A Great Homemade Gift for Kids

I always love to give a gift to children that doesn't require batteries, provides opportunities for parents to spend with their children in addition to allowing kids time to be creative. This holiday I decided to make a boredom box for some of our smaller relatives that will provide days of fun.

I purchased a plastic storage box from Wal Mart that could hold all of the materials. Included in the box was: play dough, Oobleck, shaving cream art, drawing dough, slime, white mud, and weaving. All of the materials, except the small paints and shaving cream, were dry ingredients that would require a little help from a parent. The directions for each activity was listed on the sticker. I know the box was a hit with my kids because they asked me to make them one.

to reproduce this gift, visit our website, click here, on Monday. We will have the stickers and directions available for downloading

For birthdays, the holidays or any other time, a boredom box is the perfect gift.

Painting on an Unusual Canvas

Our Christmas countdown continues and today Peyton will demonstrate how to create a painted scene on a window.

Find a Little Time for Snuggling This Season

I love reading with my kids, especially in the winter. We cozy up on the couch or in bed with blankets, snuggle close together and share a story. This time of year, many of our book selections are about the holidays. It gives us the opportunity to share our thoughts, traditions and meaning of Christmas.

Below are a list books recommended by Alison Mc Donald at No Time For Flashcards. Her recommendations are always fantastic and sure to be a hit with your kids. Check out her creative crafts, too.

Bring out the blanket, make a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy a holiday book with your special little child before the holidays slip away.

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett

It’s Christmas by Tina Burke

Ho, Ho, Ho, Tucker! by Leslie McGuirk

Albert’s Christmas by Leslie Tryon

It's Snowing!

I went to a friend's house yesterday and thought I had walked into a snowstorm! She had watched our video on how to make simple snowflakes and decided to make them with her seven year old daughter. My friend told me that she had made these as a child and had forgotten all about the craft. Now her seven year old can't get enough of them. Their entry way and living room ceilings are filled with snowflakes and there are strips of tape nearby waiting to hang more. Thanks for sharing this, Lisa!