Each year around Valentine’s Day, we create animals using heart shapes. This year, my daughter wanted to use some fun Valentine’s paper to make a cat–she’s quite pleased with the results and named her kitten “Valentine”.

Materials:

• patterned or unpatterned paper in pinks and reds
• heart stickers or a heart punch (optional)
• glue
• a white sheet of paper

Directions:

1. Plan out your artwork. Decide how to break down your chosen animal into heart shapes. If you are stuck, use half-hearts (the cat’s legs are half hearts). My five year old assisted a lot with the planning. With younger kids you can pre-trace or pre-cut the shapes.

2. Trace and then cut out your heart shapes. We fold the paper in half to make symmetrical hearts.

3. Paste your pieces onto the paper.

All done!

Last year she made an owl out of hearts.  My son made a puppy but I couldn’t find the picture.

Educational Connections:

• Literature: Read “My Heart Is Like a Zoo“. Can you spot all the hearts?
• Geometry / Art: What other shapes can you find in nature? Try to make another animal out of shapes! Learn about tangrams.
• Mathematics (Advanced): Learn about the shapes that tend to appear in nature and the mathematical rules that govern some of them, such as fractals (rivers, lightening strikes, coastlines, etc.) or Fibonacci sequences (nautilus shells, sunflower seeds, pine cones).

My kids have been so eager to make a snowman. We finally got a snowfall and we were all too sick to enjoy. In the meantime, they were able to make these easy sock snowmen!

Materials:

• white athletic sock
• rice
• yarn
• googly eyes and other embellishments (felt, pom poms, buttons)

Directions:

1. Fill the sock about 3/4 of the way with rice.

2. Tie off the sock, tight.

3. Fold the top of the sock down over the knot to create a hat.

4. Tie a yarn scarf around to bisect the sock into a body and a head.

5. Decorate.

Educational Connections:

• Art History: The earliest known illustration of the snowman is from the Book of Hours, c. 1380. During the Renaissance, snowmen were used in political commentary. Snowmen are accessible because anyone can get the material for free and they are also an example of temporary art. What other art can be made from freely available materials? What other types of temporary art can you find? (Check out the History of the Snowman)
• Popular Culture: What snowmen do you know from popular culture? Why do snowmen seem so magical? What is the largest snowman on record?

We had a lot of fun at a Chinese New Year Celebration this weekend! My kids especially loved the lion dancers (in the Southern style).

Before we went, we made red envelopes to feed the lions:

In addition to the lion dancers, there was also a demonstration of traditional Japanese drumming:

For the last number, there was audience participation!

Afterwards there was a cute dragon hand print craft in honor of the year of the dragon!

Last year we made a dragon with paper loops. This year I thought we would try a puppet! It looks perhaps a bit too snake-like. I think next year we’ll try again with something around the head…maybe more ribbons? Or possibly I will just a make a template?

Materials:

• red paper
• white paper
• red and gold paint
• cardboard tube (toilet paper tube)
• googly eyes
• ribbon
• craft sticks
• gold  crayon or marker
• glue
• scissors

Directions:

1. Cut a mouth in the cardboard tube.

2. Paint! Then let dry.

3. While that is drying, cut a strip of red paper and color with gold crayon. Older kids can try to copy Chinese symbols for Happy New Year, Health, Prosperity, etc.

3. Accordion fold the strip of paper and paste either end to a craft stick.

4. On one end, glue or tape strips of ribbons.

5. Add teeth, eyes, and a tongue to the dragon.

6. Cut a slit in the back and glue the head in place.

Educational Connections:

• Culture: Each Chinese Year is represented by an animal on a 12-year zodiacal cycle.  What your Chinese astrological sign?
• Culture: Which Chinese traditions are supposed to clear out bad luck from the previous year?  Which traditions welcome luck and prosperity for the New Year?  Do you have any similar New Year’s traditions?
• Home Arts: How do families of Chinese heritage prepare their homes for the New Year?  What does this represent?
• Home Arts: Make some of the traditional Chinese New Year dishes.
• Field Trip: See if a cultural center or neighborhood near you is celebrating Chinese New Year and if guests are welcome.
• Mathematics: The Chinese New Year arrives on a different day of the Western calendar each year.  Why is that?

Here are some of our favorite children’s picture books about winter. I’ll have a separate posts with books specifically about snow and snowflakes and arctic animals.

Winter Trees by Carole Gerber and Leslie Evans (3+): Striking graphic illustrations accented with mat silver accompany poetic descriptions of the silhouettes of trees in the winter. The jaunty rhyming text transforms the commonplace into the magical. Read this future classic, suitable for preschoolers through elementary school, and then head outside on a crisp day on your own winter’s stroll with your child.

Winter White, by Joanne Ryder (4+): Winter White is a classic trickster tale with the feel of a Native American legend. I recommend the book for picture book readers with longer attention spans. A year after we borrowed this book from the library, my kids noticed its absence from our cache of winter books. So, I’ve purchased our own copy to keep.

Snow Party, by Harriet Ziefert: A sweet and magical celebration of winter. We love the idea of seasonal creatures that take form on just one special night each year–just to vanish after their festival leaving almost no trace. The kids have fun looking for signs of these gatherings.

Sun Bread, by Elisa Kleven: We found this book after seeing the sun bread baked by Amy of Crunchy Domestic Goddess and can’t wait to make our own based on the recipe on the back cover. It is very cute the way the animals are all getting cabin fever but coming together as a community to bake the bread brings joy and light back to their world.

Winter Is the Warmest Season, by Lauren Stringer: A fresh take on the winter that encourages families to enjoy the slower pace of the season. My children enjoyed snuggling as we read about hot cocoa, cozy blankets, crackling fires, snuggly cats, and all the other warm joys of winter.

The Mitten, by Jan Brett: You may be familiar with this classic tale of the dropped mitten that becomes a home to various woodland creatures. The illustrations by Jan Brett make this edition extra special.

The Story of the Snow Children, by Sibylle Von Olfers: In this charming tale, the snow children take a little girl to  the Ice Princess’s birthday celebration. The illustrations are delightfully old-fashioned and perfect for sparking imaginative play. As a parent, I also like that the young girl grows tired at the end is happy to return to see her mom and share tales of her adventure.

When Winter Comes, by Nancy Van Laan: A series of rhyming questions ask where our animal friends go during the winter. The answers, also shared in rhyme, are on the next page so children may guess, first. In each two-page illustration, the parents point out signs of animals migrating, snuggling, or migrating.

Winter Lullaby, by Barbara Seulling: Similar to When Winter Comes, this book asks where various animals go in the winter and the answer is presented in rhyming couplets. The text is a little more simple in this book and the illustrations crisper and more naturalistic.

The Big Snow, by Berta and Elmer Hader: The animals of the forest sense that winter is coming and chatter about their preparations. When a big snow comes, the animals must search harder for food. So, they are grateful for the food a couple shares with them. This gentle tale touches upon the science of migration and hibernation, explains how some animals continue to find food in the winter, and encourages people to treat animals with kindness. The illustrations remind me of 1950s decorative artwork.

Katy and the Big Snow Book, by Virginia Lee Burton: Capable and determined Katy digs Geoppolis out of a snow storm of epic proportions in the tale first published in 1943. My kids find the story exciting each time and I appreciate that Katy (K.T.) is a tractor with a female name. Illustrations showing Katy’s progress and make for good map-reading practice, too!

Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic: For each letter of the alphabet, a wintry word is chosen to form the spine of an acrostic. Acrostics are great fun for budding writers and your child may be inspired to create a few of his own!

Animals in Winter (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1): We love the vivid illustrations of this non-fiction picture book. The text is manageable for my preschooler but there is plenty of science to discuss with my kindergartner.

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer: This book describes the ways people in other times and cultures have celebrated the Winter Solstice. There are fun experiments and activities for children, as well.

The Winter Solstice, by Ellen Jackson: A non-fiction summary of winter solstice celebrations throughout the ancient world. The text is accessible and draws nice parallels between the festivals of the past and present. In a few cases, the festivals are unnamed, a strange omission. There is a short Cherokee folktale at the end. My kids really enjoyed hearing about all the traditions and talking about the symbolic importance of light, evergreens, and being with friends and family.

We were looking forward to this simple way to welcome the winter but the weather has not cooperated until now! Originally, we wanted to make an ice lantern on the Winter Solstice. Then we were aiming for New Year’s. We could have used the freezer but it is hard getting in the winter spirit when it feels like spring!

Materials:

• one large plastic container or bucket
• one smaller plastic container (a plastic cup would work)
• water
• one tea light
• twigs, berries, evergreen boughs

Directions:

1. Gather twigs, berries, and evergreen boughs and place in a bucket filled 3/4 with water.

2. Weigh down the smaller container with rocks until it sinks but does not fully submerge in the larger container.

3. Leave out overnight in freezing weather or place in the freezer. Once it is frozen solid, pour hot water around the outside of the larger container to loosen. Pour water into the smaller container to remove.

5. Wait for nightfall and light and insert the tea candle.

These look even better in snow but we were tired of waiting!

Educational Connections:

• History/Culture: What festivals do people celebrate around the world at the beginning of winter? What ancient festivals did people celebrate? What are some of the common elements of these holidays?
• Science and Weather: What causes the change of seasons? Why is it summer in the Southern Hemisphere when it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere? What are the seasons like at the North and South Poles? What are the seasons like at the equator?
• Science and Botany: What is the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees? Why do evergreens remain green throughout the winter? Why are evergreens an important part of many of our winter celebrations?
• Science: What is the freezing point of water? Do larger containers of water freeze more or less quickly than smaller containers? How does the addition of salt change the freezing point?

Remember when every kid wanted to go to space camp and become an astronaut?

The frontier is now digital but sciences and mathematics are just as important as they ever were.

Curiosity about the world and a creative approach to problem solving are at the core of what I want to impart to my children. And the sciences are building blocks of those sorts of critical thinking skills.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are increasingly the access point to more fulfilling, more flexible, and higher-paying careers. Plus, they are key to our national prosperity.

Which is why it is so dismaying that, according to a 2009 McKinsey & Co. study, the United States ranked 25th in math and 24th in science among developed nations.

We are turning out innovators but our average falls far below what our goals should be. Some experts say we lack the commitment–students in other countries spend longer hours in the classroom. Others point to a culture of respect for teachers in the nations that surpass our scores–that honor attracts the best candidates to the education field.

It may also be that in our social culture, the sciences and math are seen as solitary pursuits and get particularly short shrift once children reach their preteens. So, how do we return the patina of cool to STEM subjects?

Gaming is a way to reach kids where they are and encourage the types of logical and creative thinking that will help students excel in STEM subjects.

According to industry research, 68% of American households play computer or video games. The industry is growing more quickly than the rest of the economy. And, excitingly, 48% of those gamers are female.

The PBSKids STEM Challenge taps into this interest in gaming. Middle school students, high school students, college students, and educators are invited to develop games and enter them in the challenge.

Readers know that I believe in no screen time under 2 and very limited screen time for young children.

For school-aged children, however, gaming can be an engaging way to process and create information. Evidence also suggests that neurologically atypical children, such as kids who are autistic, can benefit greatly from interactive technology.

If you are interested in finding out more about the STEM Challenge, and how gaming can boost learning for  students, join @PBSKids and @PBSteachers at the #PBSKidsSC twitter event on 1/19/12 9-10:30 pm EST and RSVP here: http://eepurl.com/inbS2

Or use the QR Code to RSVP:

—

Disclosure: This post is part of a compensated campaign with PBS Kids where I was paid for my time in sharing information about PBSKids Stream of the STEM Video Game Challenge and for being a Twitter Event Panelist.  All opinions are my own.

Usually the winter is a time for relaxation over here but things have been busy over here! We’ve had unseasonably warm weather in metro-area New York so we have been spending a lot of time outdoors, finding animal tracks in the mud, saying hello to the confused plants that are still growing and budding, and gathering kindling for the fires we hope to build, soon!

We have been doing lots of crafts and projects and reading lots of books that I want to recommend, too, but I have been using all my computer time  to work. And that computer time has been severely limited with the baby waking up with a cough during the nights.

Which brings me to my announcements!

I am a new contributor over at LifetimeMoms. From working with them as an affiliate (as co-owner of Mamanista), I am impressed with their commitment to online moms and our voices. I will be sharing craft tutorials, ideas for learning,  and thoughts on educational issues in the news. You can see all my posts here, plus find out with which television or movie character I most identify. Currently up:

• 5 Dos and Don’ts for Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Is College Worth It?
• How to Make a Snowman Marshmallow Pop
• Hey, Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone (Play for Play’s Sake)
• 16 Gifts Kids Can Make
• 17 Educational Gifts for Kids
• 8 DIY Gifts for Kids

You may have noticed the addition of two banner advertisements. I took the plunge and also joined LifetimeMoms as an affiliate. This will not affect my content and I believe it will help me take the next steps with sharing more free, educational content with you!

Thank you for sticking around while I get caught up from the holidays!

We made a Flower Fairy in the spring and a Leaf Fairy in the fall. Before the first day of winter, my daughter made a snowflake fairy.

She really took charge of the process and had a great time with it.

Materials

• wooden bead
• embroidery floss for the hair
• three chenille stems (body/legs, arms, wings)
• material for the clothing (we used a coffee filter snowflake and some tulle I had)

Directions

1. First my daughter cut a snowflake from a coffee filter and added glitter.

2. Then we followed the same steps as for the other fairies: fold one pipe cleaner in half and poke the folded part through the wooden bead until there is a small loop on the other end.

3. Wrap a loop of embroidery floss and thread halfway through the loop. Pull the loop to secure.

4. Cut the ends of the floss.

5. Wrap the second chenille stem around the body to form the arms and to secure the skirt. (For this fairy, we also criss-crossed tulle as a top and tied a bow in back.)

6. Create a “figure eight” with your third stem to form the wings and twist around the body to secure. (Note: You could also just use the tulle bow as the wings but my daughter wanted the pipe cleaner wings, too.)

7. Add some sort of hat. I suggest pine cones but she wanted a felt hat to look like a holly leaf with berries. We’ve also used acorn caps in the past.

8. Shape your wings, turn up little hands and feet, and put on any finishing touches.

Educational Connections:

This one is really more about beauty and imagination than any other specific educational goals. However, you can definitely find some educational connections:

• Science / Nature: Winter is a time when much of nature sleeps in the Northern hemisphere. How do plants get ready for winter? How do perennials survive the winter? What animals hibernate for the winter? What animals do not? What do those animals that do not sleep during the winter do for food and warmth?
• Science: How do snowflakes form?
• Language Arts: What jobs might your leaf fairy have to get the world ready for winter? Tell/act-out/write a story about your fairy’s winter preparations.

From our family to yours, have a Happy Holiday!