Calling all Book Lovers

Age: Any
Type:  Donation

So as an author myself of this book here, I am admittedly a little biased about reading.  I think, however, that as parents we can all agree of the importance of reading to our children.  While my house has shelves overflowing with books, not every child is so lucky.  With that in mind I wanted to give a heads up about Metro Parents Operation 25,000 books.  For those not familiar with Metro Parent, it is an awesome resource for Metro Detroit families.  They are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and are attempting to donate 1,000 books for every year they have been around.  All books will go to the Detroit Parent Network.  For more information and to find out where to drop off your donation you can go here. 

Another way to pass those long winter days

Age:  Over 5

Type:  Craft

Thanks to my friend and neighbor for sending over this project idea that she did with her daughter's Daisy Girl Scout Troop.  (Also shameless plug for scouts since I am my daughter's troop leader and love scouts :) 

I have blogged previously here and here about other projects with seniors, but there are so many great ideas that you can undertake with your little hearts.  In the project shown to the left, the girls did a craft project, placing tissue paper on a box to look like stained class.   Quoting my friend about the experience, "It was a great opportunity for the girls to visit and have some fun with the seniors.  It was all older ladies who really enjoy the company of  young children, especially during the long winter months in Michigan when they can't get out very easily."

Thanks for sharing!!

Spreading Kindess in 2012

While browsing our local online newspaper I came across a listing for a Kindness Challenge.  Kindness Challenge you say - I love these kinds of things!  Apparently I'm not the only one as a group of Minnesotans has started a grassroots effort to warm the world through kindness in 31 days.  You can check out their website here. 

Looking for inspiration... you are in the right place!  the little hearts project is filled with tons of age appropriate ideas.  Would love to hear your stories :)

This ones for the birds

Type:  craft
Age:  over 3

Monday marked the end of the holiday vacation for my oldest daughter, but before she headed back we snuck in a few more projects! 

A morning playdate seemed like the perfect time for my girls to make a little treat for our feathered friends!  Each girl got their own "bird feeder station" consisting of pine cones, peanut butter, birdseed and age appropriate knife.  Then the girls got to work spreading and sprinkling to make some awesome pine cone bird feeders.

After I attached some string to the tops, our small Japanese maple was adorned in these winter decorations.  The fun didn't end there though, as the girls loved seeing who was visiting their pine cones for a snack! 

Salt Dough Cookie Ornaments

Age:  3 and up
Type:  Craft


A week before Christmas the girls and I set out to make salt cookie dough ornaments to adorn all the gifts for their grandparents.  I had seen this idea several times before, but this was our first attempt.  I have to say, that I enjoyed salt cookie dough way more than real cookies - much less nagging to stop eating the dough :)  The girls happily rolled out their dough below.

 After several LONG hours of baking and cooling, the ornaments were ready for decoration.  In retrospect I would advise doing the rolling/cutting one day, and the decorating the next.  Even I thought the cookies would never be ready - you can only imagine how the kiddos felt!

 We had just received a whole set of new paints for a birthday present several days earlier - so this was the perfect time to put them to good use.  The girls had a great time picking just the right ornament for their loved ones and carefully crafting it for them.  Definitely a successful project!

25DG&G: ReCap

Well my posts ended with day 14 but that does not mean the giving and gratitude ended there.  Rather, I think I was kidding myself to think I could keep up with the blog posts with all the holiday hussle!  Instead I think I will post a couple of our favorite acitivites that didn't get documented.  More to come :)