Origami is great for kids. Beside eye-hand coordination and developing concentration and focus, children get to make a toy that they make themselves once they finish. With practice, a child of any age can even create a number of the more advances figures. Yet origami teaches kids much far more than how to fold paper …
Written by
Gina
Snowy Day Crafts for Preschoolers to Middle Schoolers
It’s snowing in the East Coast and it’s only going to colder today. So there’s no going outside for the kids. That’s a drag. Despite the weather outside, there’s fun to be had inside as well. Snowy or rainy days are the perfect time to break out the arts and crafts that will drive away …
6 Ways to have your preschoolers love learning
I was a kindergarten teacher and would see children enter the classroom with various levels of preparation. Some children knew their alphabet and colors from Day 1. Others could barely count to three. I can’t emphasize how important it is to read to your toddler and preschooler on a regular basis. If you do nothing …
How to Make Easy Craft Stick Puppets with Your Toddler
Yesterday, I wrote about easy crafts for toddlers. Keeping it simple is truly critical because, well, getting a toddler to sit still can be a near-impossible feat. As anyone who has had a toddler or two or (like me) three, they’re constantly exploring the world around them. That’s a good thing, but sometimes they need …
How to Make Play Dough … the Easy Way!
It’s pretty dreary outside these days. So head inside with the kids and make some … play dough. Play dough is a nice creative way to spend time together. Roll it, mold it and create great works of art. It’s safe and can be used over and over again. You can make your own play …
scissor challenged? how cut paper into a perfect square without scissors
Okay. So there are a ton of kids (and adults) who can’t cut a straight line with a pair of scissors. Seriously. Even when you give them a line to follow. I saw it time and again in my kindergarten classroom and even among people who are crafty. In the spirit of helping the scissor …
With Origami, Start the Kids with Easy Projects and Build from There
What you can make using origami? The answer is, well, it depends. It depends on the level of skill and knowledge you have about the activity. Origami involves folding a piece of paper, which may seem relatively easy but in actual fact can become quite complicated and complex. Not everyone is prepared for the challenges …
how to make a batch of goo-yuck
Goo-Yuck is weird, but I love it and so do kids. It’s slimy, gooey, wet, dry, and just plain fun. With the weather outside yucky, this is a great activity for the kids—and you! And it’s not as messy as it sounds, so give it a shot.The first order of business is to make the …
What Kind of Parent Are You? A Quick Guide to Parenting Styles
I love craft. That’s obvious. And my kids loved doing crafts–and still do. But today I thought I’d take a step back and have you consider parenting styles. It matters … for crafting with your kids and for, well, raising kids. Parenting is something that is done in many different ways by each parent. The …
No Papering Over the Educational Benefits of Origami for Kids
I’m a former kindergarten teacher and any public school teacher knows all-too well that we lag behind far too many countries in math and science. As scholar William Schmidt, who was the principal investigator of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), often says, American mathematics education is an inch deep and a mile …