４歳の誕生日会をひらきました。招待したのは村の老若男女約２０人、数少ない村の子育て世代を数組と仲良く付き合っていただいている近所の方々を招待しました。日本に比べると、人に何かをプレゼントする文化を強く持つアメリカでは誕生日は一大イベント、今年も数週間前からそわそわしながらどうしようかと考えていました。
子供と相談して考えた末、今回のテーマは「クラフト」、０歳児から７０代のみんなで楽しめるクラフトアクティビティーと手作りの装飾＆料理でもてなすことにしました。
As I grew up in Japan, the new year day is more important for me rather than Christmas. The new year day is the biggest holiday for our Japanese. Of course we do celebrate Christmas but it’s not religious way and it’s not official holiday as in here.
It means, December was a kind of preparation term for the coming new year holiday for me. We keep us busy to finish the job before the new year and a lot of preparation for the biggest holiday. However, after I moved to USA, I knew there are so many fun events in December. I would like to be more relax and enjoy December itself, especially with kids.
It’s just beautiful season in October. The leaves on the trees turn yellow. I can’t stop to look up the sky and explore the leafing carpet. How we can bring back the autumn beauty in to the house?
I and my kids picked some beautiful leaves and did an easy craft together. It works well even for 3 years old.
We started playing about numbers little by little by using what I have at home. The interesting came from “Thomas Train”. She showed interest in the car body number of them.
So, we often play “stone carrying game” using Thomas cards, numeral puzzles and stones which we picked up by our house. She has not reached 6 until now, but enjoying.
We also play “picnic” with similar tools. She looks not enough to put only stones, so she also wants to set up some food for her friends .
We borrowed this picture book at the end of January when still cold days.
It is a book about making snowman. Papa Snowman, Mama-snowman, girl snowman and even baby snowman, and it shows us to decorate with various materials. After reading the book, we decided to have crafting time. It’s also good practice of scissors for my kid. I pulled out a lot of things that I could decorate from my drawer. After for a while, she made a wonderful snowman than I expected.
This fall, I had to stay home with our sweet newborn baby every night. The night was long when the baby was sleeping, so we started to do some craft time every night. As much as possible, I tried to make something instead of buying. I’m so happy to have such creative night with family.
However, it’s not easy to let her create on her own…, because I often stick into her doing. Then I discovered I should watch her eyes, not the crafting objects. I could focus her curiosity even she ruined the object.
We had a muddy after school program with the kids in Bluff elementary school. We mixed and plastered the natural material by hands on the earth bench. We made the bench about a year ago, but it’s getting damage by exposing to the weather. It’s necessary to maintenance the natural plaster at outside, but also it’s great opportunity for the fun and education. And it’s very safe (no chemical) !
I would like to share some very easy hand made toys. It’s recycle crafts to use yogurt container lids. It’s very easy to make and useful, my daughter plays with them always when I cook.
magnet toys on a refrigerator
1 Cutting out your kid’s favorite images from some magazine. I love to use WWF journal, their images always so nice.
2 Stick the images into the lids
3 Stick some magnet on the other side. That’s it !
recycle crafts with baby wipes
This is the other idea for refrigerator toy. It’s recycle craft with baby wipes lids, it’s Peek-a-boo house. I hide our family photo’s in it, and she love to open to see their faces. It’s very good way to remember her the family faces !
Go my car !
My daughter, she love to drink soy milk, so it’s easy to gather empty milk cartons. One day, I thought “Can I use these milk cartons some how? … ” and I decided to make hand-made toy for her and with her. I hope these experience will effect to her creativity.
This second item that is my first recycled milk carton crafts. It’s kid chair and it’s very useful at the entrance. Every time when she puts on her shoes and takes off her shoes at the entrance, she love to use this special chair.
recycled milk carton crafts
recycled milk carton crafts
recycled milk carton crafts