Nobody in my family likes to be the butt of a joke, so we keep it light on April Fools Day. In fact, we rarely prank each other. When there's a sensitive child involved, even good-natured hijinks are as likely to cause tears as laughter. So I tread lightly. That said, have four family-friendly April Fools tricks up my sleeve. Well, three, but the fourth one was funny enough for me to include with a warning. Four Family Friendly April Fools ... [ Read More ]
Build a DIY Toy Car with an Empty PURELL Hand Sanitizer Bottle
I’m pleased to bring you a fifth activity, a DIY toy car from a plastic bottle, as part of my relationship with GOJO Industries, the makers of PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer. In the previous sponsored posts, I’ve shared how to make seed balls, craft dazzling sun catchers, create a candy construction challenge, and mix up a batch of oozy slime. GOJO and I believe in the power of creative experiences that put hands first. PURELL® Hand ... [ Read More ]
How to Make Marshmallow Dreidels
The first night of Chanuka (Hanukkah, etc.) is rapidly approaching. If you're looking for a fun dessert for the kiddos at your family's holiday party, these easy to assemble marshmallow dreidels are just the thing. How to Make Marshmallow Dreidels Supplies Hershey's Kisses Marshmallows (the giant ones are extra fun, but regular size will work) Pretzel sticks Food-safe markers A clean mug with hot water Steps Insert the ... [ Read More ]
How to Summon a Spider
Are you looking to hold a scary Halloween party without a lot of gory stuff, and maybe even not much emphasis on Halloween? Host a Spider Party! I'm not a huge fan of arachnids, but like all of nature's creatures, they have their place. Plus, I enjoy learning about the natural world and sharing that knowledge with others. My boys were in pre-K when I hosted a spider party did this, but the concept will work for elementary school classroom, as ... [ Read More ]
Last Stop Before the Recycling Bin
I recently did some summer cleaning in my office, largely because tackling the basement maker space is way too daunting. My drive to organize goes in fits and starts, with more of the former than the latter. I sifted though close to seven years of cards that I'd organized in a binder. Let's just say over ten years of blogging events, national conferences, and trade shows I've met a lot of people! I kept close to 300 cards, people whose names ... [ Read More ]
Egg-splosive Painting Fun!
Last year we prepared a lot of blown eggs. That is we pricked a small hole in the top and bottom of raw eggs and blew out the innards to create hollow eggshells. I can't recall what my goal was, or if there even was a goal. But Easter came and went and I still had several empty eggshells sitting around. My niece was over for a visit and we decided to use the shells for new form of art--egg painting. As in painting with eggs, not on them. Egg ... [ Read More ]
DIY Dog Treat Dispenser and Toy
Inspired by something he found online, The Young Maker Teen set out to make a dog treat dispenser that would also be a fun puzzle or toy for our energetic dog. He went off to his computer and started designing a 3D plan in Autodesk Inventor (free student version!). When I checked on his progress, though, it was slow going. So I clicked on his browser history and saw that much of his "work and research" was in the form of Imgur visits and time ... [ Read More ]