Free Printable Manger Scenes, Nativity Sets

During Advent we prepare our hearts for Jesus. We set out Advent wreaths, calendars. We put up nativity sets, also called
creche, manger scene or naciemiento. Here are free printable nativity scenes. These paper nativity scenes provide hours of educational fun for children and preschoolers as they color, cut out and assemble the manger scene. Children learn the Christmas story as they create the stable, shepherds, animals, wisemen, Mary, Joseph, angel and Baby Jesus.

In our house, we begin with a stable full of animals on the first Sunday of advent. Each day we move the figures a little closer toward the stable. When the children were young, they loved 'helping' Mary and Joseph and the Magi travel to Bethlehem. We would place an unbreakable nativity set on a shelf at child level and they were free to rearrange the characters as they chose. This was before the 'advent' (pardon the pun) of computers. Now you can print entire nativity sets for preschoolers, Sunday Schoolers, students and children to make themselves. Here are the links. Free Printable Advent and Christmas Nativity Scenes 

Free Printable Hanukkah Crafts, Games, Puzzles, Activities

Hanukkah or Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights. It begins on Kislev 25 in the Hebrew lunar calendar. That's usually a few weeks before Christmas. It's an 8-day celebration. Chanukah starts early in 2013, the day before Thanksgiving at sundown November 27 and goes till December 5. Here are free printable crafts and activities to celebrate Hanukkah.  Free Printable Chanukah and Hanukkah Crafts, Games, Puzzles and Activities 

Gifts Kids Can Make, Story CDs Read by Children

Remember books on tape, which morphed to story CDs and finally e-books? I'm all about homemade and DIY. Here's a tutorial on how to record your own audio book, make into an mp3 file, then give as a gift. Better still, children can read the books aloud and give the recordings as presents. Cheap, educational, interactive and fun! Here's how. Homemade, Educational Christmas Gifts, Story CDs Read by Children

10 Candy Alternative Treats for Halloween

I'm not a complete Halloween Scrooge. I pass out treats. But I do like to give sugar alternatives. I wrote one list and here are 10 more trick-or-treat handouts. Start preschool kids out in trick-or-treat culture with reduced focus on candy. 10 Candy Alternative Treats for Halloween

Homemade Despicable Me Minions Halloween Costumes

Despicable Me 1 and 2 are crazy-cute cartoons, with cheek-pinchable adorable little yellow Twinkie-shaped minions. I predict lots of lminions this Halloween. Want to make a Despicable Me minion Halloween costume? There are several options to create the yellow capsule shaped body of the Despicable Me minion. The first and easiest option is to make a cylinder like a toilet paper rolls, from a large yellow poster board, draw on the minion face, goggles and blue overalls. Simply cut arm holes, slip the tube over the body and push arms through armholes. Wear jeans with black shoes and a long-sleeved yellow shirt to complete the minion Halloween costume. The head sticks out through the tube, but is not dressed as a minion. Oh and my favorite minion line? "stuffed crust."  Easy Despicable Me Minion Halloween Costume Ideas

Recycled Costume and Dress-Up Crafts for Children

 Got bored preschoolers? Big brothers and sisters gone to school and the little ones are restless. Or maybe it's too yucky to play outside. If you need a fun fix fast, I'm your go-to gal. This ex-homeschool mama is the queen of cheap, easy and parent-friendly. Your recycle bin is your best ally. Today's boredom first-aid: homemade hats. With Halloween approaching, why not start those costumes? Use for school projects, too. Rainy Day Recycle Bin Crafts for Kids--Homemade Hats

Repurpose Sand Box for Preschool Sensory Exploration

I homeschooled four kids in a single-wide old mobile home. So I'm all about frugal, recycling and simplicity. A favorite way to do all three is with repurposed materials. We made outdoor toys do double duty in winter with indoor uses. For example, their Little Tikes Sand Turtle was filled with Lake Michigan beach sand and enjoyed all summer. Then in winter, I cleaned it out, bleach and sanitized and brought it indoors.

I placed a recycled old plastic tablecloth under it (you could use a shower curtain, sheet, paint drop cloth or blanket). I filled the box with colorful aquarium rocks. This costs about $15. It's my version of preschool sand and water table or the Montessori rice tub. I don't like to use food stuffs as it A) teaches food waste and B) draws bugs. Read more. Repurpose Summer Toys for Indoor Preschool Play-- Sand Box