Paper Craft

Classroom Holiday Gifts & Treats 2021

Dear Sis, 

William’s classroom holiday party is Thursday, so I spent sometime this morning getting an assembly station set up, so he could make treat bags when he got home from school today.

Reading aloud has always been a big part of our parent/child time.  I am currently reading The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie, which was the final assignment for the Homeschool Masterclass I took this fall.  Since I can’t actually give other families the gift of reading, I decided a nice holiday book mark conveying that sentiment a good second:)

You Will Need:

24 Count Holiday Magnetic Bookmarks

FREE Give the Gift of Reading Editable Printable by Tag Sis, You’re It!

Printed onto card stock and cut apart!




Love,

b

 

 

Classroom Easter Gifts

Dear Sis,

William and I made treats for his preschool classmates and teachers today! He is very excited to eat some “bunny tails!”

Bunny Tail, Printable Bag Toppers by Tag Sis, You’re It!

You Will Need

  • Bunny Tail, Bag Toppers, printed on card stock
  • snack size, zip top bags
  • powdered sugar doughnut holes (we got about 8 bags per box)
  • stapler and scissors

Assembly

  1. Fill snack bags with 4 doughnut holes and press to seal, extracting as much air as possible.
  2. Cut out bag toppers, fold on fold-line, slide to cover as much bag as possible, and stable in place.

Easter Egg Hunt Cookie Mix, Instruction Printable by Tag Sis, You’re It!

Easter Egg Hunt Cookie Mix

b
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 40 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 quart canning jar, ring, and band
  • 3/4 c dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 (3.4) oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 2 1/4 c unbleached flour
  • 1 pint canning jar, ring, and band
  • 1 c milk chocolate chips
  • 1 c milk chocolate M&Ms, pastel colors

Instructions
 

  • Wash and dry jars, rings, and bands.
  • Place dry ingredients in quart jar, in the order they appear, tapping to level the jar between each addition.
  • Place candy in pint jar, in the order they appear, tapping to level the jar between additions.
  • Print instructions and secure to quart jar, decorate as desired, and gift.
Keyword cookie mix, cookies, easter

Happy Gifting!

Love,

b

New Year’s Book Club

Dear Sis,

Today, we kicked of the new year with book club.

Book

Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by: Pat Miller

Craft

This craft is great cutting practice! 

Standing Squirrel Template

This link provides several squirrel crafts. This particular craft is the forth option from the top.

Game

There Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game by Educational Insights

Snack

Acorn Cookie Bites

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • mini vanilla wafer cookies
  • hershey kisses unwrapped
  • milk chocolate chips
  • royal icing

Instructions
 

  • Place cookies upside down on a flat surface. Adhere kisses with icing to the center of each cookie. Stand until dry.
  • Balance cookies in a wire rack, kiss side down. Adhere chocolate chips with icing in the center of each cookie top. Stand until dry.

Woodland Snack Buffet

Acorn Cookie Bites

Dry Leaves (Apple Chips)

Snail Sandwiches (Sliced Sandwich Wraps)

Twigs (Pretzel Sticks)

Wild Berries (Assorted Fresh or Dry Berries)

Song

Happy New Year!

Love,

b

Thanksgiving Treats

Dear Sis, 

Today was a baking day. William baked cookies for his classmates and I made cranberry bread for story time and to give to his teacher and classroom aid. 

Free Printable Thanksgiving Favor Tags

The printable includes small tags as pictured for topping 3×5 inch bags, which can be purchased at any craft store. It also includes larger tags for topping bread loaves, not pictured, because I gave them away before I remembered to take a picture:)

The brown card stock is 3×4 inches and scored in the center.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

b

Out of this World Space Party

Dear Sis,

I can hardly believe William is 4! He has been fascinated by all things space for the better part of six months, so our party theme fell in place very naturally.

We found the solar system banner on Amazon, and plan to put it in William’s room after the party, to go with his new space bedding.

Book

The Story of Space: A first book about our universe by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams William wanted his party to be like book club:)




Cake

I baked the cake in a bowl to get the half sphere shape. I used a heating core to create a more even baking atmosphere. We tinted the tinted the frosting with black Wilton food coloring paste to make it gray and pressed black candy melts into it to create the look of craters. We topped it off with an astronaut figurine and 4 sparkler candles. It was one of the easiest themed cakes I’ve ever made!

We served it with cookies and cream ice cream and vanilla astronaut ice cream. The kids enjoyed trying it, but preferred the real ice cream:)

Crafts

We painted rocket ship picture frames. Before party day, I asked all the moms for photos of their kids, so I could have them ready to go.

I found these cute guys at Michaels and got one for each kid.




Favor

Free Printable: Over the Moon Party Favor Tags

Lunch

Cheese, Sausage, and Veggie Platter

Green Beans (for Charlotte, who is obsessed with canned green beans)

 Mini Chocolate Doughnuts (Black Holes)

Lemonade & Water

Sloppy Joe Sliders (Planets)

Tater Tots (Asteroids)

Montessori Birthday Celebration

  1. Ask kids to sit in a circle.
  2. Place a candle in the center and explain that it represents the sun.
  3. Give the child you are celebrating a ball that looks like earth.
  4. Explain that each time the child circles the sun a year passes. 
  5. Light the candle, and count each circle the celebrated child makes until you reach their new age.
  6. Allow them to blow out the candle. 

This concept is described more thoroughly in How to Raise and Amazing Child the Montessori Way by Tim Seldin, the president of the Montessori Foundation. This is more favorite application book for practicing Montessori at home with my kids! I’m reading some books on theory too, but we’ll get into that another day:)




Song

Zoom, zoom, zoom

We’re going to the moon

Zoom, zoom, zoom

We’re going to the moon

If you want to take a trip

Climb aboard my rocket ship

Zoom, zoom, zoom

We’re going to the moon

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, BLAST OFF! 

We learned this song at library story time last year with, Miss Sarah.

I wish I had more pictures of the occasion, but Josh was working, so I was too busy hosting, to have more “mom” time at the party.

Love,

b

 

Peachy Party Favors

Dear Sis,

Our little girl is going to be one in just a few weeks. Although we can’t have one big party, we will be having little celebrations with friends and family over the course of the month. We made favors to give on those occasions.

We purchased a five pound bag of peach rings and put them into 4×3 inch ziplock bags that can be found at any craft store… usually near the jewelry section. We were able to make 30 bags of 10. We put them all in our toy shopping basket, which William thinks is fantastic!

Favor Tag Assembly

  • Cut sections of card stock 3×3 inches and score in the center.
  • Print and cut You’re a Peach Favor Tags. 
  • Adhere tags to card stock and staple in place over ziplock closure.

Love,

b

Thank You Cards

Dear Sis,

William is making his own thank you cards this year! He glued the following note into each card: 

Thanks for helping me celebrate turning 3. I can’t wait to spend the winter enjoying all the BIG BOY toys, craft supplies, books, and clothing my family and friends gave me. Love, William & Family

Then, he decorated them with some of the stickers he got for his birthday:)

Giving and receiving are acts of sentiment and goodwill worthy of a bit of time and effort to express gratitude. Like all healthy habits… the younger you can start… the better:)

Love,

b