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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Paper Plate Lion
Visiting the zoo? This a Paper Plate Lion craft will make kids roar! It’s perfect for zoo camps, school, home, or wrapping up a homeschool unit on African animals.
Paper Plate Lion Craft
This craft is fun and easy for kids of all ages!
Materials and Directions:
- White paper plates
- Brown and yellow paint
- Brown construction paper
- Large googly eyes
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
After gathering supplies, paint a brown ring around the outside of the paper plate.
Paint the inner portion of the paper plate yellow. Use the paintbrush to paint yellow streaks on top of the still-wet brown paint.
Cut the lion’s nose from the brown construction paper (we used a rounded heart shape). Press the nose and the wiggly eyes onto the still-wet yellow paint. If the paint becomes dry, secure the nose and wiggly eyes with white school glue.
Use the brush to paint a mouth and whiskers onto the lion.
When all of the paint is dry, snip the brown ring with scissors. Ruffle and bend the edges to create the lion’s mane.
Isn’t he cute?
Love this craft?
You may also enjoy our Lion Zentagle coloring pages for kids! You will also want to check out these 25 Zoo Animal Crafts for kids!
The post Paper Plate Lion appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
5 Summer Snacks to Enjoy by the Pool
If you’ve already brought out the swimsuits and pool floaties, you are ready for summer! And if you are already planning ahead for a day at the pool, here are 5 Summer Snacks to Enjoy by the Pool that your family will love.
Family Food Live can be seen every Wednesday and Friday at 12 Noon EST/11 am CST on Facebook! Today I’ll be live on the Quirky Momma Facebook page. But make sure you like both the Burnt Macaroni Facebook page and the Quirky Momma Facebook page now so you never miss an episode!
If you missed the last show, here’s a look at some of it:
Salted Chocolate Mandarin Oranges
Shopping List:
- Mandarin Oranges, peeled
- 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- Sea Salt
- Coconut Oil
Instructions:
- Peel Mandarin Oranges
- In a mixing cup, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave for about a minute, then in 10-second intervals until melted
- Add a tablespoon of Coconut oil into the chocolate to make it really smooth
- Dip each of the mandarin oranges slices into chocolate and place on lined baking sheet
- Sprinkle the chocolate with salt
- Put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the chocolate harden
Thanks to Deliciously Yum for this fun idea
Yogurt Banana Pops
This is a huge favorite in my home. These Yogurt Banana Pops are fun for the kids and give them something healthy to eat during a hot afternoon.
Chocolate Dipped Fruit Cones
Shopping List:
- Waffle Cones
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Shredded Coconut
- Sprinkles
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Grapes
- Mango
Instructions:
- In the microwave, melt the chocolate in a glass mixing cup for about 1 minute — then 10-second intervals until melted
- Dip the top of the cone into the chocolate and sprinkle with shredded coconut or sprinkles and let cool
- Fill the cones with fruit including strawberries, blueberries, grapes and mango
Homemade Blueberry Peach Roll Ups
Shopping List:
- 4 medium sized Peaches, chopped
- 1 container fresh Blueberries
- 2 teaspoons Honey
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 170°
- Cut the peaches and put them into a food processor. Add 2 teaspoons honey and mix.
- Pour the puree onto a lined baking sheet
- In the same food processor, pulse the blueberries until smooth
- Pour over the baking sheet, filling in the holes of the peach puree
- Then using a rubber spatula, spread the two together and form a rectangle so you have even corners
- Put in the oven for 5-6 hours until the roll up is dry (it may take longer depending on thickness of roll up)
- Cool and peel from baking sheet
- Cut into strips and enjoy
Strawberry Popsicles
Shopping List
- 2 cups Coconut Water
- 2 cups Pink Lemonade
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Strawberries
Instructions:
- Combine the coconut water and pink lemonade and set aside
- Slice the strawberries and add to each popsicle mold
- Zest about 1/4 teaspoon of lemon for each popsicle and put in mold
- Pour the coconut water/lemonade mixture into the popsicle mold and put on the lid
- Put in freezer for 5 hours or until solid
Join Family Food Live with Holly & Chris every Wednesday and Friday at Noon CST on either the Quirky Momma Facebook page or the Burnt Macaroni Facebook page!
We are also so excited to share our first Family Food Live Apron with you. Be the first to pick one up and start cooking with us! Just click buy now below!
Here are a few of our favorite products from Family Food Live (affiliate links)
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- Fresh Baby Ice Cube Trays with lids
- Cuisinart Food Processor
- The I Heart Naptime Cookbook by Jamielyn Nye
- Giant Popcorn bowl
- Individual Popcorn bowls
- VillaWare Uno Classic Waffle Maker
- VillaWare Farmyard Waffle Maker
- Taco Holder
- Pyrex Baking Dishes
- Hand Blender
- Pizza Peel
- Pizza Wheel (cutter)
- Pizza Stone
- Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Burner Reversible Grill/Griddle
- Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Cover
- BPA free lunch containers
- Egg Rite Egg Timer
- Fit and Fresh container
- One Touch Electric Bottle Opener
- Half Pint Wide Mouth Mason Jars
- Ninja Professional Blender
- Zoku Quick Pop Maker
- Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen Half Apron in Red or Blue
- Plano Half-Size Stowaway with Adjustable Dividers - for road trip snacks
- Curious Chef 3-Piece Nylon Knife Set
- Cuisinart 2 Quart Ice Cream Maker
- Victorinox Fibrox Straight Edge Chef's Knife, 8-Inch
- Lemon Squeezer
- Mason Jars
- Crockpot
- Apple Corer
- Popcorn Bowl
- MaxiMatic double burner hot plate
- Glass Egg carton
- Black & Decker 4 slice toaster
- Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer
- Cuisinart 8-cup Food Processor
- Meat Mallet
- Ice Cream or Cookie Scooper
- Norpro Butter Keeper
- Norpro Butter Keeper
- 3-Piece Veggie Peeler
- Garlic Press
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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Printable Random Acts of Kindness Cards
Printable random acts of kindness cards are a fun activity for the whole family! Step outside your comfort zone and teach your children the importance of being kind by inspiring them to serve others.
We are so excited to partner with Random Acts, a one-of-a-kind hidden camera show from BYUtv that “pranks” unsuspecting participants each week through a random act of kindness. We love this fun, family-friendly show!
You don’t want to miss the latest episode — it just aired yesterday! And the season finale will air Monday at 7:30 pm MT.
In the spirit of the show, we’ve created printable random acts of kindness cards that encourage kids to get outside and do some good!
Plus, we are partnering with Random Acts to bring you a fun giveaway. Be sure to read all the way to the end to get the details on how to enter.
Printable Random Acts of Kindness Cards
These printable RAK cards are the perfect family activity. Cut them out, put them in a jar, and draw one a week (or each day!) and go spread some kindness.
They include simple acts, like smiling at someone, and even more involved activities, like volunteering at a soup kitchen.
The free printable cards are available over at the Kids Activities Blog Printable Library! You’ll receive five pages full of cute cards with 40 total activities!
Now, it’s time for a fun giveaway!
We have partnered with Random Acts to give away a Summer Fun Family Pack for you and a friend! Each prize pack includes:
- 101 Kids Activities that are the Bestest, Funnest Ever! book
- The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments book
- Cuisinart Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker
And the winner will receive a Random Acts Swag Kit for you plus a friend!
Click here to head over to the Random Acts website to enter! Giveaway ends Monday, June 5, 2017. One winner will be selected.
Have you ever participated in random acts of kindness?
The post Printable Random Acts of Kindness Cards appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
A Crab Walk Transfer Gross Motor Activity
Click here to read A Crab Walk Transfer Gross Motor Activity on Hands On As We Grow
Here is a great list of 40 Gross Motor Activities to Get Your Kids Moving!
What other ways can you play with crab walking?
A Crab Walk Transfer Gross Motor Activity
Click here to read A Crab Walk Transfer Gross Motor Activity on Hands On As We Grow
Here is a great list of 40 Gross Motor Activities to Get Your Kids Moving!
What other ways can you play with crab walking?
Summer Learning Ideas for Kids
Summer Learning Ideas for Kids is always a top priority for us. Summer is the best time of year, especially if you’re a kid.
No homework, no tests – what more can you ask for? As the summer quickly approaches, it’s time to kick those summer learning activities into high gear. With an almost endless amount of time to learn outside of traditional schooling methods, it’s just a matter of finding those opportunities and taking advantage of them when you can!
Museums
Throughout the summer, take a few trips to free – or fairly inexpensive – museums scattered across your state. From dinosaurs to airplanes, from human hearts to history, there are over 35,000 museums in the United States alone! Book your summer with day-long excursions to these awesome, educational hot-spots. If you’re worried about the kids getting bored, remember that many museums have interactive exhibits that will keep your kids busy learning!
National Parks & Cities
If you plan to go on vacation this summer, check out any national park or major city along the way. Far and near, there are hundreds of national parks and countless more cities. Each park and every city has their own unique history. During the summer, many cities have tour guides that will happily explain the town’s history. The kids will be on the edges of their seats, amazed that where they are sitting was once a battlefield or a landmark.
Summer Camps
Although you’d love to take the summer off from work to spend traveling with the family, most parents don’t get that luxury. Thankfully, there are plenty of other learning opportunities available to your kids that don’t require you to take time off from work! Check out summer-long day-camps or sleep-away camps for some different options. If long camps aren’t in the budget, check your local parks and recreation department for week-long camps that would interest your little ones. Most of the week-long camps are geared toward learning or working on already developed skills. With professional teachers and camp counselors leading the kids, they will have the chance to sharpen those skills before the next school year.
Summer Reading Programs
Did you know that many public libraries have reading programs during the summer? Bring your kids to the library and let them pick out three or four books to read each week. Keep a log to see how many books they’ve read and total them up at the end of the summer! Many libraries have drawings or prizes available once a child reads a certain number of books. If extrinsic motivation gets your child to read, this could be the perfect program for him! It’s also a great way for your kids to develop their reading skills while having a friendly competition amongst each other.
Online Games
Kids are more tech-savvy than ever, so online summer learning opportunities have increased with websites like Khan Academy. Videos and interactive work will give kids a chance to use their tablets and computers this summer in a productive way! From Minecraft-related summer learning classes online to programming lessons, there’s an online class for everyone.
No matter what you do this summer, have a great time. Summer learning should be filled with experiences that more closely mimic play and vacation rather than bookwork and testing. It’s the perfect time to learn together as a family and make the most of the summer months. Have a great summer!
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Monday, May 29, 2017
16 Super Cool Recipes Made With Cereal
Everbody loves cereal just the way it is… straight out of the box or in a bowl with milk. But I found some really fun ways to eat your favorite breakfast cereal and they’re pretty awesome.
16 Super Cool Recipes Made With Cereal
For a fun new breakfast treat, try this Fruity Pebbles breakfast bread with your favorite cereal baked right inside. via Sensibly Sara
You can also make Fruity Pebbles in cookies! via Simply Made With Love
These cereal and milk donuts look absolutely delicious. You can pick any of your favorite cereals to use. via Center Cut Cook
For a fun take on marshmallow treats, use Honeycomb cereal! via Lemon Tree Dwelling
Or Cookie Crisp! via Big Bears Wife
Cinnamon Toast Crunch waffles will change your waffle recipe forever. via Le Petit Treats
And this Cinnamon Toast Crunch cake would be awesome, too! via Liv for Cake
A new way to make krispie treats, this no bake option has Cheerios, peanut butter and M&Ms. via My Recipe Magic
For a really creative way to eat your morning cereal, try these breakfast cereal popsicles! via In Katrina’s Kitchen
Make your own totally delicious Pop Tarts, with cereal as the topping! via Aww Sam
Oh my goodness… this Honey Nut Cheerio milkshake looks incredible. via Honey and Birch
I love cinnamon rolls so next time I’m trying this recipe with Fruit Loops on top. via House of Yum
This Lucky Charms cheesecake would be an awesome dessert. via The Domestic Rebel
For a party snack, change up your normal puppy chow for this Captain Crunch peanut butter version. via The Housewife In Training Files
This summer why not try making a Fruity Pebbles ice cream sandwich? via Dude Foods
Freeze milk and cereal together for these morning cereal bars. via Babble
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Simple Chicken Salad Recipe
We have the best chicken salad recipe around to share with you today! It’s simple and you can even use can chicken if you hurried for time, it’s a great picnic recipe or quick lunch when you’re super busy!
You’ll be surprised by this recipe too because it has no mayo in it, we use greek yogurt instead to make it a bit more healthy! I love the tanginess of the yogurt, I think it’s perfect for tying all these flavors together into one delicious sandwich!
My boys usually aren’t huge chicken salad sandwich eaters, but they love this one. Sometimes we throw in some grapes or nuts to give it a little different flavor or texture but my favorite way to eat it is just like this recipe shows you!
We’ve made this recipe super quick and easy by using can chicken, you can find it in the same aisle as the tuna. The cans are a bit larger too so be on the lookout for it!
How to Make Simple Chicken Salad
Ingredients You Need
- 1 Can of Chunked Chicken, you can use two chicken breasts that are baked and diced
- 1 Cup Celery, Diced
- 1/2 Cup Green Onions, diced
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheese
- 1/2 – 1 Cup Greek Plain Yogurt
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dill
- Garlic
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Serve on a bun, in a lettuce wrap or with crackers!
I like to serve this with either just some chips or a side salad. It makes a great meal to have with the girls when I have them over. Last year we had a quick meal on the back deck while the kids were playing and this is what I served. It was simple and a huge hit!
Do you make chicken salad? I’ve had so many different recipes but this one is probably my favorite. Make plans to throw this together and head out for a picnic in the park with your kiddos soon!
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Sensory Processing Disorder at Home Ideas
Today I want to share these Sensory Processing Disorder at home ideas, because if you have a child with sensory issues, it can be the difference between a great day and a not-so-good day.
A few months ago, on a rainy day in the cold part of winter, I went with my son’s class to an amazing bright, well-lit, colorful museum built just for kids their age. Most of the seven and eight year olds were so excited, itching to run around and explore.
I looked over to see John, my son’s classmate with sensory processing disorder. He was going further and further into his own shell. What is excitement to some children is scary to him.
According to WebMD, “Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. The condition used to be called sensory integration dysfunction. Some people with sensory processing disorder are oversensitive to things in their environment. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming. The light touch of a shirt may chafe the skin. Others with sensory processing disorder may:
- Be uncoordinated
- Bump into things
- Be unable to tell where their limbs are in space
- Be hard to engage in conversation or play”
Sometimes, sensory processing disorder can look different than you’d expect.
As a former teacher myself and now a child developmental therapist, I knew that John needed to be treated a little differently than the rest of the class to be able to enjoy this museum as much as the other children.
I took the lead on this one, to help out the teacher and it turned out to be a great day and everyone enjoyed their time there, including John.
It made me realize that while so many of us have heard of SPD, it isn’t until you are “in the moment” that you are looking for things to do with your child. So I wanted to bring you five ideas for working with your child with Sensory Processing Disorder. Sensory aids are a great tool, along with some of the suggestions below. I do this daily in the homes of the families that I work with and most of the children have a great response to them.
Sensory Processing Disorder at Home Ideas
1. BRUSHING.
Our son (he has a mild case of SPD) responded very well to brushing, which is a tool for children with tactile defensiveness. Most Occupational Therapists are trained in brushing. We use a soft-bristled brush (you can buy them specifically for this. They are unlike any brush I had ever seen before we started using them) and we have had to learn the different protocols to find the one that worked best for him.
2. JOINT COMPRESSIONS.
Joint compressions are a form of proprioception. It happens because of a pull or tension on the joint. Most of my clients find it to be very regulating to their nervous system. It gives the child spacial awareness, as well. I highly suggest watching multiple YouTube videos and asking a therapist for help while learning to do these on your child.
3. PUSH LARGE THINGS.
Some children are more hyperactive and actually seek sensory opportunities. For these children, try letting them move furniture around, push the shopping cart, carry heavier things, like grocery bags or laundry baskets filled with clothes.
4. PAINT.
For the tactile sensitive child, try finger painting. Our son LOVES to paint and play with shaving cream. I actually get a cake pan, fill it with shaving cream, add a few drops of food coloring and let him finger paint with it onto a sheet of poster-board or even just printer paper. It is messy, but it is worth it.
5. JUMPING.
Jumping on the trampoline is another idea that has worked well for my clients. The feel of landing is their favorite part. It is a hard land that stimulates their brain and ‘pushes back’ to their body. The repetitive stimulation of jumping onto that sort of surface actually helps their body. A small indoor trampoline works well.
6. SENSORY RICE BIN.
Check out this article about how to make a sensory rice bin for your child.
For more parenting and teaching tips, stop by our Facebook Page, where we talk about things like this on a daily basis.
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Caterpillar Magnets
This time of year, we receive a lot of school notices and children’s birthday party invitations. Because of that, we often run out of refrigerator magnets. Thankfully, our craft cabinet was stocked with plenty of materials to make new magnets, like adorable Caterpillar Magnets, perfect for summer!
How to Make Caterpillar Magnets
These magnets are so easy for school-age children to make independently. They are perfect for holding birthday party invitations, school notices, and children’s artwork.
Materials and Directions:
- 1 inch wooden circles
- standard sized wooden clothespin
- hot glue and hot glue gun
- yarn
- washable markers
- black permanent marker
- googly eyes
- magnetic tape
First, invite children to color the wooden circles with markers. Alternatively, kids could paint them, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little less cleanup!
RELATED: Hatching Monarch Caterpillars
After the wooden circles are colored, invite your child to create a face for the caterpillar with googly eyes and the permanent marker. Attach the yarn to the back of the caterpillar’s head to create antennae.
Use hot glue to attach the wooden circles to the clothespin in the shape of a caterpillar.
Last, apply a strip of adhesive magnetic tape to the back of the clothespin.
Aren’t they cute? Perfect for hanging “kid stuff” on the refrigerator!
More Easy Caterpillar Crafts for Kids
If you have a child interested in creepy crawly caterpillars, you won’t want to miss:
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