Recycled Craft for Kids

Here's a favorite craft that I used decades ago, made with recycled materials.  Pet baby tornado. With a name like that, can you see why it so intrigues kids? Give each child a glass jar with lid or have them bring from home. Have them wash at school and teach life skills of dishwashing. When clean, fill jar almost to top with water (leave a little room) and add a drop of dish soap.  Pet Tornado Craft for Kids

Free Chinese New Year 2014 Year of the Horse, Kung Fu Panda Printables

The Chinese calendar system is centuries older than the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese New Year January 31 in 2014. 2014 is the Year of the Tiger, or Wu Ma as it is called in the older Chinese tradition. Teacher, home-schoolers, explore world cultures with these free resources. Here are Chinese New Year printables with lessons, crafts, puzzles, games and materials. There are Kung Fu Panda and Lantern Festival activities, too. Free Printable Activities for the Chinese New Year

Blessed Mother Mary Crafts for Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Advent began December 1 for Catholics and Orthodox Christians. This season counts down to Christmas. As a homeschool family, we did Christmas crafts all through Advent and gave them as gifts. I set up a craft station using our portable kidde picnic table (cleaned it up and brought it inside). Several holy days and feast days fall during Advent. Here are crafts for Dec. 8-9 Feast of the Immaculate Conception, based out Our Lady Mary Mother of God. Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Advent Activities

Free Printable Advent Wreaths to Color, Cut and Paste

 Yesterday was the first day of Advent. Each week on Sunday, Christians light one candle on the Advent wreath. Each candle symbolizes our hope, expectation, preparation and joy at the Birth of Christ on Christmas. If you'd like to make an Advent wreath with your children, classroom, Sunday School or day care, there are free printable Advent wreaths online. Help children explore the lovely tradition of the Advent wreath with these printable coloring, cut and paste wreaths. Free Printable Advent Wreaths to Color, Cut and Paste

Homemade non-toxic kids clay recipes

Have you considered making homemade non-toxic clay for your kids? Children love molding and shaping clay into their own sculpture creations. Children's fingers tend to end up in their mouths. Making your own homemade non-toxic modeling play clay insures kid's safety while they create. All these clays can be stored in Tupperware or baggies in the fridge for several days. I always read "Bartholmew and the Oobleck" when making clay. Recipes come courtesy of my friend Jaipi). How to make homemade non-toxic kids clay 

Homemade Christmas Gifts for Kids, Read-Aloud Story CDs

With costs rising, it's time to think outside the box for Christmas gifts. Like homemade and personal. Capitalize on your talents. I'm not skilled with crafts but I'm a fabulous storyteller. So my homemade Christmas gift for kids is read-aloud story CD and book sets. Here are free printable books for kids to make and then read aloud or have read to them. Plus a tutorial to record books.  Homemade Christmas Gifts for Kids, Read-Aloud Books

Free Rangoli Printables for Diwali

Shubh Diwali, my Hindu-Sikh-Jain friends, a little belated. Diwali or Deepavali was celebrated Sunday, November 3,2013. It's the five-day festival of lights, ending with Bhai Dooj on November 5. I have a Sikh friend who has explained some of the festival to me. So I thought, being the free printable crafts lady, you'd like rangoli printables. These would make pretty tattoo stencils, too. If you're not into permanent ink, let kids trace patterns on their arms with washable markers. (photo from Wikimedia) Free Diwali, Bhai Dooj, Rangoli Printables for Kids