Lucky Charms and Green Pudding!!!

March is almost here... My dog is above and ready for the big day!!

Here are a few of my favorite St. Patrick's Day Activities to keep your favorite leprechaun busy.

Free to Print Activities:

Lucky Charms Sorting (k-1)Use these sheet for sorting the Lucky Charms. My three year old can do this with help.

Lucky Charms Graph (1-3) My son (grade K) can do this pretty independently.

A Little Color Green Book (k-2) A fill in the blank book

Magic Pudding:

My kids love this... It has become a tradition in my house.

Supply each child a plastic cup with 2TBS of Pistachio Pudding Mix (the powder instant) and a green or gold plastic spoon for stirring. One package of instant pistachio pudding makes 4 servings. There is a little over 7 tablespoons of pudding in a package. Tell your kiddos that this magic pudding that a Leprechaun gave you. All they need to do is add milk and stir... Now pour a half a cup of milk to see the surprise... Top with whip cream and little shamrock decorations!!!

Saw this the other day and thought it was cute:


Try Leprechaun Chowder at this site!



Looking for more St. Patrick's Day Activities? Try Teaching Heart's Theme Page For lots more!

Teeth Time

February is Dental Health Month. I thought I would highlight some favorite activities...

My Toothpaste
Got my toothpaste, got my brush,
I won't hurry, I won't rush.
Making sure my teeth are clean,
Front and back and in between.
When I brush for quite a while,
I will have a happy smile!

Tons of ideas at Teaching Heart

Read Andrew's Loose Tooth
The popular storyteller and author of "Love You Forever" shares another funny family tale. Not even the Tooth Fairy can help pull Andrew's loose tooth. But his friend Louis comes up with a special tooth-removing remedy that requires plenty of pepper and a great big sneeze!

Watch Out! Acid Attack

Why do I have to brush my teeth is a common question asked by kids. And of course we explain the reason why over and over again. Next time show your students why they have to brushing is so important. 1.) Show students a hard boiled egg. 2.) Ask them, "Why do you think there is a shell around the egg." 3.) Let the students respond. Make sure they come to the conclusion that the hard shell protects the egg. 4.) Now give them you best smile and say, "See my teeth? Just like the egg my teeth are protected. Enamel protects my teeth the same way the shell protects what is inside the egg." 5.) Pour two cups of vinegar into a large jar. 6.) Have a student place the egg in the jar. 7.) Replace the lid on the jar and place the jar in a safe place for student observation. 8.) Ask the students to predict what they think will happen to the egg. 9.) Write the students response on a large piece of paper that will be hung in your room. 10.) When 2 days have passed, slowly and gently remove the egg from the jar. 11.) Allow each student to look at the egg and compare their predictions with the results. Conclusion: Tell the class that the vinegar caused the shell of the egg to break down and become soft, the same way that tooth enamel is damaged by acid and bacteria in the mouth. Brushing every day is the only way to keep this from happening. Hand out a large tooth for the children to write a sentence and draw a picture to illustrate why teeth brushing is important. See ya, I am off to brush my teeth.

Must See:

Free Video
Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom

Online Story

Visit the Dentist

Pre K Pages With Lots of Awesome Printables

Free From Our CDROM True and False Activity Sheet

Happy Brushing!!!

Should I Give Up Facebook For Lent?

I arrived home this weekend from a short trip with this funny email in my inbox from my very creative friend who always has a way with words... I thought I would share it because I am hoping I am not one of the only pathetic moms who facebook too much... Figured someone else may relate and like a laugh too. I did leave out names; but besides that, the note is in it's original form!!

---

Dear Colleen Gallagher,

As a courtesy to our most "dedicated" Facebookers, we keep an eye out for any and all suspicious activity on accounts. We noticed something extremely unusual with your Facebook account this past weekend. You did not post a status, you did not tag anyone with a quiz, you did not check your Facebook account every half hour for new status updates on your friends, you sent no drinks, you did not add any old boyfriends, and you did not harass your friends at any point.

We here at Facebook just wanted to make sure that you were still happily addicted to our service and intend on coming back to us very soon. If there is any way we can make your experience better, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are committed to providing you the highest quality service possible.

And thank you, Colleen, for getting so many of your Moms ands More friends addicted. You are helping us take over the world, one stay at home mom at a time. Hope to see you active soon!

The Facebook Staff

----

Thanks to my friend Beth for making us all laugh with her Facebook email!

Read my other facebook blog posts...

Ten Warning Signs That You May Have a Facebook Issue

(So, I am sure my friend would not mind if you copy this email and send it to one of your friends that you feel may be a little bit too into Facebook.)

UPDATE: Well, I decided that I like Diet Soda more than Facebook (really I drink more than the two to four times a day I log on to facebook)... so I am giving up the Diet Soda. All my friends that love Facebook too, I am still beside you in Facebook world! See you on Facebook!

Bingo Dauber Fun!

February teases us a little bit with a few days here and there that look like Spring and then the next day it will snow! February is silly like that! So we are stuck inside on most days, waiting for a time when we can get outside and have some fun. Here is an inside activity that both my six and three year old enjoy.

Bingo Dauber Art Pages can be found at dltk-kids. Print the pages and have your kiddos dauber each page. You will find lots of pages for different seasons and themes.

More Dot Art Pages are found here at Making Friends. There are about five seasonal pages.

Look I made some educational downloads...

For my three year old who is still working on numbers, I made this sheet to help her practice counting.

For my six year old who is learning about basic addition, I made this sheet to help him.

Both you kiddos can complete with the Bingo Dauber. So go ahead and download the two sheets and use them with your students or children.

Also on Amazon.com they have the Do A Dot books. You see my daughter above working on a page from one of them. Basically activity sheets you use with Bingo Daubers. I own one of these books and both my kiddos enjoyed the activities.



I do have to admit that I enjoy the Do-A-Dot books myself!

Now go grab your Bingo daubers... Pass the Bingo Hall and go directly home and share the fun with your favorite kiddo!

Sticker and Dice Games

Need:

Pack of stickers with enough sheets for each player and extra to use on the key. You can use any kind of stickers. Look for sheets that have five different stickers (good with one die) or 11 stickers (good for 2 dice).

Dice -one for ages 2-4 and two for ages 4-8.

Key (For one die) (For two dice)
Click the above links to download the key you will use!!!

Something to put the stickers on. You can make it match the season. A heart for Valentine's day or a Shamrock for St. Patrick's Day... We used dinosaur stickers last week and just put them on plain paper.

Here is a picture of a finished key for a pair of dice.
How to play:

Each player has a turn rolling the dice. The first one to use all their stickers wins!

Both my kids (ages 3 and 6) can play this together or by themselves.

Fun Around The WWW!

Just a few hodge podge things I thought you may like to check out this week! So grab a cup and hp around the World Wide Web with me!!!


My friend Rebecca did a guest blog for Teaching Heart Mom and she now has a giveaway posted at The Gift Therapist. I have purchased two of these bracelets in the past and I am very happy with the quality. Now you can enter to get one for free.

Charlotte Smarty Pants has a great idea for a Children's Book Club!

Speaking of Books, look at these ideas for Twilight Party favors!

Check out this Book of Kisses - Cute idea to file away for next VDAY!

I enjoyed reading the Mommy Curse, because I had the same conversation with my mother.

Found some great Very Hungry Caterpillar Ideas here at Story time and More. I have to update the page at Teaching Heart to include these ideas!

Ready for Spring Fun with the kids?

Now that you have enjoyed hopping around with me... one more read I think all blog readers need to read and it is Give the Gift of a Comment!!!

Sticker Time

My almost three year old loves stickers... Here is something that keeps her busy a good 20 minutes... I give her stickers and she decorates plain paper with them. She loves it. I know it is a simple idea. Still I thought I would post it for those that have never given it a try!


Check out: http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/search?q=sticker for some more toddler sticker ideas.

You can buy a package of stickers and a package of construction paper and help you child put the stickers on. They really enjoy the process, although they aren't too interested in the finished product at this toddler stage. But they will have fun putting the stickers on, with your help. My daughter loves putting stickers all over a paper plate. You can buy the little round stickers cheap at walmart in the office section.

Also, you can buy window clings that look like jello in your local grocery store or dollar store. They are often seasonal... right now we have hearts. My daughter loves to put them on and take them off our windows. This too has provided her a fun time and mommy some time to blog, facebook, work...

Need some time with your hubby this weekend? Go grab some stickers and keep the kiddos busy while the two of you enjoy a coffee!

Make Your Own Earrings

Happy Saturday Everyone! Let's try a mommy craft today!!!

I feel so lucky to have such crafty friends... One of the most creative friends I have wrote a special tutorial for this blog! Rebecca at http://jewelryandgiftsbyrebecca.com/ is going to tell us how to make earrings. I will tell you that if I can do this, you can too!!! I have sat with her once before and made two earrings. I did learn I would rather pay her to make them for me... because she is the best and she can make anything; however, I did it with no pain. Check out her site and you will see. Here is Rebecca teaching us how to make earrings...

My name is Rebecca and I’m addicted to earrings. OK there, I said it. Seriously, I really do need a program or something. I even started my own jewelry business to support my need to accessorize. I can’t help but think that adding color-coordinated earrings to your outfit is the easiest and most inexpensive way to jazz up you wardrobe. I have even pulled some of my friends in with me. We had a great time one evening making our own earrings. It really doesn’t take much time. Even if you don’t think you are crafty, you will be able to do it following these simple directions. All the supplies can be found easily at any craft or do-it-yourself store.

Here is your shopping list:

Supplies: 2 Head pins (They are usually sold in a pack of 10 or so) You will need them to be at least one inch long but in some stores you may be able to find them in longer measurements.

1 ½ or 2 inches, tops.
2 Ear wires (They too are usually in a pack of 10 or so)
Beads (vary the colors and sizes for interest). 4mm, 6mm or 8mm are good sizes to get started.

Tools:
Round nose pliers (both the tips of these pliers are round and cone shaped)
Flat nose pliers (these are smooth so they don’t leave a mark on your metal)
Wire cutters
(You can most likely find all of these pliers in an economy tool kit at the craft store. They are also sold individually)

Before you go shopping, I have a few helpful hints for you. You will be better off, if you make sure the metal component or findings that you purchase are sterling silver or gold filled. Avoid buying metal that is not of a higher quality. When you are selecting your beads, go for glass, synthetic gems/stones or natural shells. I avoid plastic beads because most of them just look cheap. Swarovski crystals are at the top of the list for quality with Czech fire-polished beads at a close second in quality with a better price. Beyond that, you will need to be careful that you don’t get a pressed glass, which can sometimes have a seam around the edge, or some cheaper beads that may have inconsistencies in their coloring. This is from the method that is used in the production of the bead. Some are just sprayed or painted with color and that can actually rub off with frequent use. Better quality beads are made from colored glass or coloring that has been fired onto the surface of the glass.

Once you have everything lined up and the kids down for a nap, you are ready to go.
First you need to decide what sizes and colors you are using, and get them in the order that you like best. I usually put the larger one on the bottom and then gradually get smaller as I add to the design. Or you may want to start small, get big, then go small again. This works best if you keep it symmetrical. You can slide your beads off and on the head pin until you have found a pattern that you enjoy. You should be sure to leave at least a ¼ of an inch at the top on the pin. While you are holding the beads on as tight as you can, bend the top of the head pin down forming a right angle. If you have more than a ¼ inch you can trim that off using the wire cutters. To be sure you are safe; hold the earring and cutters partially in the wastebasket and turn your head away while you cut. Those end pieces can fly when they get snipped off.

Now you are ready for the next step. Find your round nose pliers and hold them in your dominant hand. Hold the earring in the other hand with the pin that you bent pointing right at you. Using the pliers, pinch the end on the pin as close to the edge as possible and roll it and the pliers up and away from you, stopping half way. Reposition the pliers and continue to roll the pin around the nose of the pliers until you have formed a loop at the top on your bead design.

Find your ear wire and using the flat nose pliers, open the loop at the bottom by bending or twisting it to the side. Thread your beaded pin onto this open ring and use the pliers to bend the ear wire closed again. Ta Da! You have one earring. Now do it all again and you’ll have yourself a custom pair of handmade earrings. Here are some of the ones I have on my web site.

http://jewelryandgiftsbyrebecca.com/

Thanks Rebecca for sharing the love of your craft with us! If you try this at home, leave a comment and let us know how it went! If you have purchased from Rebecca in the past, leave us a comment about how you liked your item!!! I am sure she would be thrilled to hear from you!

Now go get your craft on!!!

Read a Great Valentine's Book!

The Teddy Bears Picnic / Foreman, New Columbian Brass Band

- Play this CD while you complete the Activities in the book.
After Reading
After sharing the book with your class, ask students to list the food gifts Mr. and Mrs. Bear gave each other for Valentine's Day, such as chocolate-covered ants and Crispy Critters. Next ask your students to think of other food gifts that a bear may enjoy. Record all responses.
Purchase a bear or perhaps you have a stuffed bear laying around. Use the bear for different activities. Maybe Mrs. Bear will sit on a neat desk every AM when the children arrive. Also, you may encourage the children to read to the bear. See picture here of one class reading to their bear.

Mr. bear enjoyed many great surprises that Mrs. Bear made for him. Have student volunteers describe how they would surprise others. Who would they surprise? How might the recipients react? How would your students feel if someone surprised them?

Compare and Contrast how real bears vs. the pretend bears in the story might get ready for winter.

Find a graphic of a bear. Cut out the bear and make many copies of it on card stock. Two bears per student in your class. Also give each student two cutouts of red hearts. On one heart write the word yes and on another heart write the work no. Have them cut out the bears and glue one heart to each bear. Then give them two crafts sticks to glue each bear. Now they are ready to answer some yes and no questions about the story. They can all respond at the same time using their bear puppets!

In the story, Mrs. Bear made a sign and wrote a special Valentine thought, then hung it on the wall for Mr. Bear to see. Have your class do the same. To make a sign, provide each student with a large piece of construction paper or poster board. Have each student write or dictate his own special Valentine thought or message on the sign. Have each student decorate his sign with markers, glitter, and curling ribbon. Hang the signs for all to admirer!

Looking for more Valentine's Day Stories to read your child? Try here for great suggestions from a teacher!
http://www.teachingheart.net/valentinebooks.html

100 Days of School - Star Wars Style

My son wanted 100 Star Wars Characters on his shirt. So today we went online and he picked ten characters. We found the graphics of the ten. We then printed ten of each character on iron-on Avery computer paper. My son's idea was to do the characters in groups of five on each side of the shirt. This way we ended up with 50 characters on one side and 50 on the other side. Here is our finished product!

Above is the front of the shirt and it says, "Happy 100th Day of School!"
Above is the back of the shirt and it says, "It is my 100th Day of Grade K."

Creative Kids Valentine's Cards

The weekend before the school Valentine's Day parties is here. Thought I would share a few ideas for Valentine's Day cards and some other blogs with interesting Valentine's Day Card Ideas.

Two ideas from two friends:

My friend and neighbor Amy B. made these cute Flock of Valentines. Amy says, "I got that idea from Ranger Rick magazine. It is so cute. Those are the bigger pipe cleaners you can get at Michael's. Construction paper, eyes, you can use feathers for the tail too."

My friend Rebecca made these lollipop vday flower cards. They are cute and yummy!

Here's all the supplies. Construction paper, marker, Dum Dum, scissors and a pattern of a flower.

Cut a small slit in the center of the flower and slid the dum dum in for the stem. They can write their name around the edge.

Thanks Amy & Rebecca! :)

What my kids are giving out this year:

Here are the candy bar wrappers my son will hand out this year. He signs each wrapper. Then wraps it around a bar. Now the kids have a sweet treat - no gift bag needed!!!

I am into the scratch stickers (you can buy them on EBAY). Basically a gray round sticker sticker you stick over a picture or word and then scratch it off to reveal what is underneath...
This one has a picture of who the Valentine is from. Just like the scratch and win lottery tickets. I copied the graphic by doing an image search on google. I used the postcard template in publisher to create the file.

Want more??? Try these links

Check out Make and Takes VDay Card Ideas!

The Ramblings of a Crazy Women has many cute ideas!

Crafty Crow Shares Shrink Plastic Valentines!

Check out Zakka Life's Maze Valentine

Make paper hearts into creature Valentines

Look at all these on Tip Junkie

Teaching Heart is filled with VDay ideas... Come take a look!

Roll a Valentine Craft!

I love using dice for games. My almost three year old, likes to roll them and count the dots. My six year old loves math and making addition problems with dice. Lately, he enjoys rolling them a writing out a math problem.




How about creating a craft where your kids need to roll the dice to collect the craft items. I created this little Valentine Heart face & a key to use with the dice. The players roll the dice to collect all the pieces for their craft. Once they have all their pieces collected they can glue their craft together. My son can do this independently (in fact, he is doing that now). My daughter (the almost three year old) needs help matching the rolled number to the item on the list.



If you want to give this idea a spin with your kiddos or students, here is the printable key. All you need is two heart cut-outs, two eyes, a nose, a mouth or a pen to draw one, pipe cleaner or something to use as the hanger, and a glue stick. Then you will have a new heart friend to hang on your door. Here is my son's masterpiece...

For Little Hands that still have trouble with the dice, why not make your own big dice... Vanna shares on this youtube video some fun dice activities and ideas for making large dice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_7yXSnZ9mo

100th Day of School

Well, Phil the Groundhog saw his shadow and I need to get over it and realize, winter is here to stay for a few more weeks. So I am moving on and looking towards the 100th day of school. It should be around the corner for many students. Funny, this is my first year being on the other side of the 100th day... the parent side and not the teacher side. My son brought in 100 shamrocks for a project he will do in school. Now he has decided what he wants to wear to school for the 100th day - 100 Star Wars Characters. My plan is to print characters on iron on paper in groups of five. I will iron them to a T-shirt... Figure 50 on each side. He can count out the 50 he wants on each side. More to come later...

I was out looking around the blog world seeing what other do:

Check out a cute way to display 100 pennies

Wow, look at Carter's 100th day shirt.

How about a Skittles Hat!

Some other cute ideas:

Dollare stores sell 100 piece puzzles. You could have your child bring a 100 piece puzzle to school as their 100th thing to bring. Or if you're having your class do this, buy a few 100 piece puzzles and have a group of kids work together to put it together.

Check out all the ideas on Teaching Heart

See some fun 100 Days Clips:

My son loved this little guys song!

Be Sure to Have your child play on StarFall

The 100th Day of School Rules!

I think today is quite cool.

It is our 100th day of school.

Should we celebrate by jumping in a pool?

I think that might be too cool!
Instead, let's count to 100 ten times.

Let's see if we can make 100 rhymes.
There is so much we can do with our number!

There is no time to slumber,

when you are playing with our magic number.
Yesterday was our 99th day of school.

I know that because I am not a fool.

Yes, today we are celebrating the 100th day of school!

Doesn't that rule?

POEM BY: Colleen Gallagher Copyright @ 2004 - 2009