Category — Spring

These wind chimes are easy to make and would be a great gift for Mother’s Day or any occasion.
You’ll need:
various sizes of lids (soup, vegetables, fruit, etc.)
paint
string
dowel (about 6-8 inches long)
hammer
nail
Directions:
1. When you open the cans to get the lids make sure to use a can opener that doesn’t leave sharp edges. Clean the lids.
2. Using the hammer and nail make a hole in each lid. Make sure to pound the back down flat so there are no cut fingers.
3. Paint each lid front & back. When dry decorate.
4. Attach a string to each lid where you made the hole and then attach to the dowel. You’ll want them to be close enough together so they chime when the wind blows.
5. Attach a string to the dowel and hang.

Here’s a fun poem to recite while you’re gardening with your grandchildren.
It’s written by Moiselle Renstrom.

Little seeds lie fast asleep
In a row, in a row.
“Wake up, wake up,” calls the sun,
“Wake up now and grow.”
Little seeds wake one by one
In a row, in a row,
Then they stretch up toward the sun
And begin to grow.

You’ll need:
Empty egg carton (heavy paper kind works the best)
Crayons, markers or paint
Scissors
Pipe cleaner
Directions:
1. Cut the egg carton in half the long way.
2. Have your grandchild decorate with paint, markers or crayons.
3. Cut the pipe cleaner the length you want the antennae. Make 2 small holes on the head and from underneath stick the antennae in so they come out the top. Shape into antennae.
Learn this poem to recite as your grandchild plays with the caterpillar.

Little Caterpillar
Little caterpillar
Crawling on the ground.
Did you know that someday
You’d be flying up and down.
Little caterpillar
Crawling on the ground
Did you know that someday
You’d be flying all around.
E. Naccarato

Kate, Kimball & Megan painting their pots. Kate must have thought the paint was a treat because she wanted to lick the brush.

Megan & Logan planting their flowers.

Grandma Liz with her sweetie pies and their creations.

I enjoyed a fun day with my daughter and my grandsons painting and planting.
We started out by painting terra cotta planters that I picked up at the thrift store for $.50. We used acrylic paints. While they were drying we headed to the nursery to get shrubs & flowers for my daughter’s yard. I let my grandson’s pick out a plant for their pot.

We barely had room for Ethan in the backseat. He was surrounded by plants & flowers.

Mason with the final project.

If you enjoy gardening, invite your grandchildren to help plant your garden. This can be a great time to talk and you can use the ideas below to make it a fun learning time for math, reading and writing.

Gardening Learning Activities
Measure how far apart to plant the seeds.
Measure the perimeter of the garden.
Count how many rows will be needed.
Estimate how tall specific plants will grow.
Make a list of everything needed to plant and care for the garden.
Read the instructions for planting.
Read the instructions for caring for what is planted.
Design a marker for each thing planted.

My friend Barbara shared this fun idea with me.

You’ll need:
Paper
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Tongue depressor or popsicle stick
Pipe cleaner
Directions:
1. Trace your child’s hand on a piece of paper. Only do the fingers and have them spread out as if they are wings.
2. Cut out the shape and color.
3. Color the tongue depressor. If will be the head and body of the butterfly. Glue it onto the handprint.
4. Make the antennae using the pipe cleaner and glue on the head.
Your grandchild can hold the tongue depressor body and make it fly.
Learn this poem to say as the butterfly is flying around.

Butterfly
Butterfly, oh butterfly
Dancing across the sky.
Butterfly, oh butterfly.
First you are low then you are high.
E. Naccarato

Download Hungry Caterpillar
Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. It’s a story about a tiny caterpillar who eats and eats until he becomes a big, fat caterpillar. He builds a small house around himself and after two weeks, he becomes a beautiful butterfly. When you’re finished let your grandchildren write their own “hungry caterpillar” story using the caterpillar pattern. Download the pattern and cut out the two sections of circles. Glue them on a piece of paper to form a caterpillar. Write the story on each section. Add eyes, feet and antennae.

The tiny caterpillar eats and eats until he becomes a big, fat caterpillar. He builds a small house around himself and after two weeks, he becomes a beautiful butterfly.

This is a fun and easy activity to do with your grandchildren for Easter or Springtime. You’ll need: Ingredients for Rice Krispie Marshmallow Treats (recipe below), jellybeans and chickens. Follow the directions for the marshmallow treats and when cool enough to handle form into a nest shape. When firm, add jellybeans and chicken.

Rice Krispie Marshmallow Treats (This recipe comes from a Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Box)

1/4 cup butter or margarine (1/2 stick)
6 – 10 ozs. regular marshmallows (about 40) or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
1. Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan. Add marshmallows and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until marshmallows are melted and mixture is syrupy. Remove from heat.
2. Add Rice Krispies and stir until well coated.
3. Press warm mixture evenly and firmly into buttered 13 X 9-inch pan. Cut into squares when cool.
Yeild: 24 (2-inch)squares