Character Connections: August 2012

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Pintastic

Okay, I admit it. I'm addicted. I LOVE Pinterest. Want a recipe...it is probably on Pinterest. Need a craft for Sunbeams.... check Pinterest. Want to find great resources for Character building, kids' club, after school programs...check to Pinterest. Pinterest may be the single most important tool you will ever find!

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board that allows you to collect ideas from around the web and organize them so you can find them again when you need them. Want to store ideas for an upcoming holiday? Make a board for that. Collecting ideas for fundraisers? Make a board.

Pinterest even allows you to browse bulletin boards others have created and copy ideas you find there.

Here are some of my favorites. Check them out and start pinning.

Best ideas from a 1st Grade Teacher

Not for Scouts Only

Not for Scouts Only - Girls' Version

Crafts and Bible Lessons

Friday, August 10, 2012

SOMEONE SPECIAL

Children of kindergarten age are very creative, until you hand them blank pages and ask that they draw pictures or write sentences. Providing idea sparks (prompts) will help them focus their thoughts.

Since kindergartners relate best to people, places and things with which they are familiar, so use prompts that allow them to tell about things they are familiar with.

The Someone Special activity is perfect for this. Through this unit, children have opportunities to share things that make them important and special. Leaders and teachers also have the opportunity to help children understand just how special and important each is to the Lord.

These coloring pages/worksheets were created to use with the Someone Special activity. You can download and print a page by clicking on the picture.

Children color the cake and draw the appropriate number of candles on their birthday cakes.

For a special treat, use small candies to decorate the cakes.

We traced the children's hands and added "fingernail polish" and "rings" to bling them up.
Even the boys enjoyed it.

My personal favorite ... will it be a birthday, Christmas, a day at grandma's house?
Whatever they draw, it is sure to be fun and interesting.

My children had fun being weighed on a scale and standing up tall to be measured.

We cut pieces of yarn to show how tall they were, then attached it to their pages.

As a special celebration, invite children to bring in favorite toys for show and tell.
Make sure each is labeled so there are no "lost toy tragedies".