Lemon on a Spoon Race ~ Outdoor Games for Kids

 

1. For the Lemon on a Spoon Race, you'll need some regular-sized stainless steel or plastic spoons and some Lemons.
2. The Lemon should be slightly larger than the spoon to make balancing a little tricky. You will also need to establish a start line and a goal line. 
3. Everyone should  balance a lemon on their spoon and when the whistle blows, they must make it to the goal line and back without dropping their Lemon. The one who come  back first, is the winner.
4. This game can be played and enjoyed by anyone kids or big people also.
5. You can also play this game with a potato !!!

Invisible Ink with Onion Juice

Making invisible ink is a lot of fun, you can pretend you are a secret agent as you keep all your secret messages hidden from others. All you need is some basic household objects and the hidden power of onion juice. 

What you'll need:

    onion
    grater
    knife
    Bowl
    White paper
    Empty Refill
    Lamp or other light bulb or candle

 Instructions:

    Cut the onion into half and peel.
    Grate an onion with the help of grater.
    Squeeze the pulp in a bowl to get the juice.
    Dip the empty refill into the juice and write a message onto the white paper.
    Wait for the juice to dry so it becomes completely invisible.
    Can you read it ? No !
    When you are ready to read your secret message or show it to someone else, heat the paper by         holding it close to a light bulb or carefully hold the paper over a candle flame.
Now you can read the message !!!

What's happening?

Onion juice is an organic substance that oxidizes and turns brown when heated.  Onion Juice burns at lower temperature than paper.
Other substances which work in the same way include  Lemon Juice ,orange juice, honey, milk, vinegar and wine.
Invisible ink can also be made using chemical reactions .

Science Experiments

 
Some Kids Like doing Science Experiments very much . They are very curious to know  "Why" this happen , " How Come" , " What If " ....?
Science activities for kids can be fun and educational.
Simple science experiments you can do at home  or school with  kids are a fun way to introduce children of all  ages to basic scientific concepts. Find easy science experiments now with easy to follow step by step instructions.
Experiments can be  :-

Biology Experiments
Many of these experiments use items from nature, and might require a trip to the backyard or garden.

Physics Experiments
What goes up, must come down.

Chemistry Experiments
Bubbling, fizzing, and messy Experiments are fun and always a winner!

 General Science Experiments
Discover the science behind everyday objects .

Simple Mehndi Designs for kids

Mehndi is the most popular and amazing thing and every girl likes this whether she is married, teenage or a little kid. There are some simple and easy mehndi designs for children.

List of Hobbies for Children

Now a days children spend most of their time watching Telivision or playing Video Games.If you don't allow them to watch T.V. or play video games they will keep on nagging that mamma we are getting bored.So to keep your children busy and focused you should involve them in some hobbies.

Great hobbies and activities keep children active and interested.Hobbies allow children to develop some valuable life skills that they may not be learning at school.Kids need at least one interest outside school. Having a hobby helps them relax and get away from the routines of school, which is good for their mental health.

Children benefit from hobbies because they help kids:

    Relax
    Discover new talents
    Develop interpersonal skills
    Form their personal identity
    Build self-esteem
    Increase Confidence
   
Hobbies are a great way to have fun, learn, and make friends.For some selecting a hobby may be a easy process. For others, it can be confusing since there are so many options out there.

Pick a hobby that interests you and get started today. Here are some hobbies to consider: 

Hobbies for the Physically Active 

Skating

Baseball or Softball Team
Volleyball
Basketball
Football
Cricket
Table Tennis
Tennis
Shuttle / Badminton
Walking
Hiking
Karate
Golf
Swimming
Dancing
Soccer
Horse riding
Skiing
Skating
Surfing
Bungee Jumping
Rock Climbing
Biking
Marathons
Mountain Climbing

Hobbies for Nature Lovers

Gardening

Gardening
Bird Watching
Collecting Rocks
Travelling

Hobbies for Science Lovers
Astronomy
Build Model Rockets

Hobbies that Sharpen the Mind

Jigsaw Puzzles
Crossword Puzzles
Brain Teasers
Chess

Hobbies for the Collector

Fridge Magnets Collection

Stamp collecting
Coins collecting
Fridge Magnets collecting
Book collecting
Sports cards collecting
Sporting Memorabilia Collecting
Rocks collecting
Gem collecting
Antique collecting

Hobbies for the Homebody, Crafter, Artist, and the Nester

Rock Painting

Rock Painting
Fabric Painting
Glass Painting
Canvas Painting
Mirror Painting
Embossing
Engraving
Pottery
Drawing
Jewelry making
Greeting Cards Making
Candle making
Cross stitch
Knitting
Sewing
Crocheting
Quilting
Reading
Poem ,Story ,Novel Writing
Scrap Booking
Orgami

Hobbies for the Music Lovers 

Playing Guitar

Playing instruments like

Guitar
Tabla
piano
Violin
Sarod
Drums
Singing and Choir
Concerts

Major hobbies that can earn money

Photography

Photography
Cooking
Baking
Cake Decorating
Blogging
Freelance writing
Graphic Designing








Encouraging your child to engage in a hobby not only lets you steal away for some personal time, but also gives your child a chance to develop his self-esteem and confidence !!!

Kids Jokes - Laugh Out Loud

Here is the list of school jokes and riddles for children and kids:
Q: What did the ground say to the earthquake?
A: You crack me up!

Q: What kind of plates do they use on Venus?
A: Flying saucers!

Q: What did the pencil sharpener say to the pencil?
A: Stop going in circles and get to the point!

Q: What has 5 eyes and is lying on the water?
A: The Mississippi River

Q: What stays in the corner, but travels around the world?
A: A stamp

Q: What is the smartest state?
A: Alabama, it has four A's and one B.

Q: What is the capital of Washington?
A: The W

Q: Why was the math book sad?
A: Because it had too many problems.

Q: What do we call an angry pea?
A: Grump-pea

Q: How do you find a lost rabbit?
A: Easy make a nose like a carrot

Q: What is white when its dirty and black when its clean?
A: A blackboard!

Q: Why didn't the two 4s want any lunch?
A: Because they already 8!

Gooloo Bird

The Gooloo bird
She has no feet.
She cannot walk
Upon the street.
She cannot build
Herself a nest,
She cannot land
And take a rest.
Through rain and snow
And thunderous skies,
She weeps forever
As she flies,
And lays her eggs
High over town,
And prays that they
Fall safely down.

Gooloo, a poem from A Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein

Sports Word Search

Butterfly Card / Valentines Day Card

Two classic Valentine's Day gifts — Butterfly Card and candy — combine to make one sweet treat.These can be perfect Valentine handmade cards for your kids to take to school .

Materials:-

        * Card stock (optional)
        * Pencil / Markers
        * Scissors
        * Construction paper
        * Colored card stock
        * candy stick
        * Pipe cleaners
        * Stickers
        * glitters

Instructions:-
     
I Downloaded  the Butterfly template from here.

Print the template onto Colored card stock and Cut out.

Cut the slits for the candy-stick.

Open the wings and weave the candy stick down into one slit and up through the other.

To make the antennae, wind the pipe cleaner tightly around one end of the candy stick so that two equal lengths extend upward and then curl the ends.

Finally, decorate your butterfly with one decorations (cut out shapes of paper, stickers, glitter, etc.) and write your message on the wings or back.

Note:- Instead of candy stick you can also place a color pencils or pencils or markers as a gift for kids.

 Source:- Familyfun.go.com

Planets Word Search

Fancy Dress Ideas

When it comes to a fancy dress competition for childern it is entertaining and fun.The only way to win it is by being innovative and creative. But then a fancy dress is not only about a competition; it could be a general party theme. Maybe a party thrown at home, as part of a theme at school or for the  Halloween. It is all about having fun and yet bringing out the creative genius in you.
Fancy dress ideas could be taken from history books,or it can be a character of your favorite movie or television serial or characters from the fairy tales ,cartoon characters,animals etc.
  But to think of something different, probably you could dress them up as an object, or create your own new character that could make a difference to the present world situation.
            A few fancy dress ideas for Fancy Dress /Halloween for kids include Sponge Bob Square pants, Carly Shay from iCarly, Hannah Montana, Buzz Light year, Woody, Dora the Explorer, Harry Potter, Barbie, Transformers, Indiana Jones ,Pirates,Mickey Mouse ,Tinkerbell, Cinderella,Snow White etc.
 They can be dressed up as objects like NewsPaper,Book,Pencil,Cell phone etc.

 My daughter dressed up as Goddess Fairy for Halloween Party in School

My Best Friends Son dressed up as a krishna for Janmashtami

This is reaching Artsy-Craftsy-January-2011  "Fancy Dress"

Weather Word Search

Silly bandz

The latest craze for kids now a days are silly bandz. You should have heard of them by now.Every kid is busy buying or trading the silly bandz. And my daughter is no exception.She came home from School One Day with 2 wrists full of plastic bracelets. They looked like rubber bands to me.Then she told me that they are called "Silly Bandz".Apparently these craze is found among all elementary and middle school kids nowadays. 
        Whenever we go to some shop with my daughter, she is making sure that we buy a packet of silly bands.After the collection, the kids trade the silly bands which they do not like or if they want some specific bands. Nowadays kids are very crazy for these and they carry them to school everyday.These cool rubber bands are multi-colored and they come in a hundreds of different shapes and colors like stars, fruit,alphabets,numbers,objects,princess ,hero's,fantasy,Holiday ,Western,sea creatures and animals etc. Some of them even glow in the dark. They are normally worn as bracelets.On a wrist, they function like a bracelet, and when taken off they revert to their original shape.They are often worn many at a time and are traded like other collectibles.They are really becoming a hot item among young kids today.These bands are cute, stylish and funky.Silly Bandz are cheaper than most toy crazes and you get at least 24 in a pack. You can buy them just about anywhere. They are sold at Dollar Tree, C VS, Walgreen's and even gas stations. They range in price depending on where you go from $1.00 to $6.00 per pack. They are usually sold right in front near  check out.

The above is some part of my daughters collection. She also trades bands with her friends in the apartment and school. Do your kids collect Silly Bandz?Or they are into any other funny fads?

I really wonder though how long this craze will last?

Light Bulb Reindeer

Making a light bulb reindeer can be a project for the whole family to enjoy.This project can be great winter art project / Holiday Project for kids in the classroom.With a few simple craft supplies and some hot glue, you can make a reindeer.My daughter made this one with little bit help of me.
                  You might need to use tools that require adult supervision, such as hot glue gun and scissors. If so, these can be replaced by textile glue and safety scissors. Make sure you ask your parents or teachers help.

* Age Guideline: 6 Years and Up

* Time Required: 40 minutes (Does not include drying time)

Materials Needed:

* Light Bulb (You can use Burnt on Light bulb also)
* Newspaper
* Paint (Acrylic Paint brown)
* Ribbon
* 3/4-Inch Red Pom-Pom
* Craft Glue or Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
* Paint Brush
* Scissors
* Googly Eyes or black markers (to draw your own on)
* 2 glitter gold Pipecleaners

Instructions:

1. Cover the table with newspaper where kids are going to paint.

2. Place paint brushes, paint, Paper plate with brown acrylic paint.

3. Paint the light bulb with brown paint. Let the paint dry completely.

4. Paint lightbulb with a second coat and let dry completely for 2-3 hours.

5. Put a dots of hot glue and glue the googly eyes. Glue on the red, pom-pom nose.

6. Bend each pipecleaner in half, then bend and twist them to form two antlers as pictured, then hot glue the

antlers at the top.

7. Form a loop with a piece of ribbon, about 10- to 12-inches long and glue it on the top, back edge of your

reindeer head. This will be the hanger for your ornament.

Tip:-

1) You can also add jingle bells.Jingle bells are available at discount department stores and craft supply stores.
2) Save burnt out lightbulbs for these types of projects.


This goes to Christmas Craft Event 2010 

Christmas Themed Paratha

My daughter is a picky  and fussy eater so I had to do something to keep her interest in the food.Trying to give small servings in frequent intervals makes it more easy for the kids, rather than forcing them to eat full meals. And making it more interesting makes things easy for us.Yesterday it was Palak Paratha dinner at my place.She as usual started saying that she don't want to eat the paratha. So I made her cut the paratha into different shapes using cookie cutters. She enjoyed and had fun cutting the paratha into different shapes and she ate it without any fuss.You can make the parathas / chaptis/ rotis in the form of unique images such as stars,animals,flowers,fun objects,themes etc...Kids will love and enjoy this.


Materials Nedded :-

Paratha / Chapati dough
Different Cookie cutters
Rolling board and Pin
Griddle /Pan

Method:-

Take a small ball out of dough and Very lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface and roll ball into a round Parathas.
Then cut it with different cookie cutters.My daughter cutted it into stars, flowers,gingerbread man,stockings,candy cane ,snowman.
Heat a griddle and fry the different shapes of parathas one at a time like this: Put a paratha on the griddle. Do the first flip when you see tiny bubbles rise on the surface of the paratha. As soon as the first flip is done, drizzle a bit of the remaining ghee on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again in 30 seconds and drizzle ghee on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
Christmas Themed  Palak Paratha  is ready to enjoy!

This is reaching Artsy Craftsy's  Edible Crafts  event.

Ants on a Log

This is a quick and tasty treat for kids. This is very easy to make.Even kids can make this. My daughter enjoyed spreading the peanut butter and arranging the ants on log.

Ingredients:-

4 stalks of celery
1 package spreadable cream cheese / Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Raisins / dried cranberries or your favorite toppings
knife

Method:-


   1.First Wash and dry 4 celery ribs. Cut off and throw away the ends.Cut each long piece of celery into 3-inch logs.
  2.Spread the Peanut Butter / cream cheese in the valleys of each piece of celery.
  3. Put your “ants” on top. For some variety, they could be: Raisins , dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, small pieces of sliced banana, small cubes of crunchy apple, chopped almonds,chopped pistachios etc… Be creative!
   Healthy and tasty snack is ready within minutes to Serve .

This is reaching Artsy Craftsy's  Edible Crafts

Halloween Costumes For Kids

Halloween is an annual holiday observed on October 31. Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.
Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or cookies, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to a "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. The child performs some sort of trick, i.e. sings a song or tells a ghost story, to earn their treats.

Here are some of Costume ideas for kids

For Boys

* Avtar
* Toy Story Character
* Toy Story Buzz Lightyear
* Mario Bros
* Superhero
* Harry Potter Character
* Star Trek Character
* Pirate
*Gladiator
* Bert and Ernie
* Ninja Fighter
* Star Wars
* Skeleton Zombie
* Batman
* Spiderman
* Iron man


For Girls

* Tinkerbell
* Fairies
* Barbie
* Cinderella
* Alice in the wonderland
* Bumble Bee
* Lady bug
* Superhero girl
* Hannah Montana
* High School Musical Gabriella or Sharpay
* Princess
* Snow White
* Cheerleader
* Mermaid
* Witch
* Wedding Bride

Cinderella Dress

 Snow White Dress

 Mermaid Dress

Princess Dress

Lady Bug

Star Wars

Zombie

Skeleton Zombie

 

Tips for Rock Painting.

1) The rocks which are smooth are good for painting.The rocks which are tumbled in water such as in a river , creek ,streams,beaches and lakes are the easiest to paint.You can also use chunky rocks and pieces of field stone as long as the sides are not too rough.

2)  Always scrub your rocks before painting.Paint won't stick to a dirty rock.

3)  Never let paint dry on your brushes.

4)  You will need plastic plate or paper plate to mix the colours.

5)  Pour paint in little about the size of your thumbnail.Big  dry up before you can use them.

6)  Wear old clothes and push up your sleeves when you paint.

7)  Spread newspaper over your work area.You can wipe your brush and make test strokes on it.Also slow down a spill if you tip over your water.

8) If you make a mistake ,just wipe off the paint before it dries or let it dry and then paint over it.

9) If your painted rocks will be just for decoration indoors ,the kind of paint you use doesn't matter. If your rocks are going to be used outside then you should use outdoor acrylic paint.

10) You can use acrylic floor wax for making the rocks shiny.

Trinket Box ~ Craft with Popsicle Sticks

This trinket box is made of popsicle sticks and makes a great Father's Day gift. It can be used to hold your loose change, keys, wallet or just about anything.Popsicle stick crafts are perfect for children of all ages, and challenges their building skills as well as their imagination.

Materials:


    * Box of Popsicle sticks
    * Various colors of Paint
    * White glue

Method:-


First take popsicle sticks and color with a paint ( I used Poster Colors). Then let the painted sticks dry completely.

1) Lay 11 popsicle sticks flat on your work surface so that the edges are touching and they are all even.  We will call this the base of the frame.

2) Run a bead of glue in a straight line vertical to the sticks you laid down and close to one end (means glue them side by side)

3) Lay a stick on top of this bead of glue.  We'll refer to this as the brace.

4) Repeat steps 2 & 3 on the other end of the sticks.

5) Put a dot of glue on each of the four corners.  Lay two sticks horizontal to the to brace pieces you glued down.

6) Put a dot of glue on each of the four corners again and lay two sticks horizontal to the last two you laid.

7) Continue in this fashion, building up the sides of the box until height you desired is reached (each side should have at least 6 sticks).

8) Glue the piece of felt to the inside of the box for a nice finished look.

Source:- Crafts Elf

Photos taken by my 5 year old at Gilroy Garden

Last weekend we went to Gilroy Garden.Walking around this beautiful park rewards you with scenic vistas around every turn. Perfect for a day trip. Lots of rides preschoolers and young children can enjoy. The water play areas are great fun, and the gardens are absolutely gorgeous!There my daughter took these Photos.