Fun Activities for Kids

I am not sure where I got this years ago but I loved it. Teach your children to sing bird songs as well as recognize them. Pair this with a bird book and learn all about the birds in your area or while traveling!
Karen

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Bird Song Mnemonics & Phonetics
Technically, mnemonics are gimmicks we use to remember songs and calls, while
phonetics are actually what the bird is saying. For example, pewees say
“pewee” and Phoebes say “phoebe” so those are phonetics. Barred owls say “who cooks for you”, but not really. That’s a mnemonic. I think that we all use the two interchangeably. There are also comparative sounds, i.e., when we compare a song or call to something. For example, a red-breasted nuthatch sounds like a tin horn or a common grackle sounds like a rusty pump handle. Of course, all of this takes a great deal of imagination and creativity, but that’s the fun of it, right?

MNEMONICS FOR COMMON BIRDS

Blue Jay–”jay”
American Crow–”caw”
Carolina Chickadee–”feebee feebay, chick’adee-dee-dee” continue reading

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I posted these in the March 2008 edition of the Felt Connection newsletter for my Story Time Felts business but thought I’d post here as well in case you missed it!
Karen
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EASTER CRAFTS

Fuzzy Lambs:
Take an egg and poke holes in either end with a needle so you can blow out the white and yolk. Clean and dry the egg. Then take lots of cotton swabs and cut off the fuzzy tips, throwing away the sticks. Glue the fuzzy swab ends all over the egg. Take some black construction paper rolled into short cylinder shapes to make legs, and some more to make ears and eyes. These are so cute!

continue reading

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Want some ideas for using all those old Christmas cards?? Here are some! Put the kids to work before they go back to school!

What to Do with Old Christmas Cards

Do you have any other ideas??? Share in the Comments!

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THANKSGIVING TRIVIA
We all know that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, got together with the Indians, and gave thanks. But, how much MORE do you know about Thanksgiving?

Questions
1. When was the first NATIONAL Thanksgiving Day celebrated, and who proclaimed it?
2. Which President made Thanksgiving an annual holiday?
3. In what year was the first Thanksgiving that included feasting?
4. Who was Tisquantum?
5. What was the first tribe of Indians who joined the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving?
6. Corn Meal and Maple Syrup makes what Thanksgiving dish?
7. Who are the Honorary President, and Vice President of the National Thanksgiving Commission?
8. What is an ibimi?
9. When did Canada get a separately declared holiday for Thanksgiving?
10. Who kept bugging Lincoln about establishing Thanksgiving as a National Holiday?

Answers:
1)George Washington proclaimed it October 3, 1789.
2)Abraham Lincoln 1621
3)Better known as Squanto, he was the Indian that taught the Pilgrims how to survive in the New World
4)The Wampanoags Indian
5)Pudding
6)Gerald Ford and Lady Bird Johnson
7)An Indian word meaning “bitter-berry”:The cranberry
8)January 31, 1957
9)Sarah Josepha Hale

To help US HISTORY come alive for you and the children in your life, check out The Story Time Felts USA Map! It’s one of a kind!

Do you have any more Thanksgiving Trivia questions and answers? Share them in the Comments! THANKS!

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My daughter had this poem written in her journal from her religious education class. Use this as a discussion starter with kids for how we should choose how we spend our time wisely!

Karen

Only a Minute

I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it,
Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it,
But it’s up to me to use it,
Give account if I abuse it,
Answer for it if I lose it,
Just a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it!

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My friend and fellow Story Time Felts Consultant, Awnya Boam, shared a few craft ideas with me and I thought I’d pass them along.
“What you do is you take pages of a magazine and tear them out.  I like to choose the really colorful ones.  (Flower mag’s work REALLY well). On the BACK of the page that you like, you will draw a triangle that will go the length of the page.  You want the fat part of the triangle to be how fat you want the bead.  You also want the 2 sides of the triangle to be equal or the bead will turn out crooked.  I like beads that measure somewhere between 3 and 5 cm.

So lets say I’m doing a 3cm bead.  I will mark the spot where the bead will start (remember this is on the back that you are marking, or it will ruin the colors of the bead) and then where it will end.  I draw these lines all the way across the page.  Then I will measure 1/2 way between the 2, so 1 1/2 cm and mark a spot there.  This is the top of the triangle and then I will draw the sides.

Cut the triangles out and then you will need to have something to roll them around.  I use a piece of wire coat hanger but a toothpick works well too.  Wrap the triangle around the wire starting with the fat part first.  try to keep it as tight as you can, although you can take it off and tighten it up later if you need to.  To keep the bead in place, I put a little bit of Elmer’s glue on the smaller end.  When the bead is all wrapped up, I will put elmers glue over the whole thing and wipe it with my fingers.  This seals the bead in a clear finish and will help to hold it together.

Try all different colors.  I like to make up like 20 beads and then choose which ones match the best to put them on a bracelet or necklace.  To accent the beads, use clear beads in between.

You will be amazed at how great these beads look and what colors you come up with!”

Thanks, Awnya!

Executive National Director
Story Time Felts

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Hi everyone! If you have a preteen boy or girl (10-13) you have got to check this program out

http://www.familylife.com/passporttopurity/

In a nutshell, you take your preteen on a day and a half retreat somewhere, where you have discussions and do activities that teach them about their changing bodies and temptations they will face as they get older and more attracted to the opposite sex. I know people who have done it and both the parents and the kids have reported it to be a fun and memorable weekend that really makes a difference. You can get it here:

http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=8447&p=2

I have 2 girls, soon to be 13 and soon to be 10. I will be doing it this weekend with the 12 year old and can’t wait! I will do it with the 9 year old later this summer, since I’ve heard it is important to not wait too long, or else they are closed to the concepts because of what they’ve already been exposed to, or beliefs they’ve already formed, or ideas you’ve already discussed with them.

If you try it or have experience with it, let us know in the comments!!

Independent Story Time Felts Consultant

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