Bake/Cook/Make Day Saturday!

Bake/Cook/Make Day Saturday:

Saturdays are set aside to spend some quality, fun time in the kitchen with your child.

Beary Cute Cookies

Cookie Sticks:

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugars, egg and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well.  Divide dough in half.
2. On a greased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 15-in. x 3in. rectangle about 3 in. apart.  Sprinkle chocolate chips, nuts if desired over dough; press lightly.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-7 minutes. (Bake for 8-9 minutes for crispier cookies.) Cool for 5 minutes.  Cut with a serrated knife into 1-in. strips, remove to wire racks to cool.

Beary Cute Cookies: 

3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Additional sugar

30 miniature milk chocolate kisses

60 M&M miniature baking bits

1. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well(dough will be crumbly).
2. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the dough for ears. Shape remaining dough into 1-in balls; roll in additional sugar.  Place 3 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Flatten to about 1/2-in. thickness.  Roll reserved dough into 1/2-in. balls; roll in sugar.  Place two smaller balls about 1 in. apart touching each flattened ball (do not flatten smaller balls).
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned.  Remove from oven; immediately press one kiss and two baking bits into each cookie for nose and eyes.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipes can be found in Taste of Home Bake Sale magazine or on the taste of home website

Bake/Cook/Make Day Saturday!

Look What I Found!

Look What I Found!

• Hidden Valley Farmhouse Originals: 4 New Flavors: I found mine at Hy-Vee.  Garden Tomato and Bacon (to me it tastes like French dressing with bacon); Hickory Bacon and Onion (I love this one, it has chunks of bacon and just a touch of onion flavor and I don't like onion); Creamy Parmesan (have not tried this one); Roasted Onion Parmesan (have not tried this one either).  For a $1 off coupon just sign up for their newsletter.
• Kraft Day Game Day Greats: I was in Jewel and picked up a Kraft Party Playbook Game Day Greats Book by a Nabisco display : Inside was Recipes, Coupons, and a website to log onto.  On the website you can find great recipes for your Super Bowl parties, Coupons to print out, and you can enter to win prizes.  They have thousands of prizes all totaling up to $44,000.
• Milky Way Simply Caramel Candy Bar: I found the candy bar at Walgreen's up by the counter.  They were 3 for $2.  Its real milk chocolate surrounding nothing but rich delicious caramel.
• New Escape The Museum DS Game:  I love hidden picture and puzzle games.  I have been playing this game for about a week and lovely it.  You have to solve problems, find hidden objects, and put puzzles together.  It really keeps you busy and I have never been bored.  It has several levels and even after you finish a level, you must go back every once in a while to find more pictures.  I am on level 23 and there are still more levels.  Check out the game on Amazon website.  
• New Hello Kitty Party DS Game: My daughter who is almost 5 really loves this game.  They have several games like: Sewing, Dress Making, Maze Game, Cloth Cutting, Ironing Game, Button Game, Let's Go Shopping, Shadow Game, Build a Star Ladder, Cooking, Voting Game, Spot the Difference, Slide Puzzle, Dancing Game, Wheel of Decoration, Dressing Up, Matching.  Check out the game on Amazon website.
• Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups Scoops: Fruity Ice Cream Flavors all in one (Orange, Strawberry, Rasberry).  These do taste like icecream especially the orange.  Tastes like an orange push-ups. For Betty Crocker Coupons: Click Here  . They have $1 off coupon if you buy 2 Fruit Roll-ups.
• Keebler Wheatable Nut Crisps Crackers: 2 new flavors: Toasted Pecan (would buy again), Roasted Almond (is okay, probably would not buy again.  Can't really taste the almond like you can in the pecan flavor. 

Look What I Found!

Funny Fridays!!!!!

Funny Fridays!!!

Where Did It Go?

This week's Funny Friday is all about a missing ZSU ZSU Pet

My sister Jaycie had bought a couple of ZSU ZSU pets.  She decided to take them out of the box and show her family how they worked.  They all watched the pets move around the room.  The dogs, which are golden retrievers, were even curious about them.

 She was trying to keep track of all the ZSU ZSU pets, but one disappeared. They decided  to look around the room and try to find it.  One of the dogs, Jack was trying to help too, but he was more in the way than anything.  They kept trying to get Jack to stay out of the way.  They could hear the ZSU ZSU making noise, but just couldn't find it.  The noise kept moving around.  Jack kept bugging them more and more.  They asked Jack what was the matter.

Here is what Jack trying to say to them.  When Jack was checking out one of the pets, it manage to attach itself to the underside of him.  It then wrapped itself into his fur and kept trying to make himself a home.  They had to cut the ZSU ZSU pet out of poor Jack's fur.  I bet he will stay away from those furry creatures now.

Funny Fridays!!!!!

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday! Week 17 : January 28 : Number 33 & 34

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday:

Foam Number Books:

1. This week add the numbers 33 and 34 to your number books.
2. Remember to write 33 on the first page, 34 on the second page, thirty-three on the third page, and thirty-four on the fourth page and repeat with the rest of the pages.

Picture Books:

1. On the thirty-third page put the following on top in the middle of the page: 33(make sure its big enough)
2. Then a little bit below the number 33 put the spelling of the number 33 (thirty-three).
3. Then directly below the word one put a picture of any Thirty-three items like dots, stars, or hearts(make sure it is Thirty-three items).
4. What is really neat to use for all this is foam letters, letters and pictures.
5. On the Thirty-fourth page do what you did with the thirty-third page except use the number 34, the word thirty-four and a picture of 34 items like 34 items like triangles, squares, or circles

Index Cards:

• Place the number 33 on a card, word thirty-three on a card, a picture of thirty-three items
• Also write the number 34 on card, word thirty-four on a card, and a picture of thirty-four items.
• Add these cards with the your other index word cards.
• Remember to add the numbers and words to your key chain card holder
• Remember to keep on teaching  your kid's math.  Here's an example: Write on a card 5 + 29 = 34 on the other side have a picture of thirty-four  items. And the number thirty-four written out.  Try not to go above = 34. Keep it real simple.

Number Sewing:

• Don't forget you can have your child sew the numbers 33 and 34. 

Memory Game:

• You and your child can now play their memory game with the numbers 33 and 34.

Math:

• Remember to do more math with your child.
• Ask them questions while you drive.  
• Show your child how when you cover  the second number  in a double digit number how it goes 1, 2, 3, 4.  For example 10, 20, 30, 40.  And how the second number does the same thing: 11, 12, 13, 14.  This makes it easier for children to understand how easy it is to figure out what number comes next.

Yarn Math Art:

• Supplies Needed: Construction Paper, Yarn, Glue and Scissors : Have your child make numbers from pieces of cut up yarn.

Can of Beans: 

• Supplies Needed: Dried Lima Beans, Coffee Can, Tape, Permanent Markers

1. Tape around the rim of the coffee can to prevent injury from metal edges.
2. Write a number on each Lima bean.  Use as many or as few beans as you wish.

Also:

• With eyes closed, take a bean from the can and determine if it represents an odd or even number.
• Remove several beans from the can, add them up, and determine if the sum represents an odd or even number.
• Take two beans from the can and decide which represents the greater number.
• Shake the can and dispense several beans.  Place them in order from the least to the greatest value or from the greatest to the least value.
• Choose several numbered beans from the can and estimate the sum of all the numbers represented on the selected beans.

It's In The Bag:

• Supplies Needed: Poker chips(red, white, blue), craft sticks, construction paper(red, white and blue), paper lunch sacks, paper, crayons or markers

1. If you choose to use construction paper, cut the various colors into equal-sized squares.  If craft sticks are to be used, color a tip of each with one of the three color choices.
2. Provide each child with a paper lunch sack containing a random assortment of colored chips, paper squares, or craft sticks.
3. Make columns on charts to represent each color. Randomly draw a square, chip, or craft stick from the bag.
4. On the chart, mark with a tally the color that was drawn from the bag.  Put the items back in the bag.  Draw and tally again.  Do this a total of 10 times.
5. Add up the total number of red, white, and blue tallies in each column.
6. Compare each child's results.  You can repeat the activity a few times and compare the results.

What Is The Number: 

• Supplies Needed:14 poker chips(4 one color, 10 another color), black permanent marker

1. On each chip write a number from 0-9 on one color. For example on the red chips, write:0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
2. Then on the other color chips write a number from 0-3. For example on the blue chips, write:0, 1,2, 3
3. Turn all the chips over, so the numbers don't show.  
4. Have your child pick one chip of each color.  And let them figure out the number.
5. For example if they have a 2 on the blue chip and a 5 on the red chip, they would have the number 25.  If they have a 0 on the blue chip and a 8 on the red chip, they would have the number 08.  

• Great website for Printable Math Worksheets: Click Here

Some ideas were found in the book: Arts, Crafts & More by Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday! Week 17 : January 28 : Number 33 & 34

Wacky Wednesday: ZSU ZSU Hamsters

Wacky Wednesday:

ZSU ZSU Hamsters

Crafts:

• Hamster Toilet Paper Roll Craft: Click Here
• Pom Pom Hamster: 2 large brown pom poms, very small black pom pom, 1 small brown pom pom, brown felt, gogglie eyes, glue, black thread, red yarn

1. Glue the 2 large pom poms together.  Let dry.
2. Glue the small brown pom pom on the back for their tail.
3. Make little whiskers with the black thread and glue onto face.  Then glue the very small pom pom over the whiskers for the nose.
4. Cut out little triangle ears out of the brown felt.  And fold the ears slightly and glue into place.
5. Glue a piece of red yarn onto the face to make a mouth.
6. If you want you can also glue on 4 small brown pom poms on the bottom of the hamster to make feet.

• Hamster Wheel: Craft sticks, hot glue, cardboard, construction paper, long brad, empty square tissue box, pipe cleaner

1. Draw a circle on a piece of cardboard.  The size you want the hamster wheel. I made mine about 6 inches.
2. Then insert sticks into the circle.  I spaced mine about an inch apart.
3. Then take smaller sticks and attach them to the bigger sticks connecting them together.  I made two rows of them.  Let Glue Dry!
4. Then cut out the circle just a little bit by the sticks.
5. Then attach the wheel onto the box with a brad through the middle of the wheel to box.  Should be able to move wheel.  If the wheel is too heavy and falling over, add weight to the box.
6. Can add pipe cleaners around wheel to make it pretty.
7. Could also add felt to the inside of wheel, so nothing falls through the holes if you want.

• Hamster Maze: Cardboard Box Lid or cardboard, Bendable straws, glue, marble, hole puncher

1. Cut pieces of bendable straws up and glue them onto the cardboard to make the maze.  You can make the maze anyway you want.  You can draw the maze onto the cardboard first if you want with lines so that you know what it will look like.  If you want, you can place the straws down before you glue to see what it look likes.  
2. Make sure you punch a hole at the end of the maze for the marble to fall into.

• Hamster Face Paper Plate:  Dinner plate, Brown paint, cotton balls, Scissors, black yarn, Large black pom pom, brown construction paper, glue, hole puncher

1. Paint the plate brown.  Let dry. Cut out eye holes.
2. Stretch out the cotton balls and glue them onto the plate. Paint the cotton balls with brown.
3. Glue large black pom pom onto plate for the nose.
4. Cut out 2 triangles for the ears, bend them just a little and glue them in place or staple them on plate.
5. Glue a piece of yarn onto plate for the mouth.
6. Punch holes on each side of plate.  Thread yarn through each hole and tie off, use this for holding on of the mask.

• Hamster Magnet: Cardboard(thin), Picture of Zsu Zsu pet, glue, puff paint, magnet

1. Cut a circle out of cardboard.  
2. Glue a picture of the ZSU ZSU pet onto the cardboard.
3. Place puff paint around the cardboard and picture.  
4. Glue a magnet onto the back of the picture and put on fridge.

• Hamster Bed: Fabric, Scissors

1. Figure out how big you want your bed.  Then make sure you have extra fabric all the way around the bed.  You will need two pieces of the same size.
2. Your child will be tying the bed together.
3. Make sure the two pieces are lined up perfectly.  Start cutting slits all the way around, except for the top part. 
4. Then tie the slits together.  
5. Their hamster now has a little bed they can crawl into.

• Hamster Wheel Art: Cardboard, pencil, plastic needle, yarn, pom pom hamster

1. Draw a hamster wheel onto a piece of cardboard. Make little dark dots on the wheel.  This is where your child will put the needle into.
2. Then thread the needle with yarn and have your child sew their wheel.
3. Make a pom pom hamster, from up above.  Glue the hamster onto the wheel.

• Hamster Egg Cup: Cardboard egg carton, brown felt, brown pom pom, black pom pom, glue, brown pipe cleaner, black string, brown paint, gogglie eyes, red marker

1. Cut out two egg sections.  Glue the two openings together.
2. Paint them brown.
3. Glue on eyes.  
4. Cut little whisker out of black string and glue them onto face.  Then glue the black pom pom in the middle of the whiskers.
5. Cut out two triangle felt ears.  Bend them a little and glue them onto head.
6. Draw on a mouth with red marker.
7. Cut pipe cleaners for the arms and legs, add a little glue to one end and push them into the egg carton.
8. Cut out little feet and hands out of felt and glue them to the end of the pipe cleaners.

• Hamster Wheel Fun: Cardboard, pipecleaners, construction paper, marker, straw, brad

1. Make a circle with a pipe cleaner.
2. Then make a larger circle with a pipe cleaner. 
3. Attach the circles together with pipe cleaners. 
4. Then attach pipe cleaners that are connecting the circles together, with smaller pipe cleaners.  
5. Bend the pipe cleaners to form a wheel.
6. You can glue the wheel onto a piece of cardboard with glue or pipe cleaners through the cardboard.
7. Then cut the small circle out.  
8. Attach a picture of a hamster to the end of a  pipe cleaner by making a small circle at the end of the pipe cleaner and attaching the hamster with a brad.  Then slide the pipe cleaner into a straw.  Then secure the end by twisting the pipe cleaner a little.  The straw makes it easier to spin it.
9. Your child can put the pipe cleaner through the hole.  Bend the pipe cleaner so it looks like the hamster is running around the wheel.  

• Hamster Home: Butter Tub, Scissors, Paint, Cardboard, Cotton Balls, Glue

1. Place the tub faced down onto the cardboard piece. Trace around the tub.  Cut out circle and set aside.
2. Cut out a hole in the tub big enough for the entrance of the hamster.  Paint the tub.  Can also glue pieces of construction paper all over the tub.
3. Glue pieces of cotton ball,s(stretched or left alone), onto the round piece of cardboard.
4. Glue the tub onto the cardboard piece.  
5. Their home is now complete.

Activities:

• Hot Potato Zsu Zsu Game: Play game like hot potato.
• Hamster Tossing Game: Stuffed hamsters, Shoebox, marker.

1. Decorate the shoebox (hamster's home)
2. Cut out a circle out of the lid of the box.  The circle should be a bigger than the hamster.
3. One person has the hamsters, the other person has the shoebox.  The person holding the hamsters throws the hamsters toward their  home.   The person holding the hamster's home must try to get the hamster into the hole in the box.
4. You can keep score if you want.  The one with the most hamsters in their homes wins.

• Pin The Hamster On The Wheel: Poster Board, Marker, Tape, Couple Pictures of ZSU ZSU Pets, Blindfold

1. Draw a wheel onto the piece of poster board.  Make a mark (like a heart) on the wheel, this is where they must put the hamster on.
2. Blindfold your child.  Place a piece of tape on the back of the picture and had it to them.
3. See if your child can place the hamster onto the mark.  The person closest to the mark wins.

• Hamster Tube Game: Paper towel tubes, tape, construction paper, cotton balls or pom pom hamsters

1.   Cover tubes with construction paper, secure with tape.
2. Each team member gets a tube.  Everyone lines up in front of their team leader.  The team leader puts a cotton ball in the tub at the start of "Go!"  Then the next person in line must try to get the hamster into their tube without dropping it, then the next in line tries to catch the hamster, this goes on until the last person.  The first team to get the hamster to the end without dropping it wins. If the hamster falls to the floor, the team must start all over again.

• Hamster Hunt

1. Hide the hamster somewhere in the house.  Let your child to find it.  You can provide a map if you want.

• Hamster Coloring Pages: Click Here
• Hamster Printable Birth Certificate and Record Page:  Click Here
• Hamster Coloring Page:  Click Here
• Play-Doh

1. Make hamsters and their homes and play things.

• White Copy Paper, Crayons

1. Have your child draw their very own hamster with all their toys.
2. You and your child can also write a story about their hamster and a trip they went on.  For example: The Zoo, Park, Winter Olympics, Skiing, Movies, Boat Trip, where ever they wish.  Then have them draw pictures to go with their story.

Food/Snacks:

Things that hamsters eat!

• Carrots
• Celery
• Salad(they love lettuce)
• Broccoli
• Yogurt
• Seeds/Nuts
• Cereal
• Bread
• Peanut Butter(they don't peanut butter, but they love nuts)

Wacky Wednesday: ZSU ZSU Hamsters

Tuesday Tips!

Tuesday Tips!

Meal Planner

• On a piece of paper, write down everything you know how to make.  
• Put them in the categories like: Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish, Pasta, Misc.  For example: For chicken I put: Rotisserie, Nuggets, Fried, BBQ, Lemon, Alfredo, Salad, Pot Pie, Krispy, Swedish Soup, Quesadillas 
• Then have categories for sides like: Potatoes, Vegetables, Breads, Salads, Fruits, Misc.  For example: For Potatoes I put: French Fries, Whole/Mashed, Au Gratin, Salad
• Next, categories for extras: Cookies, Cakes, Brownies, Ice Cream, Drinks, Misc.  For example: For Cookies: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Sugar, No Cook

• After you write down everything you can make a chart.  Take a blank piece of white paper, a ruler and pencil and draw up your chart.  Put chart onto your refrigerator.
• Whenever you make out your grocery list you can grab your meal planner chart and be able to make your grocery list much faster.
• Put every recipe, you know how to make into a recipe box by the same categories.  That way when you need to know what you need, its right at your fingertips.  You could also type up the recipes and put them in an album, by categories too.  
• If you have everything you can make at your fingertips it makes meal planning so much easier.  Instead of asking yourself, "What can I make for supper?" You can just look at your planner.  
• You also may forget some recipes that you know how to make and with your planner right in front of you, you won't forget them anymore.  
• You can also print out a monthly calendar and write down that month's meals.  Make sure you keep that monthly calendar so that the next month you don't make the same meal to close together. Or so that you don't ask yourself, "When did I make this?" when you look into the fridge.  Free Printable Make Your Calendar Click Here.

Tuesday Tips!

Educational Learning For Toddlers: Week Eighteen

Educational Learning For Toddlers

Week Eighteen

New Words For This Week Are: Red, White, Blue

Combine these three new words with: Cat, Dog, My, Bat, Log, Sat, On, Mom, Dad, Tree, The, Up, And, Big, Boat, Down, Sun, Love, Fall, Mat, Or, See, Hat, Rat, Moon, Car, Left, Right, Flag, All, Fun, Book, Off, Time, Cold, Santa, Snow, Wet, Deer, Side, Ice, Lady, Old, New, Farm, Cow, Barn

Child's First Book

1. Make sure to add three new sentences to your Child's First Book.
2. For the word Red: The red /The red car went up/The red car went up the hill.
3. For the word White: The deer/The deer was walking/The deer was walking in the white snow.
4. For the word Blue: The flag/The flag is red/The flag is red, white and blue.

When your child is reading their book to you or anyone else, make sure not to just tell your child the words. Have them spell it out, to see if they can get the word and/or see if they can pronounce it out.

Index Card Project:

Write the words Red, White and Blue on index cards.

1. On the other side glue a picture of that word or have them draw a picture.
2. Have your child make a sentence with the words.
3. Take the letters of the words and make new words.

Key-chain Index Cards:

• Don't forget to add these 3 new words to your key-chain cards.
• Are you remembering to use these while shopping.
• Do you need to make another keychain?
• Are you using the keychain?

Go Fish Game:

• Remember to add their words to their Go Fish Game.
• Are you playing the go fish game with your child?

Little Foam Books:

• After adding the words to your new little foam books, your child will have 18 books to practice in now.
• Do your kids need new books for their older words?
• Are your kids still practicing all their words?

Alphabet Detective:

• Write one letter of the alphabet on each index card (A to Z).
• Shuffle the deck of cards and place the deck facedown on the ground.  Player no. 1 takes three cards from the deck and, keeping them facedown, sets them aside.  He sets the timer for two or three minutes and shouts "Go!" Player no. 2 begins laying the rest of the cards faceup in a horizontal line, trying to get them back into alphabetical order so he can figure out which three letters are missing before the timer sounds.  One point is scored for each correct letter guessed, for a total of three possible points per round of play.  On the next round, the players switch roles.  When they come to a stopping point where they've had the same number of turns, the player with the most points wins.

String Art:

• Supplies Needed: String or Yarn, Construction Paper, Hole Punch, Markers

1. Print your child's first name in capital letters across the top of a piece of construction paper near the edge. (Paper is turned on its side like a rectangle.)
2. Punch a hole below each letter.
3. Print your child's last name in capital letters across the bottom of the paper near the edge .  
4. Punch a hole below each letter.
5. If your first name is longer than your last name then just add stars or another design on either side of name. You want the same number on top as there is on bottom.
6. Attach string or yarn from the holes at the top of the paper to holes at the bottom.  Attach the first letter or design in first name and attach it to the last letter or design in the last name.
7. Thread a length of yarn or string back and forth through the holes by beginning at the top left corner and finishing at the bottom left corner.  (Be sure to make a knot in the back of the first hole to secure the yarn.)

Nifty Names:

• Supplies Needed: Glue, newspaper, scissors, construction paper, homemade or commercial watercolors, pens, pencils, or fine point markers, paintbrush, optional: fabric, glitter, sequins, buttons, shells

1. Using newspaper, measure and draw the letters of your child's name. (They can trace around precut letters.)
2. Watercolor over the drawn letters. Let them dry.  Cut out letters.
3. Glue the letters on construction paper in any arrangement.
4. You can also place finished on fabric or other background and display them children's writing.
5. Decorate shoeboxes and glue your name to your box.   Children can use the personalized boxes for supplies.

Some ideas were found in these books:

• Arts, Crafts & More by Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
• Unplugged Play by Bobbi Conner

Educational Learning For Toddlers: Week Eighteen

Winter Olympics: Week 19: January 24-30

 Winter Olympics!

This year the Winter Olympics are being held in Vancouver, Canada.  

The Olympic Cauldron will be lit on February 12, 2010

What do the five rings mean?

The five interlocking rings represent five continents or major geographical areas of the world. The five main regions: Africa, the Americas (North and South America are combined), Asia, Europe and Oceania. As it says in the Olympic Charter, the five-ringed symbol "represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games." The colors of the rings represent the flags of the countries that participate in the Olympics. Every flag of a country participating in the Olympics includes at least one of the following colors: blue, black, red, yellow, and green. (answer from the Wiki website)

Crafts :

• Flag holders: Paper towel roll, crayons or markers, construction paper, scissors, glue, paper cup

1. Wrap paper towel rolls and cups with construction paper. Decorate if you want.
2. Make flags(5"across and 3" down).  Make USA, Canada and other countries if you want.
3. Glue the flags(from below) to the poles. 
4. Then cut a hole in the bottom of the cup large enough to fit the flagpole.

• Flag: Construction paper, crayons, markers, scissors, glue, string, stapler

1. Cut out a rectangle to make the flag (5"across and 3" down).  Make sure to have an additional 1" margin across, to wrap round yarn. 
2. Make a USA flag.  With the red and white strips and blue section with white stars.
3. Make a Canadian flag or others if you want too.
4. Fold the 1"margin over a piece of  string and securing with staples or glue.

• Ice Olympic Rings: 5 butter lids, water, food coloring, glitter, sequins, string, cardboard, hot glue

1. Take scissors and cut out an 1" spot out of the side of each lid.  On three of the lids cut out 2 1" spots across from each other.  
2. Then glue the lids onto the cardboard piece.  Make sure they all connect and the holes line up together.  This will form an Olympic Symbol.  
3. Then add water and a couple drops of food coloring in each ring trying to make it look like an olympic symbol.  You can add glitter and sequins too of the same colors.
4. Add a piece of yarn, folded in half, to each circle for hanging.  
5. Then place in freezer or outside if its cold enough to freeze.  Make sure you don't have any animals outside, otherwise they will drink it.
6. After its frozen, remove from lids and hang outside.  
7. If you want a ring, you can glue something in the middle of each lid, like a milk lid, and when you remove it, you will have rings.

• Winter Sun Catcher: Round cake pan, ribbon, plastic cup, ice cube tray,water, food coloring

1. Add water to ice cube trays and add food coloring to each one.  Then let them freeze.
2. Put a plastic cup in the middle of a round cake pan.  
3. Add the frozen ice cubes to the cake pan.  Fill with water to the top.
4. Freeze again.  When frozen, remove the ring from the cake pan.  
5. Place a ribbon through the hole, tie it and hang outside.

• Flag: Cardboard tube, paint or construction paper, yarn or pipe cleaner, fabric or felt, scissors, glue, hole puncher

1. Have your child glue construction paper around the tube or paint the tube.
2. Each child designs his own flag and glues the flag to the cardboard tube.

• Star Wreath: Dinner-sized paper plate, scissors, construction paper(red,white, blue), glue, various other materials(aluminum foil, stickers, glitter, ribbon, scraps of fabric, cardboard

1. Cut out the center of the paper plate, leaving a 2" rim.  Your circle doesn't have to be perfect because it is the base of the wreath and will be covered up with other materials.
2. Cut out different sized red, white and blue stars.  Give your wreath extra dimension by covering shapes with foil or fabric and layering them.  Add even more pizzazz with ribbons or glitter.  Glue the shapes to the paper-plate circle, covering it completely.  You could also decorate with stickers or drawings of patriotic symbols, such as flags, eagles, Uncle Sam, and the Liberty Bell.
3. Poke a hole or two in the top of the paper circle and tie on a piece of ribbon for a hanger.  Adjust the length according to where you intend to place the wreath.  

• Paper Plate Olympic Symbol: 5 dinner sized paper plate, Paint(black, yellow, blue, green, red), glue, hole puncher, yarn, tape

1. For the symbol, cut out the insides of 5 dinner-sized sturdy plates.  Put the insides aside and use later for the Number Toss in Activity Section. 
2. Paint or color the rings-one each of red, green, blue, gold, and black.  Or use paper plates of different colors.  
3. Make one neat cut in each rim so you can interlock them.  Then tape the rings back together on the back side.  

• Olympic Medals: Paper plates, Paint(gold, silver, bronze), glue, glitter, tape, ribbons

1. Paint small paper plates gold, silver, and bronze.  Put glue in the shape of a star and sprinkle on glitter.
2. Tape ribbons on the back of the medals.  You can add gold paint on the edges of the ribbons to add more flare.  You'll probably want to have more than one set of medals.  

• Red, White and Blue Wreath: Plastic-foam egg carton, tissue paper(red and blue), foil stars or construction paper, ribbon, yarn, glue, stapler

1. Remove the lid from the egg carton and discard.  Cut the cup section of the carton in half the long way, so you have two six-cup rows.
2. Staple the two six-cup sections together, end to end, with the open part of the cups facing out.  This will make a circle.  Add some glue or staples between each cup to help hold them together.
3. Crumple a piece of tissue paper into a ball, and glue the ball into an egg cup.  Fill each of the twelve cups in this manner.
4. Decorate the outside of the cups with foil stars or stars cut from construction paper.  Glue a ribbon to the bottom of the wreath.  Tie a yarn hanger to the top, and hang on a door or wall.

• Glitter Snowflake: Construction paper, craft sticks, glitter, string or yarn, glue

1. Cut a 4-inch-by-4-inch piece of construction paper.  Fold the paper in half three times to form a square.  Cut tiny notches out of the edges of the small square, being careful not to cut all the folds away.  
2. Unfold the square to reveal your snowflake.
3. Glue craft sticks around the snowflake to form a frame.  
4. Apply a fine layer of glue to the ornament, then add glitter.  Let dry.  
5. Then add a string or yarn hanger.

• Stair-Step Swirl: Paint(red, white, blue), craft sticks, thin ribbon

1. Paint eight sticks in red, eight sticks in white, and eight sticks in blue--front and back.  Let dry.
2. Select one craft stick of each color.  Put a dab of glue at the center of one craft stick.  Form an X with the second stick at the glue point.  Close the X until the sticks just slightly overlap.
3. Repeat the process with each of the remaining sticks, making the red, white and blue pattern.
4. Before you put the last stick in place, slip a length of ribbon in between the last two sticks.  Knot the ribbon, and let dry.

• Star Banners: Paint(red, white, blue), four craft sticks, tissue paper or poster board(red, white, blue), yarn or ribbon

1. Paint four craft sticks blue.  
2. Glue the sticks together to form an eight-pointed star.
3. Add red and white tissue-paper or poster-board streamers to the lower half of the star points.  Glue white stars on the end of each paint.
4. Add a piece of red yarn or ribbon hanger.
5. Can also add glitter, stickers or beads to your banners too.

• Olympic Day Plaque: Craft sticks, yarn or pipe cleaner, construction paper(black, yellow, blue, green, red),  star and flag sequins

1. Apply glue on the back of two craft sticks.  Lay them about 3 inches apart. 
2. Place about ten craft sticks side by side across the two sticks, with no spaces showing.  Let dry.
3. Cut out a circle, with a hole in the middle, out of each color black, yellow, blue, green and red.)  Glue the circles onto the craft sticks, interlocking them.  
4. Glue star sequins down each side of the plaque.  
5. Glue a flag to the bottom on the two sticks, you started with in 1.
6. Glue a piece of yarn or chenille stick bent into a V shape to the back of the sign as a hanger.

• Sleds: Six craft sticks, felt or other trims, glitter markers or paint, ribbon

1. Line up five sticks side by side.  The middle it the tallest, then the next ones are a little taller than the ones next to them.  Just a little bit.
2. Spread glue across the back of the remaining stick.  Place it across the five sticks about 1" inch from the tip of the center stick.  Let dry.
3. Decorate your sled wit felt or other trims.  Write your name or family member on the center stick.  Use glitter or paint the sticks your favorite color.
4. Add a ribbon hanger.
5. Add runners by stacking and gluing three sticks underneath the sled on both sides.

• Olympic Medal Picture Holder: White poster board, pictures, clear glitter, ribbon(red, white and blue together), notebook ring, paint(gold, silver, bronze), glue, contact paper

1. Cut three circles from white poster board. Paint one gold, silver, bronze.  Let dry.
2. Cut out pictures of your children or your child, mom and dad (make them smaller than the circle, so you have a frame left around picture and glue them to medals.  Press the picture in the center, and sprinkle the rest of the circle with clear glitter.
3. Cut a long strip of ribbon.  Cut a triangle shape from the bottom end to make two points.
4. Staple the top end of the ribbon into a loop.  Put a notebook ring through the loop.
5. Glue the three pictures to the ribbon.  You can put velcro on the back of the pictures and the ribbon so you can change out the pictures.

• Old Glory Collage: White construction paper, magazines, cardboard, twine or yarn, glue

1. Cut a square of white construction paper to mark off the blue section on the flag. (Do not glue it to the cardboard.)
2. Glue red pictures from the magazines over the cardboard.  Stop at the upper left-hand corner where the blue section will be.
3. Cover another sheet of white of white paper with white pictures.  Cut the paper into six white strips.  Glue them to the flag.  If the strips are too short, cut more strips to add to them.
4. Cover the white square with blue pictures cut from the magazines.  Trim the edges.  Glue the blue square to the upper-left hand corner.
5. Cut thirteen stars from yellow pictures.  Glue the stars in a circle on the blue square.  Glue the ends of a piece of twine on the back.

• Crossword Flag Mosaic: Blank crossword puzzle, Crayons(red, white, blue), construction paper, glue, yarn

1. Create a flag design or any design on the crossword puzzle.  Just have your child color in the squares.  
2. Glue the crossword puzzle onto a piece of construction paper.
3. Glue a piece of yarn to the back of the construction paper for hanging.

• Olympic Medal Bookmark: Ribbon, thin cardboard(cereal box), paint(gold, silver, bronze), glitter, glue

1. Trace around a small drinking glass on a piece of thin cardboard and make six circles.  
2. Cut the six circles out. Paint two circles gold, two silver and two bronze.
3. Make a design with the glue and add glitter to the glue. Designs like stars, olympic rings, the year 2010, etc.
4. Cut a 15-inch piece of ribbon.  Fold the ribbon in half, and glue the circles together back to back, with the fold of the ribbon in between them.

• Olympic Noisemaker: Hole puncher, two identical margarine tubs, small pebbles or beans, ribbon(black, yellow(gold), blue, green, red), sticker stars, dowel

1. Punch eight holes, evenly spaces, around the rims of both tubs.
2. Put some pebbles or beans in one of the tubs.
3. Turn the second tub over so that the rim of the first tub touches the rim of the second and the holes are lined up across from each other as close as possible.  Thread yarn or ribbon through each set of holes, and tie in a knot.  Let the ends hang loose for a festive look.
4. Decorate the outside with some sticker stars or other decorations.
5. If you want, poke a hole in the bottom of the noisemaker, and add a dowel handle.  Add hot glue around the dowel to hold in place.  You can do this before you add the pebbles on the inside and hot glue the dowel inside too.  Make sure to let it dry, before you add the pebbles or beans.

• Olympic Wind Chime: Cardboard toilet paper tube, construction paper, hot glue gun, heavy bead, crystal, or disc, markers, stickers or other embellishments, metal chimes, wooden dowel (size of tube), cording or yarn

1. Dab a tiny bit of glue on each end of the dowel and insert horizontally into the top of the tube so that it fits snugly.
2. Cover tube with construction paper and decorate with markers, stickers, or any other embellishments. Make the olympic rings around the tube.  
3. Hang metal chimes from dowel so that they are hidden inside the tube.
4. Tie length of cording to the dowel so that it hangs through the tube, then the bead, crystal, or disc.
5. Tie another length of cording to hang the wind chime from.
6. Hang chime in a doorway or open window to let the breeze make music for you.

• Olympic Kaleidoscope: 2 cardboard paper towel tubes, aluminum foil, glue, craft jewel or beads(black, yellow, blue, green, red), flat cardboard, heavy construction paper, pencil, plastic wrap, ruler, scissors, clear tape

1. Measure and cut construction paper to 4 1/2" (11.4 cm) wide by the original length of the paper.
2. Measure and fold the strip of paper lengthwise into three equal parts, so that each portion is 1 1/2"(3.8 cm).
3. Glue aluminum foil to the construction paper, and reinforce the folds.  This should create an equilateral (meaning all sides are the same length) triangle.  Make sure the aluminum foil is facing inside the triangular tunnel.
4. Slip the triangular tunnel inside the cardboard tube.
5. Trace the cardboard tube on the piece of flat cardboard and cut out.
6. Cut a small hole in the cardboard circle to create the viewfinder.  You might be more comfortable asking a grown-up to help you.
7. Glue or tape the circle to one end of your cardboard tube.
8. Cut the second cardboard tube to 2"(5.1 cm) long.
9. Cover one end of this short piece with transparent tape, so the sticky side faces inside the tube.
10. Fill the tube halfway full with craft jewels and/or beads.   Some of the jewels should stick to the tape and some will flow free.  This will make for better viewing.
11. Cover the open end of the 2"(5.1 cm) tube with plastic wrap, with secure with clear tape.
12. Tape the 2"(5.1 cm) tube to the base of the longer tube to create kaleidoscope.
13. Decorate with additional construction paper by making Olympic Rings up and down or swirled around the tube.
14. For the best viewing, point the base of your kaleidoscope to the sky to let light come through the jewel chamber.

• Olympic Bottle Cap Frame: 20 plastic bottle caps, cardboard(cereal box), yarn, glue and hot glue, paint(black, yellow, blue, green, red)

1. Paint the bottle caps 4 of each color. Let dry. 
2. Cut a rectangle shape out of the cardboard piece.
3. Glue the caps around the cardboard piece.  Start in the upper left hand corner and glue each color to the right.  Then do it again, in the same order, until you finished the frame.  
4. Glue a piece of yarn in the back for hanging.  
5. Add a picture.

• Skier:  Felt, pipe cleaner, ribbon, gogglie eyes, glue, pom poms, sequins

1. Glue the pom poms together.
2. Glue on eyes.
3. Glue a pipe cleaner over the top of the head for the start of the earmuffs.  
4. Cut out 2 little circles out of the felt for the rest of the earmuffs.  Glue a circle onto the end of each pipe cleaner to finish the earmuffs.
5. Use pipe cleaners for arms and legs and glue onto pom poms.
6. Cut out mittens and boots out of the felt and glue onto arms and legs
7. Glue a ski onto the bottom of each boot, curl the front end of each ski.
8. Glue a pole onto each hand.  Glue a sequin onto each end of the pole.
9. You can put a magnet on the back of the skier or glue a piece of yarn on pom pom for hanging up.

• Olympic Ring Photo Holder: Felt(black, yellow, blue, green red), glue, cardboard, pictures,  yarn

1. Cut out rings, one of each color, out of the felt.
2. Glue the rings onto a piece of cardboard, into the olympic symbol. Let dry.
3. Cut the excess off.  
4. Glue a yarn on the back of the frame for hanging.
5. Place pictures into the circles and hang up.

• Bell Skier: Metal Bell(size of quarter), wooden bead(head), pipe cleaner, felt, pom poms, marker, paint, hot glue, glue, 2 round sequins with holes.

1. Paint the bell(body), bead(head).  Let dry.  Draw a face onto the head.
2. Hot glue the head onto the body(open side of bell is facing down.)  Let dry. 
3. Make arms out of the pipe cleaners.  Hot glue into place.
4. Take a piece of pipe cleaner, fold in half for legs.  Then hot glue onto bottom of bell.
5. Cut out a little scarf out of the felt.  Place some hot glue around the neck and then  wrap scarf around the neck.
6.  Cut out little mittens and boots out of felt too. Glue into place.
7. Cut out a small piece of pipe cleaner to fit over head to from the ear muffs.  Glue onto head.  Over the top of each end of the pipe cleaner, glue on a pom pom.
8. Can add a hat if you want, too.
9. Cut out 2 skis boards out of felt.  Glue them to one arm.  
10. Then take a pipe cleaner cut them up into two pieces for the poles.  At the end of each pole, place on a sequins with a little glue to hole it in place.

• Snowman Skier: Large paper plate, small paper plate, 3 buttons, pom pom, felt, pipe cleaners, construction paper

1. Glue a small paper plate on top of the top portion of the large paper plate.
2. Make your snowman face.
3. Cut out a half circle for the hat. Then make a strip for the trim on the bottom of the hat.  Glue the trim on the hat.  Glue on the pom pom onto the top of the hat.  Glue the hat onto the head.
4. Glue the button on the large plate.
5. Cut out black boots out of construction paper and glue onto the back of the plate, so just the bottoms of the boots show.
6. Cut out gloves and trim to glue on top of the gloves.  
7. Cut out 2 skis and glue them onto the bottom on the boots.
8. Glue pipe cleaners onto the back of the large plate for the arms.  Then glue the mittens onto the end of the pipe cleaners.
9. In each hand, glue a pipe cleaner for the poles.  On the bottom of each pole place a felt circle and glue it to place.

• Olympic Ring Mobile: Construction paper(black, yellow, blue, green , red), scissors, yarn, hole puncher, white paper dinner plate

1. Make a snow flake out of the white dinner plate. You can glue pieces of  blue construction paper to make designs on the snowflake.
2. Cut out a ring out of each color.
3. Punch 5 holes in the bottom of the snowflake.
4. Punch a hole in each ring or just hang from ring hole.
5. Thread a piece of yarn through each hole in the plate, tie off.  
6. And then thread the other end through the hole in the rings.
7. You can also hang down homemade snowflakes from the big snowflake.
8. Punch a hole in the big snowflake for hanging.

• Ice-Skate Bookmark: Cardboard, felt, hole puncher, cord, cotton ball, paper clip, ribbon, glitter glue

1. Cut a boot shape from 3-inch-square cardboard.  Trace the boot on two folded pieces of felt, with the boot bottom at the fold.  Cut out the boots, but don't cut along the fold.
2. Punch three holes in each boot and thread cord through for shoelaces.  Glue on cotton-ball trim.
3. Slide a large paper clip into the fold of each skate.  Slip an end of a ribbon, 12 inches long and 1 inch wide, into each top.  Glue the front and back edges closed.
4. Outline the skates with glitter glue.

• Patriotic Macaroni Necklace: Macaroni, yarn or pipe cleaner, paint(red, white, blue)

1. Have your child paint the pasta red, white and blue.
2. Then string the pasta onto a piece or yarn or pipe cleaner.  Tie shut.

• Olympic Jewelry: Colored paper in different thickness and/or magazine pages (colors of black, yellow, blue, green, red), small, wooden beads(black, yellow, blue, green, red), narrow ribbons, glue, scraps of colored foil and candy wrappers, pencil, knitting needles or chopsticks, scissors

1. Cut out lots of long thin triangles from magazine pages and colored paper.  The triangles should be about 12 in. long.
2. Spread glue on the thinnest two-thirds of each triangle.  Then, starting with the wide end, roll each triangle around a knitting needle, chopstick, or pencil.
3. When you have enough paper beads, thread them onto some ribbon with a flat bead between each one.  Tie the ribbon ends together.

• Olympic Placemat: Pictures of Olympic activities, USA and Canada Flag, Contact paper, Glitter, Construction paper(black, yellow, blue, green, red)

1. Take the contact paper and make it long enough to make a rectangle.  Then double it.  Fold it in half, to form a crease.  
2. Then peel back the backing up to the crease.  
3. Start adding the pictures, flags, glitter, can even add a paper that says Winter Olympics 2010.  
4. Then, peel back the other half of the contact paper and seal it shut. 

Activities:

• Winter Bubbles: 1 cup dish soap, 2 cups warm tap water, plastic bowl, 4 tablespoons glycerine, 1 teaspoon sugar, bubble blower

1. Add all ingredients together and mix together.
2. Have your child blow some bubbles inside.  Make sure they see what the bubbles look like.
3. Then, go outside and blow some bubbles and now what happened?
4. Water  and dishwashing liquid form a thin film that can be inflated with air to form a bubble.  Soap bubbles are shaped by the balance between the outward pressure of the gas inside them and the force of surface tension holding the liquid of the bubbles together.  Surface tension is the force of the molecules in water attracting one another.  Sometimes the bubbles appear to be motionless.  If it is cold enough, the bubbles will sparkle as they freeze, and if they hit the snow, they will bounce.
5. Found in the book: Nature in a nutshell for kids by Jean Potter.

• Olympic Ring Game: Paper plate, twin-size bed-sheet, 2 wooden blank blocks or wooden blocks and construction paper, black marker, paint or markers(black, yellow, blue, green, red), pencil

1. This is just like Twister!
2. For dice, use two wooden blocks.  On the six sides of one block, use a marker to write left hand, left foot, right foot, any hand and any foot.  On the six sides of the other block, use a marker to draw a circle of each color on its own side.  Then on the left over space put all 5 rings together(olympic symbol)
3. On a twin-size bedsheet trace around a paper plate, with a pencil,  to make six rows of six evenly spaced circles. Then with paint or markers trace around each circle. One row down will be black circles, the next row will be yellow circles, then a blue row, next, is a green row, then a red row, the final row will be all 5 together as the olympic symbol.
4. Up to four players remove their shoes.  Each stands on a different side of the sheet.  Another person rolls the dice and calls out the circle color and body parts rolled.  Players follow the roller's instructions.  Only one hand or foot  can touch each circle.  If a player falls, he or she is out.  Play continues until only one player is left.  

• Let's Go Ice Skating: Small bowls(such as margarine tubs), 1 large shallow container, water, small plastic people

1. In advance, fill containers halfway with water and freeze.
2. Show your child the ice, such as cold, smooth, slippery.
3. Ask the children to gather around the large container and show the children how to slide the plastic people across the ice in the container. Talk about ice skating and how children would dress if they were going ice skating.
4. Give the children each a bowl and a plastic person to pretend to skate across the ice.

• Go Ice Skating
• Painting With Snow: White paper, containers of snow, colored tissue paper cut into 4"x4" squares, spoons or small shovels, old mittens

1. Put snow into containers and bring them into the house.
2. Place a piece of colored tissue paper on top of the white paper.  Then, add a little snow on top of the tissue paper.
3. Let the snow melt and then show your child what the white paper looks like after you lift off the tissue paper.

• Olympic Ring Snow Art: Water bottles with sprayers, Food Coloring, Water

1. Fill the water bottles 3/4 full of water.
2. Add a couple drops of food coloring.  Make one black, yellow, blue, green, red. 
3. Then have your child go outside and make big olympic rings in the snow, so that everyone can see the olympic symbol.

• Olympic Ring Pom Pom Game: Small margarine tubs with lids, corrugated cardboard, makers(black, yellow, blue, green, red), hole puncher, plastic wrap(press-n-seal the best), 5 small pom poms(black, yellow, blue, green, red), clear packing tape

1. Trace the bottom of the tub around the cardboard. Cut it out. Then punch out 5 holes in the cardboard.  
2. Trace around each hole to make a colored circle. Use the colors black, yellow, blue, green, red).
3. Place the cardboard into the tub.  
4. Place the pom poms into the tub.  
5. Cover the top with plastic wrap and tape the edges down with tape.
6. Have your child  try to get the pom poms into the holes.  If they can get them into their right color, they totally bet the game.

• Olympic Ring Necklace: Pipe-cleaners(black, yellow, blue, green, red, gold, silver, bronze)

1. Make small circles with the (black, yellow, blue, green, red).  Make sure to fasten them together.  
2. Take the gold, silver and bronze and twist the ends together, in that order.  
3. Then, twist the gold pipe cleaner onto one of the end circles.  Twist the bronze pipe cleaner to the other end.

• Olympic Number Toss: Inside of paper plate olympic symbol, paint(black, yellow, blue, green, red), black marker, coins

1. With the insides of the paper plates from the Olympic Symbol Craft from above.  Have your child paint the plates with paints.
2. On each plate, place a number from 1-5.
3. Then place the plates onto the floor in front of your child.  
4. They must then throw the coins and try to get them onto the plates.  
5. The highest number wins.

• Olympic Ring Toss: Pipe cleaner(black, yellow, blue, green, red), white paper cups, black marker, markers or paint, glitter, glue, sequins

1. Make individual circles with the pipe-cleaners.
2. Have your decorate the cups with markers or paints, glitter, and sequins.  Place the cups around the room in front of your child.  
3. Then have your child try to get the rings around the cups.

• Olympic Bean Bag Toss: Felt(black,yellow, blue, green, red), needle, thread, beans, paper plates, crayons or markers(black, yellow, blue, green, red)

1. Cut out 2 squares each of the felt colors.  
2. Take a needle and thread and sew up two pieces together, leave the top open enough to add the beans and then sew the rest up.
3. Color the 5 plates one of each color.
4. Take the 5 plates and cut out the middle to form 5 rings.  Keep centers too.
5. Lay the rings and centers on the floor.
6. Then have your child toss the beanbags into or onto the right colored rings or circles.

• Olympic Color Game: I spy game

1. Have your child look around your house and try to find things that are black, yellow(gold), blue, green, red

• Skiing Pretend Game: Cardboard, 2 long wooden dowel(size of your child), pipe cleaners, felt, hot glue

1. Cut out skis out of cardboard.  Have your child color them if they want.
2. Take the pipe cleaners and make them into a U and place them into the skis to form the shoe fastener.  
3. Paint the dowels, whatever color your child wants. Let dry. Can glue a piece of yarn onto the ends of the dowels for hand fasteners.
4. Cut out circles out of felt.  Place the end of the dowel in the middle of felt piece, and trace around the dowel.  Cut out the circles.
5. Slip the felt circle onto the dowel, toward the bottom.  Glue in place.
6. Now your child can pretend they are skiing. 

• Olympic Ring Hunt: 5 Paper plates, Paint, markers or crayons(black, yellow, blue, green, red), scissors

1. Make 5 rings with the middle cut out of them to make rings.  
2. Color or paint one ring black, one yellow(gold), one blue, one green, one red
3. Hide the rings around the house.
4. Then have your child or children try to find the five rings.
5. Can also use the rings in the Olympic Ring Toss Game.

• Straw Hockey Game: Cardboard lid(like the lid on a game like candyland), 2 straws, milk lid or plastic bottle cap, cardboard, glue, marker

1. Draw a circle in the middle of the lid and a line dividing the box in half, on each side of the circle. 
2. Make two goal post with the cardboard.  Glue in place.
3. Each person gets a straw.  
4. Place a lid or cap (hockey puck)in the middle of the circle.  
5. When you say go, each player must blow the hockey puck and try to get it into the other person's goal post.
6. If you want you can make a score board too.  Cut out 2 circles out of thin cardboard or card-stock.  Write the numbers 1-6 or whatever you want to go up too, on the circles, in a circle. Cut out two arrows out of red card stock paper, for the score pointer, (make no bigger than the circles).Take a piece of cardboard and bend the sides to help it stand.  You may want to cut the sides at an angle.  Write Scoreboard on the top and put write down Visitor on one side and Home on the other side.  Then just below the Visitor sign, put one of the number circles and put an arrow on top of the circles and fasten in place with a brad or paper fastener.  Do the same thing with the Home side. Every-time someone scores just turn the arrow the next number.

• Snowman Hola Hoop Game: Make a snowman or two, 1 or 2 hola hoops

1. Make a snowman or two. Can decorate it with clothes or paint if you want.
2. Each person must try to get the hola hoops over the snowman.  The person who gets the hola hoop around the snowman and to the ground wins.

• Who Am I?: Olympic charades game

1. Each person must act out a winter sport and see if anyone can guess who they are.  Like a skier, hockey player, ice skater, etc.

• Ballon Game: BalloonBlow up some balloons. 

1. Make up a goal for each person.  Everyone tries to get their balloons into the other person's goal.

• Olympic Ring Ping Pong Bucket Toss: Container, 5 Ping Pong Balls, paint(black, yellow, blue, green, red), marker

1. Paint the ping pong balls, one of each color.
2. Write a number on each ball.
3. Place a container in front of your child.  Then have them try to see if they can get the ball into the container.
4. You can keep moving the container back, for a challenge. 

• Don't Break The Ice Game 
• Winter Olympic Coloring Book Printable:  Click Here
• Winter Olympic Activity Printables: Click Here
• Learn All About Canada: Click Here

Songs:

• "I Love My Flag" (Yankee Doodle): 

I love my flag

Oh yes I do

It's red and white and blue.

I stand up tall when it goes by

And I salute it too.

Fifty stars and thirteen stripes lead

As we march along.

Follow now around the room

And sing our happy song.

Books:

• Stars and Stripes by Leonard E. Fisher
• Ice Is...Whee! by Carol Greene
• The Mitten by Jan Brett

Food/Snacks:

• Pedestal Snack Bowls: Round plastic bottle or containers, metal paper fasteners, plastic cup or margarine tub, permanent markers, colored plastic tape(red, white and blue), scissors

1. Basic Bowl: Choose the size bowl you want to make.  Poke a hole in the bottom of the bowl and the base.  Join them together, bottom to bottom, using a paper fastener.  Decorate the bowls with the tape.
2. Small Bowl: Use a margarine tub or other  container for the bowl. Cut a plastic cup in half, and use the bottom part for your pedestal.  Color with markers.
3. Large Bowl: Cut off the top portion of a bottle and use the bottom for the bowl.  Cut a scalloped edge around the bowl. (waves like). Use a margarine tub for your base.  Decorate the pedestal using strips of the tape or permanent markers.

• Strawberries(red), whipped cream(white), blueberries(blue)
• Round noodles
• Spagettios
• Fruit Loops
• Cherrios
• Pineapple Rings

Some Crafts were found in the following books:

• The Giant Encyclopedia of Circle Time and Group Activities for Children 3 to 6 created by teachers
• Bottle Cap Activities by Kathy Cisneros
• The Fantastic Rainy Day Book by Angela Wilkes
• Highlights:  The Holidays 
• Nature in a nutshell for kids by Jean Potter
• Look What You Can Make With Dozens Of Household Items! by Boyds Mills Press
• International Spring and Summer Festivals by Marilynn G. Barr
• Easy Fun Projects with Everyday Items by Ruby Shumaker

Winter Olympics: Week 19: January 24-30