Tuesday, January 24 2012
Winter Craft Theme - Penguin Paper Bag Puppet
Supplies: black paper bag, orange, black, and white paper, Penguin puppet template
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 2:31PM | 0 Comments |  |
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Thursday, January 19 2012
Yummy Treat from the Kitchen - Gingerbread
I got this recipe from my friend Jillian years ago, but never tried it because my husband isn't a big fan of gingerbread. Luckily, the kids enjoy spicy flavoured baking as much as I do, so we made this cake as a quick treat to enjoy after a mid week meal. The kids helped me decorate it with a sprinkling of icing sugar and they made whipped cream to dollop on top too.
Yogurt Gingerbread
Grease a 9x9 square baking dish, and preheat oven to 350
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 8:48PM |
Thursday, January 19 2012
Craft Theme: Snow and Winter
I live in Vancouver, which gets relatively little snow in the winter compared to the rest of Canada (sometimes none!). So, when the great outdoors get a little snowy, the kids get a little crazy with excitement. Our back yard is currently coated in a blanket of snow, but snow is always short-lived here, so it likely won't last much longer. Here's a list of five (actually six!) craft supply ideas for snow-themed crafts, so we can make our snow days last a little longer when the rain decides to wash the real snow away.
1. Cotton Balls
 | The classic craft supplies for winter themed crafts. Cotton balls already look like a snowball, so all the kids need is a little glue and a piece of paper so that they can create snowmen, snow forts, and other snowy day pictures. Ripping the cotton balls up into smaller pieces is a fun tactile activity that creates whisps of snow or snowbanks. |
2. Paper Doilies
 | different sizes can be used for small, medium, and large 'snowballs' on a snowman picture, or sponge on some glue and sprinkle glitter to make a sparkly snowflake |
3. Shredded Paper or paper confetti
 | Put your paper recycling to work by running old bills and statements through the shredder to create long strings of snow. Tear, rip or crumple paper shred into snowy scenes or 3-D forts. Use a sprinkling of white paper confetti to make a blizzard. A blizzard looks especially intriguing if it's created on black paper with white pencil crayon or crayon drawings, and lots of paper confetti. |
4. White Yarn or String
 | Use white string or yarn in any number of ways: glue it on to paper to make a pretty design, press it onto a glued pattern on waxed paper, leaving it to dry into a peel-off snowflake, pull it through white paint to create an abstract snowy painting, or integrate science by making a borax icicle |
5. Shaving Cream
 | Play in the snow indoors! Spray a small quantity of shaving cream onto a washable placemat or table surface. Kids can use their index fingers to practice tracing oversized numbers or letters in their 'snow'. Gently wipe the letter away and start all over again |
6. Food Items from your Kitchen
 | The kitchen is overflowing with various items that can be used to create a lovely snowy scene. Use flour or icing sugar for a dusting of snow, sugar cubes to create 3-dimensional snow projects such as igloos or snow forts, shredded coconut for larger snowflakes, and whipped cream for a big dump of snow! Most of these ingredients could be integrated into a baking project too - make Gingerbread with a dusting of icing sugar, and serve with whipped cream and a sprinkling of coconut. Wouldn't that be great after a big play outside in the snow? |
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 11:40AM |
Monday, January 9 2012
Crafty Idea: Three Ways to Make Dragon Puppets for Chinese New Year
2012 is the year of the Dragon. Here are three Dragon puppet ideas you can make at home, daycare, or preschool:
1. Paper Bag Dragon Puppet Craft
Supplies: red paper bag, red, orange, black, and white paper, orange tissue. Dragon puppet template
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 3:37PM |
Monday, January 9 2012
Crafty Idea: Chinese New Year Dragon Mask Craft
Turn into a Dragon with this fun Handprint Mask Craft! Chinese New Year is fast approaching, and soon it will be the year of the Dragon. Make this fun craft and do a dragon dance in celebration of the lunar New Year!
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 1:34PM | 0 Comments | |
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Monday, December 19 2011
Holiday Baking - Three yummy treats to make with Kids
These are three holiday treats that are easy to make, fun for the kids to help with, and taste extra yummy! Try one or all of them this year!
1. Whipped Shortbread
This is my moms recipe, and I haven't found a shortbread cookie that I like better! The dough is easy to make and it can be pressed (as I have done), or rolled into a log and then sliced. The kids can help by adding sprinkles, coloured sugar, or other toppings before baking.
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 10:58PM | 0 Comments | |
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Tuesday, December 13 2011
Getting Crafty in the Kitchen - Making Bread
I am lucky to live in a neighbourhood that has a real sense of community. We've gotten to know our neighbours and have come to count on them to help us out now and then. We're happy to return the favour when the neighbours need our help too. My family has gotten to know an elderly Italian lady down the street, who has showered us with gifts when we lend her a hand - tomato sauce, home made pasta, and pesto, along with tomato plants and basil plants she starts from seed every spring. Most recently, she brought us a loaf of freshly made bread, which was delicious and got devoured instantly, so I asked her if she'd teach me how to make it myself.
I thought I'd go down to her house to learn how to make bread one day when she happened to be making it. She makes six loaves every week to give to her kids and grandkids. But instead, she marched up to our house with a few ingredients in hand and "we" got to work. I put the "we" in quotes because she did all the work and I happily helped by holding the bowl.....I also poured water now and then, but really, my contribution was limited. I felt like the child who's helping mom, dad, or a grandparent - so eager to contribute that even the simple task of holding the bowl made me feel important :)
| Posted by Craft Caravan at 11:33AM | 0 Comments | |
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