Make your own pinata

Making a pinata can be a fun craft that gets the whole family involved. You can make one for any theme or hoiday. Of course a pinata at a birthday party is always welcome. Make a animal shaped one for a farm themed party, a big oval shaped one all different colors, a car shape or even one that looks like you! The choices are endless – only limited to your imagination.

What you need:

• 1 large balloon
• newspaper
• large bowl
• water
• flour

What you do:

1. First you need to make the paper mache. Tear the newspaper into 1 inch strips. Do not cut it. Lay a ruler along the paper if you need help tearing straight. The strips can be different lengths. You will need a lot of paper strips.

2. Now make the paste. Pour 1 cup of warm water into the bowl. Add about 1/1 cup of flour to the water and mix until there are no lumps. Let set for a few minutes to make sure all the flower is dissolved..

3. Spread some of the newspaper onto the table. Working with paper mache is messy. Now blow up your balloon and tie the end.

4. Dip a strip of paper into the paper mache. Run the strips through your finger to remove excess paste. Place the strip of paper on the balloon. It helps to have a friend help you. One of you can hold the balloon while the other puts the strips in place.

5. Repeat with the strips of paper until you have the balloon covered except for the very top. You need this area to put the candy into. When you have a single layer of paper covering the balloon repeat the whole process with more strips going in the opposite direction, The more layers of newspaper you add the harder it will be to break the pinata.

6. Let the balloon dry completely. When the paper is dry puncture the balloon and pull it out. Place your candy inside the pinata. Always use wrapped candy.

7. Cover the opening with small strips of paper taped in place. Then cover that with paper mache strips.At this time tape and paper mache down the ends of the string for hanging. Cover the ends with several layers so it is good and strong.

8. Now paint your pinata. You can make paper mache ears or a nose. Build it up however you like. You can also cover it with tissue paper. Have fun at your party

The ABC’s of Snack Attack Tacklers

When a snack attack attacks, attack back with these lip-smacking ideas. After school, after a game, before bed, or during a great, late movie, these snacks with attack any cravings that might sneak up on you!A Apple slices arranged around a bowl of chunky peanut butter thinned with just a dab of mayonnaise!B Baked potato zapped in the microwave for 6 minutes on HIGH. When it’s done add shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, chives and anything else that makes your mouth water!

C Celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces stuffed with cream cheese. Goes great with a glass of tomato juice!D Dill pickles chopped up and mixed with cream cheese makes a dilly of a dip for raw vegetables!E Eggs hard cooked and dipped in salt, mayonnaise, or mustard are eggs-actly right for any snack attack!

F Frozen fruit juice ice cubes are fun to lick. Pour juice into an ice-cube tray. Cover with plastic wrap and stick toothpicks through the wrap into each
cube. An overnight snack success story!

G Graham crackers slathered with peanut butter and marshmallow topping make a snack that’s sure to stick to your ribs!

H Hot chocolate with a candy cane straw takes the chill off after a day in the snow.

I Ice cubes and fresh fruit whirled in the blender makes a quick and easy smoothie.

J Jell-O whipped and frozen has a texture that tickles the tongue!

K Ketchup squirted on a plate and surrounded by Little Smokies is fun for little fingers to pick up, dip, and eat.

L Lettuce leaves stuffed with salsa, crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream has snackers saying “Ole!”

M Melted chocolate chips mixed with shredded wheat, shredded coconut, and peanuts makes a dandy candy. Spoon it onto a sheet of waxed paper to cool.

N Nibbles make of pretzel sticks, Rice Chex, and cheese crackers is a great after-game snack.

O Onion dip made from dry onion soup mix and sour cream makes a zippy dip for any chips.

P Pineapple chunks wrapped in pieces of boiled ham and speared with toothpicks are easy to handle and even easier to eat!

Q Quench your thirst with homemade orange punch. Add one scoop of fruit sherbet to a glass of orange juice and stir until the sherbet is melted.

R Rice cakes spread with pineapple cream cheese are just right anytime.

S Seeds from the pumpkin turned jack-o’-lantern taste great when washed, dried, salted and spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven at a very low temperature (250) for an hour.

T Tomato sauce or pizza sauce on two English muffin halves, plus a slice of American or mozzarella cheese makes a pizza-like treat. Pop it into a toaster oven until the cheese is bubbling.

U Unwind after a hard day with some chocolate worms. Melt together 1 small package of chocolate chips and one of butterscotch chips. Add 1 can of Chinese noodles and drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper to cool.

V Vegetables (carrot sticks, green pepper strips, celery) dipped in mayonnaise mixed with ketchup make crunch munchings.

W Wrap a hot dog in a slice of bread that’s been buttered on the outside. Then wrap it all up in foil and pop it into the oven for 15 minutes at 350. Hot
dog!

X X-rated snacks are snacks that are so rich you should only eat a little at a time. A good chunk of cream cheese rolled in coconut with a spoonful of
honey drizzled over it is definitely X-cellent!

Y Yogurt (plain) mixed with fresh fruit, jam, or preserves is yummy and healthful.

Z Zippy cheddar cheese melted on rye bread fingers and topped with crumbled bacon bits is a great mate for a big glass of apple cider!

-Linda Williams Aber

Reindeer Treats on a Stick

Ingredients for 4 reindeer pops:

2 bananas (cut in half – use 1.2 half for each reindeer treat)

4 popsicle sticks

8 mini twist pretzels

chocolate chips

4 red M & M candies (for the nose)

8 other colors – 2 each – for the eyes

peanut butter

What you do:

1. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. if using the microwave melt for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each 15 seconds.

2. Put a popsicle stick into each banana half. Dip the bananas into the melted chocolate. make each reindeer treat one at a time so you can work while the chocolate is still warm.

3. Lay the bananas on wax paper and add the candy eyes and a red nose by pressing the candies into the warm chocolate.

4. Smear peanut butter on the back of the pretzels. Lay in play to look like antlers. (Option – you can use pretzel sticks and push them into the sides of the banana.)

5. Put bananas into the freezer until frozen. Then eat your reindeer on a stick.

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CANDY CANE REINDEER

Ingredients :

1 candy cane

1 pipe cleaner ( brown or colors to match your candy cane, we use red and green)

2 small wiggly eyes

1 tiny pompom for the nose (we use red)

What you do:

1. First cut your pipe cleaner in half. Now lay the two halves side by side in front of you on the table. Slide one down a little so that when you grasp it in the middle you have a long and short end on either side.

2. Now wrap the pipe cleaner around the hook part of the candy cane and twist together on top. Bend the pipe cleaners into antler shapes.

3. Glue you eyes on just below the antlers. ( I recommend craft or tacky glue, it holds instantly and they don’t fall off.)

4.Glue your nose on the tip of the candy cane!

5.You can also tie small ribbons with jingle bells on. We also use the multi-colored candy canes as well as the flavored ones and make antlers to match!!

Title: Focus on Jesus

Theme: Keeping our focus on what is most important. Proper 11 (16) Yr. C

Object: A camera. Preferably a digital so you can show the photo results.

Scripture: As they went on their way, they came to a town where a woman named Martha lived. She cared for Jesus in her home. Martha had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to all He said. Martha was working hard getting the supper ready. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her.’ Luke 10: 38-42 (NLV)

One of my hobbies is photography. I love to take pictures. I brought my camera with me this morning and I would like to take a picture. Who would like for me to take their picture? OK. (choose one of the children) Now, Susie, smile while I take your picture. (Hold the camera up facing toward yourself and snap the photo.) All right! I’m sure I got a very good picture of Susie. Do you think so? You don’t? Why not? (Look at the photo results if you used a digital camera.) Oh, I had the camera focused on me instead of on Susie, didn’t I? Well, let’s try again. (Take another picture, but this time focus the camera on Susie.) There, I’m sure the results were much better this time. (Show the results if using a digital camera.)

When taking pictures, it is very important to make sure you are focused on the right thing. I was pretty foolish to try to take a picture of Susie with the camera focused on me rather than on Susie, wasn’t I? In our daily life, it is important that we focus on the right thing too. Sometimes, we forget what is important and we focus on all the wrong things. That is what our Bible lesson teaches us today.

One day, Jesus went to visit in the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha. The sisters welcomed Jesus into their home and Martha immediately began to work very hard to get dinner ready for Jesus. While Martha worked to prepare the meal, Mary just sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching.

Martha was upset that her sister was not helping her, so she went to Jesus and complained, “Can’t you see that my sister is not helping me? Don’t you even care? Tell her to help me.”

Jesus answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about too many things. Only a few things are important, perhaps just one. Mary has chosen that one thing and I will not take it away from her.”

Martha made the mistake of focusing on herself rather than on Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, was totally focused upon Jesus and what he was teaching. Jesus said that she had chosen the right thing.

As you live your daily life, are worried and troubled about many things that are not really important, or are you focused on Jesus, the one thing that is really important?

Dear Jesus, we love you. Help us to keep our focus on you each and every day. Amen.

COLORING PAGE: “In the Home of Mary and Martha”

GROUP ACTIVITIES: Games, songs, crafts, and more!

CLOZE PUZZLE: “In the Home of Mary and Martha” (PDF) (HTML)

CROSSWORD PUZZLE : “In the Home of Mary and Martha” (PDF) (HTML)

DECODER PUZZLE: “In the Home of Mary and Martha” (PDF) (HTML)

WORD SEARCH PUZZLE: “In the Home of Mary and Martha” (PDF) (HTML)

WORD SHAPE PUZZLE: “In the Home of Mary and Martha” (PDF) (HTML)

Happy Fall Leaf Piles

6 cups cornflakes
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
wax paper
optional red and yellow food coloring
2 mixing bowls

Put cornflakes in mixing bowl.
Put karo syrup and pb in mixing bowl.
In microwave melt karo and pb about 1 ½ minutes.
Add food coloring.
Pour over the cornflakes and mix.
Put in piles on wax paper. Let cool.

000

SMOOTHIES

Strawberry Banana Liquado

(makes five 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups fresh or frozen (whole and unsweetened) strawberries

1 ripe banana

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

1/2 cup water (optional)

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Raspberry or Mixed Berry Liquado

(makes four 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups fresh or frozen (whole and unsweetened) raspberries or mixed berries

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Mango Liquado

(makes five 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups fresh or frozen mango chunks

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate

1 cup water

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Pineapple Liquado

(makes four 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups of pineapple (fresh or canned)

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate

1?2 cup water

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Black Cherry Liquado

(makes four 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups pitted black cherries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate (optional)

1/2 cup water (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Peach Liquado

(makes four 8-ounce servings)

2 heaping cups sliced peaches (fresh or frozen)

1 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

2-3 tablespoons sugar or honey, or artificial sweetener to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice or orange juice concentrate (optional)

1/2 cup water (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Enjoy! And visit www.magicalmeltingpot.com!

ANIMAL ACRONYMS

APE – Always Pray Everyday

BIG FISH – Believers in God, Faithful In Serving Him

DOG – Depend On God

FROG – Fully Rely On God

FROGGIE = Fully Rely On God’s Grace In Everything

GIRAFFE – God Inspires Reverence Affection Forgiveness For Ever

JAGUAR – Jesus Always Guides Us And Redeems

LEOPARD – Love Everyone Offer Prays And Repent Daily

LICE – Life In Christ Eternal

TIGER – Trust In God & Everything’s Right

Making the color brown

Using food coloring follow this recipe:

7 drops of red

4 drops of yellow

2 drops of green

This color combination could be mixed into a container filled with whipped cream, sour cream, or white frosting. Allow the children to stir and spread unto a bear or gingerbread person figure.

Identify a bear and its body parts

Make two copies of the teddy bear picture. Be sure to enlarge one of the copies. Color if desired. Cut out the body parts of the smaller bear. Laminate the bear parts and larger picture. Put Velcro on the back of the parts and on the laminate full bear. Let the preschooler match the body parts. Could also be made into a file folder game or magnet page.

Discuss teddy bears

Have preschoolers bring in teddy bears or have one on display. Ask the preschoolers the name of their bears or give a name to the class bear. Explain how the teddy bear got his name.

History of the Teddy Bear. “In 1847, Margaret Steiff was born in Giengen, Germany. At two she got polio and was confined to a wheelchair. As she got older, she took up needlework and sewing. In 1892, she decided to sell soft filled bears for children. In 1902, on a bear hint, President Theodore Roosevelt (known as Teddy among his friends) refused to shoot a bear. The incident was captured in a cartoon by Clifford Berryman. The bear was featured in all of Berryman’s cartoons of the president and became known as Teddy’s Bear. The publicity helped Steiff sell her teddy bears. By 1907 almost one million teddy bears were made by her and exported all over the world. Today it has become one of the most popular toys worldwide” (Cripps 2000)

Lunch idea

Have a Teddy Bear Picnic with the children. If you are in an area where there is snow-you can still have a picnic by spreading a blanket on the floor and having lunch or snack on the blanket.

Art-stuffed teddy bears

Use the Teddy Bear pattern and trace it onto a brown paper bag giving the child two copies of the cutout. Have preschoolers align the bears and staple around all but a small portion. Allow the preschooler to stuff their bears with newspaper, tissue paper, paper towels, or tissues. Help them to hole punch around the edge and them give brown string for lacing through the holes.

Cooking

Bear Claws-help preschoolers flatten refrigerator biscuits and put a fist imprint in them to create a bear claw. Bake as directed. Eat with honey.

Bear Biscuits

Provide three refrigerator biscuits for each child, plastic knives, cookie sheets, and raisins. Use one biscuit to make the bear’s body, cut another one into three pieces (one head and two ears) and cut the last one into quarters for the arms and legs. The have children add raisins for the eyes, mouth, and a belly button. Bake as directed.

Dramatic Play

Make a bear cave out of a large box

80 things to do with kids

1. Meet with friends at a park and play with the kids on the playground. Push them on the swings or catch them on the slides.

2. Go to a local cycle way/bike track and go rollerblading. A great way to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine and exercise.

3. Go ice-skating – rug up in your warm clothes and head to the closest ice-rink.

4. Have a movie afternoon – great for a rainy day. Rent a couple of good kids movies, make some popcorn and snuggle up with blankets and enjoy the movies.

5. Cook some special treats or family favourites like Gingerbread men. See our Kids in the Kitchen – Cooking Section

6. Go to an indoor play centre (if the weather’s not great outside). Let the kids try out the playground and you can have a coffee with a friend.

7. Try Tenpin Bowling – make sure the bumper bars are up for the littlies.

8. Explore your local wildlife park or the zoo to see all the animals, birds and reptiles.

9. Grab your bike helmets and go for a bike ride.

10. Organise a KidSwap with friends who work. Your kids get to have their friends over for the day to play, and their are lots more participants for games.

11. Browse through your local museum, great to show the kids how things use to be.

12. Try Horse-riding lots of riding centers provide lessons or short rides for younger children.

13. Visit a farm and see all the farm animals, you maybe be able to feed and pat some of the tamer ones.

14. Take a Day trips to a historic towns or a local attractions. Sometimes we never visit the attractions in our local area.

15. Spend the Day at the beach go for a walk and play some games, take the frisbee.

16. Camp Out in the back yard – kids of all ages will love this experience.

17. Have a Picnic or BBQ lunch at the local park – let the kids help pack their favourite lunch and snacks.

18. Do some Gardening with the kids – make a herb garden pot, they are fantastic and useful too!

19. Smile! Get the camera out and let the kids take some photos – download them on the computer and create a slide show.

20. Play dough – buy some or make your own – this will provide hours of fun for you and the kids, no matter how old you are.

21. Have a Story writing competitions, of help younger children write and illustrate a story.

22. Create a Treasure hunt in the backyard – write out a list of things to find, and let them start hunting.

23. Bury a heap of old dinosaur toys and ‘artifacts’ in a sectioned off part of the garden and give all the kids little shovels.

24. Blow bubbles, try different shape bubble blowers for lots of fun..

25. Buy some cheap timber photo frames and get the kids to paint and decorate them for their rooms.

26. Paper mache…messy but always fun – create a bowl or a piggy bank.

27. Make masks from paper plates, with stick on ears and eyeholes.

28. Create a masterpiece – let the children express their creativity with painting.

29. Play lets pretend – play shopkeeper or mum/baby or anything you like.

30. Teach the kids to sew or thread with lacing cards.

31. Have a theme day – make it blue day so everyone wears blue, you eat blue food, use blue paints/materials for craft work, sing blue songs, etc.

32. Have a lazy day where everyone gets to stay in their PJ’s and relax.

33. Write and create a play see who is great at drama and acting.

34. Conduct some simple Science experiments.

35. Try your hand at scrap booking, with some coloured paper, kids’ photos and embellishments.

36. Grocery shopping – take the kids to the Supermarket and let them help you shop, cross of the items on your shopping list. Buy something easy to make for lunch.

37. Board games – Monopoly, Scrabble, Hungry Hippos, and more if there are a few kids have a tournament.

38. Card games – from the simple Snap to Go Fish to Canasta for the older ones. Have lollies or chocolates for prizes.

39. Do a Jigsaw, set up a special area and let everyone help – the harder the better.

40. Make a Kite then take it outside on a windy day to fly it.

41. Go fishing or crabbing and try to catch dinner.

42. Catch local transport – take a ferry, train or bus ride around the City.

43. National Parks and Wildlife run some great holiday programs.

44. Lots of Local Libraries hold story-telling workshops during school holidays, and then the kids can borrow some new stories to read.

45. Go Swimming head to the local indoor pool or to the beach or river.

46. See the latest Movie at the Cinema, lots of Cinema’s offer Special Adult prices during School Holidays.

47. See what’s on at the Theatre or a live show – the kids will love you for this.

48. Make some music, play some music instruments or sing along to their favourite tunes.

49. Dress Ups – a family favourite find some outfits and play dress ups.

50. Make Plaster Models and then paint them in your favourite colours.

51. Make a collage – go to the park or beach and collect bark, seaweed etc and make a collage.

52. Bush Walk – head off the beaten path and go for a bush or nature walk.

53. Make a Movie – grab the video camera, write a plot, dress up and film your family as the stars of your very own movie.

54. Feed the Birds or the Ducks – get some stale bread and feed these feathered friends.

55. Make Paper Dolls – make a chain of paperdolls and color them all in different colours.

56. Create a puppet show, use soft toys or make small puppets from socks or wooden spoons and put on your own show.

57. Beading – make some jewellery by threading beads, macaroni or small pieces of cut up straws on to string.

58. Build a giant sandcastle or sand scuplture – lots of fun for the beach or a challenge in the Sandpit.

59. Throw hoops – for small children try and throw a ball into a bucket and move it further away, or for older kids use a netball or basket ball ring.

60. Make juice – choose your favourite fruits and squeeze to make lovely fresh juice.

61. Have a skip-a-thon get the skipping rope out and practise your skipping – who can skip the fastest, the longest, try running in together.

62. Go bird watching at the local park or wetlands make a list of birds you see.

63. Do some leaf rubbings, collect an assortment of leaves and place them under paper then use a crayon/pencil to rub over the top.

64. Color experiments – add flowers or celery to jars of different coloured food dyes. Wait and see what colours they go. Works best with white flowers.

65. Play detectives – get some magnifying glasses and a notebook and go exploring write down what you see.

66. Face Painting is lots of fun and you can practice your skills on their trusting little faces.

67. Have a special morning/afternoon tea in the garden. With milkshakes or hot chocolate for the kids and lots of yummy treats. You could even invite Grandma.

68. Play rock, paper, scissors – have a prize for the best out of 10 games.

69. Do some colouring in – there are some great print outs in our Fun & Games Section.

70. Visit the children’s grandparents or another special friend, take a picture or something the children have made.

71. Play computer games with the Kids, find out which ones are their favourites, and which ones you can beat them.

72. Have a game of hide and seek – lots of fun for everyone.

73. Inside Treasure Hunt – make maps and have the kids follow the maps around the house to locate the prize.

74. Kick the soccer ball, set up some goals and try your luck.

75. Jump in Puddles, great wet weather fun, forget about getting wet and remember the fun of being a kid again.

76. Practise hitting the tennis ball to each other or hit it up in the air and see who can catch it.

77. Play Twister with the Kids – get the game out and start spinning.

78. Put the music on grab the kids and dance around the lounge room.

79. Have a game of t-ball in the backyard or the park.

80. – Have Fun! -

This article is courtesy of Sandy Prosdocimo, Owner/Editor of Smart-Mums