Search Results for: sight word

Scarecrow Snack and Party Idea

October 23, 2014 By Deirdre

A scarecrow is a great learning or party theme for a fall harvest unit, Thanksgiving or Halloween. With that in mind here a is a build a scarecrow snack and some ways to share the snack with kids. Also included in this post in the printable Scarecrow Snack Tag. Children can use the ingredients in this build a scarecrow , play learning games or just to nibble on.

Here is how to put together a scarecrow building snack mix:

Ingredients
Dried cranberries (A row of these will from the scarecrow’s smile.)

Raisins (These can be the scarecrows eyes or buttons on the scarecrow’s clothes.)

Chex mix (The various foods in the mix can be used to make the scarecrow’s clothes and the outline of his head.)

Candy corn (This will be used for the scarecrow’s nose and neck.)

Pretzel sticks (These will be used to make the scarecrow’s arms and legs.)

Directions

Add each of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss with a large spoon.

(Affiliate link placed below for your convenience.)

We placed on scarecrow building mix into long clear treat bags.

I placed a whole in the top left corner of the bag tag with hole punch. They a piece of ribbon was place through the hole. The bags were tied shut with a piece of red ribbon and Scarecrow Snack Tag

Scarecrow Party Ideas

After you pass out the snack bags during a snack or party time, you can have your children empty the bag onto a paper plate or paper towel.
Here some things you can do with the ingredients:
Sort each ingredient into its own pile on your plate.
Create pattern with the scarecrow building elements at the bottom of your place.
Build a scarecrow using the ingredients on the plate. I have placed suggestions on what each ingredient could be used for. Children could choose to follow these guidelines or build a scarecrow in a new and exciting way.

While I suggested that these would be great to have at a party, I think they would be great to send home with kids as a treat bag.

Here are some more scarecrow themed activities:

Paper bag scarecrow craft

Free printable scarecrow game board

Measuring a lonely scarecrow

Disclaimer: You will want make sure that the children you are sharing this snack with don’t have any food related allergies to the ingredients. Some of the items in the snack pack might need to be taken out and foods that are safe for them can be added.

Cool Math for Kids- Easter Egg Learning

April 4, 2014 By Deirdre

Simply adding shapes to a paper egg can open the door for exploring several math concepts. That is why this post is called Cool Math for Kids- Easter Egg Learning. We actually covered several math skills in this crafty math activity.

It all started with a cutting a simple egg shape from construction paper. I selected a bold blue color of paper for this cool math for kids activity, but a piece of white paper would have been just as good. I cut the shapes for this activity ahead of time. In hindsight I could have had JDaniel cut out the shapes himself.

I asked JDaniel to create rows of patterned shapes on the egg. If you want your children to have a more opened ended activity, you could have them glue the shapes anywhere they wanted to on the egg. Layering of the shapes is fine too. If you choose to do this activity that way, you may need to remind them to keep some of each shape showing. You will want to be able to see each of the shapes in the creation to count them later. If they can’t see the shapes, this won’t end of being cool math for kids. It would be a cute Easter egg craft.

When all of the shapes had been arranged and rearranged, we glued into place. If you want to reuse the shapes to do this activity again and again, you may not want to glue the shapes down. You can actually move to the next math activity without the shapes glued down.

With the shapes in place have your child or children record on a piece of paper or a shape chart the number of squares, circles, triangles and ovals that were used to decorate the egg. If the shapes have been layered over each other, you may want to help them remember which shapes are layered underneath the shapes they can see. An oval and a circle may look very similar. A square and a rectangle may look similar too.

We glued our egg and shape counting chart to a large piece of construction paper to hang up. You could do that too. You could also glue the egg and the number chart into a math journal. You could also just hang up the egg.

We spent time talking about shapes on the egg after we had glued it down.

I asked these cool math for kids questions:

Which shape did you use the most?

Which shape did you use the least?

How many circles and ovals were used?

How many shapes were used on the egg?

Starting to use math vocabulary words into our conversation as well as a number of math skills help build a strong math foundation.

If you are looking for some other Easter themed activities, you may want to check out my Easter board on Pinterest.

Delightfully Living in the Clouds

November 30, 2011 By Deirdre

We spent Thanksgiving at Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas. Each family was assigned a cabin overlooking the valley below to stay in.

When I looked out the glass doors that lead to the deck our first morning there, here is what I saw. It truly looked like we would be walking on clouds if we stepped a few yards away from the cabin.

When I looked just to the left of our cabin, this glorious sight came into view. The clouds truly looked like they were glowing in the early morning light.

Looking back off the deck an hour later the sky continued to lighten up and the clouds appeared to have lost some of their puffiness. If you look carefully at the back of the picture, you can see the flat top of a neighboring ridge.

As the day went on the clouds lifted off from their perch over the valley and took flight. There were strong winds that pushed them away and kept my hair fluttering around me as I took this shot.

Even as the sky became a deeper blue the clouds stayed with us. The wind died down some and the day became warmer.

By the time we started our walk to the Mount Magazine Lodge for Thanksgiving dinner, we could look across the landscape. Our cabin is on the left-hand side of the picture.

JDaniel loved searching out bugs and other wildlife under this now vivid blue sky as we walked. We came across a dozen flying grasshoppers on our way to lunch as well as a walking stick.

Mount Magazine was a truly wonderful place to hold our family reunion over the Thanksgiving holiday. I have more pictures I will share with you later as well as the adventure we had sleeping in the airport on our way to Mount Magazine. It will be up tomorrow.

This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday and several Wordful Wednesday link-ups!

Pause Life for a Moment-Adventures in Mommyland

November 14, 2011 By Deirdre

I love to visit Adventure in Mommyland. It is filled with wonderful family oriented activities and insights. Charlene loves being a mom and you can read it in her words! What blessed children she has! As long time reader I have loved getting to see them grow and learn.

As a mother of six, I was very flattered that JDaniel4’s Mom asked me to post about pausing for family on Thanksgiving. I love my family and I really enjoy spending time with them….my heart is at home with them and I love and appreciate each and every one of them. Thank you JDaniel4’s Mom for thinking of me. I wish everyone a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

Every Thanksgiving as I sit at my kitchen table and look at those sitting around it with me…I can’t help but feel grateful for the joy and beauty of having such a large family. Yes, it’s loud and there are fights over who gets a turkey leg and who gets to break the wishbone.

But it’s also a time of appreciation. A time to truly be thankful for the life that we live and the family we have to share it with. I take the time and sit and stare at each one of their happy little faces and I’m glad God chose me to be their wife and mother.

I sit and listen to them as we take turns saying what we are thankful for and I laugh when they say silly things…and I appreciate when they say simple things….how many things we take for granted that others don’t have…..

I think family dinners are something that people don’t appreciate in these days. When I sit with my family and we are telling jokes and laughing and supporting each other – it makes me happy. Why can’t more families sit and take time – to pause their busy lives and enjoy their families. Truly listen to them. So many families ‘eat and run’ or sit in front of the tv and don’t get the chance to appreciate the rare gift of family.

Family is everything to me…my blog motto is “Family—Its not where you go or what you do, it’s who is beside you that counts.” Now whether that person is a true family member or one that has just become like a family member….appreciate them. Tell them how much you love them. Because we truly don’t know how much time we have with each other and we should never take that time for granted.

Teach your children to appreciate and honor the adults in their life. Take time for each other – who else in life is there to grow old with you, love you unconditionally and be there for you even when they are angry…but your family. So, don’t just sit together at Thanksgiving dinner and acknowledge the gifts that God has blessed you with…Sit with each other every day or as often as possible. Enjoy the time, the beauty and love that surrounds you (literally). I promise the peace and love you will feel while eat, will feed you more than the food ever will., Take the time to look around that table and be grateful for the gifts that you are blessed with, not only on Thanksgiving day, but every day as well.

Please take a moment to visit her blog!

Today’s Pause Life for a moment blogger is the Empress. She reigns over Good Day, Regular People with a kind heart, a generous spirit, and a sense of fun. I love to stop by to read her posts. Her blog shares her insights as well as her son Baby E’s. Life can get you down at times. The Empress’ posts can brighten your day and can make you laugh, think or cry.

First, JDaniel’s mom, I want to thank you for the special gift of being invited to guest for “Pause Life For a Moment.”

This series you’ve created, just in writing on the topic, allows any guest poster and reader of these words, to pause in their day, and refocus on what is going to matter to us, our families, and our children.

I thank you, for the space you’ve given me here, to “re-focus.”

**************************************************************

Women are busier now then they have ever been.

The opportunities, along with the lure of social media, exercise clubs, personal hobbies, working outside of the home or inside the home, is deliciously tempting, and rewarding.

We are no longer lonely women at home, we have friends at the push of a key. Contact with others can be a short 20 minute drive away.

How easy it is to answer the call of instant access to others. Especially when you’ve found yourself feeling isolated, while home with your children.

The pull to go online, or build your social circle, email friends, go on twitter, text, join a cycling club, interact with others, is a very strong one.

It is for me.

How do we, as women, find the time that is necessary to do what matters in life? The important things. To devote ourselves entirely to our families is a saintly goal. One that I tried for, but found that pursuit leaving me resentful, lonely, unhappy, and with a clinical case of depression that did not make for a happy home life for anyone.

I enjoy my interaction with others outside of my family. Conversations and quick exchanges between friends can buoy my mood upward for days.

But, again, the question: how do you FIND the time for special moments for your family? Aside from the necessary of keeping house, preparing meals, grocery shopping, working?

And it isn’t only women who are online that are short on time. There are women who exercise faithfully an hour and a half at a time, daily. There are women who delight in being immersed in a good book for at least an hour of their day. There are women who find joy in their work outside of their home, or who work at home.

Where do we find the time to Pause. And really be in our lives.

I had a light bulb moment a few years ago, and it occurred by accident.

Our mornings here, in my quest for efficiency, ironically in hopes of creating a pocket of “worthwhile” time later, were spent in quick, drill like processes.

Breakfast, washed up, dressed, prayer, boom – start the day.

While my children ate, I’d clean up. So streamlined, in and out in 45 minutes.

One particular day, I noticed my oldest son just kept talking to me, coming over to stand next to me at the kitchen sink, and talking. Thank God I felt the tug in my heart to stop the activity I was involved in, and decided I needed to go sit and listen to him.

When he went back to the kitchen table, I followed him. I pulled up the chair next to him, poured myself some orange juice, and sat to look at him while he spoke. I cleared my mind of my mental to do list.

I listened to my boy.

He had plans, ideas of what he thought he might want to do as an adult. I listened, with my eyes on his face instead of the usual downcast look while I did the dishes, in the hopes of getting a jump on my day.

I watched my beautiful son’s face grow more animated, as he drank in my mental presence. I saw his smile burst big and bright, the longer I sat with him.

I felt my heart grow warm with gratitude. I felt nothing and thought of nothing, but this moment with him.

I was Pausing Life for the Moment.

I was living in it, and I was there with him.

This was a connection, this was joy: on an ordinary morning with no special pre-arranged “time for each other.”

Yes, there should still be an intention of creating moments and time for our children. But, simply put, pauses don’t have to be planned in order to happen.

We just have to recognize them.

And that has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of time in a day.

Please stop by Good Day, Regular People and let the Empress know about a time you pause your day and connected with your kids.