never end, but teens love to make these.  I learned you can make them on a paper-clip so that you have a cheap bendy stem - it really worked!   I didn't type out my own directions - I used the ones here:  How to Make a Duct Tape Rose.  It was crazy easy!

Lovey Bookmarks - Ok, how about romantic bookmarks for pledging your undying (haha) love for Edward or Jacob?!  All you need is some stickers, romantic/gothic/vampire/werewolf type paper (I went for scrapbooking paper), ribbon, scissors, a hole punch and anything else for decorating.  Let their imagination go!

Dream Catcher - Not actually shown in my picture, one of the things I thought to make to celebrate hunky-from-Michigan Jacob AKA Taylor Lautner was a dream catcher.  Again, lots of directions out there on the net already and so many variations.  You can get as fancy or as simply as you would like.  Here is an easy dream catcher for little kids:  Easy Dream Catcher and here is a more advanced one for older kids and teens:  Advanced Dream Catcher.  If all else fails, you can also buy kits from Oriental Trading (click here).  For $8, you can get 12 kits!

Pop Tab Bracelets (or Pop Can Bracelets or Pull Tab Bracelets) - Whatever you call them, they are cool.  Back in the 1970s when I was a kid, we made them with real "pull tabs" that would curl up when you pulled them off your can of pop.  Now they are making quite a variety of things with the tabs off of pop, energy drink and beer cans!  BUT what was Kristen Stewart seen wearing?!?!  A pop tab bracelet, so it makes for a fun project at any Twilight party.  There are all different styles (two I made are in the photo) - just Google to find one you like. I have found that old t-shirts cut into strips make great weaving material if you do not have ribbon or something similar handy.

That's it!  If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them here.  Again, you can Google for all sorts of other Twilight party ideas too!  Have fun!!!  And if you see the movie this weekend, hope you enjoy it and have a fangtastic time!

Don't Worry, Douglas! by David Melling

Hugless Douglas is back in this new picture book by David Melling.  Douglas' dad has given him a new hat; a wonderfully wooly new hat, and Douglas just has to show his friends.  He is off with his snazzy hat, doing carwheels, full of excitement until something didn't feel right.  Douglas' new hat got caught on a branch and has unravelled!  Oh no!  How will Douglas ever tell his dad?   His friends try to help, but no one succeeds until Rabbit wisely suggests that Douglas simply "tell him what happened."

A very cute story with adorable illustrations by Melling.  And for those of you wondering, yes, the hillarious sheep from Hugless Douglas are featured again in this new picture book!

Definitely a great read-a-loud for storytimes; and with winter coming up, it would be an excellent choice for a winter clothing theme!

Turkey Craft - Wooden Spoon Puppet

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we have been trying to find some fun and creative turkey crafts.... and then I saw a wooden spoon.   Why not make a wooden spoon puppet!?!?  This is something anyone can do - at a facility such as a library or daycare center, or even at home!   All you need is a wooden spoon and then some sort of paper or foam type material for the eyes, wattle, beak, feathers, hat, etc.

For this turkey, we used self-adhesive foam for the beak and wattle.  I just cut the foam to the shapes needed.   Then we added googly eyes, because everything is better with googly eyes!

The hat is made out of black and yellow construction paper. For the feathers - guess what we used?!?!  A magazine!  This would be a perfect opportunity to work on color recognition with your preschooler.  Pull out a couple of old magazines and then search for a red picture, or blue, green, yellow, orange, etc.  When the pictures are found with the right colors, simply cut out feather shapes.    To glue items onto the wood we used glue dots - they are less messy than regular glue and there's no need for drying time!   NOTE:  we did use a glue stick to attach the feathers to each other on the back (see picture).   Magazine paper is a bit floppy and that bit of glue on each feather helped make them a bit more sturdy.

Have fun decorating your turkey  using any other craft items you have.   You might also want to try making your turkey parts all out of recycled paper - magazines, newspapers, old greeting cards, etc.  And most importantly, enjoy the time together making this ultra cool craft... and then putting on a play with all those turkeys!


MR. TURKEY

Mr. Turkey's tail is big and wide
He swings it when he walks
His neck is long 
His chin is red
And he gobbles when he talks - GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!

It may not win any awards, but here's my own version of...

FIVE PLUMP AND PERKY TURKEYS

Five plump and perky turkeys

Going for a stroll

The first one said “brrrr I’m getting cold”

The second one said “but you have feathers on your back!”

The third one said, “hmm I want a snack!”

The fourth one said, “I would like a drink!”

The fifth one said, “time to head home I think!”

So the plump and perky turkeys went on their merry way

Back home to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

Stuff by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

Nip hoarding right in the bud with Margie Palatini's latest picture book Stuff.  Adorably cute Edward has a lot of stuff.  Too much stuff.  His stuff has stuff, and his friends are tired of it.  A freak accident leaves Edward trapped in his stuff where he has lots of time to play with it - and learn he misses his friends.  With their help, he is able to clear out all the excess stuff and start to enjoy life.  Way to go Edward! 

I love that there is a book about hoarding for kids.  And I doubly love that Palatini is the author; she has such a wonderful way with blunt, straight-forward text that simply and thoroughly tells the story while entertaining the reader.  Jones' colorful illustrations lend just enough humor to make this a totally fun read.

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee

Late one night while up at our cabin deep in the woods, I persuaded my daughter and her friend to bundle up and come take a short walk with me out to the clearing. “Why?” they demanded, since it was so very cold and so very dark (i.e. scary) outside. “For a great surprise!” I said; they were not convinced. We grabbed little flashlights and made our way (tripping and giggling) out to the clearing. I told them to turn off their flashlights. Well, that request was met with nervous “no’s!!!”, but I did finally convince them. After a few second of more giggling and scaring each other, I said “Look up”.

“Cool. Mom, can we go in NOW?”

Not the reaction I was hoping for. We live near a large town and though many stars and constellations can be seen, it is nothing like the infinite beauty that befalls your eyes when you look to the night sky up in the deep, dark woods. Perhaps I should have had them read Stars first.

In a literary "big bang" Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee remind readers of the awesomeness and wonder that surrounds us every day. Stars, in the simplicity of a child, reflects about not only the celestial bodies that sparkle in the night sky, but also the stars found in nature such as on strawberry plants and pumpkin vines and how stars can make you a sheriff or become a wand when attached to a stick.

Beautifully complimenting the text are illustrations by Marla Frazee that capture the moments so that you can put them in your pocket and save them for a rainy day. I’ve been a fan of Frazee’s art since 2002’s Mrs. Biddlebox and was not disappointed in this latest picture book. Her art is lively yet contemplative, touching yet cute.

Check out this fantastic find! And if you wish to explore the star theme further, with your child find the star hidden inside an apple, or try a piece of star fruit! You can also make star prints using the fruit with tempera paint and paper. Or simply cut out a star that will be all your own.

Easy Sock Puppets to Celebrate the Muppets

Making sock puppets with a preschooler is crazy, right?!?  WRONG!  It is so much fun, and kids are so creative.  Yes, they might need extra help with glue and such, but they are at a very imaginative age and making something such as a sock puppet that they can play with and call their own can be a very fun and educational project!  And what better time?!  With the upcoming release of the new Muppet Movie, it's a great time to introduce puppets in case your wee one has not yet experienced their magic.

All you really need is a sock - an adult sock works best just because it gives more room for a face and definitely covers the arm like a puppet.  Girls long brightly colored tube socks are great because they are so colorful, but really, any sock will do!  Especially those lonely socks who's partner has been lost in the clothes dryer!  Then, use any scrap materials you have for eyes, a nose, a mouth, scales, hair or whatever your child wants to add to their puppet:  yarn, felt, googly eyes, lace, cloth scraps, doll clothes, etc - the possibilities are endless.

Some tips - have your child think about their puppet first.  Do they want to make a boy or a girl, a monster or a creature?  Maybe an animal like a dog or a dragon.  Talk to your child about what parts they might need to make (crazy curly chenille stem hair?  scales?  horns?) and then what materials they might want to use.  Have a variety of materials available for your child to look through and get ideas.  It helps the brainstorming process.

For construction, a thick glue, like Tacky Glue, works best, but you can even use glue dots (found in the glue section of craft stores, or even in the scrap booking area).  You might want to use a hot glue gun if you think your child is going to want to play with the puppet right away, or use a needlepoint needle and yarn or floss and sew the items onto the sock.

In any case have fun!  And remember to make a few  puppets so you can put on your own play!