Make a treasure hunt for your kids--depending on their ages, you may want to take pictures of places around your house they are familiar with, write simple directions, or make up riddles or clues to where the clue is hidden. At the end, the treasure can be supplies for an art activity, a puzzle or game to play together, or some type of treat.
Learn about ground hogs and the tradition behind Groundhogs Day. http://www.groundhogs.com/
Celebrate Chinese New Year (February 7 this year)--
*make Chinese laterns with the kids (just fold a peice of construction paper in half lengthwise, make cuts from the folded edge to within 1.5 inches of th opposite side. When cuts have been made along the entire length of the paper, unfold and form into a cylinder by joing together the short uncut ends of the paper. Glue or staple another strip of construcion paper for a handle.
*Make little red packets to give to your kids and wear red and talk about good luck traditions
Make Valentine Day cards. With younger toddlers and preschoolers, its easiest to have everything ready before you start--cut out different colored hearts and shapes from paper or even material--felt works great, have stickers, foam hearts--whatever you want, and a paper folded into a card for them to glue their decorations on. Grandparents will love these!
See if salt water freezes. Try different amounts of salt added to containers of water to learn how salt affects the water freezing.Finally, these paper globes may be a little more complicated, but the kids can help with the gluing, and lets face it--sometimes Mama needs a little fun craft too. Go here to find the downloadable template and instructions (as well as some more professional examples.)
