Terri Thompson

24 Ideas to Fill Your Advent Calendar

November 17, 2014 By Terri Thompson

Do you make an advent calendar? It’s a fun way to fit in a little bit of extra fun and family time over the holiday season. I’ve seen calendars filled with candy or little toys. We have one that tells the Christmas story over the course of 24 tiny books. Other advent calendars are filled with fun little activities. If that’s the kind of advent calendar you’re looking for, then you’re in luck. Here are 24 activities to add to your calendar. Click the links provided for more details.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Day 1: Decorate your Christmas tree

Day 2: Shop for toys to donate to Toys for Tots.

Day 3: Read a new Christmas book. Here are some greats ideas at this book list from Modern Parents Messy Kids.

Day 4: Make personalized Christmas cards for your faraway friends and family.

Day 5: Put on the Christmas tunes and have a dance party!

Day 6: Make stained glass ornaments to hang on the tree.

Day 7: Play in the snow! If you don’t have any, you can make some snow dough like this from Buggy and Buddy.

Day 8: Make gifts for neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Try these hot chocolate spoons from The Nerd’s Wife or this gift of dishes from Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke.

Day 9: Make a sparkly Christmas tree bunting to brighten up your windows.

Day 10: Use footprints to decorate your own wrapping paper. Check out this fun idea at Skip to My Lou.

Day 11: Make hot chocolate and watch a favorite Christmas movie.

Day 12: Use your old Christmas cards to make decorative paper chains.

Day 13: Play some Christmas word games. I’ve got some fun choices for you here.

Day 14: Create a time capsule Christmas ornament. Find the instructions at Barefeet on the Dashboard.

Day 15: Make pom-pom jingle bell necklaces.

Day 16: Build a snowman – on your window. Check out this fun idea from The Train Driver’s Wife.

Day 17: Make Santa hat ornaments to hang on your tree.

Day 18: Have a Christmas carol sing-along.

Day 19: Create simple crayon-resist candy canes.

Day 20: Drive around town and look at all the beautiful Christmas lights.

Day 21: Have a Frosty the Snowman themed family fun night.

Day 22: Make Joy to the World ornaments.

Day 23: Snack on hot chocolate popcorn from Chocolate Moosey. Oh, and watch another favorite Christmas movie!

Day 24: Read the Christmas story from the Bible.

What ideas would you add to an advent calendar?

Balloons over Broadway: Book and Craft

November 14, 2014 By Terri Thompson

We try every year to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Sometimes we’re able to see the whole thing and other years we see bits and pieces. I’ve been watching it ever since I was a child and I love to pass the fun along to my girls.

This year we learned a little about the history of the parade and the man who originally created the concept of the balloons with the book Balloons Over Broadway. Then, we made our own Thanksgiving craft by making our own parade balloons.

Once you’re done with this fun craft, you can find more Thanksgiving crafts for kids here.

Make your own version of the balloon puppets in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade inspired by the book Balloons Over Broadway.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Supplies Needed

Balloons
Construction paper
Scissors
Clear tape
Permanent markers
String

Balloons Over Broadway book

The inspiration for our project came from this wonderful book, Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet.

It’s a fun and fascinating book about Tony Sarg, a puppeteer who created the concept for the balloons you see every year in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The book is well suited for all elementary-aged kids. (Plus, I found it quite fascinating as an adult!)

Make your parade balloon craft

Since we were talking about the parade balloons, we gathered supplied to make our own versions.

I blew up a balloon for each of the girls and brought out tape, markers, and construction paper. Clear tape is the best way to attach your construction paper. Glue will just make everything slip and slide and will never stick well.

My girls loved the excuse to play with tape. But be warned, don’t peel tape off the balloon. It could pop!

We cut embellishments from our construction paper. My oldest made a tiara and necklace for her princess and my youngest cut ears and a mane for her horse.

Use the permanent markers to add details. Don’t use washable markers on your balloon, they will just smear and come off on your hands. The permanent markers will smear if you touch it before it dries, but once it’s dry, it will stay on the balloon.

We had one balloon pop because we were pressing down too hard with the marker, so use a light hand with your markers.

Once your balloons are finished attach string so you can hang it or carry it around.

We had a ton of fun making our parade balloons inspired by Balloons Over Broadway. This is a fun 3-D art project and you can turn your balloons into just about anything. Use your imagination and have fun. Have your own parade when you’re finished and enjoy this mini family adventure.

Make this a family adventure

Cost: Under $5.00 for supplies
Prep Time: Five to ten minutes to gather supplies. Make plans to purchase or stop by the library to find the book, Balloons Over Broadway.
Ages: Anyone 5 and up can complete this project independently. Younger kids will enjoy working with an older partner
Time Needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Gather around the table and let everyone create their own parade balloon. Round out the family adventure by letting your kids hold their own Thanksgiving parade.

Simple DIY Gratitude Journal

November 11, 2014 By Terri Thompson

Every November, in anticipation of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I start thinking about gratitude.

I do, and certainly should, think about it all year long. But, in November, I always like to clear my head before the busyness of the Christmas season and think about all that I am thankful for.

I try to pull my girls into these conversations too. We talked about gratitude a lot.

This year, I made a simple gratitude journal to jump start the conversation.

Make a simple DIY Gratitude Journal. This little journal is a great place to encourage kids to write about all that they are thankful for.

The journals are very easy to make and are the perfect craft for your older child, tween, or even teen.

And, once you’ve finished this fun craft, you can find all of our Thanksgiving crafts for kids at this link.

Supplies Needed

8-1/2 by 5-1/2 piece of scrapbook paper
Plain paper
Stapler
Washi tape
Glue stick
Alphabet stamps
Ink pad

How to make a gratitude journal

For each gratitude journal, you will need 1 piece of scrapbook paper and 4 pieces of plain paper. I used a pretty cream paper we had. Plain copy paper would work as well.

Each piece of paper was cut to the size of 8-1/2 by 5-1/2. This is the size of half of a sheet of copy paper.

Fold each piece of paper in half and sandwich them all together to make your book.

Staple along the folded edge to keep your book together.

I used three staples, at the top, middle, and bottom.

Cover your staples with a strip of washi tape folded over the folded edge. If you don’t have any washi tape, you could also use masking tape decorated with a permanent marker. (Note: I’ve been able to find washi tape in most craft stores and in the craft section of many big-box stores.)

I also cut a small piece of paper and attached it to the front of our journals with glue stick and washi tape. I used the alphabet stamps to stamp the word “gratitude” to the front of our journals.

It’s time to write!

Now that the journals are finished, it’s time to fill them up.

You can use them to simply list all the things you are thankful for or use it in a diary format and write down one thing a day.

If your child needs a few prompts, write “I am thankful for…” at the top of each page. Anything goes.

Extend the fun:

Make one journal for the whole family to share. Take turns sharing all the things you are grateful for.

Share your journals at the dinner table or at bedtime. Use the time to talk about gratitude and give thanks together.

No child is too young! Start the conversation with your little one and help them find things they are grateful for. Record all their ideas in this little journal and remember to include the date. Ten years from now, you’ll love and treasure all their thoughts.

10 Great Thanksgiving Books for Kids

November 4, 2014 By Terri Thompson

Every year, I come across new and fantastic Thanksgiving books for kids.

This list is a collection of both new and old favorites that we’ve discovered. Some are in our own personal library and some have been checked out from our public library. And, there are some that really need to be added to our personal library.

Here are some of our favorite Thanksgiving books. What are yours?

10 awesome Thanksgiving books for kids that will appeal to both preschoolers and elementary kids. Check out a few this month!

This post contains Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Books about the history of Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George. George’s skillful storytelling brings to life the first Thanksgiving in such a way that your kids will be hooked. The illustrations are beautiful and it’s a great overall historical reference. Perfect for your elementary-aged kids.

If You Were At The First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma. This is another good historical choice. The book is lengthy and better-suited for an elementary-aged crowd. But, it is packed full of interesting facts and stories. This is a great choice for anyone interested in the history of the first Thanksgiving.

P Is for Pilgrim: A Thanksgiving Alphabet by Carol Crane. Yes, it’s an alphabet books, but it’s definitely not your average preschool alphabet book. I would argue that this is another good one for your elementary-aged kids. Learn details about the pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving by following the alphabet. I learned so many things from this book.

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson. I’ll confess. I never knew the name of Sarah Hale before picking up this book. It’s a delightful book that teaches you all about this remarkable lady and her quest to make Thanksgiving into a national holiday. Learn all about determination, the power of writing, and the history of how our modern day Thanksgiving came to be.

Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year? We try to catch it as much as we can. This book tells the story of the parade and the remarkable man who created their famous flying balloons. I love this book!

More fun Thanksgiving books for kids

The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell. After burning their Thanksgiving dinner, Anne and Ed go out to a restaurant and end up guests at an immigrant family’s Thanksgiving feast. They learn about friendship and generosity all while experiencing one amazing Thanksgiving dinner.

A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting. This is probably my favorite book on this whole list. Mr. Moose promises his wife a turkey for Thanksgiving. After a romp through the woods to find a turkey, Mr. Moose finally finds one and brings him home. Only instead of finding himself served for dinner, Turkey discovers that he is the guest of honor.

Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland. This sweet book is a good starting point for teaching your kids about gratitude. I love this book and love the concept.

The Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings by Mike Berenstain. This is my favorite choice for anyone looking for a faith-based book about Thanksgiving and giving thanks. Join along as the Berenstain Bears travel to Grandma’s house and talk about everything they are grateful for.

Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day, illustrated by Matt Tavares. I dare you now to sing along while reading this book. This classic song is paired by beautiful illustrations. It’s a fun read, especially if you’re heading off to the grandparents for Thanksgiving.

Hope you enjoy reading these Thanksgiving books for kids!

14 Days of Halloween

October 16, 2014 By Terri Thompson

I’ve been blogging for awhile now, but I’ve never really challenged myself as much as I did this month with the 14 Days of Halloween Fun. But, I persevered, had a blast, and now have a ton of cool Halloween content for you. I’ve gathered them all here in one place for you and will be adding the three additional posts to the end once they go live.

Click around and have fun doing these activities with your kids!

Black Cat Masks

Jack-O-Lantern Pencil Holder

No-Sew Ghost Pencil Toppers

Halloween Craft Stick Puppets

Cardboard Tube Spiders

Paper Plate Jack-O-Lanterns