There are nature lessons for kids that are taught in the classroom…and then there are nature lessons for kids that are taught exactly where they should be: in the beautiful outdoors.  Let’s talk a little more about the latter, shall we?

As we start getting into the warmer months of the year, there are plenty of opportunities to impart lessons of nature for kids throughout all of spring and summer. Just head to your nearest park, woods, forest, or preserve to:

• Take a nature hike. Take a close look at all the signs of life nature reveals to us this time of year. Baby rabbits scampering. Birds chirping. Frogs singing. Caterpillars crawling, then eventually butterflies fluttering. Buds blooming. Waterfalls rushing. They all have a story to tell of the changing seasons. Bring along a camera to record your findings. Note: Be careful to keep both the distance and duration of your hike appropriate for your child’s age and ability.

• Go on a scavenger hunt. Make a list of items you’d like to point out to your kids about nature’s role in the spring and summer. If you have enough people, divide up into two teams. The first team to find all the items on your list wins. Suggested items: yellow wildflower, mossy rock, tree bark, fancy leaf, etc. Important: Be sure to keep children away from poisonous mushrooms, berries, and plants; never allow your kids to stray away from you; and be sure to warn them not to touch animals.

• Keep a nature journal. This is especially nice when kept during numerous hikes as the seasons progress. Record your observations, and draw pictures or take photos. It would be great to keep going back to the same spot occasionally throughout the year and see specifically how nature changes. Suggested topics: animal habitats, plants, and colors.

• Discuss camouflaging. Explain how animals hide and protect themselves among the colors, patterns, and shapes in the woods. Be on the lookout for insects on tree branches or frogs alongside river banks. A game of “I Spy” would be particularly appropriate now.

• Look to the sky. Using binoculars, take a look skyward and notice what’s going on, from geese and monarch butterflies flying back north during the day, to the brilliance of the Leo, Bootes, Virgo, and Gemini constellations at night (which are particularly vivid during spring). During summer months, be on the lookout for the Cygnus, Lyra, Aquila, and Sagittarius constellations.

• Make a bird feeder. Once back home, make a homemade bird feeder with your kids and hang it in a spot outdoors where they can see it from a window.  Not only will they be helping to feed winter birds when food is scarce, they’ll also be able to observe them throughout the upcoming months. Just be sure to continue feeding them all winter long since they will have grown to rely on your food source.

Nature walks for kids in spring and summer are not only fun, but educational without seeming educational. Pretty clever, huh?

Suggested children’s books about nature:

Nature Hide & Seek: Woods and Forests by John Norris Wood

The Usborne Complete First Book of Nature by R. Kidman-Cox

Wonders of Nature by Jane Werner Watson

The Seasons (True Books: Nature) by Paul P. Sipiera

Pop-Up: Hide & Seek by National Geographic Society

Either the weather’s too horrible for the kids to go out and play (frigid, rainy) or they’re stuck at home sick. Regardless, they’re getting antsy. Real antsy. And you’re getting frustrated. Real frustrated. What’s a parent to do?

May I make a suggestion? Plan some exciting indoor play. More specifically, plan an indoor movie day!

That’s right. Kids’ indoor movie activities can chase away the indoor blahs faster than you can say, “Ticket, please!”  Movie days are fun. They’re entertaining. And they’ll help pass the time more quickly for you and your kids.

Before you get started, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Understand the movie rating system. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, movie ratings “provide basic information to parents about the level of various elements in the film…so that parents can decide what their children can and cannot see.”  (View definitions for movie ratings)

• Gear the movie to your child. The age of the audience is of primary consideration. You’ll want to choose a film that’s not only age appropriate, but capable of keeping their attention. Too simple, and they’ll get bored. Too sophisticated, and they’ll lose interest. Also, consider your child’s personality. Would a comedy, animal, adventure, cartoon or action film suit them best?

• Choose your source. There are various sources for movies. If you have Netflix or Amazon Instant Video, you can choose from their comprehensive selections. (Surf the Kids & Family genre.) Or, you can rent one from your neighborhood video store (like Blockbuster) or a corner kiosk (like Redbox). The least expensive option, of course, is to borrow one from your library. Conversely, the most expensive option is to buy one at the store or order one online (at a site like Amazon.com).

• Really play it up. I’m talking about designing and printing your own movie poster and movie tickets. I’m talking about making popcorn and putting it in movie theater-like buckets. I’m talking about providing movie theater-types of candy. I’m talking about serving soda in cups with lids and straws. And I’m talking about darkening the room like a real theater. (For a real fun time, my daughter shows her kids movies from a projector that’s pointed toward a huge white sheet hung on a wall. Even I love it!)

• Make it all very comfortable. Do what you can to avoid just plopping your kids down in front of the TV. Maybe set up some fun bean bags, or rows of chairs to simulate a real theater, or lots of cuddly blankets and pillows.

Kids’ indoor play activities can be as creative as you want them to be — and movie days fit that bill perfectly. Enjoy the show!

Grandma Maria’s Personal Top 10 G-Rated Family Movies:
Finding Nemo
Mary Poppins
Monsters, Inc.
The Parent Trap (original)
Peter Pan
The Princess Diaries
Swiss Family Robinson
The Sound of Music
Toy Story 3
The Wizard of Oz

The New Year is approaching fast, and I’m hearing through the grapevine that many parents are finally ready for a fresh new start regarding the way their kids play.

Some are muttering, “I don’t want my kids to sit in front of the TV all day anymore.” Others are musing, “I really want to be more proactive about how my kids play.” Still others are saying, “I’m finally going to make — and stick to — some new and exciting creative play resolutions!”

Whatever your motivation, the simple fact is this: Creative, imaginative play is important. It stimulates the brain. It helps develop important life skills. And it creates enthusiasm. What’s not to like about it!

Here are a few suggestions for how to incorporate more creative play into your children’s daily lives:

• Spark the artist in your child. Be sure to have lots of different art mediums on hand. They could be as simple as crayons and coloring books, as varied as glitter and beads, or as elaborate as an award-winning art tower. The point is to give your kids a ready outlet for their creative juices. (Hey, even Monet had to start young!)

• Encourage your child’s domestic skills. Since so much time is spent in the kitchen (preparing meals, eating, cleaning up), it’s only natural kids would want to imitate those culinary activities. Either allow your kids to play with your own pots and pans, bowls and wooden spoons, or set up a well-made play kitchen. (Before you know it, your kids will want to start really helping in the kitchen. Read one of these CreativePlayPlus blog posts for further inspiration!)

• Support creative indoor play. Think outside the box. Instead of getting what every other kid on the block has, go for something unique, fun and  innovative. Think musical instruments,  adventure fort, indoor teepee (which is what I got my grandson for his last birthday), building set, baby nursery, or puppet theatre. Or just play plain make believe (using thrift store clothing for “costumes”) revolving around a circus, jungle safari, fairyland or magical castle. (But beware; the fun can be pretty contagious!)
• Make outdoor play inventive, too. Of course, balls, buckets and sidewalk chalk are super ideas. But there are plenty of other great choices as well, including a rock climbing wall, treehouse, play tent, sand and water activity center, bowling set and golf course. Also of note, an empty large-appliance box is the best! These will all keep your kids busy for hours on end. (After all, there’s nothing better for kids than fun games and fresh air!)
• Don’t forget the wee ones. There are lots of fascinating interactive toys out there for infants, too. Consider an activity gym, play mat, activity triangle, shape sorter or animal puzzle. Babies really respond to creative playthings. (Bonus: All these toys are well made, colorful, kid-tested, and mom-approved!)

Just remember, a New Year’s resolution for parents doesn’t have to be hard. When it involves quality play that captures your child’s imagination and encourages creativity, it should be easy to keep, unlike that annual vow to lose 10 pounds. Happy playing, everyone!

Suggested adult books about creative play:
Razzle Dazzle Doodle Art: Creative Play for You and Your Young Child by Linda Allison
365 Games Smart Toddlers Play by Sheila Ellison
Sing! Play! Create! by Sarah Cole
First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos by MaryAnn F. Kohl
Preschooler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games & Activities by Trish Kuffner

• Purchase a small Christmas tree specifically for your “family tree.” Adorn the tree with white lights and petite red bulbs.
• For smaller families, a Christmas wreath makes a perfect “branch.”

• Find a sturdy evergreen branch outside and support it in a glass vase with holiday colored gems and other festive fillers.
• Buy a shadow box frame and arrange the tiles into the shape of a tree. You can also add small holiday fillers to accent the photos.

Family History Lesson
Family tree ornaments are special because they are pictures of your family. But the ornaments can also be a way to keep the spirit of your family alive, especially if you have family far away.

It can be hard for kids to remember distant relatives they don’t often see. Family tree ornaments help kids put a face with the family member. You can even mix up the ornaments on the tree and see if your kids can place everyone in the correct family.

Have any other ideas on how to display your family tree ornaments? I would love to hear them!

I love personalized photos. My favorite ornaments are the ones that have a photo of my kids or ones of me as a kid! That is why I was inspired to make my own “Family Tree” ornaments. This quick and easy ornament is a beautiful way to capture everyone in your family. Whether your immediate family is big or small, everyone will enjoy the finished product. Did I forget to mention how easy this is? Trust me! You will have time to do this! It also makes a beautiful gift for those hard to buy for, like grandparents!

Supplies:

• 2×2 porcelain floor tiles. (They sell these at Home Depot in the flooring tile section in 12×12 size for $2.59! That’s 36 little tiles. When you get home, simply pull the tiles apart and pick the glue off the tiles. It comes off very easily.)

• Fast finish decoupage or Mod Podge
• 3/8″ ribbon.  (I chose a shimmering red with the wire.)
• Gold star buttons (I picked these up at Jo-Ann Fabrics for $2.29 for a pack of 9.)
• Glue dots
• Photos of family members

Family Tree Ornament Assemble

1. To fit photos perfectly onto the tile, go to Picnik.com. Choose the collage category and upload your photos. Pick the basic collage that has 3 horizontal square openings. Drag your photos into the squares. Save your finished collage to your computer and print at home onto a 4×6 photo paper. Your three pictures will fit perfectly onto the 2×2 tiles! Repeat for all your photos.

2. Cut out your photo to fit onto the tile.

3. Paint decoupage onto the entire front of the tile piece and place your photo on top. Smooth the photo gently to adhere and let dry.

4. Cut a 5-inch piece of ribbon and thread the star button into the middle of the ribbon.

5. Place two glue dots on each side of the ribbon and press firmly onto the back of the tile.

Simple. Elegant. Perfect.

*Note: Home Depot also sells 4×4 individual tiles for only 16 cents each! Instead of doing individual pictures, you could always place family portraits onto the tiles.

In Hebrew, the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication;” the Hanukkah holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E.

The Hanukkah Holiday Acknowledges Two Miracles.

• First, the miracle of oil; when the Maccabees cleaned the Temple and were ready to kindle the eternal light, they found enough oil to last one day. To everyone’s surprise, the oil burned for eight days.
• And second, the miraculous military victory; the small band of Jewish soldiers known as the Maccabees defeated the much larger Greek army.

The Holiday Rituals

Lighting Candles

• The most prominent Hanukkah ritual is the lighting of the “hanukkiyah;” the eight-branched candelabra with a ninth holder for the shamesh or “helper” candle, used to light the other candles.
• Jewish people are encouraged to place their hanukkiyahs in a highly visible location where people are likely to view them and learn about the miracle.

Holiday Crafts and Activities

• Collect a variety of Hanukkah menorahs. Allow children to compare and contrast the different hanukkiyahs.
• Encourage children to create patterns with the candles that get placed into the candle holders.
• Make a cardboard template of a Hanukkah menorah; allow older preschoolers to trace and cut out the stencil (younger children will need more assistance). Use colored paper to make rectangular candles. Have children glue candles to their paper menorahs and then hang them in the window.
• Use paint sticks as the base for a Hanukkah menorah; have children paint and decorate the stick. Find bolts that securely hold a Hanukkah candle. Glue the bolts onto the paint stick. Make the shamesh (“helper candle”) by placing two bolts onto each other.

*Instead of a paint stick use a ceramic tile as the menorah base. Have children decorate the tile with permanent markers. Gem tack works best for adhering bolts to the tile.

• Purchase air drying modeling material at your local craft store; have children mold and form their very own hanukkiyah. Use a candle to poke holes in the menorah. Let the modeling clay dry and then paint and decorate.

Eating Foods Fried in Oil – which symbolizes the story of the miracle of oil. 

• There are two traditional Hanukkah foods:
  1)     Potato pancakes, otherwise known as “latkes.”
  2)     Fried, round jelly-filled donuts referred to as “sufganiyot.”

Crafts and Activities

• Have children assist in peeling and grating potatoes to make latkes; talk about how the house smells as the latkes are cooking and the lingering aroma a day after!
• Create a latke game! Cut out 10 yellow circles that resemble latkes. Put one dot on the first “latke,” two dots on the second latke, and so forth until you come to the last latke which would have 10 dots to represent the numeral 10. Place the latkes in a plastic frying pan. Then take 10 paper plates and write the numerals 1-10, one numeral on each plate. Place the plates around the plastic frying pan. Hand your child a pair of tongs, have him/her place each dotted latke onto its corresponding plate.

Playing with a Dreidel (“spinning top”) –

• Each dreidel has four Hebrew letters, one on each side, which represent the phrase “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham,” (“a great miracle happened there” – referring to Israel).
• To play dreidel, everyone is given 6-10 items, (candy, raisins, pennies, etc.)
• Each player puts one item in the center to begin.
• The first person spins the dreidel; each Hebrew letter on the dreidel indicates what a player can do:
• Nun – Receives none
• Gimmel – Takes everything
• Hey – Takes half
• Shin – Add one to the center
  • As players lose all their items they are “out.” The person who ends up with all the items in his/her possession wins.

Hanukkah Crafts, Activities and Giving Ideas
Below are some crafts and activities you can play with your kids to celebrate Hanukkah.

• Playing the dreidel game teaches children to take turns, follow directions, practice counting and experience the joy of winning or the disappointment of losing.
• Dreidel paintings – place a piece of paper inside a gift box; dip dreidels into different colored paint. Then, spin the paint-dipped dreidels on the paper. Each picture will take on its own unique design.
• Make a four-column chart with your child. Put the letters found on the dreidel at the top of the chart (nun, gimmel, hey and shin.) Have your child spin the dreidel and graph the number of times each letter appears when the dreidel stops spinning.
• Take a piece of construction paper and cut a dreidel shape out from the middle of the paper; the paper now has a “negative” dreidel shape in its center. Place a piece of clear contact paper over the dreidel shape. Have children place colored tissue paper and sparkly confetti onto the contact paper. Hang these pictures in the window and let the light reflect on them.
• Fill your sensory tables with sand, colored rice or another sensory material. Hide dreidels in the table and then let children dig for them with scoops and shovels.

Giving Tz’dakah – (donating money to those in need)

Tz’dakah Activities and Experiences

• Encourage children to identify an organization they find meaningful.  Instead of receiving a gift each night of the holiday, choose one night to donate a gift (monetary or other) to that particular organization.
• For every gift received at Hanukkah encourage your children to donate a toy they currently have to a child in need.
• Clean your children’s closets together and sort through clothing that is too small or clothing they will no longer wear. Then, together, drop the clothing off to a needy organization.

Gift Giving –

• Hanukkah has turned into a holiday of gift exchanges. In particular, children frequently receive presents from their family and relatives.

Hanukkah Gift Giving Activities and Experiences:

• Encourage children to make Hanukkah cards for family members and teachers too! Nothing is more meaningful than heartfelt sentiments expressed by a child. Make sure to personalize the cards with your child’s dictated message.
• Help children think of loving and kind actions they can offer others in lieu of purchased gifts.
• Explore the craft store with your child and discover gifts your children can make and give to others.

There are few people who would disagree that the holidays are becoming more and more materialistic. For starters, have you noticed that stores and malls begin hanging lights, wreaths and decorations earlier and earlier each year? Is there a commercial reason for that? You can be sure of it.

Keeping kids from getting all caught up in the materialistic side of the holiday season can be a challenge. (Just for the record, I’m not saying gifts are bad. I’m saying a relentless focus on things can take away the true meaning of the season.)

To be fair, our children are bombarded with sales messages everywhere they turn, from TV, radio, and magazines to their friends and classmates. Bottom line: companies can be callously profit-driven and kids can be relentlessly competitive, all to the detriment of the season’s spirit.

Before you know it, kids start to sound like broken records with their gimme, gimme, gimmes. And, as a result, parents often spend way beyond their means to cater to this mindset. It’s not a good combination.

Yet, teaching children generosity during the holidays is really not that hard. It does, however, have to begin with you, their strongest — and most influential — role model. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

Explain Advertising 101. Teach your child that companies pay really big bucks to make people want to buy their products. TV commercials, billboards, radio spots and Internet ads are not cheap. In return, companies want to see a return for their investment: sales. But that doesn’t necessarily mean your child needs the item or will be happier with it. (Play make-believe and have your child act out a commercial for a silly object, say a rock. Afterwards, they will be able to more easily see how advertising is not always in the best interest of the consumer.)

Return to family traditions. Each family has its own special holiday traditions, either passed down from earlier generations or newly created. Try to re-focus your time and energy on these traditions which bring family members closer together. (To spark some ideas, consider going to a tree farm and picking out your own tree, baking cookies together, going ice skating, caroling, creating an Advent book calendar or lighting a menorah.)

Promote altruism. Try to take the focus off material things and turn to volunteering activities instead. After all, helping others and giving of oneself is always more rewarding. It also teaches that giving comes from the heart, not necessarily from the wallet. (For instance, participate in a toy or food donation program, visit the elderly in a nursing home, help out at a children’s hospital, serve meals at a homeless shelter, send a care package to a soldier overseas, etc.)

Show that gifts need not be purchased. Although gift giving can be thoughtful and rewarding, presents do  not have to be bought to be considered worthy. Help kids make their own gifts, donate to worthy charities in people’s names or give the gift of time in the form of a gift certificate. (Think artwork, a check to Feeding America or a coupon for setting the table.)

Walk the talk. Be sure to set a good example yourself by showing your kids the holidays do not have to be stressful or gift laden. Avoid shopping marathons and overindulgences. Instead, display a sense of happiness and calm. (When all else fails, just make a cup of hot chocolate and put on some cheerful holiday music.)

The joy of giving is a valuable gift in itself. From me to you, happy holidays!

Suggested children’s books about the true spirit of the holiday season:
The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman
Legend of the Christmas Stocking by Rick Osborne
The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans
The Christmas Gift: El regalo de Navidad by Francisco Jimenez
While the Candles Burn by Barbara Diamond Goldin

So, if you have created an “I SPY” holiday wreath, either as a game or for your holiday card this year, consider having your children use the items from the wreath to create their own year-in-review story.

The Storytelling Game

• Place five items on a table.
• Instruct your child to create a story using the five items.
• Please note: Younger children take their items literally. For example, a LEGO piece is just a LEGO piece to a little one, but it can be incorporated in a story as, “Once upon a time there was a pig named LEGO.” To get their creative juices flowing, you may want to create a story first, so they get an idea of what they are supposed to do.  Just make sure not to take over.

Once Upon a Time…
I gave my daughter a tap shoe, nail polish bottle, LEGO piece, dog figurine and a pig key chain to use as the props in her story. I barely got through the instructions and my daughter took off in her story. “Once upon a time there was a dancing dog . . .” She got so elaborate in her story that she stood up to act out some parts. She even curtsied at the end. She was very proud of her creation.

You can also play this game with several kids by giving each of them a trinket to incorporate in their story. Taking turns, the children will blend their tales together to create a unique and entertaining story.

Not Just for Bedtime!
You don’t have to save this game for bedtime, either. Next time you are waiting at the doctor’s office, instead of the usual round of “I SPY,” rifle through your purse for items to use for a story. I’m glad I stumbled across this idea. To me, storytelling is priceless!

Materials needed:

• Wreath (I used a real wreath, but an artificial one will work, too.)
• “I SPY” items

1. Collecting the “I SPY” items was a fun adventure for me and my kids. We started by invading the kids’ rooms and looking around the house for little trinkets that summed up our year, such as:

• Sports medals
• Hobbies
• Fads
• Vacation mementos

I thought this would be difficult, but it was actually quite easy. Don’t forget to include a current photo of your kids or your family. I opted for wallet-size photos of my kids and a fun family photo strip from vacation.

2. Once you have collected a variety of memorabilia from the year, place the items on the wreath. Make sure you can see each item clearly and that they are not hidden inside the wreath.

3. After the pieces are assembled, take an aerial shot of the wreath. I had to stand on my garbage can to get high enough!

The Card
Using the wreath as the “I SPY” holder can become an annual tradition. My kids adored the game and were disappointed when I took the wreath down. That is until I made it into a holiday card. The card allowed them to play over and over again, as well as highlight the year’s events for our family and friends.

The Greeting and “I SPY” Game
The message inside the card went like this:

“The kids love to play “I SPY”, it’s true,
So we decided to play “I SPY” with you.

We found some toys and things from our travels,
Some Silly Bandz, LEGOs and even sport medals.

Some personal favorites we treasured in 2010,
even some pictures to see how time went.”

Then I listed in the card what needed to be found. It’s so much fun when the quantities are more than one. For example, I listed:

• Nine Silly Bandz
• Five Chuck E. Cheese’s tokens from my son’s 5th birthday party
• Six LEGO pieces
• Three “left, right, center” dice, the kids’ new favorite game

The more personalized the better. I even included our puppy’s collar and dog tags.

The holiday card was a hit! People of all ages enjoyed “spying” the tokens that summed up our family’s year.

So whether this activity becomes your holiday card or simply a fun game for your family and friends to enjoy, I would love to hear your families’ “I SPY” 2011 adventures!

“Thanks for playing our game, we hope you had fun!
Happy Holidays we wish to everyone!”

Picture this: Aunt Martha comes over with gifts for the kids. They’re so excited, they can hardly wait. Then little Charlie sees that he got a hand-knitted scarf, again. And teenager Stephanie got a picture frame with little blue Smurfs on it.

Now the rest of this story could go one of two ways: Either the kids show their obvious disappointment, drop their gifts and walk away or they smile at Aunt Martha, thank her and tell her how extremely kind she was to think of them.

Which scenario would you prefer?

Teaching children proper gift receiving etiquette and gratitude is really so incredibly important — especially in these days of self-entitlement, instant gratification, and impersonal communication. To help your kids learn how to graciously receive and acknowledge a gift, here are a few tips to pass on to them:

• Look the giver in the eye and smile first. This is a small gesture, but it’s vital. Eye contact and appreciation before opening a gift shows the giver that they are more important than what’s inside the box. It acknowledges that the receiver cares about them as a person. (Granted, this goes against the grain of “grab and tear open this gift as quickly as humanly possible” for many little kids. As such, a little practice before a big gift-giving event would be helpful.)
• Show thanks before opening a gift. Again, another pre-opening gesture, but also extremely critical since it shows appreciation for the thought, no matter what the gift. This is an important lesson to teach kids. (A child’s impatience will challenge this tip, but even if the child remembers only half the time, it’s worth it.)
• Show thanks again after opening a gift. I can’t stress enough the importance of saying “thank you.” Even if your child hates the gift or is disappointed, they shouldn’t make faces or negative comments. Instead, they should thank the giver graciously or tell them it was very nice of them. (The concept of “it’s the thought that counts” will be ingrained in them eventually. Better sooner than later.)
• Write a thank you note. No matter if the gift was large or small, expensive or not, liked or disliked, given in person or sent by mail, a handwritten thank you note mailed the old-fashioned way is nonnegotiable. (And, no, an e-card will not do instead.) The note should include the name of the gift and something the receiver liked about it. For more note ideas, read The Thank You Book for Kids: Hundreds of Creative, Cool, and Clever Ways to Say Thank You! by 14-year-old Ali Lauren Spizman.

Seriously, gift receiving etiquette need not be a lost art. Teach your kids to be grateful when they’re young and they’ll be grateful to you for that lesson when they’re older, thank you very much.

Suggested children’s books about receiving gifts:

Strega Nona’s Gift by Tomie dePaola
Winter’s Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan
A Gift from the Lonely Doll by Dare Wright
The Perfect Christmas Gift by Thomas Nelson
The Very Best Hanukkah Gift by Joanne Rocklin
The Gifts of Kwanzaa by Synthia Saint James