Turn Your Backyard into a Campground on June 25

Open the door and sleep under the stars. Roast marshmallows. Sing camp songs.

The Great American Backyard Campout is a one-night event that brings together thousands of families, friends and neighbors to rediscover outdoor fun.

To find out more about this fun backyard adventure,go to http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Wild-Animal-Baby/Camping.aspx.

For activities and recipes,click on Seasonal Activities and Recipe( above,left corner of this page) or go to http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Your-Big-Backyard/Camping.aspx.

HAPPY CAMPING!

The soccer world cup is about to start and I am sure we have many soccer fans out there.With so many au pairs from South Africa,and many more from other countries playing in this world wide soccer tournament,our cluster will be all eyes on the TV screens for the next few weeks.

Don’t forget to search for some fun activities to do with the kids during the world cup;try baking a cake in the shape of a soccer ball,find puzzles and trivia games online or use some of the activities below to get started(from www.kaboose.com)

Have fun!

Grab your markers, crayons and colored pencils for some printable fun with these soccer coloring pages!

Find more fun activities including soccer word puzzles, soccer trivia and more.

Boy Kicking Soccer Ball	Girl Kicking Soccer Ball
Dad and Son Playing Soccer	Mom and Daughter Playing Soccer
Soccer Coach Cartoon

Spring is a fun time of the year,with days getting longer and warmer and kids enjoying more time outside.Sometimes, the rain will keep them trapped inside,so here are a few ideas for games to play anywhere.

Have fun!

TELEPHONE:

How to Play:

1. Sit in a circle or a row with players a foot or more apart.

2. Choose one person to start. He comes up with a phrase or sentence — silly or serious, it doesn’t matter.

3. He leans over and whispers the phrase in the ear of the person next to him. That person whispers what she heard into the ear of the next player, and that continues around the circle.

4. When the last person has whispered the phrase in the ear of the first person, he repeats it out loud. After the laughter dies down, he can tell everyone the original sentence or phrase.

RED LIGHT,GREEN LIGHT:

How to Play:

1. Choose one player to be Red Light. He should stand about 25 yards from the other players, with his back turned to them.

2. The other players should be lined up shoulder to shoulder behind him. Their goal is to try to get close enough to tap Red Light on the shoulder, but they can move only when he says, “Green Light.”

3. To begin play, Red Light closes his eyes and yells, “Green Light!” Players then run at top speed toward him until he yells, “Red Light!” and turns around as fast as he can. The instant the other players hear “Red Light!” they must stop running. Anyone Red Light sees still moving when he turns around must return to the starting line.

4. This sequence is repeated until a player gets close enough to tap Red Light on the shoulder when his back is turned. This player wins and becomes the next Red Light.

HOPSCOTCH:

Best with:

• 2 or more players
• A sidewalk or patio

How to play:

1. Draw a diagram with numbered boxes about 18 inches wide and one- foot deep.

2. A player tosses a rock into the first box. (If the rock doesn’t land completely within the box, she picks up the rock, and her turn is forfeited.)

3. Without putting a foot down in the rock-occupied space, she hops to the end of the grid, putting one foot in each box. (She’ll have both feet down in adjacent spaces.) Throughout the game, if she falls or puts a foot down when she’s not supposed to, she forfeits her turn, leaves the rock, and tries again in the next round. If she safely reaches Home, she can rest on both feet for a few seconds.

4. She then turns around and hops back. She must stop in the box before the rock-occupied space and pick up the rock; once the rock is retrieved, she can hop into that box. If she makes it back to the beginning safely, it’s the next player’s turn.

5. Players take turns throwing rocks and retrieving them (avoiding all rock-occupied spaces). The first player to make it through all the boxes (including Home) wins.

SARDINES:

How to Play:

1. Declare the boundaries where kids can hide (”only in our backyard” or “only in the basement”).

2. Choose one child to be It. He hides while the rest of the group counts slowly to 20 (or higher).

3. The players then split up to search independently for whoever’s It. When a seeker finds him, he or she joins It in the hiding place, trying to stay as quiet as possible. (Ideally the hiding place should be somewhere that will just barely accommodate all players, and as others find It and crowd in, the silent squeeze becomes tighter — and sillier.)

4. When the last person finds the hiding place, the game’s over, and play resumes with the last person as It.

Originally published in Wondertime magazine.Also,check out this website for fun ideas all year long:www.kaboose.com

Mother’s Day

Many countries celebrate a special day for mothers. In the U.S, it started as a day of peace; now it is more a day to celebrate and pamper Mom. Help the children make cards or gifts or plan a special meal or other surprise for Mom. Read picture books to young children about mothers such as Are You My Mother by PD Eastman, Little Bear (an I Can Read Book) by Else Holmelund Minarik, or Just Me and My Mom by Mercer Mayer. You’ll find many other choices in your local library. For ideas of activities and surprises, visit www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/mom/.

Pasta Heart Plate for Mom

Even little ones can make one of these fun plates of love for Mom! All you will need is some glue, a plate, and some noodles.

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to create beautiful crafts and homemade cards just for Mom! Treat her to special recipes and bond with printable activities as well.

What you’ll need:

How to make it:

1. Use white craft glue to draw a heart shape on the plate. (See photo.)
2. Place macaroni shapes onto the white craft glue heart. (See photo.)
3. Use white craft glue to write “mom” in the center of the heart. Place flat side of split peas onto the craft glue, using yellow peas for both letter “m’s” and green for the “o.” (See photo.)
4. Let dry completely.

Tips:

1. For younger children, use dried beans instead of peas, as they are larger and easier to grasp.
2. Check the party aisle of your grocer or discount department store for colorful disposable plates.
3. You can paint a plain paper plate instead of using a coated plate.

Flower Card for Mom

A pretty flower takes center stage in this adorable Mother’s Day card that Mom is sure to love receiving.

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to create beautiful crafts and homemade cards just for Mom! Treat her to special recipes and bond with printable activities as well.

What you’ll need:

How to make it:

1. Fold card stock in half to create the greeting card. (See photo.)
2. Print and cut out flower pattern. Trace pattern onto the back of the patterned paper. Cut the flower shape out of the patterned paper, but do not cut the center circle. (See photo.)
3. Trace the center circle onto orange construction paper. (See photo.)
4. Cut out construction paper circle and glue it to the center of the patterned paper flower. (See photo.)
5. Glue the paper flower onto the center of the card.
6. Cut ribbon into pieces to create the letter “M”. Use white craft glue to “write” the letter “M” onto the card, and then place the ribbon onto the glue. Use glue to tack the ends that overlap. (See photo.)

Tips:

1. Look for pretty ribbons to go on sale, usually immediately following a holiday.
2. Your favorite craft supply store often includes coupons on your local newspaper, or you can sign up to receive them online.
3. Card stock is much sturdier, but construction paper is a suitable and less expensive option.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the May 5, 1862, Battle of Puebla (Batalla de Puebla) in which Mexican troops defeated Napoleon’s French forces. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the United States than in Mexico. Look for the book Cinco de Mayo by Janet Riehecky or visit www.elbalero.gob.mx/index_kids.html for information and activities from Mexico.

Mexican food is a huge part of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. To celebrate this fun holiday and all the tasty meals that go with it, try making these adorable foam tacos and tostadas.

FOAM TACOS AND TOSTADAS:

What you’ll need:

How to make it:

1. To make the taco, glue brown foam strips to the circle. Be sure they are hanging over the edge so they will be sticking out when you fold the taco.
2. Repeat Step 1 with each color until you’ve worked your way around the circle. Fold the circle in half as you go to make sure it looks right. Use green for lettuce, yellow for cheese, and red for tomato salsa.
3. Fold the circle in half and hot glue in place to hold it closed.
4. For the tostada, smear the circle with white craft glue. Cover with brown foam strips.
5. Dot white glue on top of the brown strips and add a layer of yellow and orange foam strips for the look of cheese.
6. Dot white glue on top of the “cheese” and add the “lettuce” by gluing on green strips.
7. Lastly, cut a few red strips into squares and glue the “tomatoes” on top.

Tips:

• You can purchase craft foam in individual sheets in many colors, or you can purchase packages of various shapes, sizes and colors. Either option will work since they can easily be cut down to strips.
• You can add a magnet to the back of your taco and hang it on the fridge!
• Felt can be substituted for foam in this craft.

MARACAS:

Make your own shakable maracas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Use your imagination to create colorful and festive maracas to enjoy with your friends.

What you’ll need:

How to make it:

1. Paint cups with tan paint and let dry.
2. Decorate cups by painting on swirling or curvy lines. We used red paint for ours. You can also paint zig-zags. We used white for ours. Paint the bottom of each cup red.
3. Place a handful of dried beans into one of the cups.
4. Put a layer of hot glue onto the rim of the cup with the beans in it before quickly placing the other cup on top of it, lining up the rims of both cups. Allow to dry completely.
5. Finish any decorating you would like, such as adding pom-poms around the center (to hide the glue line). We also used mini pom-poms to dot the peaks of the zig-zags.
6. Once your glue is completely dry, shake your maraca!

Tips:

• Smaller children may enjoy using stickers instead of trying to manipulate pom-poms and buttons. Older kids may like to get even more intricate by painting on more detailed and thinner lines.
• If you don’t have any dried beans, use a few pennies instead.
• Our color suggestions are just that, suggestions. Use whatever colors you like to make this project your own!

Earth Day

Earth day is celebrated on April 22nd and was organized first by environmentalists in 1970.It has become more and more popular each year.

The goal of the day is to “increase awareness, responsibility and action toward a clean, healthy future for all living things.”

Here’s a fun paper-making activity in the spirit of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This activity is appropriate for children ages 5 and up with adult supervision. It requires some advance planning to gather all the materials and will take several hours to complete and clean up.

Paper-Making Recipe
This paper-making recipe will help you recycle some of that wasted paper around your house, such as newsprint, envelopes, writing paper, left over gift wrap, or other types of paper. Note: Sort the paper by color, because it will come out that tone.

Materials

• a large bowl
• waste paper (about 5 sheets)
• water
• a mixer or food processor
• two wooden frames 8″-12″ (you can buy a standard frame or make one)
• a screen (nylon works well)
• a stapler
• a large basin (dishpan for instance)
• optional: dryer lint, thread, glitter, flowers, thin leaves, pine needles, potato or carrot peel…be creative here

1. Soak It: To begin, shred the paper into small squares about 1×1 inch and put them into the bowl with hot water. Let soak for half an hour.

2. Make a Mold: While the paper is soaking, make the mold by attaching the screen to each frame using staples.

3. Turn it into Pulp: Place the soaked paper in the mixer bowl or food processor half filled with water. Mix at half speed until smooth. At this point, you can also add small quantities of vegetables or plants to the pulp. In this case, mix until the mixture is uniform. (Only a small amount should be used or you will end up with mush.) To add color to the paper, add nontoxic fabric dye or food coloring to the mixture.

4. Swish it in a Basin: Pour warm water into the basin until it is half full. Then, pour the pulp into the basin until the mixture resembles thick soup. The thicker the mixture, the thicker your paper will be. Working in the basin, place the pulp on the screen in the frame and shake it from side to side to distribute the pulp evenly until it makes a sheet of paper.

5. Drain: Take the paper pulp and frame out of the basin. Place the other framed screen on top. Hold both frames and turn them over so that the pulp is on the dry frame.

6. Let It Dry: Place the frame flat and let it drip dry.

7. Leftovers: When you are done, you can throw away the screened pulp or keep the drained, leftover pulp in the freezer, in a plastic bag, for later use. NOTE: Do not pour the pulp into the sink or toilet because the pulp could block the drain.

Remember use your imagination!
Activity from www.planetpal.com

Other activity links:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/earth-day/earth_day_crafts.html

Earth Day Coloring pages:

http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-color.html

Activities around town:

Fancy Nancy Poetry Storytime (FREE!)
(through Sat, Apr 17)
Borders hosts a storytime inspired by Jane O’Connor’s new book, Fancy Nancy Poet Extraordinaire, complete with games, crafts, poetry-writing, and more. Check with your local store to confirm participation…
Location: Borders
Cost: Free
Ages: 5 – 8

Earth Day Family Day: Can You Dig It?! (FREE!)
(through Sat, Apr 17)
Families can listen to a geologist talk about the many different kinds of dirt, a librarian read a book about dirt, and participate in workshops where they make paintings and objects from dirt and clay to take home. Advance registration is required; space is available as we go to press…
Location: Arlington Arts Center
Cost: Free
Ages: 3 – 18

Family Day: Earth Day Celebration (FREE!)
(through Sat, Apr 17)
Celebrate Earth Day in conjunction with the opening of the Running Fence exhibition with live performances; interactive storytelling; crafts such as making eco-friendly woven placemats, fabric collages, decorating tote bags; and even helping to make a community fence…
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Cost: FreeAges: All Ages

Cooking  with my kids is one of my favorite things to do! Every member of our family enjoys food and trying new recipe is not only fun but a good way to eat a variety of things.

Encouraging kids to participate in the search and preparation will also help them try new food.Take them to a farmer’s market or simply to your grocery store and have them buy the ingredients for a yummy recipe.Below are some facts,ideas and recipes to use and get started:

According to the American Dietetic Association children should eat 6-11 servings of grains (bread, pasta,rice, cereal), 3-5 servings of vegetables (about 1/2 cup is a serving for a child), 2-4 servings of fruit (again,about 1/2 cup), 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish or dried beans, and 2-3 dairy servings every day.However, experts agree that children will eat when they are hungry and shouldn’t be forced to eat. Give children small portions which won’t overwhelm them, and remind them that they can always have more.

Snacks between meals should be nutritious (fruits, vegetables, cheese, bread, crackers, yogurt, or juice).Keep fruits and vegetables at children’s eye level in the refrigerator or in a bowl on the table so they will be able to take them easily when they are hungry. Blend juice, chopped fruit and yogurt in the blender for a quick and delicious fruit smoothie. Add a touch of honey to sweeten.

Involving children in meal planning, grocery shopping and food preparation can help them to become more interested in what they eat. Have them cut out pictures from grocery store flyers to make a picture shopping list, and then they can help find the items in the store. Help them to choose foods in each of the five food groups listed above. Serve food in a pretend restaurant with homemade placemats and menus, or create your own grocery store with empty boxes or cans (if you plan on using cans, open from the bottom and then check for sharp edges).

Many children need to eat more often than three times per day. If a child becomes cranky or irritable, it may be time for a snack. Sugary foods make many children excitable.

Food safety:
• to avoid choking, never offer food unless the child is sitting upright.
• toddlers are just learning to chew – celery, carrots, grapes, apples, and hot dogs must all be cut up,peanut butter should be spread thinly on bread or a cracker, and children under four should not eat
raisins, hard candy, nuts or popcorn, as they are all easy to choke on.
• food storage customs in the United States may be different from those in other countries. Generally,eggs, dairy products and all meats should never be left at room temperature. If meat is frozen, it should be defrosted in the refrigerator or in the microwave, not on the counter. All cutting boards and knives should be well washed after preparing chicken. Fruit will ripen at room temperature, but if it is already ripe, it will keep better in the refrigerator. The one exception is bananas – the refrigerator will turn them black.
• before opening a can, rinse the lid so the dirt from the outside of the can doesn’t get into the food.

Remember, adults should set a good example with the food they eat, and where and how they eat it.

Here are a few snack recipes to try with your kids:

Banana,berry and buttermilk popsicles (from the Natural Pantry at Wholeliving.com)

Puree 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk, 1 banana, 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries, and 1/4 cup honey or agave syrup in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into Popsicle molds and freeze. Makes 10 pops ( 75 calories each).

More kid and family healthy – friendly recipe at :

SPRING is a wonderful time to talk about SENSES to your Host Children and do some fun activities around it!

Children learn through their senses. Smelling, seeing, touching, hearing, tasting are all ways children take in information about the world around them.

Here is a list of suggestions of fun activities you can do with the children you care for.

SMELL: Smell flowers, name different things that have odors, make smell jars…Place one each of several fruits and vegetables in small cups. Cover cups with aluminum foil. Punch a small hole in the aluminum foil. Have the children smell the cups and identify the fruits and vegetables. Can also use coffee beans, spices, soap, lemon juice, chocolate, or whatever else you think of.

SIGHT: Make an indoor rainbow : fill a clear glass jar with water and set on a window sill in the bright sunlight. Place white paper on the floor to capture the rainbow.

Paint rainbow with watercolors.

Go for a nature walk. See how many things the children can see, hear, smell or touch.

Make binoculars for the nature walk: decorate two toilet paper tubes. Glue together to make binoculars. Place holes on one end of the rolls and attach yarn or string so children can wear the binoculars around their necks.

TOUCH: Make a Feely box: cut a hole in one end of a shoebox so children can slide their hand into the box. Fill the inside of the box with different items-spoons, small car, cotton ball, ball, pencil, etc… Have children slide their hand inside, fell an object and tell you what it feels like and what they think the items are without looking.

Have the children fingerpaint

Play in the sandbox

Make  texture rubbings: place ea piece of paper over different textures-sandpaper, sidewalk, coins, etc…. and have them use a crayon to rub across the paper.

Make a texture collage: finds items of different textures-cotton ball, noodle, ribbon, small sticks, grass, whatever you choose and have the children glue on paper or a paper plate

HEAR: Make sound jars: need small containers such as film canisters, covered baby food jars, or small Pringle Chips cans. Fill two containers with rice, two with beans, two with rocks, two with water, two with pennies, etc… Place lids on containers. Have children shake cans, guess the sound in one of the remaining canisters.

Listen to wind chimes or music.

Listen to a tape of sounds and guess the sounds

Make shakers: take two paper plates and decorate them with crayons, markers or paint. Place dried beans between the two plates. Staple them together and shake.

TASTE: Apple tasting: cut up different varieties of apples to taste

Make a “tasting tray            “with foods that taste sweet, sour, salty, spicy or bitter.               Bake something from your home country and have the children taste. See whether or not it tastes different.

Grow a pizza garden: Kids can grow the fresh ingredients for pizza sauce – a couple of tomato plants, one each of basil, rosemary and oregano, plus half a dozen onions (use onion sets, which are small onion bulbs) and one green and one red pepper plant. Buy plants in spring, but don’t transplant into garden until all danger of frost is past. Help kids prepare the soil. For fun, make the bed round or wedge shaped, and edge it with orange or yellow marigolds to resemble crust. At harvest time, buy plain pizza crust or pizza dough, and help kids cook up a sauce using garden fresh ingredients. Top the pizza crust with sauce, diced peppers and the usual pepperoni and cheese. How proud they will be to have grown their own pizza sauce!

Build a scarecrow: Collect adult-sized old clothing – an old plaid shirt, a vest or jacket, a pair of jeans, old gloves (for the hands), and boots or socks (for the feet). Use straw, leaves or rags as stuffing. For a frame, use two pieces of wood, one stake tall enough for the height of clothing with 1 ½ feet extra to pound into ground. Cut the shorter stake the length of the shirt with arms stretched out. Nail the boards in a cross-like form. Stuff pillowcase for the head first and tie up the round part with string, then pull the open-ended pillow fabric over the vertical stake and secure string. For facial features, kids can use waterproof markers, or help them sew on buttons for eyes and nose. Fasten a straw hat with safety pins. Put the shirt onto the frame, do up the buttons and add the stuffing, tying the shirt’s waist so stuffing stays in place. Pin or tie ends of pants and stuff. Use a belt through the loops to attach jeans to the stake and shirt. Use safety pins if necessary. Prop leg ends into boots or stuffed socks, and pin stuffed gloves to ends of the shirt arms. Presto, you have a fun scarecrow decoration for the kids’ garden.