Category: Family Ideas

End of the School Year Celebration Ideas

Time marches by quickly. Embrace the daily triumphs. Ending a school year is a milestone in your child’s life. Not to mention, you deserve recognition for last minute school snacks, homework help, field trips, and on some days simply getting your child to school on time.

As the last day of school arrives, take the time to celebrate. Scheduling conflicts may not allow your celebration to occur exactly on the last day, still take the time to recognize the accomplishment. The celebration can be a simple family dinner with a special dessert to a large party with your child’s friends.

End of the School Year Party Ideas

If you are uncertain how to celebrate, ask your child for input. Often your child’s idea may be something you would have never thought about as a fun way to celebrate. Or you can consider any of the following:

  • Special family dinner
  • Family game night
  • Trip to the local bookstore to purchase books for summer reading
  • Backyard BBQ
  • Pool party (if the weather permits)
  • Backyard beach party
  • Harry Potter theme party
  • Comic book, princess or other theme party
  • End of the school year theme party
  • Trip to the local ice cream shop
  • Dinner out at your child’s favorite restaurant
  • Pizza party
  • Video game night
  • Arts and crafts party
  • Outdoor games party
  • Trip to the park, zoo or other local attraction
  • Scavenger hunt
  • Movie night
  • Picnic in the park or your own backyard
  • Attend a major or minor league baseball game or other sporting events
  • Water balloon “fight” or other water-related activities

The possibilities on how to celebrate the end of a school year are endless. Surprisingly, a simple ice cream pie to celebrate the end of the school year may easily become a lasting memory.

Editor’s note: This blog is an updated version from one on my other site.

 

 

 

National Love A Tree Day

Today, May 16, 2018, is National Love a Tree Day. How can you not love trees? They provide shade, oxygen, food, and a natural habitat for a wide range of wildlife. Now you may be wondering how to celebrate this unique holiday?

Tips for Celebrating National Love a Tree Day

Busy work and school schedules may require you to wait until the weekend to celebrate. Taking the time to notice the beauty of trees will not be a waste.

Go Outdoors

Simply spending time outdoors is the best way to celebrate National Love a Tree Day.

  • Go for walk around your neighborhood.
  • Sit under a tree at lunchtime
  • Find a perfect tree to sit and read a book.
  • Have a picnic under your favorite tree.
  • Go hiking.
  • Photograph trees from different angles for an art project or wall mural.

Plant a Tree

Planting a tree is a great way to recognize National Love a Tree Day. Adding a shade, ornamental or fruit tree to your landscape provides you with numerous benefits.

Arts, Crafts and More

If the weather does not allow you to be outdoors, try some arts and crafts as part of your family time to recognize the day.

  • Draw or paint trees
  • Make a construction paper tree with bright colored leaves
  • Make pinecone crafts
  • Paint with pinecones
  • Make homemade bird feeders to place in your trees
  • Create a greeting card with a tree to send to grandparents or elderly relatives
  • Write a story about a tree
  • Read a book about trees

Special Meal

Fruit trees produce a wide variety of tasty treats. Use the fruit as part of your meal plan. Getting your children involved with the meal will add to the experience.

  • Make a fruit pie or other special dessert for dinner
  • Eat applesauce for lunch
  • Make homemade fruit snacks
  • Break open a coconut
  • Try a fresh pineapple

Having fun is the best part of celebrating everyday holidays. Take a moment to celebrate the natural wonder of trees as part of National Love a Tree Day.

National Scrapbook Day

Every year, the first Saturday of May is dedicated to the creative world of scrapbooking. National Scrapbook Day or National Scrapbooking Day is a celebration about preserving memories, family trees, parties and normal everyday life. The only limit is your own imagination. A scrapbook can be as lavish or simple.

Supplies for Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking supplies can basically be a wide range of material. Finding your likes and dislikes may take some trial and error. If you are first starting out and uncertain where to start, consider purchasing a scrapbook kit. Generally, a kit will contain the basic supplies to get you started. Or simply stop at your local craft store and pick out whatever catches your eye.

Some of the basic scrapbooking material may include:

  • Scrapbooks, Extra Pages
  • Markers, Pens, Pencils, Crayons
  • Crafter’s Tape, Adhesive Squares, Designer or Washi Tape
  • Clear Glue, Glitter Glue, Glue Sticks
  • Die Cut Embellishments, Die Cut Machine
  • Stickers
  • Scissors or Decorative Edge Scissors
  • Rubber Stamps and Ink
  • Designer Paper or Card Stock
  • Designer Envelopes
  • Newspaper Clippings
  • Photos
  • Artwork

Scrapbooking Themes

Creating scrapbook pages or albums may be difficult in the beginning. The themes are endless.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

  • School Events, School Year, First or Last Day of School, Day Care
  • Sporting Events, Practice, Game Day
  • Anniversary, Engagements, Weddings,
  • Birthdays
  • Baby Showers
  • Birth of a Child
  • Church Events
  • Getting a New Pet, Celebrating Your Pet’s Birthday or Holiday
  • Holidays
  • Vacations
  • Rainy or Sunny Days
  • Day In Your Life
  • Movie or Game Night
  • Changing Seasons
  • Family History
  • Parties
  • Swimming Pool Fun or Lessons

Celebrating Scrapbooking Day

Are you wondering how to celebrate scrapbooking day? Here are a few ideas to celebrate the unofficial holiday.

  • Do Something: Scrapbooking is all about capturing the moment. Go to the park, a local event, outdoor concert, or trip to the farmer’s market.
  • Do a Photo Session: Create a scene or go outdoors to take pictures of your children, partner, friends or pets. Use the photos as part of your next scrapbook.
  • Go to the Craft Store: Find the perfect items for your next scrapbook.
  • Give as Gift: Purchase a scrapbooking kit for a friend, give one to each of your children to record summer fun, or provide one for a family member.
  • Host a Party: Throw an impromptu gathering. As friends or family members over to share afternoon tea and create scrapbook pages.
  • Family Time: Creating a scrapbook is the perfect way to get your family involved. During the creative process, ask your children the best part of the event. Recording answers may provide you with a long-term memory.
  • Share Ideas: Show off your creative side on social media.

Scrapbooking is fun and easy to create. The end result of the creative endeavor is a lasting treasure.

Tips for the Perfect Easter Celebration

The Easter holiday is almost here. Are you considering hosting an Easter dinner with family or friends? Take a deep breath and do it. Life is short, celebrate every moment without hesitation. Gathering friends and family around the dinner table is all you need for a joyous occasion.

Tips for a Perfect Easter Holiday

Depending on your individual tastes, an Easter dinner can be formal or casual. Preplanning will help you Easter day celebration go smooth. Consider the following tips to assist you as you plan the perfect Easter celebration.

1. Guest List

Creating a guest list is necessary to help you plan. Due to the short time frame, you may need to make some phone calls or use the Internet to help. If your guests are on Facebook, consider making a private event page to help you plan. The creation of an event allows you to invite your guests, correspond about the meal and other activities.

2. Menu

After confirming the number of guests, planning the menu should be your next step. Menu planning can be extremely elaborate or simple

  • Cater: Local restaurants generally offer catering service for the holidays. Catering allows you to leave all the cooking and baking up to the restaurant. If you decide to cater, call as soon as possible to ensure availability.
  • Cook Yourself: Cooking and baking a large meal is a lot of work. But the personal satisfaction of a job well done is the best reward. Take the time to plan the meal, shop ahead of time to ensure you have all the ingredients, and enjoy the process.
  • Pot Luck Style: Easing some of the cooking demands, ask your friends or family members to bring a dish to pass. A variety of dishes can actually add to the holiday fun.
  • Desserts: If you do not have time for a full course meal, consider a dessert bar. Invite friends and family over later in the evening after they have met their family commitments.

3. Decorations

Decorating your table or home always adds to the holiday cheer. The decorations do not need to be elaborate. Making decorations is a perfect family time experience. Using construction paper, consider making placemats, name cards, or a centerpiece.

If you are doing decorations, your imagination is the limit. Pinterest and other crafting sites show all sorts of Easter decorating ideas. Due to time constraints, purchase decorations or Spring flowers for your centerpiece.

4. Kid Stuff

How many children are going to be at your event? Do you have a plan to keep them busy while you make last minute preparations? Keeping children busy with holiday-related activities, allows you to concentrate on cooking without worry. Children love to create and take items home. Setting up a children’s area or planning outdoor activities is the perfect solution.

  • Host an Easter egg hunt.
  • Easter coloring books and crayons
  • Dye Easter eggs
  • Set up a crafting table with Easter themed supplies
  • Make small Easter baskets to hand out as take-home gifts

Hosting an Easter dinner does not need to be stressful. Planning and asking for help from friends and family will help you have a joyous occasion.

March: Craft Month

Did you know March is Craft Month? Crafting projects come in different shapes, sizes, and styles. Basically, crafts are the simple process of making items with your own two hands. Requiring only your imagination to begin, crafting activities is a hobby for all ages to enjoy.

Benefits of Crafts for Children

As adults, you make crafts with a specific outcome in mind. Perhaps you are following a pattern or trying to mimic a creation from the Pinterest site, your crafting process is a unique journey. Keep in mind, for children the process may not produce a specific outcome or recognizable piece. And that is okay. Allow your children the chance to create a one of a kind project. Introducing various crafting materials for your children to use actually has numerous benefits.

  • Improves eye/hand coordination
  • Increases fine motor skills
  • Expands communication skills
  • Boosts self-esteem
  • Expands the imagination
  • Increases valuable family time

Two Easy Ways to Introduce Crafts to Your Children

Introducing crafting activities to your children or even yourself is simple. Materials and time are your two key components for craft projects.

1. Craft Box

Creating a craft box or basket is a wonderful way to store materials. Crafting materials do not need to be expensive. Check out your local dollar store, hobby shop, and recycle some materials around the house. If you are uncertain about how to start your craft box, many stores offer buckets or jars of materials ready to go.

Materials may include:

  • Glue
  • Glitter, sequins, beads
  • Paint
  • Paint brushes, sponges and other instruments for paint applications
  • Crayons, markers, pencils
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Yarn
  • Pompons
  • Construction paper or drawing paper
  • Child scissors
  • Paper punch
  • Paper towel tubes
  • Rocks
  • Googly eyes
  • Dried beans, macaroni, or other kinds of pasta
  • Modeling clay

2. Making Time

After you get all your materials in place, next is making time for your crafts.

  • Raining or snowy days are great for craft days.
  • Host a craft night for the entire family to enjoy.
  • Invite friends over for a crafting party.
  • Create holiday crafts to decorate your home (St. Patrick’s Day, Spring, and Easter is just around the corner).

Having fun is the most important part of crafting. Enjoy the process of making something new. Ask your child to share the details of the final crating product. Often a story about a craft is a great memory making moment.

Happy Crafting!

National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Did you know February 26 is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day? The pandemic, social distancing, school, work, daily routines, and other commitments can easily fill your schedule.  Try taking time out to celebrate unofficial holidays. Celebrating National Tell a Fairy Tale Day is a great way to try something new and simply have fun. Fairy tales have a long-standing place in history.

Think back; what was your favorite fairy tale from childhood? Some family favorites may include:

Do you remember the excitement of learning the story? Now there’s an entire day dedicated to the love of a fairy tale.

How to Celebrate National Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Traditionally, a fairy tale is a mythical or fantasy-based short story. The characters may include a prince, a princess, fairies, gnomes, or talking animals. The setting usually contains a castle or magical forest. The limitation of the storyline is only your own imagination. So, embrace the day by celebrating fairy tales.

1. Go to Your Local Library

If open, visit your library on Tell a Fairy Tale Day. The trip provides you and your loved ones with the opportunity to find the perfect story. Consider finding a new fairy tale to read. Or check out an old favorite to enjoy once again.

2.Read to Your Children

 Read your favorite tale to your children. Children love to hear new stories.  Spending quality time with your children is also a rewarding experience. Ask open-ended questions about the tale to ensure understanding. The process will actually help your children’s communication skills.

3. Go to the Bookstore

 Purchasing a new book of fairy tales is a great way to find a new story. Bookstores often carry stories from different cultures or countries.

4. Write Your Own Fairy Tale

Pick up your pen and write your own tale. If you have children, encourage them to write a fairy tale. The creative process enhances critical thinking, social, and communication skills. Ask younger children to verbally express their fairy tales. Writing down their thoughts in a notebook may turn into a lasting memory.

5. Arts and Craft Time 

After reading or sharing a story, use the fairy tale storyline as the basis of your art and crafts project.

  • Draw pictures with chalk, colored pencils, crayons, or markers
  • Paint a picture
  • Make a collage with magazine cutouts or other material.
  • Create a storyboard or storybook of your fairy tale.
  • Decorate a plastic container to use later to plant magic beans. The decorated pot will easily complement the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. 

6. Create a Puppet Show

Creating a puppet show can be a creative and rewarding process. A large box may be part of the stage or backdrop for your fairy tale. Make hand puppets or finger puppets to act out a fairy tale. If your children are hosting the show, record the event.

7. Bake or Cook a Special Treat

Decorate cookies to match your fairy tale. Or cook a special meal to incorporate a theme from your favorite fairy tale. For example, adding peas to your meal can be part of the Princess and the Pea fairy tale.

8. Host a Family Fun Movie Night

Disney movies are a wonderful resource for fairy tales. Make popcorn or other special snack and enjoy your movie night.

Regardless of the way you celebrate, take time to enjoy National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Life is short; make memories. Use your imagination, enjoy the day.

 

Please note: “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day

Today, January 31, 2018, is National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day. So you must ask yourself, what is art? Expressing your inner imagination through an application, art comes in many forms. The possibilities are endless. Even though a day is set aside for finding your inspiration for creating art, incorporating art into your life should be a year-round practice.

Celebrating National Inspire your Heart with Art Day

Like people, art is different for everybody. Finding your inspiration is part of the journey of creating art. Taking photos, drawing, painting, baking and presenting, decorating cakes, performing, sculpturing, the arts are about inspiring your own heart to grow and create.

Get Your Children Involved

Children love to create. Spending time creating art with your child can easily turn into a precious memory. Using different materials help you encourage your child’s imagination.

  • Colored pencils
  • Non-toxic, washable markers’
  • Paints
  • Chalks
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Items for gluing including pieces of old material, pipe cleaners, glitter, pasta noodles, etc.
  • Clay with sculpting tools

The art inspiration materials are endless. Do not be afraid to experiment with different forms. For example, air dry clay is great for saving masterpieces. Or consider using a homemade recipe for sculpturing materials. The different textures help with inspiration. Younger children will be able to engage in fine motor skills.

Go to Your Local Art Gallery

Galleries display a variety of art mediums. Viewing other people’s work can be inspirational for creating your own art. Often galleries will host lectures, workshops or programs for basic techniques for adults who want to learn. Other galleries have themed events for children to start exploring the art world. Trying something new may not turn out as you planned. But the process is an unforgettable learning experience.

Take a Class

Many local community colleges have classes or weekend seminars for non-majors. Going to a class allows you to engage in art with direction for proven techniques. Learning the basics in a beginner’s class is a great way to explore art. At the same time, you will be able to meet others who share your desire to learn about art.

Go to a Performance

Ballet or other performance art allows you to view in a different manner. Performance art has four elements:

  • Time
  • Space
  • Performer’s body
  • An ongoing relationship with the performer and the audience

The various types of performances may surprise you. Visiting a live performance is always best. But do not hesitate to look performance art up online or on YouTube. The results can be extremely inspiring.

Art comes in many forms. Finding a genre for inspiration may take exploration beyond today. Trying something new for yourself or your children may leave you with a sense of inspiration and fulfillment.

2018: The Year to Make Memories

Do you want to start a new tradition for yourself, your family, or your furbabies? Consider creating a memory box. Living in a digital age, small moments often get lost in the technological universe. Keeping a record of memorable days does not require attending large social affairs or ultimate road trips. Even though, both would be an excellent addition. Taking time to record simple, daily events may be the most memorable moments of the year.

The Memory Box

The memory box can be an old shoe box, a popcorn tin from the holidays, or a plastic basket from your local dollar store. You just need to create a space to store your memories. Get creative, decorate the box. If you have young children, consider making the box an afternoon project.

Feel free to create a unique, one of kind memory box for you or your family to enjoy.

What to Put in the Memory Box?

Keep in mind, there is not a specific guideline on what to put in your memory box. Creating a tangible storage space away from your digital devices is one reason for creating a memory box. Having fun is another reason.

1. Every Day Moments

Every day should be a celebration. Your child takes his or her first steps. Your son finally mastered Algebra. Your daughter got the lead in the school play. Or you received recognition for a project at work. Small moments go by quickly. Use index cards, notecards or scraps of paper to write about the daily event. Encourage children to participate. Even if they just draw small pictures, the notecard can be part of the box.

2. Ask Questions

Asking questions is another way to encourage your children to participate. At the same times, you are opening lines of communication. Questions to ask may include:

  • What was your favorite part of school today?
  • What do you want to do when you grow up?
  • What did you eat at lunch?
  • Did anything funny happen in school or practice?

Just keep an open mind, when you find out your son laughed and milk came out of his nose. And, he instantly became a lunchtime sensation.

3. Postcards

 Going on day trips, field trips, family vacations or even a trip to your local grocery store, you will see postcards for sale. Postcards are an inexpensive resource for making memories. Picking up a few postcards or allowing your child select a favorite, allows you to record your visit with a picture. Ask your child to tell you the favorite part of the trip. Jotting down a couple lines on the back of postcard provides an instant keepsake.

4. Other Memorabilia

When you begin adding items to your memory box, you will soon learn in the world of technological devices, a paper trail still exists.

  • Movie tickets stubs
  • Concert tickets
  • Program brochures
  • Schedule of events guides
  • Menus
  • Fortune cookie inserts

The list is endless. By keeping the small items, you can jot notes in the margins. Or add a notecard later describing the experience.

What Next?

What do you do when the year comes to a close? Open the box, review your memories, place them in a scrapbook, or create time capsules to view down the road. The small effort you make to today to add little notes will leave a larger impact later when you read the memories.

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Harry Potter’s Birthday

I am a full believer in celebrating life. Small celebrations bring lasting memories. Every day our daily schedules and commitments keep us busy. Enjoying little moments is a necessity. For fans of the Harry Potter series, myself included, today, July 31st represents the fictional character, Harry Potter’s birthday. Along with Harry, J.K. Rowling celebrates her birthday today too.

In the book, Rubeus Hagrid provides Harry with a birthday cake on his 11th birthday. The simple scene from the Keeper of the Keys immediately ushers us into the magical world of Harry Potter. Why not incorporate his birthday into a family fun night? Or invite your friends for some magical fun.

  • Consider making a quick birthday cake as a special dessert treat.
  • Gather the family or friends around to watch the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
  • Make wands.
  • Eat chocolate frogs.
  • Create your own owl, cat, or toad.
  • Have special snacks or cook an entire meal based on the Wizarding World’s cuisine.
  • Make magical themed crafts.

    Melt pony beads on old pizza pans to create large Harry Potter inspired sun catchers.
  • Need a quieter activity, reread the Harry Potter series or listen to the audio versions.

In a couple weeks, school, homework, sports and enforced bedtime routines will be part of your already full schedule. Take a moment to enjoy the little things and celebrate “The Boy Who Lived”.

Reference:

Rowling, J. K., Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. London: Bloomsbury Children’s, 1997.