Search Results for: blog tracing fun

Fall Fun Without Breaking the Bank

Forget about combing the aisles of Michaels or Hobby Lobby for unique fall decorations. Instead, head outside for inspiration… and super cheap materials. And by super cheap I mean free. Yes, Mother Nature’s got Michaels beat in regards to price and accessibility. From gorgeous colored leaves to acorns, gourds and whimsically-shaped branches, you can gather an entire room’s worth of natural items from your own backyard, and then flex your creative muscle to design one-of-a-kind fall decorations. Here are some simple ideas that even your kids can make: LEAF PEOPLE: Lay out a large piece of craft paper and trace … Continue reading →

Tracing The Roots of Your Old House

If you live in an older home, chances are that you may wonder who built it and when, and who has lived there in the years since it was built. Old houses have a lot of character and many have very interesting stories to tell. There are a few ways that you can set about to discover the history of your old house. Of course, the first thing that my inner attorney would do is to go straight to the land records to look at the chain of title for the property. Depending upon where you live, the deeds that … Continue reading →

Hands-On Thanksgiving Fun

Who among us has never made a handprint turkey? Thanksgiving birds traced from tiny hands are a holiday staple in most people’s homes. However, in recent years the traditional art project has advanced significantly. These days you can create elaborate turkeys from a single tracing. Here’s how: DOTTED HANDPRINT TURKEY Materials: Sheets of brown construction paper Sheets of yellow, green, blue, red or orange construction paper for the background Craft paint (black, orange, red, gold, white, yellow, brown, green, etc.) Cotton swabs or fine-tip paintbrushes Scissors Glue Googly eyes Directions: Set out the paint. Have your child trace his hand … Continue reading →

Fun Fall Crafts for Preschoolers: Homemade Trees

On a scale from one to ten this craft is a solid three in terms of difficulty. Meaning if you have a preschooler like I do, he or she will have very little difficulty making these homemade trees. If you have a crafty toddler he or she might need a bit more help from you, and if you have a school-age child she could probably complete this project on her own. Regardless of your child’s age this project yields a wonderfully festive piece of seasonal art that is sure to be warmly embraced by a grandparent. CONSTRUCTION PAPER LEAVES In … Continue reading →

Jan Brett’s Website – Over 4000 Fun Activities

Jan Brett is a well known children’s author and illustrator. Her artwork is beautiful and unique. She shares it for free on her website, www.janbrett.com, with over four thousand pages of activities, coloring pages, drawing instructions, games, and projects that are sure to educate and entertain children for hours. You can view video instructions for drawing hedgehogs, polar bears, lions, elephants, chickens, bunnies, and even gingerbread babies. You’ll even find some recipes, and craft instructions. Online games include a concentration game, a scrambler, and interactive coloring pages. My favorites though are the chance to decorate a Christmas tree and gingerbread … Continue reading →

Tracing Fun

Wow, does my daughter love to trace! She, at a little over 2 1/2 years old, is getting so good at writing her name and other simple words like cat (which we have) and dog (which we do not). She is also enjoying drawing snowmen, hearts and other assorted creatures and symbols and writing her favorite numbers 2 (her age), 5 (no idea) and 8 (because it looks like a snowman!) You can get all fancy and purchase a tracing table which may illuminate the writing surface and provide for very easy viewing of the lines, shapes, letters and numbers … Continue reading →

Fall La-La

Happy first day of fall! Autumn officially began at 10:49 a.m. EDT, and boy, can we feel it in our neck of the woods. The mercury is sitting at a chilly 39 degrees right now. If we had pumpkins on our porch, they’d be covered with frost. Nothing like a good hard freeze to bid farewell to summer. Despite today’s unusually cool temperatures, I love fall and all its beauty. Autumn is the perfect season to explore the great outdoors with your family and friends. What’s more, as the days shorten and the leaves begin to tumble, you are left … Continue reading →

Savor Summer

School’s out for the summer; time to savor the season beloved by kids and parents alike. Summer’s lazy days are highlighted by picnics, beach bonfires, backyard barbeques, stargazing and firefly catching. There’s no shortage of outdoor activities to choose from in order to max out your summer fun. However, there are ways you can enhance the popular season. The following projects are simple ways you can infuse a little whimsy into your sunny summer days: PICNIC POT This craft is easy enough for kids to make on their own. All you need is a medium to large size terracotta pot … Continue reading →

Could A Timeline Help You Find Out “Why”?

Tracing your family back through the years is both fun and interesting. However, some people are not satisfied with the type of data that are typically found in many genealogy records. Names, dates, places, and events are all well and good but there are some folks who really just want to know “why”. I am one of those “why” people. It is a good thing that my parents are patient and kind people, because I was that kid – you know, the one whose every other word is “why”. I am sure that I will receive payback for this in … Continue reading →

Was Your Ancestor an Indentured Servant?

Some of our European – born ancestors came to America by themselves, when they were in their teens or early twenties. Many times, these young men and women did not make the passage to rebel against or run away from their families, but rather to establish a foothold in America so that the rest of the family could join them later on. Many of these young people were able to make the trip to America despite the fact that neither they nor their families could afford to pay for the voyage outright thanks to the option of indentured servitude. The … Continue reading →