Category: Activities for Kids

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Valentine Craft Roundup

Valentine's Crafts

Valentine's CraftsWe’ve scoured the internet to find you some great, fun crafts you can do with your little ones for Valentine’s Day. Check these out!

There are also tons of printable Valentine’s Day Cards for your little one to make for friends.

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Valentine Craft – Crayon Heart Sun Catchers

Crayon Hearts

Crayon HeartsAre you looking for a fun and easy Valentine craft to do at home with your little one? Crayon melt sun catchers are a great choice! They make pretty decorations and are fun to give out as Valentine cards.

What You’ll Need

  • Waxed paper
  • Crayons
  • Crayon sharpener
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Paper bag or craft paper
  • Thread (optional)

Basic Directions

  1. Take a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half.
  2. Unfold the sheet.
  3. Place crayon shavings from the sharpener evenly on one side of the wax paper (try not to pile them on too thickly).
  4. Fold the clean half of the wax paper back over the shavings.
  5. Place your craft paper or paper bag on your ironing board to protect the board from wax and then place the wax paper shaving sandwich on top of it.
  6. Place another paper bag or craft paper on top to protect your iron.
  7. Iron on medium eat until crayon shavings have melted completely (check every few passes).
  8. Let it cool.
  9. Trace a heart shape on the melted shavings sandwich and cut it out.
  10. String a thread through the heart for hanging.

You can use any color shavings you’d like. And, use different shapes for different holidays. When you hang these in front of a window, they make pretty, colorful displays.

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Cardboard Gingerbread House

Cardboard Gingerbread HouseChristmas break is just around the corner and fun, festive crafts are a great way to make memories and keep the kids busy. A cardboard gingerbread house can easily be made with all kinds of things you have just laying around the house. The best part is that you’ll have a treasure that you can bring out and enjoy year after year.

What You’ll Need

  • Cardboard box (cereal boxes work great)
  • Scissors
  • Glue or Tape
  • Gingerbread House Template

Basic Instructions

  • There are many gingerbread house templates available for free online. Find your favorite template and cut the shapes out of the cardboard.
  • Glue the house together and allow to dry.
  • Decorate your gingerbread house. Things that work well for decorating: Markers, stickers, construction paper, glitter, beads, poms, chenille craft stems.
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SnickerDoodles

SnickerdoodlesBaking is a great way to get your kids involved in the kitchen and build on all kinds of skills: mixing, measuring, learning about ingredients, etc. The bonus is that the sweet treat at the ends means the fun keeps on going.

These cookies are quick, fun & easy to make! Substitute nonpariels or colored sugar for the cinnamon topping and create festive cookies for any holiday!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 400°F.
  2. Cream together 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
  3. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

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Local Holiday Events

If you are looking for a great way to spend some family time around the holidays, check out these local holiday events.

Sandy and Boring

Sandy Tree Lighting – November 30, 6pm, Pioneer Square
Breakfast with Santa – December 1, 7am – noon, Sandy Senior Center
Holiday Craft Show – December 1, 7am – 1pm, Sandy Senior Center
Pictures with Santa at Gerens – December 15, 11am-3pm, Geren’s Farm Supply, 33680 SE Kelso Rd

sandy holiday

Gresham Area

Wood Village Tree Lighting – November 30, 6pm, Wood Village City Hall
Gresham Tree Lighting – December 1, 6:00pm, Center for the Arts Plaza
Troutdale Tree Lighting and First Friday Art Walk – December 7, 5:45pm, MAyors Square Park

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Paper Plate Turkeys

Paper Plate Turkey

Paper Plate TurkeyLooking for a simple Thanksgiving activity to do with your little one to celebrate Thanksgiving? How about a paper plate turkey?

What You’ll Need

  • Paper plate
  •  Construction paper
  • Googly eyes
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Tape
  • Paint or markers

Basic Directions

  • Paint the paper plate brown and set aside to dry.
  • Cut feather shapes out of the construction paper. You’ll need 2-3 feathers of each color.
  • 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.
  • Cut two feet out of orange construction paper.
  • Tape the feathers onto the back of the paper plate.
  • Glue the eyes, beak, waddle, and feet to the front of the paper plate.

There are many variations you can do with this project. For example, have your child tell you something they are thankful for and write it on each feather of the turkey. You can also add glitter or use things found in nature like leaves to accent your turkey.

This is a fun and easy activity for your little one. Enjoy!

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Great Blogs for Kids

If you’re looking for fun activities to do with your kids, look no farther than the internet. There are so many GREAT ideas out there on family-friendly blogs that can get your creative juices flowing. Here are some favorites:

  • Inner Child Fun – Written by a mother of two, you will find great, inexpensive ideas for hours of entertainment with your little one. Most use supplies you already have around your house, like this chalk splatter painting.
  • Melissa and Doug – Many of us already use and love Melissa and Doug toys for their great construction and educational nature. Well, their blog has a ton of great information about activities to do with your little one. They also do giveaways where you can win free toys. Score!
  • wordplayhouse – You’ll find lots of ideas for simple play that encourage some of our favorite principles at In a Child’s Path, including ideas about sharing, caring, love, and imagination. Check out these fun ideas for bath play too.
  • Little House in the Suburbs – We all love the farm life that our kids experience at In a Child’s Path. If you’d like to continue those lessons (even in you live in the Suburbs), this blog is a great resource.

So, parents, do you have any favorite blogs you like to read for resources for your little ones? Share them in the comments!

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Make It – Cloud Dough

Cloud DoughCloud dough is a great tactile activity for you to use with your little one. And, it’s Oh-so-easy to make!

What You Need

  • 8 cups of Flour
  • 1 cup of baby oil

Pour flour and baby oil into a large container. Mix together with your hands in a large container until the dough holds together when squeezed (about 305 minutes).

See? Super easy. And really fun.

You can add food coloring if you’d like colored dough.

Cloud dough feels really break in your hands. Because it firms when placed under pressure, you can make hand and foot prints in it (not permanent). You can squeeze it between your fingers and toes. You can use cups and sand molds, spoons, and muffin tins. Hide toys in it or just build to heart’s content.

Enjoy!

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Spring Activities

Spring in the Pacific Northwest doesn’t always mean great outdoor time. If you are looking for some good indoor activities to do with your little ones, here are a few suggestions.

Coloring Pages

Coloring is always more fun when you have new and interesting pictures to color. Check out these printable coloring pages for some fun.

Coffee Filter Flowers

Feeling crafty? Give these coffee filter flowers a try.

Hand Print Daffodils

Hand print daffodils are a great way to preserve your little one’s hand print with a festive twist.

Fingerprint Sheep

While you’ve got the paint out, why not make a cute sheep with your child’s fingerprints?

Coffee Ground Fossils

For your budding archeologist, give these coffee ground fossils a try.

Bean Bag Buddy

You just need some old socks, beans or peas, yarn and maybe some googly eyes to make these fun bean bag buddies.

Baby Food Jar Gardens

These miniature gardens are so cute and easy to make with little ones.

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Make It – Pine Cone Bird Feeder

Pine Cone Bird Feeder

Pine Cone Bird FeederThese pine cone bird feeders are a great craft to do with kids. And, they’ll be delighted watching the bird partake of their snack.

What You Need

  • A large, open pine cone
  • Vegetable shortening or smooth peanut butter
  • Bird seed
  • A few feet of string or ribbon
  • Paper plate

How to Make It

  1. Tie a few feet of string to a pine cone.
  2. Cover the pine cone with the vegetable shortening or peanut butter.
  3. Roll the pinecone in the bird seed on the paper plate.

You could also add dried fruit (chopped up), chopped nuts, seeds (especially sunflower and millet), and/or suet, which are high-energy bird foods.

Birds will love the treat and your kids will love that they helped create it.