Easter Books and Crafts 2013

Here's my list of Easter favorites:

The Easter Bunny That Overslept by Pricilla Friedrich

Badger's Easter Surprise by Alan Parry

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

Here Comes Peter Cottontail by Steve Nelson

Easter Bunnies Everywhere by  William Boniface




Recycled crafts materials needed to make all three bunnies:
2 cardboard tubes
2 Styrofoam cups
scrap paper
pipe cleaners
ribbon
glitter
cotton balls /pompoms
scissors
glue
markers


The following pictures show three crafts made from household products you can recycle. By covering cardboard tubes with pretty patterned paper you can make cute bunnies. You can also decorate plain white paper with your choice of paint, stickers or colored markers. Add paper punches eyes (you can use wiggle eyes if you have them), and embellish as you wish (such as white paper teeth). You can add glitter to the ears. Pipe cleaners can be stapled on for whiskers. Pompoms make cute cheeks and noses.  In the last picture, the bunny is created by using glue to attach two cups together (rim edges touching). Each one can be different, so let the kids have fun using their individual ideas. They make wonderful centerpieces or place card holders. Happy Easter everyone!

St. Patrick's Day 2013

St. Patrick's Day Books and Craft
Here are some fun books to find:
1-The Night Before St. Patrick's Day by Natasha Wing
2. St. Patrick's Day by Gail Gibbons
3. Buster's St. Patrick's Day by Debbe Handymon May
4. St. Patrick's Day Alphabet by Beverly Vidrine
5.The Story of St. Patrick's Day by Patricia A. Pingry
6. A Leprechaun St. Patrick's Day by Sarah Blazek


Leprechaun's Gold
supplies needed:
washable tempera paint liquid dish soap (for easy clean up)
black construction paper
gold paper or foil (or a gold crayon)
hole punch
glue

Using washable tempera paint with a bit of liquid dish soap mixed in, paint your child's fingers in the colors of the rainbow. This is a good time to teach them about the unchanging sequence of rainbow colors. Press their fingers onto white paper and let them dry. Afterwards, cut a pot out of black construction paper and glue it over the end of the fingers. Using a whole punch, punch some "coins" out of gold paper or gold foil. You can also use gold crayons to color some white paper if you cannot find the gold paper. Display your leprechaun's pot of gold and rainbow to bring your family the luck o' the Irish. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Change Your Clocks AND Your Batteries

Don't forget when you reset your clocks this weeknd to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. Here is a link to other fire safety resources. There are also many fact and tip sheets for adults and children.

Childhood ADHD May Lead to Problems Later On

I found this article very interesting. Read it here. As an educator, I have always advocated for parents to take children for professional evaulations immediately if they exhibit these behaviors, since the earlier it is treated, the better. Let me know what you think.