Fun with Kids

Have you ever considered doing some Balloon Twisting?

Balloon Twisting can be great fun. With a few balloons, and a little bit of patience, you'll find that you can: make many new and exciting pieces of art, twist and turn simple techniques, loop and tie balloons together to create colourful creatures, large and small, make animal and hat balloons (there's nothing like animal balloons to brighten the face of a child - or any adult big enough to admit it), transform any story telling using the help of the balloons you have twisted.

There are a few little tricks to help make your Balloon Twisting look professional. Did you know that it is easier and safer to use a hand pump than blowing up the balloon with your mouth? Tying the balloon can sometimes be tricky, sometimes easier without tying them. You can use a marker pen to draw on balloons to create an even better design. You can make ball (baby balloon) inside a balloon, and don't forget to leave a tail end. All the extra little bits add to make it look more professional.

And when you are armed with over 40 simple and beautiful balloon designs that you can learn to twist in literally minutes, you have the ability to be an instant hero at parties, charity events, children church, festivals, and friends or even with your own kids! You may even perform your new found skills in hospitals and schools too!

It's Fun, Simple and Really Rewarding!

Volunteer yourself to raise money for your fun carnival, charities, daycare, schools or other organizations.
So what Balloon Designs would you like to twist? So many to choose from

Dog, Mouse, Giraffe, Squirrel, Rabbit, Elephant, Parrot, Swan, Two Love Birds, Teddy Bear, Cat, Dinosaur, Monkey, Horse, Butterfly, Fish, Sword 1, Sword 2, Helmet, Ray Gun, Heart In A Heart, Aero plane, Turban, Dove, Boing Boing Flower, Six Petal Flower, Teddy Bear With Heart, Double Swan, Bracelet, Cutie Rabbit, Double Poodle In Heart, Panther, Mama Poodle, Harley Balloonson, Crabby Crab, Tweety Bird, Ducky Duck, Pink Panther, Godzilla, Dino Hat, Crown, Star Hat, Braided Heart, Rabbit, Snowman, Rainbow Hat.

If you have ever truly wanted to take your Balloon Twisting to the next level, especially from home, there really is no better time (or opportunity) than right now to start becoming the impressive balloon twister you've always dreamed you'd be. You'll be surprised how little work and effort is actually involved for you to start twisting awesome balloon design and have a lot of fun in the process!

This bouncy caterpillar is lots of fun to make and even more fun to play with! It's a fun and inexpensive craft for children to make.

Materials:
One or two colours of construction paper
Scissors
Tape or glue
Markers or textas

Directions:
Cut two strips of construction paper approx 1 or 2 inches wide and 11 inches long.

Then cut two more identical strips and glue or tape to the first strips to make 2 really long strips (1 inch by 22 inches)... this makes a longer, bouncier caterpillar.

Tape the pieces of paper together to form an "L" shape. Then fold the bottom piece over the top piece and crease to make another "L" and 1/4 turn. Continue doing this until all the paper has been used and sticky tape the ends together.

Paint a face on your caterpillar and give him a name.

Then cut two tiny pieces of paper about 3 inches long and roll them up then unroll them (so they are curly). Glue them onto the head as antennas.

Another great activity for kids is Face Painting.

Wouldn't it be great to treat your kids, by bringing out the face paints and creating a memorial masterpiece on their cheek, hand or arm. Your kids will love it and so will you.

It's easy to learn simple techniques that will allow you to be able to treat your kids or grandkids to one of your special makeovers.

Face Painting is popular at just about any children's event, including birthday parties. It works best if children have an idea of what is available to keep the line moving and the party fun. Face Painting at parties is perfect for children to tweens or pre-teens. It's fun to see the expression on children's faces as they are transformed into their favourite character.

Face Painting is fantastic for school fundraisers and fetes. Face Painting can be used in a child's school play as an alternative to a costume or in addition to a costume. It is excellent for family sporting team events with the team colours and logo on your face or arms. Where else could you use face painting in your child's life?

Check out this site and add the fun factor to life. Face Painting

Kids love having fun with PLAYDOUGH. It is an excellent tool for them to use their imagination, making many exciting creations. What's more, they love it when you join them and make your own creations! Here is a simple recipe for making your own NON-COOK PLAYDOUGH. It is basically the normal recipe with one small change.

Instead of using cold water and boiling the mixture, replace the cold water with boiling water and stir the mixture - no cooking! Great Idea!

It really does work and is so simple, wonderful texture, and lasts without even going into the fridge. Just pop it into zip lock bags.

UNCOOKED PLAYDOUGH

2 cups of plain flour
4 tablespoons of cream of tartar
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 cup of salt
2 cups of boiling water
food colouring

Just pop it all in a mixing bowl and mix!

It looks as though it is not going to mix well at first, but hang in there and knead it on the bench if necessary, it will come together really nicely.

Try adding some different things, such as glitter or sand for texture. And add lots of vibrant colour. Just be careful you don't put things in like rice as it tends to go mouldy.

PLAYDOUGH is a wonderful, creative outlet that is fun to squish, squash and create with. It is an excellent kids craft that is sure to be enjoyed. Oh, and don't forget to protect the floor, PLAYDOUGH can be a bit on the messy side - better still, take it outside!

My husband is a Chaplain in the Royal Australian Air Force, and he deals with lots of family issues. At the moment there are lots of dads deployed, leaving behind wives and children. Four to six months away in a small child's life, seems like an eternity for them (sometimes for wives as well), and they have a lot of adjustments to make. Not only do they have to move (often interstate) every couple of years, but having Dad away for months at a time can be hard going on all the family. It is so important to enter into the child's world and stay connected. A father's influence is most important in determining the values a child will develop, and the best thing a Dad can do for his kids, is to love their Mum. For more info click on the following link Deployed Dads. For more information on this topic, visit my lens "Family Life in the Military" on Squidoo.

This is a great site for some fun Bible story activities for your children. Designed for the younger child, it will help them learn while they enjoy adding the characters and colour to their picture. Have a look at the site - lots of interesting stuff for you to have a look at. Enjoy!

Want to try something different to help your child eat more fruit? Try cutting 2 pieces of fruit (of similar size) into 1cm slices, say an apple and a pear... then alternate the slices. Have a peapple (first slice pear, then a slice of apple, followed by another slice of pear, etc) and an applear. The kids will love eating their "new" fruit!

Kids love being the centre of attention. And a birthday party is one that they all enjoy. But as much as it is fun for them, don't let it be a headache for yourself. With just a little bit of planning, and not a lot of expense, a birthday party can be just as much fun for you as it is for the kids.

Look around for a party theme and craft activities. It can make all the difference. A well thought out craft can keep the children busy while you greet your arriving guests, and can also double as a party favor. Crafts can be much more economical than the "junk" usually provided as party favors. The right craft can put the children in the spirit of your party theme and are a great reminder of the fun they had at the party. If you want more info click on the following link. AWESOME AND FUN CHILDREN'S PARTY!

Games are a child's life. Their whole world is about exploring and learning new things in a safe environment. Children learn through games - how to interact with others - how to play fair - how to compete - how to be a gracious loser - how to be a gracious winner. Spending quality, fun times with kids builds healthy relationships. Happy times with kids, makes parenting fun.

Studies have shown that 80% of what kids learn is by doing, and learning is increased by an average of 50% when "it's fun and playful".

Games need not be expensive. The challenge is to have diverse activities that will stimulate their minds and help them learn whilst still providing the most fun possible. Having a list on hand saves you having to think of ways to have fun with the kids and you can simply pick a game and start playing in minutes. This book ensures that you will have just the right game for any occasion. 365 Games

101 SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS is an opportunity for experiencing the mystery of how things work around us, ...an interest in reading as well as conducting experiments ...easy, educational hands-on experiments delivering basic scientific concepts ...and countless hours of exhilarating fun & excitement!!! Enjoy watching the children as they discover for themselves the magic of how things work in our universe.

And learning can be fun, a lot of fun! In fact, getting involved in science activities returns children to the simplest pleasures in life. Nothing can provide your child with greater satisfaction than learning about things around them through a discovery based hands-on approach! Amazing science experiments designed for 6-12 year olds using easy to find ingredients from home. Kids love them and so will you!

Four key principles... It had to be 100% "Scientifically charged and engaging!" It had to be 100% "Educationally purposeful!" It had to be 100% "Incredibly exciting and fun!" And it had to have a high "Cool factor!!!"
Learning should be fun and exciting! All children need to be challenged and inspired for learning to take place.
Exploring an extensive variety of topics * Gravity * Bending Light * Electricity * Magnetism * Sound and Noise * Air and Weather * Floating and Sinking *Hot and Cold * Colours * Pressure *Chemical Reactions * Fun with Fluids * Crystals * and more....

Discover....» The mystery behind making a "Bottle Eat a Balloon" » The art of "Making Your Own Magical Crystals" » How to create your own "Fog in a Jar" » How you can become your own "Human Power Plant" » The secret to "Making Your Own Compass" » And of course... how to "Make and Erupt Your Own Volcano"

All kids love discovering and learning through science! Discover "101 Science Experiments for Kids", an excellent comprehensive collection of engaging hands-on scientific experiments and projects covering virtually everything you could possibly be looking for at your fingertips! This book is charged with knowledge, disguised in barrels of fun!

This is a fun craft that young children can make - even looks nice enough for them to make as a gift.

Materials:
terra cotta pot
red acrylic paint
black permanent marker or black acrylic paint
paint brush or a sponge brush
small piece of black foam
wool or string
hole punch
2 buttons that are bigger than the hole in the terra cotta pot -- black or red buttons.
a few craft beads or hardware store washers/nuts (this is what will make the sound)

If painting the decorations:
black acrylic paint
fine paint brush

If hanging outdoors
spray on varnish or acrylic spray

Instructions:
Paint on the design by hand.
Wipe the terra cotta pot with a rag (just to get any dust off)

Paint the outside of the pot completely red and set aside to dry (takes about 1 hour)

Repeat coats of paint until desired depth of colour.

You could do the inside as well, but it isn't necessary

Position the pot so it's open side down (upside down) and then design your ladybug face:
Glue on the eyes or you could use large wiggly eyes from the craft store.
Glue on a number of black dots.
Draw on the nose, mouth and eyelashes with a permanent black marker.

Cut a piece of string about 2 feet long.

Thread the ends through a button

Tie a loop in the top... this will be what you use for hanging the pot.

Slip the ends of the string through the hole in the pot (think of the button as a little hat on top of the ladybug's head)

Put the second button onto the string and tie another knot as tight as you can. (you've made a "sandwich" with the two buttons as the bread and the pot as the filling... the buttons will hold the pot on the string.

Tie some beads, nuts or washers onto the strings at various spots, so they all fall inside the pot.

Trace the feet onto the black craft foam and cut it out.

Punch holes in the feet.

Tie the feet onto the bottom of the strings, trimming any excess. The feet should hang below the pot about 2 to 6 inches.

The feet will be what catch in the wind and make the wind chime make noise.

Spray the entire project with two or three coats of spray varnish or spray acrylic.

Hang outdoors (or indoors) as a cute decoration.

God showed his love for us by giving us the gift of his one and only Son, Jesus, to save us.

For many people, Christmas is their favorite day of the year! They wish every day was Christmas! It is so much fun to wake up on Christmas morning - your stocking is full of yummy treats! The Christmas tree looks so beautiful with all the presents and bright lights. You gather around the tree with your family to open presents and then have a big feast! It is so exciting! When it comes your turn, you're so excited you rip off the wrapping paper! Then when you open it, its usually something you really like! Sometimes its just what you asked for, and it becomes your new favorite toy! But, once in a while, its the wrong size, or the wrong color. Sometimes its something you just don't want. Other times, its something that you like a lot at first... Maybe you like it so much that you play with it all day...maybe even for a few days. But, then you get tired of it. After a while you forget about it and it just sits in the corner of the closet for the rest of the year.

But, did you know that there is one gift that is perfect? There is one gift that is so precious...no amount of money could ever buy it. Its a gift that is never broken. Its something we all need. Its something that we never get tired of. It never wears out. Something that is always right and never wrong. That gift is really not a some-thing, but a some-one. Jesus! Jesus is the best gift that anyone has ever given us! It was God who gave us his Son, Jesus. Jesus was the one who God had promised to send us long ago - his Son, Jesus, who would save the people of the world. God loved us so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to the earth to be born as a baby. And Jesus loved us so much, that when he grew up, he was willing to suffer and die for us. He died on the cross to pay for all the wrong things we do.

You see, we all do wrong things...and that is called sin. But, God is holy...he never sins, and he hates sin. He made us and loves us, and wants to have a friendship with us. He wants to be close to us. But, we can't be close to God if we have sin in our life. But God gave us the priceless gift of his Son, Jesus. Jesus died for us on the cross to take the punishment for our sin, so that we could be close to God again. Jesus is the only way that we can ever be right with God. Isn't that awesome! If we believe in Jesus, and ask him to forgive us for our sins, he will forgive us. He is the only one who can take away our sin.

When we admit that we are a sinner, and we turn from our sin, and ask Jesus to be our leader from now on, he forgives us, and makes us right with God. And, that's not all. when we become a follower of Jesus, he also gives us his promise that we will one day live with him forever in heaven. So after we die, we don't really die...but we will be raised to life again to live with him forever. And there is more! When we ask Jesus to come into our heart and lead us, he doesn't leave us alone. He gives us a helper, the Holy Spirit, to come and live in our heart, and help us do what is right.

So you see, in a way, Christmas really is every day of the year -- because Jesus is the best gift of all - and Jesus is with us every day! He is always there for you, waiting for you to talk to him. He wants to be close to you. And, when you draw close to him, he promises to be close to you too. Then nothing will stand in the way between you and God. You can enjoy his friendship forever! Isn't that the best Christmas present ever!

© copyright Virginia Sigle / bible kids fun zone

PRAYER:

Here's a simple prayer if you don't understand everything yet.

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me so much that you gave me the best gift of all - the gift of your Son, Jesus.

Please help me understand more about you as I grow up.

Help me learn how to follow Jesus.

Thank you for caring about me and helping me learn about you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

PRAYER:

You can pray this prayer if you have decided you want to follow Jesus:

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me so much that you sent your one and only Son to save me.

I believe that you sent your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay for my sins, and that he was made alive again.

I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done. Please forgive me now.

I ask you to be my leader from now on. I want to follow you for the rest of my life.

Thank you for sending your helper, the Holy Spirit, to come and live in me, and help me do what is right.

Thank you now for saving me, and for forgiving me, and inviting me to live with you in heaven forever.

In Jesus' name

Amen! __________________________

5 Languages of Love If you want to understand a peron and how they think and feel, then first you need to understand their love language.

Overcoming Loneliness While Separated By Deployment Deployment is hard going on all members of the family, so it's important to do what we can. Here are a few of the things I did to make life easier.

Challenge of Military Marriage Having a family member who is in the RAAF can at times be challenging, so it is important that we find the positives and keep working on our relationship to make it the best we possibly can.