Another Winter Art Project

Now that the Holiday decorations are down, most rooms are looking pretty boring. To brighten up a child's room, how about a snowman chain? Start by cutting a 12 inch by 18 inch piece of white construction paper in half to get two 6 inch by 18 inch strips. Divide each strip into six 3 inch sections. Accordion fold the paper. Draw a simple snowman shape on the top section with the arms ON THE FOLD. Cut around the shape through all the layers, but don't cut around the ends of the arms.



Unfold the paper and let your child decorate each snowman with markers or crayons. Repeat with the other strip and connect the two together. Put them above the window, around a mirror or anywhere you want to brighten up the decor.
Math connection- Ask you child to put a specific number of buttons on each snowman, or make them consecutive from one to six. Ask older children to make a pattern with the clothing. For example, with buttons, with buttons, with a scarf, with a scarf, with buttons, with buttons,as in my example. They can also be used to teach colors and ordinal numbers, as in give the third snowman a red hat.

National Bird Day

Here is a card I made for National Bird Day. It was submitted for the Split Coast Stampers Obscure Holiday Challenge.

New Scrapbook Pages

I have added some new scrapbook pages to my granddaughter's album.
These are from her first airplane trip to Florida.





These are from her first Halloween. She was a little lamb!




These are from her first Christmas.

Vaccinate Your Children

I just read a great article in American Baby by Norine Dworkin-McDaniel about the importance of vaccinating your baby. She not only reassures parents that vaccines are safe but also gives a handy table of all the vaccines and when they should be administered. For more information so you can separate fact from fiction, get a copy of the January 2009 issue or you can also visit a helpful website - Every Child By Two. Additional information can also be obtained from Safe Kids Worldwide (see both postings in my favorite links.)

Sales Aplenty

I hit the stores today for the big after Christmas sales and got to stock up on yarn at super prices. I am an avid knitter and will be ready now for the many days of snowy weather here in the northeast. I will grab my needles and a cup of tea or cocoa and settle in. Hope you all have great plans for the New Year!

Silver and Lavender

This is a new birthday card I made using a lavendar card, lavender flocked paper with silver embossing, silver ink, and stamps from Stampin' Up. It is accented with silver ribbon.

January Books For kids

As promised, here are some favorite books for kids that are perfect for January.

Winter Weather- "Snowsong Whistling" by Karne Lota illustrated by Elisa Kleven
This is a delightful rhyming book about a snowstorm and the illustrations are gorgeous. A wonderful book to read aloud to a child.

Polar Bears- "Big bear Little Bear" by David Bedford and Jane Chapman
An adventure story of a polar bear cub with a sweet ending.
- "The Three Snow Bears" by Jan Brett
This is similar to the three bears story but with polar bears instead of brown bears. As usual with a Jan Brett book, the illustrations are superb.

Coordinated art project:
This is a very simple art project to follow the reading of the polar bear books.
First, make a simple basic sketch of a polar bear body and head on white copy paper. (See illustration.)It doesn't need to be exact.
Second, slowly tear around your outline to make the furry effect.
Third, use a blue piece of construction paper or cardstock as a water background. Tear an simple iceberg shape from white copy paper and glue it onto the blue.
Fourth, glue the polar bear body onto the iceberg. Glue the head between the front legs as shown.
Fifth, use a black marker or crayon to make the small circle eyes, larger oval nose, and claws.

January Ideas

I have received a request to give a monthly activity for fun and learning. Since January weather can require lots of indoor time, it seemed like a great idea. As a retired elementary school teacher, I needed quite a variety of activities for the many indoor recesses we had during the winter months. So here are a few suggestions.

Science Theme: Birds
1-For younger kids, make some bird feeders out of pipe cleaners and Cheerios. Let them push Cheerios onto each pipe cleaner ( you may want to connect two together for extra length) and twist into different shapes (this is also a good way to teach geometric shapes like circle, triangle, square, rectangle, and rhombus.) An additional math connection would be to specify a number to go on each shape, for example: 7 on the circle, 12 on on triangle. For the older kids, let them decide how many of the 12 go on each side of the triangle (a basis for division). Choose shapes and numbers that are age appropriate. Place outside their bedroom window.
2- Make feeders out of pine cones covered with peanut butter and rolled in bird seed and corn meal. Hang with string in a nearby tree.
3- Bird Biscuits Recipe:
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup cold water
2 Tbsp margarine
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
Preheat oven to 425F. Form a soft dough with baking mix & water. Roll out the dough to 3/4" thickness & cut it into shapes with cookie cutters. Using a straw, punch a hole in the top of each cookie. Melt the margarine & brush over dough. Sprinkle the seeds & nuts onto the dough and press it in FIRMLY with a fork. Bake for 15-20 min., or until light brown. When cool, thread brightly colored ribbon through the hole & hang in a tree.
Let the kids use a bird identification guide or the internet to name and record the different birds they see at their feeders. The older children can keep a graph for each month, and may be able to conclude which feeder attracts the most birds.
Please feel free to share your feedback.


Arts and crafts:
Homemade modeling dough: NOTE: This activity MUST be supervised by an adult.

2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp cream of tartar
2 cps water
food coloring

Measure flour, salt, cream of tartar into a large pot. Stir well. Add coloring to water in a measuring cup. Slowly add colored water to dry ingredients. Stir in oil. cook over low to medium flame, stirring always. A spatula works best. Stir until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and turn out onto work surface. Knead dough. It may be sticky to start. It will dry as it cools. Store in an airtight container.


Next week, I will begin recommending two books for each week. They will be ones that I have used and know that children love.

White Christmas!

Take time to enjoy all the blessings of having a grandchild to enjoy at this wonderful time of the year. It is truly a wonder to see a child experience all the fun of the holiday season for the very first time. Take tons of pictures to remember each special activity. Happy Holidays to all!

Happy Holidays

As the end of the year approaches quickly, I read down my long list of things left to do. Most become trivial when compared to time I will set aside to me with my granddaughter. Remember to spend some time with your little ones doing all the tasks that will become a lasting memory for them. Bake cookies and wrap presents with their help. It may transform a fifteen minute chore into an hour long event, but it's worth it! I remember baking with my children and still miss them now that I have to bake alone. The terrific thing is that I can look forward to making a mess with Emma Claire as soon as she is old enough to make a mess by stirring too fast and not watching where she pours. Don't forget to take those pictures for the scrapbook. I wish everyone a loving, peaceful holiday and a healthy, prosperous New Year.

Another Safety Recall

Nov. 20, 2008 -- Child Death and Near Strangulation Prompt Two CPSC Recalls of Window Blinds and Shades (source: Safe Kids Worldwide)

Today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued two separate window covering recalls.

In response to the strangulation death of a 1-year-old child from Connecticut, the CPSC has recalled "IRIS" and "ALVINE" Roman blinds sold at IKEA between July 2005 through June 2008. The child was strangled by an exposed inner cord on the backside of the blinds. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Roman Blinds and return them to any IKEA store to obtain a full refund. For further information, refer to the CPSC recall notice.

Tips Before Shopping For Holiday Gifts

Shop CPSC Toy Safety Tips Before Shopping for Holiday Gifts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The holidays are here and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has its list. Parents and gift buyers are encouraged to check it twice. Today, CPSC issued its annual holiday safety messages, joined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Safe Kids Worldwide, to remind parents to be diligent when making holiday shopping choices.

"CPSC, CBP and industry activity has been with one goal in mind, to keep the toys our children play with the safest in the world" said Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "Vigorous inspection of toys, testing and law enforcement have made toys the safest this season."

For 2007, the Commission has reports of 18 toy-related deaths and CPSC staff estimates that there were about 170,100 hospital emergency-room treated toy-related injuries to children under 15. Most of the deaths were associated with airway obstruction from small toys, drowning, or motor vehicle accidents during play. Most of the injuries were lacerations, contusion and abrasions; the head and face was the area most frequently affected.

The top 5 toy hazards:

* Scooters and other Riding Toys - Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be worn at all times and be sized to fit.

* Small Balls and other Toys with Small Parts - For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.

* Balloons - Children under eight yrs. can choke or suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Keep un-inflated balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once.

* Magnets - For children under age six, avoid building or play sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces with magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.

* Chargers and Adapters - Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

Once the gifts are open:

* Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things.

* Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings.

* Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.

With the increased popularity of second-hand stores and on-line vendors, gift-givers should be especially vigilant to prevent the sale or purchase of hazardous products that have been recalled, banned or do not meet current safety standards. Before placing products in the second-hand market, check its recall status at www.cpsc.gov. Buyers should make sure their gifts do not include any of the recalled toys or children's products on CPSC's web site.

Also, at this web site, consumers can keep up-to-date on dangerous products by signing up to have recall announcements sent directly to their email account. Choose to receive all recall announcements or children's product recalls only. Consumers also can call CPSC's toll-free hotline at (800) 638-CPSC. For information about all types of recalls, visit www.recalls.gov

To see this release on CPSC's web site, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09040.html