Your Fireworks Will Be a Booming Hit!

Boom ! Pop! Sizzle! Capture the magic and beauty of fireworks with your crayons.

Materials you will need:  thick paper or card stock, crayons, especially black and a couple of paper clips.

Plan ahead:  because you will be coloring the entire page in black crayon, you could fold the paper in half or just use part of the paper if you wish.  First, draw a design using as many colors as you like. You don’t need to worry about making mistakes because it will be covered.  Now cover the whole drawing with black crayon. Take your paper clip and bend it so that you can use an end to create the fireworks.  Carefully scrape the black crayon away so the color shows.  Make different shapes and line designs (zig zags, dashes, and squiggles) and now you have created your very own, permanent fireworks show!

Hey White Crayon, We Didn't Forget You!

Materials:  white paper (watercolor paper is recommended), white crayon, water-color paint or watered-down poster paint, paintbrush.

Sometimes, the lonely white crayon might not get a chance to come out and play.  Here’s an activity where the white crayon is the star!

First, draw your picture or design with white crayon.  Press hard as you draw. Prepare thinned down water color or poster paint in any color.  Paint over your drawing and magically, magically, your drawing will appear right before your eyes!  Continue painting to reveal your entire picture.  Be sure not to get the paper too wet or it will begin to tear.  You can paint in stripes or swirls to create special effects.

Why does this happen?  The water/paint will resist the crayon, but will be absorbed by the paper.

This is a great activity to decode secret messages with friends or to reveal clues for a special family scavenger hunt.

Hooray for our Grand Ol' Flag

Hooray for the American Flag!  June 14^th is National Flag Day. 

Click here for your own American Flag to color! 

The first American Flag was sewn by Betsy Ross in 1776.  Fabric was scarce during the Revolutionary War, so Betsy used scraps on the first flag.  General Washington’s coat of arms (a family symbol) had stripes over stars, and is thought to be one of the first flag’s inspirations, as well as the British Flag. On the original flag there were thirteen stripes to represent the thirteen colonies and stars to represent the new states.  The flag we use today, with 50 stars, was first seen in 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.  Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th, the day the Continental Congress ratified the flag.

                                        The American Flag was sewn by Betsy Ross,

                                        The fifty states have one star each,

                                        The original 13 colonies, one strip a piece.

                                        Purity, innocence, truth and light

                                        Are shown in the flag’s bright white.

                                        Red show us valor and hardiness true.

                                        Vigilance and justice comes through in blue.

Now it’s your turn… design a flag for you or for your family.  What objects are important?  What ideas could they symbolize?  What colors are meaningful to you? 

Get Ready for Father's Day

Father's Day will be here before you know it!  Enjoy a free card to color: Father's Day Card

Other ideas for this holiday:
Create your own Father's Day book with drawings about the things you like to do to together.
Design an award for your father, grandpa, uncle or any other dad who has earned it!

Here's a Father's Day Activity to do together, called "My Dad Rocks"

What you will need:
some rocks
markers or tempera/acrylic paints & brushes
optional:  googly eyes and glue

1.  Go for a walk together, looking for small to medium sized stone stones and collect them.
2.  Both adult and kid(s) can participate.  On one side or the rock, color it anyway you wish -- with patterns, designs or turn it into an animal or people.  Here's where the googly eyes might come in handy.
3  On the other side, write down the date and even a message to or from each other.
4.  Repeat the steps as often as the two of you wish.  Now each of you will have a special memento of Father's Day 2012!