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Painter Mommy

Fun stuff in the Everyday Life of a Busy Mom & Entrepreneur

Fun Christmas Crafts for Kids and Parents

November 2, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Christmas is such an exciting time for children, it is not just that one day of the year where gifts are given and received. It is the anticipation and the preparation as well. Any part of Christmas that you can include your children in will make it that much more memorable and exciting. I have found a lot of great ideas for including your child in decorating this holiday season which I am going to share with you.

 

  1. Handprint Christmas Tree  – This is a wonderful craft to do with younger children. You will need green, brown, and yellow construction paper, pencil, scissors, glue stick, and decorations for your tree. Decorate the tree using glitter, stickers, crayons, paint; small craft store pom-poms would be cute as well. They recommend that you trace your child’s handprint and then cut it out and use it as a template for nine more handprint cutouts. You glue the handprints in an overlapping pattern, four at the bottom, three above that, then two, then one on the top. Fat at the bottom and narrow at the top just like a real tree. The addition of a yellow star on top and a brown trunk on the bottom and there you have it. Now let your child decorate their very own tree!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Cotton Ball Santa – What fun your children will have making a Santa with a beard of cotton balls! You start with a paper plate and then add some paint, googly eyes, a pink pom-pom from the craft store for the nose, red craft foam for his hat, and cotton balls for his beard and hat tassel. Younger kids may need some help cutting out his hat but other than that it is something that kids of all ages will enjoy and it is also super cute. You could even give them away as gifts to friends and family members.  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Sugar Cone Christmas Trees – Here is a decoration that is really sweet! I imagine there will be a lot of finger licking going on while making this Christmas tree. This is a fun project for younger children. You will need sugar cones (the pointy ice cream cones) and ready-made or homemade icing colored green with food coloring. Start with a paper plate or something to catch the excess decorations and spread the icing on the cones. Have the children decorate with candies of your choice. M&M’s, licorice ropes, sprinkles, gumdrops, and any candy you think will look festive. You can get really creative with it and your kids will have fun eating the decorations too.  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Coffee Cozies – These are so cute and can be used as gifts for teachers or neighbors from you or your children. Using inexpensive woolen, colorful socks cut off the ends of the socks and use the middle part. Make sure you get a sock large enough to go over those nice disposable cups with lids. You can use buttons and felt glued on for a snowman or you can get self-adhesive felt stickers from the craft store. What a neat idea and so very festive and Christmassy!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Button Ornaments – These are the cutest ornaments for older children to make. The younger ones would need help with this one but it is really adorable. Using pipe cleaners and various sizes of buttons you can make several different types of ornaments. You may need a little felt, glue, and thread to finish these off but basically they are buttons! The site offers the detailed instructions for these but they donot sound too hard at all.   Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Crystal Snowflake – This one is a cross between a terrific Christmas decoration and a science experiment! The snowflake is made from pipe cleaners and suspended down into a jar or glass container large enough so that it doesn’t touch the sides. You combine a mixture of Borax, blue food coloring, and boiling water and let your snowflake hang in this overnight. As the water cools it creates the crystals! What fun to get up and discover what happened to your plain pipe cleaner snowflake over night!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Button Wreath Ornament – Another sweet button ornament which calls for using copper or floral wire, satin ribbon, seam binding, and some needle nose pliers. The site says not to worry if you don’t have that many buttons around at home because the craft or fabric stores offer them up by the bag full. This is such a sweet ornament for your tree; it has a nostalgic feel to it for me because it reminds me of my Great Grandma’s button jar that we played with when we were young. I am going to give all these button ornaments a try!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Light Up Christmas Tree – This Christmas Trees lights come on in the sunlight. Cut out a Christmas tree from green construction paper and use a hole punch to punch out a hole everywhere you want a light to show up on your tree. You will need a multiple color pack of tissue paper which you can easily get at the dollar store. Have some kid safe scissors on hand for your children to cut out small squares of tissue in all colors and then using a glue stick, glue them on the back of the tree over the holes you punched. After it dries you can hang it in the window and let the sun come shining through and watch your Christmas lights glow!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Homemade Christmas Ball Ornaments – This is an easy decoration for a child of just about any age with a little supervision. According to this site you can purchase clear glass or plastic ball ornaments from craft stores. They recommend watering down your glue to make it thinner. Taking the top off of the ornament you can then pour the glue into the ornament and swirl it around to coat it and then pour excess glue back into the cup. Then do the same thing with glitter, pour into ornament, swirl, and then dump it out. After letting the ornament dry fully place the top back on and use a pipe cleaner for a child safe hook. This could be used as a gift for grandma and grandpa!  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Gumdrop Pops – I think these gumdrop pops are just precious! You can create them to put in cellophane packages and use as edible package decorations, stocking stuffers, or you can put them on display. They are made of gumdrops of course along with sprinkles and other small candies. There are step by step instructions on how to make Santa, a snowman, holly, Christmas trees, and even mushrooms. It takes a steady hand for those sprinkles I would think but what a cute outcome!  Craft Idea found here.  Craft Idea found here.

 

  1. Pom-pom Christmas Tree – What a sweet, soft little Christmas tree this is. What a great decoration for the little ones to make. This tree is made using a cardboard Christmas tree cut out of a cereal box or other light weight cardboard. You will need some Elmer’s type glue and different colors and sizes of pom-poms. You can make your tree the traditional green adding the other colors of pom-poms for the lights or make a not so traditional tree. Or maybe your children are like mine and love the pink, purple, or silver artificial trees they see at the stores and they want to duplicate. They will have fun making these trees no matter what they choose.  Craft Idea found here.

These are just a few of many holiday decorating ideas to create with your kids. It is a wonderful way to be with your children over the holidays and to create fun decorations and wonderful memories together.

 

Guest Post Author Bio:

Jack Meyer is a regular contributor for http://www.nannybackgroundcheck.com/.  As a detective he wants to spread the knowledge of terrible things that can happen when people don’t fully verify the credentials of a caregiver or any employee. He also writes for various law enforcement blogs and sites.

5 Homemade Gifts Kids Can Make

March 5, 2012 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Guest Post:

Homemade gifts are often the best kind, especially when they are made by children. Making gifts takes time and effort rather than money, which makes them even more valuable. Have your kids try giving one of these easy homemade gifts today, and watch smiles appear.

 

 

1. Wind chimes – Almost anything can become a wind chime. Sea shells, a piece of driftwood, and some fishing line make a beautiful ocean-themed wind chime. Buttons, thread, and a wooden hanger make a cute wind chime for the quilter in the family. Even a mechanic will enjoy a wind chime made of a wrench, washers, and twine.

 
2. Pen holder/candle holder – Almost any tall, thin container can be made into a pen holder for the office worker’s desk. Just decorate with paint or material and voila! Instant character and panache. An old wine bottle or glass bottle can be decorated in the same way and used as a candle holder.

 
3. Bird bath/bird feeder – The easiest way to make your own bird feeder or bird bath for a gift is to find a clay pot and saucer. Turn the pot over and place the saucer, bowl up, on top. Then fill with water or bird seed. Super simple, light, and easy to clean, this makes for a great gift. Decorate with waterproof outdoor paint or markers.

 
4. Paperweight – Start with a rock and go from there. A simple stone can be turned into a beautiful paperweight by the application of latex paint, markers, or material. Little boys love ‘rock monsters’ and adding googly eyes to a green-painted stone make for an interesting conversation piece. Let the kids’ imagination run wild.

 
5. Soup in a jar – Almost any recipe can be made with just a few ingredients. To make this a fun gift, carefully layer the dry ingredients in a mason jar and accessorize with ribbon. Make sure you include the recipe card so that the recipient knows how to duplicate it later. No matter if it is soup or cookies, they are sure to love this tasty gift.

 
No matter what the children make, the recipient is bound to love it. Have your child create a homemade gift and remember what gift giving is really for- showing your love and appreciation for the recipient.

Photos from MorgueFile

Guest Author Bio:  Sara is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. She is a frequent contributor of nanny service. Learn more about her here.

5 Free, Fun Places to take Your Kids

October 28, 2011 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

This is a guest post by Nancy Parker

You love to take your kids to new places, but you really don’t have the money. Where can you take them that are fun for them and free for you? Well, here are five great ideas for fun day trips with your child. They’ll love the adventure and you’ll love the price.

1. Ikea

I know what you’re thinking. Why Ikea as the number one place? It’s just fun! Not only do they have a play-land for kids (free babysitting!) but it’s just entertaining to go through the huge store with a little kid. They see things you’d have missed. The multi-colored kitchen utensils are a huge (and useful) hit, the countless and diverse stuffed animals, the solid wooden toys. The children’s rooms are a load of fun. It’s like going to a sleepover, but in five or six different houses. Your child will love crawling in the child-sized beds, playing with the miniature stoves, flicking on and off the child-safe lights (ladybugs and stars), hiding under the giant leaf canopy, and they even have a little tunnel and slide combo that both your child and her stuffed animal friends will enjoy. Plus, most of the toys and things they can actually pick up and beg you for are under ten dollars

 

2. Pet stores/aquarium stores

It’s the zoo. For free. And indoors! Little kids love animals. What better place to see them up close and personal, without wearing yourself out? In fact, sometimes a pet store is even better than the zoo. The small enclosures mean your child won’t have to hunt to see the animals, and the wide variety of pets (most of them small enough not to be scary) allow kids to enjoy themselves without getting overwhelmed. For older kids, try an exotic animal store. I have seen ones with lemurs, iguanas, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs. But watch out for the snakes. Some pet stores specialize in fish. Places like Aquarium World have a giant fish tank, similar to one you would pay to see in an aquarium, but for free. The goldfish ponds are enjoyable for kids, and some stores even let you feed them. The variety of brightly colored, fast moving faunae will astonish your children. I always loved the sea horses best- underwater horses! But my brother loved the baby sharks. Even the eels don’t look as scary under the sparkling blue water.

 

3. Jewelry stores

Something like Claire’s or any other low-end jewelry store are best. Girls love jewelry, and little girls love shiny things best. What better place to take your little princess? Claire’s has even little-kid-friendly jewelry: Dora the Explorer, Strawberry Shortcake, Hello Kitty. Tiny purses and tiaras, feathered boas and headbands, it’s a dress-up wonderland.

 

4. Sports stores/outdoors stores

Got a kid that loves sports? Some of the big chain stores have batting cages, mini-golf courses, even skiing! You can go take a look at all the different kind of balls, try on the roller skates, and drool over the mountain bikes. Outdoors stores can get really cool. Places like Bass Pro Shop, Outdoor World, REI, and Gander Mountain all have interesting displays. Have fun ‘camping’ indoors, check out the fishing rods, and climb a mountain. Some stores even have indoor lakes for little kids to fish in. The climbing walls and fake boulders are fun for energetic older kids. All the fun of a camping trip without the work.

 

5. Garden centers

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. But flowers can be cool. Especially in spring and summer, garden centers are bursting with beauty and color. Teach your kids where apples come from, show them a grape vine, and don’t forget to take a sniff. Little kids love smelly things! It’s also a great way to get your child to grow and eat their own vegetables. You’d be surprised what a picky eater will eat if they watered and took care of it for weeks.

There are many more places you can take your child, but these five ideas should get you on the right path. Remember that children are simple. They are entertained by almost anything if their parents make it exciting. Remember to have fun and stay relaxed and you’ll both have a blast.

_____________________________________________________________

About the Author

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like Health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her via email at nancy.parker015(at)gmail.com

 _____________________________________________________________

More Ideas from Painter Mommy

I wanted to add a couple of my own suggestions in here as well.  How about..

  • The Local Library or Book Store – our library has a fun kiddie section with toys and games.   And the kids love to pick out new books to read.  Book stores also have a kid’s reading section where they can play and look for books, but the downside is that you may get stuck buying one, so the library is a much better option if you are on a budget.\
  • The Mall – we have a fun mall in our local area that has an indoor park and the best thing is that it is FREE.  If you have a little extra to spend you can even eat in the food court – kids love that.
  • Parks / Nature Preserves – this is a favorite for me and my family.  We try to do an outdoor adventure every weekend.  We love to find new parks and places to go hiking.  We pack some drinks and snacks and we are good to go.  We look for animals, bugs, flowers, and anything else interesting.
  • Playgrounds – What kid doesn’t like to go to a playground?
  • Bike Path – We have a bike path that goes from town to town.  It is miles and miles long.  It is fun to either go for a walk or ride bikes on the path.

Play-do Playset Review

April 4, 2011 by Painter Mommy 3 Comments

As we all know, Play-doh is a classic with kids.  It has not changed much since I was a kid – still smells the same, which I love.  But they are always doing new things by creating fun play-doh activity playsets for kids.  I can remember one that I had as a kid with these little people that would grow hair – I loved it.

It is such a joy now seeing my children enjoy playing with play-doh just like I did.  And I can play right along with them.  I think it is a great tool to help grow a child’s creativity and imagination.

Today, I am reviewing the following Play-doh playsets:

PLAY-DOH FLIP ‘N SERVE BREAKFAST Playset

(for Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $14.99/Available: Spring 11)

This playset includes everything kids need to make their favorite breakfast foods.  Mold pretend waffles, pancakes, and eggs on the center griddle and watch as the “food” automatically flips over as it “cooks.”  Swirl out “smoothies,” make “whipped cream” topping, and create pretend extras like bacon and strawberries!  Set includes four 2-ounce cans of PLAY-DOH compound.  Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

PLAY-DOH COOKIE MONSTER’S LETTER LUNCH Playset

(for Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99/Available: Spring 11)

Kids can help Cookie Monster make a delightful PLAY-DOH alphabet soup complete with pretend noodles, veggies, and letters; then they can “feed” him a spoonful and press down his mouth to see him gobble it all up!  After the “meal,” they can easily store the letter molds inside the bowl until next time.  Set includes four 2-ounce cans of PLAY-DOH compound.  Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

As soon as I opened the box containing the playsets, my kids went wild.  My children are ages 6, 5, 2, and 1. They could hardly sit long enough for me to take a picture.

Let me start by saying that opening the boxes and getting the playsets set up was really simple.  I like the fact that you can set them up and take them apart so that they can be stored right in the box (which has a handle by the way).

This is exactly what comes in the playsets:

My kids had a blast.  My 2 older ones started out by playing with the breakfast set.  They were making waffles and eggs and icecream shakes (which I am not sure how that fits in to breakfast)   LOL,  but it was their favorite part about the whole set (go figure).  In honor of that, I made them strawberry banana shakes for breakfast.

My 2 yr old absolutely LOVED the Cookie Monster playset.  He was making cookies and letters and once he figured out that you could actually FEED Cookie Monster – he was addicted.  My older ones wound up leaving their set and started fighting with their little brother to play with the one he was playing with.  So, it was a hit all around.

They were entertained for a good hour (yes, happy mommy here) :).  The neat thing is that they did not get sick of it fast because there was so much to do.  They would find something new like make spaghetti or make a little miniature banana.  I have to admit, I made a couple waffles myself from the breakfast set.  And I did feed Cookie Monster on a couple occasions.

I did have to teach my 2 yr old HOW to feed the Cookie Monster though, because he kept pushing the playdo into his mouth and it was getting stuck.  But once I showed him that you have to set it in his mouth and then close the head down – it wasn’t getting stuck as much.

The clean up factor was pretty much the same as with any other Play-doh activity.  It does get everywhere, so I would suggest doing it at the kitchen table and not in a place that has carpet.

So, we give these products a definite A+.  We recommend them to anyone that has small children and anyone who loves play-doh!

Here are some pictures of my children enjoying themselves with their new toys:

If you are interested in purchasing one of these new playsets from Play-doh, Click Here.

You can also Follow Play-doh on Facebook!

Is It “Fridge Worthy”?

April 1, 2011 by Painter Mommy 4 Comments

A very popular place in our home for the kid’s artwork is the fridge.  But after a while it became very overcrowded and there was just not enough space.  I came up with the idea of purchasing a large cork board which is now on the wall in our kitchen and I can put anything and everything up there, including the school lunch calendar, special notices or invitations as well as additional artwork that doesn’t fit on the fridge.

Now-a-days we are keeping most of the kid’s artwork on the corkboard because our 2 younger children have been able to reach anything on the lower portion of the fridge and after watching a crazy show about a kid swallowing a magnet, I am now deathly afraid of that happening.  So, we are only able to use the top part of the fridgerator for one or 2 really special things and the rest goes on the cork board.

Yes this is a picture of our fridge, but I staged it.  LOL  I really do miss being able to showcase artwork on that bottom portion.  But safety comes first.

So, now, we use the cork board, and yes, you do see the same artwork because I put everything back where it belongs.  LOL  And the board is high enough that the younger ones cannot reach the papers and push pins.

Being an artist myself, I am a huge fan of my children’s artwork.  I keep the special ones filed away and pull the seasonal ones out to display.  You can read more about my  Kid’s Artwork DIY Organizational System Here.

There is nothing like seeing the proud look of a child who brings home something that they have made.  They LOVE to display it and what better place to do that than the fridge or a special board dedicated just for that.  I make a big deal about what my children make, even if it is a bunch of scribble scrabble.  I think it is important and helps a child with their confidence.

How about you?  Do you have a fun place to display your children’s artwork?  And do you keep certain things that are really special?  Please comment!

And of course I could not resist finding a few funny cartoons to go with the subject of refrigerator art.  These are great!

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