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KidActivities.net is dedicated to school-age care professionals--additionally it is a resource for pre-school thru high school educators, parents, and program directors--in short anyone who loves engaging children.

This website is a rich supply for curriculum planning. It has more than 245 categories loaded with activities to enrich your school-age and pre-k experience - along with tips, articles, training topics, inspiration and valuable reader input. As the late American actor Danny Kaye said, "Life is a great big canvas, and we should throw all the paint on it we can. "  By sharing ourselves, talents, skills and hobbies in our classrooms, programs and homes, we can give children a gift they will carry into the rest of their lives! 

The best thing about this site??? Categories change and grow each week. You'll find current content is frequently updated with a variety of activities and ideas---usually 25 to 50 a week! Be sure to check out your favorites --they just may not be the same today--as they were yesterday!

May the path you've chosen be rewarding and a journey of delight! 

Barb Shelby 

  

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• OOPS! PRESIDENT'S DAY in the Holiday Category was missed...Click here 
• Games for Small Sized Groups of Kids
• Circus & Carnival Theme
• National AfterSchool & Child Care Resources
• Get Ready for February!
• 50 Ways for Parents to be Involved in School
• St. Patrick's Day Theme
• Traveling with Kids!
• As usual, NEW ideas have also been added to many "other" categories throughout the site! This month about 90!

Be sure to check out DOING THE DAYS OF FEBRUARY! 

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This is a great month! Black History Month, Mardi Gras, World Kindness Week,  Ground Hog Day, President's Day , Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year! Whew...so much going on that your activities are just about planned for you.

Look at the below days and have a great February! Lots of ideas in the highlighted links!

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Flower: Violet
Birthstone: Amethyst
Astrological Sign:
Aquarius: January 21 - February 19
Pisces: February 20 - March 20
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February is:

• American Heart Month
• International Friendship Month
• American History Month
• Black History Month
• National Cherry month (Cherry ideas in President's Day)
• National Wild Bird Feeding Month
• National Snack Food Month
• National Embroidery month
• International Friendship Month
• National Grapefruit Month
• Children's Dental Health Month
• Responsible Pet Owner's Month (Put together a Community Service for your local animal shelter)

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♥ Usually 100th Day of School in USA Falls Mid-February! Have fun with the 100th day ideas but also CELEBRATE THE 101st DAY OF SCHOOL with a Dalmatian theme and watching the movie "101 Dalmatians"!

The Great Backyard Bird Count (or GBBC) happens each February-Check Bird Theme-page bottom

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Doing the Weeks!

Week One
Ground Hog Day-Feb. 2

Week Two
Valentine's Day-Feb. 14
Chinese New Year Begins- Feb. 14 (lasts for 15 days!)

Week Three
February 15-21 Acts of Kindness Week
President's Day- Feb. 15
Mardi Gras

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 The Days of February - 2010 are... (Words in Bold Print have ideas at page bottom)

1.   National Freedom Day 
      Royal Canadian Mounted Police officially began 1920
2.   Bonza Bottler Day: Just a day to celebrate when date and  month are the same!
      Bottle cap patented
      Dia de la Candelaria celebrated in Mexico
      Ground Hog Day
      Buenos Aires, Argentina founded-1536
3    Elmo's (Sesame Street) birthday
      First soft landing on moon (Luna 9, USSR, 1966)            
4.   Charles Lindbergh's birthday-1902
      Create a Vacuum Day and Rosa Park's Birthday         
5.   Constitution Day in Mexico
      Disaster Day
      National Weather Person Day
      Hank Aaron's Birthday-1934
6.  Babe Ruth's Birthday
     Monopoly Game first sold in stores - 1935
     Waitangi Day celebrated in New Zealand
     Ronald Reagan born
     Massachusetts became State in 1788
7.  Charles Dickens's Birthday
     Laura Ingalls Wilder's Birthday-1867
     Switzerland granted women right to vote-1971       
8.   Boy Scout's Day-founded in 1919 
9.   Hershey Chocolate founded -1894 
      Toothache Day  
10. Umbrella Day (See March Ideas-It's National Umbrella month)
      Treaty of Paris signed in 1713-ending war between French and  Indians
11  Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day
      National Foundation Day in Japan
      National Inventor's Day in honor of Edison's birthday-1847
      White T-shirt Day (Have ALL wear white shirts!)
12. Abraham Lincoln's Birthday-1809
      Charles Darwin born - 1809 
13.  Bicycle Safety Day
       Get a Different Name Day!

14.  Valentine's Day AND Chinese New Year
        Ferris Wheel Day
15.  Random Acts of Kindness Week begins
       President's Day 
      Flag Day in Canada-first raised in 1965
      Susan B. Anthony born-1820 and National Gumdrop Day
16. Mardi Gras
      Fat Tuesday
     Miranda (moon of Uranus) first photographed in 1948  
17. Ash Wednesday
18.  Family Day in Canada
       Pluto discovered by Clyde Tombaugh - 1930
19.  Mr. Roger's Neighborhood premiered - 1968
20.  National Hoodie-Hoo Day -go outside and yell "Hoodie-hoo!"
       to scare away winter and welcome Spring!
       John Glenn orbited Earth three times- 1962,Friendship 7 space  capsule
       Toothpick patented
21.   Love your Pet Day
        Polaroid Land Camera introduced -1927 by Edwin Land
22.   Be Humble Day
        George Washington's Birthday
        World Thinking Day

23.   Dolly the Sheep cloned in 1997 & Tennis Day
         International Dog Biscuit Day
24.    Flag Day in Mexico (Dia de la Bandera) & National Tortilla Chip Day     
        Gordon from Sesame Street's Birthday
25.    Paper Currency introduced in USA-1862 by President Lincoln
        Quiet Day
        First US Electric Printing Press patented by Thomas Davenport  - 1837 
26.    William "Buffalo Bill" Cody born 1846
        Levi Strauss born 1829 & Carnival Day    
27.   Polar Bear Day
       Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Birthday - 1807     
28.   Public Sleeping Day
        Congress authorized Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803

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IDEAS FOR SOME OF THE ABOVE DAYS...This is a big month for holidays but have some fun doing some of the below too!

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This is 'NATIONAL WILD BIRD FEEDING MONTH'

Visit the Bird Theme for ideas and directions for many BIRD FEEDER ideas!

 

 ALSO...check out the 'THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT'

This is an event that takes place over four days in February each year. It's very easy! All you have to do is watch birds in your yard, a nearby park, or maybe at your school. Then you tell what you saw by entering your bird list online. They collect that information from people all over the United States and Canada SO SCIENTISTS CAN LEARN WHAT KIND OF BIRDS ARE BEING SEEN IN THE WINTER AND WHETHER THERE ARE MORE OR FEWER THAN BEFORE! .

Click here - to learn more about how to participate.
(There are also games, print-outs and bird-fun on the site!)

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 FEBRUARY IS 'AMERICAN HEART MONTH'!  PLAN A HEALTHY HEART DAY! (Read this, it's fun!--activity is also in Valentine Game Category! )

Celebrate a “healthy” heart with fun, aerobic activities that get children up and moving. You may want to set up several skill stations; this is an idea adapted from Celebration Games: Physical Activities for Every Month (2006 Human Kinetics).

STATIONS CAN INCLUDE:

   ♥ STEP AEROBOCS STATION: Set up four or five step aerobic steppers and music.

   ♥ HEALTHY HEART EXERCISES: Demonstrate several aerobic exercises and have children perform three aerobic exercises of their choice at this station (ie. jumping jacks, jumping rope, jogging in place)

   ♥ CHOLESTEROL: Pictures of both high and low cholesterol foods are taped down. Children throw beanbags underhand from a throw line at low cholesterol foods.

   ♥ BLOOD PRESSURE: Make a sign that says “normal blood pressure 120/80” and tape down pictures of things that can raise blood pressure such as smoking, unhealthy foods, lack of exercise and stress. Children THROW BEANBAGS UNDERHAND from a throw line at the things that will raise blood pressure. (You can put point values on targets and total points)

   ♥ A HEALTHY BUT YUMMY SNACK TABLE at culmination of activity.

   ♥ Divide the children into groups and disperse them evenly among the stations. Place them in a numerical order and have them keep this order for all stations. Set the number of tries for each turn and announce when it is time to rotate to the next station. Leave ample space between stations and advise children not to stand in the throwing areas. Adapted and expanded upon from: School-age Note of the Day- 2/5/07 schoolagenotes.com 

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This is 'NATIONAL CHERRY MONTH'! There are Cherry ideas  for crafts and recipes in the President's Day  Category! )

 

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February 2 is 'BONZA BOTTLER DAY'---this happens each month when the month and date are the same! It's just a reason to celebrate in any way you want...so celebrate! Celebrate BIG as it's also GROUND HOG DAY!!!

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Feb. 2--Bottle Cap Patented. Collected bottle caps and challenge kids to come up with a creative bottle cap collage! With this also being Ground Hog Day-consider doing it a day or two before!

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 On February 9, Hershey Chocolate was founded. Cover St. Valentine's Day and this day with one project!

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Feb. 11-- 'DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK DAY'!

 

• Post the saying and have kids write down or talk about what they think that means! You may get some very cute and funny interpretations...

•  Idea: If it's cold where you live-make Hot Chocolate. If it's warm--make some milkshakes!!!

The day and saying means... don't worry about something that has already happened and work on fixing the problem. Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day is in recognition that everyone spills a little milk now and then. (When spilled--you can't get it back into the glass!) It's a day to  be optimistic, think positive, look on the bright side, and to find something good in everything that happens. As the song says: Don't Worry, be Happy!  Participate in "Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day" with an optimistic attitude and a smile on your face!

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FEBERUARY 13 is 'GET A DIFFERENT NAME DAY'! Have some fun with ALL choosing a different name. Put the names on 'name tags' and talk about what they like about their own names and what they like about the 'new' names...Do the kids know why their parents chose the names they have? Do they know what their names mean?

Get a book of names/meanings and celebrate this silly day!

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DON'T MISS THE 20th!!!

How easy can this be? 'NATIONAL HOODIE-HOO DAY'- go outside and yell "Hoodie-hoo!" to scare away winter and welcome Spring! (In Southern Hemisphere it is celebrated August 22) To be precise, one is to go out at high noon and wave arms above head while yelling the words. If you  can't do it then---have fun...be silly...and do it with your kids any time of the day. Just do it!

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February 21 is 'LOVE YOUR PET DAY'! How about making some PET ROCKS and have fun with the Extension Ideas!

PET ROCKS (From General Craft Catetgory) If you didn't do this last month for 'Old Rock Day'--how about now?

Find smooth, flat or round rocks. Be sure to clean off any dirt or sand and dry completely before starting. Paint with acrylic paints. Decorate faces by using google eyes, yarn for hair, markers, glitter, and any other tidbits you like. (Photo from shirtvalley.com)

 

 PET ROCK Extension Ideas:
Investigate what type of rock your pet is. What are the three main types of rock? Discuss their characteristics and give examples of the different types.
Activities:

• Write down its funniest sayings
• Dress it up for a costume party
• Send it on a holiday/vacation
• Write it a bedtime story
• Make it a form of transportation or a bed/house/etc.
• Give it a name
• Give it a birthday party and a present
• Take it for a walk in the park and write what the two of you did
• Have a picnic
• Teach it a trick
• Write out a word bank/haiku/pet journal
• Prepare it to go to a class such as dance class/gymnastics/playgroup/sports day
• Send it for a sleepover with a friend
• Write out a menu sheet for its food
• Photograph it/blog about it
• Make a scrapbook page about it--Inspired by My Science Program

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The 23rd is 'INTERNATIONAL DOG BISCUIT DAY'...Make some Dog Biscuits!

EASY PEANUT BUTTER DOG BISCUITS

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oats

1. Blend wet ingredients together.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, and then mix with wet mixture to form a ball of dough.
3. Roll out and shape as desired. Place on a non-stick cookie tray or lightly greased pan.
4. Bake twenty minutes at 400 degrees.
5.  When finished, turn off oven and allow the biscuits to cool inside oven until crisp and hard.
6. Store in an airtight container.

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 FEBRUARY 25TH IS 'QUIET DAY'...Celebrate it by playing some quiet/low keyed games.

 

THE QUIET OLYMPICS
Here's a fun low energy set of games (in comparison to the usual style "Olympic Games") that you can try. See lots other games in the Low Energy Category and there are also some in Gathering and Waiting Game Category...

1. Discus Throw: Use a paper plate

2. Shot Put: Use a balloon

3. Track Race: Each player lines up at the start line and race by placing the heel of one foot against the toe of the next. The first one to the end of the track and back wins.

4. High Jump: Each contestant takes a deep breath and whistles. The contestant who holds the note the longest wins.

5. High Dive: Each player stands on a chair (or faces the chair back-rest and then kneels chair seat) with ten clothes pins and drops them into an empty bottle. The player that gets the most wins.

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The 27th is 'POLAR BEAR DAY'...

MAKE SOME 'POLAR BEAR CUPS' FOR SNACK! 

 First put ice cream and then a layer of your choice of candy (M&M's, Kisses, Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chips.)

Cover candy layer with Cool Whip and decorate it with gummy bears.

Serve it in small-clear plastic cups for individual serving or one big vat that everyone shares. Usually, children like to have their own.

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FEBRARY 28 IS 'PUBLIC SLEEPING DAY'!  HAVE A PAJAMA PARTY!
Have kids wear PJ's and lounge on pillows and blankets as they watch a movie. (Don't forget favorite stuffed animals!)
You could add a movie (an old favorite or something just released.) Make popcorn or have cookies and set up a hot chocolate bar where everyone can add marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, and whipped cream to cups of cocoa.

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FEBRUARY IS FRIENSHIP MONTH...MAKE FRIENDSHIP TOWERS
(Good for Building Team/Program Spirit)
Divide the group into teams of four or five children. Distribute construction paper and tape to each team. Explain to the teams that they will have ten minutes to build the tallest tower they can---WITHOUT TALKING. They can use only the given supplies. At the end of ten minutes -- have each team display their tower and discuss whether it was easy or difficult to build and why.

Not necessary but ---an award or certificate can go to the group who made the tallest tower. You can also award certificates for the smallest, most unique, most straight, most leaning, most curvy, most tape used, least tape used, etc.

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MAKE FRIENDSHIP FRUIT SALAD FOR 'FRIENDSHIP MONTH'!

 

♥ Ask each child to bring in a piece of fresh fruit or a can of fruit. Have them chop the fruit with a plastic knife.
♥  Mix all together in a big bowl and serve. 
♥ Optional: top with miniature marshmallows or even add some dry vanilla pudding and shredded coconut to the fruit to make it special.

♥ The extra cans of fruit left over can be donated to the local food pantry.

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Happy February! It's a great month for planning activities!!!

Back to top of page

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2010

Make your monthly planning easy!
Look at what's going on each day and do something to recognize or celebrate it.

Put "what the day" is on your entrance white board-- along with the rest of the plans for the day!

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Flower: Jonquil
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Astrological Sign:
Pisces: February 20 to March 20
Aries: March 20 to April 19 

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March is:

National Craft Month (See all the Craft Categories!)
Ethnic Awareness Month (Visit Diversity/Multicultural Categories)
Women's History Month
American Red Cross Month
National Peanut Butter Month (See below)
Kite Month (See below) 
Frozen Food Month
Help Someone See Month (For Comunity Service-collect old eye glasses and donate)
Irish-American Heritage Month
International Listening Awareness
Noodle Month (See Noodle Category)
Non-Fiction Reading & Writing Month
Nutrition Month
Optimism Month
Poetry Month (See below)
Play the Recorder Month
Spring Month
Umbrella Month (See page bottom)
Poison Prevention Awareness Month

Music in our School Month! Ideas Here!

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 DOING THE DAYS...

1.   Yellowstone National Park Anniversary
       Pig Day (See Pig Theme)
      Peanut Butter Day (See below)
      Smile Day (See Two Smile Ideas in October)
      St. David's Day in Wales
      Nebraska Admission Day-1867
      Ohio Admission Day- 1803
2.   Dr. Seuss' Birthday-1904 (See Dr. Seuss Categories)  and Read Across America Day! (See below)
       National Banana Cream Pie Day        
3.    Bonza Bottler Day: Just a reason to celebrate. This happens each month when the month and date are the same  number.    
        Doll Festival in Japan (Hinamatsuri) This nationwide event  takes place and sees girls set up red platforms, on which they display dolls.  costume.
       Florida Admission Day
      Alexander Graham Bell Birthday-1847          
4.   National Pound Cake Day   
      Us Constitution in effect-1869
      National Anthem Day 
      Vermont Admission Day
5.   Parachute invented  (Visit Parachute Games)
      Stop the Clocks Day
      National Chocolate Cheesecake Day
      Artist Diego Velazquez Born 
6.   Iditarod Race begins
      First Electric Power plant opened
      Oreo Cookies first go on sale (Serve Oreo cookies!)
       Michelangelo Born 1475  
7.  Telephone patented 
       Coca-Cola Bottler's association formed
       Artist Piet Mondrian Born - 1872
8.    National Peanut Cluster Day
       Farmer's Day (See Farm Category )
       International Women's Day    
9.     National Crabmeat Day    
        V-8 Engine built 
        Barbie's Birthday
10.   National Blueberry Popover Day
         First Paper Money issued
         Harriet Tubman Day
        Johnny Appleseed Day (See Apple Theme and Apple Snacks)

12. Girl Scout Day
       Anniversary of the death of Ann Frank
13. Uncle Sam's Birthday (See Patriotic Category)
       Uranus discovered-1781
       Earmuff Day   
14.  Albert Einstein's born-1879
      National Potato Chips Day and Baseball Cap invented-1860
15.  Beware of the Ides of March
       Julius Caesar Assassinated 44BC
       Maine Admissions Day-1820
16.  Buzzard Day 
        National Artichoke Day
       Everything you do is Right Day
17.  St. Patrick's Day (See Categories)
         Submarine Day    
18.    Pillsbury Doughboy's Birthday
         National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day
         Canberra Day in Australia
         Forgive Mom and Dad Day
         Aruba Flag Day
         Las Fallas de San Jos--
This is a huge Fiesta in Valencia and Benidorm, which culminates in the burning of huge cardboard models and amazing fireworks displays, a visual  feast. This Fiesta is to celebrate the beginning of spring.
        Grandparents and Grandchildren Day (Make a craft and card before this day!)
19.   National Chocolate Caramel Day
        Sparky the Firedog's Birthday
        Wyatt Earp Born
        National Agriculture Day (See Farm Category)
        Swallows Return Day
20.   First Day of Spring! On March 20, 2010, at precisely 1:32  P.M. EDT (about 09:00 Universal Time), the Sun will  cross directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known  as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox.  AND...Big Bird from Sesame Street's Birthday
        Agriculture Day (See Farm Category)
        Mr. Rogers Born
         Independence Day in Tunisia    
21.   California Strawberry Day (See below)
        National French Bread Day
       Children's Poetry Day (Below)
        First US Zoo Opened
       Pizza Day-Be sure to have pizza! Any kind! Bagel, English Muffin, Bobili, French Bread, etc.
       Fragrance Day (See Crafts that Smell Good) 
       Absolutely Incredible Kid Day (Today-Let the kids know how fantastic they are!) Can you come up with a special phrase for  each child?!
       Single Parents' Day
        Iranian New Year
       Teen-Agers Day
22.  National Bavarian Crepes Day
         United Nations World Water Day
         As Young as You Feel Day!
23. Toast Day (See below)
        Cable Car Patented
        National Energy Education Day 
        Elevator Day
        Liberty Day-Patrick Henry's Famous Speech- "Give me liberty  or give me Death" 1775
24.   National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day (Make some trail-mix and add chocolate covered raisins!)  
        Independence Day in Philippines
        International Day of the Seal
25.   Lobster Newburg Day 
        Independence Day in Greece
26.   Cape Cod named-1602
         Dunkin Hines Birthday-1880 (Make a Dunkin HInes cake!)
          Robert Frost Born-1874
         Independence Day in Bangladesh
       Make up your own Holiday! (Below)
27.   First Fire Engine Tested
        National Spanish Paella Day
        Education and Sharing Day
       Happy Birthday to You Day (Have a Happy Un-birthday Party for the entire group!)     
28.  National Black Forest Cake Day
        Qing Ming Festival in China
       Holi in China
      Morione's Festival in Philippines
29. National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day
      Oscar Mayer Born (Have an Oscar Mayer snack!)
      Youth Day in Taiwan
30. Doctor's Day
     National Hot Dog Day (Make hot dogs or one of these Crock Pot Recipes)
      Eraser-topped pencil patented-1858
     Artist Vincent van Gogh Born - 1853 (See Van Gogh Sunflow Art Ideas)
     Artist Francisco Goya Born-1746
31. Tater Day (How about a potato bar with all the toppings!)
      Oranges and Lemons Day (Have orange juice and lemonade for snack! Cut up some oranges)
      National Clams on the Half-Shell Day
      Eiffel Tower Anniversary 

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 IDEAS FOR SPECIAL DAYS OF MARCH!

 MARCH IS NATIONAL PEANUTBUTTER MONTH!

 These are a few of the "Peanut butter" food ideas collected from the site... You could also make Peanutbutter Play Dough!

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS (24 balls)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup quick cooking oats
Wax paper
Mix all ingredients and then roll the mixture into 1" balls.
Lay the balls on waxed paper. Refrigerate until set.

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BUMPS ON A LOG...
1 celery stalk, washed and ends trimmed
2 tablespoons creamy or chunky peanut butter
10 Raisenettes Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins

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ANTS ON A LOG
Celery sticks
Peanut butter or cream cheese
Raisins

Wash the celery and cut it into pieces about 5 inches long.
Spread peanut butter over the entire length of the celery.
 Press raisins into peanut butter.

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MAKE AN ANT FARM
Ingredients: Peanut Butter, Graham Crackers and Raisins.
On a plate  spread peanut butter
In the middle you erect a tunnel from the broken graham crackers. Then you place the raisins on the peanut butter to look like Ants. Eat the raisins and peanut butter with either the graham crackers or pieces of celery.

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"DOMINOES" (Put dominoes out for children to see what they look like! Afterward play dominoe game!)

Spread peanut butter on graham crackers (broken into the small rectangles) and top with either chocolate chips or raisins so that they look like 'dominoes'.

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SANDWICH FACE
Just put out the ingredients and let kids take and make!
Peanut Butter
Bananas -sliced
Raisins
Bread (1 slice each child)
M&M's candy
Spread the peanut butter on the slice of bread. Next, put 2 banana circles on the bread to look like eyes. Use a raisin as a nose.
Last, make  mouth out of M&M's candy.

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THIS IS UMBRELLA MONTH

 TISSUE PAPER COLORED UMBRELLAS

 Materials:
Sheet of white or manila oak tag (heavy paper)
Art tissue paper of various colors cut up into small pieces
Black felt tip permanent marker
Scissors
Squirt bottle of water

 Make umbrella shape templates. Trace the shape on oak tag as large as you would like -- but no smaller than half of the sheet. Cut it out. Using the marker, draw the umbrella ribs on the shape.

In a colorful arranegement, have children place pieces of art tissue all over the oak tag.
Gently squirt the "papered umbrella" with the water;it's a SPRING SHOWER.
Lay it flat to dry. As the tissue dries,the colors will adhere to the oak tag.

While drying-trace and cut out a handle.This can be stapled to the dry umbrella. The tissue will fall off when dry.
 
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UMBRELLA PICTURES #1
Need: Cupcake liners, Scissors, Glue, Crayons or Paint Pipe Cleaners

Cut several Cupcake liners in half (these will be umbrellas).
Glue the umbrellas onto a sheet of paper.
Use pipe cleaner to make the umbrella handles.
Glue on the handles. Add clouds and rain drops.
 
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UMBRELLA #2
 
Have  children cut individual egg-carton cups in half.
Glue the halves onto a sheet of construction paper.
Add pipe cleaners for handles.
 Draw pictures around the umbrellas with crayons or paint.
 
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ORANGE UMBRELLA SNACKS
 
Slice an orange into 1/4" thick round slices. Cut each round slice in half to form a half round umbrella shape. Place each orange umbrella on a small plate.

Have each child choose an "umbrella handle" from thin sliced cheese, pretzel sticks, thin celery sticks, or thin apple slices.
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UMBRELLA PAINTING
 
Rainy days on the way?
Have interested children bring a solid color umbrella.
Cover floor; open umbrella; decorate each section with fabric paint or pens.
Let dry for a day before closing or using.

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MARCH IS NATIONAL KITE MONTH!
 
Beside making your favorite kites... here are two ideas for younger children!

PAPER PLATE KITE
Materials: Paper Plate, Tissue Paper, Streamers, Crayons/markers,
String, Craft Sticks
1. Have  children draw a design (or make one with tissue paper) on the paper plate.
2. Next have them glue foot long streamers on the paper plate.
3. Punch a hole at the nose of the plate and tie a piece of yarn through it.
4. Wrap additional yarn around a craft stick and then tape the yarn on the plate to the stick. The kite will really fly on a windy day.

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SPRING-TIME MATCH GAME: WALL PAPER KITES...
 
1. Cut kite shapes out of different patterned wallpapers; cut the kites in half.
2. Have children match the kite halves by the design.

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THIS IS POETRY MONTH! HOW ABOUT POETRY PEBBLES? Grade: 4-8
Materials:
Small rocks or pebbles
Small paint bushes
Water and water containers
Magic markers
Paint (make tempera paint thicker by adding glue or flour)
A covered work area
A shoebox, yogurt or empty "Jiffy Pop" popcorn container
Hairspray or a spray varnish

      •  Make sure your pebbles are clean.
      •  Paint words onto your pebbles. You could also use markers instead of paint.
      •  Choose a number of words-people, places, things, action words etc. Example: 
    1. he
    2. she
    3. to
    4. love
    5. dog
    6. went
    7. walk
    8. you
    9. happy
    10. in
    11. to
    12. a
    13. my
    14. your
    15. orange
    16. red
    17. blue
    18. purple
    19. green
    20. swim
    21. bike

• Use your imagination and make sure you draw some punctuation marks on some pebbles as well (comma, exclamation point, period, question mark etc.)
• Once the pebbles are painted, let them dry and seal them with hairspray or spray varnish.
• Put all the pebbles into a show box or Jiffy Pop container. You can decorate your container with paint or markers as well.
• Play a game of poetry pebbles. Each player chooses a number of pebbles from the box and tries to come up with a poem or story.
  Makes for a great way to begin a short story for those times when you have writers block! 
  Source: Kinderart.co

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READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
MARCH 2, 2010

The National Education Association annually sponsors Read Across America. Now in its thirteenth year, the program focuses on how important it is to motivate children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills. The nationwide reading celebration takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of children's author Dr. Seuss.  Thousands of schools, libraries and community centersparticipate by bringing together kids and books. You can too!

Your reading event can be as simple or elaborate as time and inclination allow. Whether you choose to scale up or down, keep in mind the basic premise and it's almost sure to be a success:
On March 2, the National Education Association is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult.

ACTIVITY...TRAVELING ACROSS AMERICA--BOOK BY BOOK

This is a great way to kick off and celebrate! (However, ANYTIME is a good time to start this activity!) 

Encourage reading books about our 50 states and earn mileage to move across a map of the U.S. for each book read.
 
You "travel" across a map of the U.S. by reading a book that takes place in each of the states. (A variation is to read a book whose author lives in a particular state, or a book about a particular state.
 You can develop your own mechanism for tracking readers...

FOR BOOKS THAT FEATURE titles about America VISIT Here... There is a long list of books for each state from Alabama to Wyoming!

Example:
ALABAMA

   •Picture Book of Rosa Parks by David Adler 
   •Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Curtis 
   •Run Away Home by Patricia McKissack 
   •Helen Keller: From Tragedy to Triumph by Katharine E. Wilkie

ALASKA

  •Kiana's Iditarod by Shelley Gill 
  •Williwaw by Tom Bodett 
  •Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George 
  •Child of the Wolves by Elizabeth Hall 
  •Call of the Wild by Jack London 
  •The Eagle's Shadow by Nora Martin 
  •Gentle Ben by Walt Morey 
  •Kavik the Wolf Dog by Walt Morey 
  •The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford
    and so on...

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 MARCH 21 IS  FRAGRANCE DAY! Visit crafts that smell good! Lots of ideas...

Example: NON-SEW SACHETS

Materials: Fabric scraps, Fabric glue, Potpourri

• For each sachet, place 2 matching 5-inch fabric squares back-to-back and glue the edges together on 3 sides. Spread the glue close to the edges to prevent fraying.
• Once the glue is dry, fill the sachet with about 1/2 cup of potpourri.
• Glue together the open edges and again let the glue dry.
• Arrange the finished sachets in multicolored stacks and tie them together with a festive ribbon or yarn. 

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March 21 is CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY DAY!
MAKE STRAWBERRY MICE (Too cute not to put here!!!)

Ingredients: Fresh strawberries, Mini chocolate chips, Black decorators' icing, Almond slivers, Toothpick, Red lace licorice
Cheese (Your choice)

1. For each mouse, slice a small section from the side of a strawberry so it sits flat.
2. Press a mini chocolate chip into the tip for a nose, using a small dab of icing to secure it in place, if needed.
3. Add icing eyes and stick 2 almond slivers into the top of the berry for ears.
4. For a tail, use a toothpick to carve a small hole in the back of the berry and push the end of a piece of licorice lace into the hole.

Serve these cute Berries with small triangles of cheese and maybe crackers...I made these with my 4 and 6 year old grandchildren and they loved them! Submitted by Cassie/Michigan

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MARCH 23 is TOAST DAY!  TOAST, ART AND SNACK ALL IN ONE! If you haven't done this one with the kids yet--now is the time! 

Ingredients: Bread, Milk, Food coloring, cinnamon sugar, butter, small paper cups,thin brushes or cotton-tipped swabs

Mix “paint by combining food coloring with milk. Paint designs on one side—try and be creative with stripes, stars, designs. When changing colors be sure to remind kids to use different brush or swab. When complete-toast in toaster on light or under broiler. Can eat as is----or while still hot butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

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MARCH 26 IS MAKE YOUR OWN HOLIDAY! How cool is that?

Challenge kids to come up with ideas-- pick one idea in a method that works for you and celebrate it! Could it be "National Happy Unbirthday Day?"- "Everyone Wear Their Shirts Backwards Day? " -"We have to have Pizza Day or______!

Celebrate and have fun! The kids will love you for it! Make it a yearly event!

 _________________________________

 OTHER MARCH CATEGORIES TO VISIT!

• WINDSOCKS and CHIMES
• RAINBOWS
• RAIN AND CLOUDS
• FLOWERS
• JUMPROPE
• WARM WEATHER SNACKS

________________________________

As you look through these ideas, you'll see great variety that work both in classrooms AND in Before and After School Programs! 

 There are ideas that incorporate physical activity, community service, kindness, snacks, art and more...Many are just plain fun any time!!! (Be sure to look at #35 and the last one with jewelry! Consider these waaaaaay before the 100th day-Some will take thought and preparation! It will however, be well worth it!

1. Have children make a collection of 100 items and display them on a poster board.

 

 2. Make up your own trail mix using 100 items of each ingredient.

3. Say “Hello” in 100 languages.

4. Gym Time Version #1: After exercising 100 times, (10 jumping jacks + 10 times touching toes, etc.), take out a stop watch and have 100 seconds of silence. Enjoy that 100 seconds! 

5. Gym time Version #2: Do and count 10 sets of ten of the following: 

• Sit-ups
• Touching the toes- then the shoulders - the waist
• Jumping on both `feet’
• Jumping Jacks
• Wiggles all over
• Hop on one foot, then on the other
• Bounces of a ball
• Claps-Shrugs-Etc.

6. See what you can make with 100 Legos.

7. If it’s near Valentine's Day, make 100 Valentine cards for local nursing home residents.

8. 100 Foot Prints:
With a friend- trace each others' feet.

• Each child colors and decorates one foot. do this with each child in the program. Do both if necessary. 
• Combine all decorated traced feet and tape the footprints down the hall.
• Mark off every 10 feet until you reach 100.  (Talk to Principal of School to see if there is an area where you can do this...)

9. How many times can students write their name in 100 seconds?  Predict, and then actually do it.

10. Snack - Use one pretzel and two oval crackers to make the numeral "100". Using an oval template a little smaller than the cracker, cut two pieces of cheese to go on the crackers.

11. Play music…Dance for 100 seconds…stop... then do again…

12. Predict how far 100 steps will take you? How many to the gym? To the playground?

13. Puzzle Fun, Prizes and Community Service all in one! 

• Break the children into groups and put together 100 piece puzzles. 
• Consider using some of them as prizes-- or take a few to an Assisted Living Home when the puzzles are completed.

14. Good Idea for the Graffiti Wall!

• On the 100th day of school put together a list of 100 things in which staff and youth are thankful.
• Put these on a large sheet of roll paper. (The Graffiti Wall)
• Encourage youth to be creative and thoughtful as they come up with their ideas.
• The word "things" does not necessarily mean material items.
• Leave up the wall for the week.
• This can be started BEFORE the 100th Day.

15. One Hundred Hanging Objects: 

• As a group, decide on a “set item” such as hearts for Valentine Day-- or some other object that correlates with your current theme.
• Each child would make items to get to the “100” number to hang in the room.
• Some thing could also be illustrated or written on the objects that relates to the theme. (For hearts, children could draw or write kind actions they can do for others.)
• Attach the 100 objects to various lengths of yarn and hang in the room.

16. Try to get painter’s caps donated from a local lumber yard. Decorate the hat with 100 things. You can use 100 dots, stripes, ribbons, macaroni, popcorn kernels, cereal, buttons, or stickers!

17. Make a poster for your hallway that has 100 painted handprints. This heart shape would be nice.

18. In one program, children popped 100 balloons in the gym while they were timed to see how long it would take. A middle school program was enlisted to help blow up the 100 balloons (A nice Community Service) and they were more than willing! The kindergarteners loved it. It really got the children” pumped” for the special day!

19. For kindergartners learning to write to 100: 

• Have children work with a partner (pair up a child that is struggling with someone who is good with numbers).
• They write to 100 on adding machine tape.
• Each child has a different colored marker, and they alternate writing the numbers. (For example 1 is red, 2 is blue, 3 is red, 4 is blue.....on and on to 100).
• The kids will love to do this; it’s amazing how much they teach each other!!

20. Hold a school wide contest entitled "Guess which jar has 100 pieces of candy".  Invite some classes to Guess Which Jar has 100?

   • Each student is given a ballot prior to coming into the program or area.

   • They can first view your children’s 100th day projects and then guess which jar has the 100 pieces in it.

   • The youth drop their ballot off in a basket next to the particular jar they believe has the 100 pieces of candy. (There are jars of small wrapped candies.)

   • To add on to this idea--- the visiting children go out into the hallway and walk the 100 footsteps that are laminated on a roll of paper and taped down to the hallway floor.

   • At the end of the day, the winning jar # of candy is announced, and one piece of candy is distributed to each winner...Or if there is one winner, they can share the candy with their class!  Their name and room # are on the ballots.

21. Set up 100 cereal boxes in domino fashion and have children knock them down to watch them fall.   (Start collecting the boxes well in advance!!!)

22. Take an indoor parachute and popcorn 100 pair of rolled up socks… (Start getting old sock donations early!) Or put 100 one dollar play money bills in the parachute.

23. Read the book 100 Hungry Ants.

24. Before the 100th day - have children make posters with each child stamping 10 times on a piece of paper. Do this until you get to 100 stampings on each poster. Write "Happy 100th Day!" and post them around your area.
 
25. Have contests:

• Who can count backwards from 100 the fastest?
• Who can jump 100 jumping jacks the fastest?
• Who can jump-rope to 100?

26. A “Penny Harvest”: Each child is asked to bring 100 pennies that they harvest up from the loose change at home.

• The students estimate how much 100 pennies would weigh.
• How high they can stack 100 pennies.
• How many pennies it would take to outline a child.
• What the grand total amount would be of the pennies.
• Find your birth year on a penny.
• When done… donate ALL the pennies the students in the program collected to a local charity.

27. In the USA, the hundredth day usually falls in February, for 'Black History Month' put together a bulletin board with the children compiling a list of 100 African-Americans that have made a difference.

28. As each child enters the door on the 100th day, give them a number.

1. All through the morning and afternoon program time, set a timer to go off every 10 minutes.

2. At that point  someone takes a number from a hat - and the child with that number gets a small prize. 

3. Every 100th minute, the winner gets two small prizes. Children enjoy the anticipation.

4. Count by tens every time the timer goes off and kept a record on chart paper or whiteboard/blackboard.

5. When outside make sure you have the timer and prize box.

6. Stop after every child has a prize!!! Have children take a prize if they leave for home before their number is chosen.

 

29. Celebrate the 100th day or week celebration by shaking milk shakes 100 times. Make shakes from softened ice cream, milk and chocolate syrup if desired... put all into a tight containers. Have children count to 100 as they are shaken. Pour into individual glasses and add straws...Kids will love them!!!

30. Give each child in your program--- slips of paper that will eventually form a paper chain... The amount of slips of paper each child receives will be based on the number of kids in your program. (If you have many children consider doing 200 or 300)  Have each child write different things they enjoyed most in your program or class to this point. (One experience to one paper loop) Connect the 100 fun things together and hang it as a paper chain.

 31. During "100th Day" week put up a large sheet of butcher paper; you can also use a black board/white board with the title  "100 Happy Words". Words make the world go around and words that are "Happy" do affect the environment of your program!

32. TWO COMMUNITY SERVCIE IDEAS: Collect 100 items for your local Humane Society. The children can donate food, treats, and toys for the animals. Count, sort, and graph the items. 'Kindness Week' is also in February--so this works well with that! Collect 100 returnable bottles and donate to a charity...

 

33. Tie the hundredth day with 'Acts of Kindness'.

 

 

 

• Make a tree out of poster board & add leaves using green, yellow, & orange construction paper.
• On each leaf write good deeds done by the children.
• Keep adding to the tree until it is blooming with 100 acts of kindness.
• The book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein would work with this activity.

34. This idea is great for Pre-k and/or a Kindergarten SAC program.

• Read the Wolf's Chicken Stew...and then take the children AWAY from your room.
• Have someone hide 100 paper chickens cutouts around the room.
• Have chickens sticking out of books, in the play bins, in children's boots, under the tables and up/down/in/out of everything...!
• When children return have them find the chickens and group the chickens in lines or piles of 10's.
• Keep searching until children just don't find any more!It'll be a nice surprise when a few chickens are found over the next week or so. 

35. All 100th Dayed out??? (Great Idea!)  CELEBRATE THE 101st DAY OF SCHOOL with a Dalmatian theme and watching the movie "101 Dalmatians"!

36. Have kids complete this sentence: I wish I had 100 _________because ____________.

37. Have students collect 100 cans of food, and donate them to a local soup kitchen.
 
38. Ask kids to finish the sentence "One hundred years from now, ..."

39. With your group send a postcard to a school in some or all of the cities 100 miles away from yours.

40. Have students compare the time it takes to melt 100 ice cubes at several different air temperatures -- inside, outside, next to a heater, next to a fan -- and show the results in a chart or graph.
 
41. Have students make a list of 100 things that didn't exist 100 years ago.

42. Help your students make a classroom quilt with 100 squares in it.

43. Together with students' families, create a cookbook of 100 favorite recipes.

44. Without looking at a calendar---ask children to estimate what the date will be in 100 days and to check their estimates on a calendar.

45. Help your students list 100 flavors of ice cream, and have them vote for their favorites. Show the results in a chart.

46. Ask kids to write a list of 100 opposites.

47. Help children send 100 cards to a local nursing home.

48. Challenge students to perform 100 acts of kindness.

49. Have kids make a chain of 100 paper links and measure how long it is.

50. Help students learn a game that children played 100 years ago.

51. Invite someone 100 years old to visit your program.

52. Have kids write their names using 100 paper dots.

53. Challenge students to tell 100 jokes. (Compile them into a booklet-lots on this site under 'Literacy: Jokes')

54. Have a beanbag toss. Who can score 100 first?

55. Challenge your group to read 100 books.

56. Look at a map to find what is 100 miles north, south, east, and west of your school.

57. What was happening 100 years ago: Who was President? What were some new inventions?

58. String necklaces with 100 beads or Cheerios.

59. Calculate what year it will be when you turn 100 years old?

60. Write a story about what the world will be like in 100 years.

61. Are there buildings taller than 100 stories? Find out.

62. Sing “100 Bottles of Pop on the Wall” all the way through!

63. Learn 100 new words.

64. Build the tallest structure you can, using tape and 100 craft sticks or straws.

65. Count and glue 100 beans or seeds to a piece of cardboard.

66. Count by 2's to 100. Then, count by 5's.

67. What would you do with $100?

68. Close your eyes for 100 seconds. Stand when you think the time is up....Have someone time you).

69. What will happen 100 years from now?

70. Listen to 100 minutes of music...

71. Walk 100 yards with the entire group.

72. Put up 100 lights (Christmas type)

73. Toss a coin 100 times and graph the results... head and
tails.

  74. Have children draw a picture of how they will look when they are 100 years old (These can be hysterical!) They can also write about the picture. What will they be doing? their families? What will the world be like! Etc.

  75. This is a great idea from Cassie in Michigan! I copied this idea from someone else--but now have been doing it for many years. The young kids love it and don't stop looking and touching every thing I'm wearing! Cassie

•  On the 100th day of school, I put on tons and tons of jewelry.
• The children guess whether I have less or more than 100 pieces of jewelry on. I cover myself in bracelets, pins, beads, chains, rings, etc.
• We chart all the guesses and all children get a treat...but the child who comes closest to the exact number gets an extra treat. (Usually it is OVER 100)
• ALSO---my two assistants dress as if they're each 100 years old. They hated the idea at first--but now really have a ball with it. Strangely, the kids are a lot more gentle around them on that day!!! LOL

76. THE 100 INCH DASH! (Game)
You need: yard stick and tape

Measure out 100" on the floor or field.

Mark a start and finish line with the tape.

Start the race at the signal and try to reach the finish line.

What makes this difficult is that the children are to move their feet only one inch at a time by taking baby steps!

The winner crosses the finish line first. 

___________

What are some of your ideas? Would love to get this to 100...please add yours to the 'Comment' area or via the 'Contact' page! 

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 BOOK LIST FOR 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL CELEBRATION (For young children)

•  100th Day Worries
  ...by Margery Cuyler
• Centipede's One Hundred Shoes
  ...by Tony Ross
• Emily's First 100 Days of School
  ...by Rosemary Wells
• Fluffy's 100th Day of School
  ...by Kate Mcmullan
• From One to One Hundred
  ...by Teri Sloat
• I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words
  ...by Michael Frith
• Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of School
  ...by Joseph Slate
• One Hundred Best Loved Verses
  ...by Mary Engelbreit
• One Hundred Hungry Ants
  ...by Elinor J Pinczes, Bonnie MacKain (Illustrator), Elinor Pinczes
• One Hundred Monsters in My School
  ...by Bonnie Bader
• One Hundred Shoes
  ...by Charles Ghigna
• One Watermelon Seeds
  ...by Celia Barker Lottridge
• The 100th Day of School
  ...by Matt Mitter
• The Wolf's Chicken Stew
  ...by Keiko Kasza
  Book List Source: apples4theteacher.com

Return to top of page

Compiled by Barb Shelby

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GYM GAMES, QUIET GAMES, RELAY-TYPE GAMES, FUN GAMES
FOR VERY SMALL GROUPS OF KIDS (Ideas are taken from about the site)

 

TIP:  When there aren't many children in your program you can still have fun with games! Instead of taking the attitude that there aren't many games that can be played--talk to the kids about how fortunate they are because they can practice and hone their skills.

Practice running in a variety of ways; do laps; practice dribbling a basketball; shooting baskets; jump roping, etc.

For events that involve running---get a timer and time the kids! Keep a book of individual records. Have children challenge themselves. Can they beat their 'best' time?

Do the boys and girls alike know how to jump rope? Kick a ball straight? Catch a ball? (Practice catching by starting close to the pitcher and backing farther and farther away.) 

Have the kids come up with creative names for this time. Make it a part of your program and call it Sports' Clinic, Seasonal Practice, or ________!

A great time to practice and work on skills with not that many kids around
_______________

GAME IDEAS
1. Morning programs can especially have few children. Is the morning weather nice? GO OUTSIDE!

2. HAVE A PAPER-AIRPLANE MORNING/DAY!
Nice weather? Have it outside... Bad weather? Hold it inside in a gym or large space! Create and decorate paper-airplanes. Come up with categories for the fun.
Example: Who's can go the farthest? Straightest? Highest?
Can anyone fly it through a hula hoop? Do loops?
Make a 'bull's-eye' similar to what you would use for playing darts; can anyone hit the bulls eye...or the outer circles.

 

3. CONTINUEITY BALL
Equipment: 3 Balls (Beach Balls)
Players scatter over the playing area and a ball is tossed into the air. The objective is to keep the ball in the air using any part of the body.
 
Once one ball is up, get two or three balls going at the same time.
Keep count of the number of times the ball (or balls) is kept up in the air before it hits the ground. Kids try and better the number next time around.

4. BED SHEET PING PONG
Players stand and hold a bed sheet on opposite ends.
A ping pong ball is placed onto the sheet.
The sheet is then raised or lowered.
The object of the game is to get the ping pong ball to fall off the other team's side of the sheet.

5. SET A "PROGRAM BOOK" of RECORDS...This isn't all about 'games' but can be great morning fun! Start your own Guinness Book of Records!!!)
 
This one is a surefire winner! Keep your own SAC book of records and have the kids try to set records for things such as:

• Most jumping jacks
• Jumps in jump roping
• Running laps in gym
• Running laps outside
• Most crafts made for the month or year
• Longest handstand
• Most books read, puzzles completed, etc.
• Anything else that you can think of.

When kids start to utter that they are bored give them a new record to break and a fun reward if they set a new record! Be sure to make this a yearly ongoing event---NEW records can be set each year!!!
 
6. NEWSPAPER RACE
Two newspaper sheets required per player.
Each player must race to the turning point and back, stepping only on his newspapers.
He steps on one, lays the other in front of him steps on it, moves the first forward, and steps on it and so on.

VERSIONS OF SIMON SAYS...

7. PLAY SIMON SAYS WITH VISUAL MISCUE
Ply this game just like any "Simon Says" but add visual directions that are totally wrong! Example: Simon Says touch your nose while touching your cheek! This game helps children  focus on the spoken word rather than being overly influenced by visual...

8. SEASONAL 'SIMON SAYS'
Play 'Simon Says' according to the season and themes:

• Winter: Santa Says, Frosty says, The Snowman Says, the Elf Says
• Valentine's Day: Cupid Says
• Patrick's Day: The Leprechaun Says
• Easter or Spring:The Bunny Says
• Also adapt to the themes such as The Frog Says!
• Red-White & Blue Days: Uncle Sam Says

9. DO THIS-DO THAT!
This is played similar to "Simon Says"...
The group does everything you do when you say "do this"...but when you say "do that"...they do NOT follow the direction. When a player follows the direction of "do that"... they are out.

_____________

10. COOPERATIVE STAND UP
Have your group get into pairs.
The pairs will sit on the floor, back pressed to back and arms interlocked.
They must stand up without using their hands. It can end here...OR...
After a pair stands up, have them find another pair and all 4 must sit down and stand up.
Go on as such until the entire group is together and have everyone try to stand up. This is a good game to promote friendliness and is fun when you have an exceptionally large group

11. BUZZ
The players start counting substituting buzz for the number seven and multiples of seven. If a player makes a mistake he must drop out or the whole group must start again.

12. BALANCING ACT
Need a bean bag, pencil, eraser -- or similar object to place on head. Play music as each child walks around balancing the object on their head. If the object falls off the child is frozen until another comes and places the object back on the head. Everyone stops and resets their object when the music stops. Game starts over when the music again starts.

13. LEARN TO SING or say THE ABC'S BACKWARDS!  Why? Just for the fun of it!
Have a poster of the alphabet and point to the letters starting with "Z" and go from there...
Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

14. GUESS THE PERSON, ANIMAL OR THING!
   • Using a picture of an animal, children's character or personality, cover the entire picture with puzzle pieces to hide identifying features.
   • Take one piece off at a time; children guess who/what is underneath.
   • This can be done as a group game, individual or team play. It could also be set up in a special daily spot--with guesses being made as removed pieces reveal who/what it is!
   • Depending on how you play this-points can be added or subtracted. The most points of course going to the individual or team who correctly guesses with the least amount of puzzle pieces removed!

15. GARBAGE BALL
Use whatever you have that can be thrown and not hurt anyone:
Balls, wads of paper, sock balls, rubber chickens, koosh balls, etc.

1.Have two equal teams with a center line.
2. Each team starts with the same amount of items.
3. At the signal each team throws whatever it can get their hands on from their side of the line to the other side.
4. Players continue to throw until the signal to stop (or if music is used when you play and the music stops)
5. The winning team is the side with the least amount of garbage on it's side.
6. To play more rounds divide the garbage evenly again and continue. Keep score of whoever has the most wins!
7.You can add interest by having the losing team pick up all garbage or have both teams pick up garbage but the losing team has to do what the winning teams directs---such as accomplish a certain amount of push-ups- sit-ups, etc.

16. DRAG THE BODY
For K-6--Promotes cooperation and develops strength...
Need several old sheets or blankets
 
Divide the group into two teams.
Give each team a blanket.
Have one player from each team lie down on the blanket.
The teams must drag the body on the blanket from one end of the gym or yard to the other.
Whoever crosses the finish line first, wins. (Other versions in Gym Games category )

 

 

17. FOUR SQUARE
You need: A gym floor with 4 squares ...
  1. The player in square 4 serves the ball by bouncing it in his square and tapping the ball into another square.
  2. The player in that space must tap the ball (after one bounce) into another kid's area, and so on, until someone misses the ball, lets the ball bounce twice, or sends it out of the grid.
  3. The player who misses the ball steps out and the remaining players rotate up through the numbered squares.
  4. If you are playing with more than four players, a new player enters the game at square 1.
  5. The player who is out waits in line to re-enter the game once square 1 is open again.
 Whoever is now in square 4 serves the ball to resume play.
 
18. STICKY POPCORN
The children begin by "popping" around the gym as pieces of sticky popcorn, searching for other pieces of popcorn. When two pieces of popcorn meet, they stick together.
Once stuck together, they continue to pop around together, sticking to even more pieces, until they end up in a big popcorn ball.

19. THE QUIET OLYMPICS
DISCUS THROW: Use a paper plate
SHOT-PUT: Use a balloon
TRACK RACE: Each player lines up at the start line and race by placing the heel of one foot against the toe of the next. The first one to the end of the track and back wins.
HIGH JUMP: Each contestant takes a deep breath and whistles. The contestant who holds the note the longest wins.
HIGH DIVE: Each player stands on a chair (or faces the chair back-rest and then kneels chair seat) with ten clothes pins and drops them into an empty bottle. The player that gets the most wins. Source: allthedaze.com
 
20. FEATHER BLOW
Purchase feathers at a local craft store.
Give each child a feather.
When you say, "GO!" the kids start blowing the feather in the air. Whoever can keep the feather in the air the longest (using only his/her breath) is the winner.
This game can also be played in teams.

21. TIP: TEACHING JUMPING JACKS
Saw this quite awhile back ...don't remember where...but it works!
When the kids' legs are out and hands clapped above the head, this is called "teepee" and when the kids' legs are together and hands at their sides, it's "pencil."
They can learn this skill slowly as they shout "teepee...
pencil...teepee...pencil."
 
22. SHOE BOX FOOT RELY RACE
Have the children bring two shoe boxes with them.
Tape the lids onto the boxes, then cut a one-inch-wide and four-inch long slit in each top.
Have the contestants slip their feet into the slits in the boxes and race...
The race can be individual--with all youth racing together in a horizontal line--or done as a relay.
 
23. NO HANDS GET UP
Players run to turning point, stop, lie down on their backs, fold hands across chest and get up without moving their arms, and run back to finish line.

 
24. WHEEL BARROW
Partners assume the Wheel barrow and pusher position.
On the signal, advance to the turning point where they change positions and return to the starting line.

25. CARTWHEEL RACE - Self explanatory
 
26. CONSEQUETIVE JUMPS - Everyone jumps in predetermined fashion

27. COTTON BALL RACE
Materials Needed:
Lots of cotton balls, Vaseline, 2 or 4 bowls, tissue paper
   • Put a handful of cotton balls in one of the bowls.
   • Put the bowl at one end of a rug or mat that is on the floor (Or just play on floor) 
   • Put the other empty bowl on the opposite end of the mat.
    • Rub Vaseline on the child's nose and have them put their nose in the bowl with the cotton balls.
    • The object of the game is to get as many cotton balls as possible on their nose without using their hands.
 
After cotton balls are stuck to their nose,they crawl over to the empty bowl.Kids then take cotton balls off their nose with their hands and put them in the bowl. (ipe the Vaseline off with a tissue or napkin.)
If you play with TEAMS set a time limit, and see who moves the most cotton balls from one bowl to the next.
 
28. THE 100 INCH DASH! (Good for 100th Day of School)
You need: yard stick and tape 
   • Measure out 100" on the floor or field. 
   • Mark a start and finish line with the tape. 
   • Start the race at the signal and try to reach the finish line. 
   • What makes this difficult is that the children are to move their feet only one inch at a time by taking baby steps! 
   • The winner crosses the finish line first.
 
29. POP A BAG RACE
Need: Paper Bags 
   • Give each child a small paper bag. 
   • With the signal, race to the marker and then blow up the bags. 
   • Instruct youth to pop  them with their hands and then race back to the line. 
   • The first player to pop his/her bag and return to the finish line is the winner.
 
30. BALLOON BOP
Need several pre-blown balloons.
Players may stand or sit.
Each team is given a balloon to keep in the air for as long as possible. They can only bat or tap the balloon to keep it afloat--no throwing or catching is allowed.
Each time the balloon hits the ground- a point is scored AGAINST that team. (Some one needs to keep score.)
The team with the lowest score is the winner.
 
31. BALLOON BOUNCE
A contest to see who can keep a balloon in the air the longest using only their head.
The person who can keep it in the air longest without using anything but their head is the winner.
 (This game can also be played in teams).
 
32. BUZZ-BOMB BALLOON GAME
1 balloon per player, not inflated--Tape or string to make a target...
Played from a line or circle...
All players inflate their balloon. Some players may need help.
When the leader says "1, 2, 3, GO!" The players release their balloons in the direction of the target. If you are having a THEME PARTY, use a picture from the theme as the target center.
Score 5 points for the closest balloon and 15 points for a direct hit.
This game works well with teams - each team gets their own colored balloons; red, blue, green etc. Or, you do not need to keep score at all and just have fun playing the game several times.
 
33. LEFT OVER BALLOONS??? PLAY BALLOON BADMITTEN
An idea inspired by World Pre-School Mom is to use fly swatters (At Dollar Store  about 2 for $1.00), Children simply hit the balloon back and forth to each other!

BASKETBALL GAMES for 2 or more!

 

34. AROUND THE WORLD
Around the world is a basketball game variant played by two or more players. It is often played to improve shooting skills. In this game, a series of shots must be made in and around the key, allowing a player to advance to the next position. The first player to make a shot at each position advances until he reaches the end where he wins the match.

Play typically starts at the edge of the key on one side of the basket. If the shot is made, the player advances to the next position mark on the key. When a player has made shots on every position mark (if a player misses a shot they may chance it and shoot again, and if they miss, they go back to the previous spot, or they may elect to stay where they are currently at), they then advance back in the opposite direction just like the way they came, and the player who does that first wins the game. After the player has moved around the key, the player must make a shot from the center of the three point line.

If at any point a shot is missed, a player may 'chance', meaning he gets to take a second shot. If the second shot is made, the player advances as normal. If the player misses the second shot, then the player must go back to the beginning. If player has made it to the other side of the three point line then he must make it twice. If the player chances then he may go back to the opposite side he started on game.

Once a player completes the entire sequence of shots, that player is deemed the winner of the basketball game. One variety of the basketball game allows each player three consecutive shots at a basket before having to move down one position.
Other variations include: shooting with the off arm, shooting with alternating arms, or using the backboard on every shot (except those directly to the side of the basket)
 
35. HORSE 
A Basketball Game of Shooting Skill--Variation Requires Only Two Players and One basketball goal and a basketball are required.

Where to Play: You can play wherever there is a basketball goal.
How to Play: Players line up. The first player announces what shot he is going to make and takes his shot. If he misses, he goes to the end of the line. If he makes the basket, the next player must make the same shot. If the second player misses, he gets an 'H', and it is the next player's turn to announce a shot and try to make it. Each time a player fails to make a shot that his predecessor made, he gets another letter until someone has spelled 'horse'. At that point the player is out. The other players continue play until only one player is left.

Variations: If there are large differences in height, you may want to outlaw the dunk shot. Some players allow the player who has received the "E" one more shot to try to stay in the game. If longer or shorter games are desired, different words can be spelled.

36. SIMILAR TO HORSE IS 'PIG'
The game of PIG is an individual contest to determine who has the best basketball shot. The game is a fun and easy contest played with a basketball and a basketball hoop. It is a game in which those of different basketball skill levels can compete together since it is based on only shooting the basketball through the hoop and not dribbling or defending. The goal is to sink the basketball through the basket. Each missed shot represents one letter in the word "pig" and when players miss three shots they are eliminated.

Start Game: Find at least one more person to play a game of PIG. Two or more people are needed to play the game. Randomly select the order of who goes when. Have the first person attempt a shot from anywhere he/she wants. If they the shot, the rest of the players must follow, attempting to make the same shot from the same location. All of the players who do not make the shot get the first or the next letter in their word: PIG.
 
Continue Game: Continue the game in the same shooting order. If a player misses his attempt from anywhere on the court, then the next player is free to attempt her own shot from anywhere on the court. Have players continue to attempt to duplicate sunken baskets in the same order. If they miss, they get the first or the next letter in their word: PIG.
Champion: Eliminate players who spell out their word PIG. In other words, players who miss three shots, P-I-G, that their opponents made before them are out of the game. Crown the last player, who has not spelled PIG, the champion.

37. HOPSCOTCH

A course is first laid out on the ground. Depending on the available surface, the course is either scratched out in dirt, or drawn with chalk on pavement. Designs vary, but the course is usually composed of a series of linear squares interspersed with blocks of two lateral squares. Traditionally the course ends with a "safe" or "home" base in which the player may turn before completing the reverse trip. The home base may be a square, a rectangle, or a semicircle. The squares are then numbered in the sequence in which they are to be hopped.

Playing the game
The first player tosses the marker (typically a stone, coin or bean bag) into the first square. The marker must land completely within the designated square and without touching a line or bouncing out. The player then hops through the course, skipping the square with the marker in it. Single squares must be hopped on one foot. For the first single square, either foot may be used. Side by side squares are straddled, with the left foot landing in the left square, and the right foot landing in the right square. Optional squares marked "Safe", "Home", or "Rest" are neutral squares, and may be hopped through in any manner without penalty.

Upon successfully completing the sequence, the player continues the turn by tossing the marker into square number two, and repeating the pattern.

If while hopping through the court in either direction the player steps on a line, misses a square, or loses balance, the turn ends. Players begin their turns where they last left off. The first player to complete one course for every numbered square on the court wins the game.

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38. ROCK PAPER SCISSORS…

Rock" is a fist..."Paper" is a flat hand...and "Scissors" are the pointer and middle fingers making snipping motions. Partners shake their fists three times---and then show their chosen motion on the count of three. Winning hands are decided as follows: Rock breaks/dulls scissors... Scissors cuts paper... Paper covers rock. Play three or 5 times...and see who has the most wins. This is also a good method to see who goes “first" in games or gym.

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39. SOCCER BOWLING

 

INSIDE WINTER GAMES

PENGUIN SHUFFLE
This is an Indoor race that challenges kids' balancing skills - penguin style.
Materials:
Beanbag or Hacky Sack-style footbag
HOW TO PLAY:
Have children stand side by side with their "eggs" (beanbags or Hacky Sack-style footbags) on top of their feet. Players try to shuffle across the room without dropping their "eggs." The first one to succeed wins.

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SNOWBALL RELAY GAME
Supplies:
Styrofoam ball for each team
Pencil for each team
How To Play:
• Divide into teams. First child on each team will be given a Styrofoam ball (snowball) and a pencil.
• On your mark- they are to bend over, place the ball on the floor, and push the ball with the pencil across the room, around an obstacle, and back to next child on team. First team to finish wins.

 
HAVE A MARSHMALLOW SNOWBALL FIGHT! Do you have a 'small' group? If so, during the winter months when children can't get outside or if you live in a warm climate and want to have a snowball fight-- use large marshmallows.
The children stand across from each other and start throwing. Put the marshmallows into containers. The side that makes them all disappear first wins. After they all hit the floor you can use again to throw some more.
Remind the children they can't eat them after they hit the floor or ground! This is a fun activity for ages 3 and up .(My grandchildren love to do this all year round when they visit, they bombard grandpa! Barb)

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DRESS YOUR TEACHER RACE!
• Have a large area with two adults and their own gloves, hats, coats, scarves, and boots laying next to them.
• The children l line up in front of one of the adults and one at a time run up and place an item of winter on the adult.
• The first team done wins.
• Children love the excitement of this game and it also gets a lot of energy out on days it is too cold to go outside!

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SNOWBALL THROW
Supplies: A line drawn or taped on the floor --pre-made tissue paper snow balls.
 
How To Play:
Set a time for 2-3 minutes.
Yell, "GO"!
Each team throws their tissue paper snowballs back and forth across the lines.
When the timer goes off, the team with the LEAST amount of snowballs on their side wins.

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SNOWMAN BOWLING
Fill two liter pop bottles with some sand; paint them white and add a snowman face! The children then row a ball at the snowmen and try to knock them down (You can play this seasonal game from first snowfall to last)

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FROSTY THE SNOWMAN (Team game good for a party)
Supplies:
A roll of toilet paper for each team.
Sheet of orange, black, red and yellow construction paper for each team.
Hat for each team
Scissors for each team.
To Play:
Have several teams of four or five children. When you say, "GO" they should wrap one of the people on their team up in toilet paper (leaving an opening for nose and eyes). Once they've built their "Frosty" they can utilize the hat and construction paper to decorate him. Put a time limit on decorating. Give a prize for the first completed Frosty, most unique Frosty, ugliest Frosty, cutest Frosty, Biggest, Smallest, etc.
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SNOWBALL TOSS GAME
Cut out two large circles in a large piece of cardboard; make it the shape of the bottom of a snowman. Next draw a snowman head on the top.
Give the children white beanbags, white socks balled up, or white paper crumpled into balls to represent snowballs. These are thrown at the snowman target.

Check out all the Drama, Seasonal, Transition, Parachute and Theme Games on this site for other possible ideas...
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Kids love to cook!!! No oven to bake in?

 

Here are a lot of good recipes to prepare with children! Many use no appliances and some use a micro-wave, crock pot, or stove top. (An electric burner will work for those!) Enjoy!  

 COOKIES & BARS

NO BAKE HAY STACK COOKIES #1
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups butterscotch chips (or peanut butter if no allergies)
½ tsp. vanilla
3 cups chow mien noodles
Optional: May add 1 cup chopped walnuts or peanuts.
1.  Melt chips; mix in noodles until coated well.
2.  Drop By teaspoon onto was paper.
3.  Put in refrigerator to set.

HAYSTACKS #2 – NO BAKE

 

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup salted peanuts
4 cup’s chow mein noodles
1.  Melt chips and peanut butter in microwave. Blend together.
2.  Stir in peanuts and noodles gently in the peanut butter mixture.
3.  Drop dough by forkfuls onto wax paper. Cool until set. Yummy!
Makes 24 cookies

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FROGS: Makes about 36
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1.  Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.
2.  In a large saucepan, stir together cocoa, sugar, milk and butter.
3.  Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
4.  Stir in vanilla extract, coconut and oats. Combine well.
5.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Keep refrigerated.
Source: Christmas-cookies.com

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PEANUT BUTTER BALL RECIPE (24 balls)
½ cup honey
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup quick cooking oats
Wax paper
Mix all ingredients and then roll the mixture into 1” balls.
Lay the balls on waxed paper. Refrigerate until set.

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M&M's NO BAKE COOKIES
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (salted)
1/2 pound M&M's candies
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.  In a heavy duty saucepan, stir over medium-high heat the sugar, margarine and milk.
2.  Bring to a boil, stirring continuously, and boil for 1 minute.
3.  Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients.
4.  Drop onto wax paper with teaspoon or tablespoon for larger cookies. Let cool.

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BUTTERSCOTCH CHOCOLATE RICE KRISPIE SURPRISE
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 pkg. butterscotch chips
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup marshmallows
1.  Melt corn syrup, butterscotch chips, and marshmallows.
2.  Mix in Rice Krispie Cereal.
Place in 9x13 pan
Chill in freezer for 20 min.
 
SAUCE (The surprise!)
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 butter
1 1/2 coconut
Melt all in sauce pan, and spread over Rice Krispies.

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RICE KRISPIE TREATS

 

Makes 2 dozen
1/4 cup margarine
10 ounces marshmallows (4 cups mini marshmallows)
6 cups Rice Krispies
1.  Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2.  Add cereal and stir until well coated.
3.  Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 9 x 13 inch pan coated with cooking spray.
4.  Cut into squares when cooled.
Variation: Add 1/4 cup peanut butter to melted marshmallow mixture just before adding cereal. Stir until smooth. Then continue with above steps.

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AWESOME ENERGY BARS
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1 bag miniature marshmallows
2 1/2 cups Cheerios
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Melt peanut butter, margarine and marshmallows over double boiler. (Or microwave)
Place cereals, raisins, peanuts in large bowl. Stir in peanut butter mixture and mix all together. Press into a buttered 13 x 9-inch red pan. Cut into bar. Cool…
Source: recipegoldmine.com

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HONEY FRUIT NUGGETS
Makes 20 nuggets
1/4 cup dried pitted prunes
1/4 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup dried figs
1/4 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup wheat-flake cereal; (1 cup uncrushed)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 square unsweetened chocolate; melted
Non-stick cooking spray
Coconut or chopped nuts for rolling…

• Let prunes and apricots stand in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Put all fruit through food chopper and blend with crushed cereal.
• Blend in honey and melted chocolate.
• Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray and shape mixture into 1-inch balls.
• Roll in coconut or chopped nuts.
• Chill or set aside to "ripen."
• Can be made ahead of time.

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ALMOST S’MORES #1
Ingredients: Graham cracker; 1 tbsp. chocolate frosting

•  Break each cracker into four sections and spread frosting on two.
• Place the other two crackers on top to make sandwiches.
• Eat on the spot or allow to soften overnight in an airtight container, if desired. Makes 2

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ALMOST S’MORES #2
For ease, you can also use chocolate-covered grahams as a base.
Spread them with Marshmallow Fluff for easy, no-bake S'Mores!
Source: Kerri E  FamilyuFun.com

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TURTLE S’MORES 
Nestle Signature Turtle Candies
4 graham cracker squares
1 large marshmallow, cut in half

• PLACE 1 Turtle on 1 graham cracker square.
• Top with 1 marshmallow half.
• MICROWAVE on HIGH (100%) power for 10 to 15 seconds or until marshmallow expands.
• Immediately top with 1 graham cracker square.
• Repeat with remaining Turtle, graham cracker squares and marshmallow half.

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NO BAKE CRACKER BARS
Club® Crackers
1/2 cup butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

• Line jelly roll pan with Club crackers.
• In saucepan combine butter, crumbs, sugar and milk.
• Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat; blend in vanilla. Cool slightly.
• Pour over crackers; smooth almost to edge.
• Cover with another layer of Club crackers.
• In top of double boiler, melt together peanut butter and both chips, stirring constantly.
• Spread over top layer of crackers

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MUD PIE COOKIES #1
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Mix sugar and cocoa together… Stir in milk. Put mixture in a pot; add butter. Heat  until it comes to a full boil. STIR and cook for about two minutes. Do not let it burn.
Turn off heat and MIX IN the remaining ingredients.
Take spoonfuls of cookie dough and drop onto the waxed paper to cool.

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MUD PIES #2
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
3 cups instant oats
1.  Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in saucepan.
2.  Bring to a boil.
3.  Add vanilla extract.
4.  Remove from heat and stir in coconut and oats.
5.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper; chill
Makes 4 1/2 dozen.
Source: recipegoldmine.com

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THE BEST HAMBURGER COOKIES

Makes 12 cookies
24 vanilla wafer cookies
12 chocolate covered round mint chocolate wafer cookies
1/4 cup green tinted shredded coconut
light corn syrup
sesame seeds
1 tub prepared white frosting mix

To tint coconut, place coconut and 2 to 4 drops of green food color in a jar or re-sealable plastic bag. Screw on lid, or seal bag, and shake until coconut is colored evenly.

• For each hamburger cookie, spread about 1/2 teaspoon of white frosting (for mayonnaise) on flat side of 1 vanilla wafer.
• Place 1 teaspoon coconut and 1 mint cookie on frosting.
• Spread flat side of second vanilla wafer with about 1/2 teaspoon frosting; place frosting side down on mint cookie.
• Brush top of "hamburger" with corn syrup; sprinkle with sesame seed.
• Repeat to make 11 more cookies

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*This is a "Hamburger Cookie" using Oreo Cookies.

• Use vanilla wafers for the buns.
• Split an Oreo to use as the hamburger.
• Tint frosting red for ketchup and yellow for mustard and use to hold the burgers together.
• Tint some coconut green for lettuce and sprinkle on the frosting.

Dust the "buns" with powdered sugar

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NO BAKE KIT-KAT BARS
Waverly Crackers
1 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter

• Line a 9 x 13 pan with crackers.
  Combine butter, sugars, crumbs and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and stir constantly for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
• Spread half of mixture over layer of crackers.
• Add another layer of crackers. Spread other half of mixture over.
• Put another layer of crackers over all.
• Melt chips and peanut butter together. Stir until smooth. Spread over crackers.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour and mark with a knife through the chocolate.
• Return to refrigerator for several hours and cut through bars.

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CHEERIOS MARSHMALLOW BARS

 

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
4 1/2 cups (about 1 package) mini marshmallows
5 cups plain Cheerios
1.  Grease or butter a 9x13-inch pan and one side of a large sheet of wax or parchment paper.
2.  In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and the marshmallows.
3.  Microwave on high at 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth.
4.  Quickly fold in Cheerios and pour into prepared pan.
5.  Press into place using the greased wax or parchment paper, making an even layer. Allow to cool. (You can also add chocolate chips, peanuts butter schips or nuts!)
Source: Cheerio's Website

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EASY FIVE-IN-ONE NO BAKE COOKIES!
These no-bake cookies are tasty and nutritious. The basic recipe makes several different yummy cookies. Add your favorite ingredients to make your own unique cookie. The orange juice concentrate gives the cookies an orange flavor.

BEGIN WITH THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup peanut butter,  1/2 cup honey or corn syrup, 1/4 cup orange juice, concentrate, 1 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk solids

Mix thoroughly. Now choose one of the following 5 steps...

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#1 COOKIE: CRISPY BALLS
4 cups crispy cereal Mix. Shape into small balls. Makes 4 dozen small balls.

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#2 COOKIE: OR's
2 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. raisins
Mix; shape into balls then flatten. Makes 3 dozen medium cookies.

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#3 COOKIE: RAISIN CLUSTERS
1/4 c. cocoa
4 c. raisins... Mix; Cluster into small balls. Makes about 4 dozen small clusters.

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#4 COOKIE: COCO BALLS
1/4 cup cocoa
2 c rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 tsp. vanilla... Mix; shape into balls.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookie balls.

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#5 COOKIE: GRAHAMIES
Add 1/4 cup raisins. Spread between graham crackers. Makes about 3 dozen.
Source: Rachel Keller
allhomemadecookies.com

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TRAIL MIXES and PARTY MIXES

A GENERAL GUIDE TO TRAIL MIX
1.  In a large bowl, add any type of cereals (Cheerios, Kix, Rice Krispies, etc.)
2.  Mix in pretzel sticks, fish crackers, small snack crackers, raisins, oyster crackers, M&M's, etc. Almost anything that is left-over in the pantry.
3.  Mix well, and place in individual sandwich baggies or paper cups.
This is a great "take-along field trip snack" or "take it outdoors snack"... It will also help you clean out those "little leftovers" in your food storage.

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FROOT LOOPS TRAIL MIX
1 (15 ounce) box Fruit Loops cereal
1 15 ounce) bag mini pretzel twists
1 (1 pound) bag M&M's
1 box raisins
1 can salted peanuts
Mix all together and store in airtight container.

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CROCKPOT PARTY MIX
7 cups assorted cereal (oat, rice, wheat in various shapes)
1 cup peanuts, pecans, cashews, or mixed nuts
1 cup mini pretzel sticks
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
dash hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
Combine cereals, nuts and pretzels in slow cooker. Mix melted butter with remaining ingredients and seasonings; pour over the cereal mixture, tossing to coat. Cook, uncovered on HIGH for 2 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes.
Turn to low and cook another 2 to 6 hours. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 10 cups.

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TACO MUNCH
This delicious snack can be addictive!
Ingredients:
6 cups popped, unsalted popcorn
3 cups toasted corn cereal squares
1 cup mini-pretzels
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 to 3 tsp. dry taco seasoning
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

• Combine popcorn, cereal and pretzels in a large bowl.
• Combine butter and taco seasoning and drizzle this over popcorn mixture.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.
• Store in an airtight container.
• Toss with cheddar cheese just before serving. Makes 10 servings.
  Source: Familyfun.com

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ANIMAL FOOD FOR HUMANS 
Ingredients:
2 cups animal shaped graham crackers
1 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup M&M’s
1/2 cup raisins
Mix together. Store in sandwich bags or covered container.

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NOVELTY TREATS

 

 PUPPY CHOW

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
12 ounces chocolate chips
1 large box Crispix
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1.  Melt peanut butter, margarine and chocolate chips.
2.   Pour mixture over large box Crispix; coat well. 3.  In a paper bag put 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar.
4.   Add coated cereal. Shake well and pour onto wax paper.

 

PIDGEON POOP

5 cups of peanut butter crunch cereal
3 cups of Rice Krispies
2 cups of skinny pretzels/broken in half
2 lbs. of white chocolate chips 
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Preparation:
Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. Melt white chocolate in double boiler or microwave oven. Pour melted chocolate over the dry ingredients and spread out on wax paper to cool. Break into chunks.

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 OREO® PARTY POPS
Ingredients:
20 popsicle or lollipop sticks
20 Oreo Double Stuff® cookies
1 12-ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T. vegetable oil
Chopped nuts, colored sprinkles or miniature candies like M&M's® or Reeses Pieces®
Directions:

• To form Oreo® Pops, insert popsicle sticks into the cream center of each cookie. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate and oil until melted and smooth, stirring constantly.
• Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate, coating evenly.
• Place dipped cookies on waxed paper and decorate with chopped nuts, sprinkles or candies.
• Leave cookies on waxed paper until completely set.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and tie with a bow if giving for a gift.
  Makes 20 Oreo® Pops
  Courtesy of AllHomemadeCookies.com

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NO BAKE PUMPKIN PIE

Individual recipe:
Small custard-sized ready to eat--pie crusts
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon prepared whipped topping
Sprinkle of cinnamon

• Mix all ingredients together and pour into the crust. The recipe is then ready to eat; it may be refrigerated or frozen.

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NO COOK PUMPKIN PIE (Individual Servings)

Give each child a cup. Into their cup they get to put a big scoop of canned pumpkin, marshmallow creme, cool whip, and pumpkin pie spices. They mix and then spread on graham crackers and eat. Idea of Dare-to-Disturb

 

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FRUIT BASED GOODIES

 
YUMMY DIPPED BANANA CHUNKS

• Peel bananas and slice them into several pieces.
• Place 8 oz. chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high until melted  for about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.
• Dip the banana slices in the chocolate; roll them in other ingredients as desired:
  Colored sugars, cinnamon sugar, peanut butter, chopped nuts, coconut, ice cream sprinkles, crushed cookies...

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BANANA POPS
Need:
Popsicle sticks, Bananas (cut in half), Creamy Peanut Butter or chocolate-ready to dip, Crushed cookies, granola, or graham crackers.
1.  Cut bananas in half and stick a Popsicle stick into the banana  (So it looks like a Popsicle.)
2.  Freeze for about 10 minutes.
3.  Coat the bananas with peanut butter or dip it in chocolate; next dip into the crushed cereal mixture. (Crushed fruit loops works.) 

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BAKED APPLES in Microwave

 

2 Granny smith apples
2 Tablespoons butter
Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Have adult core apples or show child how to core apples with an apple corer. Child can place apples in microwave safe dish. In each apple add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add a little water to the bottom of the dish. Microwave 4-5 minutes. Don’t forget to use pot holders to remove dish from microwave. Let apples sit for a few minutes before eating.

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FRUIT BURRITOES
What you need to make 4 fruit burritos:
4 6-inch tortillas
4 TBS peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
4 strawberries, sliced
1 peach, peeled & sliced (remove pit)
1/4 cup blueberries
4 TBS vanilla yogurt
1.  Spread about 1 TBS peanut butter over each tortilla.
2.   Place fruit slices down center of each burrito.
3.  Drizzle about 1 TBS vanilla yogurt over fruit.
4.  Kids love to design & roll their own burrito. Roll up the tortilla, burrito-style (Fold up one side, tuck under fruit, fold up bottom, then roll the other side).

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JELL-O PIZZA
Ingredients:
4 pkgs. (4 serving size) or 2 pkgs. ( 8 serving size) jello -powder, any flavor
2 1/2 c Boiling water
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup Cool-whip
2 cup Cut-up fruit
    1.  Pour gelatin into bowl.
    2.  Add 2 1/2 cups boiling water to gelatin. Stir, until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
    3.   Spray pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray.
    4.   Pour gelatin mixture into pizza pan.
    5.  Put pan into refrigerator to chill until firm, about 3 hours.

• Remove pan from refrigerator when ready to serve.
• Put about 1 inch of warm water in sink. Carefully dip just bottom of pan into warm water for 15 seconds.
• Spread whipped topping over gelatin just before serving, leaving about 1 inch of space around outside edge of gelatin for pizza "crust".
• Top pizza with fruit, arranging fruit in whatever design you like. Cut pizza into wedges.

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FRUIT ON A STICK

• Cut up a variety of fruit such as:
  Apples, bananas, kiwis, mango and whole grapes.
• Thread them onto a skewer for a delicious summer time treat.
• Add a few pieces of marshmallows between the fruit.
• Serve with Creamy Fruit Dip

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CREAMY FRUIT DIP
Ingredients:
   • 1 jar marshmallow cream
   • 8 ounce bar of cream cheese (softened)
   • Sliced fruit ( Strawberries, melons, cantaloupe, etc.)
Mix the marshmallow cream and cream cheese well.
Take favorite fruit and dip into the cream mixtu--or serve with fruit on a stick.

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GOOD SNACKS

PART PIZZA-PART QUESIDILLA
This  snack sandwiches cheese, sauce, and toppings between two flour tortillas. Your kids can cut the finished pie into slices like a traditional pizza that are just right for sharing.
Ingredients:
Two 6-inch flour tortillas
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 slices thinly sliced smoked turkey or ham
1 tbsp. pizza or spaghetti sauce
Sliced tomatoes, black olives, peppers (optional)

• Place one tortilla on a sheet of waxed paper and sprinkle with half of each cheese.
• Cover with turkey or ham, a tablespoon of sauce and optional toppings.
• Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cover with the other tortilla.
• Set on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a sheet of waxed paper, and microwave on High for one and a half minutes or until the cheese has melted.
•  Let cool for two minutes, the cut into wedges.

 

TACO DIP

8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1.  Mix all ingredients with hand mixer.
2.  Spread on plate or cookie sheet.
3.  Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced green onions and shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with nacho chips.
This can be doubled easily - assemble near party time to prevent a soggy dip!
Makes 16 one tablespoon servings.

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FRIENDSHIP SOUP
Hot-hearty and healthy!!! Great for after school!

• Think about making a big pot of soup IN A CROCK POT.
• You can start it in the morning program and let it go on low during the day.
• Have kids sign up to bring potatoes, small onion, carrots, celery, cans of beef broth, can of diced tomatoes, seasoning, crackers or rolls, etc.
• Each child would only have to bring a single item to make a huge pot.
• If program isn’t too large---canned soup heated is good too!

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Make a SANDWICH FACE
Just put out the ingredients and let kids take and make...
Peanut Butter
Bananas -sliced
Raisins
Bread (1 slice)
M&M's candy

• Spread the peanut butter on the slice of bread.
• Next, put 2 banana circles on the bread to look like eyes.
• Then use a raisin as a nose.
• Last, make your mouth out of M&M's candy

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SLOW COOKER IDEAS FOR HOT DOGS & LITTLE SMOKIES

 

Good all year... but remember these for July: July is "National Hot Dog Month"!

 

CROCK POT LITTLE SMOKIES
2 packages Cocktail wieners or Little Smokies
1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly
PREPARATION:
Combine cocktail wieners or little Smokies in Crockpot with chili sauce and grape jelly; cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

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CROCKPOT SAUSAGE APPETIZERS
1 large jar (18 ounces) apricot or pineapple preserves
1/2 cup prepared mustard, yellow
6 green onions, with green, sliced
2 pounds cocktail franks or mini smoked sausages
In slow cooker, combine preserves and mustard. Stir in sliced green onions and franks or sausages. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until very hot. Stir to blend ingredients and serve immediately with toothpicks.

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HOT DOG APPETIZER
(Crock Pot or Stove Top)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brandy or apple juice concentrate
1 package cocktail hot dogs or regular hot dogs cut in 1 inch pieces
Mix all ingredients together; Put into crock pot on low for several hours.

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SUGAR DOG APPETIZER (Slow Cooker)
3 packages hot dogs, cut into thirds
1 pound bacon, each piece cut in half
1 (2-pound) bag brown sugar
Wrap each piece of hot dog in a bacon strip. Place hot dogs in slow cooker. Pour bag of brown sugar over top. Cook on low until sugar melts.
Serves 18 as an appetizer.

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SLOW COOKER SPICY FRANKS
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound frankfurters, cut in 1-inch pieces or 1 pound cocktail wieners or smoked sausages
Place ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard and garlic in a 3 -quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting until all elements blend into one delicious whole, about 1 to 2 hours. Stir in frankfurters. Cover and cook until thoroughly heated, 1 to 2 hours. Turn on low to keep warm and serve.
Serves: 6 to 8 as appetizer

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HOT DOG & BACON APPETIZER
Ingredients:
1 lb. bacon, sliced in half crosswise
Brown sugar
Slice hot dogs crosswise in half. Wrap each hot dog half with a bacon strip. Fasten with toothpick. Layer in slow cooker/Crock Pot, sprinkling each layer with a thin layer of brown sugar. Repeat layers until hot dogs run out.
Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring gently every 20 minutes.

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SWEET & SOUR FRANKS
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup currant jelly
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 pounds cocktail franks, or hot dogs cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cans (8 ounces each) pineapple chunks
PREPARATION:
1.  Combine first four ingredients in Crockpot; mix well to break up jelly chunks.
2.  Cover and cook on high 15 to 20 minutes to soften jelly and blend sauce ingredients.
3.  Add cut-up hot dogs or cocktail franks.
4.  Add pineapple. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours; or low for 4 hours. Keep on low while serving.

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TWINKIE DESSERTS...

 TWINKIE STRAWBERRY SURPRISE!
Ingredients:
10 Hostess Twinkie
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 boxes sweetened frozen strawberry, thawed
Directions

• Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise and lay evenly flat side up in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Pour strawberries all over the top.
• In a large bowl, mix pudding, milk and whipped topping until well combined. Spread over strawberries.
• Cover and refrigerate several hours overnight.
  

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TWINKIE/STRAWBERRY DESSERT #2
2 boxes Twinkies
1 large box strawberry gelatin
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 can strawberry pie filling
1 container Cool Whip
Pecans
1.  Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with Twinkies.
2.  Mix gelatin according to package directions and pour over Twinkies.
3.  Prepare pudding as directed and pour over gelatin.
4.  Cover with pie filling and then top with Cool Whip.
5.  Sprinkle with pecans. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

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TWINKIE DESSERT  #3
16 Twinkies
7 (1.20 oz.) Heath bars, freeze shortly to crush each
1 pkg. French vanilla pudding or chocolate pudding
2 c. milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
   1.  Make pudding according to package directions, using 2 cups of milk.
   2.  Cut Twinkies in half lengthwise and place 1/2 on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan; cream side up.
   3.  Top with 1/2 of the crushed Heath bars.
   4.  Cover with pudding and place remaining Twinkie halves on top.
   5.  Top with Cool Whip.
   6.  Garnish with remaining of Heath bars. Let set overnight

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CANDY

'CANDY BAR' SNACK 
4 cups toasted oat cereal
1 (6 1/2 ounce) can salted peanuts
1 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

• Mix cereal, peanuts and raisins in bowl.
• Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
• Pour the melted butter over cereal mixture, using a fork to toss lightly until coated thoroughly.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips over the mixture and toss again.

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BARB’S  WINTER HOLIDAY SPECIAL
This one is really good---a tradition in many holiday homes!  (I make this every year!)
   1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) Nestle TOLL HOUSE Butterscotch Morsels, divided
   1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) Nestle® TOLL HOUSE Milk Chocolate Morsels
   1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
   2 cups pretzel sticks
   2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
   1 1/3 cups Nestle RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
Directions:

Butter 13 x 9-inch baking pan. 

Microwave 1 1/3 cups butterscotch morsels, semi-sweet morsels and peanut butter in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.

ADD pretzels, peanuts and Raisinets; stir well to coat. Spread into prepared baking pan.

PLACE remaining butterscotch morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag.

Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 30 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth.

Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over candy.

REFRIGERATE for 1 hour or until firm.

Break into bite-size pieces or chunks.
SOURCE: verybestbaking.com

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CHOCOLAGE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP FUDGE

Ingredients:
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips

1. Line 8-inch square pan with foil.

2. Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt in heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter chips; stir quickly just to distribute chips throughout mixture. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

3. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan; peel off foil. Cut into squares. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. NOTE: For best results, do not double this recipe.

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ALMOND DROP CANDY
1 1/2 lb. almond bark
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
3 c. Rice Krispies
2 c. dry roasted peanuts
2 c. miniature marshmallows
   1.  Melt almond bark.
   2.  Add peanut butter, Rice Krispies, peanuts and marshmallows.
   3.  Drop by teaspoons on waxed paper.

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BEVERAGES

HOMEMADE SODA POP
Materials: Fruit Juice, Club Soda
Directions: Fill a glass 2/3 full with your favorite fruit juice. Then add club soda and stir briefly. For variety, try mixing two or more fruit juices, like orange and cranberry or grape and lemonade, before adding the club soda.

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Compiled by Barbara Shelby

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IT'S SNOWING SOME WHERE --- BUT NOT BY YOU???

You don't live in a snow-belt? Create your own arctic blast with movies and activities where you can pretend the world is your snow globe.

PLAN A SNOW THEMED DAY... 
     • Watch a movie that splashes snow across the screen: Snow Dogs, The Gold Rush, March of the Penguins, Groundhog Day (If kids are older)...Or any of the Disney Type snow movies...
 
     • Read snow-themed stories to the kids such as Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Snowy Day, The Snow Queen, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs or The Snow Geese: A Story of Home.

     • Buy some fake snow to pile on a table so kids can create wintry scenes with tree branches, play figurines, and miniature houses.
 
     • Turn up the air conditioner and make some hot cider or cocoa to drink while decorating cookies with a winter theme. Read about Hot Cocoa Party Idea here!
 
     • Play a game such as in the WINTER GAME CATEGORY...or some of the winter activities from this site!

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BRING THE SNOW INSIDE!

  • When you have a lot of snow and it's too cold to play outside, have the children help you fill large tubs with new snow and carry it in!

  • Fill your sensory table, large tubs, or a sink with the snow. The children can use gloves to play in it.

  • Variations include filling the empty sand table or other large containers with snow and then ADDING pre-made colored ice-cubes of different sizes.

  • So the children won't soil their own mittens, collect old mittens for them to wear while they play with the snow and the melting colored ice.

  • Another idea is to use water color sets and have the children use them in the tubs of snow. As the snow is painted the colors will blend!

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When working with younger children and using a sensory table try this fun idea for a winter theme! FREEZE SMALL TOYS  IN ICE-CUBE TRAYS, and in various size containers; place them in the sensory table. Give the children plastic and wood mallets and have them chip away the ice to find out what is inside! Great fun and they'll be sure to rush to you to show you their "prizes"!

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DRIVING ON ICE
(This could be a winter science activity for young; however, the novelty of playing with cars on indoor ice is fun for many ages!)

Directions:
Fill three jellyroll pans with water and freeze.
Gather small match-box cars. You'll also  need spoons, salt and sand.

Have children try to drive the cars over the ice.

What Happens?
 
Spoon salt over one sheet of ice and sand over another.

     • What happens when the children try to drive the cars over these surfaces? 
     • What implications can be drawn for driving on ice?

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THE GOOD ELF! (A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS ACTIVITY)

1. Challenge children to do random acts of kindness for others for one day.
2. Advertise, post info, and make a big deal about the day!.
3. Tell youth that they are not to reveal that they have done these nice things and if someone should ask them, "did you put away the dishes...or games..or whatever..."? They reply, "Must have been a good elf".

This activity helps children realize we don't always have to be recognized when we do something for someone else. If playing with preschoolers or kindergarteners, you may want to send a note home explaining how parents can help.
I can't remember where I first saw this, but we do it every year! Cassie/Mi.

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HAVE A WINTER PICNIC!
 
This is a good idea for a full day program. Take lunch and blankets to a room where you usually don't eat. Play a Nature-Sounds or Winter Music CD.

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A SNOW DAY IN FLORIDA!

Living in Florida the children do not get to see snow. In our class though, snow arrives in January via potato flakes.

We suspend a tarp from the ceiling filled will potato flake (25 pounds.) As the teacher is telling the snowman story which she draws on the chalkboard, I slice the tarp at the appropriate time and it snows on the children. They each receive their own pail & shovel. Each child is dressed like a snowman by wearing white Glad garbage bags with the red draw string. The kids wear their gloves and hats and we turn the air conditioning on as low as we can. They have a ball! (A clever idea posted at  perpetualpreschool.com) 

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 CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKES
1.  Cut a white pipe cleaner into 3 equal sections and twist it together to make a six-sided flake.
2.  Tie a string from point to point to form the pattern.
3.  Also, tie a piece to the top of one of the pipe cleaners and tie the other end to a pencil (This is for the snowflake to hang from)
4.  Fill a wide mouth jar, cup or glass with boiling water.
5.  Mix in Borax one tablespoon at a time (3 Tablespoons per cup of water) and stir it until it’s dissolved. (It’s alright if there is some settling.)
6.   If desired, add a little blue food coloring at this point to tint the snow flake.

Totally immerse the snowflake in your solution. Rest the pencil on the top of the container letting the flake suspend freely in the solution. Wait overnight and the next day the children will have a snowflake covered with tiny crystals.

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If you've spent some time on this site---you've seen the Hokey-Poky adapted to many seasons and themes.
Here is the "WINTER POKEY"!

Put on the children's winter clothing and do the
WINTER HOKEY POKEY DANCE...
 
Verses are:
1. You put your mitten in, you take your mitten out
2. You put your boots in, you take your boots out
3. You put your coat in, you put your coat out
4. You put your hat in, you put your hat out
5. You put your scarf in, you put your scarf out
..........And that what it's all about!

Tip! This would make a great transition game before you leave for outside!

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FAT KEEPS ANIMALS WARM! (Young Children's Science Idea)

1. Fill a bucket with ice water and have the children stick their hands in it. They'll see that it is cold.
 
2. Put shortening (Like Crisco) in a plastic bag.

3. Place the shortening bag into another bag so that the children's hands don't actually touch the Crisco.
 
4. Have the children put their hand in the bag and stick it back in the ice water. It won't be cold because the Crisco serves as a layer of fat.
 
5. Talk about how the fat layer keeps animals -such as polar bears warm

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FOOT PRINTS IN THE SNOW (A fun decorating idea)

  • Cut several of each child's foot shape out of black construction paper. 
  • Place white butcher paper on the floor and have children attach their foot shapes to make "footprints" on the white paper "snow". 
  • Leave "snow" attached to the floor for a path--or put up on wall and onto the ceiling!

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FOOD FUN!

FROZEN KOOL-AID

Give each child a gallon Zip-Loc bag filled with crushed ice. Then give them liquid Kool-Aid in a smaller bag. Add ice crème salt to the gallon bag and put the smaller bag in it. Zip up the large bag. Mush arount the small bag... the Kool-Aid will freeze quickly.
When removing--be sure not to get any salt as you take out the frozen kool-aid.

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MAKE SNOWFLAKES TO EAT!

Ingredients: 
  • Flour Tortillas 
  • Oil 
  • Powdered sugar
Warm the tortillas slightly in the microwave so you can fold them. Next fold the tortilla into half, then half again. Cut out designs just like you were making a paper snowflake.
Put a small amount of oil into a skillet. Fry the tortilla until crisp. About 30 seconds on each side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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SNOW CANDY #1 Ingredients:
2 cups of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup water.
Bring water with other ingredients to a rolling boil.(boil for about 10 minutes)

Have children make a smooth place in clean snow - pour the snow candy on it. You can pour in any desired design or pictures. Don't touch until it has cooled.

If snow on the ground bothers you---scoop up some clean snow and place it in a bowl or dish---you can also take the snow inside and make your candy there!

SNOW CANDY #2
If you use real Maple Syrup and boil it the same way, you get an all natural treat that doesn't require any measuring or mixing of ingredients. Fans of Laura Ingall Wilder may remember the author’s vivid descriptions of this candy: It is warm, buttery in flavor, gooey, and delicious when eaten outside while making a snow fort with your daddy.

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IGLOO BLOCKS (OUTSIDE POPSICLE STICKS)

A fun activity during winter. Have children pick their favorite drink (fruit punch, apple juice, etc) and then pour this into an ice cube tray. Have kids write their name on a popsicle stick and place it in the tray. Last, put this outside and let it freeze (if it is not cold enough you can put it in the freezer) The children then have an igloo block for snack.

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FOR THE ANIMALS!

A TREE FOR THE ANIMALS

Decorate a tree in the woods or around you program property for the animals. Use fruit, vegetables, nuts and peanut butter on pinecones so the animals will have food to eat when it gets colder.

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WINTER NECKLACE AND ANIMAL FEEDER

You'll need:
Large needle
String or fishing line
Popped corn
Dried fruit; raisins, cranberries, apple and apricot
Pieces of orange peel (optional )

How to Make It:
Measure the length of line that you need to fit the necklace over a child's head. Don't forget to leave enough for tying off. Thread the needle and string the popcorn and other items alternately.
Children can wear their necklace for a while and then hang the necklace onto a tree or shrub for the local wildlife.

Tip: The orange peel adds a very pleasant scent. Put a bit of all natural peanut butter on the necklace before placing it outside. The oils and protein are great for the birds!

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OUTDOOOR CREATURE POPCORN WREATH

Cardboard wreaths
Peanut butter
Birdseed
Popcorn

Cut wreath shapes out of cardboard. Give each child a wreath and a plastic knife to spread peanut butter over the wreath shape. Put birdseed over the peanut butter covered wreath. Use spots of peanut butter to "glue" pieces of popcorn onto the wreath in a bow shape. Hang the wreaths outside where they will be seen---good for birds and other outdoor creatures... 

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FEEDER Materials: Lard, String, Pine cone, Birdseed
Tie a piece of string around the widest part of the cone.
Mix the lard and seed together, then press the mixture into the branches of the cone.
Use the string to tie the cone up in a tree pr bush for the birds to enjoy.

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FEED AND OSERVE WINTER BIRDS

What you need: An empty plastic milk or water bottle, or a milk carton, scissors, string, bird seed

(1) Wash the bottle or carton and rinse it well. Cut several small (2-3") holes in the sides, about 2" from the bottom. Cut or poke two small holes near the top and thread a long piece of string through them.
 
(2) Fill the bird feeder with seeds and hang from a tree or shrub. Scattering some seeds on the ground can help the birds find the feeder. Watch the birds. Be patient. Try different types of seeds and different locations. Record your observations.

 There are 14 Bird Feeder Ideas in the Bird Theme! Click Here...

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MEDIEVAL WINTER CELEBRATION from Giraffe Lady in Saginaw, MI.

(Although Giraffe Lady celebrates this as a prelude to Christmas, this would be a great winter celebration theme in general!)

Instead of having yet another generic Christmas party, my students and I have a Medieval celebration. For the two weeks prior to the last day of school before winter break, we build castles out of boxes (and anything else we can find), decorate plastic goblets with jewels, make medieval style hats and brown butcher paper tablecloths that look like wood, and talk about life in the middle ages. (Last year we spent an hour and a half talking about the plague and what silly things people believed to be medicinal.) I even got brave last year and showed them bits and pieces of "Monty Python's Holy Grail" because it depicts the attitudes and customs of the day in a humorous way that (I was somewhat surprised to find) the student related to well.

Then, on the day before we break for Christmas, we have our "feast". We turn off all the lights and use battery-operated candles for light. We lay down the "wooden" tablecloths over the cafeteria tables and put some natural looking garlands down the centers of the tables. The students get a hard roll torn in half as their charger, and we serve them torn up roasted chicken (Meijer's are good, and they're only about $5 each), hunks of cheese, and oranges for dessert. They drink sparkling grape juice from the goblets they've made, and wear their medieval hats. The students get a somewhat healthy meal (or enough to serve as a snack) and they love the novelty of the entire set up.

 The first year we did this, it was supposed to be a week-long project for the 6th-8th grade group. They enjoyed building the castles so much that they spent two weeks on just that! I have done this every year since. 

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HAVE FUN WITH ALL THE WINTER PAGES!

• Winter Arts and Crafts
• Hot Cocoa Recipes and Fun
• Winter Inside Games
• Winter Outside Snow Games
• Winter Outside Fun
• Winter Inside Fun
• Snowman Themed Games...
• Snowman Themed Arts and Crafts
• Miscellaneous Snowman Ideas
• Snowman Themed Snacks 

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After-school snacks can be a nutritious way to make sure children get the energy and nutrients they need to properly fuel their bodies and to ensure proper growth and development. Snacking can be part of a healthy diet --if snacks are chosen correctly. Plenty of healthy ideas below as well as some treats and novel fun!

Some WINTER IDEAS here-others are on Page 2...

SPEEDY AFTER-SCHOOL SNACKS :

   • Bagel or English muffin pizza

   • Tortilla Rollups: Roll a tortilla with shredded cheese, microwave until cheese is soft, and dip in salsa.

   • Peanut butter on a mini bagel

   • Cereal topped with fruit and milk

   • Cheese and crackers

   • Sliced salami with cheese and crackers

   • Fruited yogurt topped with granola

   • Cut-up vegetables dipped in low-fat ranch salad dressing

   • Sunflower Seeds-Pumpkin Seeds-Nuts 

   • Pretzels

   • Banana Pops: Peel a banana, dip it first in yogurt and then in crushed breakfast cereal or granola; freeze.

   • Celery with low-fat cream cheese

   • Peanut butter on graham crackers

   • Fresh fruit (cut up and ready in a bowl, easy to grab and eat)

   • Canned fruit 

   • Low-fat string cheese

   • Breakfast bars

   • Banana or apple topped with peanut butter

   • Fruit Shake-Up: Put ½ cup low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup cold fruit juice in an unbreakable, covered container. Shake it up and pour it in a cup.

   • Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups

   • Stuffed Celery: See a ton of great 'Stuffed Ideas" in the Warm weather snack category. Click here 

   • Simple snacks such as the little goldfish and teddy grahams

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KID MADE SNACK MIX!
Put out several ingredients from the below list:

•Raisins
•Goldfish crackers, plain or cheese
•Chex cereal
•Life cereal
•Cheerios
•Square pretzels or pretzel sticks
•Nuts (only if no children in your group are allergic to nuts)
•Yogurt covered raisins
•A mixture of m&m’s, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows

Put your variety of ingredients out in bowls. After kids wash their hands--give them each a baggy. (To keep track of whose is whose it is-have them write their name on it) The ingredient will then go into each child's baggy with their choice of mixes.

Let kids know how much measurement-wise they can take of offered foods; also how many choices they can have. Example: ½ cup of 4 foods.

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ALMOST S'MORES #1

Take 1 graham cracker and 1 tbsp. chocolate frosting. Break each cracker into four sections and spread frosting on two. Place the other two crackers on top to make sandwiches.

 

EASY ALMOST S'MORES #2 Use Marshmallow Fluff! TAKE chocolate-covered grahams and spread them with Marshmallow Fluff for easy, no-bake S'Mores!

 #3 SALTY S'MORES
Ingredients:
Peanut Butter, Saltine Crackers, Marshmallows
...Spread Peanut butter onto saltine crackers.
...Place a marshmallow on top of peanut butter.
...Place in toaster oven until marshmallow is golden brown.
...Cool...Eat!

#4 JOLLY S'MORES  Ingredients for one:  2 graham crackers, 1 Tablespoon peanutbutter, 1 Tablesoon marshmalllow creme, 1/2 chocolate bar

Spread peanutbutter with knife on 1 graham cracker square. Top the peanut butter with the chocolate bar. Spread the marshmallow creme on the remaining graham cracker square; place it marshamallow side down on the chocolate bar.

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CHEESE HAMMERS & TOWERS
Cut a variety of cheese into small squares. For a hammer, poke a pretzel into each one.
Children can connect their cubed cheese with the pretzel sticks to construct cheese towers.

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Open- face CREAM CHEESE AND PEANUT SANDWICHES
Serves: 8 full slice or 16 half sandwiches
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Philadelphia fat-free or regular cream cheese
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/4 cup (1 ounce) chopped dry roasted peanuts
8 slices bread
1. In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese with a spoon until soft. Stir in maple syrup. Add peanuts. Mix well to combine.
2. For each sandwich, spread about 1.5 tablespoons filling mixture on bread.

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TORTILLA & CHEESE ROLL-UPS
Ingredients:
Small flour tortillas
Colby-jack STICK cheese
Salsa, if desired

• Place one stick of Colby-jack cheese (or use mozzarella string cheese) near the edge of the flour tortilla.
• Roll the tortilla around the cheese; secure it with a toothpick (remove it later before children snack).
• Microwave until cheese is soft.
• Dip in salsa.

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SANDWICH ON A STICK...
1 pkg. (2.1 oz.) Ready to Serve Bacon
15 (Kraft) Cheddar & Monterey Jack Cheese Cubes
16 red or green seedless grapes
7 red or green apple chunks
7 pineapple chunks
15 wooden toothpick

Ingredients: Bread, cheese, lunch meat, grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, olives.
Ingredients can be served in bowls and children choose what they like and then slide onto their skewer.
1. Cut up cubes of bread, cheese, and lunch meat (1/2-inch-thick cubes of ham and turkey are good).
2. Slide the cubes onto a skewer (long pick) with other foods the children like, such as a grape tomato, a piece of lettuce, a pickle, or an olive.
3. Set out a side of mayo or mustard for dipping.

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FALL & WINTER FRUIT SKEWERS

• MICROWAVE bacon as directed on pkg. for less crispy slices.
• WEAVE 1 bacon slice alternately around 1 piece of cheese and 2 pieces of fruit on each toothpick.
  Source: Kraft food website

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MINI-WRAPS
Lightly spread a tortilla with a little cream cheese and place one or two slices of thin ham or turkey over the cream cheese. Roll tightly and cut into small rounds.

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TURN THE DAY UPSIDE DOWN!
Have a breakfast feast (or snack) with kids in the PM!
You can have breakfast any time. Cereal, eggs & bacon, waffles, French toast, or pancakes. Add juice & fruits. Budget low?
Have kids sign-up to bring in items. Breakfast is always better at night.

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TURKEY ROLLUPS
Satisfy your salty, crunchy and savory cravings in one punch with this quick snack.
4 slices deli turkey breast (about 2 ounces total)
8 teaspoons honey mustard or mango chutney (or whatever kids like)
8 sesame breadsticks
Spread each slice of turkey with 2 teaspoons mustard (or mango chutney) and season with pepper if desired. Wrap each prepared turkey slice around 2 breadsticks

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PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ROLL-UP

Put peanut butter and jelly onto a flour tortilla. Roll...Eat

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MAKE A SANDWICH FACE
Just put out the ingredients and let kids make and take…
Peanut Butter
Bananas - sliced
Raisins
Bread (1 slice)
M &M's candy
Spread the peanut butter on the slice of bread. Next, put 2 banana circles on the bread to look like eyes. Then use a raisin as a nose. Last, make your mouth out of M&M's candy.

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MAKE A TASTY FACE
Spread peanut butter onto a rice cake.
Use jellybeans and M&M's to make facial features---

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SWEET TORTILLA SHAPES

• Using small fun shaped cookie cutters cut shapes out of a flour tortilla.
• Place on non stick cookie sheet and lightly brush with a little butter.
• Lightly sprinkle (you only need a little) with a mixture of 1 part cinnamon and 3 parts brown sugar.
• Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes for a sweet and crispy treat.

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CHEERIO NECKLACES
1. String Cheerios or Fruit loops onto a piece of yarn or string. (As a treat-stringing them on thin licorice rope is also fun!)
2. Tie ends together so that they slip easily around a child’s head.
3. Children can munch on them while playing.

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MARSHMALLOW STICKS
Let children make their own snack.
Set out some small marshmallows and some thin pretzel sticks.
Have children stick a pretzel in each marshmallow. Store in a small zip-lock bag.

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BANANA IN A BLANKET
1 (6 inch) tortilla
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter or cream cheese
1 medium banana
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon crunchy, nutty nugget cereal

• Lay tortilla on a plate.
• Spread peanut butter evenly on the tortilla.
• Sprinkle cereal over peanut butter.
• Peel and place banana on the tortilla and roll the tortilla.
• Drizzle maple syrup or honey on top.

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LEAF PILES
Nice for September through November
Ingredients:
6 cups cornflakes
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter.
You will also need some Wax paper to lay your leaf piles on.
Directions: In a microwave melt the Karo and peanut butter together. Pour over the cornflakes and place them in piles on wax paper. Let them cool and dry

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HAVE KIDS MAKE THEIR OWN PUDDING IN A BAG!
You Need:
Boxes of Instant Pudding (1 box for 2 children)
Milk (according to instructions on pudding box)
Ziploc® bags (1 for each child)
Measuring cups
1. Pour half a box of pudding into each child's Ziploc bag.
2. Measure enough milk to make half a box of pudding and allow children to add it to their pudding in the bag.
3. Seal the bag (make sure it's really sealed!!)
4. Children can squish the bag around with their hands, mixing the pudding with the milk.
5. When all of the pudding is mixed, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and let the kids suck the pudding out!

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***Idea: MAKE SHAKER PUDDING- Pour 2 cups of milk into a jar/container with a lid, add 1 small box of instant pudding mix, and shake for one minute.

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FIVE FUN POPCORN RECIPES!

EASY CARAMEL CORN #1
3 quarts popping corn
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 stick of butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Put popcorn in a heavy paper bag.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan and mix together sugar, syrup, and salt.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and stir well.
4. Pour into paper bag and stir with a wooden spoon. Put bag in microwave and cook on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Take out and shake well.
5. Cook for another 1 1/2 minutes. Shake bag again and pour into a large container.
6. Serve in paper baggies that kids can decorate.

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CARAMEL CORN #2
This recipe is very inexpensive and easy to make.
Ingredients:
One stick (equals 1/2 cup) butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbs. Light Karo syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Popped popcorn

• Put one stick of butter or margarine in a medium saucepan; add one cup packed brown sugar (light OR dark it doesn’t matter). Add 3 TBS. Karo Syrup.
• Heat all ingredients over med until you start to see it bubble. Turn the heat to low and let it cook for 5 minutes (Do not stir during the five minutes)
• Remove from heat and quickly add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp baking soda.
• Stir and quickly pour over a large mixing bowl full of popped corn. Mix it all up to get it evenly coated. Enjoy! 

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#3 POPCORN 'SNACK MIX'
This snack mix relies on lightly sweetened popcorn to give it just the right flavor. Some prefer "Mallow Magic" popcorn from Jolly time. The "Caramel" flavor variety from Act II is also yummy-Or just use your favorite kettle corn.
To make this mix you'll need:
Popped "Mallow Magic" popcorn that is cooled--
Raisins
Dried sweetened cranberries
Small twist pretzels (hard type)
Multi-colored goldfish crackers

• For a good sized group take 3 bags of popcorn, plus 1 bag of goldfish, 2 cups of pretzels, plus 1/2 cup each of raisins and dried cranberries. Howeverm you can make it in whatever proportion you like.
• For a special treat, you can even add in some M&Ms.
• Note: the "Mallow Magic" comes with packets of gooey icing to put over the top; it's not necessary. And of course it adds extra calories and sugar.

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#4 COLORFUL POPCORN BALLS

Ingredients:
2 c. light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 lg. box of any colored/flavored gelatin dessert
20 cups popped popcorn
1. Combine sugar and syrup and boil for 1 minute. Do not stir.
2. Add Jell-o and mix. Pour over popcorn and mix well.
3. Add sprinkles if desired.

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#5 SNOWBALL POPCORN BALLS
For 10- 3" Balls you need: 8 cups popped corn-unsalted, 1/4 cup butter/margarine, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1-cup cold water, additional margarine for hands, optional candy thermometer

• Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn.
• In large saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
• Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water. Stir and bring to boil.
• Boil until syrup reaches soft ball consistency (235 F) or until a tsp. of syrup dropped into a cup of cold water forms a pliable dough-like ball.
• Pour the syrup over the popped corn and stir until well coated.
• With buttered hands--shape the popcorn into balls"!

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GOOEY APPLE CRISPIES
Ingredients: Traditional rice crispy bars with a twist
15 oz box apple ring cereal
16 oz bag large marshmallows
3 tbsp butter or margarine
Non-stick cooking spray

• Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a non-stick saucepan.
• Add entire bag of marshmallows to the pot. Stir constantly until all of the marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat.
• Pour entire box of cereal into a large non-stick pot or bowl.
• Pour marshmallow mixture over the cereal. Stir to completely cover all of the cereal.
  For Round Apple Crispies: Lightly spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray. Shape cereal mixture into balls. Store in an air tight container or wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow to harden slightly.
  For Thick Apple Crispy Bars: Press cereal mixture in a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow bars to harden slightly before cutting.
  Tip: To ensure easy cutting, spray your knife with non-stick cooking spray. This will prevent the knife from sticking to the marshmallow.
  Source: familycorner.com by Tami Rose

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 NO BAKE PUMPKIN PIE

Individual recipe:
Small custard-sized ready to eat--pie crusts
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon prepared whipped topping
Sprinkle of cinnamon

• Mix all ingredients together and pour into the crust. The recipe is then ready to eat; it may be refrigerated or frozen.

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INDIVIDUAL SERVING NO COOK PUMPKIN PIE

Give each child a cup. Into their cup they get to put a big scoop of canned pumpkin, marshmallow creme, cool whip, and pumpkin pie spices. They mix and then spread on graham crackers and eat.Idea of Dare-to-Disturb

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HOT SNACKS

VELVEETA CHEESE DIP (Made on Stove or microwave and good anytime!
Ingredients:
1 pound Velveeta Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread, cubed
1 jar (8 ounces) salsa (I use Pace)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
TOP OF STOVE:
1. In saucepan, stir Velveeta and salsa over low heat until Velveeta is melted. Stir in cilantro.
2. Serve hot with tortilla chips and veggie dippers.
MICROWAVE:
Microwave Velveeta and salsa in 1 1/2 quart microwave safe bowl on HIGH 5 minutes or until Velveeta is melted. Stir after 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve as directed.
Makes 3 cups

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CHILI CHEESE DIP
Ingredients:
1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (15 oz.) chili with or without beans
MIX VELVEETA and chili in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 5 min. or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 min.
SERVE hot with tortilla chips, RITZ Toasted Chips or assorted cut-up vegetables.

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 BAGEL PIZZA
Ingredients:
   •1 bagel, split open
   •2 to 4 teaspoons bottled pizza or spaghetti sauce
   •2 to 3 tablespoons grated mozzarella cheese
1. Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of sauce on each bagel half. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
2. Microwave, bake or broil until cheese is melted.
3. Add other items before cheese as desired...

 

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BREAKFAST PIZZA
Ingredients:
English muffin halves, grated cheese, cooked sausage or crumbled bacon
     •Sprinkle cheese onto muffin half.
     •Top with meat.
     •Heat in toaster oven or at 350 in oven until cheese melts.

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 ANY TIME PIZZA!      Ingredients:
1/2 loaf Italian or French bread split lengthwise, or 2 split English muffins
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup cheese, low-fat shredded mozzarella or cheddar
3 Tablespoons chopped green pepper
3 Tablespoons sliced mushrooms, fresh or canned
Other vegetable toppings as desired (optional)
Italian seasoning (optional)
Instructions:
1. Toast the bread or English muffin until slightly brown.
2. Top bread or muffin with pizza sauce, vegetables and low-fat cheese.
3. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings as desired.
4. Return bread to toaster oven (or regular oven preheated to 350 degrees).
5. Heat until cheese melts.
This low-carb pizza is a great, quick treat. It comes from a diabetic website and is broken down for diabetic information needs.
180 Calories; 21g Total Carbohydrates; 7g Total Fat; 3.5g Saturated Fat; 15mg Cholesterol; 12g Protein; 540 mg Sodium; 3g Fiber dlife.com

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CROCK POT WEENIES
    •1 pkg. (16 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Little Smokies or cocktail weenies...
    •1 jar (10 oz.) grape jelly
    •1 jar (12 oz.) chili sauce
    •2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. HEAT Little Smokies or weenies as directed on package.
2. MIX jelly, chili sauce and cornstarch in small saucepan. Cook on medium heat 5 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens, stirring frequently.
3. POUR sauce into slow cooker or fondue pot set on LOW heat. Add little smokies.

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 There are 7 Hot Dog and Little Smokie Recipes in the No-Baking Category. All are made in Crock-Pot!

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 FRIENDSHIP SOUP! Hot-hearty and healthy for cold days!!!

Great for after school programs...Think about making a big pot of soup in a crock pot. You can start it in the morning program and let it go on low during the day. Have kids sign up to bring potatoes, small onion, carrots, celery, cans of beef broth, can of diced tomatoes, seasoning, crackers or rolls, etc.
* Each child would only have to bring a single item to make a huge pot.
* If your program isn’t too large---canned soup heated is also good!

 

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AUTUMN AND WINTER SOUP IN A PUMPKIN

Need: A Pumpkin, 2 cans soup of your choice
Clean out the pumpkin and don't cut a face.
Make the soup and pour it in the pumpkin...
Easiest directions you'll ever get!

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 CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CHILDREN’S SOUL
From Tasha Palmer- Vista, California
I boil some chicken off the bone or purchase the chicken in a can at Sam's Club. Chop some potatoes; throw in a can of green beans, corn, and tomato sauce. I also add some chicken broth. Simmer until done. (This is faster with the canned chicken) Serve in small cups with some saltine crackers.
(I made this for my 2, 3, 4 year old classes-Older mixed groups will also like it!).

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 PUMPKIN DRINKS...

PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE
4 servings, about 1 cup each
1 qt. (4 cups) milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Butterscotch Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1. PLACE all ingredients in large pitcher with tight-fitting lid; cover. Shake vigorously 1 minute or until well blended.
2. POUR evenly into 4 glasses. Serve immediately. (Mixture thickens as it stands. Thin with additional milk, if desired.)From Kraft Food Website

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 ZESTY PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 ice cubes
Directions:
Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately with drinking straws.

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PUMPKIN SPICE HOT COCOA - Wonderful for Autumn evenings!

6 cups of milk
6 packets of powdered hot chocolate OR ½ lb. of dark chocolate bits
1 1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
Lots of whipped cream
Cinnamon

Heat milk to almost boiling. Place hot chocolate mix into mugs and thoroughly mix in ¼ T of pumpkin pie spice in each cup. Pour in hot milk and stir well. Load on the whip cream. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Recipe and photo thanks to No Fuss Fabulous Serves 6

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LEFT-OVER  PUMPKIN SEEDS!

You can quickly make pumpkin seeds in your microwave. The shells are edible --- and a good source of fiber. You can also use this method with other seeds such as acorn squash and butternut squash also.

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin seeds, 1 Tbsp. Olive oil or butter, Salt, seasoned salt, garlic /onion powder or other seasonings to your choice.

   • Rinse pumpkin seeds. Remove all the pulp. Drain the seeds and discard the pulp. Spread out on paper towel on a cookie sheet and dry them over-night. Place butter or Olive Oil l in a microwave-safe, baking dish.

   • Microwave on high about 7 to 8 minutes or until seeds are toasted a light golden color. Be sure to stir every 2 minutes as they are cooking. When done, sprinkle with your choice of seasonings. Coat evenly. Cool them before eating or storing. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year.

   • If you like your toasted pumpkin seeds extra-salty, soak them overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt
to 2 cups of water. Dry an additional day, and follow the above directions.

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This is page 1-- Go to Page 2 for Winter Snacks and Fun Food for Kids!

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 SUGAR CUBE IGLOO

First talk about how igloos are made and their use.

I've read that you can use either sugar cubes and frosting or ice cubes and salt which helps stick the cubes together ---but the below is the of the most complete methods I've seen. I copied it long ago but don't remember from where...sorry.

Start by laying a base row of sugar cubes around a 7-inch-diameter cardboard circle, leaving space for the entrance. Using a mortar of 2 egg whites mixed with 3 cups confectioners' sugar, add subsequent layers of cubes, one row at a time, decreasing the circumference gradually as you go.

Apply the mortar to the top cubes, not to those already in place. Be sure to work alternately left and right from the entrance toward the back of the igloo and stagger the cubes the way a builder lays bricks.

Build a total of 10 layers, stopping halfway through the construction to let the igloo dry. Make the arch and roof separately, working on a flat surface. When they are dry, glue them in place. Allow the igloo to dry completely, then sprinkle with a blizzard of sugar.
(If you ever do this--would you please comment?)

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BALLOON AND YARN SNOWBALLS

 

Blow up a balloon to a size of a softball; cut about a 2 to 3 foot of white yarn and put it in bowl of Elmer's glue. Take out the yarn and begin wrapping it around balloon. When done wrapping --- sprinkle it with white or silver glitter. Hang the balloon to dry for 24 hrs or till the glue is dry--- then pop the balloon! You have this pretty snowball to hang from your ceiling or on branches.

Sample photos courtesy of  More mom time...

 

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SPARKLING SNOW DOUGH

2 cups water
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 tsp. cream of tartar
4 tsp. oil
iridescent glitter
Combine ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. until mixture thickens and pulls away from sides of pan. Form dough into a ball, place on waxed paper and cool. Knead in glitter. This in the play dough recipes--but good for winter time!

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SCENTED PINE CONES
Scented Pine Cones Materials:
Pine cones, Pine or fir pure essential oil, Lidded container, box or plastic bag, Facial tissue

1. Fill container, box or plastic bag with dry, clean pine cones.
2. Liberally sprinkle tissue with essential oil and add to bag or container.
3. Seal the bag or container and allow oil to penetrate cones for several days before removing (the longer the cones are contained, the stronger the fragrance will be). 

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MITTEN PRINTS
 
Great if you have younger children-but  some of the older may also think this is fun.

Put out old mateless mittens. Place sponges in shallow containers and pour in tempera paint. Have kids put on the mittens and press their hand on the paint-soaked sponges. Place mittens on the paper to make prints. (A little different then traditional hand-print!)

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TOILET PAPER TUBE PRINTS

Take toilet paper tubes and make DIFFERENT length cuts at the end of the tubes. Bend back the ends and flare them out.. Dip the flared edges in white paint. The tube make a great holder!

As each tube is cut differently, you will have a variety of snowflakes! When finished- sprinkle the snowflakes with glitter.
For variety, cut the strips in the cardboard tubes with wavy edged scissors... each snowflake will have different patterns.

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CONSTRUCTION PAPER & TOOTHBRUSH EVERGREEN TREE

Cut an evergreen tree out of green construction paper. Place it inside a box lid to catch the splatter. Dip toothbrush in white paint. Moving the brush above picture, gently rub thumb across tops of bristles to spatter paint. The tree will look like it's been caught in a snowstorm

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DOILEE ART SNOWFLAKE PRINTS 

Place dollies on black or dark colored paper. Sponge paint over the dollies with white paint. When the dollies are removed your pictures will look like snowflakes!

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SNOWFLAKES FROM STYROFOAM BALLS 

Need for one snowball:
Seven toothpicks, 1 inch styrofoam balls, 1/2 liquid starch, 1 cup laundry powder, electric mixer, waxed paper, 24 inch oiecer of string, glitter.

Tie the 24 inch string to one toothpick. Push 6 other toothpicks into the ball in a starburst pattern. Beat the starch and laundry powder to make a stiff paste. Working on the wax paper, dip the "snowflake" into the starch/soap mixture. Sprinkle it with glitter while it is still set. Hang them from the ceiling by the string to dry and display!

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ICY JELL-O OR KOOL-AID ART

Need: Kool-Aid or Jell-O (in powder form), Ice, Paper
Make ice in a Popsicle mold or an ice-cube ray with toothpicks stuck in before frozen. Sprinkle Kool-Aid or Jell-O (powdered Tempera paint ok too) on the paper. Use the ice Popsicle to push the powder around and design.

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CHALK SNOWSCAPES

Materials:
Dark construction paper
White chalk
Winter stencils/template shapes
cotton balls.
 
1.Create some winter stencils and templates in advance.
2.Trace winter shapes onto cardstock or manila folders. Carefully cut shapes out.

3.Place the template on a sheet of dark construction paper---The paper should be at least 2" larger than the stencil or template on all sides.
4. Use chalk to trace around template/stencil.
5. While still holding the stencil firmly in place, gently brush chalk line toward the edges of the paper with a cotton ball.
6. Remove the stencil. The shape will be defined by a crisp line, but surrounded by soft "snowy" shadows.

You can also use snow-scapes to create winter cards.

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TWO MOBILES ON HANGERS...

#1 NIGHT SKY MOBILES
Make moon and star shaped templates for the children to trace and then cut out. (Use a card-stock paper) Decorate the shapes with sliver glitter. Punch a hole in shape-top... and hang individual shapes from the hanger with yarn... at different levels.
 

#2 SNOWFLAKE MOBILES
 
Need lightweight paper for cutting in about 4" x 4 squares, hole punch, scissors, hangers and yarn.

Round the corners of the paper to create a circle. Fold the circle in half....and then in half again....
Create your design with scissors and/or a hold punch. Paste several (about 3) snowflakes down one line of yarn...tie the yarn to the hanger. Do this 3 times. There should be three lines of snow flakes hanging from your mobile.

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PRETZEL SNOWFLAKES 

Take 4 mini pretzels for each snow flake. Pour white paint into a container/baggie/pie tin...Coat the pretzels with the paint and let them dry.
 
When the pretzels are dry,form the snow-flake by gluing the four pretzels to each other. Do this by glueing corners to corners---points to points. We use a hot glue gun. You can also dip the flakes in glitter or craft snow.
When dry... tie on string, yarn or ribbon to hang.

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ART TO GO WITH THE BOOK "DREAM SNOW"

by Eric Carl (Or just a nice idea on its own!)
Materials: 9x12" white paper, sharpies, crayons, watercolors, transparancies, white tempera

First read Eric Carle's Dream Snow and then draw a winter scene.
After coloring and painting the picture, tape a transparancy to the front.
Paint snow on the transparancy to "hide" the figures, much like Eric Carle did! Art by a student of Michal Austin

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 IDEA #1:  MAKE WINTER TREES by glueing plain white rice on a drawn tree with branches for snow...

IDEA#2:  IN YOUR WINTER OPEN ART CENTER...
Add lots of white materials, such as doilies, cotton balls, coffee filters, dried beans, felt, yarn, Styrofoam and tissue paper for interesting texture collages.

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Q-TIP SNOWFLAKES

On some wax paper -- have children position the Q-tips end to end. Take glue and put it where the Q-tips meet. When dry remove them from wax paper and suspend from the ceiling.

 ANOTHER way to do this is to squeeze a puddle of glue into the middle of a sheet of wax paper. Give the children several Q-tips cut in half (or whole) and then position them around the glue blob. If using half a Q-tip- be sure the swab end is sticking out so it looks like a snowflake.

Insert a loop of string in the glue puddle for a holder. Children can sprinkle glitter onto the glue. The snow-flakes will need a couple of days to dry; then peel them off the waxed paper! (This would also be a nice gift) Photo courtesy of Busy Bee Crafts

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PAPER SNOWFLAKES IN GENERAL...

Materials:
Piece of white paper
Scissors
Instructions:
1. Start with a square sheet of white paper. Fold paper in half diagonally, forming a triangle.
2. Fold paper in half diagonally again.
3. Hold paper so triangle base is at bottom. Fold paper into thirds from the center point. The resulting shape should resemble a piece of pie.
4. Using scissors, cut off excess at the bottom part of the pie shape to reveal a small triangle.
5. Cut small shapes around the outside of the triangle, using designs of your choice.
6. Unfold paper to reveal your snowflake.

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COFFEE FILTER SNOWFLAKES

Fold the filters and then cut out designs and then unfold. Easy! Hang about the room. (Photo from Just for Fun)

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DIP AND DYE SNOWFLAKES

Materials:
Cone or square-shaped coffee filters (or paper towels cut in circles or squares), Scissors, Small bowls of dye (diluted food coloring or strong tempera paint)

Directions:
Fold coffee filters or paper-towel circles or squares in half, quarters, thirds, and so on.
Dip them into a bowl of dye, blot, open up, and let dry.
When dry, fold again and make snowflakes by cutting small shapes along the folded edges.

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SNOWFLAKES FROM PAPER BAKING CUP LINERS (For young children)

Flatten cupcake baking liners and fold them in fourths. Have children cut notches along the folds. Unfolded they'll have snowflakes with different designs.

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MARSHMALLOW SCULPTURES

 

Materials:
Mini and Large Marshmallows
Toothpicks or pretzels
Create sculptures by using toothpicks or pretzels to hold sculpture in place. Let marshmallows dry and get hard before moving around.

You'll notice that young children's sculptures will be longer and flat. The older the child, the taller and more intricate the building will get.

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MAKE SNOW SCENES

Whip Ivory Snow powder with water until the mixture is soft and fluffy.
Have  children finger-paint with the soap mixture on sheets of heavy white paper or tag board.
While the mixture is still wet, have kids add Styrofoam packing pieces for snowflakes and cotton balls for clouds.
Sprinkle on silver glitter to add sparkle to the snow scenes.

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COLD WEATHER BODY TRACING. If you're tracing around children's bodies this winter---add details of mittens, scarves, boots and hats!

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STAINED GLASS

Have children use a mixture of black tempera paint and white glue to squeeze designs onto thin white paper--such a rice paper. When the glue has dried have children paint their paper with watercolors (inbetween the black).

With a hole punch, attach a fish line or string and hang the paper in the window for the light to shine through.

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LIFE SAVER CANDY SNOWFLAKES

Glue together popsicle sticks in a snow-shape pattern. Glue on white minty lifesavers to the sticks. Add glitter to all and hang them from the ceiling.

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PASTA SNOWFLAKES

Need: Wheel shaped pasta, White paint, White glitter, Dry Tapioca pudding mix, Paint brushes, Elmer's glue

Take round wheel shaped pasta and glue them together in a circle shape. When dry--paint the entire snow flake white. Before the paint dries sprinkle on glitter mixed with dry Tapioca pudding mix.
To hang from the ceiling, insert a piece of string or yarn through one of the wheel holes after the snow flake is dry.

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MAGIC WANDS

Materials: tubing any diameter (home depot plumbing dept), plastic end caps (home depot), water, corn syrup, baby oil, glitter/sequins, beads,
food coloring, hot glue

Fill an end cap with hot glue and push it onto the end of a tube (cut to the length you would like) Let dry. Fill 1/2 with water and 1/2 with corn syrup or baby oil as above. Add food coloring or sequins/beads etc. Fill another end cap with hot glue and press onto the top of tube, let dry.

Uses:
They are soft and flexible.. ! Show the children how to turn them upside down and watch the water move. If you have younger children...they can wear them as necklaces, or pull them around like snakes.
Held up to the sunlight they are dazzling. Put different colored wands over each other and watch the "new color". Source: Unknown, Cassie/Mi.

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SNOWFLAKE PICTURES
Fold a circle of paper in half, then half again. Snip out
shapes and open out. Clip the snowflake on top of another sheet of paper and fill in the shapes by patting with a paint-soaked sponge or rag. Allow to dry, and then remove the snowflake to reveal the pattern.

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COCONUT SNOWMAN
Place glue on a piece of paper in the shape of a snowman.
Have the children add coconut to the paper.
Use raisins for the eyes and buttons.

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TWO SNOW GLOBES

SNOW GLOBES OR PAPER WEIGHTS ...Version #1

1. Either supply the group  or have children bring in an empty jar such as baby food, jelly, pickle, etc. Any small, clear jar with a screw-top lid will work.
 
2. Cut a piece of felt or construction paper the size of the jar lid and glue it in place to the top of the jar lid.
Fill the jars within 1/2 inch of jar top with a mixture of 1/3 light corn syrup and 2/3 warm water. Use popsicle sticks to stir until it's mixed.
 
3. Add about 1/2 tsp. (or more depending on size of jar) of glitter --any color of child's choice will do--also add a few snowflake-shaped sequins.

4. After screwing the tops on tightly have an adult hot-glue the lids on the jars so there is no leaking.

Tips: Using a mixture of water with corn syrup "thickens" the liquid and keeps the glitter in suspension longer.
Don't use white glue to seal the lids. It's water-soluble and will turn the water cloudy.

You can also use a non-water soluble glue such as rubber silicone to glue a figure or seasonal item to the inside of the lid.
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SNOW GLOBE #2

Idea origianally from Martha Stewart
You will need:
A jar with a secure lid, Super glue, Glitter, Decorations for the inside of the snow globe, Glycerin (optional)

1.  Jar selection is important; choose one that has a large enough base and is tall enough for the diorama you want to create; make sure that the glass is clear enough to see though.

2. Assemble your diorama on the inside of the jar lid, and when you're happy with how it's going to look, use super glue to stick all your pieces down to the lid. Let this dry according to the instructions for the glue you're using.

3. Fill the jar almost to the top with water and add some glitter. If you've got some glycerin handy, add some, as it will make the glitter fall more slowly. Then carefully turn your lid upside down and immerse the diorama in the water. Make sure you fasten the lid securely, and turn the whole thing upside down. Shake repeatedly!

4. Good Idea! We decided to use a thin piece of lego as the base that we glued onto the inside of the jar lid; this means that when we get bored of watching a polar bear in a snow storm, we can easily take him off the base and add some other pieces of lego to make a completely new scene for our snow globe. Cassie/Mi 

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PINE TREE BRANCH ART

Materials:
Small pine tree branches, green paint, white construction paper, red ribbon and glitter

Put paint onto a small pine tree branch.
Press the branch onto a piece of white construction paper.
Press again in another spot or re-paint the branch before pressing again.
Usually, several pressings can be made onto one paper.
Sprinkle some glitter sparingly onto branch painting.
Tie a red ribbon into a small bow and glue onto the painting when dry.
Try experimenting with different color combinations to see what turns up! By H. Williams in KinderArt.com 

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 WINTER SNOW RECIPE FOR PAINTING

Ingredients: Soap flakes (such as Ivory, water, liquid starch, and white powdered tempera.

   • With a hand beater-mix soap flakes with water into a thick paste. 
   • Add a small amount of liquid starch and tempera.
   • Designs are made by painting with this mixture. 

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SALT CARDS

Need: Holiday cards with 'Winter Scenes', glue, salt

Paint the snowy area with glue and then sprinkle it with salt. It will look sparkly with the glue is dry!

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MAKE A SNOWMAN FROM A FOOT

Paint a child's foot white.
Press the foot onto a piece of blue paper.
When dry add eyes, nose and mouth to the head (heel of the foot) and other features.

You can also trace a shoe and paint or color it in to look like a snowman.

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JINGLE BELL WIND CHIMES
Materials for each chime:
Unsharpened Pencil
10 Bells
Yarn
1. Cut 12 pieces of yarn.
2. On 10 pieces of yarn tie a bell at the end of each one.
3. Tie a plain piece of string on EACH end of the pencil for hanging.Tie them together at top.
4. In-between the end strings, tie the yarns with bells on them onto the pencil.

HAVE FUN WITH ALL THE WINTER PAGES!

Looking for inside acitivities? Be sure to visit  Random Winter Ideas!!!

• Winter Arts and Crafts
• Hot Cocoa Recipes and Fun
• Winter Inside Games
• Winter Outside Snow Games
• Winter Outside Fun
• Random Winter Ideas
• Snowman Themed Games...
• Snowman Themed Arts and Crafts
• Miscellaneous Snowman Ideas
• Snowman Themed Snacks 

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GAMES, GAMES, GAMES! Both Active & Passive Ideas...

 

THREE IDEAS FOR INDOOR SNOWBALL FUN!

You will need:
Several sheets of white paper
Hula-Hoop
Laundry basket
Ping-Pong ball
Empty plastic soda bottle

Crumple up the sheets of paper to make paper snowballs and  try one or more of the following activities with the children:

1. Set a Hula-Hoop on the floor and try to toss the snowballs into the circle.

2. Place a laundry basket on a table and try to toss the snowballs into the basket.

3. Place a Ping-Pong ball on the mouth of an empty plastic soda bottle, then try to knock off the ball with the snowballs without knocking over the bottle.

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SNOWBALL FIGHT

• Crumple up several sheets of paper to make snowballs. Before play begins, create a safe zone to which the children may run.

• Have one player hide (turn their back) with a stack of 'snowballs'. The other players pretend to ice-skate, ski, or play in the snow.

• With a shout of "Snowball Fight!" the hidden player begins to throw snowballs at the players, who must run to the safe zone before a snowball hits them.

• If the snowball thrower doesn't hit a player with a snowball, he must return to his hiding place, and play resumes.

• If a player is hit, he becomes the hidden player.
(With a larger group have 2 or 3 snowball throwers)

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LARGE SEASONAL TIC-TAC-TOE

Adapt tic-tac-toe to play at different seasons and holidays. Take a large piece of poster board and draw the tic tac toe lines on it and laminate if possible. FOR WINTER....
Make winter shape templates of mittens and hats...or snowballs and snowmen.
Cut out the shapes (laminate if possible) and play as usual.

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WINTER PICTIONARY

Supplies:
Black board and chalk or a Dry Erase board. Also markers, slips of paper with a different winter items/objects on each one,a container for words and timer.
 
Example of pictionary words:
mittens, coat, snowflake, sled, ice-skates, snowman, etc...

Divide the kids into teams. The player up draws a slip of paper from the bowl and then reads it silently and hands to it to the facilitator. The player must then draw clues as to what was on their paper -- their team guesses what it is. If the playing team guesses correctly, before the timer runs out, they get two points.

If the playing team cannot guess correctly, before the timer runs out, the opposing team may take one guess. If the opposing team guesses correctly they get a point and the playing team loses a point. Most points wins.
For small children don't divide into teams, use a timer or keep track of points. Just play until someone in the class yells out the right answer.

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WINTER “SIMON SAYS”
Play Simon Says according to the season and theme:
Frosty Says, The Snowman Says, The Polar Bear Says, The Penguin Says, The Gingerbread Boy (or Girl) Says, etc.

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HOW ABOUT A GOOD OLD-FASHION SNOWBALL FIGHT? (Califonis Style!)

I live in Southern CA where we don't get snow. So, each December with my older group of children we assemble about 200 snowballs using newspaper and masking tape. On cold days or on days we can't be outside, we have a snowball fight.

Divide the group into two teams. Put each team on opposite sides of the room with the pile of snowballs in the middle. On go, each team must try to get as many snowballs on the other teams side as fast as possible. I usually time them for about 1-2 minutes. At stop, all of the snowballs are on the ground and staff assist the children in gathering them into one pile and counting. The team with the least snowballs is the winner.

Of course you have to have the typical rules: you can't throw them at anyone, yada yada!.   Have fun!! Tasha/California

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HUMAN SNOWBLOWER TABLE GAME

Race against time and competitors to puff your ball to the finish line.
Materials:
Large paper cups
Table
Ping-Pong ball
Paper towel tubes

HOW TO PLAY:
1. To set up, hang three large paper cups with tape off one side of a table, so that the cup openings are level with the table's surface. Fill each cup halfway with small prizes. (If it's a party;forget the prizes if it's NOT a party)
 
2. Give the first two players paper towel tubes and explain that when you place a Ping-Pong ball in front of each of them, they must blow through the tubes like a snowblower. (Point out that a gentle breath is all it takes to get the "snowball" rolling.)
 
3. Each contestant will have 15 seconds to direct the ball across the table and into one of the paper cups; if the ball goes over the edge first, that player's turn is over. Each winner gets to pick one prize from the cup--and the playing continues until each cup is empty.

(Just play if there are no prizers.This could be an on-going winter game; if it is, have the kids decorate their paper towel tubes with construction paper, stickers, ribbon, drawings, etc.

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PENGUIN SHUFFLE
This is an Indoor race that challenges kids' balancing skills - penguin style.

Materials:
Beanbag or Hacky Sack-style footbag
HOW TO PLAY:
Have children stand side by side with their "eggs" (beanbags or Hacky Sack-style footbags) on top of their feet. Players try to shuffle across the room without dropping their "eggs." The first one to succeed wins.

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SNOWFLAKES KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD (A Relay Game)

Supplies: A 5-inch paper snow flake per team, masking tape or chalk

Divide children into equal teams. Use tape or chalk to mark a starting and turning point--about 10 feet apart for each team. Give the first team members a paper snowflake. At the signal, the first players place the snowflakes on their heads and clasp their hands behind their backs. They walk to the turning point and back.. If the snowflake falls off, players must return to the starting point and begin again.

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GO ICE SKATING

Collect plastic grocery bags. Tie one on each foot. (This will take a little time.) Have children go into the gym and play a game--but they have to skate on the bags! Basketball is a riot! From Mrs.Z/Rochester, Mi.

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PLAY  20 QUESTIONS WINTER STYLE!  
One person picks something that is WINTER RELATED... and then the rest of the children ask "Yes -or -No- questions’ (up to 20 questions only) until someone guesses who/or what the person has chosen. Another version of this game is to place something "Winter-ish" IN A BOX that the children can't see. Play the game from there! (You could put in a mitten, snowball-in a baggie), hat, paper snowflake, chap-stick, etc.) 

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SNOWBALL RELAY GAME

Supplies:
Styrofoam ball for each team
Pencil for each team
How To Play:
Divide into teams. First child on each team will be given a Styrofoam ball (snowball) and a pencil.
On your mark- they are to bend over, place the ball on the floor, and push the ball with the pencil across the room, around an obstacle, and back to next child on team. First team to finish wins.
Source:kaboose.com

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SNOWBALL RACE

You'll need:
Styrofoam balls or balls of white yarn, spoons and mittens for each team.

Play this game as you would any relay race. Divide into teams. Each player takes turns putting on mittens and balancing a "snowball" on a spoon while racing to the other side of the room. Drop the snowball
into a bucket, return to the team, pass the mittens and go to the back of the line. First team to complete the race wins!
Source: Amazingmoms.com

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JACK FROST GAME

Materials: Paper Snow ball, snowflakes and shapes...chairs or carpet squares, tape

Divide kids into 3 groups--
   • The snowballs
   • The snowflakes
   • The icicles.
Tape one labeled paper shape on each child to indicate what group they are part of. Have the children sit in a circle on chairs or carpet squares.
Choose one child to be Jack Frost and have him/her stand in the center of the circle.
Remove Jack Frost's seat from the group so there is one seat less than the amount of kids playing the game.
Begin by having Jack Frost call out ONE group name---such as "snowballs" (or one of the other two)

When a group hear their group name called, the children of THAT group run to a NEW chair in the circle. (All in that group switch seats) At the same time, Jack Frost tries to get into one of the empty seats...
Whoever is NOT in a seat is the NEW Jack Frost.
Jack may also call out SNOWSTORM! If so...All kids find new seats!

I first thought this game is only for younger children; however, even 3-5 graders wanted to play too! I join in and play with them. Laugh and have a good time. When adults laugh and play too...the kids have a better time! Barb

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MARSHMALLOW SNOWBALL FIGHT

Do you have a 'small' group? If so, during the winter months when children can't get outside or if you live in a warm climate and want to have a snowball fight-- use large marshmallows.

The children stand across from each other and start throwing. Put the marshmallows into containers. The side that makes them all disappear first wins. After they all hit the floor you can use again to throw some more.

Remind the children they can't eat them after they hit the floor or ground! This is a fun activity for ages 3 and up.(My older grandchildren love to do this all year round when they visit, they bombard grandpa! Barb

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SNOWBALL OVER THE MOUNTAIN

Supplies:
Sheet
White balloons blown up
Adults to help
How To Play:
Children are divided into two teams. A sheet (the mountain) is held above eye level between the two groups by adults or tall youth (holding each end). Each side throws snowballs (white balloons) over to the other side. Adapted from kaboose.com

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SHOE BOX RELAY RACE

Supplies: Tootsie Rolls (1 for each child)
Shoe box for each team, Bell for each team
2 mittens for each team
2 bowls for each team

How To Play:
   • Place tootsie rolls, in a bowl, at the opposite end of the room. 
   • Divide the children into two or more relay teams.
   • Explain that when you say, "GO" the first person on each team will put on the mittens, step into the shoe boxes and race to the other end of the room.
   • They are then to pick up a tootsie roll out of the bowl and race back to their team still wearing their mittens and shoe boxes.
   • Pass the mittens and shoe box to the next person in line, sit down, eat your tootsie roll.
   • The first team to finish eating their tootsie rolls wins! Adapted from Kaboose.com

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DRESS YOUR TEACHER RACE!

   • Have a large area with two adults and their own gloves, hats, coats, scarves, and boots laying next to them.
   • The children l line up in front of one of the adults and one at a time run up and place an item of winter on the adult.
   • The first team done wins.
   • Children love the excitement of this game and it also gets a lot of energy out on days it is too cold to go outside!

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SNOWBALL THROW

Supplies: A line drawn or taped on the floor --pre-made tissue paper snow balls.
How To Play:
   • Set a time for 2-3 minutes.
   • Yell, "GO"!
   • Each team throws their tissue paper snowballs back and forth across the lines.
   • When the timer goes off, the team with the LEAST amount of snowballs on their side wins.

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A FLORIDA SNOW IDEA

My kids (all ages) have a great time balling up old newspaper and then taking the "snowballs" outside for an old-fashioned snowball fight. Just remember that newspaper can leave inky hands... you could also use that rejected copy paper that is saved in trash bag or large marshmallows (both read about elsewhere on this site) for warm climate winter game ideas! From Casey

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***Idea: PLAY COLD BALL using a large white Styrofoam ball…the same way you would play "Hot Potato".

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PASS THE ICE (Young kids)
Play just like hot potato only with an ice cube. When the music stops clap for the person with the ice.

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PASS THE SNOWBALL - Circle Game (For younger kids)

When you have snow--make a couple snowballs and freeze them until they are very hard.
Have the children put on their mittens. and play the "Wonder-ball game".
While passing the snowball around the circle have children memorize and say, 

 
"The wonder ball goes round and round. To pass it quickly, you are bound. If you're the one to hold it last. The game for you has quickly passed. Out goes Y-O-U!"

The children sit out the rest of that round (or you can have them stay in--it's your choice how you play this part)
The kids will think it's fun wearing their mittens during inside time--to play this game.
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INSIDE SKATING RINK
There have been several games in here describing games that simulate "indoor ice-skating". This is what we do with out kinder-program.
We make a skating rink on the carpet by placing tape on the floor as an outline and then put wax paper on the children's shoes. They really like to do this---and it's also good for indoor large motor skills. (Sarah/Oakbrook)

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HAVE FUN WITH ALL THE WINTER PAGES! 

• Winter Arts and Crafts
• Hot Cocoa Recipes and Fun
• Winter Inside Games
• Winter Outside Snow Games
• Winter Outside Fun
• Winter Inside Fun
• Snowman Themed Games...
• Snowman Themed Arts and Crafts
• Miscellaneous Snowman Ideas
• Snowman Themed Snacks 

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SNOWMAN BOWLING

Fill two liter pop bottles with some sand; paint them white and add a snowman face! The children then row a ball at the snowmen and try to knock them down (You can play this seasonal game from first snowfall to last)

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FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

(Team game good for a party)
Supplies:
A roll of toilet paper for each team.
Sheet of orange, black, red and yellow construction paper for each team.
Hat for each team
Scissors for each team.
To Play:
Have several teams of four or five children. When you say, "GO" they should wrap one of the people on their team up in toilet paper (leaving an opening for nose and eyes). Once they've built their "Frosty" they can utilize the hat and construction paper to decorate him. Put a time limit on decorating. Give a prize for the first completed Frosty, most unique Frosty, ugliest Frosty, cutest Frosty, Biggest, Smallest, etc.
Source: kaboose.com

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OUTSIDE SNOWMAN HAT TRICK

Build a plump, snowman in the yard/play field. Make a game of taking turns trying to land a hat on his head by throwing it Frisbee style from 10 (or age-appropriate) feet away.

 

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SNOWBALL TOSS GAME
Cut out two large circles in a large piece of cardboard; make it the shape of the bottom of a snowman. Next draw a snowman head on the top…
Give the children white beanbags, white socks balled up, or white paper crumpled into balls to represent snowballs. These are thrown at the snowman target.
You can assign points to the circles.

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PUT THE NOSE ON THE SNOWMAN...
Draw a very large 3-circled Snowman...
Attach it to a wall or door. Draw on his features and put a small black cross where his nose should go.
Cut out carrot-shaped noses from orange card stock ...When about to play, attach a piece tape to the back side of the nose.
Blindfold children and proceed as playing "Pin the Tail on the Donkey". You can also play Put the Top Hat on Frosty!

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FOUR QUICK IDEAS…

   • Ball up a white sock of white paper and Play “MELTING SNOWBALL” like Hot Potato

   • With musical games play the Frosty the Snowman song...lyrics here...

   • Instead of "Simon Says..." play FROSTY SAYS..." or The SNOWMAN SAYS

   •  MELTING...Have children pretend they are snowmen that are melting.

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SNOWMAN-SNOWMAN WHERE'S YOUR NOSE?
(Played like "Doggie Doggie, Where's Your Bone?")

1. Children sit in a circle.
2. One child is chosen to be the snowman. With eyes covered, that child can sit or stand in the center of the circle.
3.Give a small carrot or an orange carrot shaped pattern to one child.
4. Have the child hide the carrot behind their back. All other children also have their hands behind their backs.
5. All children chant:

Snowman, Snowman, Where's Your Nose?
Somebody took it from your home.
Upstairs, Downstairs, by the phone...
Wake up Snowman, Find your Nose.

6. The child in the center now uncovers their eyes and  guesses which child they think has the snowman's nose. The 'snowman' gets up to three guesses.
7. The child who is holding the snowman's nose, now becomes the new snowman in the middle!  

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 STUFF A SNOWMAN
Need:
Balloons-Amount depending on the number of groups you will be having)
Extra large white sweat suit or a large white T-shirt.

1. Inflate balloons in advance.
2. Divide kids into teams of equal number of players.  Have one of the group put on the suit or tee shirt over their clothes.
3. Teammates are given the task of stuffing the suit with balloons. 4. Set a timer for two minutes and see how many balloons the team can stuff into the outfit before the time is up.
5. The next team of Snowman stuffers tries to top the previous record.

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'DRESS LIKE A SNOWMAN' RELAY

1. Put together 2 boxes of items that a snowman would wear.  Be sure to include scarves, hats, gloves/mittens, boots, large buttons with double sided tape on the back and brooms.
 
2. Make a carrot nose using orange felt and elastic so the kids can put it around their heads over their own noses.

3. Divide the children into two groups with each forming a line.
 
4. Have each player run to the box; put on the snowman clothing and hold the broom.

5. After putting on all the clothing - kids must perform a quick snowman shuffle...take everything off and run back to tag the next person

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HAVE FUN WITH ALL THE "SNOWMAN" & WINTER PAGES!

•  Snowman Themed Games (This one)
• Snowman Themed Arts and Crafts
• Miscellaneous Snowman Ideas
• Snowman Themed Snacks 
• Hot Cocoa Recipes and Fun
• Winter Inside Games
• Winter Outside Snow Games
• Winter Outside Fun
• Random Winter Ideas
• Winter Arts and Crafts

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