"One in a minion" Valentines 2014

This week has been a whole lot of fun, we have had a good bit of snow for our parts and playing with the kids was wonderful. So, at the end of it all we ended up doing our Valentines last minute and though this wasn't our original plan, it turned out pretty cute.

Minion sticks and baked sugar cookies... The cookies are always a hit when kids can help bake, at least my kids, they LOVE to bake. Also, they LOOOOVE Despicable me so we wanted to do something little to do with that too that they could help with and they really enjoy crafts. Of any kind!

Here are some photos of what we did, maybe it will give you an idea of something you can enjoy doing with your own children or do the same as we did! It was incredibly easy (except clean up lol)!

First we baked allot of sugar cookies, and yes I make home made sugar cookies and all but when baking with the kids we sometimes just choose the simple route and we did a cookie mix.

 
 

Next we made some adorable little minion sticks... "Your one in a minion" I wrote on it and they could help paint, put eyes on etc what ever you want to let the little ones help with. These self stick googly-eyes are great and I had everything needed on hand. All you need is a sharpie, large popsicle sticks, yellow paint and googly eyes! Minions have some crazy hair so just play with it with a marker and make some fun different faces.

Just throw them in a cute valentine goody bag and tie it up... Cute and easy!

We did little handmade tags with some yellow paper (for the minions) cut into hearts and just wrote the to/from on it!

Zaccheaus Sunday school lesson and craft!

Lately, my daughters favorite song is "Zaccheaus was a wee little man..." With that, it's been on my mind allot (of course) so it's ended up being a Sunday school lesson recently which turned out quite well. 

For the lesson: Luke 19:1-10 kjv

Zaccheaus was a small stature man so he couldn't see the Lord. Like with kids, sometimes views are blocked. The goal is, don't let anything stop you from seeing the Lord, tho it may be easy to say I can't or I'm not ... Enough, we are to (like Zachaeus did) move ahead and do what we need to do for the Lord. 

Zaccheaus climbed up in a sycamore tree to be able to see. He was NOT a popular man, as a tax collector and a crooked one at that, people didn't like him. However, the Lord past that way and looked up in the tree an told zaccheaus to quickly come down. Jesus was going to go to his house. 

All the people were bothered and talked about Zachaeus was a sinner. Now, zaccheaus was saved tho and said he was going to return what he took from people unmerited, and return it fourfold. Below you can see the craft we did, cut outs, glue and writing captions next to the scenes it shows a brief storyline of the zaccheaus story. Enjoy and God bless. 

Mercy & Truth Sunday School Lesson *Proverbs 3:3-4*

Having the little 4-6 year old class is such fun, such a blessing. This is the latest lesson we did, I am still a few behind on sharing but I wanted to go ahead and share this one.

PROVERBS 3:3-4

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."

Mercy: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

Truth: the quality or state of being true.

When I did this lesson it was fun talking to the kids about what they view as the truth and what mercy is. Above, I show you the definitions of the words that are good to talk to the kids about. With my age group I like to use stories to incorporate something to their understanding, like telling the truth for example; Ask them if they have ever lied to mommy or daddy, talk to them about maybe an instance of breaking something and then saying they didn't or so on, then explain the correlation/opposites of truth compared to lies, untruth. 

Mercy is harder to bring to their level, but is very important as it is something that we are instructed to live by, with. Talk to them about how they sometimes have to choice to get revenge or be mean to someone because they were mean to them, and how they can and should choose the opposite, kindness, forgiveness. God's mercy for us is by far unexplainable and unimagineable, it is AMAZING, for us as humans it is much harder to have such mercy. 

CRAFT TIME:

The scripture talks about mercy and truth and that you are to "...bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart..." So, I thought it would be fun to make a necklace, simple and fun! 

What you need:

Card stock paper in any color (we used brown) 

Hole punch

Scissors

Markers

Yarn

Cut out a heart for each necklace (write on this or have the child if they are able "Mercy and Truth" and the scripture) and cut out 2 rectangles or ovals, something to tie to either side of the heart. Punch holes in each side of heart and on each side of the heart. Cut 2 small lengths of yarn to tie between heart and rectangle on each side and then one long length of yarn to tie the length that will make the necklace. Let them color or decorate rectangles and heart if they want. DONE!

Enjoy!

 

DIY Sea shell picture frame *craft*

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Well, we had a great family vacation to the beach recently and had plans to make a memoir craft for the grandparents/aunt & uncle but we were a but delayed. Finally, we were able to get this done and the kids had a blast. If you are looking for something fairly cheap and easy to do with sea shells you find on fun beach trips with the kids, this is it.

What you need:

Bare wood frames 

Craft paint of choice (we used brown)

Foam brush

Hot glue gun

Glue sticks

Picture prints for frame when finished

Shells (rinsed and dried) :)

Brush paint onto frame and let it dry and then select shells (this was the kids favorite part, I had to write on the back of frames with a marker whose was whose because my daughter had specific shells for specific people's frames) arrange on the frame how you want them and then glue around edges of the shells and put in place. So easy, so fun, so cute!

Shepherd lesson

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Psalm 23

This has always been one of my favorite chapters in the bible so this was fun to do with my little class. Along with this lesson we did a little craft because with little ones that helps so much with driving in the lesson and point, it is fun and it is important too!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

 We started by talking about a shepherd and what a shepherd did, what a flock was and the relation of these two things to Christ (the shepherd) and the church (the flock). 
       -After talking and letting them participate to understand what you are trying to understand talk to the kids about how God can lead us. Prayer, bible study, going to church, giving us peace, blessings. 
       -"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:" Talk to them about how God, and goodness (blessings) will be with us always!

A short sentiment to talk to the children about listening to God in their own lives and learning to pray for his will and guidance in their trials and good times. 

Now for the craft, all you need is:
1 piece brown card stock (can use regular construction paper if needed)
1 piece green construction paper
1 piece blue construction paper
2 other colors construction paper
Markers


Cut out the staff, and little rectangles for each little part of the verse (we did not put the entire scripture on for the sake of saving space but we wanted to get the highlights) The green paper cut the top to look like grass and the blue cut to look like waves and make sure those get the corresponding parts of the scripture. 

Write the portions on the papers or let the children if they are able and let them glue the pieces together.

Fathers day Sunday school lesson. Tool box card craft.

Sunday School Lesson:

Our heavenly father and our earthly father, Along with a great toolbox card for the kids to give dad as well!

Teaching children about their father can be really fun, same with their mom, they love talking about there parents in the young age groups. 

1 Corinthians 1:3

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

- God is our "heavenly" father. You can talk to the kids about what this means, He is our creator, he cares for us, protects us and loves us. 

Ephesians 6:4

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

-We aren't to pester others, but, to lend a hand to them. Our fathers help us, as they should. 

-FOR BOYS: Learn habits that will help you grow into a Godly father one day to your own kids.

-FOR GIRLS: Learn what are good things, qualities to look for in boys for one day when you look to find your husband.

How is your dad a christian father?

(Let the kids talk, take time to let each of them tell something lovable about their dad)

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.

CRAFT TIME:

What you need per card- 1 sheet red card stock paper, 1 sheet yellow card stock paper, yellow or black pipe cleaner, marker or pen, scissors, hole punch.

Fold the red card stock in 3's needing one 1.5inch panel and 2 equal panels. (see below) hole punch he top of the card and put thru the pipe cleaner. With the yellow cut out a small piece for the latch area and then cut out a screw driver, wrench, hammer. On the tools I wrote the scriptures we used in the lesson, or you could write qualities they tell you of there dads. HAVE FUN!

Folding Car track. Quiet toy for toddler church bag.

Folding Car track for kids.Such an easy little toy to take along in the kids church bag or on a car ride. Great quiet toy and it takes up very little space meaning its good to add in for an extra toy. 

All you need is 1 or 2 sheets of card stock (depending on how big you want the track in one color and 1 in blue, a white crayon, glue and contact paper. 

In the extra color, if you are using 1 sheet cut in 4's (half and then half) and if using 2 sheets cut each in half. Then cut an oval out of the blue and cut the center out of that. Draw white lines down the center of the oval and line up on other paper and cut where page ends (see photo below) then glue each piece in place. Now, measuring the contact paper long enough for the entire track then place the pieces in the correct order on the sticky side with even cracks between pages (about a 1/4 inch or a little more) and then cover with another piece of contact paper. Cut evenly around all the edges and then fold within the spaces between the pages. It will fold very easily!

And, grab a small car, it is complete!

Dry erase re-usable tracing number book. Quiet toddler toy.

Teaching toddlers to write can (and is) tricky. Especially when you want to teach them specifics and they just want to draw. If your child is anything like mine, tracing is a great, FUN way to work with them but this also makes you go thru lots of paper so I made something so we could avoid that. 

So simple and yet it becomes a teaching tool and hours of fun for your child. All you need is card stock paper, contact paper, markers, hole punch, scissors and either pipe cleaners or the key rings you pull apart.

For the paper, either cut into 4's (half and then half again) or you can fold and then tear them (which is what I did because it is easier for me to get it straight). Write with the markers a title page (you can see mine below), and write the numbers, one per page, with lines for tracing. After all numbers are written down cut a large piece of contact paper and another the same size. Laying all of the papers down on sticky side and then covering with the other sheet of contact paper. Press down well to get out all air bubbles and then using the scissors cut around the edge of each card and hole punch two holes in center of top or one in top left corner and put ring or pipe cleaners thru. Add a dry erase marker and voila! The kid love it. We keep it in our daughters church bag and she gets so excited when she sees it, and at 2.5 she is doing great learning to trace her numbers. We also have an ABC one I am working on and will share with you soon.

Note: they do make washable dry erase markers, I highly suggest these for the younger toddlers because even when they are good at writing on paper they forget and that way you can make clean up easier.

Daniel and the Lions Den Sunday School craft and lesson

Daniel and the Lions Den Sunday School craft/lesson

At church I have the amazing blessing of having the 4&5 year old class. What a fun age right?

This age, while so incredibly fun, can be challenging on keeping attention so it has been my mission lately to find crafts and lessons to be fun for them. They always love to glue stuff right? and cut things too (With the help of an adult if need be)? Yep, they love it all, anything they can do and see themselves creating something. 

As I enjoy teaching my class I thought I might start sharing the things they find fun with you all. Excuse the lack of descriptive pictures that I usually share with my post but because this is a Sunday school craft/lesson I either am making the photos before c:lass with the example craft or I am taking them after class. Not able to take pictures during class and teach and that is first priority there.

 This lesson was on Daniel and the lions den. 

Daniel 6:6-23 KJV

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

² And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
³ Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
⁴ Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
⁵ Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
⁶ Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
⁷ All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
⁸ Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
⁹ Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
¹¹ Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
¹² Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
¹³ Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
¹⁴ Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
¹⁵ Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
¹⁷ And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
¹⁹ Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
²⁰ And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
²¹ Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
²² My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
²³ Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

This story can be rather harsh to teach given that the lions were intended to eat and kill Daniel and for children that might be a bit scary. This is however, reality in the story so in my class, 4 & 5 year old it is a great opportunity to talk about how our amazing Lord and savior can protect us from anything. 

Point 1- The king favored Daniel of the others and they were envious of him. Talk about things the children may be jealous of in their lives (toys that cost too much, not going to kindergarten, less chores, more allowance etc) and let them relate to understand what these men being envious were feeling. And talk about how that is wrong and we shouldn't be like that.

Point 2- Because they were envious and they did seek revenge by convincing the king to put in place the law of no praying for 30 days. This is something we can also place in the child's minds by talking about how we aren't supposed to be mean or seek revenge with people around us in life just because they got something we wanted or made us mad. 

Point 3- Daniel was told not to pray. It was made a law like a rule a kid would relate to in daily life. Even when told not to pray, Daniel followed the law of the Lord instead and prayed, trusting the Lord. Daniel did not even try to hide, he was not ashamed of his faith.

Point 4- Daniel faced his punishment.  He trusted the Lord as he was thrown in the lions den. We may have to face punishment in this world but we need to ALWAYS follow Christ and his lead in our lives.

Point 5- Daniel was saved. As it says in the scripture an angel shut the lions mouth and after the entire night Daniel was still alive.  The Lord will always protect us even in extreme measures. Children may have a hard time relating to a lions den so we can use things they understand but still relating and bringing back the lesson and the story.

CRAFT TIME:

We made a lion out of a few simple craft supplies.
Supplies per 1 Lion head
-Scissors
-Glue stick or hot glue
-Orange Foam Circle
-Yellow Foam Circle
-2 plastic wiggle eyes
-2 orange pipe cleaners
-3 small white puffy balls

Depending on the age and child you may be able to let them cut the orange circle with instruction but cut little bits that can be uneven but similar in depth around the edges of the orange foam circle. Cut the yellow circle down in size to fit in the center of the orange one and glue into place. Draw the mouth onto the yellow circle and then glue the white balls on with 1 above the other 2 and glue the eyes on too. Cut the pipe cleaners to about 2 inch pieces and glue them on as whiskers. Gluing the fuzzy things can be difficult so either use hot glue or use a LOT of glue stick rubbed on the fuzzy part and on the foam piece. Write select verses on the back as a reminder for the kids of the lesson. The verses I chose were ones at the end when the king saw that Daniel was still alive.

 

 

Spring-time finger paint crafts, our Easter!

A little late I know, but, I hope that EVERYONE had an amazing Easter. What an amazing holiday? Not only is it a reminder of our Lord Jesus' love for us but we can celebrate that He did indeed RISE again after his crucifixion on the cross for our sins. May we always remember, all year the sacrifice and the love He has and shows us. 

Now, on to our Easter celebration that included a couple cute little crafts for the kiddos, and of course hunting eggs and dieing them too! And who forgets, CAKE! You can find more on my Easter/Spring Rabbit cake HERE!

First, I'll share the paint crafts we did then you can feel free to see the pictures that tell the story of the rest of the weekend of fun with family quite well!

Craft time:

For the girls we did Aprons, my little girl and niece absolutely LOVE to help in the kitchen and of course their own special apron that THEY made, well that makes it all the more fun for them.

Before we began I painted the stem to the flower and their name. Depending on the child's age you could do this at the time of the craft but I found this worked so we could keep it short and sweet with the paint in case they got tired of it. Didn't want to push it with them but you know the kids you are working with so you be the judge. Suprisingly, all 4 that I got to work with (niece, nephew and my 2) had a blast with it!

Oh and just to add, the aprons are 4-5.00 at Hobby Lobby and fabric paint about 3.00/bottle, so it is a cheap fun craft!

The apron before the hand print, which will serve as the flower on the stem!

 Now for the boys, we simply did some cute little t-shirts for spring time, and they look adorable on. Since it is for the boys we didn't do a flower for theirs but before hand I did write their name and Spring 2013, they did hand prints!

The 'before' shirt.

 And... Who can forget the egg dying time!

Great tip for making it less mess to clean up, do it out side in the GRASS, kids love it out side anyhow! Oooh, and as you can see in these pictures we used a no spill egg cup (due to younger age, so they can have more control) I got at walmart. They by no means DONT spill but they definately keep the spills down and make it much easier. Still count on a little mess but it wont be as bad and as they do spill some it holds most of the water in the cup so that they can keep on dying!

 

 

And here, feel free to check out all the great fun we had with the Easter egg hunt and baskets through all the pictures below! You will also find all the pictures of the painting fun we had!

 

All the kiddos took turns rolling down the hill with my husband too!

 

God Bless and Happy SPRING TIME!