Celebrating the Olympics {with kids}

Our family has really been enjoying the Olympics in Sochi, and today I am sharing 3 simple Olympic crafts that will help you celebrate the games with your kids.  I am also sharing a few ideas for fun Olympic treats. 

When it comes to Olympic crafts, it's all about the torch, the Olympic flag, and the medals.  Turn an empty paper towel roll into an Olympic torch by wrapping it in tin foil and adding some red and orange tissue paper flames.  

Or... cut some circles from cardstock, colour the circles, and add some ribbon or string to create adorable gold, silver and bronze medals. 

And finally... grab a piece of card stock, markers, and a craft stick to create a simple Olympic flag.  

Themed snacks are the perfect companion to any crafting sessions, and the Olympics provide the perfect snacking inspiration.  Try baking cupcakes in ice cream cones and adding fruit roll-up flames to create edible Olympic torches.  Cakes or cupcakes decorated with the Olympic rings are also fun options.  (You can find the instructions for this adorable Olympic cake here.)

As the games draw to a close, I am reflecting on all the valuable lessons that children can learn from watching athletic competitions.  The Olympics, as a worldwide competition, provide a unique opportunity to teach children about diversity, other countries, and different cultures.  The games also give parents a chance to nurture their children's sense of national pride and community.

I love that my boys are being exposed to new sports, the rewards of hard work, and the inevitable fact that sometimes people (even great athletes) don't always win.  We are watching the events together, as a family, and we have had some great discussions about these things.

I hope you enjoy some of these easy Olympic crafts and snacks with your family as you continue to celebrate the games.  I know our family will continue to watch and cheer, and I hope my boys learn some lessons about the importance of being active, the value of teamwork, and the grace that comes from exhibiting good sportsmanship.  GO CANADA GO!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Olympic Cake

Olympic fever has hit my house in a big way.  So... yesterday I baked a special treat for my boys -- an Olympic cake.  This cake was really easy to make, and my boys LOVED it!

I started with a cake mix and covered it with store-bought icing. Then, I made an Olympic flag from card stock, and I used yarn and paper straws to place it on top of the cake.  Finally, to add a bit of color, I trimmed the bottom of the cake with Smarties.

Fun, right? If your family loves the Olympics, you should totally make this cake. I think it would be really great to have it as a treat during the closing ceremonies. I might need to make a second one. ;-)

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Valentine Mailboxes {Crafts for Kids}

Do you remember making Valentine mailboxes when you were child?  Check out these 3 adorable mailboxes that you can easily craft with your little ones – a cereal box mailbox, a paper plate mailbox, and a paper bag mailbox.

Today, I am sharing all three Valentine Mailbox tutorials at CBC kids, and you can find them here.

Happy Valentines Day!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Harry Potter Party Signage

Today I am sharing another fun element from my son's Harry Potter birthday party.  I absolutely loved the Harry Potter party signage I created (and it was all easy and inexpensive to put together).

The 9 3/4 Platform sign (and brick wall) that greeted guests as they arrived at the party was my absolute favorite.

For the 9 3/4 platform sign, I started with a piece of foamcore from the dollar store, I covered it with a piece of red bristol board, and I secured it around the edges with red duct tape. Then, I printed the number and letters on my computer, cut them out, and attached them to the sign.  (I finished the sign with a plastic chain I purchased at Halloween... but a piece of twine or ribbon would work too.)

To make the brick wall, I started with a white paper tablecloth (backed with plastic) from the dollar store.  Then, I dipped a sponge in red paint, and pressed it onto the tablecloth to make a "brick".  I repeated this process until the entire tablecloth was covered.

I also had signs for the different "shops" from Harry Potter.  I had one for Flourish & Blotts, one for Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, and one for Ollivander's.  I printed them on my computer, and framed them in inexpensive red frames (from the dollar store).

Finally, I made a bright and cheerful sign for Honeydukes Sweet Shop.  I started with a piece of foam core from the dollar store, and I trimmed the edges with duct tape.  Then, I printed the letters on my computer, cut them out, and attached them to the sign.

I thought these signs were a lot of fun and really helped the guests feel like they were transported to the world of Harry Potter.  I loved them all, but the Platform 9 3/4 signage was definitely my favorite. What do you think?

And... if you want to see the rest of the Harry Potter Party details (including our invite, food and cake ideas, and party activities), you can check them out here.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the fun party ideas here.

Simple Teacher Valentine... with free printable tag

It's the time of year when my boys head off to school with special Valentines for all of their classmates, and of course, they want special Valentines for their teachers too.  So, this year I designed a little tag that they can attach to a box of chocolates or some homemade cookies.

I love how simple and cute this idea is, don't you?  You can "right click" on the tag below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

And... little ones can write a little note to their teacher on the back of the tag to make it even more special.

Do your children like to bring valentines to their teachers?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Valentine's Day Headband

Yesterday I made this easy and inexpensive craft with a group of toddlers and preschoolers, and it was a big hit.  Don't you just love this adorable Valentine's Day headband?

It is simple to make with a few supplies you probably already have on hand.  You'll need: cardstock, tissue paper, stickers or crayons, scissors, and glue.  

Here's how you make one:

1)  Cut two (2-inch wide) strips and a heart from white cardstock.
2)  Cut some read tissue paper into 1-inch squares.
3)  Tape the two strips together to form one long strip, and tape the heart to the centre.
4)  Have the children decorate the band with stickers or crayons.
5)  Have the children scrunch up tissue paper and glue it to the heart.  Continue until the entire heart is covered.
6)  Size the band to fit the child's head, and tape it in place.

I think this headband is the perfect Valentine's Day craft to do with one child or with a group of kids.  If you make one, let me know how it turns out.  Happy Valentine's Day!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Playing Spies

Yesterday my boys and I had a "spy day", and today I am sharing all the fun DIY elements with you.  I really enjoyed watching how engaged my boys were in all the fun activities I planned for them, and I hope you are inspired to plan a similar day with your little ones.

In the morning, when the boys came downstairs, they found a homemade dollar store spy kit, and a folder containing their "missions".

The missions (which you can download here) were as follows:

1)  Conduct surveillance... using the surveillance worksheet you can download here.

2)  Engage in a kitchen dance party... wearing disguises.

3)  Navigate through a laser maze... which was made using red yarn and tape.

4)  Write secret messages using lemon juice.  (The messages were revealed when held over a lamp.)

5)  Complete a scavenger hunt... which you can download here.

We had such a fantastic day "playing spies", and my boys are still playing with their spy kits. What do your kids love to "pretend to be"?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - Find another 5 SPY GAMES here.