‘Emergency’ Book Review

Emergency: An imaginative fest for those in love with rescue vehicles

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Author - Margaret Mayo

Illustrator - Alex Ayliffe

Publisher - Orchard Books

Target Ages - Toddlers, Preschoolers, Early school-aged kids

Rating - ✪✪✪✪✪ 

"Help is coming - it’s on its way!”
If your child is into emergency vehicles, this action-packed, noisy and brightly-illustrated book is the perfect gift for her. There are loads of emergency situations and rescue vehicles coming to help the stranded.

The are more than ten vehicles including a police car, an ambulance, a crane, a lifeboat and fire-fighting planes. So everything is covered with the top team of these super vehicles out to rescue you on land, sea and air. The busy fire truck has “hoses sloshing, water swooshing” to put the fire out. The brave lifeboat sees “long ropes tossing, life belt dropping” when rescuing a boy stranded at sea. Mid-air, a mountain rescue operation is in full swing with the helicopter ‘hovering and whirring’ full throttle.

The book depicts exciting rescue scenes, fueling your child’s imagination and reassuring him that help will never be too far away. At one point, my toddler son was pointing at the the escaping burglars as if to direct the officers in their police car to where to catch them. In the flood scene, while the inflatable boats were out dealing with the crisis, he quickly pointed out to the dog stranded atop a little mud pile indicating how he should be rescued as well. That’s right; pets can’t be left out of rescuing!

The book makes rescue scenes come alive through its vivid visual descriptions and graphic language. “Bright lights flashing”, ambulance speeding “Whee-wow!”, crane “hooking, lifting, shifting”, snow plough “pushing, shoving, tossing, tunneling” and others will keep your kid hooked onto the book till it ends.

The author has worked well with the text as well. Repetitive sounds make for a pleasant reading and have been interestingly placed around the page. Along with a bright, bold and dramatic artwork, it makes for a fixating read. It is not hard to see how the team of Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe have produced another best-selling gem. It is one of their books from the ‘awesome engines’ range.

Key highlights and Rating

The book is a complete package of action-packed storytelling, graphic and eye-catching illustrations, and interesting noises that will be read to the end. It will leave your toddler child excited and your older child, contended and armed with the knowledge of their favourite machines. It will be much more enjoyed by preschoolers with a passion for emergency vehicles.

If you want to make it one vehicle-book this Christmas, make it this one. It will make their imagination go “swoop, swoop, swooping” and reassure them that no matter what, ‘help is on its way’.

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Related Posts:

If you happened to enjoy this review, don't forget to look into our flap-lifting animal classic, 'Dear Zoo' by Rod Campbell and 'Solomon Crocodile' by Catherine Rayner book reviews.

Solomon Crocodile

Dear Zoo

More books by the team:

You might as well like these books by the best-selling team of Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe!

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‘Solomon Crocodile’ Book Review

Solomon Crocodile - Trouble and mischief in the swampy paradise

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Author and Illustrator - Catherine Rayner
Target Ages - Toddlers and preschoolers
Rating - ✪✪✪✪✪

“Everyone is relaxing in the morning sun until....”

There is a sudden commotion in the quiet swamps as the mischievous Solomon sets out to find a friend to play with. Chaos sets in as the troublesome crocodile chases off the frogs, dragonflies and storks in his quest for play. But the riotous reptile is not welcome by anyone, dismissed as a “pest”, a “nuisance” and a “pain”.

But cheeky Solomon is unfettered and decides to chase the biggest hippo to have his “best fun yet”. An unexpected roar from the rather unassuming hippo spells the end of the ruckus. He begins to feel sad and friendless. But will he really be lonely or soon be joined in by someone seeking more fun and ruckus? Perhaps latter as he is crept up upon by another riotous crocodile.

The story ends on a positive note suggesting that even the mischievous crocodile has found a friend in the end and can finally have a playtime more like him. Sometimes older toddlers and preschoolers may feel lonely in their play. This story has a cheerful end suggesting you will find your friend, with the same idea of a fun playtime as yours.
The story is lively and fuels curiosity. Catherine Rayner’s artwork is bright and colourful. Her spray-painted illustrations are impactful and fit perfectly on the crocodile. Catherine has followed the story in another book titled ‘Solomon and Mortimer’.


My toddler enjoyed the story and wanted to read more. It is one of our favourites and we have read it many times now. My son loves ‘Chochiles’ (crocodiles) and goes ‘snap’ very time the story ends. He used to make a sad face whenever Solomon was dejected. He would point at the sharp zigzag crocodile teeth and its large eyes. He has roared with the hippo and jumped with the frogs. It can get quite animated and theatrical with an excited toddler.

Key highlights and Rating:

This beautifully illustrated story of a rambunctious crocodile in search for a playmate will be a good read for little kids, especially the ones who love crocodiles. Its vibrant artwork is distinctive and eye-catching and storytelling, simple and straightforward. This book is a treasure and will live in our collection for some more years.

In nutshell, a 5-star book for some excitement and animated fun for your reading time.

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Related Posts:

If you happened to enjoy this review scroll down below to look into our flap-lifting animal classic, Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell.

Dear Zoo Book Review

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‘Dear Zoo’ Book Review

Dear Zoo: A flap-lifting adventure with your favourite animals

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Author and Illustrator: Rod Campbell

Target Ages: Toddlers and Preschoolers

Rating: ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 

“I wrote to the zoo to send me a pet.....” 

Welcome to the exciting journey through all the different boxes in search of your favorite pet. If your toddler loves animals and likes to turn through the pages, then this sturdy board book with flap-lifting fun is the perfect present, most likely to whet his appetite for more reading.

A simple storyline, repetitive language, and behind-the-flap adventure are sure to tantalise their curiosity and make for a fun read. As different animals are sent from the zoo, including an elephant, a snake, and a monkey, your kid will be left to imagine why they don’t make for a perfect pet. 

An elephant is too big to keep, a lion too fierce to make friends with and a camel is too grumpy to talk to. Not so much as the idea of a perfect pet! The little hands will be tempted to turn over the pages and find their most friendly animal.

My toddler son sat down to match his animal figurines with those in the book. Funnily, his little elephant toy fit in the box sent by the zoo! He made animal sounds on each page, once roaring his lungs out at the fierce lion. He was happy to see he had a bit of a zoo with himself. Our mom and tot team enjoyed a rather uninhibited and loud bonding time during the read. 

In the end, he was happy to find his favourite animal as the pet behind the basket. He actually insisted on a second reading and we have had many subsequent readings thereafter. 

The famous author, Rod Campbell, has successfully combined simplicity, bright and bold illustrations and flap-fun in this very engaging book. There are elements of anticipation and surprise, which fuel kids’ curiosity. My toddler son loves filling in the reading with animal noises. Even my older son, nearly five years old, loved practising his new-found reading abilities on the short and repetitive text.

Key takeaways and Rating

Overall, full marks to ‘Dear Zoo’ for making reading fun, interesting and informative. It will appeal to kids between one and five years old, mainly toddlers. It encourages imagination and verbal expression and fulfills their desire for more reading. The discovery of their favorite pet is the ultimate prize, which brings a priceless smile to their faces. 

In a nutshell, a five star flap-lifting fun experience!

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Spoon Angel Christmas Ornament

After the cute Pasta Reindeer Christmas Ornament we made last week, it was time to make yet another beloved icon of Christmas. And it's none other than the beautiful angel.

Angels are believed to be messengers of God. The lore is that an angel appeared to Virgin Mary to announce the birth of Christ and proclaimed him the savior of all people.

Here is our adorable spoon angel ornament to adorn the Christmas tree!

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Mrs. Spider’s Sparkly Web

School drop-offs and pick-ups can be challenging. Getting them dressed and fed before they leave for school can be a mammoth morning task. Especially if you have a toddler planning to blast the plan with some last moment tantrums. However, the little journey to and from the school can unfold unexpected moments of wonder, fun and laughter. Kids are keen observers and spare no opportunity to point out to any changes they see around the. Curiosity fuels their brains and countless questions are part of their armoury. 

We have seen the dawn of winters in this part of England. Morning fog, a misty air and cold breadth seem to await you outside your door. Dew drops adorn everything around, making mornings one if the most beautiful time if the day. My school-going son spotted a dew-dipped spider’s web on his way to the school and couldn’t be more curious. It excited his imagination as he painted a wonderful picture of the sight thereafter. I didn’t think much about it in hurry but dwelled on his observations once back home. I tried to enter his mind and portrayed a picture of his imaginings. Underneath is a poetic glimpse of how he would have said it had he said it.

Mrs. Spider's Sparkly Web 

On my way to the school, by the narrow pathway through the playground

I saw a spider’s web, hung on the grey railing upside-down

The magic of a misty morning, the foggy clouds in a dull wintery hue

Clinging to the loose strings of the web, a million drops of sparkly dew

As big or small, as close or sparse, as leaves of autumn barely gone

Sitting pretty on Mrs. Spider’s necklace, the shiny drops as the new sun shone

The web is not alone; its family sits on the railings, the hedges and the trees

They appear everywhere as I walk along, like booing me in hide and seek

On the bright green shrub, the old man’s windows and my neighboour’s door

Hey Mrs. Spider, shouldn’t you be busy? How do you follow me wherever I go?

I stopped in wonder, for a good look at you, and to count your furry legs once again 

Then said Mummy, “Hurry, we’ll be late for school, no stopping in the drizzly rain.”

I knew they were eight, your lots of tiny legs, like sides in an octagon

Your shiny threads like strings of a guitar, I could play them one by one

You are quite tiny and I ain’t afraid; I once held a tarantula in my hand

It was furry and kind and walked rather slowly, a mighty creepy crawling friend

But spiders can be fast as I have seen them, they quickly come and quickly vanish

At times they jump off their webs, like a gymnast practicing his tricks

Passing by a thorny hedge, on the narrow pavement I did see

Another big spidey’s web, dangling by the green dustbin

Dear Mrs. Spider, thanks for dropping me off to school today

Soon it will be home time. Until then, promise me that you’ll stay

We’ll walk back through the playground, the houses and the large field in between

So stay stuck, in your sparkly web, my spooky gift of Halloween

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Decorating Mummy

With my boys I have always wondered if it’s all about dinosaurs, monster trucks, cars and rough play. Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see their softer side. It wasn’t as if they were at their gentle best, but certainly more kind to me than they have been to each other lately.

My older son had recently finished his first term and was spending his week-long break at home, mostly getting bored with not much to do. At the spur of the moment, whilst getting ready, I decided to let them do my make up. It seemed like a brave decision for a moment, but I took the plunge thinking I wouldn’t be going out of the house anyway. I immediately thought It must be rather gutsy of parents in the UK who willingly entrust themselves to their kids to dress them up on the ‘Dressed by The Kids' day. So, here I was, ready to play dolly to my under-5’s, as they got super excited to decorate me to their liking.

My older one took the initiative very well as he spread big lumps of face cream on my face. After about two fistfuls of it, I had to say no. Actually, I said, “Thank you. Let’s move on to the next please”. He was quite convinced of a job well done as evident from some half a dozen exited steps he took towards the drawer to fetch my lipstick. My little one was done with being a mere spectator of the live painting fun his older brother had been having and was keen to make a mark, quite literally. I have been doing colours with him and he made good use of his knowledge as he decidedly chose the stark pink lip colour from my kit. Clearly, he was looking to paint a bright picture. He fiddled with the mechanism before successfully popping out my lipstick from its holder.

Next, it was time to go for the kill. He went for my lower lip and lavishly heaped layers of it on and around my mouth. It was almost half a dozen applications worth of pinkness on me. It was amusing to see how confident and proud he felt of himself. I think it felt like the first school paint art in which I didn’t get a ‘D’. I was in the midst of enjoying all the silly fun when my older son snatched the lipstick and began applying it in my upper lip. It was sudden and strong, almost pushing me over to a side. Of course, it killed my lipstick as well. Although, it wouldn’t be the last smudged item in my make-up kit.

Obviously, we were not done yet. What started as a fun activity turned out to be another version of rough play. It was ‘The boys’ v/s ‘Mummy and her cosmetics’. The lipstick was followed by the blusher. Turns were taken to rub them onto the cheeks. It must have felt funny; they started applying it on each other. I was shown the little mirror in the blusher kit to check if it looked ok. Well, there was no saying no to a bunch of excited boys using my precious things as weapons. However, seeing them happy and proud did offset any little offence I might have taken.

They proceeded to fetch a ‘bindi’, a decorative sticker normally used by women in India to adorn their foreheads. True to the unsaid rule of ‘the more sparkly, the better’, they planted a bright, red, crystal-embedded bindi on my forehead. It felt slightly misplaced from the start but I didn’t worry too much by now. They finally decided to brush my hair. Luckily, my toddler son chose the one with thicker teeth. And very diligently, he started doing top to bottom. I was surprised by how gentle it had got by now.


Decorating mummy had become more about exhibiting their prowess at ‘gentle hands’ than a show of strength and mutual competition. The objective was to make me look pretty. Such selflessness over natural mischief was remarkable. Perhaps, it was a lesson well and quickly learnt although it was intended to be a fun exercise.

Finally, they planted a clutch, barely hanging onto my hair, and asked me to go and look in the bigger mirror. I dared to, with mixed feelings of dread, curiosity and excitement. I am pleased to say I wasn’t as shocked as I had expected to be. Although it looked like someone who had woken up from a hangover of a fancy dress party, it was my boys’ hard work. They told me, “You look beautiful, mummy”. Naturally, the material bits didn’t matter anymore. My boys were wriggling with the expectation of a great feedback. Most deservedly, it came in the form of thank you hugs and heaps of appreciation. Without any expectation or planning, it turned out to be a great bonding expertise for us. And, of course, another gem in our treasure box of memories.

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Snowman Lapel Pin Christmas Craft

Snowman is one of the most charming icons of Christmas. Building a snowman is always a fun and amusing experience for kids.

I made this lovely snowman lapel pin with my daughter using buttons. This is a perfect Christmas gift from my daughter to her dad.

RELATED >> POPSICLE STICK PENGUIN

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This craft goes so well with the book Frosty the Snowman. My daughter loves to read this book with her very own snowman with a magic hat :)

HOW TO MAKE SNOWMAN CRAFT?

SUPPLIES

• Buttons (one small and one big)
• Cardstock Paper (black, white)
• Felt Sheet (red)
• Sharpie Markers (orange & black)
• Red Thread
• Glue
• Hot Glue Gun
• Safety pin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut a strip of white cardstock paper. And make blocks of black and orange color as shown below. 

Note: Adjust the spacing between the color blocks based on the size of the buttons. The idea is to fill the buttonholes with these colors to make the eyes, nose, and buttons of the snowman.

2. Glue a small button over the black & orange color block such that black color fills the two holes in the button making the eyes of the snowman and the orange color fills the one hole making the nose of the snowman.

3. Glue a big button over the next black block such that it fills all the holes of the button. You might notice in the pictures below that my daughter is using a brush to apply glue on the buttons. I feel it is much more convenient for her and great for fine motor development.

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Emotion Commotion

The preschool years are a very exciting time. Kids seem to have come a million miles from their toddler years. Not only have they grown cognitively but have also advanced their social and emotional skills significantly. 

My older son is four and a half years old and it has been a delight to see him grow. Not only does he fascinate me with interesting talk everyday but has also come to understand and express his emotional side. He is learning about feelings- their causes, ways in which they are expressed and managing conflicts. Since beginning the 'big school', his curiosity about other children's behaviours and feelings has only grown more.

While he is happy to play with new friends, he feels the 'friendship' is ignored if they form new groups and gets upset. However, he is happy to go back and play with same children if they ask him to join in in a game. Kudos to him for trying to expand his emotional spectrum and being open to resolve inner emotional conflicts, however small they may be.

On our way back from school, I usually enquire him about how his day has been. Mostly I get "I don't know" and "It was OK, mummy" as standard answers. If he is a little more kind or has an interesting news he is happy to chat away.

"We played in the sandpit together. He is my best friend."

"I got a star for being kind and helpful in the class, for listening well."

"I made a new friend today. He was very nice. I don't know his name."

"I was very good at school today. I shared my game."

However, there are days when he gets upset about certain things that are opposed to his idea of play or friendship. 

"He is not my best friend. He plays fighting games. I don't play fighting games."

On one occasion, just before bedtime, he became sad and almost broke down. "Nobody likes me. Nobody loves me. They don't play with me." It was perhaps his fatigue coupled with some disappointment earlier in the day. But it took some comforting and reassurance before he could say his good night. 

For a parent, managing your child's emotional distress and dilemma could be a tough task. Despite their endless 'whys', there is only so much that can be understood by their minds, no matter how well explained it is. Sometimes, what we can know and trust from what they tell us is very limited. 

I try to encourage him to talk about his day, all sorts of experiences. If there is something he does not like but isn't of great importance, e.g. Issues with new friends, I usually tell him it isn't a big deal and that we can wait to see how that goes. Quoting a few examples from past experiences helps. Arranging play dates with previous friends is also a good idea. It distracts kids from their new overwhelming environment and gives them confidence about existing relationships. And, finally, tight cuddles and pep-talk should always lift their spirit. I tell my son I will always be his 'best friend' and will always love him. That adds to our bonding every single time.

Sometimes, I have seen him respond to situations with a very positive attitude. It surprises me to see how easily children can learn to adapt to new situations. If he doesn't see a friend he was looking forward to meeting he goes, "I don't see him. O well, never mind." In encountering unexpected things or responding to little mishaps he says, "That's OK mummy. Isn't it?" He is also appreciative of good behaviour from strangers, often quipping, "O, that's a very kind man, isn't it?"

I have often seeing him providing consolation to my younger son, his two-year-old brother, when the latter gets upset, offering him appropriate and sympathetic advice. If he can, he tries to provide solutions to his problems. 

"Why are you crying baby? Are you hurt? Let me see. Don't worry, I will make you feel better."

"You can't find your gorilla. Play with a dinosaur instead. You like him too. Don't you, baby."

It is reassuring to see that he is learning about positive behaviour and makes efforts to manage conflicting emotions, especially that upset him and challenge his pre-set notions about friendship and new relationships. He focuses on being a 'kind and gentle good boy'. But there are and will be times when he will need more help from us. The least we could do is to understand and appreciate him for talking about his feelings. If we can, we will resolve them. If we can't, we can always count on our hugs for comfort.

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Super Fun & Easy Halloween Crafts For Kids

Who said Halloween crafts have to be scary? We have cute crafts for almost all the Halloween paraphernalia popular with kids.

Here goes our spooktacular list of Halloween crafts. I am sure you will enjoy making them with your kids.

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Jack-O-Lantern Paper Pumpkins

Here's an easy and cute pumpkin craft for Halloween.. You might also like to check our fun Halloween Spider and cool Halloween Bats crafts.

A Jack-o-lantern is a carved pumpkin lantern, associated with the holiday of Halloween. 

It was amusing to see my daughter playing with these cute pumpkin lanterns as finger puppets. Aren't these fun little finger puppets for toddlers?

Related: Halloween Monsters

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HOW TO MAKE JACK-O-LANTERN PUMPKINS?

SUPPLIES:

Cardstock Paper
Stapler
Glue Stick
Scissor
Pencil
Ruler

BEHIND THE SCENE STEPS:

1. Cut out a strip of orange paper (~2.5"-3" width) and draw a line dividing the paper into 2:3 ratio. Drawn vertical lines approx 0.5" apart as shown below.

2. Cut along the vertical lines.

3. Staple or glue the vertical cutouts to the opposite end of the paper strip as shown below.

4. Cut the required paper strip to make a circular shape for pumpkin as shown below.

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20+ Fun and Easy Animal Crafts For Kids

Here is the list of over 20 adorable craft ideas to try today on the World Animal Day (Oct 04).

We have animal project ideas for kids of all ages here. There are lots of animal activities for preschoolers and kindergarten kids that comes with free printables.

Kids will love crafting their animals and then playing with them. You will find here lots of easy crafts for kids for an animal-theme lesson plan.

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Halloween Witch Craft

"When witches go riding and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers, 'tis near Halloween"

These lines are so true. Halloween and witches go hand in hand. Witches are one of the most traditional mysterious creatures associated with Halloween.

So, how can we go without crafting one?

Heres witching you all a very happy Halloween in advance!

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HOW TO MAKE HALLOWEEN WITCH CRAFT?

SUPPLIES

Cardstock Paper (black, green, yellow)

Popsicle Stick (1, green)

Cupcake Liner (2)

Toothpick (1)

Thread (black, ivory)

Black Marker

Glue

Scissor

Tape

BEHIND THE SCENE STEPS

1. Cut out the shape for hat, hands, nose, face, and eyes. Make eyeballs with a black pen.

2. My daughter scribbled on white cupcake liners to make the black dress. You can also use black liners if you have them.

3. Glue eyes, nose, and hat to the face. Make mouth with a black pen.

4. Glue face to the popsicle stick. 

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Paper Flower Craft

"The Earth Laughs in Flowers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Flowers evoke emotions of colors, fragrance and freshness. They are a great way to teach young kids about the beauty and delicateness of nature. So, for our next craft, we decided to create these unique paper flowers. My daughter enjoyed pasting the petals together and then playing with the flower when it was ready.

It's a nice easy craft for little children.

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Elmer, The Patchwork Elephant Craft

My toddler loves to read her Elmer books. We made this very colorfully patchy Elmer with chopstick dots using Pointillism art technique. Pointillism is a way of painting in which small separate dots of color are used to form images.

We had a blast with this art. After we were done with the Elmer, my toddler continued stamping with chopsticks on a paper. I must say, she loved it. In addition to fun, it makes a great activity for developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Here comes our Elmer, The Patchwork Elephant:

HOW TO MAKE ELEPHANT CRAFT?

MATERIALS:
Cardboard Paper
Paints
Chopsticks

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fold a thin cardboard paper (9"x7") and cut out the shape of Elmer elephant.

2. Enjoy dotting with the rectangular end of chopsticks on the cardboard elephant cutout.

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Nick Wilde, The Charming Fox of Zootopia

Nick Wilde is a major character in the lovely Walt Disney movie - Zootopia. Our family has watched Zootopia many many times and we really enjoyed the nuanced characterizations in the movie.

Especially, our two-year-old toddler who has by now memorized the names of all the key characters in the movie - her favourite being Judy! No wonder Zootopia was declared the best-animated movie in Oscars 2017. It's just a very endearing movie.

Here is our charming, con-artist fox with a big mouth and a lot of opinions.

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Handprint Apple Tree Craft

Do you look for ways to use old newspapers and magazine brochure you get in your mailbox?

How about making a craft out of them? We always try to upcycle the materials at home to reduce waste and help our environment.

Here is a cute and easy craft made using magazine paper. This is a fun activity for kids to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. And, the end result is a beautiful Apple Tree!

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Angry Birds Puppet Craft

After the colorful Peacock Puppet craft, my toddler wanted to make more birds. When I asked her, ok what do you want to craft? "Angry Bird", she said.

So, here are our Angry Birds friends. Creating this craft helped hone my toddler's fine motor skills and gave her new toys to play with.

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How I switched my Pinterest personal account to business account?

Pinterest is a visual bookmarking platform used to discover and save creative ideas. Founded in March 2010, with 175 million[1]  monthly users is becoming one of the fastest growing social network and top traffic driver for businesses.

I recently switched my personal Pinterest account to a business account, so thought of sharing my experience and process. It was very easy to convert and the business account comes with a lot of useful features like analytics, promoted & rich pins, board showcase, ads and pin stats. If you think you can benefit from some of these features, then you must consider switching to Pinterest Business account.

Here are the steps:

1. Log in to your account and go to your profile page by clicking on your name on the top right side.

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Paper Plate Wheel Calendar

I have been thinking of introducing calendar to my toddler for some time. Then I thought, why not do it as a craft activity?

Spent some time thinking about how one could represent the functionality of a calendar via craft and something interesting came from it. Making this craft turned out to be a real fun activity. In the process of crafting this, my toddler got to sort numbers and recognize words.

Most importantly I can now teach her about the relationship between date, day and month in a simple,  playful manner.

Here is the Paper Plate Wheel Calendar craft.

RELATED >> 30+ PAPER PLATE CRAFTS

Interactive paper plate crafts are my favorite. The Solar Eclipse Craft we made after the total solar eclipse last year is such a great idea for preschooler and kindergarten kids.

I also love the interactive Paper Plate Bunny Craft we made around Easter to encourage the importance of chewing food well and eating healthy foods like carrots.

Theseinteractive crafts are fun for storytelling and introducing any concepts to little kids. Also, it makes great DIY toys for free play.

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HOW TO MAKE CALENDAR CRAFT?

SUPPLIES

• Paper Plate 9" (2) 
• Paper Plate 6" (1) 
• Cardstock Paper (pink, blue, green, black) 
• Pipe Cleaner
• Bead (1) 
• Black Marker
• Scissor
• Glue

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the edges of one 9" and one 6" inch paper plate to make 6.5" & 4.5" circles. 

2. Cut out the shapes for writing dates, days and months. Alternatively, you can write them directly on the paper plate. 

4. Cut out the shape of an arrow pointer from black cardstock paper.

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Family Handprints Peacock Puppet

Peacock is one of the most beautiful and colorful birds in the world and we love to make colorful crafts.

This craft is more special since we could involve my husband in the making as well :). It was a fun family activity for the weekend. My tot got to learn about this colorful bird, its crested head, and  magnificent feather train.

Here is the Family Handprints Peacock Puppet Craft:

RELATED: 20+ ANIMAL CRAFTS FOR KIDS

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Paper Snail Craft

“No dream is too big, and no dreamer too small”

Craft inspired by Turbo, a 2013 DreamWorks fun animated movie. The film features a speed-obsessed garden snail named Turbo who dreams of becoming a racing champion. It’s a cute movie with positive message and inspiration for kids.

Here are our shells on wheels:

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Goofy Puppet Craft

Do your kids love Mickey Mouse family?

Mickey Mouse family crafts never fail to entertain my toddler. They are always a hit for her. Here is another animal cartoon character from Mickey's family - GOOFY, the tall & funny dog!

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