From all of us here at More4kids, Happy 4th of July. The Fourth of July celebrates the birth of the United States of America. Founded July 4th 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, America is celebrating its 232nd birthday this year (2008).
It is a time for families and friends not only to come together and have fun, but also a time to honor our Veterans and men and women who are putting their lives in danger every day for us, and those who have made the biggest sacrifice for our freedom with their lives. Try to throw your politics aside, and let us all take a moment to think about, and be grateful to all who wear the American uniform, and to our police and firefighters who protect us day in and out. They all deserve our recognition and thanx, more than we can put in words. And don't forget the spouses and families of those in uniform. It takes very special people to be part of a military family, and our hearts, thanx, and recognition should go out to them too.
No matter whether you travel across the country to celebrate our nation’s birthday, or decide to stay at home in your own backyard, there are many different ways to make this a very special holiday.
All that is needed for a fantastic Fourth are three key ingredients:
1. A Plan
2. Preparation
3. and much, much Enthusiasm.
We’ll provide the plan to get you started!
Ready? Set?
Not lets get the ball on the road and get going!
READ More on Fourth of July Festivities for the Entire Family
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Filed under Activities, Family, Holidays by More4kids
For most, the school year is over and summer awaits. What can you do with your kids so that they won't forget everything they learned and have a head start when they return back to school? Well, there are many exciting learning activities and games for the summer months that can keep children of all ages on track academically. It is important to allow children the opportunity to break away a little from the day to day studies and lessons that they experience throughout the school year during the summer months, but that does not mean that they should be permitted to stray completely from their studies. There are several games and activities that can allow children to enjoy their break from school while conveniently sharpening their academic skills as well! Here I will share some of the creative approaches to learning in an enjoyable fashion in June, July, and August! READ More on Exciting Learning Activities and Games for the Summer Months
Filed under Activities by More4kids
Grandmas love surprises, and there is nothing more special than a homemade gift that comes from the heart, even if they don’t have a use for the gift. They know just how to fawn over present given in love. Here are a few ideas Mom and Grandchildren can work on together to make Mothers Day extra special:
- Potpourri pies are popular in gift stores. Here’s how your little one can create a similar experience. Create this pie with a disposable pie shell. Make a bottom pie crust out of flour/salt dough. Add a potpourri that smells like your grandmother’s favorite scent, and then create a lattice pattern out of the dough. Cover the potpourri and allow the dough to harden overnight. To enjoy the potpourri, “bake” the pie in a warm oven.
READ More on Mothers Day for Grandmas - Gifts She Will Love
Filed under Activities, Holidays, Mothers Day by More4kids
Being a dad who is not a very good cook, I wanted to find something fun and nice I can do for the kids. This is what I found:
Just for Mom Fruit Salad - here is a recipe that Dad and kids can easily make for Mom and have fun doing it together.
Ingredients:
1 can prepared lemon pie filling
12 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 - 15 oz. can tropical fruit salad, drained
1 - 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 - 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups fresh strawberries
Instructions:
Mix lemon pie filling and whipped topping together in a large bowl. Add fruit to mixture and chill in refrigerator from 4 hours to overnight. When ready to serve, top with fresh strawberries or fruit of your choice and whipped topping. Servings: 8
Filed under Cooking, Holidays, Mothers Day by Kevin
It’s after April 15, the taxes are in the mail, and now it’s time to tackle the real challenge of spring — little league. Well, not exactly, but all over the country, kids of all ages are gearing up for the new season of sports from little tikes, to varsity players. Parents are approaching this rite of childhood with a combination of excitement and dread as they ponder the impending vicissitudes: the thrill of success, and the agony of defeat—not the euphemism, the real deal— registering in every fiber of their child’s being and right there for everyone to see.
Filed under Activities, Parenting, Sports by More4kids
Remember dads, Mothers day is just a few weeks away, and if you have young toddlers they will need your help in making Moms day extra special. On Mother's Day its the thought that counts and actions can express love much more than expensive gifts. For younger kids its a great lesson to teach kids that money and expensive gifts don't buy love, and that love comes from the heart or buying something that has meaning and feeling behind it. Unless your kids have been saving their allowance religiously, they may not be able to afford to buy an expensive gift for Mother’s Day. However, here are some ideas for inexpensive Mother’s Day gifts.
READ More on Inexpensive Mothers Day Gift Ideas
Filed under Activities, Holidays, Mothers Day, News by More4kids
If you have a family and you want to celebrate this Valentine's Day together, you may want to plan a very special menu for this day. Sure, Valentine's Day is for lovers, but you love your kids too and you want to make this day a special one for the entire family. Well, one way to make the day special for everyone is to make some great Valentine's Day dishes. No idea where to begin? Well, here are some great recipes for family dishes that you can serve on Valentine's Day this year.
Heart Shaped Pancakes
One great family dish (even dad can make) for breakfast on Valentine's Day is heart shaped pancakes. If your kids love having pancakes for breakfast, they are sure to love this great breakfast dish. You will need to have a heart shaped cookie cutter to make them, or if you are artistic you may be able to shape them yourself. Here's the recipe and instructions.
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Filed under Activities, Cooking, Holidays by More4kids
Valentine's Day will be here soon and it can be a fun time for young and old alike. There are many Valentine’s Day gifts that kids can make. Regardless of how old your child is, they will enjoy collaborating with you in order to develop gifts that they can share with their friends, teachers, relatives, and other people who they consider to be “special”. Below are a couple of great ideas that can be loads of fun for your child this Valentine’s Day!
The Handprint Heart
The first Valentine’s Day gift that kids can make to share with virtually anyone is the handprint heart. This is a very unique and special keepsake that is sure to make the day of the person on the receiving end.
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Filed under Activities, Kids Crafts by More4kids
This past year, 2008 brought about many excellent movies for the entire family. There were movies about fearsome animals, movies about interesting adventures, and family movies that took place in another world. With all the great releases this past year, it's definitely hard to choose the best ones. However, if you missed out on some of the family movies of 2008, here's a list of some of the top one's you'll want to see with the whole family as well as the Editor's Pick for the year.
EDITORS CHOICE: Kung Fu Panda
One of the most exciting movies of the year was definitely Kung Fu Panda. This movie was about a panda bear that was a bit on the clumsy side who later becomes the kung fu hero of the entire city. Of course no one thought Po, the panda, who worked in the noodle shop with his father, would ever become a martial arts hero, although this is what he's dreamed of all his life. When an ancient prophecy finally comes to pass, suddenly Po the Panda realizes he is going to have to save everyone from the destruction that is coming in the future. This is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat while bringing the whole family plenty of laughs as well.
READ More on Best Family Movies 2008
Filed under Activities, Family by More4kids
Christmas is just about here and you are probably frantically trying to figure out what you are going to make for exciting Christmas desserts. No doubt you want to pick out something that is going to be tasty, but finding something that can be fun for everyone in the family is definitely a great idea. So, when you are choosing your desserts, make sure that you consider the taste, the way the desserts look, and of course make sure that they are family oriented.
In fact, as you are choosing and making holiday desserts this holiday season, you may want to go with choices that will allow everyone in the family to get involved. Kids often enjoy getting involved with the Christmas baking, and if you can find some recipes that they can help out with, no doubt you'll all have a great time together preparing tasty treats for the holiday season. If you are not sure where to begin or what to prepare, here are several great holiday dessert ideas that you may want to give a try.
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Filed under Activities, Cooking by Julie
