Balloon Science Project

                    Use vinegar and baking soda to fill up balloons- so cool!

Via:

http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/01/blow-it-up-exploring-gas-with-balloons.html

Gratitude Journal

Start a gratitude journal listing 5 things you’re thankful for daily or weekly.

 "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
- Marcel Proust
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
 -Eckhart Tolle
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
-Anthony Robbins
“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”
-Lionel Hampton

Owls, Foil, Glue, and Shoe Polish

via...http://makeitawonderfullife.blogspot.com/2011/12/owls-foil-glue-and-shoe-polish.html

1. Draw your picture on paper the size of your final cardboard. Just the big shapes, no details.

You could use coloring books, but the kid's drawings are so wonderful, I would hate to miss out on them!!

2. Go over your simple drawing with Sharpie.
3. Turn your drawing over. On the back, use your pencil on it's side to go over your lines.
4. Place your drawing right side up on cardboard and trace over your lines for a graphite transfer to the cardboard. (Or, if you want to speed this up, just draw directly on the cardboard. I like to teach the transfer skill, something they can use on future projects.)
5.Go over with Sharpie if needed to see lines clearly. 6. Use a thick, tacky glue to go over the lines and let dry.
7. Use a glue stick to attach the foil. (Shiny or dull side showing-you decide.)
8. Wrap the foil over the front and to the back.
9. Press foil down around dry glue lines. Use a paper towel over your fingers as you rub to avoid tearing the foil.
10. Then use a cotton swab up against the glue outlines once the foil is pressed down, just to be sure the glue outlines show up really well.
11. Draw patterns in all of the spaces with a dull pencil. (Use a variety of types of line and scales of patterns.)
Once you've filled all of the spaces, rub over the whole thing with black shoe polish, wait a few seconds, and wipe off. (I use the kind that comes in a bottle with a sponge applicator lid.)
Yes. Lots of steps. But the results are so wonderful!

Cupcakes

Recipes can be found at...http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/

Flower Pressing

Pressed flowers can be used to decorate a variety of paper items.

Create a Nature Scavenger Hunt

from: thetaylor-house.com

...or make a creative scavenger hunt of your own! Ideas... things at the mall..things around the home/school/the zoo/the library...take a picture with your camera/ smartphone to prove you found each item!

Homemade Sprinkler

Cool the kids off with a homemade sprinkler. Take a 2 liter soda bottle, poke holes in it. Attach to a garden hose via a male to male adapter that cost less than $5 at Lowes. Toss over a tree branch and let hang. You can adjust how the water sprinkles by adjusting the water flow. Who comes up with these brilliant ideas?

Learn about the Peace Corp

Let the world come alive through Peace Corps-inspired podcasts, videos, slide shows, language lessons, and e-books. 
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/multimedia/

Ready, Set, Splash! 10 Water Games for Kids

taken from: click here

Handprint Rainbow

Use finger paint or cut out from construction paper :)
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/handprintrainbow/

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free online resource for students and learners of all ages. Though there are numerous lessons on the site focusing on a wide array of subjects, the math lessons are the primary focus.

Food Journal

Unconscious snacking is a habit that might lead to overeating and unnecessary weight gain. To help curb this, encourage kids to keep an inventory of their snacking in a food journal throughout the week.

Summer Camps/ Programs in Nashville '12

*Many of the listed camps provide sliding scale and scholarships; when calling families and case managers are encouraged to mention their agency affiliation.

Read a Play Out Loud: The Owl and the Bull

Snow Paint

Snow Paint. When it dries, it's this soft spongy art project. Permanent clouds? Cloud writing?

Caring Coupons

Oriental Trading Magazine/Online- Low Cost Crafts

Many items around $10 and less... craft kids, jewelry, trinkets... and more!
click here to go to www.orientaltrading.com

Bullying

A World Without Bullying: The link underneath this paragraph is a story about a girl who was bullied and her speaking of how it felt, how to overcome bullying, and to let a child know they are not alone. Many of our Littles are bullied or sometimes may be the bullier...this story can help you start a conversation with them
http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/kidssay/stop_bullying.html#cat20450

Bullying Stories: The link below is a website full of stories of teenagers that have grown up being bullied
http://bullyinglte.wordpress.com/

Street Smart

Many of the Littles are surrounded in their daily lifeby circumstances some of us do not face. Here are some different conversations you could have with your Little about being safe in his/her neighborhood.

Staying Safe on the Bus

Busing It
The school bus is a little different from a car because in addition to being a careful passenger, you need to think about how to get on and off the bus safely. Whether you ride the bus to school every day or just to field trips or band concerts once in a while, it's important to follow these rules.When you see the bus driving up, everyone waiting should get into a line. The line should start about five giant steps (or around 10 feet, or 3 meters) from the curb and go back from the street, rather than down the side of the street.Wait until the bus stops and the driver opens the door and says it's OK to step onto the bus. This is important! The driver is the only one who can really see all the traffic out on the road and make sure that it's safe for you to get on the bus. (If you must cross the street to board the bus, be sure to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and for the driver to flash the red lights.)Once aboard, be sure to listen to the driver's instructions, and even if you're in a hurry to grab a seat with your friends, don't rush and push.