RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES THRIVE

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FAMILY ARTICLES

by Kas Winters unless otherwise noted

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to Help Your FAMILY   Thrive"

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FAMILY ARTICLES ON-LINE

Articles by Audience:

OF INTEREST TO WOMEN:

▪ An Alleluia Day

▪ Appropriate behaviors for adult flirtation: Never too old, and a lot wiser…

▪ Bake a Lamb Cake

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Breathe in, Breathe out

▪ Celebrate Family Traditions

▪ Coping with Fears and Phobias

▪ Don’t make his Valentine pink

▪ Family Health - Dealing with Obesity

▪ Festive Veggie Wreath

▪ Field of Dreams - Farm Markets

   by Sally, the Garden Guru

▪ Game Day Food

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Game Day Slow Cooker Chicken Salad

▪ How One Family Keeps in Touch

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ The Knitting Scene

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ Make a Snuggle Bunny

▪ Make an Advent Wreath and Light the First Candle

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

▪ Let Sleeping Babies Lie

▪ Rejection

    by Don Grothe, counselor

▪ Reminiscing: Childhood Memories

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Small Space Gardening

    by Sally the Garden Guru 

▪ Summer Garden Tips

   by Sally, the Garden Guru

▪ Weeds

    by Luanne Torblaa

▪ When it is time to look a gift horse in the mouth?

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ The Winter Garden: 

Look out the window

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ A Woman for All Ages

    by Eileen Birin

▪ The World's Greatest Drug Store

    by Gary W. Diekmann, DC

OF INTEREST TO PARENTS WITH BABIES:

▪ Help Siblings Adjust to a New Baby

Kick the Diaper Habit Now!

    by Elaine D'Ippolito

▪ Let Sleeping Babies Lie

▪ Make a Snuggle Bunny

OF INTEREST TO PARENTS:

▪ Bake Some Holiday Cookies

▪ B B Q Marinade

▪ Beaded Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

▪ Build Upon a Child's Experiences

▪ Celebrate Children

▪ Celebrate Christmas by Being a Santa to Others

▪ Celebrate Family Traditions

▪ Collect Bugs and Other Critters

▪ Coping with Fears and Phobias

▪ Create a Family Celebration

▪ Create Your Own Adventure

▪ Creativity

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Cut-Out Cookies

▪ Discuss Ways to Stand-Up for Yourself

▪ Do a Good Deed

▪ Do You Know a Child who is Being Bullied?

▪ Encouraging Children to Write

▪ Encourage Young Writers Day

▪ Every Day Learning

▪ Family Health - Dealing with Obesity

▪ Family Ways to Celebrate the Holiday by Giving to Others

▪ Find Pictures of Polar Bears

▪ Fun with Friends

▪ Get Organized in a Timely Manner

▪ Get Outdoors and Do Something to Protect the Environment

▪ Glue and Glitter Ornaments

▪ Good Study Habits Help Students Get the School Year Off to a Good Start

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Have a Family Flag Ceremony

▪ Have a Hot Chocolate Pajama Party

▪ Have a Lincoln's Birthday Dinner

▪ Have fun with Flowers

▪ Have Fun with planning a Brand New Year

▪ Honor Family Members Who Have Passed Away

▪ How Many Ways Can You Tell a Story?

▪ How to Help Children, who have  Hereditary Disorders, Thrive

    By Don Grothe, counselor

▪ How One Family Keeps in Touch

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ Learn a Magic Trick

▪ Learn Something about the Significance of Kwanzaa

▪ Learn Some Magic Tricks

▪ Learn to Take Care of the Earth

▪ Learn to be Independent

▪ Lenten Activities

▪ Let Sleeping Babies Lie

▪ Make a Chinese Lantern

▪ Make a Circle of String

▪ Make a Clay Menorah

▪ Make a Good Noise (For New Year's Eve)

▪ Make a Healthy Eating Chart

▪ Make a Kite of Your Own

▪ Make a Rain Gauge

▪ Make a Rocket and Launch It

▪ Make a Snowman, even if You Have to Use Marshmallows to Do It!

▪ Make a Snuggle Bunny

▪ Make a Tooth-Brushing Chart

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

▪ Make flowers from egg carton cups

▪ Make Mother Goose Paper Plate Puppets and Read Rhymes

▪ Make Your Own Book

▪ Make an Advent Wreath and Light the First Candle

▪ Make an Inventor's Kit

▪ Make Cherry Tarts

▪ Make Mardi Gras Masks

▪ Make Paper Snowflakes

▪ Make Shadow Picture

▪ Make Time to Play

▪ Make Valentines

▪ MRSA Bacteria

    by Elissa Thompson, MSW, LCSW

▪ A Note About Safety

▪ Pamper Your Pet

▪ Parents--Teach Your Kids

    by Phil & Gwen Waring

▪ Plant Veggies in the Kitchen

▪ Play a Game of "Gossip"

▪ Play a Quiet Game

▪ Play Some Circus Games

▪ Play Space Ship "Let's Pretend"

▪ Put Out Your Shoes and Fill Stockings for Others

▪ Read a Little House on the Prairie Story

▪ Read Christmas Stories and color in Holiday coloring books

▪ Read with a Friend

▪ Rejection

    by Don Grothe, counselor

▪ Reminiscing: Childhood Memories

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

▪ Salt Dough Ornaments

▪ Sing in Rounds, Sing in Harmony

▪ Single Parents Treat Yourself

▪ Strawberry Spray for Sweet Dreams (Scary Dream Control)

▪ Surprise Someone with Flowers

▪ Take a Stone-Kicking Walk

▪ Take Advantage of Mistletoe

▪ Take a Walk with an Umbrella

▪ Tell a Bear-y Good Story

▪ Tell a Continuous Story

▪ Tell Jokes, Silliness & Fool's Foods

▪ Tell Tall Tales and Discuss Telling the Truth

▪ Try a Science Experiment

▪ Try some Calligraphy and Read the Declaration of Independence

▪ Use a Star Chart

▪ Use an Advent Calendar

▪ Use Gumdrops and Toothpicks as a Building Set

▪ The World's Greatest Drug Store

    by Gary W. Diekmann, DC

OF INTEREST TO SENIORS:

▪ Appropriate behaviors for adult flirtation: Never too old, and a lot wiser…

    by Shmarye Primack

▪ Grandma's Goodie Bag

▪ Grandma's Toy Stove: A Gift for Generations

▪ Honor Family Members Who Have Passed Away

▪ How One Family Keeps in Touch

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ The Knitting Scene

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ The Monster Button

▪ Photo Opportunities: Recycle Those Old Pictures

    by The Family Writer 

▪ Late Summer Gardens

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Small Space Gardening

    by Sally The Garden Guru 

▪ Summer Garden Tips

   by Sally, the Garden Guru

▪ Surprise Someone with Flowers

Weeds

    by Luanne Torblaa

▪ When it is time to look a gift horse in the mouth?

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ The Winter Garden: 

Look out the window

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ A Woman for All Ages

    by Eileen Birin

▪ The World's Greatest Drug Store

    by Gary W. Diekmann, DC

OF INTEREST TO EDUCATORS:

▪ Beaded Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

▪ A bit of Irish literature: Limericks, satire and the beginning of modern prose

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Build Upon a Child's Experiences

Creativity

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Discuss Ways to Stand-Up for Yourself

▪ Do You Know a Child who is Being Bullied?

▪ Encouraging Children to Write

▪ Encourage Young Writers Day

▪ Every Day Learning

▪ Get Outdoors and Do Something to ▪ Protect the Environment

▪ Glue and Glitter Ornaments

▪ How Many Ways Can You Tell a Story?

▪ How to Help Children, who have Hereditary Disorders, Thrive

    By Don Grothe, counselor

▪ Make a Circle of String

▪ Make a Healthy Eating Chart

▪ Make an Inventor's Kit

▪ Make a Rocket and Launch It

▪ Make Your Own Book

▪ MRSA Bacteria

    by Elissa Thompson, MSW, LCSW

▪ Pinecone Ornaments

▪ Plant Veggies in the Kitchen

▪ Read a Biography of a President

▪ Read a Little House on the Prairie ▪ Story

▪ Read the Constitution

▪ Rejection

    by Don Grothe, counselor

▪ The World's Greatest Drug Store

    by Gary W. Diekmann, DC

OF INTEREST TO COUPLES - A LITTLE ROMANCE

▪ Appropriate behaviors for adult flirtation: Never too old, and a lot wiser… by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Look for Ways to Say "I Love You"

Love Letters

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

▪ Make Valentine's Day Everyday

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Romantic Pampering

▪ See How Much I Love You

▪ Summer Love: Take time to be together

▪ Surprise Someone with Flowers

▪ Take Advantage of Mistletoe

FAMILY HEALTH

▪ How to Help Children, who have

▪ Hereditary Disorders, Thrive

    by Don Grothe, counselor

▪ Make a Healthy Eating Chart

    by Kas Winters

▪ Make a Tooth-Brushing Chart

▪ MRSA Bacteria

    by Elissa Thompson, MSW, LCSW

▪ The World's Greatest Drug Store

    by Gary W. Diekmann, DC

Articles about Family Activities:

RECIPES

& FUN WITH FOOD:

Recipes

▪ All-American Apple Pie

▪ Bilbo's Tea-Time Bread

    by Cappy Gallant

▪ Blueberry Bread Pudding for Two

    by Portia Little

▪ The Breakfast Experience:

    Mushroom-Bacon Quiche

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Camp Cooking - Dutch Oven    

    Fruit Cobbler

    by Bob Maxwell, Scout Leader

▪ Chocolate Bread Pudding TDF

▪ Citrus Spinach Salad

    by Portia Little

▪ Cut-Out Cookies

▪ Don’t make his Valentine pink

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Fantastic Fudge Pie

    by Portia Little

▪ Fettucine Alfredo

▪ Game Day Food

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Game Day Slow Cooker Chicken Salad

▪ Gazpacho Cold Mexican Soup

▪ Good 'n Easy Scallop Bake

    by Portia Little

▪ Lemon Butter Cookies

▪ Linguine with Puttanesca Sauce

▪ Luxury or Necessity Counter Attacks: Black and Tan Frosting for Cookies

    by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ Make a Spring Salad with edible flowers and fresh greens

▪ Make Your Own Charoset

▪ Mark’s Venison Marinade

▪ Pike's Peak Pepperoni

▪ Pitzells

▪ Pretzels

▪ Resurrection Cookies

    From Donna Pogue

▪ "Ramona's" Chocolate Chip Cookies

▪ Scalloped Potatoes

    by Portia Little

Fun with Food

▪ Bake a Heart-Shaped Cake

▪ Bake a Lamb Cake

▪ Bake an Easter Bonnet Cake

▪ Bake Bread in Animal Shapes

▪ Bird Nest Macaroons   

▪ Candy Construction Kit for Kids 

▪ Carve a Watermelon Fruit Bowl

▪ Chocolate Mint Treat

▪ Decorate with Frosting

▪ Easter Bonnet Cake

▪ Festive Veggie Wreath

▪ Halloween Eyes

▪ Have a Hot Chocolate Pajama Party

▪ Learn to Bar-B-Q

▪ Lenten Activity - Make Pretzels

▪ Make a Face on Your Dinner

▪ Make a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie 

▪ Make a Healthy Eating Chart

▪ Make a Sandwich Fun

▪ Make Cherry Tarts

▪ Make Ice Cream ...AND Sodas

▪ Popcorn balls

▪ Pretzels

▪ Pumpkin Appetizer

▪ Spider Snacks

▪ Use Gumdrops and Toothpicks as a Building Set

▪ Yummy Turkey Munchies

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES:

NUGGETS FROM

The Mother Lode

▪ Beaded Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

▪ Build Something Using Wood

▪ Build Upon a Child's Experiences

▪ Celebrate Children

▪ Celebrate Christmas by Being a Santa to Others

▪ Cool Things to Do on a Hot Day

▪ Collect Bugs and Other Critters

▪ Collect Summer Bugs

▪ Create a Family Celebration

▪ Create Your Own Adventure

▪ Cut-Out Cookies

▪ Decorate a Denim Item to Wear

▪ Decorate an American T-shirt

▪ Decorative Birdhouse with Seed Packages

    from Linda Brittain

▪ Discover the Rocks in Your Neighborhood

▪ Display Photos of Summer Fun

▪ Do a Good Deed

▪ E-mail an Author! Get to know Someone Who Has Published a Book

▪ Fly a Kite

▪ Fun with Kitchen Science: Dancing

▪ Raisins, Floating Layers & Floating with Salt

▪ Find Pictures of Polar Bears

▪ Get Outdoors and Do Something to Protect the Environment

▪ The Glow-lite Entrepreneur

▪ Have a Family Flag Ceremony

▪ Have a Hot Chocolate Pajama Party

▪ Have a Lincoln's Birthday Dinner

▪ Have a Raindrop Race

▪ Have a Teddy Bear Picnic

▪ Have an Island Party

▪ Have fun with Flowers

▪ Learn a Magic Trick

▪ Learn Some Magic Tricks

▪ Lenten Activities

▪ Let Your Words Take Flight

▪ Listen to Mariachi Music and Dance

▪ Look for Signs of Spring

▪ Make a birdfeeder

▪ Make a Book-Reading Tent

▪ Make a Circle of String

▪ Make a flower puppet

    from Linda Brittain

▪ Make a Healthy Eating Chart

▪ Make a Kite of Your Own

▪ Make a lollipop Shamrock

▪ Make Paper Snowflakes

▪ Make a Rain Gauge

▪ Make a Rocket and Launch It

▪ Make a Snowman, even if You Have to Use Marshmallows to Do It!

▪ Make an Advent Wreath and Light the First Candle

▪ Make an Inventor's Kit

▪ Make flowers from egg carton cups

▪ Make Mardi Gras Masks

▪ Make Mother Goose Paper Plate

Puppets and Read Rhymes

▪ Make Shadow Pictures

▪ Make Your Own Book

▪ No Time for a Picnic?

▪ Pamper Your Pet

▪ Pan for Gold

▪ Patriotic Face Painting

▪ Plant Veggies in the Kitchen

▪ Play a Game of "Gossip"

▪ Play in a Tent

▪ Play with Maps

▪ Play Some Circus Games

▪ Play Space Ship "Let's Pretend"

▪ Put Out Your Shoes and Fill Stockings for Others

▪ Read a Dr. Seuss Tongue Twister Book

▪ Research U.F.O.s

▪ Stamp print with Apples

▪ Stay Cool in the Water

▪ Read Christmas Stories and color in Holiday coloring books

▪ Read with a Friend

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

▪ Salt Dough Ornaments

▪ Sing in Rounds, Sing in Harmony

▪ Surprise Someone with Flowers

▪ Take a Stone-Kicking Walk

▪ Take a Walk with an Umbrella

▪ Tell a Continuous Story

▪ Tell a Bear-y Good Story

▪ Tell Jokes, Silliness & Fool's Foods

▪ Tell Tall Tales and Discuss Telling the Truth

▪ Things to do with Old Family Photographs

▪ Toast Marshmallows    

▪ Toss Your Socks and Mittens

▪ Try a Science Experiment

▪ Try some Calligraphy and Read the Declaration of Independence

▪ Use a Star Chart

▪ Use an Advent Calendar

▪ Watch Something Fly

LEARNING ABOUT OTHER CULTURES:

▪ Caribbean Day, July 5th

▪ A bit of Irish literature: Limericks, satire and the beginning of modern prose

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ A Celebration of India

▪ Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

▪ Celebrate Dia de los Muertos

▪ Celebrate Cultural Diversity for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

▪ Create Your Own Adventure

▪ Feast on Mexican Food

▪ Learn Something about the Significance of Kwanzaa

▪ Listen to Mariachi Music and Dance

▪ The Lucky Irish Penny

▪ Make a Chinese Lantern

▪ Make a Clay Menorah

▪ Make Fiesta Flowers

▪ Make Ojos de Dios

▪ Make Your Own Charoset

▪ Play a Quiet Game

▪ Play Leprechaun Games and Celebrate with an Irish Dinner

▪ Put Out Your Shoes and Fill Stockings for Others

▪ Read a Biography of a President

▪ Read a Little House on the Prairie Story

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

▪ United Nations Day - Learn about Games Children Play in Another Country

▪ Use Gumdrops and Toothpicks as a Building Set

READING/WRITING FOR CHILDREN

▪ A bit of Irish literature: Limericks, satire and the beginning of modern prose

   by Sally D. Ketchum

▪ E-mail an Author! Get to know Someone Who Has Published a Book

▪ Encouraging Children to Write

Encourage Young Writers Day

▪ How Many Ways Can You Tell a Story?

▪ Let Your Words Take Flight

▪ Make a Book-Reading Tent

▪ Make a Paperbag Scrapbook

▪ Make Mother Goose Paper Plate Puppets and Read Rhymes

▪ Make Your Own Book

▪ Read a Biography of a President

▪ Read a Dr. Seuss Tongue Twister Book

▪ Read a Little House on the Prairie Story

▪ Read Christmas Stories and color in Holiday coloring books

▪ Read with a Friend

▪ Read the Constitution

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

▪ Tell a Bear-y Good Story

▪ Tell a Continuous Story

▪ Tell Tall Tales and Discuss Telling the Truth

▪ Try some Calligraphy and Read the Declaration of Independence

CRAFT ARTICLES:

(with instructions)   

▪ Beaded Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

▪ Decorate a Denim Item to Wear

▪ Decorate a Flower Pot

▪ Glue and Glitter Ornaments

▪ Harvest Seed Art

▪ The Knitting Scene

   by Our Senior Staff Writer

▪ Make a Clay Menorah

▪ Make Fiesta Flowers

▪ Make Paper Snowflakes

▪ Make Valentines

▪ Salt Dough Ornaments

▪ Some Stitchin' Secrets - Knots to You & Avoid 'Fuzz-in-mouth- Syndrome

▪ Stamp print with Apples

PUPPET ARTICLES:

(with instructions)

▪ Learn about Jonah and the Whale with Puppets

▪ Make a flower puppet

    from Linda Brittain

▪ Make Mother Goose Paper Plate Puppets and Read Rhymes

GIFT MAKING ARTICLES:

(with instructions) 

▪ Bracelet for Mom

▪ Butterfly Clip Magnet

▪ Cookie Bouquet

▪ Craft a Pencil Can for Dad

▪ Decorate a Denim Item to Wear

▪ Decorate a Flower Pot

▪ Father's Day T-Shirt

▪ Gifts to Make for Mom

▪ Give Mom a Cookie Bouquet

▪ Give Mom a Night Off

▪ Give Mom Hugs and Kisses

▪ Give Someone Flowers

▪ Harvest Seed Art

▪ Make a Snuggle Bunny

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

▪ Make Dad King for a Day with

a Special Father's Day Placemat

▪ Make a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

▪ Make a Pencil Holder

▪ Make a T-shirt for Mom

▪ Make Gifts for Mom

A GARDEN PARTY

    by Sally, The Garden Guru

▪ Harvest Seed Art

▪ Late Summer Gardens

▪ New Trends in Gardening

    by Sally, The Garden Guru

▪ Plant Veggies in the Kitchen

▪ Small Space Gardening

    by Sally, The Garden Guru

▪ Starting a Community Garden

    by Patti McQuillen

▪ Summer Garden Tips

    by Sally, The Garden Guru

▪ Weeds

    by Luanne Torblaa

▪ The Winter Garden: 

Look out the window

   by Sally D. Ketchum

Articles by EVENT, SEASON, or HOLIDAY:

WEDDINGS:

▪ Distribute Disposable Cameras

▪ Drape a Cake Table or Head Table

▪ Floral Hoops for Attendants

▪ For a Good Fit (Wedding Attire)

▪ Get a Ring for Christmas?

    by Minister Phil Waring

▪ Give a Listen (before Hiring Musicians)

▪ A Little Romance

▪ The Most Beautiful Wedding

▪ Pay Attention to the Obvious: Find the Professionals and Avoid the Wedding Scams

▪ Ring-Ready Gloves

▪ Some Things for the Groom to Think About

▪ The Tussey Mussey. Did You Know?

▪ Unusual Ring Presentation

▪ Wedding Day Emergency Kit

▪ Wedding Shoes

▪ Wedding Trivia: The Tussey Mussey   

▪ You Might Be Surprised...Did You Know? (Things you should know about planning a wedding)

BIRTHDAYS:

▪ Family Birthday Traditions

GRADUATIONS:

▪ Graduation Celebrations

▪ Congratulate Graduates

▪ Celebrate Graduations

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS:

Christian Holidays & Seasons

Advent & Christmas:

See Christmas below in this column

▪ Build Something Using Wood to Celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

▪ All Saint's Day

▪ Celebrate Animals on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

▪ Celebrate Dia de los Muertos

▪ Celebrate St. Nicholas Eve

Lent & Easter: See Easter below in this column

▪ Put Out Your Shoes and Fill Stockings for Others

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

Jewish Holidays

▪ Hanukkah Celebrations

▪ Make a Clay Menorah

▪ Make a Purim Rattle

▪ Make Your Own Charoset

▪ Passover Celebration

▪ Rosh Hashannah & Yom Kippur

▪ Yom Kippur - Learn about Jonah and the Whale with Puppets

JANUARY HOLIDAYS

▪ Bake Bilbo's Tea-Time Bread For J.R.R. Tolkein's Birthday

▪ Go "Birding" for National Bird Day

▪ Have Fun with planning a Brand New Year

▪ Make popcorn balls for Popcorn Day

FEBRUARY HOLIDAYS

▪ Groundhog Day - Make Shadow Pictures

▪ Have a Lincoln's Birthday Dinner

▪ Make Cherry Tarts for Washington's Birthday

▪ Make a Chinese Lantern for Chinese New Year

▪ Make Mardi Gras Masks

VALENTINE'S DAY:

▪ Bake a Heart-Shaped Cake

▪ Have a Special Valentine Dinner

▪ Make a Heart Garland

▪ Make a Lace Potpourri Heart

▪ Make a "Little Love in a Can"

▪ Make a Valentine Box

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

▪ Make Valentine Characters and Critters

▪ Make Your Own Valentines

▪ Make Valentines

▪ Play a Valentine Card Game

▪ Play with Red balloons

▪ Valentine Fabric Wreath

▪ Weave Paper to Make a Heart

MARCH FUN

▪ Build Something Using Wood

▪ Fly a Kite

▪ Handkerchief Parachutes

▪ Have fun with Flowers

▪ Johnny Appleseed's Birthday

▪ Lenten Activities

▪ Look for Signs of Spring

▪ The Lucky Irish Penny

▪ Make a lollipop Shamrock

▪ Plant something to Celebrate

▪ Spring Clean Together

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

▪ A bit of Irish literature: Limericks, satire and the beginning of modern prose

▪ The Lucky Irish Penny

▪ Make a lollipop Shamrock

▪ Play Leprechaun Games and Celebrate with an Irish Dinner

SPRING & APRIL FUN:

▪ April Fool's Day Celebrations

▪ Have a Raindrop Race

▪ Collect Bugs and Other Critters

▪ Create Your Own Adventure

▪ Decorative Birdhouse with Seed Packages

    from Linda Brittain

▪ Encourage Young Writers Day (April 10th): Make Your Own Book

▪ Fly a Kite

▪ Get Outdoors and Do Something to Protect the Environment

▪ Handkerchief Parachutes

▪ Have fun with Flowers

▪ Let Your Words Take Flight

▪ Make "Bear-Hugs" for friends

 ▪ Make a birdfeeder

▪ Make a flower puppet

    from Linda Brittain

▪ Make a Kite of Your Own

▪ Make a Purim Rattle

▪ Make a Rain Gauge

▪ Make a Rocket and Launch It

▪ Make flowers from egg carton cups

▪ Pamper Your Pet

▪ Passover Celebration

▪ Spring Clean Together

▪ Spring Fun Activities

▪ Surprise Someone with Flowers

▪ Take a Walk with an Umbrella

▪ Tell a Continuous Story

▪ Tell Jokes, Silliness & Fool's Foods

▪ Try some Calligraphy and Read the Declaration of Independence

▪ Use a Star Chart

EASTER:

Lent

▪ Lenten Activities

▪ Lenten Activity - Pretzels

▪ Pretzel Recipe

Easter Eggs

▪ Color Drip Egg Decorating

▪ Easter Egg Tree

▪ Rubber Band Egg Decorating

▪ Tissue Egg Ornaments

▪ Wax Resist Egg Decorating

▪ Wobbly Egg Roll Contest

Easter Food

▪ Bake a Lamb Cake

▪ Bird Nest Macaroons

▪ Easter Bonnet Cake

▪ Resurrection Cookies

Easter Decorations

▪ Clothespin Bunny

▪ Cotton Ball Peep Craft

▪ Create a Beaded Egg

▪ Decorate a Grapevine Wreath

▪ Decorate a Small Easter Bonnet

▪ Easter Egg Tree

▪ Felt Bunny Jelly Bean Holders

▪ Make a Peek-a-Boo Egg

▪ Make a Quilted Egg

▪ Make flowers from egg carton cups

▪ Pom Pom Peeps and Bunnies

▪ Tissue Egg Ornaments  

Easter Activities

▪ Easter Egg Hunt

▪ Make a Milk-jug Bunny Toss Game

▪ Spring Fun Activities

▪ Wobbly Egg Roll Contest

Easter Gifts

▪ Make a Snuggle Bunny

MAY FAMILY TIMES:

▪ Celebrate Kite Day

▪ Celebrate National Teachers Day

▪ Celebrate May Day

▪ Celebrate Memorial Day

▪ Celebrate Mother Goose Day

▪ Celebrate Space Day

▪ Family Childcare Providers' Day

▪ Learn to Take Care of the Earth

▪ Make Mother Goose Paper Plate Puppets and Read Rhymes

▪ Memorial Day: Celebrate with Family and Take Time to Honor Those to Whom this Day is Dedicated

▪ National Teachers' Day

CINCO DE MAYO:

▪ Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

▪ Feast on Mexican Food

▪ Listen to Mariachi Music and Dance

▪ Make Fiesta Flowers

▪ Make Ojos de Dios

MOTHER'S DAY:

▪ Bracelet for Mom

▪ Butterfly Clip Magnet

▪ Cookie Bouquet

▪ Decorate a Flower Pot

▪ Gifts to Make for Mom

▪ Give Mom a Night Off

▪ Give Mom Hugs and Kisses

▪ Give Mom Flowers

▪ Have a Tea Party for Mom or Grandma

▪ Make a Pencil Holder

▪ Make flowers from egg carton cups

▪ Make Gifts for Mom

▪ Make a T-shirt for Mom

▪ Single Parents Treat Yourself

▪ Take a Walk with Mom

SUMMER FUN:

▪ Car Travel Ideas

▪ Collect Summer Bugs

▪ Cool Things to Do on a Hot Day

▪ Display Photos of Summer Fun

▪ Experiment with Bubbles

▪ Get Outdoors and Do Something to Protect the Environment

▪ Look at a Meteor Shower

▪ Make a Dominoes Run

▪ Make a Paperbag Scrapbook

▪ Make a Rocket and Launch It

▪ No Time for a Picnic?

▪ Pan for Gold

▪ Plan Summer Family Times

▪ Play a Game of Toss

▪ Play in a Tent

▪ Play with Maps

▪ Research U.F.O.s

▪ Stay Cool in the Water

▪ Summer Collections

▪ Things to Do When You Go Camping

Toast Marshmallows

▪ Use a Star Chart

▪ Watermelon Fun

JUNE HOLIDAYS:

▪ Celebrate June Weddings

▪ Donald Duck's Birthday

▪ Have a Family Flag Ceremony

▪ Ice Cream Soda Day

▪ International Picnic Day

▪ Learn to Bar-B-Q

▪ Summer Begins

▪ Visit a Meteor Crater

FATHER'S DAY:

▪ Be Silly Together

▪ Father's Day T-Shirt

▪ Craft a Pencil Can for Dad

▪ Make a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

▪ Make Dad King for a Day with

a Special Father's Day Placemat

▪ Spend Some Time with Dad

INDEPENDENCE DAY - JULY 4th

▪ Decorate an American T-shirt

JULY HOLIDAYS:

▪ Caribbean Day, July 5th

▪ Teddy Bear Picnic Day, July 10th

▪ Amelia Earhart Day, July 24th

AUGUST HOLIDAYS:

FALL FUN:

▪ Attend a High School Football Game

▪ Celebrate Animals and Pets on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

▪ Celebrate Columbus Day-

▪ Float Your Boat

▪ Celebrate the First Day of Autumn

▪ Cook or Bake with Apples

▪ Drive to Enjoy Fall Leaves

▪ Harvest Seed Art

▪ Have an Apple Peeling Contest

▪ Paint a Pumpkin

▪ Make a Scarecrow

▪ Pinecone Critters

▪ Pumpkin Eggshell Decoration

▪ Stamp print with Apples

▪ Visit a Pumpkin Patch

FALL HOLIDAYS:

▪ All Saint's Day

▪ All Saints Day - Honor Family Members Who Have Passed Away

▪ All Souls Day - Celebrate Dia de los Muertos

▪ Child Health Day - Make a Healthy Eating Chart

▪ Columbus Day - Float Your Boat

▪ Election Day

▪ Election Day - Discuss the Issues and Candidates as a Family

▪ Grandparents' Day

▪ Homemade Bread Day - Bake Bread in Animal Shapes

▪ Hug a Bear Day - Tell a Bear-y Good Story

▪ Labor Day

▪ Mexican Independence Day 

▪ Mickey Mouse's Birthday - Learn about Walt Disney, the Imaginative Creator of the Famous Mouse

▪ National Author's Day  E-mail an Author! Get to know Someone Who Has Published a Book

▪ National Denim Day - Decorate a Denim Item to Wear 

▪ Parade Day - Have a Bike and Wagon Parade

▪ Patriot Day - 9/11

▪ Rosh Hashannah & Yom Kippur

▪ Sweetest Day - Do a "Good Turn"

▪ United Nations Day - Learn about Games Children Play in Another Country

▪ Veterans' Day

▪ Veteran's Day - Celebrate Family Heroes

▪ Yom Kippur - Learn about Jonah and the Whale with Puppets

HALLOWEEN:

▪ Bake Halloween Cookies

▪ Carve a Jack-O-Lantern, Make it a Family Project

▪ Decorate with Balloon Spiders

▪ Kid Robot Costume Idea

▪ Knight Costume Idea

▪ Pumpkinbell Windchimes

▪ Trick-or-Treat Alternatives

THANKSGIVING:

▪ Bake a Pie or Pumpkin Bread

▪ Cook or Bake with Apples

▪ Decorate the Table for Thanksgiving

▪ Have an Apple Peeling Contest.

▪ Make First Thanksgiving Decorations

▪ Paint a Pumpkin

▪ Play a Turkey Game

▪ Find Special Ways to Say Thank You

▪ Use a Thanksgiving Tree as a Family Way to Give Thanks.

WINTER FUN:

▪ Bake Some Holiday Cookies

▪ Chocolate Mint Treat

▪ Find Pictures of Polar Bears

▪ Have a Hot Chocolate Pajama Party

▪ Have an Indoor Snowball Fight

▪ Toss Your Socks and Mittens

▪ Celebrate St. Nicholas Eve

▪ Make a Clay Menorah

▪ Make a Book-Reading Tent

▪ Make a Good Noise

(For New Year's Eve)

▪ Make a Snowman, even if You Have to Use Marshmallows to Do It!

▪ Make Paper Snowflakes

▪ Learn Something about the Significance of Kwanzaa

▪ Put Out Your Shoes and Fill Stockings for Others

▪ Retell the Story of the Roses (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day)

▪ Turn Socks into Snowmen

▪ Hanukkah Celebrations

CHRISTMAS:

▪ Bake Some Holiday Cookies

▪ Beaded Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

▪ Celebrate Christmas by Being a Santa to Others

▪ Celebrate Family Traditions

▪ Celebrate the Reason for the Season

▪ Cut-Out Cookies

▪ Glue and Glitter Ornaments

▪ Make an Advent Wreath and Light the First Candle

▪ Make Paper Snowflakes

▪ Pinecone Ornaments

▪ Pitzells

▪ Read Christmas Stories and color in Holiday coloring books

▪ Salt Dough Ornaments

▪ The Secret Family

▪ Take Advantage of Mistletoe

▪ Use an Advent Calendar