Candy-Free Easter Basket Ideas

Here are some ideas for creating a candy-free Easter that your children will love!

Easter egg hunts are always a favorite activity for all children. The following are items that will fit into the large sized plastic eggs (and some will fit in the small eggs too) and are sure to be a huge hit:

• Sticker sheets (cut in half or thirds so you don't have to fold them too much)


• Small raisin boxes


• Bouncy balls


• Favor sized play dough containers


• Matchbox or Hot Wheel cars (most will fit)


• Bows or pretty barrettes


• Cool socks (some will fit in the eggs)


• Jewelry


• Lip gloss


• Coupons (like: special day out with mom, stay up late pass, etc.)


• Small plastic animals


• Stretchy anything (like frogs, lizards, etc. - kids love these)


• Money (coins and/or dollar bills)


• Small figures (like the small action figures that are out now, or Polly Pockets, etc.)


• Packets of seeds (flowers or vegetables) which you can plant and grow together


• Packets of Annie's Homegrown treats (crackers and fruit snacks) - they're all natural and shaped like bunnies! (you can find them at Kroger and Giant Eagle - in natural food area - as well as Whole Foods)

Other items to fill the perfect Easter basket:

• Books


• Art supplies (crayons, markers, paint, paper, Color Wonder products, sketch books, pencils, etc)


• Sidewalk chalk


• Bubble wands or blowers


• Kites


• Puzzles


• Sand toys


• Balls


• Craft kits


• Cool photo frames


• Puppets


• Small Lego sets


• Doll outfits


• Jump rope


• Card games


• Bunny Pillow Pet

Here are a few other fun ideas to do:

• Put an entire puzzle, piece by piece, into a bunch of plastic eggs. Once your children find all the eggs, you can put it together as a family.


• Put clues/riddles in the plastic eggs that will lead your children to their Easter basket.

How about you CMOTC moms? What candy-free items do you use to fill plastic eggs or Easter baskets? What Easter egg hunt and/or basket traditions do you have? Or what fun activities surrounding these do you do? Please share with us!

A Fun St. Patrick's Day Healthy Snack

This is a repost from last March that we thought you would like to see again.

Here's a really neat idea for a St. Patrick's Day (or any day) rainbow fruit platter that is not only fun to make, but also healthy!

From the March 2010 issue of Family Fun Magazine:

Anyone else have great snack ideas for all of the preschool/elementary classroom parties?

Nine Easy Ways to Say I Love You

This is a great article by Linda Wilson, which I found here, that talks about simple ways to say I love you not only to your significant other, but also to your children, family members and other loved ones. With Valentine's Day being tomorrow, it seemed even more appropriate to share.

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Everyone needs love. From the newborn baby who thrives on being cuddled by his parents to the geriatric in a nursing home who watches the door for a visit from a loved one, and all us in between. We need love. The need for love is instilled in us by our creator and no matter how we may try to deny it, the need is always there. We may try to deny it, we may try to avoid it, but it is always with us and it always will be. From birth to the grave, we need to give and receive love.

The importance of love is even scientific. Scientists know and openly state that being loved and giving love are beneficial to our health. So don't fight it. Accept the love that others offer to you and don't be stingy about giving love. February is known as the month of love; what better time than now to put the practices of giving and receiving love into action?

We live in such a busy society today. Often both spouses work and have little time for each other or their children. Children are being raised in day-care centers, by nannies, etc and have little time with their parents. Children move away to better jobs and hardly see their elderly parents. But that does not mean we can't still let them know how much we love them. Following are some simple ways to stay connected and to let our loved ones know how much we love them. Give some of these suggestions a try. You'll be amazed at how much satisfaction you'll get.

1. When a loved one leaves the house, give them a kiss or a hug and make it a point to tell them you love them.
2. Give a simple bouquet of flowers. They don't have to be elaborate to say I love you.
3. When packing lunches for a spouse or child, put in a one or two line note reminding them of your love. (see links for free lunchbox notes printables below)
4. Before going to bed, post a note on the bathroom mirror, refrigerator door or other spot where your loved one will find it shortly after they get up the next morning.
5. Pick up the phone and make a call to that loved one who is away. There's nothing like hearing the voice of loved one. Email and letters are nice but sometimes one just longs to hear a loved one's voice.
6. Make time for those you love. You may have to schedule it just like a business appointment. Do what ever it takes. Go to a favorite restaurant, the park, settle the family down and watch a movie together, play a game or work a puzzle. Your children just want to spend time with you. They aren't picky about how that time together is spent.
7. Let your children know they are important to you. Don't get so busy you miss their school programs, sporting events, music recitals or whatever they are involved in. Sometimes actions speak louder than words!
8. When you are doing something special with your loved ones, keep them the center of your focus. Don't take them to the beach then sit in the shade working on your laptop. They want you to swim with them, build sandcastles and be a part of what they are doing.
9. Kisses, hugs, longing glances, a wink are all ways a very busy person can silently communicate their love. When you get right down to it, it really is the little things that count.

I saw this little poem once and it has stuck with me. I have no idea who the author is but I feel it is worth sharing:

Hold your loved ones close today, Whisper in their ear. Tell them that you love them And you'll always hold them dear.

For tomorrow is promised to no one, Young and old alike. Today may be your last chance To hold your loved ones tight.

That is good advice. Don't be afraid to let those you love know it. You'll be a happier, healthier person for it and so will they.

Remember the old saying, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today."

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You can find free printable lunch box notes for your children's lunch boxes at the following sites:

Alenkas Printables

Disney

Family Fun (lunch box jokes)

Kid Printables

The Youth On-line Club

Valentine's Day cards, crafts and recipes

The Family Fun website always has really neat ideas for all things holiday. If you are looking for ideas, here is a link to all their Valentine's Day ideas.

For Valentine Day's past, we have made the sweet shovel (we filled it with stickers, little raisin boxes and a couple chocolate kisses) and the sweet for the sweet - naturally for my oldest son's friends. Both were a huge success. These are just two, there are many more really cute Valentine card ideas on their site, click here to see them.

In addition to the card ideas, there are also a ton of fun recipes, games and party ideas, which are not only fun for doing at home but also provide great ideas for those room mothers out there who are planning their child's classroom party.

Do you have other great website resources for fun Valentine card, craft and recipe ideas? Please share by commenting below!

Teacher Gifts: Great ideas given by the expert - a teacher!

What to get your children's teacher(s) for the holidays... that's a question on many of our minds right now. CMOTC mom Carrie H., who is a teacher, offers us some insight into the perfect gifts (and also ones to avoid). Thank you Carrie for sharing your teacher's perspective on this topic!

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At Christmas, there are so many people on our list that we want or need to buy a gift for. Often times, one of those people is our child's teacher, or in some cases there's more than one teacher. When buying for your child's teacher, my best piece of advice is to do it thoughtfully. Thoughtful doesn't mean the same as expensive. One thing I keep in mind is that this person spends more time with my children during the weekdays than I do, and I want him or her to feel appreciated and loved through our gifts, not like it was an obligation to buy for him or her.

Here is a list of gifts I recommend for teachers:

1. Gift cards - Starbucks, Bath and Body Works, local restaurants. Even a $5 gift card to Starbucks or Caribou to pick up a drink before school can be an appreciated treat.


2. Movie tickets -I received these a few years ago from a student, and I was SO thankful! It was exciting to use them on a "date" night for my husband and myself.


3. Books donated to my classroom


4. A gift that supported my hobby-in my case, this was scrapbooking supplies. What hobby does your child's teacher have? Ask your kids-chances are they have a good idea :)


5. School spirit items-PTOs or other school organizations often sell "spirit" wear around this time of year. Since schools often have "casual" Fridays or other special "dress down days", teachers may appreciate something that shows his/her school spirit.


6. A gift that supported a collection-in my case, nativities. My students knew that I collected nativities, and I thought it was sweet when they remembered that small detail about me and supported it.


7. Dry erase markers, colored grading pens, etc.-by this time in the year, those things are starting to wear out, and it's nice to have new ones to start in January. Or even, gift cards to Office Max, United Art and Education, Lakeshore Learning, Meijer, etc. for school supplies. (sometimes teachers get allowances from the school for supplies, but most have to use their own money or just go without.)


8. Personalized stationery


9. Nice jar candles from Yankee or B&BW


10. Unique food gifts-Tastefully Simple and other companies like that have some yummy, practical foods that are a great alternative to the typical sweet food a lot of teachers get.
    

Here are a few ideas to shy away from or rethink before you give them:

1. Cookies, candy, other sweet treats.


2. Ornaments


3. Christmas figurines and decorations


4. Coffee mugs


5. Teacher knickknacks
   

All in all, showing your teacher that you appreciate them as an individual and recognize their life outside of the classroom is important. After all, teachers are people, too. I would encourage you to remember how important their job is, and show them in an appreciative way.

Happy holidays.

~ Carrie

Kelly's Art Easel: Homemade Card Trees and Advent Calendars

For December, I thought it would be fun to give you some create ideas for displaying your cards and creating advent calendars... homemade, easy, fun for all ages and inexpensive!

Tomato Cage Card Trees:
This craft is so easy and so functional! A unique way to display your holiday cards this season. I saw this in Real Simple magazine a while back and then again in this year’s Family Fun magazine. There are many variations, but here’s mine:

Materials:

• scissors
• tin foil
• cardboard
• tomato cage
• ribbon
• Binder clips or mini clothes pins
  

Instructions:

Get a tomato cage from a garden supply store (or if you’re lucky like me, on garbage day from your neighbors!)

Turn the cage upside down so the part you stick in the ground is up.


Either duct tape (Family Fun instructions) the tips together, or I just tied a little ribbon around the points to hold them together, much like the top of a tepee.


I then cut star shape (out a cereal box) and wrapped it in tin foil to make it silver. I left a bit extra to make a “pocket” for the points of the top of the tomato cage to hold the start in place.

I bought mini clothes pins, but mini binder clips also work. Use this to pin the cards to make the “branches”.

Next up, Advent Calendars!

I LOVE advent calendars and want to challenge myself to make a different one each year and this year I found 2 great ideas to share…

Christmas Tree Advent Calendar: Countdown to Christmas!

Materials:

• Download template from Family Fun here.
• Construction paper
• Clothes pins
• Scissors
• Pipe cleaners
• Scotch tape
• Markers/crayons
  

Instructions:

Cut out template and trace onto paper (we didn’t have enough construction paper, so I had my kids color copy paper and I used that instead).

Cut out the “cones”, right now they’ll just be 1/3 of a circle.

Put a thin line of elmer’s glue on one side of the circle third.

Roll carefully into a cone and then use a clothes pin to hold the cone together until the cone dries.

Repeat this again with either 12 or 24 cones (depending on how long you want to countdown until Christmas).

Next, fold paper like an accordion and draw some stars. Cut them out and write on each one the days numbered, 1-24 etc.

Cut a piece of pipe cleaner into about 1-2 in. pieces and tape to the back of each star.

Once the cones are dry, remove the clothes pins and place the pipe cleaner end into the top hole of the cones.

Don’t forget to place some treats under each tree. Some ideas are candy, little toys, handmade coupons (good for a hug, 10 minutes of tv, etc.) and anything else you can fit!

I display my calendar on a serving tray, so I may move it off the table for mealtimes.

;) ENJOY!

Here’s one more easy idea, from Family Fun, for an advent calendar that uses photos of doors you cut from magazines! Click here for the instructions.

I hope you and your kids have fun making these projects AND enjoying them all month! Happy holidays!

~Kelly

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Check out Kelly's Etsy store here. Or you can find her on Facebook here.

Fun Kid Thanksgiving Appetizers and Treats

Family Fun Magazine always has a ton of great kid holiday ideas, no matter the season. For Thanksgiving, I love their ideas for treats and appetizers. So far, over the years, we have done three Turkey treats/appetizers (photos from Family Fun):

The fruit gobbler:
This is really easy and fun! My oldest son, at four, helped me make the skewers (I cut off the sharp ends after we put the cheese and grapes on since we had younger children - they still went into the melon fine).


Gobble me up:

Seriously cute and all healthy too, my kids like laying out the apple and orange segments as feathers.

Sweet T.O.M. turkeys:

The candy corn and cookies are easy for younger kids to put in to help with this fun treat. We made these when my son was three and though they weren't picture perfect, he had a blast.

My kids and their cousins all really loved these. They are fun to make with your kids and add some festive fun to your gathering, not to mention they are all very yummy to eat! There are a lot more ideas on their website - check them out - appetizers and desserts/treats. (The names of each treat shown above are hot linked to the recipe.)

As far as standard recipes, I've also made the apple pie party dip with cinnamon chips many times (for whatever occasion) and it has been a HUGE hit... often requested by people (for me to make).

In addition to these things, they also have great crafts, activity sheets and games for Thanksgiving.

If you are looking for some fun Thanksgiving themed kid appetizers or desserts, as well as fun kid activities for many ages, check out the Family Fun Thanksgiving area.

Costume ideas for multiples

Kathleen P. has shared with our CMOTC blog readers a great list of costume ideas for multiples, listed below. Many of us have a hard time thinking of the perfect, unique and fun idea for costumes, luckily the list has quite a few that fit the bill.

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Trick or Treat! Here are some costume ideas for multiples at any age or even couples.

• Hamburger, Hot Dog & Bag of Chips
• Fork, Spoon & Knife
• Spagetti, Ragu & Prego Jars of Sauce
• UPS & Fedex (even add postal service)
• Show & Tell (this could be funny)
• Sugar & Spice
• Half & Half
• Cookies & Milk
• Thank You & Have a Nice Day
• Beer & Brats (ok not really for a young child)
• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Gas & Electric
• Eat, Drink & Be Merry
• Headlights & Tailights
• Mother Nature - and the 4 seasons
  

Family Fun also has a great list, which you can view here.

Have a Happy Halloween!

~Kathleen

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Thank you Kathleen! What about you? Do you have some ideas for twin/multiple Halloween costumes? Maybe even some photos to share? Website resources? Please comment below or email your ideas/photos.

Candy-free Easter basket ideas

Here are some ideas for creating a candy-free Easter that your children will love!

Easter egg hunts are always a favorite activity for all children. The following are items that will fit into the large sized plastic eggs (and some will fit in the small eggs too) and are sure to be a huge hit:

• Sticker sheets (cut in half or thirds so you don't have to fold them too much)
• Small raisin boxes
• Bouncy balls
• Favor sized play dough containers
• Matchbox or Hot Wheel cars (most will fit)
• Bows or pretty barrettes
• Cool socks (some will fit in the eggs)
• Jewelry
• Lip gloss
• Coupons (like: special day out with mom, stay up late pass, etc.)
• Small plastic animals
• Stretchy anything (like frogs, lizards, etc. - kids love these)
• Money (coins and/or dollar bills)
• Small figures (like the small action figures that are out now or Polly Pockets, etc.)
• Packets of seeds (flowers or vegetables) which you can plant and grow together

Other items to fill the perfect Easter basket:

• Books
• Art supplies (crayons, markers, paint, paper, Color Wonder products, etc)
• Sidewalk chalk
• Bubble wands or blowers
• Kites
• Puzzles
• Sand toys
• Balls
• Craft kits
• Cool photo frames
• Puppets
• Small Lego sets
• Doll outfits
• Jump rope
• Card games

Here are a few other fun ideas to do:

• Put an entire puzzle, piece by piece, into a bunch of plastic eggs. Once your children find all the eggs, you can put it together as a family.
  
• Put clues/riddles in the plastic eggs that will lead your children to their Easter basket.

How about you CMOTC moms? What candy-free items do you use to fill plastic eggs or Easter baskets? What Easter egg hunt and/or basket traditions do you have? Or what fun activities surrounding these do you do? Please share with us!

Sock Bunny Easter Craft

I have seen this super cute Easter craft many times over the years, but had never tried it. So, when I saw it as the featured craft on the Multiples and More blog yesterday, I knew it was time to try.

Using the instructions from Missy, shown on the Multiples and More blog, here is how we made ours.

You will need:

• Children socks (we used a baby sock and an adult sock)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Pom-poms
• Googly eyes, felt, foam paper or Sharpie
• Rice or Beans
• Ribbon
• Rubber bands
• Funnel

1. Using a funnel inserted in the opening of the sock, fill it with rice or beans. Fill it up just past the heel. We didn't have a funnel, so I had them hold the sock open and I used a measuring cup with spout to pour it in. We used beans for the baby sock and rice for the adult sock - rice seemed to work better.
2. Place a rubber band where the rice ends. (Make sure your rubber band is tied tight.)
3. Tie a ribbon just below the heel. This creates the head and body.
4. Cut the cuff of the sock, above the rubber band, in half and then cut angles on each half to form two bunny ears (you can adjust the lengths if you want as well). The boys decided they wanted short ears with some frills on the ends for the baby bunny and the mommy would be a lop bunny.
5. To make eyes, you can cut foam or felt, or you can use googly eyes or a Sharpie marker. We used foam for one and googly eyes for another.
6. Cut your foam paper or felt to make a nose and teeth, then attach with glue (unless you have sticky backed foam).
7. Lastly, attach a pom-pom with glue for its tail. Allow to dry. We only had had neon multi-colored and green ones, a little crazy, but they worked and the boys loved them.

Note: Since these are filled with dry rice or beans, which can be a choking hazard, they should be used as decoration only, not as toys.

Posted by Wendy of www.themooressix.blogspot.com

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What fun Easter crafts do you have? Please share below in the comments or email them to us!

Valentine's cards, crafts and sweets

The Family Fun website always has really neat ideas for all things holiday. If you are looking for ideas, here is a link to all their Valentine's Day ideas.

For Valentine Day's past, we have made the sweet shovel (we filled it with stickers, little raisin boxes and a couple chocolate kisses) and the sweet for the sweet - naturally for my oldest son's friends. Both were a huge success.

In addition to the card ideas, there are also a ton of fun recipes, games and party ideas.