Take It and Make It Thursdays - Fish Travel Game

Boy am I excited to share with you this week for the Take It and Make It Linky Party brought to you by Cynthia at 2nd Grade Pad!!!  Each Thursday, you'll find something that you can take with you and make at home!  You can look through past entries and find some pretty cool stuff to make.  While you are visiting Cynthia's Blog, be sure to show her some love. :)  I know I love reading comments from YOU... I am sure she will too!

I'm sharing with you a simple travel game activity that I created for publication.  You'll probably be seeing more of my fish/ocean animals as we draw closer to summer!  I can hardly wait! :)

Fish Travel Game 

Click the picture to download template or below in the materials list. :)

Materials Needed:

• Magnet Paper
• Scissors
• Sharpie Pen (Non-Bleed)
• Printer
• Ziploc Baggies
• Small metal tin or cookie sheet
• Fish Magnet Template

This simple activity is perfect for summer travel with the kids! You can pre-make multiple sets, and put them inside a small metal tin or pack with a small cookie sheet. If you prefer recycled items, tin cookie tin lids also work great for portable work tins.

Directions:

1. Print template onto Magnet Paper.
2. Use a Sharpie Marker to color in, or draw numbers, shapes, alphabet letters onto the printed out magnet paper. Let dry completely.
3. Cut out individual game pieces.
4. Store game pieces in Ziploc baggies.

I wanted to let you know that my friend Sonya DeHart (Sonya DeHart Designs) is having a HUGE sale on her website this week as a fundraiser for her little boy who was recently diagnosed with Autism. He will require some special services and resources, and this is one way that WE can help her out. Many of the clipart/paper items are $1.00. It's a good time to stock up, while helping her out.  Sonya is such a sweet gal. She's always been happy to help whenever I have needed anything.  Be sure to pass the word along to all of your friends too! ;)

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by and left me notes on my Blog.  You are awesome!

Recycled Seed Packet Matching - Take it/Make it



It's  time for another installment of Take it And Make it Thursdays, hosted by Cynthia at the 2nd Grade Pad!  Click on the logo above and you can visit all of the wonderful Blogs linked up.  

My project for this week is Recycled Seed Packet Matching!

Materials needed:

Cardstock
Lamination
Large Popsicle Sticks
Recycled Seed Packets
Old seed catalogs, ads or photo/clipart images
Scissors
Permanent Ink Marker
Glue – E600

Recycled crafts can be fun to create as well as educational. This project is one that the kids can help you with! There aren't any set rules as to what types of seed packets you use. In my example, I have used a packet of vegetable seeds, and 2 flower packets.

Directions:

1. Gather together recycled seed packets. Select 5-10 different seed packets that feature a picture on the front. Look through seed catalogs, websites, or ads for pictures of the flowers/content of the seed packets.

2.  In my example, you'll see that I selected a picture of Acorn Squash, Dianthys, and Zinnias. Even though the pictures weren't exactly the same pictures as my seed packets, they were close enough.

3.  Cut out or print the pictures of the flowers/veggies to match the seed packets.
4.  Trim the pictures to fit on the end of a large popsicle stick.
5.  Laminate for durability. (Optional)
6.  Count out as many popsicle sticks as you have pictures. With a permanent ink pen, write the name of the flower/vegetable on one end of the popsicle stick.
7.  Glue the picture at the end of the popsicle stick opposite the writing, and let dry completely.

Once the tags are completely dry, the game is ready to be played.

Variation: Another variation to this game is to have the children sort vegetables from flowers by sorting into recycled aluminum cans marked with seed packets.

All of the supplies used to create this activity can be purchased from your local Dollar Tree/Store.

Spring Clothespin Game

Materials Needed:

Tulip Clothespin Game Template (click link to download)
Cardstock
Scissors
Lamination (heat laminator or clear contact paper)

Colored Clothespins:

Small – Medium wood clothespins
RIT Liquid Dye


The Spring Clothespin game is a fun, and flexible game that can be adapted to the age group you're working with, skills, and themes. The PDF template that I have included in this tutorial features a tulip, but any character/theme can be substituted.

On the first example, I put words on the flower pots. The object of the game is to find the rhyming word in the bubble that matches. The correct answer is clipped with a colorful wood clothespin.

In the second example features simple math problems written on the tulip, with the answer being in the bubble that is clipped by the small wooden clothespin. I put pre-cut cards in a cute cello bag, including a little bit of recycled (pink)shredded paper, 3 colored wood clothespins. The bag was topped with a simple cardstock header and ribbon. Perfect for party favors, holiday gift giving, teacher gifts, or a surprise for your children. The options are endless for this game!


Directions:

1. Print off a copy of the Spring Clothespin game template provided.
2. Color, and cut out prior to laminating. (The lamination will have a better seal of the game cards are cut out and then laminated).
3. After the cards are laminated, the cards are ready for play.

Coloring Wood Clothespins:

1. Select the number of wood clothespins that you'd like to color.

I used the smaller wood clothespins for this project tutorial, but it's recommended
to use the larger clothespins when working with young children.

2. Select the color dye that you want to use. RIT dye comes in a dry or liquid coloring in an array of colors. For this tutorial I used the liquid dye and I think it worked better.

3. Put warm water in a plastic or glass container, add the RIT dye to achieve the desired
color that you want.

The longer that you keep the wood clothespins in the water, the darker the color they will be. For large batches of pins, use 2 cups of warm water and ¼ cup liquid dye. I dyed a small batch and so I did not use as much water or dye. For my example, I used Petal Pink RIT dye and it took a few hours for the color to soak in to the desired color. Depending on how dark the dye is, you may not have to leave
the pins in very long before they have reached full color.

4. After the pins have been dyed, pull them out and lay them on paper towels or something absorbant (not fabric because the dye will stain it).

I let my clothespins dry over night to make sure that they were fully dry before I used them.

This spring activity has been linked up to my buddy Cynthia's "Thursdays Take it and Make it Linky Party!!!!"  It was such a cool idea for her to put together.  Be sure to click on the logo above to visit Cynthia's blog to see other "Take it and Make it" projects and also to show some bloggy love all around! :)

Next week,  I will have an Easter project to share!  Stay tuned!