Chocolate Isn't a Vegetable?

Here is a fun way to turn an inexpensive clipboard into a message/photo board: Cut a piece of scrapbook paper to fit the shape of the clipboard. Cover the board with a thin layer of Modge Podge and carefully place the scrapbook paper on the clipboard. Decorate the paper with die-cuts, stickers etc. and cover everything with another layer of Modge Podge. Add a ribbon to the board's clip and place on a plate holder (available at craft stores, Walmart, etc.) to display. Now you can clip photos, shopping lists, recipe cards, and other fun things on this pretty, yet functional, clipboard. You can also cover your clipboard with chalkboard paint and then embellish it with stickers and ribbons, for an erasable message board.

Making marbled paper is a fun and educational activity that builds vocabulary and small motor skills! To create the marbled effect, pour liquid laundry starch into a shallow baking sheet. The liquid should cover the sheet about 1/4 inch deep. Next, mix a tablespoon of acrylic paint with two teaspoons of water, and stir well. Repeat for additional colors you would like to use. Drop as many colors as you like on the laundry starch surface. Next, use a chop stick or the wrong end of a pencil to create swirls and other paint designs. Cover the design with an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper and lift it up by the edges a few seconds later. Briefly dip the paper into a pan filled with cold water to wash off the starch. Let the paper dry on newspapers or on a thick old towel. Throughout the whole process, talk to your child about the colors and patterns she is creating. Discuss the names of the colors and point out the color names on the paint containers. After the paper dries you may have to ca...

Today, create your own non-toxic finger paint. It is easy, inexpensive, and fun to make these! Check out a few recipes for finger paint here . Create a rainbow of colors and allow your little one to have fun creating colorful works of art! Model the letters of his first name for your child and have fun watching him create his own masterpiece!

It's never to early to teach our little ones about kindness! Today, create a card for a neighbor, friend, or relative! Fold a piece of paper in half and ask your child to tell you what message to include in the card. Write his message word for word. Allow him to "write" his own message as well, if he seems interested. Then, decorate with crayons, stickers, markers etc. until the card looks beautiful to both of you. Talk about how happy the person will be to receive your card and discuss other ways to "be a sunshine" (by baking cookies for a shut-in, providing dinner to a family with a new baby etc.). Babies can make greeting cards too - just paint those little hands and press them on the card for great handprint art!