More than 65 ideas for all ages! Pre-K thru School-Age! More art/crafts and poems and songs on  Page 2 !

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MAKE TISSUE PAPER JACK-O-LANTERNS

1. For each project, bend a wire coat hanger into a circular shape. You could also have each child bring a pre-shaped hanger from home.

2. Lay the hangers on a large sheet of orange tissue paper. Trace the hanger with glue--so that the glue runs onto the tissue paper.

3. Top each hanger with a second sheet of tissue paper. Allow the glue to dry and then use scissor to remove the excess paper--creating an orange circle.
Have children use paper scraps, markers, scissors and glue to add facial features to their Jack-o-lanterns.

4. Last, wrap the hooks of the hangers with green crepe paper streamers, securing the paper with tape to create a stem.

You can make smaller jack-o-lanterns by shaping a smaller circle and hook out of sturdy wire.

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HALLOWEEN TEA LIGHTS/Votive Candles #1

Material:
Tissue paper or streamers in Halloween colors
Scissors
Liquid starch
Small galss jar
Paintbrushes

Tear the tissue paper/streamers into tiny pieces.
Paint the liquid starch onto the jar; arrange pieces of paper so they completely cover the jar.
Add another coat of liquid starch on top.
Place the jar on something such as aluminum foil to dry.
Drop in a votive candle and let the mood-lighting begin!

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  VOTIVE CANDLES #2

 

Materials:
Baby food jars or jam jars, Scraps of tissue paper, Diluted paste or glue, Votive candles

Clean the jars well and let dry. You can use small jars...but check the size of the votive candle to make sure it will fit. Have the children  brush glue onto the jar and place different colors of tissue paper over the glue, overlapping so the entire jar is covered on the outside. When brushing the tissue with glue be sure to do so gently so it doesn't tear. If it tear, remove or leave wrinkled. The glue will appear to be white but will dry clear and when a candle is lit inside will give off a pretty color and design.

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TEA LIGHTS #3

Materials:
Canning jar, baby food jar or drinking glass
Orange and Black Paint (acrylic enamel or glass paint)
Sea Sponge, Votive or tea light candle, Paint Brush

1. Using the sea sponge, paint the jar by patting orange paint over the entire outside surface. A regular sponge will work but the effect will not be the same as the sea sponge.
2. Allow paint to dry; be sure to follow paint the manufacturer's instructions- if heat setting the paint is required.
3. Practice drawing a few faces on paper until you create a design you like and then  paint a face on the jar with black paint 4. Insert a tea light or votive candle into the glass jar or glass.

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  SCARY WITCHES HANDS/FINGERS

POPCORN GHOSTS
Material: cardboard ghost shapes, popped popcorn, glue with small container from which to dip popcorn, hole punch, string or thread, black construction paper eyes and mouth shapes

1. Cut shapes of ghosts from cardboard. Cereal box cardboard works well.
2. Make a hole at the top of the ghost. Put string or yarn in the hole for hanging.
3. have kids dip each piece of popped corn in glue and stick onto one of the ghost-shape sides. Completely cover the cardboard.
4. When the glue is dry, cover the other side of the cardboard.
5. Cut eye and mouth shapes from the black paper and glue on ghost.

Either hang the ghosts from the ceiling or bring in a small branch from outside. These would make great ornaments for a Halloween tree!

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MAKE BONEY KNOCKER HANGINGS

First make Play Clay (Recipes from Play Dough Category)

3/4 cp salt (175ml)
3/3 cup water (175 ml)
1 tsp. (ml) vegetable oil
2 cups (500 ml) flour
Large mixing bowl
1. Mix the salt, water, and vegetable oil in bowl.
2. Add the flour a little at a time--amd mix until it forms a ball.
3. Knead the ball of dough for about 10 minutes,
4. Store the clay in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

TO MAKE...

 

Materials: Play clay, drinking straws, pencils, paintbrushes, black and white acrylic paint, black shoe laces or elasticized thread

1. Work on a flour-dusted work surface a handful of clay for each child.
2. Knead the clay until it is warm and pliable.
3. Roll the clay into 3/4" (2cm) thick tubes--and then divide them into small bone sized pieces.
4. Shape the pieces to look like bones by rolling the middle to be thinned than the ends of the piece.
5. Press a pencil into each end of the roll to form indentations (see image)
6. Use a spatula to place the bones on a cookie sheet for drying.
7. Push a straw top into one end of the bone and pull it out to make a hole for threading the string through.
8. Allow 48 hours to dry--and then paint the dry bones with a light coat of white-gray acrylic paint.
9. Thread black string through the bones.. Tie each bone in place to form a string of bones to hang from a door or ceiling. (Image -but not project-from Todaysparent)

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MAKE A SHRUNKEN APPLE HEAD

 • Choose the largest, firmest apples you can find. The apples shrink a lot when they dry so you want to be sure that they are big enough to begin with. Firm apples will be easier to carve and will dry out much better.

 

• The first step in making your shrunken apple heads is to peel the apples. You can core them if you would like, although it is not necessary. Next, brush a mixture of lemon juice and salt onto the peeled apple. The lemon juice and salt mixture will help to keeping the apples from turning as brown as usually when they dry.

• Next, you will want to take a paring knife and carve out the basic features of a face from one side of the apple. Don't go into too much detail since when the apple dries any small details will be lost. Focus on creating large features like the eye sockets, a nose and a mouth. Example: To make a shrunken apple for a witch's head you would most likely carve a large nose, two deep holes for the eye sockets and a sneering hole for the mouth. Keep the shapes that you carve simple and larger than you think you need them to be since they will shrink as they dry.

  • Place the carved apples somewhere dry and out of the way. Turn them every couple of days in within about 2 weeks they will have shriveled up into ghoulish little faces. You can speed up the drying time if you would like by setting them on a cookie sheet in the oven on the lowest setting or by using a food dehydrator, although it will still take some time for them to dry and shrivel.

• YOU CAN MAKE A BODY by putting the heads on small bottles (shampoo, dish soap etc.) Make a dress out of a piece of fabric. You can even use a small paper clip to make glasses.

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EGG CARTON SPIDERS
Materials:
Cardboard egg carton
Pipe cleaners
Poster paint
Elastic thread
Something to poke small holes

1. Cut the egg cups out of a cardboard egg carton.
2. Cut pipe cleaners into 3 inch sections.
3. To make each spider, poke four pipe cleaners through each cup sideways. Bend the ends to look like eight spider legs.
4. Paint the spiders black or in any  creative way you want!
5. After the paint has dried, attach a length of elastic thread to the middle of each spider.
6. Hold the thread and bounce the spider up and down as you take it for a walk!

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COFFEE FILTER PUMPKINS
 
Using white coffee filters and a eye dropper...take red and yellow food coloring. Drop on the two colors to make orange.
For jack-o-lantern features, older children can cut and paste construction paper eyes, nose, mouth.
For young children, add features using permanent marker before they begin.

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BLOW ART MONSTERS
Sqirt of paint on a plain piece of black (optional) paper.
Cut a fat straw in half and have kids blow the paint. It will cause the paint to spread. Most will be roundish formations with pointy and squiggled edges.
After the paint dries, glue or paint on eyes and facial features.
Add other decoration of choice.

MONSTER BLOW ART will be similar to this image taken from the Art Category. (Contributed by Mona Kawra at Display Photos)-- however, add details to look more 'monsterish'... 

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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE... by Maurice Sendak
Good for Halloween Time! Read the book...discuss it...and then challenge  children to come up with their own "Wild Things" Magical Monsters.

Put put a variety of paper plates, strips of paper, construction paper, markers, paints, yarn, Easter grass, Egg Carton bumps, etc. Let the fun begin!

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GHOST POPS

All you need is tootsie or blow pops, Kleenex, orange or purple colored yarn and a black marker.
Take your sucker and put a Kleenex over it.
Next tie the yarn on the sucker and make a face using the black marker. You're done.

This craft has been made by most every child at one time or another. You can take it up a notch by making it A GHOST TREAT NECKLACE! Just cut the yarn longer and wear..

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TINY PUMPKINS
Supplies: Acorns, orange paint and green paint
 
Lay acorns on a sheet of newspaper.
Paint the bottom of the acorns with orange paint.
Let orange paint dry. To make pumpkin stems, paint the top of the acorns green.
Allow to dry thoroughly.
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CONDENSED MILK FINGER PAINT PUMPKINS
Materials:
Fingerpaint paper, orange food coloring, condensed milk

Draw a pumpkin shape on fingerpaint paper.
Mix the orange food coloring with the condensed milk.
Have children get creative and finger paint the pumpkin on their paper.
The finished results of this is great. The condensed mild gies the paint a shiny texture.
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SPOOKY SPIDERS
Supplies: black construction paper, cotton balls or cotton stuffing, black pipe cleaners, small bowl or saucer, stapler
Directions:
Using black construction paper, trace around a small bowl or saucer. (Cut out two circles per spider.)
Place stuffing or cotton balls on first circle.
Lay second circle on top of cotton stuffing and staple half-way around.
Insert 3-4" pipe cleaners on each side, then staple the second half of the circles together.
Bend pipe cleaners to make the "legs" of the spider.

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PLASTIC BAG GHOSTS

Materials:
White plastic trash bags
Black marker
Balloons
String
Scissors
Masking tape
Directions:
Blow up/inflate the balloons and cover each one with a trash bag. With the string, gather and tie each bag under the balloon to make a head. Using  markers, draw a spooky face on the trash bag. Be  creative and make your face scary or funny! 

Attach a piece of string to the top of your ghosts and display them  around your program room, yard or house. You can also use helium to have them 'float'.

 

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GLOWING GHOSTS
Materials:
Round, white balloons, cheesecloth cut to lengths of about a yard, and glow sticks. This sample used green, 4-inch glow sticks, found in party supply stores or on-line.

1. Activate a glow stick and insert it into a balloon.

2. Position the knot at the top of the balloon, and use an indelible black marker to draw the eyes and a mouth.

3. Drape the cheesecloth over the balloon, cut a small hole and push the knot through the fabric. Secure with string and hang in the breeze. Source: Readers Digest

YOU COULD ALSO... tie small glow sticks to string attached to helium balloons and let them sail over your house for spooky lights in the sky. Make sure to tie off the strings to something solid so they don 't get away!

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MAKE A PUMPKIN PAPER CHAIN
Take a strip of orange construction paper about 3 inches wide
fold into an accordion about 3 inches square.
When all folded-- cut the shape of a pumpkin leaving the side with the fold NOT cut.
When you open you will have a chain of pumpkins.

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MAKING 'TREAT BAGS' for a party goodies...
Supplies: Small brown paper bags, Halloween stickers, markers, treats (candy, pencils, erasers, bubble gum, etc.)
 
Decorate paper bags in Halloween theme using  art supplies.
Put treats inside bags.
Fold the top of the bag down and tape shut with a Halloween sticker.

#2 Idea...TRICK OR TREAT BAG

All you'll need is 1 white gift bag that is big enough to fit all the collected Halloween goodies. (Check out a dollar store; they usually have them)
Put out an assortment of decorations such as: shapes cut out from orange and black construction paper, markers, stickers, yarn, etc.

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MACARONI SKELETON

• Need: Black construction paper (approximately 6" x 11.5")
• Glue that will dry clear
• Lima beans (head, thorax, hips)
• Short, small macaroni in a tube (spine)
• Thin twisted macaroni (arms, legs)
• Elbow noodles (ribs)
• Small shells (joints)
• Spaghetti (fingers, toes)
• Black permanent marker

Directions:
1. Build a sample skeleton for the children to copy from. Review the key features with them.
2. Guide children to  build their skeleton working from the head down (i.e., head, neck/trunk, ribs, etc.), gluing the macaroni and beans to the paper as they go.
3. When they glue and macaroni has set, have them draw a smile and eyes on the "head".
TIPS:
As preparation for this project, study the human skeleton. Talk about symmetry between the two sides of the body, and how many ribs, fingers and toes we have. (Also good at Halloween!)
Source: Kaboose.com

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Q-TIP SKELETONS
Basic Directions
Materials for each basic project:1 sheet black construction paper, 5 full length Q-tips, 6 Q-tips cut in half, white glue
 
Make a skeleton head
Glue and place Q-tips in the following order...
•Place one whole swab vertically from the neck down (forms spine)
•Five half swabs on either side of the spine make the ribs...
•Two more whole swabs then make the legs, with the other half swabs for the feet.
•Add the other two whole swabs for the arms.

Challenge kids to design their own creative skeletons!
Having the skeletons engaged in movement (As the two images show) make a fun project! Cut off cotton tips and various lengths and create! Images Sources: crafts-for-all-seasons and busybeekids

 

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CHEESE CLOTH GHOST
Material:
Cheese cloth
Liqid starch... or... 2 cups white glue (I personally prefer the starch-Barb)
16 oz plastic cups
 
1. If using glue, dilute the white glue with 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water. (You should use about 3 parts glue to one part water) If using liquid starch-just use as is and dip. 
2. Have children dip a piece of cheese cloth into the liquid starch or diluted glue-- and then drape the wet cheese cloth over the 16 oz cups. 
3. The "ghosts" should dry for about two days.
4. Carefully remove the cup from the hardened cheese cloth. Children can decorate their ghosts. 
5. Hang the completed ghosts from the ceiling.

You can also make larger versions by draping cheesse cloth over a blown-up balloon. When dry--carefully pull cloth of off balloon and glue on eyes. Slip a string through the top and float from the ceiling!
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PUFFY PAINT COBWEBS

Mix equal parts of flour, salt, and water in a large bowl. 

Pour the mixture into squeeze bottles.

Give each child a black paper plate or a piece of black construction paper. 

Have children squeeze the white puffy paint onto the black paper. 

There are also three other puffy paint recipes in the Painting Recipes Category!

When the paint dries, it will look like glittery cobwebs. You can add a plastic or black pom-pom spider to the art.

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SPOOKY SPIDERWEB MARBLE PAINTING...Nice to hang and display...
 
1.  Give children BLACK construction paper and WHITE thick tempera paint in shallow dishes.
2.  Put paper in a box with sides at least 2" high.
3. Either put a small puddle of paint in the center and corners of the paper and drop a marble or two in the box...OR dip a marble in the the dish of white paint and use a spoon to scoop it out and onto the paper.
3. Hold the box tilting it gently back and forth as the marble moves across. If using the 'dipping the marble method' and there is no more paint, dip the marble again.
4. Continue until children see a white spider web!

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HALLOWEEN/AUTUMN CANDLE HOLDERS...

 Anchor pillar candles in a bed of candy corn or black and orange jelly beans for seasonal touches. Mix in with fall follage, ghourds and pumpkins! This can also be done on a smaller level using baby food jar and tea lights. Set the tea lights on a bed of candy corn.

You can also place small votive candle holders in larger holders. Next  fill the outer votives with freshly squeezed BLOOD (2 teaspoons corn syrup mixed with 3 teaspoons water and several drops red food coloring). Center smaller votives in this...

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HALLOWEEN OPEN ART TABLE
Just set out Halloween themed materials, and see what the kids come up with!

Choose from:
Black, orange, and yellow construction paper, cardboard pumpkin-pattern templates, pieces of foam/felt, markers, glitter, seasonal stickers, yarn, large and small paper plates, crafts sticks, thick orange, black, and white tempera paint in shallow dishes, shallow boxes and lids, orange and black pom-poms, pasta shapes, scissors, and glue, etc. Nature treasures from outdoors could also be provided--such as straw, twigs, and seeds.

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HAUNTED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Who says gingerbread houses are only for Christmas?
 
Ingredients: Graham crackers, store bought or homemade frosting (try to find orange and black or pre-dye), Halloween candy and sprinkles (candy corn, black licorice, orange, purple and black variety) Make bats, ghosts, tombstones, and other ghouls out of icing, fondant, or gum paste.

 

Build your gingerbread house cute or spooky. Anything that's a little off-kilter or asymmetrical works great!

PUTTING THE HOUSE TOGETHER...
Help kids assemble their house using frosting to glue the graham crackers together into a house. Do this by placing one graham cracker flat on the table, squeeze a little frosting around all edges. (You may need an extra pair of hands.)
Place one cracker on each side standing up. It now looks like a box without a top.

Carefully squeeze more frosting on all outside corners from top to bottom and around the bottom of the box. Let it stand for a short while to let frosting harden a little. This will make working with the roof a little easier.
 
Now squeeze frosting on two of the top edges of the box and place the last two graham crackers in a V shape on as the roof. It looks like a triangle on a box now from the side. It may overhang if you can get the frosting to hold for you.
Squeeze frosting along the top of the roof where crackers join. Let stand again until frosting hardens a little.

Squeeze/put small amounts or frosting on candy. Place candy on the house to decorate. You can use the frosting to add things like doors and windows. Just use your imagination.
Embellish with Halloween craft items.
Image by "EdibleArt" on Flickr.com

AN EASIER GINGERBREAD HOUSE...

Need: Single serving milk cartons, empty and washed
White frosting/icing store bought or recipe
Graham Cracker Squares
Decorations, candies, sprinkles or other Halloween treats
 
Prepare white icing/frosting if you are not using store bought.
Each person should have their own single serving milk carton.
Place your carton on a sheet of waxed paper on top of heavy cardboard or a paper plate.
Attach graham cracker squares to sides of carton by spreading icing/frosting on carton and pressing cracker firmly onto carton.

Do the same for the roof using two graham cracker squares. For area between sides and roof - cut a graham cracker in half on diagonal to form a triangle and attach the same way.

Once you have your sides and roof attached use icing/frosting to attach decorations and candies to your house. You can pipe icing/frosting into the cracks with a cake decorator or with a plastic bag filled with icing/frosting.

Use your imagination to create windows and doors with different shaped and colored candies. Add other elements as you wish.

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GHOST DECORATIONS
Materials:
White paper napkins or tissues
Yarn or string
Black paper or a black felt-tip pen
Glue

1. Start with the ghost's head, by making a ball with one napkin or tissue.
2. Place the ball in the center of an opened-out napkin tissue, and then close your hand tightly around the "head".
3. Tie a piece of yarn around the napkin / tissue under the "head". Be sure that the length of yarn is long enough to hang the ghost.
4) To make the eyes, cut out 2 small triangles of black paper and glue them on the ghosts head or  draw them with the felt-tip pen) to make the eyes. You can also add a mouth and a nose...
5. Hang the small ghosts around the room.

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FOOTPRINT GHOST (Feet in Paint)
Materials: black construction paper,  black marker, white poster paint, a large ice cream bucket lid or flat container, sponge paintbrush, and  bare FEET!

1. To make the footprint ghost, put a piece of dark paper down on the floor. Spread white paint in a thin layer on the ice cream lid or flat container.
2. Have children put their foot in it. Make sure the entire bottom of their foot is covered in paint.

3. Use the sponge paintbrush to spread more paint on the child's foot if you need to.
Have  child step on the dark paper. Again, make sure that the entire foot makes a mark on the paper.
4. After paint dries, have kids put two eyes and a mouth on the ghost with a black marker.

If you fold the construction paper in half beforehand, you can make wonderful
Halloween cards...

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FOOTPRINT BATS
 Material:
Construction paper in Halloween 'bat' colors

Trace child's foot on three pieces of paper the same color.
Cut them out.
With one footprint, cut off the toes in a curved shape.
Next glue the other two footprints on each side of the footprint with no toes.
When dry--glue two googly eyes or white paper circles (eyes) on the bats head.
To hang bats up, either use clothespins or glue magnets on the back and display them on a refrigerator.

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FOOTPRINT WITCHES

Trace and cut feet out of black paper. The toes are the bottom of the witches dress and the heel is the head. Glue this to a sheet of construction paper for the background.
Glue on Q-tips for arm and legs.
Draw a face... and add a pointed witch's hat.

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HALLOWEEN PAINTED HANDPRINTS
Create Halloween art projects that parents can keep to remember their child's little hands!

HANDPRINT GHOSTS
Paint child's hand with white tempera paint.
Have
child place their hand (with fingers close together and pointing down) on a sheet of black paper. Do this once or several times to have scary ghosts floating through the air. When  paint dries, add eyes and a mouth using black permanent marker, google eyes or bits of black paper.

HANDPRINT BAT
Paint both hands black with washable paint.  Have child put their thumbs together with the fingers spread out. Carefully place them on the paper. (For a younger child you may want to do one hand at a time.)

HANDPRINT SPIDER
1. Have children make a fist. Paint the palm side of the fist paint black and have child stamp their painted fist onto a piece of white paper.
2. Open the fist up. Paint all the fingers black but NOT the thumbs!
3. To make the legs--have child put their finger prints on either side of the fist print.

Variation: Paint the spiders individually; laminate them or make them using fun foam. Cut out the spiders--tape a string to the back-- and hang them from the string.
Idea and image: cereschildcare...

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HANDPRINT SPIDER AND GHOST TOGETHER...

 

Use a full sheet of orange paper.
Paint one white, upside-down handprint for a ghost. When dry-using a black marker-add two black eyes and mouth.

Make two black handprints palm to palm (no thumbs) to make a spider. When the spider is dry-- paint two white dots for eyes. When eys are dry- make two black dots inside the white dots for eyeballs.

Make a black line up to the top of the paper to form a web coming down to the spider.
Optional: Write 'Trick or Treat!'

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COOKIE MONSTERPIECE...

A craft and snack in one!
Have a table set up with plenty of sugar cookies cut out in different Halloween shapes. Put out a variety of frosting, candy corn, chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc. Great for pre-school through grade school. Photo Source: pinchmyself

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Lots more on Page 2 of Art & Crafts!

• Also...be sure to check out Halloween Snacks-many are artsy/crafty!
• Easy Costumes and Make Up
• Halloween Decorating (Check here for fun home craft ideas)
• Decorating a Mad Science Lab
• Purple People Eater Theme
• Halloween Games (More than 60!)
• Autumn/Fall Pumpkin Theme

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What's Behind Children Saying:
 "I'm Bored?"

1. First, look at your program---is it stimulating where children will not be bored? Do you address the needs of the whole child; do they have enough to do?  Can they choose from: Art, crafts, science/nature, music, gym, outdoors, community service, RAK, cultural diversity, clubs and classes, dramatic play, fine motor, and so on? 

Honestly evaluate your program; if it is lacking -- meet with your co-workers and offer curricula with more variety and choices. Meet the interests and needs of the children!
 
2. Second, ask yourself if the child is seeking attention? If this is the case, notice, pay attention, and listen.  Give attention to appropriate behavior whenever you can. Sometimes a short conversation or some one-on-one attention is all the child needs.
 
3. Next, is there something the child wants to do---but for some reason just can't at this time?  Often when a child says, “I’m bored,” You can say, "Are you bored", or is there something you’d like to be doing now…that you can't?” You may be surprised when you hear, “Yes. I want to be on the computer, and I’m number five.” I’ve been in this position a few times over the years; each time I've asked, the child looks surprised and then responds, “Yes, I want to________."

4. Last, some kids just haven’t learned how to make decisions or entertain themselves. Our children live in a world of constant external stimulation; they are overscheduled where they go from home to school-age care to class, and back to SAC. THEN… there are the sports, dance, music, dinner, homework, and a multitude of other things thrown in.

They haven’t had time to figure out that “doing nothing and just vegging out" is O.K. Help them learn their rhythm, rhyme, and reason. When you feel this may be the case with a child, you can help them along by asking, "What kind of mood are you in?  Do you feel like being slow?... Fast?... In-between?"  Get them to think about what and how they are feeling. The goal is to teach children to find things to do on their own--to relax and reflect -- to figure out what THEY like to do!

   • Suggestion: Put together a very long eye-catching list (in large type) of all the activities that are easily available in your program. You should be able to come up with more than 50 ideas. You can ask the children if they looked at the list for something to do. 

 • Read note below from Tasha Palmer/California and Click for a sample

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 7/27/09 A really good idea...from Tasha Palmer who directs a program in California.

She wrote: My kids and I sat down one day and created a list of things that kids can do in the program when they are bored. It started out as one child claiming to be bored. Then it became a challenge. We came up with 100 things by the end of the year. The kids were really creative!

Address the above points and you'll seldom hear again, "I'm bored".

Return to top of page

Barbara Shelby
Training, Program Assessments & Consulting

 

MAKE TRAVELING FUN!!! TIPS, GAMES, BOOKS, IDEAS...

BETTER FAMILY VACATIONS
Everyone dreams of a perfect family vacation. There will be a lot of together time with family members enjoying themselves. Everyone will find time to relax and unwind, and everyone will come back refreshed. Yet anyone who has ever taken a family vacation has discovered that they're far from perfect and that you never know what to expect! If you plan carefully, however, you can create better family vacations in which everyone comes home with fond memories.
Try it...Read TIPS for all parents and also with children 9 to 15 at the bottom of the page!)

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TRAVELING GAMES-ACTIVITIES 

 1. WHAT CAN YOU TAKE TO KEEP KIDS BUSY?

This is what Cassie in Michigan does when traveling in the car, plane or train with her grandchildren!
 
I give my grandchildren things like pipe cleaners, stickers and paper, aluminum foil (they mold it into whatever they want), scotch tape and post-it-notes, band aids (by the time you get somewhere they may be wearing the entire box--and that's OK if it keeps them happy! With this--you won't later find melted crayons on your back seat! 

2. Depending on the age of your children-- you can add:

• Books to read as well as age appropriate activity books, comic books and sticker books
• Threading sets (pictures with yarn)
• Magnetic Travel-size games such as Monopoly, Sorry, Battleships, Chess, Backgammon, Checkers, and Chinese Checkers
• Travel-size Magna- Doodle and Etch-a-Sketch
• Small Lego sets in Ziploc bag to store the pieces  
• Travel Desk sets
• Wipe of easels (white-board) with board markers
• Miniature worlds: little houses, etc. with figures, hand-sized playsets
• Small magnetic puzzles 
• Small wind-up toys
• Decks of Cards such a "Go-Fish" and regular...
• Miniature cars--sold in portable sets
• Small sets of plastic figures such as dinosaurs and animals
• Yarn and string for finger knitting and making Cat's Cradle, etc.
• Blank Paper for Tic Tac Toe and Hangman
• Hand-held toys with the sound turned off
• DVD players-and favorite movies
• CD players
• Handheld electronic games
• A map to mark follow and mark off--how about a compass too!
• And of course...favorite snacks!!!

The aluminum foil that Cassie suggests is great! Kids can mold it into anything they want! Challenge them to come up with something really creative such as crowns, animal shapes, masks, jewelry, a headband and more...

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3. AN ACTIVITY SET  MADE TO TRAVEL... along the same lines--game and activity sets have been made and packaged for travel.  Fun travel games are great for keeping kids occupied on long trips. You can put your own travel box (such as above ideas) -- or purchases a kit such as shown--this one includes travel games for kids of all ages; checkers, car bingo, solitaire games, tangrams, doodle board, license plate games, and more.

4. DON'T FORGET THE BOOKS!  Check out the Book List on our Summer Reading page AND on this page. There is an excellent list of books for kids and teens to read during 'ROAD TRIPS'!

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5. "MAKE OF CAR" SCAVENER HUNT

Materials: List of cars, pencil and lots of time, time, time...
Players: Small to medium groups

Here's a game for the kids to play on that next long car ride. It's a car scavenger hunt and here's a list to get you started.
Print this list and have players mark off which cars they have spotted.
If there are several players, take turns as to who marks off the next car that you pass or that passes you--or make a copy for each child!

• Accord
• Aerostar
• Alero
• Astro
• Audi
• Aurora
• Blazer
• BMW
• Bonneville
• Camaro
• Camry
• Caprice
• Caravan Caravel
• Cavalier
• Celebrity
• Cherokee
• Cirrus
• Civic
• Concord
• Contour
• Corolla
• Corsica
• Cougar
• Dakota
• Denali Escort
• Excursion
• Excursion
• Expedition
• Explorer
• Galant
• Grand Prix
• Hummer
• Infiniti
• Interpid
• Intregue
• Jimmy
• Kia Laredo
• Lexus
• Lincoln
• Lumina
• Mazda
• Mercedes
• Montana
• Monte Carlo
• Mustang
• Mystique
• Navigator
• Park Avenue
• Pathfinder
• PT Cruiser
• Probe
• Ram
• Ranger
• Sable
• Safari
• Saturn
• Silhouette
• Silverado
• Suburban
• Sunbird
• Sunfire
• Tahoe
• Taurus
• Tempo
• Tracer
• Tracker
• Transport
• Towncar
• Venture
• Villager
• Volkswagen
• Voyager
• Windstar

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 6.  PLAY 'COLORED CAR' GAME

Have kids look for cars of a certain color. Be sure to play along with them too. You can time the game so that the person who has spotted the most cars of a certain color wins.

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7. A - Z BACK-SEAT TRAVELS: A way to keep kids occupied while LONG TRIP traveling...

 Need:
1 small notebook
1 large zipper- seal plastic bag
A pen or pencil
Crayon or markers
 
What to do:
1. Before you go on the trip, write name, the place you are going to, and the date that you are leaving on the cover of the notebook.
 
2. At the top of each page, write one letter of the alphabet, beginning with A and ending with Z.
 
3. Place the notebook, pencil, and crayons in the plastic bag and take them on the trip with you.
 
4. As you travel, look for special landmarks or things and write their name next to the appropriate letter. For example, lake would be written on the "page with "L" at the top.
 
5. Draw a picture of that item on the page, and color the picture with the crayons.

You can use blank pages at the end of the book as a travel diary, detailing everything you saw and did on the trip.

Kids will have a full book of vacation memories!

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8. HOW FAR AWAY IS THAT ________?
Pick an object in the distance and have everyone guess how far away it is. Set your odometer and clock it!

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9. PLAY 'RYHME THAT WORD'!

• Think of words.
• Children take turns seeing how many “real” rhyming words they can think of.
• When one word is worn out, choose another word. Remind the kids to use “nice” words only!
• Example: Rhyme words with “time”...
  Chime, climb, crime, dime, grime, I’m, lime, mime, prime rhyme, thyme, slime, bedtime, centime, daytime, enzyme, lifetime, mealtime, meantime, nighttime, pastime, ragtime, sometime, springtime, sublime, maritime, overtime, pantomime, paradigm

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 10. SINGING CAN BE FUN on long car rides. Turn off the DVD'S, CD's and radio --and pick a few of your children's favorite songs and sing them. Try to get the kids involved, taking turns singing the songs in your funniest voices.

For 1 cent to $10.76-- Amazon.com has "ALL-AMERICAN CAR-I-OKE". Yes, karaoke for the car! It'a a kit including a book of 15 great family sing-along tunes and activities galore, an accompanying CD of music, and three booklets of lyrics for the back seat and the way-back.

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11. THREE NOUNS

1. Think up three nouns.
2. Everyone takes turns creating a sentence with those three nouns. 3. Alternate the noun-giver and sentence-makers.
         An example for the nouns: Orange, dog, store
         "The DOG is happy because
          ORANGE colored chew bones
          are stocked at the STORE."

Note from Barb: An orange that you 'eat' is a noun...however, it's used above as an adjective. This can also be an interesting way to review 'part of speech'.

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12. How about putting together a "TRAVELING SCAVENGER HUNT"?  Will you be traveling in the city, on a highway, or in the country? Adjust your list to the places your trip will take you...then...make identical lists for each player. (You join in too!) The first to spot the item gets to cross it off of the list!

 Ideas:

• Maple tree
• 3 kids in the back seat of a car 
• flasing red light
• Person on a bike
• Lady walking and wearing a hat
• Dog 
• Seafood restaurant,
• Coney Island Restaurant,
• Stuffed animal or doll in a back-seat car window
• Motorcycle
• Man with white hair driving a car
• Trailer being pulled behind a car
• Church with a steeple, etc.
• Rail road tracks, etc.
• A lake, river, stream or pond
• A sign that says "Welcome to the State of ________"

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13. Get ready for your trip by making LITTER BAGS FOR THE CAR!

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14. LEARN TO SING THE ABC'S BACKWARDS!  Who can do it first?!!
Why? Just for the fun of it!
Have cards with 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

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15. This one will keep the kids quiet for awhile! CHOCOLATE FACE
Have the kids place a piece of chocolate candy in their mouth--- and see how long it takes to melt! No sucking and chewing it! The one to keep the chocolate in their mouth the longest is the winner.
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SOME OLDIES BUT GOODIES!

#16. 20 QUESTIONS 
One person picks something to be, such as a famous person or an animal, and then the rest of the passengers ask 'yes or no questions' until someone guesses who the person has chosen to be.
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17. I'M GOING ON A TRIP (OR PICNIC OR WHATEVER)... This game is good for one play-- until they learn the trick

The leader (lets say Sarah) starts by saying, "I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing a sun hat." Each person in turn responds with an appropriate traveling item. "I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing _____." Leader confirms by saying "Yes, you can bring ____" or "No, you can't bring that" or something similar.

The Trick:
The first letter of the item they bring must match the first letter of their first name. So Leslie can also bring lotion or lipstick. Paul can bring pants.
Note: This is one of the easier trick games to figure out, so be sure to remind players not to tell the secret. Don't give hints. Kids love figuring this stuff out on their own.

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18. 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.
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19. I SPY

One person says "I spy with my little eye, something that is _______ (name a color)". Then others try to guess what the object is and the one who guesses it takes the next turn.

With older kids instead of this 'I Spy' -- Play 'I'M THINKING OF': The leader looks about the area and says, "I'm thinking of something that is the color_________. Say what the color it is. Children guess what they think it may be. Winner is the next leader. It's the same game as 'I Spy'--buy not with the younger child's title...

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20. 'GUESS THE NUMBER' GAME

The leader picks a number within a range and players try to guess the number. Example: Leader says, "I'm thinking of a number between one and 50". Leader can say "higher or lower-- as the children guess. Correct number guess is the next leader.

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21. WHO CAN?
Can your kids...

• Roll their tongue (85% of people can). 
• Wiggle their ears; wiggle their nose.
• Show they are double jointed.
• Touch their ear with their elbow (I don't think anyone can!).
• Whistle (can they whistle by blowing both in and out?).
• Twiddle thumbs (try to do it in both directions at same time!).
• Rub their stomach and pat head at same time.
• Make owl hoots with clasped hands.
• Make a popping sound with hand tapping their puckered large "O" shaped mouth.

How about you? Can you???

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TIP: If a child is starting to become a challenge, put him/her in charge of a game or go first. It often will change the behavior.

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MORE IDEAS...

22. WHAT AM I COUNTING?
Have one person start counting aloud an object in everyone's view: Windows, white shirts, shoes, etc. Who can guess what the person is counting?

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23. CATEGORIES
Choose a category such as animals, vehicles, countries or food. Each person is to name something that belongs to that group. Challenge players to work in A to Z order: ant, bee, cow. Or, you can name items like hammer, saw, level and the child responds with "tools."

One more option is to have each word begin with the last letter of the previous word: Japan, Netherlands, Somalia, etc.

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24. PLAY 'SIMON SAYS' WITH 'VISUAL MISCUE'
Play 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...

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25. SHOULDER CHALLENGE
A potato chip or cracker is placed on shoulder, while standing. The challenge is to remove the chip with tongue!

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26. DON'T FORGET ABOUT MAD LIBS. They're great to do with the kids as a group! Just shout out to them, 'Give me a noun---or adjective, etc. When complete, read the 'Mad Lib' story aloud with much enthusiasm. The children love it!
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27. I CAN'T STAND _____! (For Older kids)  Have each player in turn describe a food that they cannot stand to eat. Encourage as much detail as possible so that the other car members are disgusted by the food, too...

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28. When you have some down time-waiting...
Start off with what makes you happy ---and then take turns calling out things such as: Sunny days make me happy; Sunshine makes me happy; Warm cookies make me happy; Saturday mornings make me happy; Friday nights makes me happy;Going to the movies makes me happy...Pizza…..Going on vacation...Blue skies...Summer time, etc.
When done in a light-hearted manner, the children will join in and share! You'll be amazed how the atmosphere can change--as well as realizing it doesn't have to be a trip to Disney World to do it!
I actually did this with my three grandsons (ages 4, 6, 9) while waiting for their Dad in the car not too long ago! Within a few seconds, the atmosphere in the car really lightened up and they were each sharing! Barb

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30. Take along a supply of JOKES, KNOCK-KNOCK JOKES, TONGUE TWISTERS, and RIDDLES/TRICK QUESTIONS ...Just copy and paste from our pages. (Tip: When you copy KidActivities pages, the letters will be light blue on your paper--just use your 'computer color font choices' to make the letters black.)
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29. STARING CONTEST...
No laughing, no poking, no nodding, noblinking--just staring into the eyes of your opponent to see who flinches first
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GOOD 'ROAD TRIP' SONGS...

"99 BOTTLES OF BEER"
is a traditional song in the United States and Canada. It is popular to sing on long trips, as it has a very repetitive format which is easy to memorize, and can take a long time to sing. If the 'Beer' lyric bothers you--substitute the word 'milk'  or 'pop' (meaning soft drink/soda)

The lyrics are simple:

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, Ninety-nine bottles of beer.
Take one down, pass it around, Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall.

The same verse is repeated, each time with one less bottle. The song is completed when the singer or singers reach zero.

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THE ANTS GO MARCHING ONE BY ONE...

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five,
The little one stops to take a dive
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six,
The little one stops to pick up sticks
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven,
The little one stops to pray to heaven
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight,
The little one stops to shut the gate
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine,
The little one stops to check the time
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten,
The little one stops to say "THE END"
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

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FOR KIDS & TEENS...
GOOD 'ROAD TRIP' READS!!!

• The Daring Book for Girls
Andrea J. Buchanan

• The Dangerous Book for Boys
Conn Iggulden
Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men

• The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book: Games to Play, Songs to Sing, Fun Stuff to Do - Guaranteed to Keep You Busy the Whole Ride! (Everything Kids Series) Erik A. Hanson

• RandMcNally Kids' Road Atlas (Backseat Books) Kristy McGowan
Rand McNally's Backseat Books® series is your source for fighting those boredom blues. Kids' Road Atlas features real road maps, great travel games, state-by-state puzzles, state facts (including the nickname, capital, flower, tree, and bird), an index, and much, much more. An answer key is also included...

• The Everything Kids' States Book: Wind Your Way Across Our Great Nation (Everything Kids Series) Brian Thornton

• Where's Waldo? The Ultimate Travel Collection (Waldo) Martin Hanford.
The essential travel companion! Now Waldo can wander everywhere his fans do, thanks to a compact bind-up of five classic adventures. Waldo seekers young and old won’t want to hit the road without this paperback compilation of his world-famous excursions.

• Frommer's National Parks with Kids (Park Guides) Kurt Repanshek
Millions of families visit the national parks annually.
We sent our author out to hit the trails and campsites to figure out how to beat the crowds and enjoy an unspoiled family experience of nature.

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Ages 12-up. ...

• This is Texas by Miroslav Sasek
Following the runaway bestsellers This is New York and This is Paris, Universe is pleased to reissue another title from M. Sasek's beloved and nostalgic children's travel series.

• A Kid's Guide to Washington, D.C.: Revised and Updated Edition Inc Harcourt
For children on school trips or traveling with their families, here is kid-friendly information about popular monuments, museums, exhibits, shopping, sporting events--and even day trips outside the immediate metropolitan area. Originally published in 1989, this handy guide now features completely updated text and photographs, along with the puzzles, games, and wonderful tidbits

• Road Trip Trivia: A Big Book of Backseat Brainteasers (Klutz)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that backseat occupants on a trip of any duration are in serious peril of dying of boredom. Just ask them. Klutz has addressed this crisis before with gratifying success.

• Ballpark: The Story of America's Baseball Fields by Lynn Curlee
Grade 3-5…In this succinct and thoughtful overview, Curlee traces developments in the game from the mid-1800s to the construction of landmark arenas. The early 1900s saw the building of intimate playing fields such as Boston's Fenway Park and Chicago's Wrigley Field. Yankee Stadium, "the House that Ruth built…"

• Lady Liberty: A Biography by Doreen Rappaport
A powerfully moving, authentic portrait of the Statue of Liberty, told through the eyes of those who created her and illustrated in glorious detail.

• The Complete Book of Travel Games (The Complete Book Series)
School Specialty Publishing-- Everyone can enjoy their next trip with The Complete Book of Travel Games!

• Rand McNally Schoolhouse Intermediate Geography And Map Activities (Rand McNally Schoolhouse) Rand McNally and Company Action and adventure accompany geographers on their journey around the world with this fantastic activity book.

• Rand McNally Schoolhouse Beginner Geography & Map Activities
Rand McNally--- Big, bright illustrations make finding information fun and easy for young geographers. Schoolhouse's Beginner Geography…

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 HAPPY TRAVELING!

TIPS FOR ALL PARENTS...
• Adjust your expectations for family vacations. Instead of thinking of them as time to relax, think of them as family time where you may need to work a bit to bring the family together. (You can always take time off for yourself to unwind at another time.)

• Get everyone's input on possible family vacations and activities. Your getaways will be more successful if everyone is involved in the planning from early on. Make sure the kids have a good say in what is planned, where you go, and the activities you want to do (and want to avoid). You may even need to plan one favorite activity per person so that everyone gets the chance to do something he or she really wants and the rest of the family can get to know that family member better.

• If you're divorced, be careful not to get your children caught in the cross hairs of competing vacations. Some kids think it's too much to go on two vacations (one with dad's family and another with mom's family) because it keeps them away from their friends too long. Balance your children's needs along with your own.

• Be realistic about budgets. Family vacations can get expensive rather quickly. If your kids want spending money, let them know their budget before you go.

• If you have kids in two different age groups (such as a preschooler and a young adolescent), find activities that both enjoy, such as swimming or water parks. Also let each child choose an activity he or she really wants to do and have the whole family go along and enjoy that activity.

• Consider vacations with different goals. One year have a vacation that's about relaxing and being together. Another time have a vacation that's more adventuresome, where you're exploring a national park or a major city. Another time, consider taking a family service trip during which your family volunteers and helps others. 

• Whenever you take a family vacation, remember to expect the unexpected, have a sense of humor, and be open to surprise and discovery. This will help you keep your balance and your sanity!

This article is from ParentFurther to find simple, practical, and proven ways to help your kids succeed visit their website! It's a great site to both visit and subscribe!

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FOR PARENTS OF KIDS 6-9...

Pack a traveling bag with activities that kids can do while traveling and on vacation. Include blank tablets, washable markers, puzzle and activity books, playing cards, handheld video games, books to read, and so on.
 
Consider putting away several new activities (such as a new card game, puzzle, or board game) and wrapping it like a present. When kids get bored, bring out a present for them to open and discover!

Be intentional about playing together as a family while you're on vacation. The best part of a family vacation is being together and having fun together.

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FOR PARENTS WITH YOUTH 10-15...
 
Encourage your teenager to bring a friend. This often will raise your teenager's enthusiasm level greatly.
 
You may need to rethink and redefine a family vacation for this age group. Don't be surprised if your teenager is more enthusiastic about taking a trip to see a favorite music group, go to an amusement park, or visit a first-class water park.
 
Consider taking two or three shorter vacations instead of one longer vacation. Sometimes teenagers are more agreeable to short getaways (so they don't miss much time with their friends) than long ones.
From Parent Further

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OLYMPICS ARE A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP, UNITY AND PEACE... If you are planning an "Olympic Themed Day, Week or Month" convey to  children in your program-- that this is an opportunity for Fun and Games, but most importantly, the activities are A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP, UNITY AND PEACE...

SUMMER OLYMPICS:
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from July 27 to  August 12 2012, followed by the 2012 Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9...

 

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First a little FYI...WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE OLYMPIC RINGS?

The Olympic symbol consists of five interlaced rings of equal dimensions, used alone, in one or in five different colors, which are, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green and red. The Olympic symbol (the Olympic rings) expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. (See more below in making an Olympic Flag)

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WHAT EVENTS are played at the SUMMER Olympics? Impress the kids with how much you know! (Crafts and Activities follow this list)

• ARCHERY
There are both individual and team events in which archers battle in a seeded knockout tournament, firing arrows at a target from 70 metres.
 

• AQUATICS
Aquatics consists of a range of sports including swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo. Open water swimming is included for the first time this year.
 

• ATHLETICS
There are 47 different athletics events at the Olympics, 24 for men and 23 for women. There is no 50km road walk for women, who also compete in the heptathlon rather than the decathlon, but otherwise the men's and women's events mirror each other.
 

• BADMINTON
There are five Olympic tournaments in the world's fastest racquet sport: men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles. All are straight elimination events.

• BASEBALL
Two teams take turns batting and fielding and the object is to score the most runs in nine innings. Baseball will disappear from the Olympics in 2012.
 

• BASKETBALL
Each game consists of four periods of 10 minutes with five minutes overtime allowed if a match is tied. Olympic basketball gold medals have ended up in American hands more often than not.
 

• BOXING
There are 11 weight categories contested in Olympic boxing - from light-flyweight (under 48kg) to super heavyweight (over 91kg). Only amateur boxers between the ages of 17 and 34 are allowed to enter.
 

• CANOE/KAYAK
Men race in both canoes and kayaks, while women compete only in the kayaks.
Flatwater canoe and kayak racing was first seen at the Olympics with a demonstration competition in 1924, before it gained full medal status in 1936.
 

• CYCLING
Men and women compete in all forms of cycling at the Olympics, although a handful of track events are only open to men. Road races take place in two forms - straight races and time trials.
 

• EQUESTRIAN
The three equestrian disciplines - show jumping, dressage and three-day eventing, which have been part of the Olympic Games since 1912, are the only Games which allow men and women to compete on the same terms.

• FENCING
Fencing is split into three disciplines defined by the type of weapon used. Epee events use a heavier blade, foil events use a lighter blade in which only the torso is a target, while the sabre is a light blade used to cut and thrust.

• FOOTBALL
The Olympic football competition is effectively an under-23 World Cup with 16 teams competing in the men's tournament and 12 in the women's. Professionals are allowed to participate, but in the men's tournament each nation is restricted to only three players over 23 years of age.
 

• GYMNASTICS
Olympic gymnastics consists of three disciplines; artistic, rhythmic and trampoline. Both men and women compete in gymnastics, although each discipline differs greatly with individual and team medals also competed for.
 

• HANDBALL
Two teams of seven compete on indoor courts to score more goals than the other by throwing the ball into the opposing net. Halves last 30 minutes, with a 10-minute break in between.

• HOCKEY
Field hockey is a 70-minute game split into two 35-minute halves, while extra time and a penalty stroke competition may be played in the event of a tie. Both sides field 10 outfield players and a goalkeeper.
 

• JUDO
Judo is a traditional Japanese wrestling sport that dates back to the 1880s and means "the gentle way". Men and women compete in all seven weight classes, with men contesting bouts of five minutes and women four.
 

• MODERN PENTATHLON
Modern pentathlon contains five sports - shooting, fencing, swimming, equestrian and running - which competitors undertake in the course of a day. It is the only event which was created specifically for the modern Olympic Games.
 

• ROWING
There are 14 medal events in the Olympics with women competing in six of these.The competition is made up of heats with the winner progressing to a semi final or sometimes straight to a six-boat final.
 

• SAILING
All 11 classes are sailed in a fleet racing format, whereby contestants will race in a group around a course of buoys. Each boat earns a score equal to its finishing position, with the eventual winner having the lowest score.
 

• SHOOTING
The Olympics have 15 shooting events, six for women and nine for men. For the rifle and pistol categories competitors shoot at targets on the shooting range. The shotgun category sees competitors shoot at clay targets.

• SOFTBALL
Softball is the sole women-only sport in the Olympics. The game is similar to baseball, with some key differences. Women's fast-pitch, the variation used is played over seven innings rather than nine, with a larger ball and pitching is underarm.
 

• TABLE TENNIS
Table tennis lays claim to the title of the world's largest participation sport - a fact attributed to its immense popularity in the Far East. There are four Olympic table tennis tournaments - singles and doubles for both men and women.
 

• TAEKWONDO
Taekwondo is one of many Korean martial art forms dating back to the early 20th century. Men and women each compete in four different weight classes ranging From 80kg and above in men to below 49kg in women.
 

• TENNIS
All Olympic tennis competitions are decided on a knockout basis. Each nation may enter a maximum of six singles players and four doubles teams, who are put in different sections of the draw. For the singles competition 16 players are seeded, while the doubles draw includes eight seeded teams.
 

• TRIATHLON
The Olympic triathlon, a continuous distance race consisting of swimming, cycling and running, is contested by men and women in individual races. The event is made up of a 1.5km swim followed by a 40km cycle and ending in a 10km run.
 

• VOLLEYBALL
Indoor volleyball is played by teams of six over a maximum of five sets, with the first four won by the team who reaches 25 and the fifth by the team who reaches 15, though they must have a two-point advantage. The beach variety takes place on a smaller court with teams of two players.
 

• WEIGHTLIFTING
There are two techniques in Olympic weightlifting - the snatch and the clean and jerk - both performed by each athlete. There are eight weight categories in the men's event, ranging from 56kg to over 105kg. In the women's there are seven, starting at 48kg and going through to the over 75kg category.
 

• WRESTLING
Men's wrestling is contested in seven weight categories from bantamweight to super heavyweight. All seven are contested in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. For the women there is no Greco-Roman .

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CRAFTS...

OLYMPIC FLAGS...

FYI...
The five colored rings on a white field form the Olympic Flag.
The flag was adopted in 1914, but the first Games at which it was flown were Antwerp, 1920. It is hoisted at each celebration of the Games.
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MAKE AN OLYMPICS FLAG (or flags) to have at your events or decorate your room.
 
Explain to the children:
1. The five rings (circles) are interlocking on a white background.

The white background symbolizes peace.
The colors of red, blue, green, yellow, and black, were chosen because each nation has at least one of these colors in its national flag.
 
2. The 5 rings represent the five major land areas of the world - (show this land areas on a map or globe). The five interlocking rings represent the continents of Africa, Australia, Europe, The Americas, and Asia.
The rings are interlocked to show friendship among the nations.
 
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ACTIVITY
MAKE FLAGS OF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED... Decorate the room with the flags. You can also PUT UP A WORLD MAP with the continents of Africa, Australia, Europe, The Americas, and Asia

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MAKE AN OLYMPIC RINGS CRAFT

Materials:
Paper plates (five)
Scissors
Steak Knife (optional)
Markers
Stapler
Hole punch
String
 
1. Cut out the center of five paper plates.
It's easier to use a knife or scissors to make a slit in the center of the plate, then use scissors to finish cutting out the inner circle.
 
2. Use markers or paint to color each plate the color of the Olympic rings. (Color one plate blue, one black, one red, one yellow and one green.)
 
3. Arrange the plates in the order the Olympic rings are in the Olympic symbol. The Olympic rings on the upper row are, from left to right, blue, black and red. The Olympic rings on the lower row are yellow and green.
 
4. Staple the plates together to create an Olympic rings decoration.

5. If you want to hang your Olympic rings as a decoration, use a hole punch to create two holes in the top and hang it with string.

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OLYMPIC RINGS MURAL

Cut five large ring shapes out of sturdy paper.
Have children work together to color or paint each ring one of these colors: red, green, black, yellow, and blue.
Arrange the rings on a plain white sheet of butcher paper and hang it up for closing ceremonies or a room decoration.

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MAKE AN OLYMPIC TORCH

Materials:
An empty plastic small drink bottle
Aluminum foil
Scissors
Red/yellow/orange paper
Sticky tape.
Sand paper
 
Cut the bottom from the drinks bottle and discard. You may need to smooth the edges for young children. Wrap the bottle in aluminum foil, tape down any loose edges. This is the torch...

To make the FLAME...
Cut flame shaped pieces from the paper and tape to the inside of the torch. Start with small pieces at the edge that get bigger as you work in.

The TORCH PART can also be made from paper towel roll tubes--and covered in tin-foil...

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CROWNS FOR OLYMPIC WINNERS/PLAYERS

OLIVE LEAF CROWN #1

You will need:
Green construction paper
Glue stick
Sticky tape
Scissors
Cut a strip of paper about 1 1/2 inches wide. Measure it around the child's head and cut to size.
Cut out MANY leaf shapes and glue them along the length of the strip---leaving a couple of inches at either end. Tape the two ends of the band together.

FYI:
The first Olympic games were held in 776 BC. The olive tree played a crucial role in this event. The OLYMPIC Winners were awarded with a crown woven from olive branches...The first Olympic torch was a burning olive branch.

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LAUREL WREATH CROWN #2

Materials:
Pipe cleaners, masking tape, crayons, markers or paint.
Make a leaf template; trace and cut out the needed number of leaves-
Use a string to measure your head.
 
1. Color the leaves on both sides green.
2. Tape a leaf to the end of the pipe cleaner and secure it with tape. Tape leaves half way down one pipe cleaner.
3. Take another pipe cleaner and place a leaf on its end. Then twist it together with the other pipe cleaner.
4. Add leaves half way down the pipe cleaner.
 
Use the string to measure the pipe cleaners. When the pipe cleaners length matches the string length add a leaf at the end. Twist the pipe cleaner to make a circle and secure with tape.

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MAKE AN OLYMPIC GAME MASCOT  ( To the left are Wenlock and Mandeville~ mascots for the 2012 Olympics starting  July 27 in London--)

Materials for your own class/school/program mascots...

Put out assorted art materials such as:
Styrofoam shapes, pipe cleaners, toilet paper tubes, tin foil, google eyes, paint, spangles, scraps of material, etc. Possibilities are endless) With the children make a list of the qualities a mascot should have. (See the FYI-list the end of this entry)

• Have children design and make Olympic mascots for you school or program.
• Make your character so it has all of the qualities of an Olympic mascot.
• Use a variety of art materials to make the mascots unique.
• Give the mascot a name.
• Display the mascots in your room.

FYI: OLYMPIC MASCOT HISTORY
Since the first mascot in Olympic history made its appearance at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, Olympic Mascots have become a main element of the Olympic image. As a unique and popular image full of vitality, a mascot is able to materialize the Olympic spirit, communicate the concepts of each Olympic Games, promote the history and culture of the host city and create a festive atmosphere for the Games. Mascots act as a significant vehicle for communicating the Olympic spirit to the general public, especially children and youth. Whatever shapes they have, they fundamentally share a creative rationale, that is, the mascots must be able to convey the theme of the Olympic Games, showcase the distinctive geographical features, history and culture unique to the host city. (Click here to learn the symbolism of this years mascots-you will be taken off of KidActivities site)

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THEMED PAPER PONCHOS (Good for Pre-K to about grade 2)

1. Take a large piece of butcher or roll paper.
Fold it in half, and cut out a neck hole along the fold to make a poncho!
2. Next decorate the ponchos in interesting designs---or to go with a THEMED day/week or party!
3. Example: Decorate your poncho with an American Flag or red, white and blue for a Patriotic or Olympic theme!

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TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL OLYMPICS GAMES DAY...

ORGANIZE TEAMS FOR PLAY
BEFORE THE BIG DAY........
 
1. Plan the Olympic Games for the children. (Lots of games on KidActivities!!!)
2. Decide how many teams you will have.
3. Divide the kids into the teams.
4. Have each group decorate a banner with their team name and symbol.
5. Meet with staff members regarding who is to do what.

 
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OLYMPICS DAY
HAVE AN OPENING CEREMONY AND OR PARADE--This will kick off the whole event. 

  • Explain what games will be involved in the competitions, how competitors are expected to win and lose graciously, and point out how much fun the day will be.
  • Organize the children to march around an area holding their banners. Play the Olympic theme or the "Star-Spangled Banner."

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DURING PLAY... 

   Post the rules of the games and review the rules with the children and place signs where events are located.

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END WITH REFRESHMENTS...
MOST OF ALL...HAVE FUN!

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HOLD A CLOSING CEREMONY:
Everyone's a winner!
Call each child's name, and pass out medals, certificates, and prizes

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LET THE GAMES BEGIN Part 1! Some ideas to consider...

Set up a COLORED RING TOSS

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HAVE a HULA-HOOP CONTEST
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A HAMMER THROW
 
Need: Small paper bag, newspaper, string

Stuff a small paper bag with newspaper. Tie it off with a 12" long string. Hold the end of the string. Spin around 3 times. Let go. Watch how far the hammer travels. Record distances. The longest distance wins.
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JAVELIN THROW
Need: soda straws, waste paper basket, tape
Tape 4 straws together end to end. Mark a starting line behind which all players must stand. Place a wastepaper basket 5 feet from the starting line. Throw straws into the wastebasket. Give each player 5 turns. The winner is the child who gets the straws into the basket the most times.
 
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STANDING BROAD STRETCH
Mark a starting line with tape. Start with the toes behind the line. Take one giant step. Measure the step. The winner is the one who took the biggest step.
 
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SHOT PUT FOR DISTANCE
 
Make a ball out of aluminum foil. Hold the ball in the palm of one hand. Instruct children to place that hand next to their ear and then push the shot into the air extending their arms. They can not move their feet. Record distances; the longest distance wins.
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DISCUS THROW
 
Use a Frisbee to play discus...or...
Tape two heavy foam plates together. Hold the "discus" like a flying disk. Throw away from the waist. Record distances. The longest distance wins
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PLAY BADMINTON
 
You can have competitions involving pairs and singles.
You will need a judge to determine if shots are in or out in the event there is a question.
Use the official badminton rules or make your own that are consistent for every team.
 
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SOCCER
Set goals at least 15 feet apart. Goals can be as simple as a rope anchored in the ground.
Play the best two out of three games.
Keep scores for medals and prizes.
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Can you play any of the games mentioned above such as:
SOFTBALL, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, HANDBALL, HOCKEY, TENNIS OR VOLLEYBALL? They're all summer Olympic Games!!!
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TIP:
In preparation for YOUR Summer Olympics you will need:
  • Stop watches
  • Tape measures
  • Whistles for the game officials
  • Equipment that each game requires

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LET THE GAMES BEGIN! Part 2

Check out the great ideas in the RACES, RELAYS, BALLOONS & BEANBAG Category...All great games for an Olympics type theme! There are more than 45 games in that Category!

Also look at ideas in the OUTDOOR WATER PLAY CATEGORY. Towards the page bottom is a description of a WATER THEMED FIELD DAY!

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 Submitted by Doreen Z from Mi./Fla
On rainy days have kids MAKE RIBBONS FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS for the summer or end of school year.  
Use permanent markers or fabric paint to make ribbons for events/games such as:
Best waterballoon maker, 1st in water relay, Big drip award, Little dripper award, etc.

At the end of the day when the kids are drying off and after clean up--pass out the awards. See how many they can collect during camp, field day, or the school year.

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GREAT IDEA!
BEFORE GAMES...HAVE KIDS SAY THE OLYMPIC OATH!

 Every four years the world celebrates as the athletes take an oath...
In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams.

Have your kids put up their right hand and say an oath/promise at the beginning of your games...
A simplified version for the kids to say before THEIR events is...

"I promise follow the rules of the games...
To be fair...
To be a good sport... and honor my teams!
I'll remember to play for fun!

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THIS IS A GOOD PHOTO OP!

This is a good time to gather the children with their Olympic flags and medals and make a group picture or individual pictures before and at the closing ceremony after the games. Make sure someone has a camera and video camera during the events!

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SNACKS...

MAKE OLYMPIC RINGS COOKIE SNACK

Need:
Five Home-made or purchased "ring" cookies (round cookies with a hole in the center) per child.
"Writing frosting" in red, green, black, blue and yellow or add food coloring to white frosting.

Decorate each cookie with a different color frosting. Lay out the cookies on a plate in the pattern of the Olympic rings. Enjoy and Eat!

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INCLUDE A "FRIENDSHIP SNACK"...
TWO FRIENSHIP SNACKS

#1. Have each child bring in a half cup of their favorite snack (You can offer parents suggestion at this point: cereal, raisins, crackers, etc) When you get all of the snacks--- mix them all in a huge bowl and serve them for snack.

Talk about how DIFFERENT THINGS GO TOGETHER to make something very good. This helps get the ideas of diversity, sharing, cooperation, and trying new things across.
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#2. Do the same as above, however,USE FRUIT instead of snack mixes.
1. Have each child bring in one can or piece of fresh fruit
2. talk about how different things go together,to make something very good. This helps get the ideas of diversity, sharing, cooperation, and trying new things across.
3. Donate any left-over cans to a shelter

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TIP
CHECK OUT THE 'PATRIOTIC-RED/WHITE & BLUE CATEGORY'
Many ideas can be used for promoting 'Spirit' in your program Olympics Day or Theme...

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JUST A FYI SAFETY REMINDER!
TAKE A GULP OF WATER...

 

Use caution when it's hot outside, especially for active kids.
In high temperatures, kids don't sweat as much as adults do, so it's harder for them to cool off. This makes them more at risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion.

WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE and kids are playing sports-or even just actively playing-head off problems by making sure they DRINK FLUIDS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER ACTIVITY. As a guideline, encourage AT LEAST 4 ounces of fluid EVERY 15-20 minutes, or whenever there's a break or time-out.
 
Tip: One ounce equals about one "gulp'--therefor 4 gulps are needed for eveery 15 to 20 minutes!

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 This category is filled with ideas for RED, WHITE & BLUE DAYS!  Crafts, Art, Games,  and more! (Red, White & Blue Food is on Page 2)
Consider some activities for themes of  Patriotic, Uncle Sam, USA Olympics, Flag Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Fireworks, Labor Day or the Last Week of School or Good Old USA Days!

CRAFT IDEAS...

STAR-STUDDED LEIS
Need:
Craft foam
Sharpened pencil Elastic cording
Red-and-white striped straws or drink stirrers
Time needed: About 1 Hour
1. Cut out craft foam stars and use a shapened pencil to poke a hole in the middle of each one.
2. String them onto a length of elastic cording, alternating the stars with sections of straw or drink stirrer. Knot and wear.

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FELT AMERICAN FLAG
Materials:
Felt paper in red, white, and blue, white star stickers, dowel stick, glue, and scissors.
Give each child a large rectangle piece of white felt. Students (or the teacher) will cut out a blue square and 7 red strips. Glue onto white felt rectangle to resemble flag. Once dry, have students place white star stickers onto blue felt square. Glue the edge of the flag to the dowel stick and let dry (it may be best to use a glue gun). Let dry.

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RIBBON STREAMERS
Kids will have fun at parades and other celebrations with these hand held ribbon streamers. With just a few strands of ribbon you can create an accessory that looks cool when kids run or dance with it.
What you'll need:
Paper towel roll tube
Tacky glue
Scissors
Roll of red ribbon
Roll of blue ribbon
Roll of white ribbon
Roll of striped red, white, and blue ribbon
Hole punch
Measuring tape, ruler, or yardstick
1.  Wrap the striped red, white, and blue ribbon around the paper towel tube, applying tacky glue under the ribbon as you work. You can wrap the ribbon at an angle or horizontally, whatever you prefer.
2.  After ribbon is applied and glue has dried, punch 9 holes in the bottom of the paper towel tube with the hole punch.
3.  Cut three strips of red ribbon that are 46 inches long. Cut three strips of blue ribbon that are 46 inches long. Cut three strips of white ribbon that are 46 inches long.
4. Tie a knot in the top of each strip of ribbon.
5. Pull each of the strips through the holes so the knot is on the inside
of the tube.
If you can't find striped red, white, and blue ribbon, you can wrap around individual strips of red, white, and blue ribbon.

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AMERICAN FLAG WINDSOCK...
This project is a FUN way to decorate for any patriotic holiday, or to show your USA pride all year-round! American Flag Windsocks are easy to make and perfect for Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

• Remove cover and cut bottom off oatmeal box.
• Cover box with blue construction paper.
• Decorate box with stickers and glitter.
• Cut red and white crepe paper streamers, glue to bottom end of box.
• Punch four holes along the top end of the box.
• Cut two pieces of string about a foot long.
• Tie strings to the holes you have just punched, tie opposite ends of strings to holes on opposite side.
• Cut an additional longer piece of string. To hang windsock---tie this to the other two strings.

Hang windsock from porch, window or a tree!

 TIP: 'USA UNCLE SAM WINDSOCK'...All Windsocks can be decorated to any theme such as this photo example. For this windsock, it is suggested to start painting/decorating from the top and work your way down.

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POM POMS
1.  Cover toilet tissue tubes with red or blue construction paper and have children decorate them with silver star stickers.
2.  Cut red, white and blue crepe-paper streams --into long and narrow strips. Have children glue the strips to one end of their tubes to make pompoms for shaking.

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 DECORATE WITH RED-WHITE AND BLUE TWIRLERS! A fun craft and nice decoration

 Hang from a window frame, tree, ceiling or porch!
Materials:
Plastic coffee can lids (Lids come in a variety of colors), Marker, Scissors, String

 

•  To make one, use a nail to poke a hole in the center of a plastic coffee can lid.
• With a marker, draw a spiral that starts 3/8 inch from the hole (it keeps going around itself in circular pattern) and gradually extends to the rim---then cut along the line with scissors.
• Knot an end of a piece of string, thread the other end up through the hole in the center, and the twirler is ready to hang up and spin.
• To spin, grasp each one at the bottom, twirl it around and around until the string is wound tight, let go and enjoy.  (Source: FamilyFun-but have also seen on CafeMom)

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HEAD BAND
Cut stars out of red, white and blue construction paper.
Make a head band out of white construction paper (make it long enough to fit around the child's head).
Glue stars on the band.
Red, white and blue stickers can also be added.
Allow the glue to dry.
Place band around child's head to get the size right.
Staple the band to make a circle.

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RED, WHITE, & BLUE WREATH
Materials:
Paper plate, white tissue paper, red tissue paper, blue tissue paper
silver streamers or ribbon, silver of white pipe cleaner, glue, stapler
Directions:
1.  Start by cutting out the center of a paper plate - discard the center. 2. Cut tissue into 6"x6" squares. Scrunch a piece of tissue up and dab it into the glue and place on the plate.
3.  Continue doing this and alternating colors until the plate rim is filled all the way up.
4.  Add a little sparkle by adding some silver streamers or ribbon here and there.
5.  Staple a pipe cleaner to the back of the wreath to make a hanger.

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MAKE CELEBRATION FRISBEES
Materials:
Red plastic plates (two for each Frisbee)
Scissors
Steak Knife (optional)
Large Ziploc baggie
Red, white and blue or multi-colored sequins
Stapler
1. Cut out the center of two red plastic plates. 
(Create a slit in the plastic plates with a knife. Next have children cut the rest of the center out with a pair of scissors.)
2. Fill the large plastic bag with colored sequins. 
(The Frisbee works better if you don’t put in too many sequins.
3. Place the plastic bag filled with sequins in between the two plates.
4. Staple the two plates together around the edges with the plastic bag in between. 
(It helps to have one person hold the plastic bag on each end so it’s taut, while the other person staples the plates together.) 5. Trim the parts of the plastic bag that hang outside the edge of the plates.
6. Go outside and throw the new Frisbee! 

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PATRIOTIC STAR
Materials:
Starfish (Real starfish)
Red Acrylic Paint
Blue Acrylic Paint
White Acrylic Paint
1) Paint red stripes on star fish leaving the upper left quadrant blank.
2) Paint blue in the upper left quadrant.
3) Allow to dry.
4) Paint small white stars in the blue painted section.

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RED, WHITE AND BLUE PONY BEADS!

 

 

 

 

TWO IDEAS TO Create your own FIREWORK PICTURES...
IDEA #1
Use dark construction paper, glue and different colors of glitter. These fireworks pictures are great decorations...
Supplies:
Black or very dark construction paper
Glitter
White glue
Old newspapers
A straw (optional)
1.  Work on old newspapers.
2.  Spread glue on the paper in geometric shapes. If the glue is soft enough, you can put a small blob of glue on the paper, and then blow some air through a straw to spread it into interesting shapes. You can experiment with the consistency of the glue and the angle of the straw.
3.  Sprinkle glitter onto the glue. Slide the excess glitter off your picture and back into the glitter container.

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IDEA #2 Bursts of PAINT that resemble FIREWORKS in the Sky...
Need:
Acrylic paint
Drinking straw
Paintbrush
Paper (or card stock)
Water
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less...For each color: In a paper cup--dilute some acrylic paint with water to a runny consistency. Using a paintbrush, drip a few drops of paint onto a piece of paper or card stock (be sure to rinse the brush between colors). Hold  a drinking straw directly over each puddle of paint and blow gently to create a spectacular starburst effect.

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RED, WHITE AND BLUE PUFFY ART
Materials:
Flour, Salt, Water, Red and blue food coloring, Empty squeeze bottles (mustard bottles work well), Cardboard
Directions:
1. Mix equal parts of flour, salt, and water to make the puffy paint.
2. Divide mixture into three different bowls and color one bowl of mixture blue, one bowl red, and leave the last one white.
3. Fill the mustard bottles with the mixture (one color per squeeze bottle).
4. Let the children squeeze the different colors onto the cardboard.
5. When they're dry, the design will be raised and will sparkle!

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RED, WHITE AND BLUE Q-TIP COLLAGE
Dip the end of a Q-tip in glue and glitter and have children glue them on a black piece of paper in the shape of a star - they look like fireworks!

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KIDS ALWAYS LOVE FACE PAINTING!

 

Pull out the red, white and blue paint. PAINT STARS OR A FLAG on the cheeks/face of the kids!

  ____________________

PAINTING WITH GRASS
1.  Gather red, and blue paint---take it outside and paint the grass blade tops!
2.  Set 'white' paper on the painted grass. These are lawn prints, but will resemble fireworks on the paper.
TIP: You can also use different colors for a non-thematic "quick" activity.
This is adapted from an idea by caregiver of autistic children.

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RED, WHITE, AND BLUE ABSTRACT COLLAGE
This actvity is especially good with young children!
1.  Put out pre-cut-shapes of the flag ---blue rectangles, red stripes, and sticky stars.
2.  Instruct the children to create anything they'd like... Some may look like the American flag and some may look like abstract collages---but all will be patriotic!

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CHALK ONE UP IN RED, WHITE & BLUE!
Bring out the artistic side of your celebrants by setting out colored chalk and inviting them to draw a RED, WHITE & BLUE HOLIDAY SIDEWALK MURAL. They might try their hand at colorful fireworks, or as a team--create a giant American flag. The bigger kids can sketch the outline and work on the stars, while the younger ones can help with the stripes. If you have a sunny, dry month---your sidewalk show of patriotism could keep the spirit alive for weeks.

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QUEEN ANN'S LACE FLOWER ART
The finished products resemble brilliant fireworks displays
Materials: Several stalks of Queen Anne's Lace, red, yellow and white paint, dark paper.
1. Pour paint into shallow containers.
2. Have the children dip the Queen Anne's Lace blossoms into paint and lightly dab them on their papers.

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THREE EASY ART TABLE ACTIVITIES
#1.  STARS & STRIPES SPONGE ART
Red and blue tempera paint, Sponges cut into stars and long strips, White construction paper
Let the children make sponge prints on the white paper with the red and blue paint.
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#2.  STAR COOKIE CUTTERS
Gather a few star-shaped cookie cutters and shallow bowls of red and blue tempera paint. Put out all materials for children to press the cookie cutters into the paint and then onto a piece of construction paper to make star shaped prints
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#3.  TEAR PAPER ART
Have a flag as a guide for the kids to follow. Tearing strips of red, white and blue paper, have children glue them onto a large sheet of construction paper. Make sure they know what size they should be trying to tear for the stars, stripes, etc. This is a good idea for younger children but the older may also enjoy it. 

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PLAY DOUGH FUN
Make your favorite play dough recipe and add RED food coloring, jello or kool-aid to one portion, BLUE to another--- and leave SOME AS IS. (Make it with the children) Put dough out along with 'star shaped' cookie cutters and let children create! (Lots of Play Dough recipes here)

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MAKE A TOGETHERNESS FLAG...
Materials Needed
Red, white and blue paint
Paintbrush
Paint Trays
Sheet of paper 2' x 3' or larger

1. On the large sheet of paper, draw lines for stripes and paint a blue square in the upper left corner.
2. Have the children fill in the bottom stripe by dipping their hands in the red paint and pressing them end to end within the lines of the stripe. Using the white paint, have them make a white stripe just above it the same way.
3. Continue until you have all 13 stripes filled with hand prints.
4. Have the children dip their fingertips in paint and make the "stars" in the blue square.
Extension Idea:
Have children make our country's very first flag in the same manner and discuss why it looks different from the flag we have today.

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Back to top of page

GAMES WITH RED-WHITE-BLUE TWIST

U.S. FLAG RELAY RACE
Have the kids make small U.S. flags and place them in red, white, and blue sand pails with sand filler at the bottom. Turn this decoration into a game.
1.  Divide the kids into two teams and have them run, grab a flag, and quickly walk back to the team line.
2.  The next person must do the same. The team with all of the flags in hand the quickest wins!
3.  Be sure to have the kids take the flags home!

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RED-WHITE-BLUE EGG SPOON RELAY RACE
1.  Boil a dozen eggs and color some red and blue. (Be sure to keep some white!)
2.  Divide the kids into two teams, and provide each with a spoon and eggs.
3.  The kids balance a colored egg on their spoon and walk quickly from one end of the game area to the other and return.
4.  If the egg drops, the team member must begin again.
5.  The first team with all members completing the relay race wins!

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UNCLE SAM DRESS-UP RELAY RACE
Need:
Two sets of clothing consisting of: Uncle Sam's hat, a white beard, a blue jacket or shirt, red clip-on bow tie, and a bell.
1.  Separate players into two equal lines spaced approximately 6 feet apart.
2.  Place a set of clothing at the beginning of each line; then place a bell approximately 15 feet in front of each line.
3.  On 'go', the first player in line dresses up in the clothing; then MARCHES to the bell.
4.  When they reach the bell, they pick it up with their left hand, turn and face their teammates and then ring the bell.
5. They replace the bell and MARCH back to the front of their line--remove the clothing--and go to the end of their line.
6. The next player repeats the process; repeat until the last player finishes. The first team to finish is the winner.

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***Click for a great variety of RELAY RACES and picnic games ...(Races, Relays, Balloon and Bean Bag Fun!) You may also like some PARACHUTE GAMES!

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Check out the  RED, WHITE & BLUE JOKES on KidActivities.net

FUN IDEA → If you're having a party, as a warm-up game write down jokes on individual slips of paper. Half the kids/guests get the Question--and the other half get the Answer! Good fun with kids trying to find their Question and Answer match! 

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SCIENCE IDEAS...

MILK FIREWORKS SCIENCE
This is a fun project but NOT a recipe for drinking!
You’ll Need
Whole milk (must be whole milk...project needs the fat!)
A baking pan
Food coloring
Liquid dishwashing soap
Directions
1. Pour the milk into the baking pan.
2. Drop several different colors of food coloring all around the milk.
3. Add a “squirt” or two of the dishwashing liquid, and watch the colors burst and swirl. The dishwashing liquid separates the fat from the other liquids in the milk. If the fireworks slow down, just add another squirt of dishwashing liquid.

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 RED, WHITE AND BLUE CARNATIONS

#1 Idea
Make tie-dyed looking red, white and blue carnations. These flowers look great for any red-white & blue theme!.
You’ll Need:
2 glasses
Water
Red and blue food coloring
White carnations
Green thread
1.  Pour water into a glass of water. Add 7 to 8 drops of red food coloring to the glass.
2.  Pour water into another glass and add 7 to 8 drops of blue food coloring to the glass.
3.  Cut the stem of a white carnation lengthwise. This will make the carnation stem into two thin stems.
4.  Set the two glasses of colored water together. Put half of the stem of the carnation into the red water and the other half into the blue water.
5.  Let the carnation sit for a few hours. The carnation will begin to change gradually into red and blue.
6.  Take the flower out of the mixture in just a few hours before the colors can change the white carnation entirely. You want it so that some of the white is still on the carnation.
7.  Wrap the stems together with green thread and place the carnation into a clear vase of water. Make several flowers and show off your beautiful red, white and blue flowers in a vase.
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Idea #2 RED, WHITE & BLUE FLOWERS...
Kids will enjoy making these using white flowers such as daisies, mums and carnations.
1.  Pour water into a canning jar with several drops of red or blue food coloring.
2.  Place the flowers into the jar over night. Don't forget to set some of the white flowers aside to add to the bouquet.
3.  In the morning, place all of the flowers into a fresh vase of water and tie red, white and blue ribbon around the top of the jar.

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MENTOS ERUPTION -- Soda Geyser-- or just Diet Coke and Mentos

(Do this outside) This is a reaction between Mentos candy and cola. The experiment involves dropping several Mentos candies (usually 5–8) into a bottle of diet cola resulting in an eruption occurring because of rapidly expanding carbon dioxide bubbles on the surface of the Mentos.

I  tried this experiment with three of my grandsons (Ages 6, 8,11-see photo) They all loved it! We quickly put five mentos into the Coke. The reaction starts immediately-so be quick!

If you want an explanation:
There are various theories being debated as to the exact scientific explanation of the phenomenon, many scientists claim that it is a physical reaction and not a chemical one. Water molecules strongly attract each other, linking together to form a tight connection around each bubble of carbon dioxide gas in the soda. To form a new bubble, water molecules must push away from one another. It takes extra energy to break this surface tension. So, in other words, water resists the expansion of bubbles in the soda.

 

MUSIC/MOVEMENT...

THREE FLAG SONGS...
#1 Sung to tune of "Mary had a Little Lamb"
Our flag is red, white, & blue
red, white & blue
red,white & blue
Our flag is red, white, & blue
in the U.S.A.
Our flag has 50 stars,
50 stars, 50 stars,
Our flag has 50 stars, in the U.S.A.
Our flag has 13 stripes,
13 stripes, 13 stripes,
Our flag has 13 stripes,
in the U.S.A.
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#2 DOWN AT THE FLAGPOLE
"Down By the Station"
Down at the flagpole,
Early in the morning,
We will raise our flag,
The red, white, and blue.
We stand at attention,
It's something that we do.
We salute the colors,
The red, white, and blue.
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#3 THE RED WHITE AND BLUE
"When the Saints Come Marching In"
Oh, when the flag comes marching in,
Oh, when the flag comes marching in,
How I love to see its three colors,
The red, white, and blue

Back to top of page 

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RED, WHITE AND BLUE PARADE AND BIKE IDEAS...

 

1.  Using crepe paper and streamers, have the kids DECORATE THEIR BIKES, scooters, wagons, and younger children’s strollers. You can also attach playing cards to the frame so they hit the spokes & sound like a wheel of fortune.
2.  Make musical instruments from ‘Recycled materials’. See  gads of instrument ideas on KidActivities.
3.  You could also take shoe boxes and have the children make “themed’ floats from them! These could be carried in the parade.
4.  Encourage children and staff to wear red, white and blue clothing!

 You now have all the makings for a great parade!!!

BEFORE THE EVENT:
Plan your parade route and then hand out fliers to alert your potential audience of the event--- which would be your neighborhood and parents. Invite all to watch!

EVENT:
You can parade around the school or center block, track or playground. Ride the decorated vehicles, wave banners and march, play the pre-made (and practiced on ) instruments, sing, and have a great time!!!

AFTER:
Consider having an ICE-CREAM SOCIAL!
You can also give out awards ...such as the Best Red, White and Blue Bicycle; Most Original Bicycle; Most Creatively Decorated Bicycle; Most Appealing to Spectators, Smallest, Most Covered, Most Unique, etc.
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ANOTHER IDEA with bikes...
You can also have a "SLOWEST BICYCLE RACE" with decorated bikes... See the Mixing Math and Fun Category (near the bottom of the category page.) Add this to ideas for a 'Red, White & Blue' program parade around the neighborhood!!! We did one with our families last year and it was great fun!!! We're in a quiet neighborhood---advertised for two weeks before---and had all the neighborhood out to watch us! Cassie/Mi.

To keep your lawn chair spectators happy, consider enlisting some of the following:
  •   Families carrying homemade banners pinned across a broomstick.
  •   Pets with red, white and blue ribbons in their leashes or collars.
  •   A parent and kid kazoo band.
  •   In-line skaters wearing red, white and blue T-shirts and helmets, of course.
  •   Bigger kids dribbling red, white and blue basketballs or soccer balls.
  •   A teenage DJ carrying a boom box playing patriotic songs.
  •   Bikes, strollers, wagons and wheelchairs sporting streamers and balloons.
  •   A minuteman marching band featuring kids playing oatmeal-container drums and paper-towel-roll fifes. Band students can chime in with their trumpets and clarinets, and even moms and dads can dust off their old instruments and join the fun.
  •   A clown (a parent dressed in costume) tossing penny candy to the crowd.
  •   Use tape, streamers, flags and balloons to transform a fleet of wagons into patriotic parade floats.

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TRIVIA...

CAN YOU NAME THE ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES? Have a quiz to see how many the kids can correctly name. You can also have the kids guess in pairs or teams! (You may also be interested in the 'Colonial Theme' for some great ideas)

ANSWER:
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO DESIGNED THE FIRST U.S. FLAG?
Betsy Ross --but the answer (according to the experts at the 'Betsy Ross house') is that it was possibly designed by Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The stars on the flag were in a circle so that no one colony would be viewed above another. It is reported that George Washington said, "Let the 13 stars in a circle stand as a new constellation in the heavens."

This is page 1, Go to Page 2 ~ Pariotic Red, White & Blue Food  

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You may also be interested in the 'Cherry Theme'...lots of good ideas that would work with some Red-White-and Blue' Summer Time Fun!

Back to top of page 

HAPPY RED. WHITE AND BLUE DAY!

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'Traveling Around the World' is a great theme for multicultural experiences as well as popular for classroom, day camp and childcare programs! Category resources available at this time are:
•CHINA   •FRANCE  •MEXICO  •USA-PATRIOTIC  •USA-COLONIAL  •All Multicultural Diversity Categories

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SOME SONGS TO USE FOR GRADUATION!

Many to choose from for Pre-K through High School...Some also good to put together for a Graduation Party!

♥Use music to play during a slideshow...
♥During any transitions...
♥While audience is entering and leaving

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•Alice Cooper-- School's Out

•Amy Grant-- I Will Remember You

•The Bangles-- Hazy Shade of Winter

•The Beach Boys--Be True to Your School

•The Beach Boys-- Graduation Day

•The Beatles-- In My Life

•The Beatles-- With a Little Help from My Friends

•The Bee Gees--Don't Forget to Remember

•The Who--My Generation

•Bill Medley-- (I Had) The Time of my Life
 
•Bob Dylan-- The Times They are A-Changin'
 
•Billy Joel-- Moving Out
 
•Billy Joel-- This is the Time
 
•Bo Bice-- Remember Me

•Boston--Don't Look Back
 
•Boys II Men-- It's Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday
 
•Charlotte Diamond--Each of Us Is a Flower

•Carrie Underwood-- Whenever You Remember

•Celine Dion--Because You Loved Me
 
•Chris Isaak-- Graduation Day
 
•Christina Aguilera-- These are Special Times

•Cyndi Lauper--True Colors

•Corey Smith--I'm Not Gonna Cry

•David Cook--Time Of My Life

•Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young--Teach your Children
  
•Crosby Stills and Nash-- Wasted on the Way
 
•Diana Ross-- I'm Coming Out
 
•Dido-- Here With Me

•Elton John--Circle of Life
 
•Eve 6-- Here's to the Night

•Everyly Brothers--Dream

•Faith Hill-- There You'll Be

•Frank Sinatra--High Hopes
 
•Green Day--Time of Your Life

•Gwen Stefani--Running

•Hoobastank-- Remember Me
 
•Indigo Girls-- Closer to Fine

•Irene Cara--Fame

•Jack Hartmann--Together

•Jim Croce--Time in a Bottle

•John Denver--Leaving on a Jet Plane (Also by Peter, Paul and Mary) 

•John Mayer--Time Is On My Side
 
•Josh Groban-- You Raise Me Up

•Judy Garland--Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Also Somewhere Over Rainbow/What a Wonderful World by Iz (Israel Kamakawwiw'ole

•Kanye West-- Graduation Day

•Kelly Clarkson--A Moment Like This
 
•Kelly Clarkson-- Breakaway

•Kool and the Gang--Celebration

•Lady Gaga--Just Dance
 
•Lee Ann Womak-- I Hope You Dance
 
•Lenny Kravitz-- Again
 
•Madonna-- This Used to be My Playground
 
•Mariah Carey--Make It Happen

•Marvin Gaye--Ain't No Mountain High Enough
 
•Matchbox 20-- Closing Time

•Michael W. Smith--Friends
 
•Michael Tolcher-- Kings in Castles

•Miley Cyrus--The Climb
 
•Natasha Bedingfield--Unwritten

•Nickelback--If Today Was Your Last Day

•Night Ranger-- Goodbye
 
•Paula Cole-- I Don't Want to Wait

•Phil Collins--On My Way

•Phil Collins---You'll be in my Heart
 
•Pink Floyd-- Another Brick in the Wall
 
•Porter Wagoner- Graduation Day
 
•Queen-- We are the Champions
 
•R. Kelly-- I Believe I Can Fly
 
•Rascal Flatts- My Wish
 
•REM-- It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)

•Rembrandts--I'll Be There For You

•Rod Stewart--Forever Young
 
•Sarah McLachlan-- I Will Remember You

•Scorpions--Winds of Change
 
•Semisonic--Closing Time
 
•Simon and Garfunkel-- Bridge Over Troubled Water
 
•Simon and Garfunkel-- Hazy Shade of Winter
 
•Simple Minds-- Don't You Forget About Me

•Smashing Pumpkins-- Today

•Smokey Robinson--Really Gonna Miss You

•Steve Miller Band-- Fly Like an Eagle

•Stevie Wonder--A Place In The Sun

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• Design a pre-cut person, hand, or heart shape. When children are caught being kind, take the design with their name and deed on the shape. 

• The shapes are taped together in a chain or patchwork style connecting the kids of the program or classroom.

This is a good project for the entire school---connecting one end of the school to the other! Check it out with the school to see if they'd like to join you!

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Establish specific days of the week that focus on kindness in different areas of children's lives-- such as:
    •'Kindness in the Classroom Day'...
    •'Good Manners Day' and 'Kindness at Home Day'...

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Create a special 'Kindness Section' in your school or center newspaper--where good news about acts of kindness are reported. If there's no school newspaper, create a classroom newspaper.

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 KINDNESS LESSON...
Trace each child's hand on a piece of paper. Ask children to think of different ways people can be kind to others. Write their ideas on each finger of the hand drawing. It can be completed as described or cut out, mounted and decorated. Can also be put on wall or bulletin board.

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A GIANT PAPER DOLL CHAIN
What You Need: Paper and paint or markers...
Cut out life-size cutouts of  children. Have them paint them. Put them together in a large paper doll chain with the heading "We are all Friends"...

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THE COMPLIMENT GAME
This game is good to play when you have a group of children, especially if they tend to have a lot of personality conflicts.

Break children into groups; give each child a piece of paper.
Ask them to tear it into pieces--one for each child in the group.
On each piece of paper they should write the child's name, and then list all of the positive characteristics they can think of about that child. Try to have them focus on personality traits and behaviors, not physical attributes.
 
When each child has completed their lists, they should put all of them into a box. An adult in the group can read aloud all of the positive comments about each child. The children are usually very surprised at how many great things are said about them.
If they would like, the children can keep their lists in a folder or notebook. Then, when they're feeling a little down about themselves, they can read about how wonderful other people think they are.

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THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT!
Need: Paper, markers, tape
Everyone gets a piece of paper taped to their back. (Make sure their name is at the top of the paper.) Each person is given a marker. Each person in the group must walk around the room and write a compliment or positive remark about that person on their back..... NO PEEKING!

When everyone has written something positive on each others back, everyone returns to their seat. With a smaller group, everyone exchanges papers without looking at their own. Each participant can take a turn at reading off the person's list to that person aloud. (Adjust for a larger group)

What a great self-esteem booster. It doesn't matter if the group knows each other well--- because you can say things like..."He seems friendly" etc. But this is a great activity to do with kids who have been in a group for a while.

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 PURCHASE, DOWNLOAD OR MAKE BOOKMARKS
 
When you "catch a child" in an act of kindness, give them one of the bookmarks! Children receiving the bookmark feel good and the other children will want to know how to get one. It presents an opportunity to discuss altruism and acts of kindness with your group. Special bookmarks may be downloaded on the Random Acts of Kindness web-site

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation...

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation inspires people to practice kindness and to "pass it on" to others. They provide free educational and community ideas, guidance, and other resources to kindness participants through the website.

BOOKMARKS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD ARE:
1. Bookmarks showing 'ten great ideas' for doing kindness every day.
2. Ten (More) Ideas For Kindness.
3. 'Kindness Pass It On' ... a sheet of bookmarks that you can print out and give to whoever needs a fun reminder about doing kindness.

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS CLUB This is a club for third through eighth graders. The club is based on service learning and community service. Through this process, responsible youth will make the club successful.

  • The kids in the club brainstorm some service learning projects, and then implement their ideas.
 
   •  A contract must be signed as a promise of commitment.

  • The children deliver the items that the program produces to the people in need Example: pictures to senior homes, etc.
 
  • Participating children can receive special things for being in the club.  An idea is a badge similar to 'security badges' that staff wear, or a special certificate.
 
  • Also arrange special surprises. In October, one program had a local farm donate small pumpkins for all the students in the RAK Club. This demonstrates the receiving end of a random act of kindness!

  • Recognize the members of this club at a school assembly or event at the end of the school year.

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KINDNESS BULLETIN BOARD
Created by Toni in Missouri

1.  Youth brainstorm ideas for unexpected, kind things to do for people--people who would not expect children to do a favor/kindness for them.
2.  Each idea is put on a shape and put on the board.
3.  When a student completes a RAK, they sign their name on the act that is posted on the board.
4.  By the end of the year, hopefully all of the brainstormed acts will have at least one signature on them to signify that someone acted in that manner for someone.

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RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS from After-School program to Host building Staff

To increase RAK and morale between your program and host staff, consider an RAK for them.
    • One morning provide a surprise pastry, donut, cookies or fruit table in the lounge.
    • Have the children make cards to put on the teachers room doors announcing the random surprise!
 
One school contacted a local shop to come to the school and make all the teachers lattes/coffee drinks one morning. (This is also a great idea to surprise SAC staff!)
 
Have SAC children volunteer to carry teacher's books, boxes, etc. when needed without being asked by the teacher.
 
On a recognized Kindness day, put together some staff goodies for the staff lounge with a note saying, "Goodies to brighten your day. From  the students of  ______ " 
     • Chocolate Kisses to remind you that you are loved!  
     • Starbursts to give you a burst of energy on the days you're low! 
     • A Lifesaver for you in return for all the times you’ve rescued us!  
     • A "thank you" for all the laughs and Snickers you share!  
     • And most importantly, smiles to pass on!
     • Adapted from an idea on the RAK website

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Celebrate an annual SAY SOMETHING NICE DAY ! (Good for All Ages)

On your “Say Something Nice Day’ notice something you like about a person and tell them. This can be during a 'Kindness Day or Week'--or ANY time of the year!

Declare a day in your classroom, home or program that this is Say Something Nice Day. Each participant promises to approach one person that day and finish the sentence:
“One of the things I like about you is ________________.”
When you are back together at the end of the day, share your experiences.

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Tip: As Marcia Cousin of Ballard Elementary has said in her paper, 'Random Acts of Kindness for Kids'...
Most kids easily understand "act" and "kindness" but might be unfamiliar with "random". Helping them define and learn to use this word is crucial to understanding the phrase.

Explain Random Acts of Kindness. You can do this by reading or telling children Random Acts of Kindness stories to get them to fully understand the concept.

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 ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR ANIMALS...

•Make a birdbath from a plastic dish and put it in your yard or on the windowsill. Keep it filled with water.
 
•Maintain water bowls during cold months for both migrating and local birds. Make birdseed available as well.
 
•Notify authorities immediately about pets left in hot cars. You may save a life.
 
•Talk to younger children about why catching wild creatures such as frogs and turtles is not a good idea. Remind them that wild animals need to stay wild and free.
 
•Offer to wash your dog or a neighbor's dog.
 
•Make nutritional treats for dogs and cats, and give them to neighbors for their pets. Make extra for animal shelters.
 
•Hold a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to an animal shelter or wildlife fund

•Adopt a lion, tiger, whale, or other animal. Many zoos, aquariums, and animal sea habitats have adoption programs. In exchange for financial support, you get a photo and biography of your new adoptee.

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THIS IDEA WAS SENT IN by Ora Crenshaw...SPREAD KINDNESS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

The students at Franklin Elementary in Little Rock, all made cards with 'original kind sayings'.
On February 14th the students and staff delivered the cards and small gift bags to neighbors surrounding our school. The students LOVE sharing with others!

We received very nice responses from the neighbors.
One parent drove by and told us: "This is really nice. This is the kind of activity that I want to see my child involved in."
He took pictures of us and he had a huge smile on his face. His daughter was a little embarrassed, but we were proud. Also a neighbor called expressing: "I've just had the nicest thing  happen to me. I received an Act of Kindness" card from elementary school children. It made my day."

This is only one of the community projects that we have been involved with this year. WE LOVE PAYING IT FORWARD!!! The staff started these activities realizing that when children learn to share, it can be contagious and encourage them toward becoming better human beings who ENJOY being kind to others.

Thank you Ora for sharing! Barb 

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  From Laura~  At the After Care Program I run, we have a RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS CHAIN. A link is addded every time a random act of kindness is witnessed (The loops are made out of construction paper).  We then send a coupon home that says  "Be proud of your child, they have performed a random act of kindness today!" The kids love it! Each year we try to beat the previous year. We hang the chain around the room.

 

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 KINDNESS FOR THANKSGIVING
Near Thanksgiving, make a huge turkey body out of construction paper and affix it to a wall.
(Or make a smaller body and put on card stock or construction paper)

Give kids multi-colored paper feathers (construction paper, and write something nice about other students or family members.
Collect the feathers and place on the turkey.

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THE GOOD ELF! (A Winter RAK 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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100 ACTS OF KINDNESS
Adapted from L. Davis & C. Adams, Iowa

Celebrate the 100th day of school! (In the States, this is usually in February)

Make a large poster in the shape of the number 100 to hang in your classroom/program area. SEVERAL WEEKS before the 100th day of school, discuss acts of kindness toward others. Based on the number of youth in your group, two to three weeks before the big day, announce open season on acts of kindness. Encourage the children to recognize acts of kindness by others.
 
Each time kids see a classmate or friend engage in an act of kindness, they will tell staff and then put a sticker and their friend's name on the poster. The students can NOT name themselves, only others.
 
It should be easy to reach the goal of 100 acts of kindness. A profound difference in behavior, relationships, and outlook will be noticed.

• ANOTHER NICE KINDNESS FOR 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL...
Collect 100 hugs. Keep track on them on a chart.

Go to Page 2 for more Kindness Ideas and Display Boards...

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This page includes seven 'Kindness Display Boards'...as well as Ideas and Tips for 'Adult Acts of Kindness'.  'Slogans and Quotes' suitable for making posters and boards are at the top of page 1...

   On a wall, have children/staff make a HUGE GUMBALL MACHINE. Children's names combined with their act of 'kindness' are recorded on large gumballs and then placed on the gumball globe. When the machine is filled- celebrate with the group for achieving your goal!

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Great idea! Your own version of a GRAFFITI WALL!  The 180 Ways to Be Kind  photograph is courtesy of Classroom Display Blog  Put up a large sheet of paper and title. Challenge children to come up with '180 ways' to be kind to each other, teachers, parents, friends, siblings and community in general! (180 is just an idea-it could be 175, 200, etc.) If you have an after-school program, consider opening it to the entire school! 

Additionally, the '100th Day of School' falls about the same time in February as 'Random Acts of Kindness Week'! Consider combining the Graffiti Wall with 100 ways to be kind and celebrate both!

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"WALL OF LOVE" DISPLAY WALL

The staff at Colchester Institute Library (UK) put together this "Wall of Lurve" (You can call it Wall of 'Kindness'  'Friendship', or  '______'.)  The  library staff provided a display for students and staff to write messages. Around 150 pink hearts were displayed on the Wall at the entrance to the library.

This is something that could easily be adapted to a class or after-school program!  The hearts could  be filled with Acts of Kindness November's World Kindness Day and Week as well as February's Random Acts of Kindness Week! A really nice idea to cover Valentine's Day, Friendship Month and Kindness Week all in one!

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'KINDNESS RECIPE FOR A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!' (or...'OST YEAR', 'SAC YEAR', etc.) Just copy the sample image! This would also be wonderful ANY time of the year with the caption 'Recipe for Kindness!'

Source: Clayton County Public Schools by Deanna Rogers

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WIN BOOKS through ACTS OF KINDNESS!

Tim Anders (Dr. Hope) and Alpine Publishing Inc., is offering FREE award winning, bilingual (English and Spanish) children's books by Tim Anders. An ENTIRE elementary school class, group, or organization can win  books through an "Act of Kindness" contest.

Children are encouraged to perform acts of kindness for their community, individuals and each other. This  contest hopes to inspire elementary school children and their parents to help those in need--as well as teach compassion and love for others.

For more info about the "Act of Kindness" contest books, please visit laughingday!

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ACTS OF KINDNESS IDEAS FOR ADULTS...

The best example to children in the meaning of kindness and altruism -- is for adults in their lives to demonstrate generosity of spirit, good deeds and acts of service...

•Stop negative comments by changing the subject when someone starts talking in a negative, bad way.

•When you meet someone, learn their name and one personal thing about them. This shows people 'we care'.

•When you have good service somewhere, write a letter to the company and that person's manager, telling them about their outstanding employee.

•Put something you no longer need on craigslist.com for free.
 
•Put change in a vending machine.

•Listen to someone who needs to talk. Just listen to them.

•Do something nice for someone when they are ill --wash their dishes, cook a meal or tidy up their house.

•Buy a phone card and give it to a homeless shelter for them to give to someone.

•Bake cookies and take them to someone who is homebound.

•Leave a book you have already finished somewhere for someone else to read. Leave a note in it for them to pass it on.

•Buy a meal for a homeless person.

•Send a card to someone in the military overseas.

•Locate a family that is struggling financially and buy each member several small gifts then have it delivered while you remain anonymous.

•If you're tall and see someone trying to get something on a super market/store shelf--that is out of reach--get it for them.

•When shooping--let someone go ahead of you in the checkout line.

•Compliment a stranger, especially if they seem as if they're having a bad day...

Read to a child.....Make a wish come true.....Rake someone's yard.....Smile at a stranger.....Be a courteous driver.....Help Special Olympics.....Sing a song.....Pick up litter.....Train Seeing Eye dogs.....Tutor immigrants......Be a pen pal.....Hold a door open.....Change a tire.....Adopt-a-Highway.....Organize a neighborhood watch.....Teach peer mediation.....Tell a joke.....Sub for Santa.....Start a community garden......Be a Crisis-Line volunteer......Send a thank you note.....Give clothes at a shelter.....Tend abused children.....Wash a car.....Visit a lemonade stand.....Plant a tree.....Recycle.....Visit a sick neighbor.....Give a tip.....Volunteer.

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WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING by Mary Rita Schilke Korzan  ......children are always learning from the adults around them...(Maybe good for a newsletter or just a reminder to ourself?)

• WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

• When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

•When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

• When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

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DOING NICE THINGS--Something to think about...

When you incorporate 'Random Acts of Kindness and Community Service' into your programs, homes, and classrooms, consider not basing the activity where children receive individual PRIZES AS AN INCENTIVE. However, do set goals and celebrate as a group (family) when goals are acheived!

We want children to do nice things--because it is helpful to others and feels good! Don't offer bribes, or bargain for good works. For example: "If you do this---I'll give you____". These practices don't build character, or a sense of program/family community.

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'Community Service and Acts of Kindness' go hand in hand. You may also be interested in the Community Service Ideas (Many kindness activities there) and Bully Category

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SHARE YOUR IDEAS...♥ What are some things you are doing in your home or in your school, classroom, center, or program? Let us know via the contact page--and your 'Acts of Kindness' will be entered on this page! Thank you for sharing...

Back to Page 1...

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