Love to Laugh and Learn

Fun and interesting learning activities to do with the children in your life

Earth Day: Gardening with Children

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Earth Day: Gardening with Children

As Earth Day approaches, I want to share, with you, the joys of gardening with children. My love of gardening came from my father. He was raised on a farm in West Virginia, and although he married and became an electrical engineer, his love of the land never faded. As I was growing up, Dad and Mom always planted a garden. Sometimes it was small and other times it was huge. Digging in the dirt, playing with worms and watching the plants, start as small seedlings and grow large enough to produce the food for our table, was a treat. I will admit that the weeding and breaking bushel after bushel of green beans got a bit tedious at times; but the vegetables we grew in our garden were better than anything we bought at the store.

I don’t have the green thumb that my Dad and Mom have but I continue to try. A few years ago, because of several health issues my husband has, we decided to try our hand at organic gardening. We chose the Square Foot Gardening method, as taught by Mel Bartholomew. It can be a little expensive in the beginning but I love it because I don’t need a rototiller to break up the ground. It is always soft, loose and easy to work in. And since it’s so easy to work with, it makes gardening with children a breeze.

One of the areas I fail miserably at is having the time to take care of my garden the way it needs to be. I work full time and I live far enough from my workplace that I don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to gardening. It’s mid-April and this is what my garden currently looks like:

Gardening with Children: Garden Needs Work
Gardening with Children: Garden Needs Work

I know, I was taught better than that. I should all ready have my onions and radishes in the ground. I was hoping to have my little helper (my great-nephew) last weekend but he and his mom were busy. Even though he wasn’t able to help me this past weekend, I can share the fun we had getting the garden ready two years ago.

Jeremiah was 21 months old, so as you can see, you can start gardening with your children when they are quite young. Here is one of the reasons that the Square Foot Gardening method works well when gardening with children; the dirt was so soft and loose that he was easily able to help me pull out weeds and old plants. He also helped me loosen the dirt by digging and raking. At first, he wasn’t too sure about getting dirt on his hands but the longer we worked the more he got into it. And I really mean he got INTO it! LOL!

Gardening with Children: Digging in the Garden
Gardening with Children: Digging in the Garden

There is so much learning that can happen while gardening. Realizing that vegetables grow on plants before they get to the store can be a lesson in itself. You can discuss how worms and certain bugs help the garden while other bugs hurt it. Learning about weather, and how the garden needs rain and sunshine to grow, are other lessons. You might find that your child is willing to try different vegetables when they have had a hand in growing and caring for them. One unexpected thing you might find growing, while working in the garden with your child, is the bond between the two of you. So put on some old clothes, grab some rakes and shovels and start growing your own memories.

Gardening with Children: Lessons to learn and memories to make.

Celebrating Flag Day

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Celebrating Flag Day

Did you know that not only do we celebrate Flag Day but there is a whole week dedicated to it? Flag Day is observed on June 14th, which is the beginning of Flag Week, that lasts until June 20th.

Celebrating Flag Day
Celebrating Flag Day

Your child might ask why we are celebrating a big striped cloth. Well, it’s not so much the flag that we are celebrating but what it stands for. It represents our freedom and all the people that have been injured or died to give us our freedoms. Not all countries get to go to church and worship God the way they want to. In some countries, people would be put in jail for speaking out against their government. We are a blessed nation and we need to remember and teach our children about the sacrifices made to get us here.

Pledge of Allegiance

A great way to celebrate Flag Day and Week would be to learn the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge is not recited in schools like it was when I was young. We started each day with the Pledge of Allegiance. There is a good chance that your child is not learning this in school so this is something you can work on together.

If you don’t remember how it goes, here it is:

(Place your right hand over your heart)
“I pledge allegiance to the flag,
Of the United State of America,
And to the Republic for which it stands,
One nation, under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”

Craft

I usually like to create my own crafts but I found this cute American flag dot craft on the Meaningful Mama blog.When I taught preschool, the kids loved Do-A-Dot paints. I can’t wait to try this one with my 2 year old grandson. There is a free printable included. Click on the picture and it will take you to her website, where you will find the printable.

Flag Day: American Flag Craft
Flag Day: American Flag Craft

Snack

I found this great appetizer plate, on The Better Mom. It would be great for celebrating Flag Day.

Flag Day: Fruit and Cheese Plate
Flag Day: Fruit and Cheese Plate

I recreated it, on a smaller scale, with different fruits, for my grandson. Berries upset his stomach so I used purple grapes, apples and cheese. You could also use watermelon and banana.

Flag Day Snack using grapes, apples and cheese.
Flag Day Snack using grapes, apples and cheese.

Story Time (affiliate links included)

I read and reviewed these books myself.

A Flag for All by Larry Dane Brimner

Reading Level: Ages 4 to 8 yrs old
This is a simple little book that would be great to introduce your young child to Flag Day. It shares what the stars and stripes, on the flag, represent. Your child will also learn a little about what the flag means to different people. I love the way the kids bring the community together to form a big flag made of people.

Flag Day (Our Country’s Holidays) by Sheri Dean

Reading Level: Ages 3 to 8 yrs old
Although this is a good book to introduce young children to Flag Day, I wish it had a few more details. This book doesn’t cover what the stars and stripes represent but it does talk about proper handling of a flag. Even though it doesn’t have a lot of detail, I would still use it with a younger child.

Flag Day (Celebrations in My World) by Robert Walker

Reading Level: Ages 5 to 10 yrs old
This book is for a little older child and is crammed full of information about Flag Day. Your child will learn some of the history of our flag and the first Flag Day. They will learn about the different designs of the flag, over the years. The Pledge of Allegiance and other ways to celebrate Flag Day are included.

Flag Day (Holiday Histories) by Mir Tamim Ansary

Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8 yrs old
There is a lot to learn in this little book but it is written in a fun, picture-book style. Your child will learn some of the history of the flag and why flags were invented. I learned that, in the beginning, a star AND a stripe were added with each new state. The flag started looking too crowded so they went back to having thirteen stripes and just adding a star with each new state. Your child will also learn about some of those early celebrations. How will you celebrate Flag Day?

Related Posts

The American Flag and Its Hidden Message

Celebrating the 4th of July with Children

The Lame Valentine Sensory Bin

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The Lame Valentine Sensory Bin





I wanted to share with you, what I thought, was a lame Valentine sensory bin. Once again, I am reminded that I really shouldn’t prejudge an activity.

The Lame Valentine Bin
The Lame Valentine Bin

In case you haven’t heard, sensory bins are all the rage, right now. They offer a lot of benefits. Depending on what you put into your bin, your child could be using all four senses.

I was quite happy with my first sensory bin. It was a musical bin. You can read more about it in my post, “Generally Having Fun with Music”. But this bin, this lame Valentine bin….I was not at all happy with.

The Problem

One of the main reasons I was unhappy with the bin was because it really didn’t have many items in it. You can see through the bottom of the bin in several places because there really wasn’t much in there.

The Lame Valentine Sensory Bin
The Lame Valentine Sensory Bin

Many people add colored rice or beans to their sensory bins and I considered it but I was using this in my preschool class during our Valentine’s celebration. I had a lot of activities planned and I knew the kids would be a little wild, so I didn’t want to add sweeping up rice that would get scattered around the room.

Most of the items were purchased at our local Dollar Tree. There were small, smooth, hard, plastic hearts.

The Lame Valentine Bin: Plastic Hearts
The Lame Valentine Bin: Plastic Hearts

A few rubber erasers and some heart-shaped bracelets.

The Lame Valentine Bin: Erasers and Bracelets
The Lame Valentine Bin: Erasers and Bracelets

I added some foam hearts. A few had sparkly glitter on them and some were plain. There were also some little heart-shaped containers.

The Lame Valentine Bin
The Lame Valentine Bin

Once I realized how few things were in the bin, I almost ditched the idea of using it. But I was afraid that I wouldn’t have enough activities to keep the kids occupied for the day so I took it along.

One essential item I suggest you use with any sensory bin is a vinyl tablecloth to place under it. If you are using the bin at home, for just a few children, a 60” by 84” cloth will be enough. I have found that, for my class of thirteen preschoolers, a 60” by 120” works better. The tablecloth helps with any “spillage” that might happen. It makes cleanup easier.

The Realization

I decided to use the bin as a backup/last resort activity, since I was afraid it wasn’t good enough to keep the children interested. The class had been sitting at tables playing with the playdough I had made for them. One of the children got tired of the playdough so I decided to get the bin out since the rest of the class was still enjoying the activity at the tables. As soon as the bin came out, several more children decided they were done with their playdough and before I knew it, the whole class was at the bin. I was mentally preparing myself for the squabbling and fighting that was about to take place, over the few items in the bin. But much to my surprise and relief, the children really enjoyed the bin. They sat for a good 15 minutes playing contently with the items and with each other.

The Lame Valentine Bin: A Success
The Lame Valentine Bin: A Success

My Conclusion

So what did I learn from my lame Valentine’s bin? I learned that the bin doesn’t have to be over-stuffed with items for the children to enjoy it. It didn’t have to have the small pieces of rice or beans. The children still had fun with the bin and they were able to experience many different textures. So if you don’t have a bunch of items for your bin or you don’t want to have the mess of rice and small beans, your child can still enjoy a simple sensory bin.

What type of successes or failures have you had with sensory bins?

The True Meaning of Christmas

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The True Meaning of Christmas





As I stated in my post, The Santa Claus Debate, although we included Santa in our Christmas celebrations, he was not the center of our Christmas holiday. Teaching our children the spiritual meaning behind the season was what we focused on. My posts for December are going to include different symbols of Christmas and their spiritual meanings. I will include crafts and books that you can use to make the learning fun.

As I was doing research for my different lessons, I found this story and thought it summed everything up very well. If you are not including Santa in your Christmas celebrations you could easily tell this story without putting Santa in it. If you need help with that, just let me know and I could edit it for you.

This story would make a great object lesson too. Find a very small table-top tree and purchase the different items that are talked about. We have stores here in Indiana where you can buy things for just $1. You could find most of the items for this story at one of those stores. The children could then help out in the telling of the story by pulling the different items out of a bag and adding them to the tree.

Have fun celebrating this very special time of year with your children as you teach them the true meaning of Christmas.

Teach the Children the True Meaning of Christmas

One December night, many years ago, I had just finished decorating for Christmas when I heard a noise at the front of the house. I turned on the porch light and opened the door. To my surprise just as I stepped outside, I saw Santa Claus climbing out of his sleigh. He placed his fingers over his lips, silencing me before I cried out.

“What are you doing…” I started to ask…but the words choked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner, the eager, boisterous soul we all know, was gone. He composed himself by clearing his throat, then answered me in a whisper. “Help teach the children.”

I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the sleigh. As I stood there bewildered, Santa stated again but more firmly, “Teach the children. Teach them the true meaning of Christmas. The meaning that has long been forgotten.”

I invited him in to warm by the fire as I tried to tell him that I wasn’t sure if I knew what he meant… when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.

“Teach the children that the star is the heavenly sign of promise,” he said. “God sent a Savior to the world and the star was the sign of that promise being fulfilled. The countless shining stars in the heavens, one star for each person on earth, represents the hope of all mankind.”

Santa gently laid the star on the fireplace mantle and brought from the bag a bright red Christmas tree ornament.

“Teach the children that red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood that was shed for all the people by the Savior. Christ gave His life and shed His blood that every man might have God’s gift of Eternal Life. Red is deep, intense, and vivid — the richest color of all, and it is a symbol of the greatest gift from God.”

“Teach the children,” he said as he pulled a small Christmas tree from the bottom of the toy bag. He placed it near the fireplace and gently hung the red decoration on it.

“The deep green branches of this tree is a perfect background for this ornament. This is the second color of Christmas,” he continued. “The pure green color of this evergreen tree remains this color all year round. This represents the everlasting plan for mankind. Green is youthful, hopeful, and the abundant color of nature. The needles on the tree point heavenward — symbols of man’s prayers as they go toward heaven. Trees have been man’s best friends. They have sheltered him, warmed him, and made beauty for him.”

Again, he pulled something from his bag; I heard a soft tinkling sound of a bell.

“Teach the children,” he said, “that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring for every person too, that they might find their way back — it means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.”

As the soft sound of the bell faded, Santa lit a candle and placed it on the mantel. The soft glow from its tiny flame cast a glow about the darkened room. Odd shadowy shapes slowly danced and wove pictures upon the walls.

“Teach the children,” whispered Santa, “that at one time candles were placed on Christmas trees. They glowed brightly against the dark green branches showing man’s appreciation for the star of Bethlehem of long ago. Now, strings of colored lights have taken their place in remembrance of Christ’s birth.”

Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and placed a gift under the tree.

He pointed to the bow and said, “A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as all of us should be tied together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow and the gift, a gift of love.”

Santa reached for a candy cane, and held it out towards me.

“Teach the children that the cane represents The Shepherd’s staff. The crook on the staff helps bring back sheep that have strayed away from the fold. The candy cane represents the sweetness of giving not only at Christmas time, but also throughout the entire year. The spiral design is a symbol that we are, our brother’s keepers.”

Santa looked about the room, then again at the tree. His love and great feeling of satisfaction shone from his eyes. He could not help but sense the wonderment and admiration that I felt for him in my heart.

One last time, he reached into his bag and brought forth a large beautiful wreath. As he placed it on the door he spoke gently with love, “Please teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love: it never ceases, stops, or ends. It is one continuous circle that only grows greater and greater when expressed. The wreath, the circle of love, plays a double role. It is made of many things and has many colors. It reminds us of God’s unconditional love and the true reason for Christmas. Please teach the children.” (Author Unknown)

Related Posts:

The Santa Claus Debate
Christmas Angels to Laugh and Learn With
The Christmas Star
Love to Learn About the Nativity
Love to Learn the Meaning of Candy Canes for Christmas
Review – Christmas on Monument Circle, Indianapolis

Christmas Angels to Laugh and Learn With

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Christmas Angels to Laugh and Learn With




Christmas Angels – Appeared to shepherds to announce the birth of Christ

Luke 2: 8-10 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’”

The Christmas Angels appeared in the sky, over the fields near Bethlehem. They announced the birth of Christ. You will usually find either an angel or a star on the top of a Christmas tree because of the importance of their appearances in the sky.

Following are some activities to do in relation to the angels. I hope you and the children in your life enjoy them.

Coloring Pages

If your child likes to color, here are a couple of free coloring pages from about.com
Angel coloring page
Cheerful Angel

Crafts:

Paper Plate Angels
I just had to share these adorable little angels I found online. They are made from paper plates. Click on Paper Plate Angels to go to the link. The one thing that I didn’t see mentioned, in the instructions, was the size of the paper plate. I used a small 6-inch sized plate. It made an adorable little angel. I was very happy with the size. If you want to put it on top of a large Christmas tree, I would use a bigger paper plate.

Christmas Angels from a paper plate.

Hand Print Angel
I have used this craft in my preschool classrooms. The parents always adore them. I love hand print crafts because they become a piece of family history. Be sure to always date the back of any special craft your child does and put their name on it. It will make a great conversation piece as you decorate for Christmas, in later years.

1) Trace the child’s hand three times. Have them keep their fingers together. Don’t spread them out like a fan.
2) Cut out the hand prints.
3) Use one hand print as the body of the angel and the other two as the wings. The wings will look the best if you be sure to place the hand prints so that the thumbs are facing down. (Refer to picture)

Christmas Angels made from hand prints

4) You can either cut out a circle to use for the head or you can use a picture of your child’s head. They both make nice looking angels.
5) As a final touch, (which I forgot to add to one of my samples) you can make a halo out of a silver or gold pipe cleaner or make one out of a piece of aluminum foil. To make the halo out of aluminum foil, cut off an 8 inch by 1 inch piece of aluminum foil. Gently squish and twist it. Then form it into a circle and tape it to the back of the angel’s head.

Christmas Angels from Handprint

Story Time

  “The Christmas Angel” by Hans Wilhelm
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 8
Your child will fall in love with this adorable little angel. All he wants to do is to travel from heaven down to earth; so he can sing his special song to the Son of God. But his wings are too small and he is not allowed to make the trip. Find out what happens to the scared little angel after his accidental fall off of a cloud.

“An Angel Came to Nazareth” by Anthony Knott
Reading Level: Ages 5 and up
This is a very interesting poem of an angel who came to a stable in Nazareth. The angel asks a camel, a donkey, a horse and an ox to pick which one of the four travelers they would carry. One of them would end up carrying “the greatest of them all.” Can you guess, before ever reading the poem, which animal carried “the greatest of them all”?

Please take the time to stop by my Facebook page, Love to Laugh and Learn, and tell me about any of the crafts or books that you shared with your children. I would love to see pictures too.

Related Posts:

The Santa Claus Debate
The True Meaning of Christmas
The Christmas Star
Love to Learn the Meaning of Candy Canes for Christmas
Review – Christmas on Monument Circle, Indianapolis

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