Simple Valentines--Made by a Preschooler

Well for the past few days, Hazel has had a low-grade fever. We have spent several days now cooped up inside cancelling all of our plans. On Monday night, I got an email from her teacher with the class Valentine guidelines. I figured it was the perfect thing to do while she was sick. We pulled out some supplies that she could use. The guidelines are simple, no computer generated images, characters, glitter or candy, child-made and since they cannot read and write yet, we were to use their class symbols for names. Hazel is the lady bug. Luckily I had stamps for most of the symbols. I gave her wooden beads, doilies, felt hearts and flowers, paper flowers, yarn and ribbon plus a variety of rubber stamps and paper punches. And of course a box of crayons. Here are a few she came up with above. The pink cards are for the girls and the brown cards are for the boys. She started with the girls and teachers and then realized with the brown cards that she could fold them to have more surfaces to decorate. I think all the boys' ended up with a giant felt flower on the front now.

Then today we started making some for family members. I gave her heart cards this time and gave her the idea of gluing on tissue paper squares. Inside she rubber stamped "Happy Valentine's Day" and an "I love you" stamp.

I know I bought these double heart cards for a dollar at one of the craft stores. I love picking up cards we can use for our crafts to mail people. She also made a few birthday cards. One belated for my goddaughter and then one for her grandmother and her daddy since their birthdays are coming up. She mostly just rubber stamped them.

One last thing we did today was make a paper chain. She brought home the supplies from Sunday School, but they ran out of time to finish them. She had not made a paper chain before, so she was very interested. We worked on sequencing while doing it. And she is modeling her newest Mommy-made pajamas. She loves them since they have a princess on them (and I have to say I love them because it is a nice thick flannel)! She also wanted to be funny by wearing the paper chain on her head. We eventually hung it on her seasonal tree.

How are your Valentines coming?

International Book Giving Day

Designed by Viviane Schwarz

Did you know there is an International Book Giving Day? I didn't, however I love the idea of it. It is simple to participate. All you have to do is give a child a book or donate a book to a charity or leave a book in a waiting room or lobby. (Have you seen these book exchange set-ups locally yet? I have. Several of the local hospitals have children's books in all the waiting rooms with a sign saying any child can take a book home from the collection and anyone can leave a children's book there for the collection/swap.) And the best part is it is on Valentine's Day. So instead of giving your child candy or a toy, how about a book?

Designed by Priya Kuriyan

Or donate a book to your child's classroom or school library or to your public library? It seems to me like the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your child's teacher or favorite children's librarian. I know several local charities around here give books to children. In fact the charity we collect for at Hazel's birthday parties every year gives each child a book with a week's worth of clothes when a social worker requests aid.

Designed by Barney Saltzberg after International Book Giving Day 2012

Now the really neat thing is that you can download for free bookplates at the International Book Giving website. They even have some for books that are just a gift to a child you know.

There are also some great ideas for everyone to help get involved and give back to your community and children worldwide. Check out their Help Organize Page. Ideas from hanging the colorful poster above by Priya Kuriyan, which you can download here, to Beer for Books (get a local bar or restaurant to participate) to organize a storytime or book swap. Finally you can add your name and how you are going to celebrate International Book Giving Day at their website. So will you join me in celebrating this day to encourage children to read?

Fairy Tales in Different Cultures-Vasilissa and Baba Yaga

Today we will look at a Russian version of Cinderella. I found two picture books with basically the same story and we will look at both today, but first a bit about Russia. Somehow after a week of a deep freeze in New England, Russia seems like the right country to talk about. (I literally heard a radio host mention a town in Russia for having the record for lowest temperatures. She kept checking them because it made our temperatures seem so much better.)

Face Painting, Pirate Birthday Party and a Dollhouse

Sharing Saturday is open until Wednesday if you would like to stop by to share a child-oriented craft or activity and check out the features!!

Today was the pirate birthday party that Hazel was invited to. We all went and had a good time. They had the most amazing face painter. Check out Hazel's rainbow butterfly.

She loved it! They also made clay sculptures that they decorated with feathers, buttons, beads and beans. Then they served a wonderful lunch and had this gorgeous cake.

Then they had a pinata and a treasure hunt! She had so much fun and did not want to go home.

Front Views

When we did get home Steve and I moved some furniture around so we could bring up the dollhouse I made that I have been saving for her. After I spent some time making some changes to the furniture (so she doesn't break the expensive stuff) and making it easier to play with instead of worrying how it looks, she played with it until dinner.

Interior when I first built it

Here is a view of the interior details before furniture and such were added. I originally was going to light it, but something happened with the wire and they didn't all work so I didn't bother with it.

Then this is how the interior looks now.

I took out the fancy master bed and put a plastic one in that I had when I was a child. I also took out the fancy kitchen and put in the basics so it would be easier to play. Needless to say she is loving it!! We pulled out all of her various dollhouse people from her tree house and elsewhere and she was making up stories and such all afternoon.

Sharing Saturday 13-4

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week!! I know we were blown away by the ideas and creativity. Michelle over at Having Fun at Chelle's House has the most clicked and a few of her favorites, so make sure you go and check out hers as well. Here are a few of my favorites from last week!

1) From Happiest Mom on the Blog: I Spy Bags (Class holiday gifts, but could be used as Valentines)
2) From Pinkoddy: Snowman Indoor Activities and Crafts (So many great and different ideas!!)
3) From 4 kids, 2 guinea pigs one happy family: Lessons on London (Wow, some great activities all to review after trip to London to see the Olympics)
4) From Ginx Craft: Sophie the Dutch Doll (What great memories to share with her daughter and hopefully have her daughter create her own with the adorable doll)
5) From KiKi's Korner: Scratch Card Valentines (Such a cute idea and great tutorial!)

Thank you to everyone who shared last week!! I hope you will join us and share again!! If you are featured here or earlier this week, please feel free to grab a featured button to display proudly on your blog. 

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From Your Hostess: This week we had several multicultural and book posts plus a couple pirate posts. I will share a link to my pirate ship one.

 

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