Walk on Stilts Day

July 27, 2010 is

Walk on Stilts Day.

 The perfect way to celebrate this holiday is to learn the history of stilts and to make your own recycled cans version of stilts.

You don't see a lot of stilt walkers. Usually they are found in parades and at circuses.
Stilt-walking is an ancient art that only requires a pair of stilts and lots of practice.
Stilt-walking is said to have originated in Landes, France. Shepherds took up stilt-walking, as early as the 1800's,  as a way to not only save time getting to their scattered flocks but also to navigate areas that were sometimes treacherous.

According to Wikipedia:

Stilts are poles, posts or pillars used to allow a person or structure to stand at a distance above the ground. Walking stilts are poles equipped with steps for the feet to stand on, or straps to attach them to the legs, for the purpose of walking while elevated above a normal height. In flood plains, and on beaches or unstable ground, buildings are often constructed on stilts to protect them from damage by water, waves or shifting soil or sand. Stilts have been used for many hundreds of years.

A few fun and amazing Stilt walking records

• Most people to simultaneously walk on stilts: 1908. Doug Hunt and the North Park Collegiate HS students organized a mass stilt walk of 625 people walking 100 metres (328 ft) on 12” peg stilts.

• Tallest stilts walked on: 56 feet 6 inches. Roy Maloy of Australia, while wearing an overhead safety wire, took five independent steps on 56 ft. 6 inch stilts weighing 50.6 lbs. each.

• Longest stilt walk: 24 hours, 76.17 miles (122.58 km). Zdenek Jiruše of Czechoslovakia covered a distance of 76.17 miles (122.58 km) on stilts within 24 hours on 12 June 1992 in Pelhřimov.

 Why try stilt or can walking?

Because walking on Stilts/Cans builds a child's:

• Balance and Coordination Skills and
• Their Sense of Achievement and Self-esteem

 You can try you hand at making wooden stilts:

How to Make Wooden Stilts 

 and

Stiltwalker.com has interesting information on stilts and stilt walking.  

But the  easiest way to start "stilt" walking is to make Tin Can Stilts.

 you'll need:

2 - one pound coffee cans or juice cans or even paint cans

String or rope or yarn plaited into a braid

A screwdriver or awl

Colorful electrical or duct tape, stickers (the foam one are fun)

Directions:

1. Turn the cans upside down, so that the open end is touching the ground (if using paint cans ,put the lids on them and use the handles to tie the rope onto)
2. Then, use a screwdriver or awl to make two holes in each can, one on each side. (An adult should do this step.)
3. String a piece of rope through the holes, and tie off the ends inside the can.This is a "handle" for your child to hold onto. It should be approximately waist high) 
4. Decorate the cans
5. Walk on your stilts

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! .....Tuesday Book Look

I chose this Tuesday's book because July is National Hot Dog Month and July 19th is National Hot Dog Day.
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! was written and illustrated by Mo Willems.
 Pigeon, the star of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and four other books, finds a yummy looking hot dog which he plans to eat all by himself. But a very cute, curious, annoying and tenacious duckling has other ideas.

While you may not know, author Mo Willems name, you very likely have seen his work. He was a writer and animator for Sesame Street, created two animated series for the Cartoon Network and was the head writer for their Codename: Kids Next Door series. Three of  his books have received Caldecott Honors and Mo Willems is the creator of the Knuffle Bunny Books.



Okay, I worked really hard trying to find interesting craft ideas for this book that were about more than just cooking hot dogs....I kinda succeeded , sorta, cooking is involved in these activities but they involve a lot of creativity, also.

Hot Dog People
To make Hot Dog people you'll need - hot dogs, plastic knives and a microwave

1. give each child an uncooked hot dog and a knife 
2. the kids then use the knife to make slices in the hotdog to resemble body parts (slices at the top for hair, a face, a slice on each side for arms and a slice in the middle of the bottom, to make two legs). 
3. Then cook the hot dog in the microwave for about 25 - 30 seconds.  
4. As the hot dog cooks, it should begin to look more like a person. 

Read or act out the story of the 3 Pigs and then make Pigs in a Blanket (recipe and story here)
Here's an easy recipe for a Hot Dog and Fries cake using a loaf cake, Twinkies and icing.

Make a Hot Dog Squid

Tuesday Book Look....Blueberries for Sal ( for Blueberry Month)

July is Blueberry Month. So, this Tuesday's Book Look is a classic "blueberry" book. Blueberries for Sal was written by Robert McCloskey in 1948. It was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 1949 for it's illustrations.

"One day,  Little Sal went with her mother to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries." So starts the timeless story of Sal, her mother, a momma bear and a cub as they all pick or in the case of Sal and the bears, eat blueberries on Blueberry Hill.  I won't ruin the book for you but it's really cute and lots of fun. (A little hint: at some point Sal and the bear cub get mixed up and follow after the wrong mother but it all turns out well.)

The first activity I thought of for this book was, naturally, cooking with blueberries. But I decided to find at least one none eating activity. My crafts for Blueberries for Sal are making Dye from blueberries, making Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles and a really simple 4 ingredient recipe for Blueberry Cobbler.

How to Make Natural Dye from Blueberries
Materials:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 quart water
large enamel or stainless steel (not aluminum) pot
wooden or plastic stirring utensil
sieve
container to collect dye
material/items to dye

Directions:

1. Combine blueberries and water in the pot.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Crush berries and simmer for another 15 minutes.
4. Strain mixture and discard the berries.
5. Add the material to be colored to the dye.
6. Let the material soak in the dye until the desired color intensity is reached.
7. Wash dyed item separately in cold water.

Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles
You'll need:
12 paper or foil baking cups, 2 1/2 inch size
Zest and juices of one small lemon
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 pint blueberries
12 popsicle sticks

1. Line twelve muffin pan cups with the paper or foil baking cups.
2. In a bowl, blend the lemon zest, lemon juice, yogurt, and sugar until smooth.
3. Stir in the blueberries.
4. Divide the mixture amount the paper-lined muffin pan cups.
5. Freeze for 1 1/2 hours, or until almost firm. Remove from the freezer, cover with plastic wrap and insert a popsiscle stick in the middle of each popsicle.
6. Return to the freeze and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
7. To serve, peel off the paper liners and let the popsicles stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.

Easy Blueberry Cobbler
1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling
1 (8 oz.) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 (9 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
1/3 c. butter, melted

1. Spoon pie filling into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Spoon pineapple over pie filling.
3. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pineapple.
4. Drizzle butter over cake mix.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes.

Musical Monday.....Teddy Bear's Picnic Day

"If you go into the woods today, you're in for a big surprise!"

Okay, maybe not today but July 10th is Teddy Bear's Picnic Day, so beware of teddy bears on the 10th. Or why not celebrate the holiday with your own Teddy and a few friends.

According to Wikipedia:

"Teddy Bears' Picnic" is a song consisting of a melody composed by John Walter Bratton in 1907 and lyrics added by British songwriter Jimmy Kennedy in 1932. It remains popular as a children's song, having been recorded by numerous artists over the decades.

In case you don't know the song, here's a really cute version.


If you go down in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees
Where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic

Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch then, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout
They never have any cares

At six o' clock
Their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
'Cause they're tired little teddy bears

Activities to Celebrate Teddy Bear's Picnic Day

Host a Teddy Bear's Picnic or Tea
Invite the children to bring their Teddy Bears or Significant Stuffed Other to a picnic or tea party
Menu Ideas:

• Sandwiches:  Peanut Butter and Jelly Triangles (crusts off), Chicken Salad Finger Sandwiches, other Tea Sandwich ideas
• a variety of Miniature Muffins
• Animal Crackers
• Gummi Bears
• Slices of Pound and/or Angel cake that the children can decorate and eat with pieces of fresh fruit and fruit syrups
• Drinks: Lemonade, Apple Juice, Herbal Sun Tea, Mint Tea Punch (the recipe is at the end of the blog)

Make Teddy Bear Puppets

Read about famous Teddy Bears: Winnie-the-Pooh, Paddington Bear, Corduroy Bear, the Carebears

Learn the History of the Teddy Bear

Mint Tea Punch
8 mint tea bags
2 quarts boiling water
1 cup sugar
2 ½ cups pineapple juice
1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 large sprigs fresh mint

1. In a large glass bowl, steep tea bags and boiling water for 4 minutes. 
2. Remove tea bags. Discard. 
3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool. 
4. Add pineapple juice, mint leaves and lemonade. 
5. Serve over ice in a punch bowl.

Fabulous Fourth of July Crafts and Books

 The fourth of July is almost here.

Time to fire up the grill, grab some sparklers and , of course, make a few fun, fabulous and fast Fourth of July crafts!

Oh, and read a few books about the Fourth, also.( I've placed links to 9 interesting books about the Fourth of July ,appropriate for a variety of age levels, at the end of this blog.)

Let's get started on those crafts.....

Coffee Filter Fireworks - You need: Washable Markers, Coffee Filters, Spray Bottle (optional), Water - Flatten out the coffee filter; Spritz with water or sprinkle on water; only Dampen the filter DO NOT Soak it! ; Use the markers to draw on the damp filter; the water will cause the colors to spread and give a tie dye or fireworks effect

Sidewalk Water Balloon Firework Paint Splatters

Confetti Launcher

Patriotic Pom Poms

Fireworks Flowers


Make a Fireworks Tshirt - you'll need: a tshirt, glitter fabric paint, newspaper
To make your T-shirt - lay the shirt on a flat surface; place folded newspaper between the t-shirt layers to keep the paint from bleeding through; use the glitter paint to draw, free-hand, bursts of fireworks; follow manufacturers directions to dry and wash the t-shirt


Stars 'n' Stripes Hats

Bigger kids can actually Make Sparklers with adult assistance

Check out these books about the Fourth of July:

Tuesday Book Look ......The Moon Might Be Milk

This Tuesday's Book Look book is The Moon Might Be Milk written by Lisa Shulman.

The book is full of colorful pictures and the children will be able to relate to the books heroine, Rosie, as she and her friends wonder what the moon is made of.

From Booklist:

Awakening before dawn, Rosie looks past the cat on her windowsill to the moon and says, "I wonder what it's made of." Cat replies that the moon is a saucer of milk. Rosie concedes that it might be, but she gets dressed, goes outside, and asks several other animals the same question. Hen thinks that the moon is an egg. Butterfly believes it's made of sugar, Dog says "butter," and Mouse is sure that it's made of flour. Each animal joins Rosie on her quest. Finally, they arrive at Rosie's grandmother's house, where Gran combines milk, egg, sugar, butter, and flour to make moon-shaped sugar cookies, satisfying everyone. The final page offers a recipe for Gran's Sugar Cookie Moons, for those who want to extend the story into the kitchen.

Activities for The Moon Might Be Milk

• Make Moon Cookies Using the recipe in the back of the book,  have the children make their own moon cookies. The children can help measure and mix ingredients, and flatten the cookies with sugar.  
• Learn about the phases of the moon. The kids can even make crescent shaped cookies.

•  Write a Story about the Sun  At the end of the book, Rosie wonders what the sun is made of.Why not have the kids make their own story about the sun. 
• Find and Read Folktales about the Moon, Sun and Stars. 
• Make a Mobile of the Sun, Moon and Stars
• Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, an African folktale

Musical Monday......John the Rabbit, a traditional African-American folk song

Oh, John the rabbit  ( Yes, Ma’am)
Ya got a mighty bad habit  ( Yes, Ma’am)
Jumping in my garden  ( Yes Ma’am)
Eating all my cabbage  (Yes Ma’am)
My sweet potatoes  (Yes Ma’am)
My fresh tomatoes  ( Yes Ma’am)
And if I live  (Yes Ma’am)
To see next fall  (Yes, Ma’am)
I ain’t gonna have  (Yes Ma’am)
No garden at all  ( Yes Ma’am)


John the Rabbit is a traditional African-American folk song. It falls in the category of Call and Response songs. Like echo songs, call and response songs requires the song leader and the group to take turns singing. But unlike echo songs, the group/children's sung response is different from the leader/teacher's part of the song. 

 This is a good video of kids singing John the Rabbit although you'll note that they have added their own verse in the beginning. The second verse is more like the original, traditional song.
The girls (and the teacher) are singing the "call" and the little boy is singing the "response". They have also added movements which you are always free to do. It makes the song even more fun.



Activities for John the Rabbit

1. Make a Song Rebus 
2. Make a Salad using ingredients mentioned in the song or other vegetables normally found in a garden
3. Find or draw pictures of the items in the song (rabbit, tomatoes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, garden). You can also label the pictures and use them as flashcards.
4. Have the kids make up additional lyrics to the song.
5. Read classic rabbit stories: The Velveteen Rabbit, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit etc.
6. Find out more about Rabbits
7. Learn more rabbit songs. For example: 
   Little Peter Rabbit
   (to the tune of "Battle Hymn of Republic")
   Little Peter Rabbit had a
   fly upon his ear.
   Little Peter Rabbit had a
   fly upon his ear.
   Little Peter Rabbit had a
   fly upon his ear.
   And he flicked it till it flew away!

Arnie the Doughnut.....Tuesday Book Look and National Donut Day

June 4th is National Donut Day.
According to wikipedia:

National Donut Day is on the first Friday of June each year and follows on the Donut Day event created by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served donuts to soldiers during World War. The holiday celebrates the doughnut (a.k.a "donut") — an edible, ring-shaped piece of dough which is deep-fried and sweetened.

In honor of National Donut day, I've naturally chosen a book about a donut. Arnie the Doughnut was written by Laurie Keller. It's a really fun and silly book that the kids will love. Here's the official book description:

Arnie is proud to be chocolate-covered, with bright-colored candy sprinkles. His first day on the planet is a big one. He is 1) cut into a ring 2) deep-fried 3) cooled 4) iced 5) sprinkled and 6) named Arnie. What he doesn't realize is that step 7 is being eaten by a human. So, when a customer, Mr. Bing, starts to put him in his mouth, he screams, "What are you doing?" Arnie is further crushed when he calls the bakery to warn the others only to discover that all the other pastries are "aware of this arrangement."

As you can see, Arnie is just the book to read on doughnut day. The kids will love the idea of a doughnut that doesn't want to be eaten.
The perfect activity to accompany this book is, of course, making doughnuts. The simplest way to make "donuts" with kids is to make Biscuit Donuts. I've made these with kids numerous times and they are always a big hit.
This is a good video about making Biscuit Doughnuts. A recipe follows the video.


Biscuit Doughnuts
ingredients:
2 cans of large buttermilk biscuits
oil for frying doughnuts
cinnamon sugar, sprinkles or icing to decorate

Directions:

1. Heat 2 inches peanut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lay out the biscuits on a cutting board 
3. With a cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out a hole from the middle of each biscuit. 
4. Fry the biscuit/donuts in the oil until golden. Use tongs to flip the donuts over.
5. Don't forget to fry the donut holes. 
6. Drain the donuts and the holes on paper towels 
7. Now you can sprinkle the donuts and holes with cinnamon sugar or put icing on them and decorate with sprinkles.

I Don't Like Salad! ......Tuesday Book Look for National Salad Month

May is National Salad Month! (yep, we're almost finish with May holidays). This Tuesday's book is "I don't Like Salad!" a book written by Tony Ross. It is also linked with a tv show called Little Princess. No, I have never heard of the show either but the book is cute. It's official synopsis says:

The Little Princess has decided she doesn't like salad - especially tomatoes. But when she is given some seeds of her own and sees the first shoots of her tomato plant appear, she changes her mind!

The little Princess's attitude is one that a lot of kids and some adults will sympathize with. But in the end we all know (sorta) that veggies are good for you. I agree with the premise of the book that planting seeds and watching them grow is a good way to get kids to try a variety of veggies. Cooking is also a good way to get kids involved in what they eat.
I've given a recipe below for a salad, linked to another of my blogs that has a cute salad story and recipe and given a vid on making a salad with a fun name.

The Salad...a tale from the Brothers Grimm and a recipe for Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Easy Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup granny smith apples, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts

Directions:
1. Sprinkle chopped apples with lemon juice and mix together..
2. Add celery, raisins and walnuts.Stir together.
3. Add mayonnaise and stir, coating all of the ingredients.
4. Serve chilled.

Simple Tomato Basil Salad Recipe

How to Make a Healthy "Worm" Salad for Kids

Musical Monday.....Bell Horses ..a song, a game, a craft

Bell Horses is a traditional English nursery rhyme often attributed to Mother Goose. This rhyme can be found in The Nursery Rhymes of England (1843) by James Orchard Halliwell. This song/rhyme was also included in Percy Green's History of Nursery Rhymes (published in London in 1899).

This song/game has become a favorite with all of the children I have worked with. The song is sung while the children pretend to be horses, prancing with knees high. When the kids sing the last line, I have them run to a predetermined location in the room. We then chant a random rhyme ( often use the first verse of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and then we come back to the middle of the floor/room and start again. The game can be extended by adding times or you can change the rhyme.

Because the song/rhyme is called Bell Horses, it's fun to have the kids play bells while they dance.

BELL HORSES

Bell horses, bell horses,
What's the time of day?
One o'clock, two o'clock,
Three and away.

Bell horses, bell horses,
What's the time of day?
Two o'clock, three o'clock,
Four and away.

Bell horses, bell horses,
What's the time of day?
Five o'clock, six o'clock,
Now it's time to play.

There are many ways to make your own bell bracelets. I have given you the link to two web pages, a set of directions and a very good video.

Jingle Bell Bracelet directions at e-how

Family fun Jingle Bell Bracelets Video and Directions

Bell Bracelet
Materials
* • Pipe Cleaners (many colors)
* • Bells
* • Beads
* • Scissors

Instructions
* 1. Pick out your bells and beads.
* 2. Pick out a pipe cleaner.
* 3. Strand the bells and beads on pipe cleaner.
* 4. Wrap around wrist, ankle
* 5. Take the scissors and cut off the extra pipe cleaner.
* 6. Enjoy!

A good video on Making a Jingle Bracelet using hair scrunchies, ribbons and bells.

Click! ...a Friday Book Look for National Photography Month

May is National Photography or Photo Month. (yes, another holiday) Since the month is fast getting away from me, I'm putting up a ....Tada!...Friday Book Look! Click: A Book About Cameras and Taking Pictures was written by Gail Gibbons.

According to School Library Journal:

Gibbons takes a complex subject and breaks it down into simple, easy to understand terms. She describes different types of cameras and their film, and explains what happens to film inside the camera and at a photo-processing center. At this point, the author states, "First the film is removed from the cartridge in a darkroom, lit only by a red light. Then the latent images on the film are developed by soaking the film in chemicals." In fact, film must be removed in total darkness or it will be ruined; a red light will erase latent images. Explanations of printing, negatives and enlargements, tips on the care of a camera and on taking photos both indoors and outdoors are provided. A very basic chronology on the history of photography completes the presentation.

This book is a perfect lead up to making a Pinhole Camera.
Kids love to take pictures. There are many types of throwaway cameras available for children to experiment with. There are even cameras made especially for children. But a fun and educational way to learn about cameras and picture taking is to make a Pinhole Camera. A pinhole camera is a very simple camera with no lens that lets light in through a small pinhole which is what makes the picture. For the history and some of the science of Pinhole Cameras check with wikipedia.

A pinhole camera can be made with recycled materials that you have at home. If you really want to make a pinhole camera that will take a picture then you will need a few special materials:Resin-coated 5x7 inch black and white photographic paper, developing liquid and fixer. Because of the chemicals this is not a project that small children can do for themselves. For the special photography supplies check your local photography or hobby shop.

While a pinhole camera is basically a box with a tiny hole, there are many ways to make the camera. Here are a number of links showing different ways to assemble the camera.
Highlight Magazine's Pinhole Camera is very simple and best for young children.

Very interesting directions for making a Lego Pinhole Camera.

This site has very good directions and pictures for Making an Oatmeal Box Pinhole Camera and good directions for developing the film.

Science for kids explains how the human eye works like a pinhole camera.

This is a really well done video on How to Make a Pinhole Camera out of a Juice box.

The Bicycle Man...Tuesday Book Look

May is National Bike Month. So this Tuesday Book Look is about a classic bike book.
The Bicycle Man was written in 1989 by Allen Say.

The books official description says:
The amazing tricks two American soldiers perform on a borrowed bicycle are a fitting finale for the school sports day festivities in a small village in occupied Japan. 

The fact that the story takes place during World War II is important to the story. The book's author, Allen Say,  was born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1937.

The ideas below are simple and colorful ways to decorate a bicycle.

• Take colored straws and make a small slit down one side with a sharp scissor. Put the straws on the wheel spokes.

• Add streamers or colored string to the handlebars using colored duct tape or electrical tape or special handlebar grip tape.

• Use lanyard and beads to make Handle Bar Streamers

• Decorate Your Bike Seat

• Make a Bicycle License Plate

Materials
* Poster board in a variety of colors
*  A Paper punch
* Glitter glue, markers, stickers etc
Instructions:

1. Cut the poster board into 6- by 11-inch rectangles
2. Use a paper punch to make a hole near each top corner.
3. The kids can now use the glue, stickers, markers and anything else they can think of to personalize their bicke plates. 
4. a variation of the bike plate