Books and Giggles
Seasonal and holiday ideas for kids
I’ve been wishing for fall here. Our trees are still green. The weather’s still hot and muggy. But it’s nearly October, and time to think autumn! Here’s a fun twist on a classic leaf-rubbing craft… (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a…
These monster learning activities will get kids’ attention. From shape and color activities for toddlers and preschoolers, to an Monster ABC order activity for elementary kiddos, there’s something for everyone. Whether it’s Halloween or not, a monster theme is lots of fun. Monster Learning Activities This first group is bright and colorful. Don’t you love googly eyes?! Monster…
This apple theme sight word game was fun to make, and my girls were excited to play with it. I’m can’t wait to share it with you! I’ve been trying to get into an autumn frame of mind here. I keep imagining chilly mornings, hints of fall foliage, and apple picking. Instead, here in Texas, we have warm, humid…
When my oldest started school, the thing he was most excited about wasn’t actually school. It was riding the school bus. My girls, on the other hand, were a little nervous about it. Even though they’d waited at the bus stop with me every day for Liam, the big bus intimidated them. We had to…
School starts again here in less than a month. This little school bus craft is a fun way to get started thinking about going back to school. My girls love that the result is a toy rather than just something to hang on the wall. We made several versions of this, but ended up realizing that…
When I think about the Olympics, one of the things I think about (besides the latest news headlines) is all the flags from countries around the world. I think about the beautiful athletes marching in with their national flags. I imagine the flags on the scoreboards and at the medal ceremonies. The Olympics seems like the…
Today I’m sharing an easy father’s day craft. It’s fun for toddlers (and older siblings) and makes a sweet card for sentimental dads. Your toddler can enjoy the process of finger painting without worry of the results. Then, you can capture the fun on paper and make it into a cute card. To get the…
If you have high-energy kids like I do, they’ll love this collection of summertime jumping games. You may remember some of these from your own childhood. They’re all serious outdoor fun, and they’ll all wear out your little jumping beans. Jumping Games… Ready, Set, Jump! 1. Leap Frog – This classic game is the most fun when the…
I wanted to make a fun kids craft for the patriotic holidays coming up here in the U.S. These shiny painted stars fit the bill for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Fourth of July. The method we used here is similar to the one we used to make our shiny rocket craft. We glue together…
Kids love watching caterpillars transform into butterflies – it’s a fun and educational activity — even more so when they keep a butterfly journal. Since I’m not much of a gardener, butterflies for kids in this house means a special cage bought just for observing butterflies up close. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant…
Inside: An Earth Day craft for kids that uses plastic from your recycling bin! Earth Day is around the corner. I’m joining with a group of talented bloggers to share upcycling activities for kids. This week’s theme is Plastic. Earth Day Craft for Kids We’ve been crazy for strawberries and blueberries here lately. I put blueberries…
This spring flower craft is excellent fine motor work for preschoolers. The materials are simple and cheap, and it’s perfect for a rainy spring day. You can also use it as a book extension craft, or even a mother’s day card. I set out the materials for this simple flower craft, and my girls were curious….
Here’s a way to celebrate spring with a butterfly craft for preschoolers. It uses a simple technique that kids love – painting on coffee filters with watercolors! I’ll share a few tricks for setting this craft up and making it extra fun. If you’re a teacher, you’ll like that this butterfly craft uses inexpensive materials…
Here’s a fun, Easter time activity for learning letters, sight words, spelling words, or math facts. It’s perfect for kids who crave movement. Pretty much all you need are plastic Easter eggs and the free printable in this post. You can have multiple kids play it together, even if they’re working on learning completely different things. If you’re a…
Whether you’re thinking of spring gardening, healthy food, or the Easter Bunny, carrots are a fun craft theme for kids. Plus, working with small stamps is good fine motor skill practice for preschoolers. You can easily cut up a small red potato in the shape of a carrot. Use the rounded edge of the potato…
Here’s an easy and inexpensive Easter wreath for you. Won’t it look adorable a bedroom door, or in a daycare or classroom? I made this one very quickly, and so can you. Your kids may like to watch it come together, and they can help with some parts of it. Plus, you can buy almost…
The notable children’s book If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson is a sweet story that teaches kids about kindness. To go along with the book, you may like to do a special kindness activity. This one is perfect for spring. (Or even late winter.) (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC…
Nothing brightens up a dreary winter window like a suncatcher. Heart-shaped Valentine suncatchers are even more cheerful, especially when kids help to make them. I’ve rounded up 18 gorgeous examples, made with a variety of methods. There’s something for every age child and every taste. When I created my own Valentine suncatcher, I did a…
Today I’m sharing a Valentine box inspired by favorite children’s book character Pete the Cat. Making it was easier than it looks, and I’ve put together a free printable template for the hardest part. In case you don’t know, Valentine boxes are a fun tradition in U.S. schools. Every child decorates a box for…
Here is a fun little Valentine’s Day game you can play with little kids. You can play it during a classroom party or at home. The idea is to get kids talking about what they LOVE. I tested this game out on my girls, and they adored it. I wish I had a picture…
We’ve been busy creating kids’ Valentine crafts! This heart-shaped suncatcher was fun and easy to make. You can brighten up a winter window with it, or make several suncatchers and hang them from a mobile. The method to make this is inspired by the crayon shaving snowflakes we made last week. Just like last…
This winter themed snowflake craft is also a fun science activity. Plus, it’s an opportunity to work on fine motor skills. Preschoolers will enjoy seeing the colors melt together, and older kids will appreciate learning about symmetry as well. Yes, we made these snowflakes using just crayon shavings and waxed paper. Older children love learning to cut snowflakes. If…
Here are some fun rhyming games just right for kindergartners. Each game has a snow theme. Learning to read is so much more exciting when it looks like playing, don’t you think? Rhyming games, besides being fun, help kids learn phonics. So, for winter, I’ve come up with a few simple rhyming games using snowflake cutouts. All you…
Where we live in Texas, it almost never snows. My kids have learned more about wintry weather from Frozen than from being frozen. And they’ve learned more about snow from Frosty the Snowman than from making snowmen. Although… last weekend we went to a local festival. The big draw? A pile of fake snow. My kids…