Kid's Table: Letter Leaf Match!

Patria Lincoln Posted On Nov 12, 2018 | Reading

We absolutely love Thanksgiving and gathering with our friends and family each year! One thing I really enjoy is coming up with creative additions to our holiday celebration. Something fun for families to consider adding into their own tradition is a festive kids table! I still remember being a child and complaining about sitting at the “little table” with all of my cousins, but I’m sure we would have loved it if it had been set up in an inviting and engaging way.

Letter Leaf Match

A simple idea is to create a Thanksgiving Day themed Letter Match activity. This is a great option because it only costs a few dollars, it takes 5 minutes of prep, and it doubles as table décor. The only supplies you need are paper/felt cutouts, Thanksgiving stickers, clothespins and a Sharpie. Letter Leaf Match

I found leaf cutouts at the dollar store, but if for some reason you can’t locate any, just cut out some leaves from construction paper. Take your Thanksgiving stickers and attach one to each of the leaves. I tried to make sure that I chose stickers of objects that had a clear name and beginning letter sound. Letter Leaf Match

Next, attach a clothespin to each of the leaves at the “stem point”.

Letter Leaf Match

Once they are connected, use a Sharpie to add the beginning letter that corresponds to the sticker for that leaf. Letter Leaf match

Disconnect all of the labeled clothespins and stickered leaves. You can place the leaves all over the table and either put the clothespins in a cup, or scatter those around the table as well. You can let the kids freely clip the clothespins to the leaves or even set up a game where the child with the most correct leaves gets a little prize. Letter Leaf Match

The wonderful thing about this activity is that it can also be used with words or even just pictures. For older children, have them match clothespins with the object words written on them.For younger toddlers, place matching stickers on the leaves and tips of the clothespins. However you decided to tailor this activity, it’s a great way to entertain your kids this Thanksgiving! It’s fun, educational, and good for fine motor skills.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Save it for later!

Letter Leaf

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Patria Lincoln | Posted on May 4, 2023

Viva La Musica! DIY Cinco De Mayo Instruments!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with some live music! The kids will love crafting these simple instruments, opening up discussion about the holiday and its origins. It is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as Mexico’s independence day. In Mexican culture, May 5 actually marks the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in 1862, at the Battle of Puebla. In fact, the residents of the state of Puebla are really the ones who celebrate the holiday the most – even more than the rest of Mexico. They party with traditional Mexican food, dancers, and mariachi music. These wonderful sounds of celebration inspired us to make some homemade instruments. According to the Brain and Creativity Institute at University of Southern California, music experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in language and reading skills. Down the road, learning a musical instrumental at an early age can actually improve mathematical learning and increase SAT scores. Sounds good to us, so let’s get musical! Here’s what you’ll need to make you own little Cinco de Mayo band.

Festive Tambourine

What You'll Need:

2 paper or plastic plates
Decorations (stickers, markers, or paint)
Ribbon
Hole Punch
Craft Jingle Bells
Scissors

Using your paint or stickers, decorate the outside of your tambourine. Be colorful and creative!
Next, match the plates up so the bottom part of the plate faces out. Punch 5-6 holes around the plate’s circumference, making sure your bottom and top plates match up.

Cut the ribbon as long as you’d like. Longer ribbons always seem to add more drama! Then lace the ribbon through the jingle bells.
Loop your ribbon around the holes punched in the plates, securing it with a double knot.
Shake away! These small bells make a joyful sound!

Beating Drum

What You'll Need:

Clean Tin Can (be aware of sharp edges!)
Baloon
White Duct Tape
Decorative Tape
Two #2 Pencils
Scissors

First, cut the balloon at the base of the “stem”. You’ll need lots of balloon material to cover the wide opening of the can.
Stretch the balloon over the tin can. Tape the perimeter.
Then finish the whole can with the white tape, and add decorative tape if you so choose.

Shaky Maracas

What You'll Need:

Plastic Easter Eggs
Plastic Spoons
Dry Rice
White Duct Tape
Decorative Tape
Scissors

Fill the plastic eggs with about 2-3 pinches of rice. Filling them too full will not allow for the fullest sound: less is more.
Close the eggs and stick some tape around them immediately. If these crack open, you’ll have a big mess.

Next, situate two of the spoons to “cup” the eggs on either side. Wrap the tape around the spoon. Follow the spoons’ handles down with tape, as well as the top of the egg.
Add some decorative tape or stickers of your liking.
Shake it up!

Patria Lincoln | Posted on May 7, 2018

DIY Mother's Day Gifts!

Mother’s Day is May 13^th, so you still have plenty of time to create a handmade gift that shows the mother in your life just how much you and your family love her! The DIY art projects below are sure to make meaningful memories that Mom will truly cherish – and they’re fun! So, gather your little ones and get ready to create some truly adorable keepsakes!

Lots of Love Sun Catcher

Mom will go to pieces when she sees this sweet gift!

Materials:

Sheets or squares of colorful tissue paper

Coordinating-colored construction pape

rContact paper

Craft scissors

Hole punch

Ribbon

Cut a heart-shaped frame out of construction paper. Write your kids’ names and the year along the edge and include a Mother’s Day message, if you like.

Unroll your contact paper until you have a sheet twice the size of your heart frame and peel away the backing.

Place the heart frame at the top of the sticky side of the contact paper.

If your child is old enough to use safety scissors, have them cut the tissue paper into small squares. Younger children can tear the tissue into small pieces (and develop fine motor skills at the same time!). Let your kids place the tissue pieces wherever they like, within the heart shape.

Fold the bottom half of the contact paper over the heart, bringing the bottom edge up to the top edge. Press and smooth the contact paper flat and cut it away, about ¼ inch away from the outer edge of the heart frame.

Punch a hole in the top of the frame, string with a ribbon bow, and hang in a window as a sweet Mother’s Day surprise.

Fun with Fingerprints Heart Frame

Leave a permanent print on Mom’s heart with this sweet fingerprint photo frame!

Materials:

Raw wood frame

White, pink, and purple paint

Paintbrush

Permanent marker or Sharpie

Paint the front and sides of your frame white and allow to dry completely.

Pour the pink and purple paints onto a paper plate.

Show your child how to roll their pointer finger into the paint and press twice, overlapping, to form a heart shape on the frame. (You may have to help ????)

Continue until frame is full of heart-shaped fingerprints, leaving a space on the bottom edge for a message in marker, if you like.

Beautiful Palmprint Butterfly

Mom’s heart will soar when she sees this colorful art piece made from her little one’s palmprints!

Materials:

Large white construction paper

Colorful markers

Colorful paints

Plate

Aluminum foil

Paint brush

Use your markers to outline a long oval topped with a circle – these will be your butterfly’s body and head. Your child can color the head and body in with the markers and add antennae.

Cover a plate with aluminum foil and drop various colors of paint, filling the center of the foil-covered plate.

Press your child’s hand flat into the paint, making sure to cover the hand thoroughly. You should hear a squish as you press down. The lift your child’s hand straight out of the paint.

One at a time, press the palm, wrist-side to your butterfly’s body, down on the paper. Use your hand to press the fingers and palm down firmly, then help your child lift their hand straight up and off the paper. Have your child write their name and age and “Happy Mother’s Day” or other sweet message, if they’re able.