Category — Activities

This project would be fun, easy, and inexpensive for young women’s groups, achievement day groups, girl scout groups or with your daughter or granddaughter. Repurpose old wool sweaters by felting the fabric — shrinking the wool until it’s thick and ravel-proof — and then it’s a cinch to create stylish bracelets.

Materials
Old sweater
Scissors
Embroidery needle
Embroidery floss
Buttons, felt shapes, paper flowers, and other embellishments

Instructions
To felt the wool, wash the sweater in hot water and dry it on high heat. Repeat, if necessary, so that the fabric’s weave is tight enough to be cut without fraying.

Cut loops from the sweater’s cuffs and arms. Next, decorate the bangles by using embroidery floss to sew on buttons, felt shapes, paper flowers, and more.

Tips: If the diameter of a loop is too big, cut it open, trim the excess length, then overlap the edges and secure them by sewing on embellishments.
This idea came from FAMILY FUN.

I love the art of Jan Brett, author and illustrator. You can get this animal matching game at her website. It’s free and you don’t have to sign up or register for anything. Go to Animal Matching Game. She has lots more fun activities and ideas that go with her books at janbrett.com.

I remember making these paper hearts with my children. Susan Gaylord makes them with can labels. You can get the step by step directions from her website. GET DIRECTIONS

My good friend’s daughter had this fun party for her daughter. It looked like so much fun I wanted to share it with you. These are the invitations.

They had a photo shoot and each girl had her picture taken. They decorated frames for displaying their picture. They also made a pipe cleaner ring. The favor bags had pink M & M’s, Reese’s hearts, lip gloss, and fashion stickers.

Isn’t this cake fantastic. It helps that your father owns a bakery and you aunt and mother are decorators!

Audrey Hepburn, look out!

When your child is not looking, put an object in a bag. Have her listen carefully while you give five clues about the item. She will try to guess what is in the bag. When she does let her pick an object and you listen for clues.
From Home & School Connection December 2010

This treat can is easy to make. All you need is a metal can, wire, paint, and embelishments.

Clean your can and remove label. You’ll need to take off the bottom of the can too. Be sure to use a can opener that doesn’t leave sharp edges.
>
Using an awl or a nail, hammer two holes on each side of the top of the can.

Using the hammer pound the bottom of the can flat together.

The top remains open.
Now paint, decorate, add a wire for the handle, and fill with a special treat.

Grandparents can help their grandchildren learn to read or become better readers by:
1. Having books available when they come to visit and encouraging them to explore books.
2. Reading together and talking about what you’re reading.
3. Make reading a pleasure and show enthusiasm as you read together.
These ideas came from the Michigan Department of Education.

Download Accordion Fold Card & Book
There are so many great Valentine books to read to your grandchildren. Some that my grandchildren have enjoyed are The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting, Little Bear’s Valentine by Maurice Sendak, and Max’s Valentine by Rosemary Wells.
When you’re finished reading together you can make an accordion folded Valentine card.
Directions:
1. Print out the pattern on white or colored paper.
2. Cut out the strips only along the outside edges.
3. Tape or glue the 2 strips together and fold along the vertical lines accordion style.
4. Write a special Valentine message or story to give to someone.
5. Put it in an envelope or tie together with a ribbon.

This is great for all ages. You just need a deck of card with numbers. If you’re using playing card remove the aces and face cards. You can use UNO or Racko cards. Put the cards face down in a pile. Take turns drawing 2 cards from the pile. Determine ahead of time if you will add, subtract or multiply the numbers on the 2 cards. The person to get the correct answer first, keeps the cards. The person with the most cards is the winner. You can also play where each person has a pile. Together each of you turn over one card. The first person to add, subtract or multiply the numbers correctly gets to keep the cards.

Two of my grandsons stayed overnight with me last week. They had great fun creating things from pipe cleaners. It was fun and inexpensive!

This is a fun and easy idea from Jeanene at The Queen Bee’s Hive