Woo! Jr. is THE Place for Printables

Woo! Jr. is an awesome site for all things kid!!  Printables to make them happy, awesome coloring pages, and activities to keep them busy.  Looking for 4th of July and summer ideas?  You can find fun by topic-- holidays and seasons!  The Woo! Jr. family: Animal Jr., Cartoon Jr., Classroom Jr., Craft Jr., Fantasy Jr., and Space Jr.!

10 Cute Printable Paper Dolls

These cute paper dolls would be fun for lots of things: a SUMMER car trip, *fridge magnets, boredom activity for a rainy or snowy day, little girl birthday gift, party activity or favor, stocking stuffer (*in a little magnetic tin), etc..  All of the free printable paper dolls are for non-commercial use.  *One Pearl Button has a Magnetic Paper Doll tutorial.

Wee Wonderfuls has download freebies (mostly patterns)!

paper doll (1)

Patty Reed Designs has 6 printable dolls! (2)

 

Babalisme has many free printables (*memory game made with her reindeer tags).  If you place your cursor over a download link on her blog and the link shows in the bottom left of the computer screen as going to ziddu I would caution you to not go there.  Babalisme has changed her hosting site to Scribd (only a few links are still ziddu) and it's a much nicer site.  You will have to sign up and skip past a couple of 'offers' before the download will happen.  It's worth the trouble though!  Her paper dolls are really sweet!

fairy tale paper doll (3)

Halloweenie dress-up boy and girl (4)

Santas's little helpers and decorate a tree (5)

Kireei has free printable stickers and paper dolls.  The site is in spanish but all you need to do is click on 'english' under the image and then 'download'. (found via How About Orange)

Clementina (6)

Terri Pettit has a whole page of paper doll links that she's scanned; she created the Vector Strawberry Shortcake. (found via How About Orange)

Little Kiddles (7)

Vector Strawberry Shortcake (8)

The Graphics Fairy has many vintage paper dolls. (9)

Wee Life has paper dolls with clothes and Halloween costumes to color! (10)

This Mama Makes Stuff made a cute Fabric Scrap Paper Doll Kit.  (I had to include this, even though it's (11) and there's no printable for her sweet and simple doll, because it's such a fantastic idea.)  A little metal box would be perfect for storing regular and magnetic paper dolls.

• This top ten eleven paper doll list is linked to Top Ten {Tuesday} on Oh Amanda.  The dolls listed are in no particular order!  **part 2: black-and-white printable paper dolls

Mad Libs Travel Folder

This idea to make a Mad Libs Travel Folder for fun stories in the car came about because of a cool gift my daughter received for Christmas--  Cranium Silly Stories.

image of a Cranium Silly Story
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A Mad Libs Travel Folder is really simple to make!  Buy a cheap/slim 3 ring binder, dry erase markers, sheet protectors, and print out some free mad libs!!  The dry erase markers I bought (under $3 at Walmart) have an eraser top.  I used Scholastic and Garden of Praise to make a parts of speech cheat sheet for the inside front of the folder. For younger school-age kids, like my 7 year old, this is a fun way to sneak in learning this SUMMER while traveling!

**I like the free printable mad libs from Woo Jr. and Teachnology because the spaces for writing in the words are large. Mad Glibs is another free resource and great for older kids.

Fun with a Bottle Lid

I started saving bottle lids when Silly Eagle Books posted about her Bottle Cap Bunny and then her Bottle Cap Animals!  It's a good thing because bottle cap/plastic lid fun started popping up everywhere!  We were inspired and had to make some of our own pictures.  I had a fish idea for my son but I instead made it.  He had his own easy but creative idea for a lid that opened to be a clam and he had me draw some fish to keep it company.  My daughter came up with the caterpillar.

♦ Keep It Under Your Cap- Family Fun April 2010 issue

♦ Buggy Mod Podge Bottle Caps from Crafts Unleashed

♦ Plastic Lid Ladybugs from Crafts by Amanda

♦ What Can You Make From A Plastic Lid? round-up on The Crafty Crow

♦ Beneficial Bugs- Family Fun May 2010 issue

Three Little Pigs Guest Post on Silly Eagle Books

My friend Vanessa at Silly Eagle Books has allowed me to be her guest today (my first guest post)!  ☺ I'm sharing some Three Little Pigs books, a craft my daughter and I made long ago, and some fun three pigs links!  See my interview about Vanessa from January.  I enjoy everything about Silly Eagle Books including these great posts: ABCs with food, big list of birthday books, huge list of books to sing, knock-knock valentines, bottle cap animals. If you read with your kids Silly Eagle Books is a fantastic blog!

Owly Animated Short and Free Comic Book Day

-Image from wallpaper download on spriteanimation.com-

I raved about the graphic novel series Owly by Andy Runton last September.  Last night we read Owly • A Time to Be Brave again (we own this book but have read other Owly volumes from our library) requested by my 3¾ yr. old.  He didn't want me to stop after a few pages so we read it all the way through in 45 minutes.

I visited AndyRunton.com after getting Owly happy and discovered I had missed a really cute thing last year.  In late July '09 Owly's first animated short was debuted!  Any kid will love watching it!  It's so adorable and really short (1½ min.)!  After I watched the short I downloaded a free Owly desktop wallpaper like the image pictured above.  Too cute! 

Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May!  There may be a chance you could get a free Owly and Friends Comic at a participating store near you!

Readeo and LMNO Peas

Readeo and LMNO Peas = Sharing a BookChat™ about round little veggies.

• The book LMNO Peas by Keith Baker is featured on the kid {media} spread in this month's Parenting Early Years magazine.  I often "judge a book by it's cover" and the illustrations on LMNO Peas is cute and fun!  After reading the little description it was on my to-read list!  It's brand new though so it isn't at my library.  Good things are worth waiting for.  Lucky for me I didn't have to wait too long because Readeo stepped in!

I found Readeo thanks to a review on ABC and 123.  I skipped on over immediately after reading the review because digital books are fun!  The first thing I noticed was that LMNO Peas was the Book of the Month and free for anyone to read!  That made my day!  I signed up as a guest and my son and I read LMNO Peas and loved it!  Little green peas being alphabet words-- astronauts, gigglers, parachuters, and volunteers!  There's a cute LITTLE ladybug on every page too!  It's only free to Readeo guests in April! 

• Readeo is a unique concept that helps people who are far away from each other to connect with video and share a book together!  BookChat™ allows you to "See, Hear, and Read" with a loved one!!  Now that's pure happiness for many: grandparents and grandkids, a military parent and kids, and any other person who wants to read to a child but has miles in-between them.

We are fortunate to live close to all our family.  I'm working on getting some close family and faraway friends to BookChat with us for fun!  Although Readeo's purpose is to connect with BookChat they also have a Read Solo feature.  For the last few days my kids and I have enjoyed reading digital books on Readeo.  The only problem I've had is with small text on a few books.  You can't zoom in or change the book size so I had to squint to read them.  My computer screen may be small compared to most.  (From a Readeo e-mail in July: "books and video in your BookChats now expand to appear as large as your screen will allow"!!)  Readeo is simple to figure out and I like the clean and uncluttered look of the site.

How to Read Solo: Sign in and click 'Read' in the top right by the blue book.  Minimize the page that pops up and click on 'Library' to browse the books.  When the cursor is over a book it shows a description and gives three options.  Click on 'Read' and restore the Read Solo page to read it!

You need to experience Readeo for yourself!  Readeo is kind enough to offer my readers a code for a free month trial!  Hooray for Readeo!!  Use code lovereadeowhen signing up for a whole month of free BookChatting or just reading digital books together!  Then be sure to come back later in May for some BIG Readeo happiness along with my experience with BookChat™!!

*I planned on letting my readers know about Readeo before I was offered a free 2 month trial and a code for my readers in exchange for a review.  The free product had no influence at all on my opinions.I think Readeo is fantastic!!

RECIPE: Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake

Now that you bought Nesquik to make a Spring Bubble Kit you need a yummy recipe that uses Nesquik powder!  I posted the original Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake recipe on my Girlfriends' Recipe Collection blog.

The following recipe has been revised.  I use vanilla ice cream with Nesquik powder instead of chocolate ice cream and I make a larger amount.  My kids go 'bananas' when I make this for an afternoon snack.

ElePhAnt MoNkeY ChocO-DeliGHt ShAKe

recipe adapted from original

1½ to 2 bananas- sliced/frozen

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup Nesquik powder

3 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

2 to 2½ cups milk

Blend all together.  Makes about 4 cups.

'Over Easy' Egg Fun!

colored chalk picture by my daughter-- age 7

Spring Centerpiece • Elle is for Love via Mod Podge Rocks

Tiny Spring Baskets • Quince and Quire  via The Crafty Crow

Sticker Stencils • Family Fun 

Egg Shell Art • Make and Takes

 

Easter Grass • Rosy ~ Posy via Parenting.com blog

Easy Plastic Egg Shakers • idea from Nancy Stewart

• fill 'em up with anything little and hot glue closed •

Make a Spring Bubbles Kit

Playing outside in the spring with bubbles is the best and taking them with you to the park is fun!  What kid doesn't love bubbles?  I made a spring bubbles kit that will travel well and has all the necessities for a great time blowing bubbles!  I REUSED a 21.8 oz. Nesquik container to make the kit (6½" tall) and our bubbles and blower fit perfect.

* supplies: container, Mod Podge, patterned paper, wide ribbon (½" to 1"), 2 brads

* cut your patterned paper- mine were 1½" and 1" strips

* apply Mod Podge in small sections and smooth paper strips down

* when the container is covered apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on top of strips and allow to dry

* cut a 2½" piece of wide cloth ribbon, fold ends under a ½", make a slit with a craft knife, push brad through

* cut a small slit in both sides of container with knife and attach your ribbon strap

in the bubbles kit: the best bubbles (or make good homemade bubbles), bubble blowers, a few small bubbles (less spilling-- find them at party stores or Walmart) for kids and any friends that come around at the park, a baggie of wipes (for the clean-freak momma like me!)

A spring adventure or exploring kit would also be fun (binoculars, magnifying glass, top, mini frisbee, bouncy ball, etc.)!!  An 'outside fun kit' would make a unique kid birthday gift!! ☺

* featured on:
                    Weekend Roundup @ One Pretty Thing
* linked to: 
                    Mod Podge Mania @ This is the Year...
                    Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
                    Creative Cats @ Poppies at Play
                    Spring has Sprung @ It's FUN to Craft 
                    Craft Concoction Friday @ That's So Cuegly! 
                    Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots & Jello
                    Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design 
                    Making the World Cuter Monday
                    Made by You Monday @ SkipTo My Lou 
                    Earth Day Craft Challenge @ Make and Takes

Tumblebug Races

I saved this fun tumblebug craft from my May '07 Family Fun Magazine and we made them last week.  Look how cute these bugs are- a little wiped out too from so much racing!  They weren't difficult to craft.  I used hot glue to save time.  The sides don't match up perfectly to the body but the bugs still tumble fast and fun!  Family Fun used foam core for a ramp.  I cut some white wall board insulation and glued black fun foam to the sides.  Our race ramp will last the lifetime of our tumblebugs!  My kids love having tumblebug races.  Go to Family Fun for the tumblebug instructions!



Are you having fun with any bug crafts or anything else that has to do with spring??  I'm having a 'buggy for spring' link-up party on the first day of spring, March 20th, and it will be open for a month!!  Come join the fun and find some good ideas too!

Indoor Olympics- Beanbag Toss and Bowling

Watching parts of the Olympics has been fun for my kids.  Their favorite events are figure skating and bobsled.  We created our own easy indoor Olympic fun yesterday and kept track of scores so we could 'medal' too!

Beanbag Toss 

REUSE an ice cream bucket for your beanbag target.

beanbags- Make and Takes shows an easy way to make little felt bean bags and I have beanbag links on my Let the Games Begin! post.

Mini Bottle Bowling

 REUSE water bottles or fruit juice bottles to have mini bowling fun!

POM Wonderful- Sugar Cookie Frosting

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful.  

 Isn't this sugar cookie frosting color just gorgeous?  It wasn't achieved with food coloring-- nope!  I used P♥M Wonderful 100% juice.  I added it mostly for the color but the SMALL hint of pomegranate taste is yummy too!  Share the love during February by giving heart cookies to neighbors or friends!

POM Wonderful Sugar Cookie Frosting

2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. softened butter

4 Tbsp. POM Wonderful juice

1 Tbsp. milk

Mix and heat a little in microwave if needed.  Frost some yummy sugar cookies!  Frosting will glaze over making the cookies easy to store in a container.  Keep unused frosting covered in fridge and warm up to soften when needed to frost cookies.

Print the recipe for the soft sugar cookies pictured.  It's the only recipe I use.

♥ See all POM Love ideas! ♥

POM Wonderful- 'Sweet' Drink

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful. 

Simple and sweet, make a dinner even lovelier with P♥M Wonderful heart ice cubes in Sprite!  And in the February 2010 issue of Parents they made a 'Love Potion' with pomegranate juice heart ice cubes in a tangy fruit smoothie.  There are  many 'sweet' drink possibilities when you use pomegranate juice!

Stick Card Puzzles

This post is similar to my Stick Puzzle post.  I found the original idea on makingfriends.com.  You REUSE a greeting card front to make a card puzzle for a holiday or just for fun.  I used my own paper creation and made a Valentine card puzzle to give to my kids at breakfast.  This would be a fun idea for a kid birthday card too.  I used Mod Podge instead of tacky glue and I covered the top of the card as well.  If you make your own card be sure to use stamp pads or markers that won't smear when you put the Mod Podge on.

Instructions: Tape the back of the big woodsie sticks, cut card to size, paint a thin layer of mod podge on the sticks where the card will be, place card on top and smooth down really good (important- let this step dry first with a book on top of it to keep it flat), mod podge top of card and smooth down well, let dry a little and then place heavy objects on sides of sticks while drying so it doesn't curl (I used my metal crafting tool tin so it wouldn't stick to any mod podge), dry for a long time (overnight is best), untape sticks, use another stick as your guide to cut card with exacto knife very slowly and carefully

Stick Card Puzzle Gallery:

▬ linked to Fireflies and Jellybeans Strut Your Stuff Party ▬