More Christmas Ideas

Here are a few more fun Christmas activities to enjoy with your kids. We didn't get to these at day camp but they are still just as fun.
Gingerbread Door Hanger:
Materials:

• Safety Scissors
• Brown Construction paper
• gingerbread stencils (optional)
• Pencils
• Washable Crayola Markers
• Red, Green, Brown, or White yarn or string
• A single hole puncher

Instructions:

1. Either draw or trace a few gingerbread people onto brown construction paper.
2. Cut out the gingerbread people
3. Hole punch to top of each gingerbread person
4. Use markers to decorate the people with faces and other accessories 
5. Weave the string or yarn in and out of the hole punches, connecting the people
6. Tie off the string at the ends
7. Hang it over a doorway or window

Christmas Guess Who:

Materials: 

• Index cards of strips of paper
• Tape
• something to write with

Instructions:

1. Come up with Christmas themed names and/or objects. Santa Clause, ornament, Rudolph, snow, north pole, etc.
2. Write each idea on a separate index card or strip of paper.
3. Without showing the players the cards, tape a card to each player's back with the side with the writing facing out.
4. Each player has to figure out what name or object is on their back by asking the other players, who know what the card says, yes or no questions about it... Is it a person? Is it a boy? Is it a girl? Does it live at the north pole? etc.
5. The first person to guess their's right wins. 

For extra Christmas spirit play Christmas music in the background while enjoying these activities and the other activities described in my previous post about Christmas Day Camp! 

Have A Very Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas Day Camp

The other day I did a Christmas day camp for the kids. We played games and did a lot of crafts. The first craft we did was given to me by Keegan, Delaney, and Cam's mom, Ashley. Thank you Ashley for your help.
Gnome Santas:
Materials:

• small, cylinder pieces of wood from a tree, branch, log, etc.
• Red, Black, White, and Green Crayola Cloud Clay.
• small googly eyes
• Tooth picks

Instructions:

1. Take the small, cylinder pieces of wood and shave of the top so that the top slants upward.
2. Choose either red or green Crayola Cloud Clay for your Santa.
3. Take off a chunk of clay and place the wood in the center closer to the bottom
4. Start the wrapping process by covering the bottom of the wood (the NOT slanted side) by folding the up the clay on the bottom onto the wood
5. Then work your way up wrapping the clay on both sides (do not fold over on the face, which is the slanted part)
6. When you get to the top fold the excess clay on the top over.
7. Take a strip of white and roll it.
8. wrap it around the face on the edge of the other clay.
9. Take some more white.
10. Mold it into a beard type shape lay it down about 1/4 way up the face.
11. Take a tooth pick and make small incisions on the beard to make it look like hair.
12. Then, with the tooth pick, cut out a mouth shape in the beard almost to the top of the beard. (this creates a mouth and a mustache)
13. Take a tiny red ball of red Crayola Cloud Clay and stick it at the top of the mustache, for a nose.
14. Either stick two small googly eyes on the face for eyes of take 2 small flat pieces of white clay and two even smaller pieces of black clay and make eyes.
15. Let them air dry

Paper Bag Reindeer Puppet:
Materials:

• Brown paper lunch sacks
•  small colored cotton balls
• Big googly eyes
• red and black washable markers
• Brown Construction Paper

Instructions:

1. Take the child's hands and trace them onto the brown construction paper
2. Cut them out
3. Have the open side of the lunch sack facing down (flap on the top)
4. Glue the handprints onto the side of the bag without the flap with the thumbs facing out in opposite directions. (these are the antlers)
5. The flap is the face so glue the googly eyes on the top of the flap and the cotton ball in the middle of the flap. 
6. If you want a moth either use a red or black marker and draw a mouth underneath the flap.
7. Now you have a puppet, stick your hand into the bag and make the flap move up and down.
8. Name it after your favorite reindeer, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, or Rudolph. 

Bruce The Spruce (the talking Christmas tree at the Warm Beach Lights of Christmas)
Materials:

• green, red, and yellow construction paper
• colored markers or small colored cotton balls.
• Safety scissors
• Pencils
• Big googly eyes

Instructions:

1. draw and cut out a fairly big Christmas tree on green construction paper.
2. Cut out a smile mouth shape on red construction paper and glue it closer to the bottom
3. Glue the googly eyes closer to the top. 
4. Draw on ornaments with Crayola Washable Markers or glue on small colored cotton balls
5. Cut out a star on yellow construction paper and glue it on the top of the tree.
6. Merry Christmas Bruce!

The last thing we did was play a game called Santa Says. It's just like Simon Says but except for saying Simon Says... you say Santa Says... and you wear a Santa hat if you have one. I got this idea from http://holidays.kaboose.com/xmas-party.html
Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble! It's time for some Thanksgiving fun. Here are some fun craft ideas....

The Classic Turkey Hand (I know you all have done this one at one point but let me remind you anyway)

1. Trace your hand onto a piece 
2. Color it in so that your thumb is the head and your pinkie, index, pointer, and middle finger are the feathers the rest of the hand should be brown.
3. Don't forget to add the red stuff on the chin of you're turkey (Not sure what it's called). 
4. Color a fall background. Sun, clouds, falling leaves, grass, football, etc.

Leaf strings:

1. draw, cut, and trace leaves onto colored construction paper, red, orange,yellow
2. Punch one hole into the top of each leaf 
3. Cut some string and thread it through all the leaves, tie at both ends
4. Hang it in a doorway or over a large window

Customized Football: 

1. What would you're dream football look like? Pink with sparkles, neon rainbow, feathered, polka dotted, plaid, striped, or just regular. 
2. Draw a football on a piece of paper 
3. use all sorts of craft supplies, such as cotton balls, sparkles, feathers, Crayola Washable Markers, Crayola Crayons, Crayola colored pencils, etc. to customize your football. 

Enjoy!

Costumes

Time to hurry up and find a cool costume for Halloween. Be scary, be silly, be crazy! In my lifetime I'v been a clown, a lion, an Incredible, a doctor, an ocean (best costume in my kindergarten class!), an eighties person, Hermione Granger (Harry Potter), a hippie, a black cat, a duck. This year I'm being a Native American (kinda like Disney's Pocahontas). Abby is being a hippie, Sam is being a Husky Fan, Jordan is being a witch, Delaney is being a genie, Cam is an army man, Keegs doesn't know. 

Pumpkins

The classic Halloween time activity is go to the pumpkin patch with your family, get pumpkins, and then carve them right? Well, last October we did something a little different we went to the pumpkin patch and got our "perfect" pumpkins, but instead of getting out the old carving knife we got out the paint brushes and the (washable) Crayola paint and painted our pumpkins. How crazy are we right? So I guess the point of this is to give you something different to try. This year we're going back to carving but who knows maybe we'll try painting again next year.
Ideas for pumpkin faces: cyclops, buck teeth, one tooth, princess (with crown), smile face, scowl (frown), or the classical triangular eyes and nose with a mouth with a bunch of teeth missing.
Enjoy!

Halloween Decorationg

Use your classic Halloween decorations and make them even more spooky. Here's a fun craft that you can do with your kids and uses your decorations.

What we did:

1. Set up an R.I.P tombstone, a potion pot, and a skull on a table. (don't uses a table that you would typically eat on.
2. Cut green and white construction paper into long strips.
3. Folded them back and forth to make them wavy. (fold a small section of the strip over one way and then the other way. Continue until there isn't anymore space to fold.)
4. Put the green paper (potion) into the potion pot (fill it up)
5. Spread the white (fog) around the whole "scene" on the table
6. Now you have a graveyard

Ideas of decorations you could use skull, potion pot, skeleton, tombstone, witch, mummy, zombie, pumpkin, etc.     

Fall

Fall is upon us. I'm afraid the warm summer air is gone and the cool crisp air has returned. Time to get out your jackets and sweatshirts. As much as we all miss summer we have to think positive about fall. You can jump into large leaf piles, rake leaves, watch football, and do plenty of crafts. If you are in need of a craft I've got some up my sleeve. Some of you may no this one but let me remind you anyway.

Leaf Tracings

• Take you're kids out and gather some leaves (make sure they're dry
• Bring them back 
• Get out some printer paper and some pencils
• Grab a leaf
• Make sure it's pretty flat
• Hold it on the paper with one hand
• with the other trace it with a pencil
• continue this until the page is full but make the leaves over lap 
• Once you're done shave the wrapping off of a red, orange, and yellow Crayola crayon
• Then shade the paper with the crayons (use all the colors throughout the page)
• Once your entire page is colored, lightly go over the colors with yellow, orange, and red Crayola Washable paint.
• Let it dry and then back it with fall colored construction paper and hang it on the wall.

If you've got questions or comments post a comment about it on this post then keep checking for an answer. I'll try and answer A.S.A.P.

Enjoy!

After School Snack

Enjoy this healthy and delicious snack with your kids when they come home from school.

What I use: Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter, Tillamook Vanilla Yogurt, and apples.

What to do: mix the Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter and the Tillamook Vanilla Yogurt together. Then, slice the apples and put them on a plate. Set out the apples and the bowl of Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter and Tillamook Vanilla Yogurt.

How to enjoy: Dip apple slices in the Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter and the Tillamook Vanilla Yogurt and eat it. mmmmmmmmm!

Organize

When your kids come home from school with report cards and art projects, are you always looking for a place to put them? Well here's an organized idea to keep you on top of things. Get a binder for each of your kids and put dividers or folders in it. Then organize it. Maybe put art projects in one divider or folder, assignments and report cards in another, and class photos in another. And if you're looking to be extra crafty you can decorate the outside with stickers, ribbons, and their name. Have a GREAT school year!

Back to School

My cousins and I have to go back to school on Wednesday (August 31)! I am not quite ready to get back into my normal routine of waking up early, working hard at school, and then coming home and doing homework. Unfortunately, this also means that Camp Kt has ended for Summer 2011. :( However, I will still be posting ideas and activities on here as much as possible (which might not be that often). Hope Everyone had an AWESOME SUMMER! 

Camp Out

You don't have to climb a mountain or go on a road trip to go camping. You can camp out in the "wilderness" of your own backyard. Pitch a tent, have a campfire, play games, and tell stories. And that's just what we did for Camp Kt last night (except we didn't have a campfire). Oh Well. We still had a ton of fun. It was a good end to a great summer!

Art Day

We had art day yesterday at day camp. The kids had a blast! Here are some fun and easy art projects that you and your kids will love.

1. Mask Decorating

Here's what we used: plastic masks (from craft store), colored feathers (from craft store), sequins, and  tacky glue

How to: 

• give each kid a mask and some tacky glue
• Set all the supplies out on the table 
• Let the kids glue on decorations to their mask in any way they want. (remember a little bit of glue goes a long way)

      2.   Hand collages

Here's what we used: white construction paper, safety scissors, Elmer's glue sticks, sports magazines, kids magazines, halloween magazines, etc. 

How to: 

• Trace each child's hand onto a piece of white construction paper
• Cut each hand out and give each hand to the child it belongs to
• Give each child a pair of safety scissors, an Elmer's glue stick, and a magazine
• Supervize them as the cut out pictures in the magazines that they like and glue them onto their hands (The pictures can hang of to the side of the hand they do not have to fit completely)

Alternative: You could also do this activity with feet instead of hands.

       3. Door Hangers

What we used: colored foam door hangers (from the craft store), foam stickers (different varieties), Sharpies (optional), and Creatology foam glue

How to:

• Give each child a colored foam door hanger
• Set the rest of the supplies out on the table
• Let the kids decorate their door hangers how ever they'd like
• If you use Sharpies they could write their name on their door hanger or even writ "come in" on one side and "do not disturb on the other".

Alternative: Instead of using foam door hangers you could use foam rectangles, cut out the middle, and decorate a picture frame.

      4. Time Capsule: We did this one as a group

What we did:

• Got a shoe box
• Wrote the date and all of our names 
• Put things in it such as recent pictures of us, a list of new inventions from this year, a bunch old toys and things like that.
• Now we're going to bury it in our yard and did it up in 10 years (2021) 

Artsy Fashion

If your looking for a fun craft for a birthday party, for a holiday, or whenever, then I have somethings for you.
Have the kids decorate t-shirts or aprons with puffy paint, iron on decals, stickers, and/or fabric spray paint and stencils.

Here's how: 

1. lay the t-shirt or apron out flat
2. write and draw things with puffy paint
3. place a fabric stencil on top of the apron or t-shirt
4. Use the fabric spray paint and go over the stencil with it
5. Place the iron ons on the apron or t-shirt and go over them with an iron

You could also tie dye your shirt or apron.

Here's one way: 

1. lay the shirt down on the table or flat surface
2. take a wooden dowel 
3. place the end of it in the middle of the shirt 
4. press firmly down on dowel and twist so the shirt goes around it
5. once the t-shirt is wrapped all the way around the dowel (so it looks like a cinnamon role) use several rubber bands and wrap them around the t-shirt the pattern should look like a sliced pizza.
6. Use a dropper full of die and squeeze it in a circular motion around the shirt, use different colors (make sure you do both sides)
7. Let the shirt sit over night, then open it up 
8. Wash it in cold water then dry it in the dryer

You could also have kids decorate a jewelry box. Have them paint it with Crayola paint and add stickers.

Orange Slushies

Here's an easy healthy and delicious cold treat for a hot summer day.

Orange Slushies

What we use: 

• Simply Orange orange juice (pulp free)
• Cups (of any size)
• straws

How to make:

• Poor the orange juice into the cup
• Freeze until icy but not solid ice
• add a straw
• enjoy a nice cold and healthy treat. 

Root Beer Float

What's better than a cold treat on a day like today (hot and sunny)? Here is an easy cold treat idea.

1. Root Beer Float: Here's what I used A&W Root beer and Dreyer's Vanilla Ice Cream. How to make it..

• Scoop some ice cream into a cup or glass
• Pour some root beer into the same cup or glass 
• Add a spoon and/or straw
• Enjoy!

More treats coming Soon!!!!

     

Science Experiments

At one of my day camps back in June we had science experiment day (requested by Keegan). The kids had so much fun!
Here are some experiments that we did and their links!

1. Testing the Pull: http://www.kids-science-experiments.com/testingthepull.html
2. Three Layer Float: http://www.kids-science-experiments.com/densityexperiment.html
3. Blobs in a Bottle: http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/lavalamp.php
4. The Amazing Disappearing Water Magic Trick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR8cBJvUUpU

We did a few more but I am out of time!

Check Out These Awesome Blogs!

1. runforit.co
2. crazywonderfullifeofmine.blogspot.com

Why I do a day camp and who I do it for

Last summer I decided to do a day camp. I was sitting at my kitchen table at the start of summer thinking of some fun things to do. All my siblings were drawing and coloring pictures of playing outside and that's when it hit me. I got the idea of having a day camp for all my siblings and cousins. I wanted to do it because I really like playing with the kids and teaching them all sorts of games and stuff. They always seem to like it because they think it's so cool and that makes me feel really good. So I decided to do it once a week for any of my cousins and siblings that wanted to do it, they all did. That made me feel good too! I did it all last summer and they really had fun so I decided to do it again this summer. Who I do it for: My cousins Keegan, Delaney, Camden, and next year Maddie. And my siblings Abby, Sam, and Jordan. They all really like it and they're all super good kids. I really enjoy doing this for them.

The Kids are Obsessed with This Game!

We play this game at Day Camp a lot and the kids have a blast!

Sardines: All you need is at least four players (it's a lot more fun to play with more though)

How to play:

1. Choose one person to be the "hider"
2. Everyone else counts to 30 or more while the "hider" goes and hides.
3. The "counters" split up and go looking for the "hider"
4. When one person finds the "hider" they hide with them rather then saying "I found him/her!"
5. The last person to find the "hider" becomes the "hider" and you start the game all over again.

Dream Beach Craft

Here's a cool, simple, and not messy art project to do with you're kids. Dream Beach.

Materials: 

1. a bunch of sheets of plain white paper 
2. Crayons or colored pencils
3.  Scissors 
4. Glue
5. Colored paper (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Give each kid a couple of pieces of plain white paper. And a couple pieces of colored paper (optional)
2. Have them each make a detailed background of a beach with their crayons and/or colored pencils on one of their white pieces of paper.
3. On the rest of their paper they can make things that they can cut out and glue onto their paper like a surfer, a fish, a dolphin, etc.

Idea: If you don't want to do a beach theme you could think of another one like a rainforest or have them come up with one on their own.

Fun Water Activities

I love playing in the water on hot summer days. Here are some fun water activities.
Slip 'n' Slide Kickball: things you'll need a playground ball, things to use as bases, enough people to split up into two teams, and a slip 'n' slide. Here's what to do...........

1. Set up the bases (like a baseball field)
2. Set up the slip 'n' slide in between third base and home plate.
3. Split up the players into two teams (as even as you can)
4. Play just like regular kickball 
5. When a runner gets to third base they get to slide on the slip 'n' slide into home!

Water Balloon Fight: This is one of the kids' favorites. All you need to do is blow up lots of water balloons and put them in a large tub or bucket. Then everyone grabs water balloons out of the tub and throws them at one another. The kids really like this one!
Slip 'n' Slide: The slip 'n' slide is one of my favorite things to do when it's hot and sunny out. Here are a couple fun tips and activities to do on it.

Tip:If you want to go faster pour some dish soap on it.

Activity: Have the kids do fun tricks on it like slide on there feet, slide like a penguin, slide backwards, act like a rockstar as the go down, etc.

Tip: Keep the slip 'n' slide as wet as possible to get the best slides

Activity: Have a contest. Have them do certain tricks or go freestyle when they go down then give each person a certain number of points depending on how they did.

Have Fun In The Water!!!!

More Fun and Simple Games

Here are a couple games that are fun, easy to set up, and don't make a huge mess.
Kick the Can: All you need is a can/plastic bottle, 3 or more players, and some places to hide. How to Play............

1. Place the can/plastic bottle in the center of your playing area.
2. Choose one person to be the "counter"
3. Have everyone else go and hide.
4. The "counter" goes searching for the hiders after they count to about 30 or so.
5. The hiders come out of there hiding places whenever they think it's safe and they try and kick the can.
6. The "counter" has to try and tag the hiders before they kick the can.
7. If the hiders kick the can before the "counter" catches them, they move on to the next round.
8. Whoever gets tagged by the "counter" becomes the "counter" with them. 
9. Continue this until there's only one person left. That person is the winner.

World Cup: All you need is a soccer ball or 2 (depending on how many players), at least 2 players, and a goal of some sorts. You can play this game with the players in pairs or with players as individuals. To have the players play in pairs do as follows.......

1. Split the number of players into pairs (you'll need at least 4 players)
2. Have each team pick a country to call themselves.
3. Have all the players go out into the playing space.
4. If you have 4 or more pairs throw 2 soccer balls into the playing space, if you have 3 or less pairs throw 1 ball into the playing space.
5. The players must try to get the ball(s) from each other.
6. If one person on one of the teams scores a goal, their team advances to the next round.
7. The last team to score is out.
8. Continue this until there's 1 team left, that team is the winner.

To have the players play as individuals, you play and set up the game the same way except for it's "every man for himself" instead of having teams.

Kid's Top 5

• CAPTURE THE FLAG-the kids love it when we play capture the flag. It's a great game and it's easy to plan and set up. All you need to do is get 2 objects to use as flags, divide the land in half (as best you can), divide the kids into two teams, and have each team take a turn hiding their flag (if there aren't any places to hide the flags place each flag at the far end of each half). The first team to capture the other teams flag wins. 
• Water Bucket Game-this is another game the kids enjoy. You'll need two large beckets filled with water, two small buckets filled with water, two cups, and two teams. Put the two large buckets on one end of the yard and the two small buckets on the opposite of the yard. Give the first person in line on each team one of the cups. On your "go" have them fill the cup with water from the large bucket, race down, dump it in the small bucket on the opposite side, then bring the cup to the next person in line. Continue this cycle until one of the teams small bucket is full or they run out of water (whichever comes first). Whichever team's smaller bucket has the most water in it wins.
•    Races-The kids have a blast when we do races or obstacle courses. When you're doing races you can have them all race at once, you could split them into teams and do relay races, or you could have kids that are all close to each other in age race. 
• Obstacle Courses-Here are some ideas for obstacles in you're obstacle courses.
• Have them weave in and out of cones
• Have them run around a tree
• Have them do a certain number of jumps on a trampoline
• Have them run to the top of hill and back
• Have them go down the slide
• Have them shoot a certain number of baskets
• Have them kick a soccer ball in the goal
• Have them ride their bikes for a certain distance 

• Scavenger Hunts-the kids also like scavenger hunts. There are a couple different ways to do a scavenger hunt. You could have them look individually, in pairs or team, or as one big group. You could hide the objects yourself or you could just have them find stuff in nature. Such as, a piece of gravel, a stick, a big rock, a leaf, a pine needle, a flower, etc.
• More Activity Ideas Coming Soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Run A Day Camp

I run a day camp at my house in the summer once a week. I do it for my 3 siblings and 3 of my cousins. It's filled with things for everyone one. We have races, obstacle courses, arts and crafts, camp songs, hide and seek, tag, scavenger hunts, sports, etc. I have different things planned every week.