Children need love and attention and what better way to show them how much they mean to us than giving them once in a while a present. Our gift doesn’t have to be expensive; it just has to tell them that they have someone who loves them. Whether children have a family or whether they are orphans, they all enjoy receiving a gift.

If you think that teddy-bears have been with us forever you are certainly wrong. The teddy-bears appeared for the first time in 1902 in Germany and the United States. In America, the bear showed up for its first time in a cartoon and only in a couple of years the American manufacturers began to produce bears in all colors and sizes. Throughout the years, teddy-bears have become loved and indispensable not only for children but also for adults.

Fizzy sherbet in a paper bag with a strawberry lollipop was probably my favorite treat as a child, but I never knew what was in the sherbet and why it sparkled and tingled on my tongue! Try making some with your kids and enjoy a mini science lesson in the process.

The basis of the sherbet is icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar). 50g will make enough for about 6 children. For that amount you will also need a scant teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and citric acid. You can buy the latter, in the form of a white powder, very cheaply in small quantities from your chemist or pharmacy. Children will also enjoy having a lollipop or liquorice stick to dip into the sherbet.

Twirl the Trencher
This is a game which almost any number of children can play. The players seat themselves in a circle, and each takes the name of some town, or flower, or whatever has been previously agreed upon. One of the party stands in the middle of the circle, with a small wooden trencher, or waiter, places it upon its edge, and spins it, calling out as he does so the name which one of the players has taken.

The person named must jump up and seize the trencher before it ceases spinning, but if he is not very quick the trencher will fall to the ground, and he must then pay a forfeit. It is then his turn to twirl the trencher.

A very similar game to this is “My Lady’s Toilet.” The only difference is that each player must take the name of some article of a lady’s dress, such as shawl, earring, brooch, bonnet, etc.

All girls love jewellery and making it themselves is an added bonus. It is the perfect activity for rainy days and requires a minimal amount of supervision. Depending upon the age of the girls as well will dictate the level of intricacy involved.

This activity is not however suitable for children under the age of three as beads and sparkly things will appeal to them and will inevitably end up in their mouths leading to unwanted complications.

If there’s one thing that kids love to do, it’s make a mess. Now that might not fit very well with your idea of a wholesome, tidy activity! But don’t fret, there’s something you can help your kids out with that’ll keep everyone happy. And best of all, the kids still get to get their fingers mucky!

It’s something that’s all around us these days and something that your kids will doubtless spend a lot of time with. Yep, that’s right. Music.

Learning To Play Music From A Young Age

Something you may want to consider for your child is organising musical lessons for them. There are several things to consider such as, is your child the right age to begin learning? What instrument should you choose?

Generally, any age is good to start at, if the child can sit attentively and learn by following the example of a tutor. Children as young as 4 or 5 can pick up the skills required, and a great knowledge of music will give them great opportunities in the years ahead

Sometimes it feels difficult, in this day and age, to come up with an original, fun activity for you to enjoy with your kids which won’t involve either

• Taking them out for a meal at a fast food restaurant which will leave them hyperactive and out of control
• Spending copious amounts of cash on garish entertainments and sugary snacks
• Or spending hours listening to them complain those tried-and-tested words “When are we going home?”

If you’re someone who’s got a children’s party or special occasion coming up soon, I bet you’ve been thinking hard for a while now about ways you can make the day stand out and ensure that everyone has a great time.

Face Painting

Fancy dress and make-pretend have long been favourite activities for kids, and they love nothing better than to act out as all sorts of cartoon characters or animals. Face Painting is a great way to help them have a fun and exciting day, they can pretend to be a wild tiger, or a rampaging elephant!

To get hold of good quality face paints for the day, you can try looking round local fancy dress shops or any dance/theatre shops that might be nearby. Have a look through your local yellow pages for more information. You’ll want to use professional water based face paints to make sure that the paint comes off easily at the end of the day. You don’t want to send a child home as a ferocious lion now, do you!

This is a fun and easy project for small kids.

What you need:

1. Cardboard box - With one side open (a copy paper box lid, a shirt box, or even a shoe box are all good).

2. Paper - Big enough to cover the bottom of the cardboard box. It’s better if you can find fairly stiff stuff).

3. Three or four marbles.

4. Three or four paint colors.

5. Sticky Tape.

Before you start:

Be warned, this can get messy, especially with younger kids. You’ll want to put the kids in smocks, and either put down plenty of newspaper or do it in your garden if the weather is good enough.

Method:

1. Put the paper in bottom of the box. You can use a small bit of sticky tape on the corners if it won’t stay down by itself.

2. Dip one of the marbles in paint so it’s completely covered, then drop it in the box. The kid then tilts the box around so that the marble leaves a trail of paint as it rolls around.

3. When the paint on one marble runs out, repeat with a new marble and a new color.

4. When the paper has a nice design, take it out and leave the new masterpiece to dry.

This article is Copyright (C) 2005, Answers 2000 Limited.

About the Author:

This article was written by Sunil Tanna of Answers 2000. For more
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http://www.craftmaniac.com/