Category: Kids Puzzles and Activities

Though e-mails have taken over as the most popular means of correspondence, the art of writing letters is still important. Handwritten letters still has a value of their own and you must encourage this habit in your kids early on.

You can start off by making the entire process fun with a cute greetings note to some family member on some occasion like birthdays, anniversary, New Year etc. The kids could add some embellishments like confetti, lace, rose petals, their own picture, cartoon stickers, etc to make it attractive. In the process, you could teach them some basic skills like the format, the process of sealing the letter, sticking the stamp and adding the return address before you mail it.

You could set an example even before your kids start to read and write, by involving them when you correspond with relatives. Maybe they could dictate a few words they would want to add when you write to their grandmother. This would generate interest right from the start.

Once they start developing the habit themselves, furnish them with such essentials for writing letters:

• Some fascinating stationery such as preprinted thank-you notes, holiday greetings and multi-colored writing paper with coordinated envelopes for writing letters.
• An attractive and alphabetically ordered address book. For beginners, a large one with lots of space to jot down on will help them manage things better.
• A colorful notebook where kids can make a list of social and family occasions vis-à-vis names of friends and relatives, so that they can remember to post the cards and letters on time.

Once this is done, you can get down to the task of giving them a lesson on the format and tips for writing letters, with the help of a sample of each type. You can divide it into two types:

• Personal / informal letters
• Business / formal letters

Personal letters

These are correspondence with your family and friends. They are conversational and warm and can be either on certain occasions or just for sharing information or keeping in touch with loved ones who are far away.

Some topics you could introduce your kids when they start writing letters are:

• Family occasions like birthdays, anniversaries etc.
• Sharing the experience of a family trip.
• Sharing the news of an achievement such as a great school concert.
• To a friend about a new pet or family member
• Some information about a new computer game, CD or DVD, or even a new gadget like a TV, washing machine etc.
• About a new school you have joined.
• About a school project or excursion.
• About some interesting event like an exhibition or show in your city.
• The experience of reading a book you have loved or an exciting film you have watched.
• Write to a friend to share a secret.
• Just a casual give and take of information and greetings.

Business letters

This is about writing letters generally for official purposes to someone unknown. For instance, to may have to write to a local authority for some help; to an organization for some information; an official note to clients or a job application etc.

They are written formally and have a set of rules that you must teach your kids:

• Do not forget the date on your letter.
• Always include your return address.
• Address your letter to Dear Sir / Madam if you don’t know whom you are corresponding with and hence don’t know the gender of the person.
• The language must be clear, straightforward and precise.
• Check for spelling mistakes before you seal the letter.
• Finish the letter with a formal acknowledgment like ‘Yours faithfully’ or ‘Yours sincerely’.
• Always keep a copy of the letter with yourself for future reference.

Once your kids have mastered these fundamental details of writing letters, keep the habit alive by keeping in touch with them through letters once they have grown up.

Arts and Crafts are a fundamental aspect of the elementary school curriculum. Such creative assignments are indispensable to inculcate some basic skills in young minds. Hence, teachers must be trained to make the Arts and Crafts classes an enjoyable as well as a learning experience.

Here are some suggestions for learning sessions that can be introduced from the kindergarten level. Some of the constructive Arts and Crafts projects like:

Mask making

Target: K+ grade

Resources required:

1. Colorful paper
2. Scissors
3. Junk objects
4. Coloring material
5. Glue and pins

What to make?
Masks can depict things that kids see around them like birds, animals, clowns etc or historically and culturally significant subjects.

What do kids learn from masks?
Apart from firing their imagination, mask making is an enjoyable and meaningful activity. Students also learn about various cultures and history. They understand the importance of creativity. Some appreciation for the stuff they make can be inspirational.

Drum making

Two common types of drum crafts:

1. Coffee cup drum:

Target: K-4 grade

Resources required:
– Empty coffee can with a plastic lid
– Paper, glue and scissors
– Paint, markers, water etc
– Twigs from trees
– Scrap like beads, buttons, strings, etc

The procedure:
The first option is to color the can or wrap it with paper. The plastic lid on the can is the drumhead and can be neatly covered with aluminum foil. If you wrap with paper, you can paint or draw on it. Let the paint dry and embellish with scrap and glue. Now, use the twig or a wooden stick for an enjoyable drumming session.

2. African Drum

Target: Grade 4 to 12, students aged 8+.

Resources required:
– Cardboard carpet tube (3″ to 4″ in diameter): You can find throwaway tubes at carpet and flooring outlets.
– Plastic flowerpots: The bottom of the pot and the cardboard tube must share the same diameter in order to fit into one another.
– A two-piece plastic embroidery hoop: The hoop and the top of your plastic pot should share the same diameter.
– An inflatable pool toy or heavy gauge plastic: A balloon would be fragile; rather a junk beach ball is better. An old rubber tire is ideal.
– One to two inch wide packing tape.
– Paint, paper, brush or fabric.

The procedure:
Cut a tube approximately 12″ long. Cut a piece of your beach ball, rubber tire or plastic tool to size. Make sure to leave some extra inches for smooth overlapping later. Take the plastic embroidery hoop apart, place the sized beach ball over the inner hoop and while extending it place the outer hoop over the plastic and inner hoop. This forms the drumhead.

Then position the “drum head” over the flowerpot and fix it with the tape. Put the flowerpot over one end of the tube and fix with tape. Finally, create art on the drum with paint, paper or fabric. Then cover the bare tapes with yarn or jute.

What do drum craft teach?
Drums form an important ritual and ceremonial aspect of almost all cultures. It can be a great way to know about world culture.

Fan making

Target: Grade K-6

Resources required:
– 12×18 white paper
– Coloring material
– Real fans or pictures
– Popsicle sticks
– Tape, glue and staple

The procedure:
Fold the paper into horizontal halves or more easily like a book. On the folded half draw a fan shape and cut. Use coloring material to create arts of the students’ choice. Let it dry. Pleat the paper. Gather the creased structure in the form of a fan and staple or glue it. Fix the Popsicle sticks together with tape, to make a handle.

What does the art of fan making teach?
Fans can be of a variety, either Japanese, Chinese etc. This Arts and Crafts session can teach a lot about the country’s culture.

Children activities are certainly the call of the hour, as your child needs some activity to kill boredom. It is quite evident nowadays that, children are plunging more into TV, play stations and computer games. It’s a pity that they do not indulge in real life activities outdoors. The fast lifestyle of today’s world can be blamed for this. Children have started living second hand lives and not only has their imagination cramped, but they also tend to become inactive to say the least.

Fun activities and new things are the best means that you can offer your children. The best you can do is, try to remember the things that fascinated you when you were a kid. Birthday parties, music, art, sports and going on a picnic were quite the things that you loved the most. All of this is the food for thought for you.

Your children can even end up into activities like soccer, baseball, or football for that matter. It will not only keep them super active but also help them acquire fresh skills. But always make it a point to keep an eye on your child. Music lessons or art classes are the other options out. Even crafts work is quite a handful. Always remember that these kinds of activities fit well for children all through school vacations.

But at the end of the day, you child needs to decide his or her choice of activity. So make sure that you ask your children about what they like to do. Furthermore, music lessons are much loved by children due to it’s own reasons. Let them find their own artistic and musical touch. It will be a different experience for them altogether. And taking part in musicals, plays, and other performances is just the icing on the cake. Now, activities simply don’t enhance the skills of children but they also bring out their personality.

All you need to do is encourage your child to come up with his activity in due course. There is no dearth of online sites that cater projects and children activities. Who knows, you might as well find an activity or game of your choice for your child. Let your child venture into woodworking. The creativity meter of your child not only scales up but it also cultivates your child’s skills. Let your child’s curiosity and interest take a dip into the world of science and nature.

Children activities that lay bare the basic scientific concepts is precisely what your child must take on. Cooking, learning arts plus crafts and sewing are nothing but an extension of fruitful activities. With a whole array of activities your children not only add feather to their hats but also gain clarity of thought, growing imagination and not to mention creativity.

You don’t want to see your child turning out to be a couch potato at any cost. Children activities certainly help kids discover more about themselves.

Fathers Day crafts make for ideal gifts that little ones can present their dads. Fathers Day is a day to commemorate the sacrifices that our fathers make for us. It is a day to show the father figure in your life that you love and care for him. The father figure can be anyone and not just your dad; it can be your grandfather, uncle, big brother and anyone whom you respect and revere.

Adults can shower their dads with expensive gifts, but what do the little ones do with no money at all? The little ones can make cute gifts for their fathers using materials that are available at hand in their homes. These Fathers Day crafts are most valued/admired by dads all over the world.

All the little children need to make Fathers Day crafts are some simple materials like crayons, cardboard, felt, glue, paper, scissors, Popsicle sticks, markers, shoe boxes, construction paper and other common household goods. A small child can give his/her dad a hand-made card. Kids can personalize the card by putting in quotes that will suit their dad’s personality.

Some Interesting Fathers Day Crafts You Can Make

Some crafts that you can present your father are the business card holders, which you can make using the craft paint, Popsicle sticks, glue and other decorations.

You can also make a billiards clock that can be made by using various colored felt paper, glue, black marker, corrugated cardboard, a set of clockworks and scissors.

A pad holder is also a beautiful item and for making this, you will need a magnet, post-it pads, markers, cardboard, crayons, scissors and glue.

Make some cute bookends accompanied by personal messages and lovely photos. For this, you will need newspapers, cardboard cartons, paste, painting stuff and papier-mâché.

Dads will also love the party pot. You can paint a pot and then stick on it some decorative paper.

Other great items to gift your daddy can be wall hangings and doorknobs. What you will require for making these are cardboard, crayons and some decorations.

The mother or any elder can help the children make the Fathers Day crafts. The children will turn creative and have loads of fun.

Parents can come up with one or the other activity for kids to keep them positively occupied. Some kids love to be entertained while there are some who know how to entertain others. Nowadays, it is not safe to let children play for long hours outside, nor do most parents prefer to let their kids get involved with a lot of messy activities because it takes a huge amount of time and energy to clean up the whole mess after the activities are over.

Kids activity ideas do not always require huge and expensive things. For example, some inexpensive paintbrushes and a roll of blank paper can keep a child busy for hours. You could even consider allowing your child to use a blank wall in his or her room as a canvas. Encourage your child to take charge of cleanup for all activities; get a small plastic beach bucket to store the brushes in so that cleanup is simple.

To keep the children active and busy all the time, most parents look a kids activity that is fun and safe, such as the kids activities described below. If you think back to your childhood, you’ll probably also come up with lots of fresh new ideas. It will not be a bad idea to let your child enjoy some of your most treasured childhood experiences.

With activities like sports, music and art curriculum, your child becomes more social and friendly. In this way, the little ones learn how to share their ideas with others; they also start enjoying the company of others.

Musical Activities

A music lesson can be a great kids activity idea. Children can learn to play a wide range of musical instruments. They also learn how to read music and express themselves in the most artistic and musical fashion. You can also let your child be a part of a musical band or a drama troupe. If they have siblings, cousins, or neighbors who are close in age, this need not be formal; kids can create musical instruments out of common materials (for example, an old pot and a wooden spoon can be used as a drum), or can enact plays by dressing up in your old clothes.

Sports Activities

Similarly, you can sign your child up for formal sports activities, such as a Little League team, or you can help your child organize neighborhood games like kickball with some low-key adult supervision. Kids activity ideas for sports can include informal games like tag, red-light green-light, or Red Rover.

Art Activities

Art activities for kids are a great way to let your child express his/her creativity. Through art a child can well communicate and express his feelings, goals and dreams in life. A child who takes part in art activities also learns how to develop his own self-esteem, self-reliance and self-discovery. Through art activities, children come to identify their own likes and dislikes for a better and more improved personality.

As a part of activity for kids, you can spend time with your child by making him do some creative woodwork. Such an activity helps your child develop a fine hand, eye and motor skills.

A very simple and usual scientific experiment can be a great activity for kids. Science is a sphere of immense curiosity and interest. Therefore, this is a golden chance for kids to explore more in life.

Remember, an activity for kids, especially the one that is more creative and educational, can give your child a good start in life.

Coloring pages are most kids’ favorite pastime. Merrily equipped with their set of pencils, crayons or watercolour, they love dabbling with their vibrant imagination. What’s more, this is a great way for parents to keep their children occupied while they go about their errands.

In preschool, coloring sessions are also an essential part of the curriculum. To add more variety to this activity, both teachers and parents can download printable coloring pages from various Internet resources.

Moreover, many of the sites offer such facilities free. Neither do you require paid membership of the website nor are there any download charges. You can simply print as many pages as you want to add more fun to the kids coloring classes.

These websites also provide additional features like downloadable and printable posters, flash cards, hobby worksheets and links to associated educational topics, activities and other creative tools. Most of these web sheets require the Adobe Acrobat Reader. However, don’t worry if you don’t have this software. You can easily download your free copy of it from Adobe.com. All you need to do is install it on your computer.

Teachers and homeschoolers can also easily avail of these pages. A word of caution, do not place any of this coloring page in any other collection either for sale or even free distribution (separately or as a collection) without a precise written consent from the websites you avail.

The advantages of using web coloring pages:

• All parents and teachers will swear by the word that one of the best ways to keep their kids entertained and involved is with coloring crafts. Moreover, with the computer, Internet and the printer at hand there is no end of adding details and variety to this activity.
• This page can also be used for educational purposes, as a part of a specific curriculum. If you add more spice to these sheets with children’s favorite cartoon and Disney characters, they entertain and effectively educate in a classroom. They also help develop cognitive and developmental skills through the hand-eye synchronization, picture and colour conception and co-ordination, decision making etc. involved in such activity.
• They are an added asset during coloring contests.
• Encourages the creative and artistic aptitude of your kid.
• A great way to initiate children to the world of the Internet and modern technology.
• Can help children gather more information and add to their general knowledge while using the Internet.
• When you have a coloring book crunch, such sheets can bail you out in a jiffy and your kids don’t get a chance to complain either. All you need to do is go on-line and downloads loads of these wonderful coloring pages.

Food for kids must be nutritious and not simply tangy. Whether preparing food for kids or giving children something to eat, be it whole fruits or fruit-juices, pastas or pizzas, the nutritional value should be an important consideration.

A food-chart meant for kids includes common foods like fish, milk, lean meat, fruits, nuts, grains, fats, vegetables and dairy products, which are essential for a healthy diet. Adherence to this healthy food regimen will help develop a body strong enough to combat ailments and physical odds. Additionally, it will help in the proper development of the brain.

Food For Kids – The Best Nutritional Advices

To encourage a healthy nutritional diet for your kid, it is essential to follow the tips for ‘food for kids’

• Include plenty of grains, vegetables and grain products in the diet chart.
• Foods with sweet, oil and fat-content should be sparingly given to them.
• Too much of mild and tinted juices should not be given to children aged above two or three years.
• If your kid is less than five years, then avoid giving foods like, peanuts, raw carrots, tough meat, chewing gum, popcorn and whole grapes. Kids have a tendency to choke.
• Let them have sufficient amount of calcium and iron, which are the essentials components of a healthy diet.

Food For Kids – Know The Right Quantities

Quantity matters a lot. Too much or too less can rob the nutritional value you are providing to your kids. The ‘food for kids’ chart should essentially abide by the following rules:

• Kids between 4 to 8 years should be given ½ cup of vegetables every day
• Kids between 9 to 13 years should consume 2 cups of vegetables &
• Vegetable-intake of kids between 9 to 13 years should be 2 ½ cups.

Juicy fruits are a part of a healthy diet. Milk and calcium rich foods should also dominate the diet chart. For kids between 4 to 8 years of age, 1-2 cup of milk or calcium rich food is essential. For kids between 9 to 13 years, 3 cups of milk or calcium rich food will be beneficial. Try to give them the above proportions every day to maintain a healthy diet chart.

Besides, meat, eggs, fish, beans, butter, cereal, brown rice and pasta, should be given in the right proportion each day. Hence, proper food for kids is sure to lay the foundation for a healthy and vigorous existence.

Cooking for kids can be very interesting; however, it can be equally challenging. It is true that children mostly hate healthy foods, which mainly involve too much of fruits and vegetables. The challenge lies not only in preparing healthy and nutritious food items but also in presenting the dishes in such a way that the kids are unable to resist the temptation.

You can indeed resort to some crafty ways of cooking for kids, which will allow you to have lots of vegetables and fruits, without letting the children have the slightest hint of their presence in the dishes. For example, home made pizzas have high nutritional values. Different kinds of vegetables can be used as toppings on the pizzas.

Cooking For Kids – Shapes Of Foods

Shapes stir the interest of many kids. Instead of giving the prepared foods in bowls or plates, create various shapes and see the difference it can create. Take any fruit or vegetable and cut them into various shapes to add to the appeal. Suppose you cut a slice of an apple and shape it into a ladybug. Shape Peanut butter in to glue form and then you can spread raisins in the dots to make the spots.

Kids always love smoothies or milkshakes and therefore let them choose the fruit that sound good to them. You can prepare a foamy and yummy juice and to spice up the look, add vegetable bits, without spoiling the juicy taste. This can be a very tricky way of cooking for kids and letting them have vegetables.

Cooking For Kids – A Few Recipes

• Recipe For Chick Sticks

Ingredients – finely chopped two hard-boiled eggs, cooked chicken (chopped), salt and ground pepper; you will also need a mixture of white breadcrumbs and finely chopped parsley.

Cooking Procedures – Mix the ingredients and then with floured hands roll them into balls. Then, dab the balls in the parsley and breadcrumbs mixture and serve them on cocktail sticks.

• Recipe For Meaty Pizza

Ingredients – chopped onion (1 piece), chopped streaky bacon (2), minced beef (1 oz.), grated cheese (4 oz.), chopped mixed pepper and white bread mix (10 oz.).

Cooking procedures – Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Make the bread mix and make the rolls. Fry the minced beef, bacon and onion for 15 minutes and then mix it in the tomato puree and chopped peppers. Spread the mix on some base and spread toppings of cheese and peppers on it. At last, bake it on the oven for 20 minutes.

Let The Kids Participate And Have Fun

When cooking for kids, involve them in your endeavor of creating assorted culinary delights. Welcome your kids to the kitchen. Ask them about their choices, as they are definitely pleased when their whims are met. While cooking for kids, you can even assign them some simple tasks. They will enjoy the experience completely. Moreover, they will definitely like to taste the dishes they have been involved with.

Crafts for kids are essential because innocent minds are restless and are always up looking for something to learn, play with, or create. (Also, the mischievous pranks of kids looking for amusement can turn the entire house up side down!) Therefore, they need to be kept engaged. Their growing brains must find something creative to accomplish. Thus, they can be assigned activities like handcrafts where they can explore their childhood ideas and create wonders.

Kids Craft Idea: A Bird Bath

There are innumerable varieties of crafts for the kids to play with. Children can be taught to make clay bird baths, for instance. The ingredients which the child requires to make this item include 16 inch or larger terracotta clay pot, 16 inch or larger terracotta clay saucer, paint, paintbrushes, and a clear acrylic sealer spray.

The process of making the clay bird bath is indeed simple. First, teach your child how to wipe down the terra cotta pot and saucer with a damp cloth. Then you should allow it to dry completely. However, when it comes to decoration, choices are indeed endless. Help your child get hold of a neat stencil and paint the item. He or she can also try and sponge-paint the birdbath. The final secret is to seal it with a clear acrylic sealer spray. Also, remember to store the clay bird bath properly when it is not being used (if you live in a colder climate, taking it inside in the winter is a good idea).

Kids Craft Idea: Tin Can Luminary

How can your child recreate gorgeous luminaries by making use of tin cans? What materials does your child need? The ingredients include tin can, paper, duct tape, nail and hammer. Before using the can, your child should clean it properly and remove the label. After the can is filled with water, it should be kept within the refrigerator to turn the water into ice. The next step would be to give the luminary a form by tapping holes on the sides of the can using a hammer and a nail (this should be done very carefully and with adult supervision).

Why does the child need to freeze the water? The water is frozen so as to make sure that the can retains its shape while it is being nailed and hammered. The child must think of a design, which would, best suit the tin can.

First, your child should tape the design around the can. Then it is time for him to make use of the hammer and nail to tap holes into the can and ice. He should go with the line of the design and leave spaces in-between the holes. After framing the design, the child should remove the pattern and let the ice melt. The next step should be to make the can dry. Just place the candle within the can and illuminate it. Stand aside and wach how the magic works.

This is definitely not the end of the list. During summer, winter or any other vacation children while sitting in the cozy atmosphere of their room can give shape to their ideas in form of several hand craft varieties. There are many other kids craft ideas like straw sculptures, toothpick art, bubble painting, finger painting, sock puppets, sand paintings, and pasta or legume mosaics. There is a whole world waiting to be explored with kids craft ideas.

*This article is intended to be a guideline for homeschooling. Please be sure to check with local and/or state regulations for specific education requirements.

If you think your child needs some standardized education at home, a homeschooling curriculum can accomplish this. Homeschooling is certainly not at the parents’ discretion to teach their kid whatever they want. It is a planned teaching curricula implemented in most school districts that follow a set of educational rules laid down by local school boards or administration.

This means that kids who obtain their education through homeschooling must fulfill the same standards as their contemporaries in a conventional school. The government takes the responsibility to ensure that there is a parity of educational standards for all kids within their jurisdiction, whether they learn via homeshooling or conventional schooling.

Many parents want to homeschool their kids while keeping a watch on them, avoid the hassle of bullies and peer pressure etc. The Internet and easily available online information is another reason for the increasing popularity of homeschooling.

An established curriculum will be available to any parents or guardians who think they have a reason to educate their kids at home. Once you decide to educate your children with a homeschooling curriculum, keep these points in mind:

1. Your homeschooling requirements must include exhaustive prospects for every grade level.
2. You must conduct personal reviews and submit accounts of your kids’ progress regularly.
3. A team of experts may review the teaching process and results at home in the same manner they do in a conventional school.
4. There will be deadlines and targets to meet to progress to the next grade.
5. Homeschooling curriculum testing resources may be supplied to you and also be monitored.

Types of homeschooling curriculum

Once you have decided to homeschool your kid and understood its principles, you must next choose a suitable package. Here are a few choices:

1. Buy a pre-packaged homeschooling curriculum.
2. Create curricula of your preference with expert guidance.
3. Go for a blend of both.
4. Choose a program based on your religious beliefs, whether Catholic or Christian or others with expert opinion.
5. Find online programs that can provide a combination of all forms.

Benefits of homeschooling

1. A chance to combine lessons based on a focal theme. For instance a module about The American Dream can consist of the history of the concept; the economics behind the idea; some political science including capitalism and the U.S. Bill of Rights; theatre studies in the criticism of the concept in Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman and so on.
2. Another homeschooling benefit is to make students learn through cultivating their aptitude. Called the “interest-led” or “child-led” curriculum, or “Unschooling”, it educates through entertainment in the form of games and reality situations to induce impromptu learning. For instance, a kid may learn reading and math skills by playing card games, improve spelling and language skills by writing short stories for a local journal etc.
3. Learning is a continuous process where parents can teach as well as conduct home reviews.
4. During homeschooling, parent’s guidance can inculcate valuable behavioral parameters for instance that of joint family living etc. that cannot be taught through textbooks.

Whatever the benefits and the methods, always choose a homeschooling curriculum according to the distinctive requirements of your child.