Cristen’s file of fun
Mrs.Talley 4th block
Craft ideas
What you'll need:
Unfinished puzzle pieces (*Note: these can be found in most
craft stores. They are originally intended to be turned into
invitations and mailed out, so they are often with the card
making or cardstock materials. If you can’t find them, you
could use pieces from an old puzzle instead.)
Red, white and pink craft paint
Paint brush
Tongue depressors
Glue
Black marker
Photo
Valentines picture frame
How to make your Picture Holder CraftIf
using the unfinished puzzle, remove the center
four pieces. Snap apart the remaining pieces.
Paint the pieces red, pink or white.
While the pieces dry, assemble your tongue
depressors into a frame shape as shown in the
photos. Glue them together.
When the puzzle pieces are dry, assemble them
back together (roughly) and glue them down to
the tongue depressor frame as you go. This
takes a good bit of glue.
When you get all the pieces assembled, use the
marker and write “I Love You To Pieces” along
the bottom of the frame.
Add in a photo of your child. Valentine picture
frame
What you'll need:
Paper plate
Cotton balls
White poster board or heavy
construction paper
Pink construction paper or pink
crayon/marker
Black and pink pipe cleaners
Pink pompom
2 googly eyes
Scissors
white glue Paper plate easter bunny
How to make your Paper Plate Easter Bunny Craft:Cut
out two ears from the white poster board that are each about
5" tall and 2" wide.
Cut out two smaller ears from the pink construction paper.
Glue the smaller ears inside the larger ears, or color the inside
of the larger ears pink.
With the paper plate right side up, glue the ears to the top of
the plate so the pink part is facing the table.
Turn the paper plate over.
Cover the plate with glue (tip: using your finger or a paint
brush works well to smooth the glue out).
Use the cotton balls to cover the plate.
Glue the googly eyes, pompom (nose) and pipe cleaners on to
construct the face of the Easter Bunny.
Bend the pink pipe cleaner into the shape of the bunny's
mouth and glue under nose.
*Optional: cut a bowtie out of construction paper and glue on
the bottom of the face
Paper plate easter bunny
What you'll need:
Construction paper
Crayons
Glue stick
Scissors
Googly eyes
Footprint ghost
How to make your Footprint Ghost
Craft:Trace around your child's foot and
cut their footprint out.
Glue the footprint onto a piece of
construction paper.
Cut two arms out of construction paper
(the same color as the ghost) and glue
them onto your ghost.
Draw a face onto your ghost.
What you'll need:
Brown, Red, Yellow, and Orange
Construction Paper
2 Googly Eyes
Glue
Scissors Handprint turkey
How to make your Handprint Turkey
CraftTrace your child's foot onto brown
construction paper and cut it out.
Trace your child's hand onto the red,
orange, and yellow construction paper
and cut out multiple handprints. TIP:
Trace your child's hand on the three
different colors and then stack multiple
sheets to make the time go faster.
Cut a small triangle out of orange
construction paper for a beak.
Cut a small peanut shape out of red
construction paper for a waddle (we
think that's the right term!).
Cut two feet out of orange construction
paper.
Turn the footprint so that the heel is now
the turkey's head. Glue your handprint
feathers to the back of the body.
Glue on the googly eyes, beak, waddle
and feet
What you'll need:
Fruit Loop Cereal
Rainbow Template
White glue
Construction paper (lightweight cardboard
would work well here)
 Print our rainbow template and trace it onto construction
paper or cardboard.
 Pour some cereal onto a paper plate – we found it was
easier for our daughter to see and sort the colors if we
used a plate instead of a bowl.
 Put a line of glue around the outside edge of the
rainbow. Have your child place red fruit loops on the
line.
 When they are done with the red line, put down another
line of glue just to the inside of the red row and have
them put down orange fruit loops.
 Repeat this process for the remaining colors (in order:
yellow, green, blue, purple.
Food Fun
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
6-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted liquid or paste food coloring
Christmas cookies
Directions
In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in
the honey, egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and
salt.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll to an 1/8in. thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters dipped
in flour. Transfer cutouts to ungreased baking sheets.
Using a straw, make a hole in the top of each cookie.
Remove the center circle of dough. Bake the cookies at
350° for 6 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
Remove the cookies to wire racks to cool.
For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, corn
syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Tint the frosting
with liquid or paste food coloring in desired colors.
Place each color of frosting in a pastry or plastic bag. Cut
a small hole in the tip of each bag. Spread and pipe
frosting onto cookies as desired.
If desired, create stitch marks on a stocking or veins on
holly leaves by dipping a toothpick in food coloring and
painting on the lines.
For hanging loops, cut forty 8-in. strips of 1/8-in.-wide
ribbon. Thread a ribbon strip through the hole in each
cookie and tie the ends into a bow. Yield: 40(3-inch)
cookies
Christmas cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
Colored sprinkles, colored sugar,
ground nuts and/or chocolate sprinkles
Decorated butter cookies
Directions
In a small bowl, cream butter and
sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in
egg and vanilla. Combine the flour,
cream of tartar, baking soda and salt;
gradually add to creamed mixture and
mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1
hour or until easy to handle.
Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart
on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten
with a glass dipped in sugar; sprinkle
with sprinkles, colored sugar or nuts.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or
until lightly browned. Remove to wire
racks to cool. Yield: 4 dozen.
Decorated butter cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 egg whites
Frosting of your choice
Candy corn or other decorations
Candy corn cupcakes
Directions
In a large bowl, cream shortening and
sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in
vanilla. Combine the lour, baking
powder and salt; add to the creamed
mixture alternately with milk, beating
well after each addition. Beat in the
egg whites.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.
Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until
toothpick inserted near the center
comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes
before removing from pans to wire
racks to cool completely. Frost cooled
cupcakes; decorate as desired. Yield: 2
dozen. Candy corn cupcakes
Ingredients
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream
GLAZE:
5 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons water
2-1/4 teaspoons light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Red, yellow, orange, green and brown gel food
coloring
3-3/4-inch hand-shaped cookie cutter or scissors,
pencil and a piece of cardboard for tracing a child's
handprint
Handprint turkey cookie
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
and nutmeg: add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Cover
and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
Use a floured hand-shaped cookie cutter or trace a child's hand onto a piece of
cardboard with pencil and cut out for a pattern.
On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2-in. thickness. Either use a
sharp knife to cut around the cardboard hand pattern in dough or use cookie
cutter to cut out hand shapes. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 425° for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to
cool.
In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and beat until smooth. Set
aside 1 teaspoon of white glaze for eyes. Place 1/4 cup of glaze into each of
four bowls. Tint one red, one yellow, one orange and one green. Place 1
tablespoon of glaze in another bowl and tint dark brown. Tint the remaining
glaze light brown.
Frost the palm and thumb of each cookie light brown. Frost each finger a
different color, using red, yellow, orange and green.
Place the remaining yellow glaze in a pastry or plastic bag. Cut a small hole in
the corner of bag. Pipe a beak on each thumb.
Repeat with dark brown glaze to pipe a pupil in the center of each eye and to
pipe wings in the center of each cookie.
Use remaining red glaze to pipe wattles on each thumb. Let dry
completely. Yield: about 3 dozen.
Finished size: Cookies shown measure about 2-3/4 inches across.
COOKIES:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick Crisco® Butter Flavor AllVegetable Shortening Sticks or 1
cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
2 large eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups Pillsbury BEST® All
Purpose Flour plus 4 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Food coloring (optional)
Decorator frosting
Frosted Easter
cut outs
Directions
Combine sugar and shortening in bowl of electric mixer; beat at
medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla;
beat until well blended and fluffy.
Combine 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large
bowl; gradually add to shortening mixture, beating at low speed until
well blended.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; shape each into disk. Wrap with
plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Heat oven to 375°F.
Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon flour on large sheet of waxed paper. Place
disk of dough on floured paper; flatten slightly with hands. Turn dough
over; cover with another large sheet of waxed paper. Roll dough to
1/4-inch thickness. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.
Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart
on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool
2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
FROSTING: Combine powdered sugar and milk in small bowl; stir
until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired. Stir until blended. Spread
on cookies; let stand until frosting is set. Decorate as
desired. Yield: 6 frozen 2-inch cookies. Frosted Easter cut outs
Indoor Games
Indoor Treasure Hunt Game
Materials
Small toys or snacks
Treasure map (optional)
Indoor Treasure Hunt Game
Directions
This is a great way to liven up a
rainy day.
Have an indoor treasure hunt by
hiding several small toys, books, or
special snacks around the house.
Give your child clues or draw a map
that leads to the treasure
Bottles and Lids
Materials
Collection of bottles and lids of
varying sizes
Bottles and Lids
Directions
Save small plastic bottles with screwtype lids.
Your toddler will have lots of fun
matching lids to bottles, putting the lids
on, taking the lids off, and starting all
over again.
A bottle collection is also great fun for
the bath, or for water play outdoors
Homemade Twister
What you need:
colored construction paper (at
least 4 different colors)
scissors
tape
Homemade Twister
Cut out four circles of each colour
and tape them to the floor. No
need for a spinner—you can
choose Left Hand/Foot and Right
Hand/Foot commands for the
different colours to get them
twisted up. Or if the kids want to
be involved (and you want a turn
to twist yourself), put some
pieces of paper in a hat with the
different commands on them. It’s
a great way to expend some
energy and get the giggles going.
Clean-up Scavenger Hunt
What you need:
paper
markers
1 old pillow case (or a fabric
carry-all bag)
1 "treasure" item
This is a perfect way to get two
things done at once: cleaning up and
keeping the kids entertained. Choose
an item to act as the ‘treasure’, such
as a cookie, or some cardboard
circles wrapped in tinfoil like silver
coins. Find a place to hide the
treasure in advance. Scan the house
for items you want back in one
place—a sweater left in the living
room, a toy truck in the hallway—and
using the markers, create a colourful
‘list’ of items that need to be found in
order to get the location of the
treasure. Once the kids have run
around the house collecting all the
items, you can share a clue to help
them find the treasure!
Catch the Lion by the Tail
What you'll need
Yellow fabric "tail
Catch the Lion by the Tail
How to play
Kids sit in a circle on the floor. One
party goer, the lion, tucks a
homemade tail (a yellow piece of
fabric with a knot in one end) into his
waistband.
The lion begins circling the group,
touching each child on the head and
saying "Lion." When he decides he
wants some action, he touches a
player on the head and shouts
"Hyena!"
The lion then must dash around the
circle and take the hyena's spot
before the hyena can grab the lion's
tail.
If his tail is snatched, he remains the
lion; if he sits where the hyena was
without losing his tail, the hyena
becomes the new lion.
Outdoor games
Captain's Calling
What you'll need
Nothing
3 or more players
Captain's Calling
How to play
Setup: Creating a list of seafaring commands
might help the first captain, but it isn't necessary.
Some examples: Pull up the lifeboats, Take down
the sails, Walk the plank, Mop the decks, Scan
the horizon, Cast a fishing rod, Dance a jig.
First choose a captain. Each round begins with
the players standing at attention, giving crisp
salutes. When the captain calls out "At ease," the
players can drop their hands to their sides.
The captain begins to call out sailing-themed
commands, and the players pretend to do them - but only if the captain has first called out
"Attention!" and they have saluted. If a player
follows a command when he was supposed to be
at ease, it's man overboard for him. The last
crew member left standing wins and becomes the
new captain
Easter Egg Hunt
Send your child on a search for her hidden
basket of treats with this holiday treasure
hunt.
Start by numbering the plastic eggs that will
hold your clues (we used scrapbooking stickers
and 6 eggs).
Hide the basket, then write a clue to its
location and place it inside egg number 6.
Next, find a spot for this egg, write a clue to
its hiding place, and put that in egg number 5.
Continue in this fashion until you've hidden all
but the number 1 egg, then hand this egg to
your child to begin the hunt
Mother, May I?
Add a new twist to the classic game of
polite requests with this quick-on-your-feet
variation. Players line up 30 feet from the
designated "Mother," who then tells one
player at a time to take a certain number of
steps forward or back. The player thinks of
a creative way to move and asks for
permission. For example, he might say,
"Mother, may I take twisting tornado
steps?" Mother says yes or specifies other
steps, for example, "No, but you may take
baby bunny hops!" If a player forgets to
answer with "Mother, may I?" he must
return to the starting line. The first player to
reach Mother becomes the new Mother.
Walk This Way
What you'll need
4 bases
4 or more players
Walk This Way
How to play
Setup: Place the bases in a baseball diamond
configuration.
Choose two teams and have both line up at home.
Before play starts, decide which team will walk
clockwise and which will go counterclockwise.
On the count of three, one player from each team
sets off around the bases, walking heel-toe -- one
foot placed directly in front of the other -- as
quickly as that strange gait allows.
When the two walking players meet on the
diamond, they stop and play a quick game of rock,
paper, scissors. The winner continues around the
bases, while the other player turns around and runs
home.
The next player in his team then starts walking
heel-toe around the bases to head off the advancing
opponent and try to stop him with rock, paper,
scissors. When a walker makes it home, her team
wins a point and two new players come up to "bat.
Baggyball
What you'll need
1 Bubbleball (a plastic grocery bag
wrapped around a chunk of bubble
wrap)
2 plastic shopping bags
Baggyball
How to play
Players: Two teams of 3 to 11
players
Where to play: Anywhere -- on
sand, grass, even a basketball court
Setup: Standing at opposite ends of the playing
area, one player from each team becomes his
team's "basket" by holding a shopping bag open;
he can move the bag around to thwart the other
team but must keep the bag open and one foot in
place at all times. The object is to get the
Bubbleball into the opposing team's basket.
How to play: The game is played like basketball,
except that players dribble by repeatedly hitting
the ball in the air, palm up. Players can either
shoot or dunk the ball into the basket. The team
with the most baskets in 30 minutes of play wins.
Marble Launch
What you'll need
Pool noodle
Serrated knife
Toothpicks
Paper
Markers or paint
Tape
Skewers
How to play
Marble Launch
Cut the noodle in half lengthwise with
a serrated knife (a parent's job).
Use toothpicks to join the halves,
side by side
Cut out paper banners and decorate
them with checker patterns and
raceway messages.
Tape the banners to toothpicks or
skewers and set them in place
Finally, prop up one end of the track
and let the good times roll
Bulletin Board Ideas
Coloring pages
 www.allkidsnetwork.com
 www.tasteofhome.com
 www.funfamilyeducation.com
 www.momtastic.com
 www.spoonful.com