Free printable Spiderwick Chronicles lesson plans: Fantasy books coloring pages | Examiner.com

March is National Reading Month, time to focus on the best in children's literature. Today's featured genre is woodland folklore fantasy books. Does your spine tingle at the mention of sprites, pixies, brownies, ogres, hobgoblins, faeries and gryphons? Then "The Spiderwick Chronicles" is just the book series/movie for you! The first book Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide just celebrated its 10th birthday. Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi wrote and illustrated the The Spiderwick Chronicles. There are five more Spiderwick Chronicles stories: The Seeing Stone, Lucinda's Secret, The Ironwood Tree and The Wrath of Mulgarath. Spiderwick is Lord of the Rings for elementary school. There are three more books from Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles called The Nixie's Song, A Giant Problem and The Wyrm King.  Free printable Spiderwick Chronicles lesson plans: Fantasy books coloring pages

Homemade gifts and crafts using recycled valentines, wrapping paper

Did your little Miss take her neatly-labeled valentines to school and arrive home with reciprocal Valentine cards from friends? So now, what to do with these prized missives? Clean freaks will toss when she isn't looking. Sentimental (ahem, packrat) parents will urge saving. Artsy (messy) moms won't know what happens to valentines because they will filter into general room litter. None of these is very satisfying considering cost, work and love put into valentines. Here are five cheap, homemade crafts using recycled and repurposed children's valentines. Perfect to use as gift crafts for Easter, Teacher Appreciation Month, Mother's Day, Father's Day or Grandparent birthday gift.   Mothers Day gifts, homemade crafts using recycled valentines

Arts and crafts party for kids: Recycled crafts, DIY children's craft projects

Kids love playing in snow. But below-zero winter wind chills force parents to keep kids in the house. Schools cancel recess if it's too cold. Excess time spent cooped up, makes for restless, irritable children. Looking for cheap, indoor activities for bored, winterbound kids? How about an arts and crafts party for kids? Here are cheap recycled crafts and children's craft projects to occupy sick, snowbound or bored kids.   Arts and crafts party for kids: Recycled crafts, DIY children's craft projects