Spring into April- Little Pots of Life

Little Pots of Life

Children love to see things change. This activity allows children to experience the joys of planting a garden. Planting little pots is a easy way to get a garden started, even when it is cold outside. When plants are large enough, children will have just as much fun planting them in the ground. This activity provides a great opportunity to teach healthy eating habits and being self-sufficient.

Materials:

Potting Soil

Peat pots or cups

Seeds of your desire (beans grow very fast)

Spring into April - Dirt Babies

Click on Images to make larger for instructions.

Materials:
Potting Soil
1 large cup
1 smaller cup
2 one inch felt circles
flat thumb tacks
knee high nylon
grass seeds

Magical Musical March

Bottle-cap Tambourines

Make and shake these tambourines that are popular in Brazil and Africa.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Strong, Y-shaped branch, preferably hardwood
Dozen metal bottle caps
Strong wire
Acrylic paint and brushes
Assorted decorations; feathers, colored cord, or beads

DIRECTIONS:

1. Decorate the stick with paints and feathers. 2. Remove the rubber liners from the bottle caps by having an adult "cook" them for five minutes on a hot outdoor grill (this step is optional but recommended, as it greatly improves the sound). 3. Flatten the caps with a hammer, then use a nail to punch a small hole in the center of each cap. Then thread the caps onto the wire and string tautly between the arms of the Y

Caution: Small parts could be a choking hazard for small children. Adult supervision suggested. This idea can be found at: Family Fun

Magical Musical March

Sand Blocks
Materials:
pieces of wood (1X4 cut into 4" lengths)
felt rectangles cut to fit blocks of wood
medium grit sandpaper cut same size as felt pieces
white or other glue
Polyurethane and brush to seal wood
* optional- stickers or paints to decorate wood blocks

Instructions:Lightly sand wood blocks, and check to be sure there are no rough edges or splinters. If you are decorating the blocks with stickers or painting them, do that now. Then coat bottoms and sides of all blocks with 2 coats of Polyurethane. Let dry. Glue one or two pieces of felt, and then a piece of sandpaper onto the blocks, and place a weight on them while they dry. Rub the blocks together and make music.

The above idea can be found at: Nancy Music

Magical Musical March

Easter Egg Maracas

Materials:
Small plastic Easter eggs
Pennies, dried beans, small rocks, popcorn kernels, beads, buttons, and so on
Glue gun
Empty egg carton

Directions:
Gather a variety of items to fill the plastic Easter eggs. Try pennies, dried beans, small rocks, popcorn kernels, beads, buttons, and so on.
Fill each egg with a different substance and securely glue the two pieces of the egg together.
Store in an egg carton. Toddlers will enjoy taking the eggs in and out of the carton and shaking them to hear the different sounds they make.
For an older child, fill two eggs with each substance. Have him shake the eggs and match up the pairs by listening to the sounds they make.

This idea can be found at: Family Education

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss's birthday is celebrated throughout schools across the nation. He is a children's book author known for rhyming and tong twisting. To get the children involved in the celebration, here is a great recipe that they can make.

Cat in the Hat Cookies

Materials Needed:
Round Waffer Cookies

Marshmallows
White Chocolate
Red Icing
Wax Paper

Instructions:

Place the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt it. Stir until smooth.
Start off by dipping a waffer in the white chocolate, tapping off any extra. Place it on a piece of wax paper. Before the chocolate cools and hardens, place a marshmallow on the center of the waffer so it looks like a white top hat. Once the chocolate cools and hardens, the marshmallow should stick.
Now all you need to do is pipe red icing into rings around the hat. Also spread some over the top of the hat. If icing stripes seem to run, place them in the refrigerator to set icing more quickly.

This recipe is complements of Amy Wyatt: Family Crafts

Magical Muscial March

Bell Bracelets

These little bracelets are a great way to introduce sound and to occupy the little ones.

They can be worn (wrist or ankle) or held, either way works wonderful. They are very easy to assemble.

Materials:

• Thin round elastic- the smaller the better
• Bells- medium size

Instructions:

1. Measure your child's wrist and add 1in to the amount.
2. Cut elastic the same length as measured.
3. Thread bells on elastic and tie a knot. You can put as many bells as wanted.
4. Put on some fun music and dance about.