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Halloween Memory Games & Halloween Book Memory Games

As you know we have been reading Halloween books (click link to see the books and some crafts to go with them) we borrowed from the library. Last night I decided to make her some memory match games for Halloween. I saw the idea on A Pumpkin and A Princess. I bought some Halloween scrapbook paper yesterday at Joann's. It is on sale 5 for $1 this week. Then I went into Word and used the clipart to find some good (not too scary) Halloween pictures. Since Hazel has been so into Erica Silverman's The Big Pumpkin, I made sure to include a witch, ghost, vampire, mummy, bat and pumpkin. I added a few others as well, but the game could be played with just those if you want to relate it to the book.Click Halloween Match Game  for a downloadable link.

Then I cut out each card and cut out 18  3" by 4" rectangles from 2 sheets of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper. I glued each card onto one of the scrapbook paper rectangles. Then I covered them with clear contact paper to protect them and make them a bit more durable, and cut them out of it. I laid them all down on one sheet and folded it over them to have the contact paper on both sides. Hazel loves playing it!

I also made some from another favorite Halloween book, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams. For these I made 12 rectangles (six designs): the shoes going clomp, clomp, the pants going wiggle, wiggle, the shirt going shake, shake, the white gloves going clap, clap, the tall black hat going nod, nod and the scary pumpkin head going boo, boo. To download these cards click Little Old Lady Match Game.

Then I cut them out and put them on different scrapbook paper and covered them in clear contact paper and cut them out. For this scrapbook paper you only need one sheet and cut 12 rectangles measuring 3" by 4". 

Needless to say (after the number of times I read this book to Hazel) she loves them!

I am loving these simple crafts that lead to hours of fun and entertainment and learning for her! Do you have any to share? Visit our Sharing Saturday link  party and share them with us! Anything kid friendly is welcome!

Also check out this sharing of  an announcement of a giveaway. Have a great day!!


2 Quick Things to Share

Literacy and Laughter is giving away an autographed copy of Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker and a $15 gift certificate to Lettering Delights. Go over and check it out.

Also wanted to share this fun picture that I took today. I would say this visitor is about a month too early. This was in our next door neighbor's yard.
We weren't sure how he got into the fenced in yard with all the gates closed and he didn't seem to know how to get out. My husband opened the gate for him and hopefully he was able to get out and go home. Hazel loved seeing him though!

A quick craft to share

Last night I was visiting all the link parties and found this idea from We Like to Learn as We Go! I didn't pull out my flannel board, but I have one put away that I use to make tags for my quilts. But I love the idea of giving Hazel different ways to decorate an felt pumpkin.I think Hazel will love this since she has been very into Melissa and Doug magnetic dress up dolls and some paper dolls.

To start cut a pumpkin shape out of orange felt and cut a stem out of brown felt and if you want add a green leaf.  Then cut out eyes, noses and mouths out of black felt. Cut a variety so your child can mix and match. I also added other things like cat ears, a crown and a witch's hat out of appropriately colored felt. Now give it all to your child to enjoy.

Witch
Princess

Cat
 




Busy Weekend, Sick Hazel, One Craft to Share

This weekend we spent Saturday at our church's Pumpkin Patch. I volunteered to be a story reader for two of the time slots and brought our supply of Halloween library books. They had pumpkins, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, coffee for sale and a huge Pumpkin bouncy house, balloons, face painting and more. Oh, and our minister dressed up as a clown with a bit scary of a mask (in my opinion). Hazel had a blast. She went in the bouncy house four times. The first two times she barely stayed in there. The third time I sent her in with one of her babysitters (all of our babysitters come from church), so she did a bit better. The fourth time there were not as many kids in there and the few that were in there were more her size so she stayed in for quite awhile. It was good.

Then we headed across the street to the Friends of the Library book sale and we got several good used books for Hazel for cheap. Some for now and some for her to grow into. Then the three of us headed to the 99 for a late lunch. Hazel of course then fought her nap. But that was ok, because Steve and I had planned a date night so she went to bed easily for the babysitter. We went and saw The Help. It was wonderful. I cried several times, but it was a great movie and Steve liked it as well. I think it had been a few years since we actually went out to a movie and we found one of the few theaters that still had it playing.

Hazel sounded very stuffed up on the monitor when we got home and was a bit restless, but didn't completely wake up until 2 a.m. when she realized her bed was wet from her diaper leaking. So we brought her into bed with us. So Steve and I did not sleep well. She woke up with a very runny nose and needed medicine all day. I'm afraid our trip to the doctor's may have given her yet another cold. I hate how that happens. You go in for a follow up and they get catch something else again. Well she took it relatively easy today. Steve took her to his mother's this morning, but she did not want to stay there long (a true sign she was sick since usually she does not want to leave there). She fell asleep on the way home and slept for two and a half hours. I went and tutored two students and got bit by their dog. Not a pleasant experience, but minor bites and he is up on his shots so nothing to worry about.

When Hazel woke up we read some stories and then did one craft. I saw this idea on Creativity My Passion. Which I found on several of the link parties. We glued Indian corn kernels onto a small (gourd size) pumpkin. Hazel had fun getting the kernels off the cob with me and then gluing them on. It didn't come out perfectly, but it certainly was a fun craft for her and worked on some fine motor skills. She really just enjoyed playing with the kernels in general.

I also started a new link party yesterday so we do have a place to share ideas. I would love for you to join us in the first Sharing Saturday. Post any craft or activity for a child to do or receive.

Hope you have a great week!!

Sharing Saturday

Since this is blog is called Crafty Moms Share, I am starting a weekly link for all of you to share your ideas, crafts, activities that you do with or for your kids. Please make sure your posts are kid friendly. I know when I share my ideas on other linky sites I find many great ideas and new blogs to follow, so I'm hoping  the same will happen here. This link will close 10/21/2011 at 11:59 PM EST.