Studies show Drawing Helps Child Development

I have one son who loves sports, one son who loves to build, one son who loves to draw and a daughter who loves to dance.   The sports and building kids are easy to entertain, but the artist in the family benefits from training that I can't give.  I don't really have that artistic talent myself, so I had to learn how to support our artistic child.

There has never been a time when my son hasn't been drawing I think he came out of the womb with colored pencils and a sketchbook in hand. Unlike his brothers who are more sports-oriented, he thrives in the mediums of pastels, markers, and paints.

For me, as a mom, that means that the ways I support him are different. Sure, there are things that I do to support them all, but knowing how to support my artistic child is just as important as knowing how to support my sports-minded children. Here are some of the ways that I've found to be the most helpful for him and for me.

Drawing Helps Child Development 

Art has a lot of benefits: According to Kids Country, it mostly impacts these 6 areas

• Develops Fine Motor Skills
• Encourages Visual Analysis. …
• Helps Establish Concentration. …
• Improves Hand-Eye Coordination. …
• Increases Individual Confidence. …
• Teaches Creative Problem Solving.

How to I encourage & help my artistic child?

Get Emotional
One of the things that makes my artistic child different from his brothers is that he feels things in a different way than my other kids. I don't know if it's that he feels them more deeply or that he's just not as afraid to express them. So, to support him, I make sure I praise his work often and give feedback on how I connect to his pieces.

I know it sounds a bit silly, but even saying something like, "Wow! I can really tell your character is feeling angry by the way you drew his eyes" or "The grass looks like it's moving in the breeze, because of the way you drew the lines!" can make your child feel great and encourage his endeavors. Don't be afraid to point out the positive!

Take a Trip to the Art Store

If you have an artistic child, a trip to the craft store is like a trip to the sports store for your athletic child. Take your artistic child to browse through the store every once in a while. If there are new product demonstrations, go to them! If there are free classes he can take, take them with him! Think of the arts and crafts store as his dream shopping trip.

Have Plenty of Supplies

While you're at the arts and crafts store, pick up plenty of supplies to keep your artistic child stocked with the mediums he prefers. Have a wide variety of paints, drawing and craft supplies, and canvases for him to choose from. Support your artistic child with the tools he needs in order to create.

Sign Up for Classes

You wouldn't expect your child to automatically pick up a musical instrument or become a star football player without coaching and guidance, so don't expect your artistic child to flourish without some support. Look into classes in painting, sculpting, drawing, or whatever your child is interested in.

Since it's not always easy to find such classes, check with local stores to see if they offer any or know of people who do. If your child is young, take the classes with him. Even if you have no interest in painting, the fact that you're there supporting him in his interest will mean the world.

Be There

Be there for your child & offer help & support if they run into a problem. This helps them keep their passion alive & growing.  Parenting is hard, but by focusing on the natural gifts and talents of each child, you'll be able to support them and help them grow. Think outside of the box, get excited about learning new things with him along the way, and before long your artistic child will blossom. Support him with your words and actions – always.

The post Studies show Drawing Helps Child Development  appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2HccMJb

Studies show Drawing Helps Child Development

I have one son who loves sports, one son who loves to build, one son who loves to draw and a daughter who loves to dance.   The sports and building kids are easy to entertain, but the artist in the family benefits from training that I can’t give.  I don’t really have that artistic talent myself, so I had to learn how to support our artistic child.

There has never been a time when my son hasn’t been drawing I think he came out of the womb with colored pencils and a sketchbook in hand. Unlike his brothers who are more sports-oriented, he thrives in the mediums of pastels, markers, and paints.

For me, as a mom, that means that the ways I support him are different. Sure, there are things that I do to support them all, but knowing how to support my artistic child is just as important as knowing how to support my sports-minded children. Here are some of the ways that I’ve found to be the most helpful for him and for me.

Drawing Helps Child Development 

Art has a lot of benefits: According to Kids Country, it mostly impacts these 6 areas

• Develops Fine Motor Skills
• Encourages Visual Analysis. …
• Helps Establish Concentration. …
• Improves Hand-Eye Coordination. …
• Increases Individual Confidence. …
• Teaches Creative Problem Solving.

How to I encourage & help my artistic child?

Get Emotional
One of the things that makes my artistic child different from his brothers is that he feels things in a different way than my other kids. I don’t know if it’s that he feels them more deeply or that he’s just not as afraid to express them. So, to support him, I make sure I praise his work often and give feedback on how I connect to his pieces.

I know it sounds a bit silly, but even saying something like, “Wow! I can really tell your character is feeling angry by the way you drew his eyes” or “The grass looks like it’s moving in the breeze, because of the way you drew the lines!” can make your child feel great and encourage his endeavors. Don’t be afraid to point out the positive!

Take a Trip to the Art Store

If you have an artistic child, a trip to the craft store is like a trip to the sports store for your athletic child. Take your artistic child to browse through the store every once in a while. If there are new product demonstrations, go to them! If there are free classes he can take, take them with him! Think of the arts and crafts store as his dream shopping trip.

Have Plenty of Supplies

While you’re at the arts and crafts store, pick up plenty of supplies to keep your artistic child stocked with the mediums he prefers. Have a wide variety of paints, drawing and craft supplies, and canvases for him to choose from. Support your artistic child with the tools he needs in order to create.

Sign Up for Classes

You wouldn’t expect your child to automatically pick up a musical instrument or become a star football player without coaching and guidance, so don’t expect your artistic child to flourish without some support. Look into classes in painting, sculpting, drawing, or whatever your child is interested in.

Since it’s not always easy to find such classes, check with local stores to see if they offer any or know of people who do. If your child is young, take the classes with him. Even if you have no interest in painting, the fact that you’re there supporting him in his interest will mean the world.

Be There

Be there for your child & offer help & support if they run into a problem. This helps them keep their passion alive & growing.  Parenting is hard, but by focusing on the natural gifts and talents of each child, you’ll be able to support them and help them grow. Think outside of the box, get excited about learning new things with him along the way, and before long your artistic child will blossom. Support him with your words and actions – always.

The post Studies show Drawing Helps Child Development  appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2HccMJb

Screen-Free Fun Learning Activities

We all love technology! But sometimes we all need a break from screen time, especially kids! That’s where Screen Free Learning Activities come in!

 

Technology plays a vital role in our daily lives. We use it for banking, communicating, learning, and even for our entertainment. It is a magical thing really that opens doors, enhances experiences, and makes almost anything possible with the right searches.

There is no denying that we all love technology, but if your family is anything like mine, you also love a break from all things tech sometimes, too!

I am sure you have seen the popular memes on Facebook about having a childhood before technology took over. No doubt, some of my best memories are devoid of phones, tablets, smart watches, and GPS systems.

As a parent, I want my kids to have that experience too! That is why I have compiled this super fun list of Screen-Free Fun Letter Learning Activities. This list is packed full of fun ways to learn without a trace of technology involved, although, you may want to capture the fun in a photo, with no judgments!

Screen-Free Learning Activities

This post contains affiliate links. 

Life is An Adventure

With screen time being a very real part of our lives, it’s easy to take for granted the everyday, ordinary things. Head out into your neighborhood and explore nature. If the kids are learning to read, searching for letters on street signs is a fun way to have a scavenger hunt. As the kids master their letter recognition skills, challenge them to find letters in unconventional places. Or to navigate directions, such as east and west, without the use of Google Maps, by reading street signs. These are simple ways to have fun with letters!

Learning at Your Feet

Grab some sidewalk chalk and practice writing the ABC’s. Draw alphabet themed pictures to create a story packed with letter learning fun. An ABC hopscotch square is always a fun way to make learning an active affair!

Turn to Nature

A pile of rocks, or a handful of dandelions are fairly common sights to find outdoors. They can easily become an exciting tool for learning letters without a screen. Position a few pine cones or sticks to form a letter, then ask your child to identify it, and recreate it. Then, see how many letters of the alphabet you can create together with the things you find outdoors.

Make DIY Puzzles

You can simply glue a picture onto craft sticks, and carefully cut the sticks apart for an easy DIY puzzle. You could make one for each letter of the alphabet, to make learning the ABC’s a hands on, screen free experience. As your child learns to write the letters, work on making your puzzle doublesided. Have your child write each letter in an upper and lower case form, on the backside of the original puzzle for an additional challenge!

Have Fun with Letters

In Fun with Letters, you will find nearly 500 pages of printables, coloring pages, handwriting sheets, book recommendations, crafts, and activities to help your kids get ready for kindergarten, while having a ton of fun in the process. This is such a great resource for parents! Grab your copy and start exploring the alphabet without ever turning on a screen!

 

Write A Short Play, Then Act It Out! 

My brother and I used to do this all the time as children. He was a good sport, as I was usually the writer, director, and generally the star! Kids love creating things. It’s just natural to them. They are brimming with creativity and wild imaginations. Encourage kids to work together to write a short story or play, and then assign roles. They can use dress up clothes to create costumes, and make programs to distribute to the audience. Once they are ready to regale you with a performance, pop some popcorn, and enjoy!

Get Creative

With some very basic supplies and an idea, you can create amazing things with the kids! An invitation to create is a great way to learn! Kids can experiment with ideas and materials to create a work of art worthy of the displaying on the fridge. The Fun with Letters book is a great resource for finding letter themed crafts and activities to enhance your abc activities!

Open A Family Art Gallery

Set your little artist up at the table, or the easel, with all of the supplies they need: paper, paint, and paintbrushes.

Meanwhile, find a wall that you want to use, and then attach a Wall Mount Art Display to attach their dried artwork to. You can also recreate this art gallery look with fishing line, mini clothespins, and some wall tacks. Once their artwork is on display, crack open a bottle of sparkling cider with some fancy glasses, and admire their creations, while decorating your walls!

 

The Doctor Will See You Now

Help them set up a “doctor’s office and waiting room” with dolls, stuffed animals, and siblings or friends! All you really need for this is a doctor’s kit, but you can make do with some items from your first aid kit, or create what you need from paper or materials from your sewing kit. Kids can use old fabric scraps as bandages for their dolls, and they can make paper gowns for dolls from paper bags. Decorate a sign with the name of their doctor’s office, set some magazines in the waiting room, and start treating patients!

Create (And Use) An Acts of Kindness Jar

Kids are never too young to learn about the power behind acts of kindness. Create a kindness jar, containing different thoughtful acts that the entire family can perform for others. Starting with neighbors, have your kids each pick a thoughtful gesture, and have them go through with it. This can be anything from visiting with a neighbor, to helping them bring groceries in, or shoveling their walkway. 

Not only is creating a kindness jar a great craft and activity, it is an excellent opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with kids about how important it is to think of others, and to tread gently when interacting with people. This world can be a tough place. The good news is that good prevails, and every little bit of brightness helps. You never know when one small act of kindness will change the entire day for someone who might be secretly hanging by a thread.

Time For School

I used to love playing school with my brother (until he was over it, and then he “graduated” and I continued on to the next class of stuffed animals… Did I mention my brother was extra patient?).

Set up a chalkboard or a dry erase board, and then just let them go! As a Mom, I also loved playing school with my daughter when she was younger, observing her as the teacher. It was so funny and educational for me to watch her mimic what her teachers must have been saying to her at the time, because she parroted it off to her own students! As she has gotten older, I still “play school” with her. Whenever she has a difficult time with a homework topic, I ask her to be the teacher, and teach me. Sometimes, stepping back and looking at it from a teacher’s angle helps increase her level of understanding, as the student.

Create And Run a Grocery Store

As a kid, I used to raid our recycling bin for (clean) items, like empty cereal and cracker boxes, etc. I mixed them in with my play food items and a toy cash register, along with the paper bags and receipts my Mom gave me after she did the weekly shopping, and created my own grocery store. Hours of fun right there! My parents would “stop by my store” when they could, and when my friends came over, we would play nonstop.

You can also give older kids the task of creating a realistic grocery list and meal planning for a week. Give them an imaginary budget that they have to stay within, and allow them to clip coupons, and see how far they can make their money stretch. You never know… you might end up actually using sections of their list when you grocery shop! If they can shave a few bucks off your budget, award it them as a treat, after the fact.

 

More Screen Free Activities

Not only is reduced screen time a developmental win for your child, it is also a really fun way to connect with and talk to them. You might even learn something new! Enjoy your screen-free adventure, and check out these other ideas:

• 25+ Preschool Activities
• 100 TV Free Activities
• Preschool Activities That Are Quick To Set Up 
• Lego Balance Scale STEM Project

Don’t forget to grab Fun with Letters for your child! 

Comment below with any fun screen-free activities you would add to this list!

The post Screen-Free Fun Learning Activities appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2H88pig

Screen-Free Fun Learning Activities

We all love technology! But sometimes we all need a break from screen time, especially kids! That's where Screen Free Learning Activities come in!

 

Technology plays a vital role in our daily lives. We use it for banking, communicating, learning, and even for our entertainment. It is a magical thing really that opens doors, enhances experiences, and makes almost anything possible with the right searches.

There is no denying that we all love technology, but if your family is anything like mine, you also love a break from all things tech sometimes, too!

I am sure you have seen the popular memes on Facebook about having a childhood before technology took over. No doubt, some of my best memories are devoid of phones, tablets, smart watches, and GPS systems.

As a parent, I want my kids to have that experience too! That is why I have compiled this super fun list of Screen-Free Fun Letter Learning Activities. This list is packed full of fun ways to learn without a trace of technology involved, although, you may want to capture the fun in a photo, with no judgments!

Screen-Free Learning Activities

This post contains affiliate links. 

Life is An Adventure

With screen time being a very real part of our lives, it's easy to take for granted the everyday, ordinary things. Head out into your neighborhood and explore nature. If the kids are learning to read, searching for letters on street signs is a fun way to have a scavenger hunt. As the kids master their letter recognition skills, challenge them to find letters in unconventional places. Or to navigate directions, such as east and west, without the use of Google Maps, by reading street signs. These are simple ways to have fun with letters!

Learning at Your Feet

Grab some sidewalk chalk and practice writing the ABC's. Draw alphabet themed pictures to create a story packed with letter learning fun. An ABC hopscotch square is always a fun way to make learning an active affair!

Turn to Nature

A pile of rocks, or a handful of dandelions are fairly common sights to find outdoors. They can easily become an exciting tool for learning letters without a screen. Position a few pine cones or sticks to form a letter, then ask your child to identify it, and recreate it. Then, see how many letters of the alphabet you can create together with the things you find outdoors.

Make DIY Puzzles

You can simply glue a picture onto craft sticks, and carefully cut the sticks apart for an easy DIY puzzle. You could make one for each letter of the alphabet, to make learning the ABC's a hands on, screen free experience. As your child learns to write the letters, work on making your puzzle doublesided. Have your child write each letter in an upper and lower case form, on the backside of the original puzzle for an additional challenge!

Have Fun with Letters

In Fun with Letters, you will find nearly 500 pages of printables, coloring pages, handwriting sheets, book recommendations, crafts, and activities to help your kids get ready for kindergarten, while having a ton of fun in the process. This is such a great resource for parents! Grab your copy and start exploring the alphabet without ever turning on a screen!

 

Write A Short Play, Then Act It Out! 

My brother and I used to do this all the time as children. He was a good sport, as I was usually the writer, director, and generally the star! Kids love creating things. It's just natural to them. They are brimming with creativity and wild imaginations. Encourage kids to work together to write a short story or play, and then assign roles. They can use dress up clothes to create costumes, and make programs to distribute to the audience. Once they are ready to regale you with a performance, pop some popcorn, and enjoy!

Get Creative

With some very basic supplies and an idea, you can create amazing things with the kids! An invitation to create is a great way to learn! Kids can experiment with ideas and materials to create a work of art worthy of the displaying on the fridge. The Fun with Letters book is a great resource for finding letter themed crafts and activities to enhance your abc activities!

Open A Family Art Gallery

Set your little artist up at the table, or the easel, with all of the supplies they need: paper, paint, and paintbrushes.

Meanwhile, find a wall that you want to use, and then attach a Wall Mount Art Display to attach their dried artwork to. You can also recreate this art gallery look with fishing line, mini clothespins, and some wall tacks. Once their artwork is on display, crack open a bottle of sparkling cider with some fancy glasses, and admire their creations, while decorating your walls!

 

The Doctor Will See You Now

Help them set up a "doctor's office and waiting room" with dolls, stuffed animals, and siblings or friends! All you really need for this is a doctor's kit, but you can make do with some items from your first aid kit, or create what you need from paper or materials from your sewing kit. Kids can use old fabric scraps as bandages for their dolls, and they can make paper gowns for dolls from paper bags. Decorate a sign with the name of their doctor's office, set some magazines in the waiting room, and start treating patients!

Create (And Use) An Acts of Kindness Jar

Kids are never too young to learn about the power behind acts of kindness. Create a kindness jar, containing different thoughtful acts that the entire family can perform for others. Starting with neighbors, have your kids each pick a thoughtful gesture, and have them go through with it. This can be anything from visiting with a neighbor, to helping them bring groceries in, or shoveling their walkway. 

Not only is creating a kindness jar a great craft and activity, it is an excellent opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with kids about how important it is to think of others, and to tread gently when interacting with people. This world can be a tough place. The good news is that good prevails, and every little bit of brightness helps. You never know when one small act of kindness will change the entire day for someone who might be secretly hanging by a thread.

Time For School

I used to love playing school with my brother (until he was over it, and then he "graduated" and I continued on to the next class of stuffed animals… Did I mention my brother was extra patient?).

Set up a chalkboard or a dry erase board, and then just let them go! As a Mom, I also loved playing school with my daughter when she was younger, observing her as the teacher. It was so funny and educational for me to watch her mimic what her teachers must have been saying to her at the time, because she parroted it off to her own students! As she has gotten older, I still "play school" with her. Whenever she has a difficult time with a homework topic, I ask her to be the teacher, and teach me. Sometimes, stepping back and looking at it from a teacher's angle helps increase her level of understanding, as the student.

Create And Run a Grocery Store

As a kid, I used to raid our recycling bin for (clean) items, like empty cereal and cracker boxes, etc. I mixed them in with my play food items and a toy cash register, along with the paper bags and receipts my Mom gave me after she did the weekly shopping, and created my own grocery store. Hours of fun right there! My parents would "stop by my store" when they could, and when my friends came over, we would play nonstop.

You can also give older kids the task of creating a realistic grocery list and meal planning for a week. Give them an imaginary budget that they have to stay within, and allow them to clip coupons, and see how far they can make their money stretch. You never know… you might end up actually using sections of their list when you grocery shop! If they can shave a few bucks off your budget, award it them as a treat, after the fact.

 

More Screen Free Activities

Not only is reduced screen time a developmental win for your child, it is also a really fun way to connect with and talk to them. You might even learn something new! Enjoy your screen-free adventure, and check out these other ideas:

• 25+ Preschool Activities
• 100 TV Free Activities
• Preschool Activities That Are Quick To Set Up 
• Lego Balance Scale STEM Project

Don't forget to grab Fun with Letters for your child! 

Comment below with any fun screen-free activities you would add to this list!

The post Screen-Free Fun Learning Activities appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2H88pig

If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough

This week, I received an e-mail about a toddler playing too rough.

Her mom wrote, “My 2-year-old started pushing other kids around her age two months ago. She is quite tall and big for her age so she is pretty strong. She loves younger babies and plays very well with bigger kids on the other hand. I felt extremely bad today that she pushed another toddler like 3-4 times in an indoor playground. That kid was obviously scared of her being near in the end and her mom scolded my daughter despite my efforts to correct the misbehavior. My daughter will be going to preschool soon, please help!”

I wanted to reach out to hug this mom because I know how it feels to not understand something and not feel like you can fix it.  In the meantime, here is some advice for when your toddler is playing too rough.If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough, Talk To Them

Kids are way smarter than we give them credit for. Sometimes just talking helps a little. Make sure you are even with their eye level!

• Many times, toddlers act out in this way because they are limited in vocabulary, so it seems to be the only way they can communicate. Are there triggers that are causing him/her to act out in this way? 
• Before playgroup, tell your friends that you are currently working on this struggle with your child. Being upfront about it can be hard, but help them understand that you are aware.
• Encourage your child and remind them that they are kind. Speaking truth into your child can help them feel boosted in their mindset.
• After a successful playgroup, praise your child and encourage through positive words!

Teach With Your Actions If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough 

Toddlers pick up many of their social cues at home, so make sure you are practicing what you preach.

• Role play at home with baby dolls. Act out different scenarios. This also makes for great playtime!
• When you are home, practice kindness. Play with the stuffed animals and show how they are kind during a tea party, when playing outside, etc.
• Be their example.  If you want something, say “I really wanted that, but I will not push you. I will just ask you for it.”

Set Boundaries If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough

Disciplining is one of the hardest parts of parenting. Yet, boundaries and routine are necessary for a child to thrive, feel safe, and know what’s expected of them.

• On your way to the playgroup, remind your child of the expectations.
• While it may be frustrating, you may need to stay near her during the playgroup as you can intervene when needed. If you sense her ready to act out, you can remind her of kindness and how to interact with friends.
• If the child acts out, have them sit in time out. Remind them that if they cannot act kindly, they will have to sit out for a time.
• When your child does hit, stay positive and remove them from the situation. Remind them that you love them but you cannot hit others because it hurts them.
• Stay consistent. It takes time to train children and a lot of repetition.

Comment below with your tips on how to handle the situation when a toddler is playing too rough!

 

The post If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2Th4kyJ

If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough

This week, I received an e-mail about a toddler playing too rough.

Her mom wrote, "My 2-year-old started pushing other kids around her age two months ago. She is quite tall and big for her age so she is pretty strong. She loves younger babies and plays very well with bigger kids on the other hand. I felt extremely bad today that she pushed another toddler like 3-4 times in an indoor playground. That kid was obviously scared of her being near in the end and her mom scolded my daughter despite my efforts to correct the misbehavior. My daughter will be going to preschool soon, please help!"

I wanted to reach out to hug this mom because I know how it feels to not understand something and not feel like you can fix it.  In the meantime, here is some advice for when your toddler is playing too rough.If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough, Talk To Them

Kids are way smarter than we give them credit for. Sometimes just talking helps a little. Make sure you are even with their eye level!

• Many times, toddlers act out in this way because they are limited in vocabulary, so it seems to be the only way they can communicate. Are there triggers that are causing him/her to act out in this way? 
• Before playgroup, tell your friends that you are currently working on this struggle with your child. Being upfront about it can be hard, but help them understand that you are aware.
• Encourage your child and remind them that they are kind. Speaking truth into your child can help them feel boosted in their mindset.
• After a successful playgroup, praise your child and encourage through positive words!

Teach With Your Actions If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough 

Toddlers pick up many of their social cues at home, so make sure you are practicing what you preach.

• Role play at home with baby dolls. Act out different scenarios. This also makes for great playtime!
• When you are home, practice kindness. Play with the stuffed animals and show how they are kind during a tea party, when playing outside, etc.
• Be their example.  If you want something, say "I really wanted that, but I will not push you. I will just ask you for it."

Set Boundaries If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough

Disciplining is one of the hardest parts of parenting. Yet, boundaries and routine are necessary for a child to thrive, feel safe, and know what's expected of them.

• On your way to the playgroup, remind your child of the expectations.
• While it may be frustrating, you may need to stay near her during the playgroup as you can intervene when needed. If you sense her ready to act out, you can remind her of kindness and how to interact with friends.
• If the child acts out, have them sit in time out. Remind them that if they cannot act kindly, they will have to sit out for a time.
• When your child does hit, stay positive and remove them from the situation. Remind them that you love them but you cannot hit others because it hurts them.
• Stay consistent. It takes time to train children and a lot of repetition.

Comment below with your tips on how to handle the situation when a toddler is playing too rough!

 

The post If Your Toddler Is Playing Too Rough appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2Th4kyJ

Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick’s Day

We created a fun kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick’s Day! My son and I enjoyed doing this kids St Patricks Day craft together and it was so much fun creating art with him. This simple kids craft is super easy to make and requires just a few supplies that you probably have most of already. Check it out and get ready to create!

I caught the Leprechaun King! Check out this super fun and EASY Toilet Paper Leprechaun King Craft.

What I also love about this kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft is that I’ll forever have a keepsake of my kid’s hand. That’s so special! This St. Patrick’s Day craft for kids comes together quickly and so it’s great for short attention spans. Even better is that you could make this craft for a St. Patrick’s Day class party–just gather the supplies ahead of time. Younger kids will need help with the handprint and paint part, but other than that this kids spring craft is mostly mess free. Here’s how to make a Leprechaun Handprint Craft:

Leprechaun Handprint Craft for St. Patrick’s Day

This post contains affiliate links. 

Supplies:

• 1 sheet green construction paper
• 1 sheet plain white or light green printing paper (see directions)
• Orange craft paint
• White or flesh tone craft paint
• 1 small strip of black construction paper
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Foam brushes
• Shamrock stickers (optional, I got mine at a dollar store)

Directions:

First, download our FREE Leprechaun Craft Printable for the hat. You can either print on plain white paper using a color ink jet printer OR print on light green paper so you can later cut out the hat shape. We did the latter using our black and white laser printer.

Next, using a foam brush dab one of your kid’s hands with orange craft paint. Firmly press their hand onto the green construction paper and carefully lift their hand up, taking care not to smear the paint.

Then take another foam brush and dab it in the middle of the handprint to create an area for a face. The idea is for the orange paint to be hair and a beard. Allow the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

After the paint is dry, print out the hat as in the first instruction. Using scissors, cut out the hat. This is a great time for kids to practice their cutting skills!

Glue the hat onto the top of the leprechaun with a glue stick like shown. Add the black strip of construction paper using the glue stick.

Finally, using a marker let your kid draw a face on his leprechaun and decorate with shamrock stickers.

So adorable! I am in love with this kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick’s Day.

Comment below with your favorite St. Patrick’s Day craft/ activity!

The post Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog https://ift.tt/2Nw91PT

Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick’s Day

We created a fun kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick's Day! My son and I enjoyed doing this kids St Patricks Day craft together and it was so much fun creating art with him. This simple kids craft is super easy to make and requires just a few supplies that you probably have most of already. Check it out and get ready to create!

I caught the Leprechaun King! Check out this super fun and EASY Toilet Paper Leprechaun King Craft.

What I also love about this kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft is that I'll forever have a keepsake of my kid's hand. That's so special! This St. Patrick's Day craft for kids comes together quickly and so it's great for short attention spans. Even better is that you could make this craft for a St. Patrick's Day class party–just gather the supplies ahead of time. Younger kids will need help with the handprint and paint part, but other than that this kids spring craft is mostly mess free. Here's how to make a Leprechaun Handprint Craft:

Leprechaun Handprint Craft for St. Patrick's Day

This post contains affiliate links. 

Supplies:

• 1 sheet green construction paper
• 1 sheet plain white or light green printing paper (see directions)
• Orange craft paint
• White or flesh tone craft paint
• 1 small strip of black construction paper
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Foam brushes
• Shamrock stickers (optional, I got mine at a dollar store)

Directions:

First, download our FREE Leprechaun Craft Printable for the hat. You can either print on plain white paper using a color ink jet printer OR print on light green paper so you can later cut out the hat shape. We did the latter using our black and white laser printer.

Next, using a foam brush dab one of your kid's hands with orange craft paint. Firmly press their hand onto the green construction paper and carefully lift their hand up, taking care not to smear the paint.

Then take another foam brush and dab it in the middle of the handprint to create an area for a face. The idea is for the orange paint to be hair and a beard. Allow the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

After the paint is dry, print out the hat as in the first instruction. Using scissors, cut out the hat. This is a great time for kids to practice their cutting skills!

Glue the hat onto the top of the leprechaun with a glue stick like shown. Add the black strip of construction paper using the glue stick.

Finally, using a marker let your kid draw a face on his leprechaun and decorate with shamrock stickers.

So adorable! I am in love with this kids Handprint Leprechaun Craft for St. Patrick's Day.

Comment below with your favorite St. Patrick's Day craft/ activity!

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What Parents Need to Know About The MoMo Suicide Challenge

The world is a scary place especially for our children and lately, it seems to be even scarier.

If you haven’t heard there are many articles going around about subliminal suicide messages popping up in popular kids shows on YouTube and YouTube kids and it’s just getting worse.

As a parent, you need to know about the ‘MoMo Challenge’ which encourages child suicide because you simply need to know what to watch for to protect your kids.

I am sure your heart just sank, because when I woke up and saw this news, mine sure did.

What Parents Need to Know About The Momo Suicide Challenge

When I first saw these articles circulating on Facebook, I asked myself, “is this real”? As did many other parents.

Truthfully, I didn’t want it to be true. I didn’t want to believe that yet another horrific challenge was making it’s way into children’s shows.

Some parents are quick to say it’s a hoax while many others are expressing their concerns and sharing their own experiences with the scary figure:

From what I’ve seen and read, it’s NOT a hoax.

But, even if it turned out not to be real, we should still be treating it as if it is because why risk it? We should be monitoring what our kids watch and this is just a very scary reminder of that.

What exactly is the MoMo Challenge?

 The ‘MoMo Challenge’ is a creepy, bugged-eyed woman offers children instructions on how to take their own lives. The horrifying video has been infiltrating popular children sites like YouTube Kids.

One Utah mom named Sara Markham claims that her son Tanner came across the video and started having nightmares.

“My son, when we would put him to bed he would be scared and he would be like what about MoMo?” Markham said.

Markham and her husband brought their son to a therapist at at local hospital, in part to help cope with his ADHD, and that’s when the therapist noticed Tanner’s fear.

“Momo came up and then the therapist was asking more about it. And he actually got my phone and said, ‘okay, Google. Show me MoMo,’” Markham said.

 
Markham learned her son saw the disturbing character at a friend’s house and had been haunted by it ever since and with good reason.

This is not only a terrifying and creepy image, but the message is awful and scary.

The best thing you can do is talk to your kids. Find out what they are watching, what they have seen, and inform them about this. 

Monitor their online activity and if you feel like you need to, take away their access to the internet.

Note: if you want to search for this, open up an incognito window to do it so it doesn’t go there on your YouTube account.

The National Online Safety published a guide to help parents talk to their kids about this sort of thing. You can check that out below.

How to Monitor Your Child’s Phone without Invading Their Privacy

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