Homemade Snow Dough

This is a favorite dough recipe from when I was a child. What makes it a Snow Dough is the sparkling quality the glitter adds to the dough. I prefer the iridescent or white glitter rather than the silver or gold glitter which is often also coarser and can tend to make the dough more crumbly or tough. With this dough project children don't have to wait to have a winter fun day. When it's just too cold to play outdoors this can be a nice substitute activity. Appropriate for children about 18 months and up. The children can add props to their snow people and snow scenes - sticks, found objects, beads, etc.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons white tempera paint (this really whitens the dough which can have a grayish tinge otherwise)
1 tablespoon white or iridescent glitter (this little amount makes a big impact)
*A few drops of peppermint extract or another extract you like (optional)

*If you'd like to color your dough you can add either a few drops of food coloring or a small amount of colored tempera paint.

Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients except the extract (if using) in a medium-size pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture holds together, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
2.Turn the play dough onto a waxed paper–lined counter to cool, about 15 minutes. If you like, knead in peppermint extract for a festive holiday scent.

I also recommend giving each child their own space at the table. A tray or mat can help keep their creations stable while providing a defined personal space. Everyone at the table is sharing, enjoying the activity while also having their creations and space respected.

If you'd like to create a winter snow scene and snow people to display, use a paper plate or some other container as a base.  Over time the dough will begin to dry and eventually crumble. Children should be prepared for this. This is a teachable moment opportunity - a time to talk about the way our outdoor snow creations don't last forever because of the weather, so too the indoor creations have a limited time. So we enjoy them while we have them!

If you want to reuse your dough again and again don't leave it out. After playing store in a Ziploc bag or air tight container in the refrigerator. The dough keeps for about two weeks, maybe a little more, if refrigerated.

from Nannies from the Heartland

Holiday Stress - Coping Strategies

For many children, the holidays are happy, fun and exciting. There is a break from school and a chance to see friends and relatives. However, the holidays can also be stressful and confusing.

Family plans and celebrations may be complicated a variety of factors. Relationships with adult siblings can put children in awkward positions. Family dynamics can be hard to navigate particularly with families who are separated, divorced or remarried.

The following are some tips for parents to help children cope with holiday stress:

Discuss holiday plans well in advance, and include your children in the planning process. Children need some degree of control and predictability. Prolonged uncertainty, constantly changing plans or last minute decisions can all increase stress. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a spontaneous experience but be careful that other plans aren’t upset in the process.

Make sure children get plenty of rest. While it may be exciting to stay up late, lack of sleep often leads to increased irritability. Stick to the “normal routine” as much as you are able. This is also true of regular meals and snacks. Holiday time brings in special foods and sweets. Be thoughtful about how these impact children’s health and wellbeing.

Limit the amount of time children spend alone watching TV or playing video games. Encourage physical activity and interaction with peers. Include physical activity in your holiday events. This can be a wonderful time to try something new together as a family. Our family loves to engage in group games and community service projects together. Getting outdoors to play or take a family walk are easy ways for everyone to enjoy physical activity.

Don’t promise things you can’t produce. For example, don’t promise something will happen during the holidays if the decision is really out of your control. Instead stick with plans that are achievable and reasonable.

Don’t try and compensate for an absent family member or inability to do a special activity with lots of gifts. What most children really want is your time and attention. Focus on them. In fact, limiting gifts can have a positive effect. Many families choose one special gift per child. Our family did this along with a family gift – a new game, special activity together or some other family based event that everyone could enjoy. This shifts the focus from gifts to time spent together.

Uphold and maintain family traditions. Children count on certain traditions. They can have an important grounding effect. There is also a place to add a family tradition to as children grow allowing them to broaden their holiday experiences. I know a family who volunteers to deliver meals to families unable to get out. They have done this for years and their daughter looks forward to the tradition and the service to others. Our family plays tag football as part of our traditional Thanksgiving activities.

As the adult, take care of yourself. Try to avoid getting overloaded with obligations. If you feel stressed, it increases the pressure and tension on your children.

Most children enjoy the holidays. However, preparation, patience and honesty can help prevent conflict, reduce stress, and enhance the holiday season for the whole family.

Paper Cornstalks - Thanksgiving Decor

From Family Fun . . .

Add a festive touch to your holiday table by filling a vase with colorful paper cornstalks.


Materials
Natural-colored raffia paper
Scissors
Glue
Yellow poster board
Colored tissue paper


Instructions
1.To make each stalk, cut three 18-inch lengths of natural-colored paper twist (sometimes called raffia paper). Untwist them, then trim the edges to resemble corn husks.

2. Fan out the husks so that they overlap and use a few drops of glue to hold them together.
3.From yellow poster board, cut out an ear of corn (about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide) and glue it atop the husks.
4.Now crumple a bunch of 3-inch colored tissue paper squares to create rounded kernels and glue them to the ear. Lastly, gather the husk bottoms and tie them together with a strip of raffia.


For more from Family Fun visit http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/paper-indian-corn-664994/.

Tiny Toms - Turkey Craft

From Family Fun . . .

This is one turkey that won't get eaten this Thanksgiving. Your kids can make a flock to decorate the dinner table -- or for all the kid guests to take home as favors.


Materials
Yellow and red felt
Tacky glue
Googly eyes
Brown pom-poms
Pinecones
Pipe cleaners

Instructions
1.For each turkey, cut out a yellow beak and a red wattle from felt. Then glue the beak, wattle, and a pair of googly eyes onto a pom-pom to create the turkey's head.
2.Glue the pom-pom head to the tip of a pinecone. Allow the glue to dry.
3.Wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of the turkey's cone body, starting from the top and twisting it together a few times on the underside. Separate the ends of the pipe cleaner (below the twists) and bend each tip into a 3-toed foot.
4.For the turkey's tail, individually wrap 3 or 4 pipe cleaners around the back of the pinecone, starting from the underside and twisting them together a few times on the top of the pinecone to secure them. Then loop both ends of each pipe cleaner to shape tail feathers.

For video instructions visit http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/tiny-toms-661426/.

Ice cube Painting and more!

by Kelly Miller


As a nanny for a 10-month-old, I am searching for activities to do this month.  After all, this is his first Thanksgiving!  I know his parents will save all the special projects we do.  Here are some ideas!
Handprint Turkey -- Trace the child's handprint onto brown cardstock.  Cut out.  Glue onto construction paper.  Glue on googly eyes and draw the turkey's feet and beak.  Write "My 1st Thanksgiving!" on top!  This is a special keepsake for parents as it records the child's handprint for the year. 
Pudding Paint Turkey -- Print out a turkey from an on-line source.  Have the baby paint with chocolate pudding for the body.  Add food coloring to vanilla pudding, and the baby can use the various colors to paint the turkey feathers.  Use leftover paint on paper!
Ice Cube Paint --  Cut out large leaves from heavy paper.  Make ice cube paint by combining large amounts of food coloring with water in an ice cube tray. Freeze with foil over the top.  Poke toothpicks, popsicle sticks or straws into the cubes.  Once frozen, give the baby a leaf and a frozen paint cube.  The paint will slowly melt over the leaf, making a beautiful fall project.

How Physical Affection Helps with Discipline

This article is from Minnesota Parent. The link has been included so you can read the full story!
How Physical Affection Helps with Discipline
By Kelly Bartlett

A group of 15 parents were gathering for their weekly parenting class, when one mother shared a moment from the previous week. “My daughter had a fit the other day when I told her it was time to get in the car.”

Every head in the room nodded in recognition and understanding. Another dad said, “My son threw LEGOs at the TV because I told him to turn it off.”

These types of exchanges are shared by the most well-meaning parents; and despite even the most positive parenting efforts, kids can get mad. Their immature brains do not have the capability to remain calm while working through challenging feelings. They “flip their lids” easily; . . . read more at http://www.mnparent.com/index.php?&story=17610&page=88&category=51