Here is our toddler Christian Board Book Library. I usually put a small board book in the kids Easter baskets and I also get them a book each Christmas as well. I have included the books that we have with links to purchase them yourself if you wish.
We read books each night before bed. It is the best time for cuddles and kisses too!
I got to teach a “Music Maker Week” at our Summer Camp. I had about 10 kids Kindergarten-5th grade. Each day we did a Body Percussion song, STEM activity, and made an instrument. For younger kids we watched Little Einsteins.
Oobleck comes from the Dr. Seuss book called Batholomew and the Oobleck. It is a non-Newtonian liquid; which means that Oobleck has properties of both liquids and solids. You can look at the mixture sitting there as it appears like a liquid, you can even stick your fingers in it and it will feel like a liquid. You can also grab a handful of it and squeeze it into a ball, then it feels and looks like a solid until it relaxes again.
You need about 2 cups of Corn Starch to 1 cup of water, and then add food coloring for fun.
You can search for “subwoofer test MP3” and download different test tones and play to see what works best. Use 40 Hz, 50 Hz, and 63 Hz, and turn the volume way up.
Place a cookie sheet onto the speaker of a subwoofer, and pour in the Oobleck.
Before you play the MP3 you will need to place your fingers on the edge of the cookie sheet with gentle pressure to hold it flush against the sub.
Turn on the music and watch the Oobleck jump and dance.
You need about plastic tubs of different sizes (we mostly used large ice cream tubs), Just add water and then add food coloring for fun. Put in the freezer for a day or two.
Freeze water colored with food coloringin different-sized food containers and bowls.
When frozen, remove the ice shapes from their molds and place them in a tub (we used a plastic kiddy pool).
Add drumsticks and objects for beating the ice drums.
Day 4: Spin Drum
Homemade Instrument: Spin Drum
Cut the tube into 1 or 2 inch pieces (each child gets 1 pieces)
Take the tube and trace its circumference on the cardboard sheet twice, to make two circles.
Cut out the circles from the cardboard.
Use a sharp object to cut a slot on the side of the cardboard tube ring. The slot should be big enough to insert a straw through it.
Insert a straw through the slot of the tube section. Apply glue to the areas where the straw and the cardboard tube meet to attach them firmly.
Take a long piece of yarn and attach a jingle bell to one end of the strand. Tie a knot to secure the bell.
Use something sharp to poke a hole on each side of the tube. The holes should be on either side of the straw.
Place some tape around the end of the yarn to poke it threw the hole, twist around the straw and poke it though the hole on the opposite side. (the bell should be just long enough to wrap around the drum and hit the drum in the middle)
Pull the yarn through the other side of the roll. Add a jingle bell to this second side. Make a knot to secure the bell and cut off any extra yarn. Try to keep a roughly equal amount of yarn on this side as you have on the other side of the roll.
Glue your cardboard circles to both sides of the ring to close it
Use colored craft papers or paint to decorate the plain cardboard parts of the spin drum. Embellish as you’d like.
You can use the water xylophone to teach kids about pitch.
Fill 6 mason jars or glasses with different levels of water. Each should have slightly more water than the previous one. We added food coloring for fun.
Have your children to use their drumsticks or a spoon to gently tap on the jar.
You should hear different pitch for each jar that is tapped.
This tap creates a vibration sound wave that travel through the water. The sound waves change with different amounts of water in the jar. Higher sounds have less water because the sound waves travel closer together. Lower sounds are in the jars with more water producing a lower sound.
First we read the book The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel and looked at some of Henri Rousseau’s jungle pieces. We noticed that he painted a variety of animals and very large jungle leaves.
Next I had the kids watercolor green background: We talked about how Henri Rousseau used many different shades of green. Show kids how to use just a bit of water so the paper doesn’t take too long to dry. Show them how to mix green with yellow, blue, white, black, and brown to make different shades of green.
Next we found some tutorials for kids to draw animals:
Draw your animals and then paint or use colored pencils to color them. After it dries, use a black sharpie to outline them and the cut them out carefully.
I found some tropical leaf outlines to enlarge and print on cardstock to use as tracing templates. Teach the kids how to trace the leaves on the edge of the paper so not to waste paper. Cut out the leaves and then use sharpie to outline and add veins.
Glue the animal and leaves to the green watercolor background.
Crumple little pieces of brightly tissue paper as the flowers and fruit. Glue them to the jungle scene.
Titus’s Middle School class Easter party had fun with a competition called Tournament of the Peeps. We had 4 teams, each a different color of Peep, and they played Minute-to-Win-it type games.
Angry Peeps
Stand 4 bunny Peeps of each color at one side of the table. 1 participant from each team will stand at the other side of the room. Use a rubber band to knock over the Peeps of the other team colors in one minute. Once all of your Peeps are knocked over you are out while the other teams keep playing.
Peeps in a Nest
One of your teammates will hold an Easter basket on his head, at one side of the room. Another teammate will get 10 Peeps and stand 6 feet away from the buckets. The teammate with the Peeps will see how many of the 10 he can toss into their teams bucket. You only have 1 minute.
Peep Tower
Teams will use 6 Chick Peeps to build the tallest Peep Tower in 1 minute. Peeps can be torn, stacked, or whatever other method the team comes up with to make the tallest tower (no other supplies allowed).
Peep in Your Face
Place 8 Peeps on a place at the table. 1 player from each team will stand at the table with hands behind their back. They player has 1 minutes to eat as many Peeps as he can.
Peep Catapult
Each team will build a catapult in 5 minutes. Teams will have access to craft sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons. First stack 5-7 craft sticks and use the rubber bands to fasten them on each end. Then make a stack of 2 craft sticks and fasten them together on 1 end only. Pull the 2 sticks apart and wedge the stack of sticks between them. Use 2 rubber bands to secure the spoon to the upper craft stick. Place a Peep on the spoon and hold the base of the catapult securely against the floor with one hand. Use the other hand to push down the spoon. Release the spoon and the Peep should fly.
Place an Easter basket 3 feet away from the catapult See how many Peeps you can catapult into your basket in 1 minute.
The kids have been baking bread this winter. We read the Walter the Baker by Eric Carle and then they wanted to make pretzels. We also tried a Little Caesars Breadsticks.
Bavarian Soft Pretzels
Dough Ingredients:
3 tea instant dry yeast
1 1/2 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
2 TBS granulated sugar
4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
Crust Ingredients:
1 Cup water
2 tea basking soda
Coarse sea salt
1/4 Cup butter
Directions:
Combine warm water, sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for about 10 minutes.
Grease bowl and place dough in the bowl. Cover it and leave it in a warm place for 30 minutes to let it rise.
Preheat the oven 25 degrees F.
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and toll each part into a 2 foot rope.
Form 8 pretzels and set aside.
Combine water and baking soda in a shallow stovetop pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and submerge each pretzel in the water for a second and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 11-12 minutes.
Melt the butter and use a basting brush to spread the melted butter onto the warm pretzels.
Eat with nacho cheese sauce.
Little Caesars Breadsticks
Dough Ingredients:
2 1/2 tea instant dry yeast
1/4 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 TBS granulated sugar
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
1 Cup hot water
Basting Ingredients:
1/4 Cup melted butter
1/2 tea garlic salt
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and prepare 2 2 baking sheets.
Combine water and sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for 10 minutes.
Mix in 2 cups of the flour, salt and hot water.
Mix on low in your mixer and slowly add 1 more cup of flour until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump the dough on flour surface and cup into fourths, then cup each piece into 3 equal pieces making 12 pieces.
Roll the pieces into 10 inch ropes and place on the baking sheets.
Bake for 11-12 minutes.
Mix the melted butter and garlic salt and the brush it on the sticks. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Olive Garden Breadsticks
Dough Ingredients:
2 1/2 tea instant dry yeast
1/4 Cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 TBS granulated sugar
3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
1 Cup hot water
Basting Ingredients:
1/4 Cup melted butter
1/2 tea garlic salt
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and prepare 2 2 baking sheets.
Combine water and sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it set for 10 minutes.
Mix in 2 cups of the flour, salt and hot water.
Mix on low in the mixer and slowly add 1 more cup of flour until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump the dough on flour surface and cup into fourths, then cup each piece into 3 equal pieces making 12 pieces.
Roll the pieces into 10 inch ropes and place on the baking sheets.
Bake for 11-12 minutes.
Mix the melted butter and garlic salt and the brush it on the sticks.
Our family Thanksgiving tradition is making Gingerbread Houses. This year we used a Wilton House Kit with the icing and candies.
We use the icing like the glue to hold the gingerbread house together. Then once it was pretty sturdy, we used the glue to attach the candy decorations.
This is a tradition that my little sister and I started when we were teenagers. I have continued it with my kids (and sometimes their cousins) for over 20 years now.
Lots of teens and tots in our family photo this year! The toughest part of family time these days, is matching the schedule of these kids going every which way. They are all involved in so many activities, I am sososososo proud of them all.
I set up my props in the backyard by our firepit and picnic table. I used vintage sleds, firewood, checkered tablecloth, my son’s guitar, and some evergreenery. We all dressed in denim, red, and black. I also tried to add as much red and black gingham that I could.
The Tots
These girls did very well for being so young. I had this vintage baby sled that I had found at a garage sale a while back. It fit well with my red, wooden, vintage fireside Christmas scene.
I also place a couple artificial Christmas trees because we don’t have real evergreens in this part of our yard. My dad will collect these after Christmas on the curb in his neighborhood.
The Picnic Table
Our picnic table became the center of our photos despite my efforts to include all of the props that I set out and the fireplace.
The Tree
The big kids leaned against the tree by the woodpile for some of our photos.
The Guitar
I love that he plays guitar and enjoys music so much. He enjoys playing for fun, but also gets to play his bass in church on Sunday mornings.
The Storm
She is so beautiful and loved sitting in this little seat at the woodpile. She wore her little red and black checkered jacket and canvas shoes.
We visited some family for Thanksgiving. We played a few Minute-to-Win-it challenges together. Our family has a large age difference, so we tried to choose games that would be equally challenging for each of all.
Give each player a mini pumpkin to balance on their head.
In under a minute…
The players must run from one end of the yard to the other without the pumpkin falling off their heads. If you want to make it more difficult, you can set up an obstacle course.
(our pumpkins were too small and light for this one… I suggest an actual tiny pumpkin)
The kids are growing up so we tried some more activities geared toward teens this year! We carved pumpkins, had chili and caramel dip, roasted hotdogs and smores, then we finished with a Candy vs. Chocolate bracket.
Campfire
We let the kids roast hot dogs and s’mores. Storm really loved meeting the “big kids” friends that came over for the evening.
Fall Foods
Roasted Hot Dogs
S’mores
Carmel Apples (red, green, yellow apples) with mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and sprinkles
Hot Cocoa & Apple Cider
Chili with cheese, crackers and corn chips
Homemade Chili Recipe
Ingredients:
Chili Brick
2 lb. ground beef
3 cans of kidney beans
1 can tomato soup
1 Cup water
Directions:
Brown the beef and drain.
Mix all of the ingredients in a big pot and bring to boil.
Lower heat and simmer until chili brick is dissolved, at least an hour, stirring occasionally.
Pumpkin Carving
The kids carved their own pumpkins with our pumpkin carving tools. I helped Storm care a lightning bolt in her pumpkin while the baby watched.
Candy vs. Chocolate
This was one of the kids favorite activities this year! I purchased a bit of each kind of candy and the kids all tasted them one by one and filled out their brackets as they went. Then we looked at them all to find the winner “Kit Kat”.
Storm Trunk -or- Treat
We decided to participate in the kids school Trunk-or -Treat at the last minute. We decided to use a STORM theme because I still had the props that I had made for her STORM birthday party that we could use. She dressed in her rainboots, raincoat, lightning bolt earrings, and umbrella. I also put her hair in pigtails, parting it in a zig zag pattern to look like a lightning bolt. I wore my “Storm Chaser” tee shirt from her birthday party.
The Little One has been watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs lately, so I decided to have a German Snow White themed dinner for family movie night!
Appetizer: Bavarian Pretzels
Dough Ingredients:
3 tea Instant dry yeast
1 ½ Cup Warm Water (100-110 degrees)
2 TBS granulated sugar
4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 tea salt
Crust Ingredients:
1 Cup water
2 tea baking soda
Coarse Sea Salt
¼ Cup Butter
Instructions:
Combine yeast and warm water and sugar.
Add in flour and salt (knead or use mixer).
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven 425, grease baking sheet.
Divide dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into 24 inch rope to form the pretzel.
In a shallow bowl, combine the water and baking soda. Submerge each pretzel in water and place on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle with sea salt and let sit for 10 minutes.
Bake for 12 minutes then brush with melted butter.
Serve with cheese sauce.
Entrée: Gulaschsuppe (soup)
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lb beef, cubed into bite sized pieces
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
6 med thin skinned potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces
32 oz beef broth
Water
3 bay leaves
1 T. paprika
6 oz. tomato paste
Instructions:
Cook onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil until the onion is caramelized.
Scrape pot and add beef, browning well.
Scrape the pot again and add the wine and balsamic vinegar, let it simmer on low until the wine has almost entirely evaporated.
Add broth, bay leaves and paprika, and let simmer for about an hour to tenderize the beef.
Add potato cubes and enough water to cover plus about 1 inch above, and bring to boil.
When potatoes are tender, add tomato paste, lower to a simmer and let cook for about another 15 minutes.
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9inch square baking pan.
2. To make the dough, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Cut 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces.
3. Use your hands to knead the butter and flour together.
4. Stir in the milk.
5. Flour a surface and knead the dough until it holds together and dust the top with flour. Roll out into a 12 inch square.
6. Cut the dough into four equal squares and place two quarters of apple in each square.
7. Place 1 quarter tablespoon butter one quarter in each square.
8. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. Spoon equal amounts of mixture in each square.
9. Gather three corners of dumpling together and pinch together. Put all four in the baking dish an inch apart.
10. Combine hot water, the remaining brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of butter, melted. Stir and pour over the dumplings in the pan.
11. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
12. Spoon more syrup over the top, and serve warm.
Vegi: Crispy Potato Bake
Ingredients:
6 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
¼ cup real bacon bits
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Use a mandolin or sharp knife to make thin, equal slices of your potatoes and onions – about 1/8″ thick is ideal.
Grease a round casserole dish.
Use a spiral pattern , arrange the sliced potatoes in your baking dish.
Insert the sliced onions an equal distance apart amongst the sliced potatoes.
Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 330 seconds until completely melted. Stir in the olive oil and then pour the mixture over the casserole.
Sprinkle on your seasoning and bacon bits.
Cover with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the tinfoil and continue baking for 15 minutes to crisp up the potatoes and bacon.
Preheat oven to 425°. Line pie plate with one pie crust and set aside. Pour lemon juice over diced apples and stir to prevent browning.
In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, one cup of apples, sugar, water, and pie spice to a boil over medium heat. Then lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add remaining apples. Let filling cool while preparing the crust.
Lay second pie crust on working area. Using a picture reference and a knife, free hand the Poison Apple face to the pie crust. Paint the crust with egg wash.
Turn pie filling into pastry lines pie plate and then carefully place crust on top. Fold and pinch pie crusts together. Cover edges with aluminum foil or pie crust protector shield.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove crust shield and bake for additional 15 minutes.
Drink: Evil Queen’s Punch
Ingredients:
2 envelopes lemon-lime Kool-Aid
10 cups water
2 cups sugar
46 ounce can of pineapple juice
1 quart lime sherbet
2 liters lemon-lime soda
Instructions:
Combine the Kool-Aid, sugar, water, and pineapple juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, scoop lime sherbet into a punch bowl.
Pour the kool-aid and juice combo over the Sherbet. Follow this up with lemon-lime soda.
Serve immediately.
Here are some of the other Disney Dinner nights that we have had:
