Spring has sprung even though it doesn't really feel like it here in Massachusetts. We still have snow on the ground. I have begun to think about my garden. Now I am aware of the issues with bees. Are you? I don't mean the fact that they sting or that Hazel is afraid of them because they sting. I mean that there is a drop in bee population. Why should we care about the bees after all they sting? Well if we don't start caring we will not have fresh fruits and vegetables or flowers for that matter. Bees are pollinators and they are necessary for growth of plants. What can a gardener do to help the bees? Well there are a few things. One is to avoid using pesticides. Many towns now spray for mosquitoes, but the pesticides they spray do not only kill mosquitoes but also the other insects including bees and butterflies, our main pollinators. The pesticides you may use in your own yard will do the same thing. Another thing to do is plant the flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. Tonight's book is too help know which flowers these are. The book is 100 Plants to Feed the Bees by the Xerces Society.
Bee Aware -- 100 Plants to Feed the Bees and more -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party
Spring has sprung even though it doesn't really feel like it here in Massachusetts. We still have snow on the ground. I have begun to think about my garden. Now I am aware of the issues with bees. Are you? I don't mean the fact that they sting or that Hazel is afraid of them because they sting. I mean that there is a drop in bee population. Why should we care about the bees after all they sting? Well if we don't start caring we will not have fresh fruits and vegetables or flowers for that matter. Bees are pollinators and they are necessary for growth of plants. What can a gardener do to help the bees? Well there are a few things. One is to avoid using pesticides. Many towns now spray for mosquitoes, but the pesticides they spray do not only kill mosquitoes but also the other insects including bees and butterflies, our main pollinators. The pesticides you may use in your own yard will do the same thing. Another thing to do is plant the flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. Tonight's book is too help know which flowers these are. The book is 100 Plants to Feed the Bees by the Xerces Society.
More Autumn Decorations and Apples, Apples, Apples
Autumn Hand Wreath |
Today Hazel and I focused on apples and did some painting crafts. Now apples are one of Hazel's favorite foods. She has one at least once a day. My mother-in-law now keeps apples at her house for Hazel, and she never has fruit in her house. So today we started by reading the story, The Little Red House With No Doors and No Windows and a Star Inside. And of course we cut the apple sideways to see the star inside. We then pulled out white paper and red paint and did some apple prints. While we had the paint out we also did some mushroom prints with mushroom tops from our yard, leaf prints, acorn prints, etc. and used an apple cookie cutter.
Sticker Fun! -- Review of Sticker Activity Books
One of the things that keeps Hazel busy are sticker activity books. She gets so excited for them. Today I am going to share with you four new sticker activity books for different ages!! I am going to start with the older kids. The first is Sticker Shape Create by Thereza Rowe.
Holiday Gift Recommendations & Where to Shop This Year
Disclosure: All of these recommendations are based on reviews I have written or will write for products that were sent to me in exchange for a review. Some links will be affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage if you purchase through them. Thank you for your support!
This year there will be shortages for gifts, especially toys. They are saying to shop early and not wait to see if things go on sale. I decided to provide my gift recommendations and my favorites of 2021 for you earlier than usual. I went through what I have shared with you and some of what I will share with you to give these recommendations. I may make additions in the future since I don't have everything I will review this year yet. I am dividing it up by ages for actual gift recommendations! Many of the recommendations are for books. If you follow the rule of four for gifting this should be helpful! I hope you find this list helpful!
Origami Kits -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party
Wow, where did this week go? It has been very crazy here. What about with you? Tonight we are sharing three fun origami kits. With dragons, animals, and a city, there is a little something for everyone. We will start with Flying Dragons Paper Airplane Kit by Sam Ita and Paul Frasco.
Monarchs and Mexico -- Global Learning for Kids
As I mentioned yesterday this month's country for Global Learning for Kids is Mexico. Yesterday we explored art from Mexico. Since Hazel loves animals, I thought we would focus on an animal with a connection to Mexico and the perfect one is the monarch butterfly!
Fractal Tree -- Geometry Class Project
One of my goals this year is to bring fractals into my teaching, especially in geometry class. Today I am going to share the fractal tree. It can easily be done on a computer but is also great for practicing measuring with a ruler and protractor. Now a fractal tree is probably one of the most basic fractals and well-known or at least its cousin, the fern is certainly seen as a fractal.
Quilt Décor to get ready for the change of seasons
Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. The links are affiliate links where I will receive a small percentage of any purchases made through them at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crafty Moms Share!
The weather here is beginning to change. Hazel is back at school and I feel fall coming. Do you decorate for the different seasons? Since September is National Sewing Month, I promised myself to share some of my sewing books that I need to review. Since all the sewing I have done is on the quilt that I reviewed last week (and making more masks for Hazel to go back to school), I decided to review one that I won't be actually making. Today I am going to share Wintertime Shimmer Quilt and Table Runner by Jennifer Sampou. Now I am not trying to rush the seasons. I love fall and am going to make some suggestions to change these patterns for different seasons. The photos however are from the book so they are about winter. I am not making these because my digital review copy did not come with the pattern pages so I don't actually have the patterns to try them.
Welcome Fall! Apple Prints and More!
This weekend fall began here. On Friday it was nice outside, so I decided to get Hazel outside and doing something. Now in our backyard we have two apple trees that have had many apples this year. We do not pick these apples. Steve told me they were not the kind of apples you eat. After smelling them this year, I think he may be wrong. However I am not tall enough to get them and fear ladders too much to try on my own. He hasn't bothered to pick one for me and the ones on the ground do not look so good, but the deer are enjoying them. Here is one tree after most of them have fallen to the ground.
Here is what it looks like on the ground. Steve goes and picks up the ones in the grass and puts them in the "garden" under the trees, so no one trips and the landscaper won't have a problem with the mower.
I had Hazel look for two non-mushy ones that we could cut to make apple prints while I got the rest of our supplies. I cut one apple down the center of the core vertically and the other horizontally (so you get the star).
Then I gave her fall colors of paints and white paper and let her have fun.
She was having so much fun with the apples, we decided to add in pinecones, acorns, flowers and leave.
She made four nature prints. On a few you can see the stars of the inside the apples, but not too much.
Now we have some beautiful fall prints. I was thinking of cutting them and making cards, but Hazel said she would miss them too much. We will see. How did you welcome the new season where you are?
Sharing Saturday 14-50
1) From Multicultural Kid Blogs: Hanukkah for Kids
2) From Dad's The Way I Like It: A Toddler's Christmas in Wales
3) From Planet Smarty Pants: Christmas Around the World -- Germany
4) From A Life in Balance: Swedish Christmas Braid
1) From An Idea on Tuesday: Vegetable Printing Nativity
2) From Christianity Cove: Holiday Snack Idea: Jelly Bean Christmas Trees
3) From A Life in Balance: Easy Gingerbread House for Christmas
4) From Best Toys for Toddlers: No-Sew & No-Glue Paper Roll Christmas Elves
5) From Kandy Kreations: Christmas Shepherd 2 Nativity Advent Calendar Gift Idea Day 5
1) From The Practical Mom: DIY Christmas Decoration: Star Lantern
2) From Sunshine and Hurricanes: Frozen Inspired Christmas Crafts
3) From Life with Moore Babies: Egg Carton Snowmen
4) From In the Playroom: Kid Made Star Display Inspired by How to Catch a Star
5) From Say Not Sweet Anne: Creamy 3 Ingredient Hot Cocoa
Thank you to everyone who shared last week!! I hope you will join us and share again!! If you are featured here, please feel free to grab a featured button to display proudly on your blog.
A Few Simple Guidelines:
1) Please follow Crafty Moms Share via GFC (or one of the other ways that work for you).
2) Link any kid-friendly, child-centered post. Please no etsy shops or giveaways, etc. Remember to link to your actual post.
3) Post the Sharing Saturday button on your sidebar or somewhere on your blog to help spread the word.
5) If you do not have a blog, but want to share an idea you can leave it in the comments or e-mail it to me with a picture (if possible).
Christmas in Nigeria -- Jollof Rice
Today we get to share our post for Christmas in Different Lands. Before we do, however, I want to share a quote from Hazel: "Next year you should pick four countries and cook something from each one for each week of Advent to post on your blog."
We decided to explore Nigeria because Hazel wanted to learn more about it. One of her best friends' family is from Nigeria, so I asked her mother for information. So much of this information is straight from someone who grew up there and still has family there.
Easter Eggs Around the World
This year for the Multicultural Kid Blogs Easter Around the World Blog Hop I thought I would focus on an aspect of Easter instead of Easter in a specific country. I chose to look at Easter eggs.
Sharing Saturday 14-51
1) From Living Montessori Now: Free Hanukkah Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
2) From Royal Little Lambs: Celebrating Light
The Conductor--Book and Craft
I cut out the body of the bird from black paper (well I used black with gold sparkle) and some leaves from green and brown paper and gave them a slight fringe edge. Then gave Hazel a glue stick. She came up with this:
I cut out another and glued it myself. This time I made the leaves a bit smaller, so you could see more of the shapes we were using. The picture at the top of this post is mine.
Religious Easter Books
We are in Holy Week already, so it is the perfect time to share with you two books that are great for sharing the true meaning of Easter with your kids. The first book is not actually just an Easter book. It shares a few of the stories of Jesus' life. It is The Three Trees retold by Elena Pasquali and illustrated by Sophie Windham.
Friday Fruit Exploration: Apples!
Well it has been awhile since we posted a fruit exploration, but this past month we had fun exploring one of Hazel's favorite fruits--apples! Now we have done many apple crafts over the last few years, but this time we pulled out the magnifying glass and fruit journal.
Apple Page in Journal |
Mega Science Book Review #STEM Part 2
Last week I shared the first half of my mega science book reviews. I promised the second half of the mega review this week and today is the day!! Last week we focused on general science, transportation and space. This week it is plants and animals. We will start with How Plants and Trees Work by Christiane Dorion and illustrated by Beverley Young.
Powerful Latinx Novels for Hispanic Heritage Month
Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.
Hispanic Heritage Month ends Friday and I wanted to share two new Latinx books with you to help celebrate. One is a graphic memoir. The author was in middle school living in New York City when 9/11 occurred. The other is a young adult novel that deals with ethnicity as well as rape and more. We will start with Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Sharing Saturday 14-17
Thank you to everyone who shared the amazing ideas last week and to everyone who took time to visit and share the love! I know I was blown away once again by the brilliant ideas. I also went through and pinned all the Easter and Earth Day posts so I can check them out next year! We did not have a most clicked, so I picked nine of my favorites (which was hard to do). This week seems like it was full of holidays. Sunday was Easter, Monday in Massachusetts was Patriots' Day (otherwise known as Boston Marathon Day), Tuesday was Earth Day and today is Arbor Day. In honor of these as well as the upcoming Cinco de Mayo and April being poetry month as well as the start of the official baseball season, I made some of these choices. I hope you like them and I hope you go back and check out all the great ones I am not sharing since I can't share them all.
1) From Living Montessori Now: Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat (Baseball and poetry in one)
2) From Art Club Blog: Talking Trees (Arbor Day plus Hazel and I have been exploring trees this week)
3) From Gift of Curiosity: What Do Ants Like To Eat? (A continuation from last week's most clicked feature)
4) From Teaching Every Day: Paper Towel Art
5) From Little Wonders' Days: Dolphin Lesson Plan Ideas
6) From Being Tilly's Mummy: Catching Fairies in a Glass Jar
7) From Planet Smarty Pants: Read and Learn About Mexico (Perfect ideas for Cinco de Mayo)
8) From Rubberboots and Elf Shoes: Birds and Nests Sensory Bin (Ok, we have also been exploring birds lately!)
9) From Every Star Is Different: Bird Unit 2 with Free Printables (It includes a poem too--so birds and poetry)
A Few Simple Guidelines:
1) Please follow Crafty Moms Share via GFC (or one of the other ways that work for you).
2) Link any kid-friendly, child-centered post. Please no etsy shops or giveaways, etc. Remember to link to your actual post.
3) Post the Sharing Saturday button on your sidebar or somewhere on your blog to help spread the word.
5) If you do not have a blog, but want to share an idea you can leave it in the comments or e-mail it to me with a picture (if possible).
Who's In the Backyard? Nuthatches & Chickadees -- Fun Facts, Crafts, & Books