This Christmas, let kids create their own wrapping paper to wrap gifts in!

What You’ll Need to Make Wrapping Paper

You can use large strips of white, red, or green butcher paper, or you can also use newspaper. You’ll need various colors of tempera paint, and some cheap rectangular sponges.

Making the Wrapping Paper

Use scissors to cut various shapes out of the sponges like Christmas trees, ornaments, gingerbread men, snowmen… Let younger children draw a shape with a marker on the sponge and you can help them cut it out. Lay out the large sheets of paper on a smooth flat surface. Pour the paint into a wide shallow dish or a paper plate works well too. Have the kids dip the sponges in the paint and gently stamp it onto the paper. Not much paint is needed. You may want to demonstrate first.
See the wrapping paper come to life with the vibrant colors as children enjoy stamping with their Christmas shapes!

Thanksgiving is a fun time to make butter with kids. It not only teaches them what butter is made of and how it is made, but it also helps children realize that the pilgrims didn’t have the convenience of grocery stores! Their food was all self produced!

The Butter-Making Necessities

To make a small amount of butter, you will need a few things. The key ingredient is heavy cream. You will need to pour this into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. A clear plastic container is a great option so you can see how your butter is coming along, and if it is dropped, it won’t break!

Let the Shaking Begin!

For the butter to form, the cream must be shaken constantly for about 20 minutes. This is a great activity for a group. Take turns passing the jar around in a circle. While the group shakes, you can sing songs or chant poems! Make it fun. Create some of your own songs or poems if you’re feeling inventive!

When the butter has formed into a glob, pour out the buttermilk. You can add a little salt to your butter, form it into a shape, and most importantly give it a taste test! Have fun making this simple and yummy recipe!  And be sure to save some homemade butter for your Thanksgiving dinner!

It’s apple season, and what could be more fun for kids than making and eating their own homemade applesauce! This quick and easy recipe is a great way to use this seasonal fruit and makes a healthy and yummy after school snack.

• 4 apples peeled, cored, and quartered
• water
• sugar
• red hots (secret ingredient)

Place your apples in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until apples are mushy. Remove from heat and mash with a fork or potato masher to desired chunkiness. Add sugar to taste, and for extra fun and flavor throw in a few of the secret ingredient—red hot candies!

Wizards, Witches, and Goblins, oh my! This simple Halloween game will liven up any party. It’s easy to explain, easy to play, and sure to bring loads of excitement and fun!

Rules for this Halloween Game

What do you need for the game? Nothing but people and masking tape for the floor! This active game works best with large groups in a big open space! You’ll need at least 8 people. Make two long lines with tape that run parallel to each other about 5 feet apart. Put these in the center of the room. This is the creative part! Together come up with signs to represent a wizard, witch, and goblin. These are generally made with hand motions, and facial expressions- the crazier the better! You may even choose to use sound effects!

Now, divide the people into two teams. Each team quietly huddles together to decide whether they want to be wizards, witches, or goblins. Once a decision has been made they line up on the tape facing the opposite team lined up on the other tape. On the count of three each team shows their choice. The next step requires a little brain work, so just remember this: wizards chase witches, witches chase goblins, and goblins chase wizards. For example if Team A chooses to be witches, and Team B chooses to be wizards, then Team B would chase Team A. Once the teams figure out who is chasing who (it only takes seconds), the team being chased runs away to their designated safety (this could be another taped line) while the team chasing tries to tag the other team’s members. If a player has been tagged before reaching safety, they then belong to the other team. The teams then re-huddle and make their choice for the next round!

Children will love this art craft using real leaves to make their own beautiful creations. Leaf rubbing is quick and simple and a great way to be creative and enjoy nature at the same time.

What You’ll Need to Begin the Leaf-Rubbing Activity

Each child will need a blank piece of paper. Thin, white copy paper works well, or colored would work also. You’ll need crayons with the paper wrapper peeled off. This is a great time to use up any old and broken ones you may have lying around. The most important items to gather are leaves! Take a walk outside with your kids and collect all kinds of leaves. It’s important that they are not brittle and dry. The more kinds you can gather the better!

How to Create the Leaf Art

Have each child arrange their leaves on a flat surface vein side up, and carefully place the paper on top of the leaves. Have children rub their paper using various colors of crayons by holding the crayon horizontally to the paper. Children will watch their leaves appear on their paper in the vibrant colors they use!

Children can decorate their rooms with these artistic creations in the fall or anytime! Kids will enjoy seeing such a similar depiction of a leaf appear on their paper as they rub away with this great craft!

Sometimes don’t you wish you could freeze a moment in time or remember exactly how things were? A new school year, New Year, or the start of anything new in a child’s life is the perfect setting for making time capsules to remember specifics. Kids will love putting together a collection of remembrances, and they will especially love opening the capsule at the appointed time!

Making the Time Capsule

First you need to find a sturdy container for each child. It could be anything such as a shoe box, an old Tupperware container, or an unused paint can. Kids will want to collect things to put in their time capsules to help them remember that period in time. Think of memorable things for the child’s personal life and important events and activities that are happening around the world. You may want to go through the newspaper and clip out significant articles relevant for the current time or write a few events down on paper.

To help kids remember personal things, let them go around with a camera and take pictures. Include photos of the child’s bedroom, house, yard, school, neighborhood, pet, family, and don’t forget a picture of the child! Place photos in a sealed bag to protect against moisture. Kids may also want to gather an old favorite toy or book to put in the capsule or an item of clothing they have just outgrown.

Use blank paper to trace their hands and feet. Include a piece of string that is the height of the child. Have the children think of activities or sports they are currently involved in and add items to represent these. For example, if a child is involved in swimming, add a pair of goggles. Have children complete the About Me worksheet to put in the capsule.

When everything has been gathered, place all the items in the container and seal it shut. Label the container with the child’s name, the date it was completed, and the date it should be open. Store it away in a safe place, or better yet, go bury it with your kids if it is a waterproof container. When changes come, the time capsule will be a great snapshot to remember how life once was!

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About Me for Time Capsules (PDF)