Send Dad a Stellar Message with Our Father’s Day Cards!

MB-Fathers-day-b“Max here! I know that Father’s Day is coming up and the Crew at the I.S.P. wanted to make sure you sent your dad the perfect transmission from Spaceport to planet Earth. We put together some special Father’s Day cards that include a special page for you to write a letter to the galaxy’s greatest dad. After getting some help to download and print these cards, think about a message your dad will truly appreciate, then write it down on a separate sheet of paper for an adult to look it over! Once you have checked for spelling and grammar errors, use your BEST penmanship and write down your message! Hope you and your family has an excellent Father’s Day!”

Recycling Items for ‘Old Stuff Day’

Spring is officially less than three weeks away, which means it is time to toss out all those old unwanted items. Re-purposing some of your long-forgotten things can be a great way to take your spring cleaning efforts to the next level. Doing so also allows us to help the environment AND earn some extra cash to add t the family budget. In honor of Old Stuff Day, here are a few ways to turn those tattered old items in your garage into useful new household goods!

The Joy of Junk

Photo by Orin Zebest, ©2010. Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

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DIY Gift Exchange Ideas

The holidays often provide ample opportunities for you and your Blasters to celebrate with friends and exchange gifts as tokens of appreciate and a means of marking this very special time of year. And while the act of exchanging gifts can have all kinds of different meanings to each person involved, have you ever thought to explore the role of learning and the development of new skills through DIY holiday gift exchanges? Start by cutting the costs and looking for how you might create a homemade present instead!

DIY Holiday
Not sure where to start? Head to our DIY Holiday Gift page on Pinterest for a number of exciting craft ideas that not only promote learning and developmental skills but that also make for memorable and cherished holiday presents. From edible treats to holiday décor and so much more, the possibilities are seemingly endless when it comes to creating unique holiday gifts that your friends and family will love.

And the best part is that no matter the project that you choose these are tools for learning in almost all crafts. Remember to highlight the following elements of crafting with your kids if they’re lending a helping hand this holiday season -

  • Counting / Measuring Quantities - How many gifts will you be making? How much of each material will you need to complete your crafting project?
  • Developmental Skills - Crafts can help children approach problem solving, motor skills, creative thinking and more.

Fall Activities: Leaf Rubbing

Photo by Emma Craig, ©2013 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License.

Photo by Emma Craig, ©2013 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License.

Make the most of your leaf strewn lawn by incorporating Fall foliage into this fun activity with your kids! It’s simple and uses supplies that you probably already have at home, plus it creates instant seasonal artwork for your home! This is a great opportunity to teach your child about the different types of trees in your neighborhood!

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Halloween Math Activities

Photo by poppet with a camera, ©2014 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

Photo by poppet with a camera, ©2014 Some rights reserved. Licensed by Creative Commons Public Works License

Halloween is in full effect all around us, so why not pull some spooky inspiration into your child’s math learning? Break up the routine of worksheets by incorporating some spook-tacular Halloween fun into new and exciting activities. Depending on your child’s math skills, try one (or more) of the activities below!

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Mom: The Brightest Start in Your Solar System!

Mom—she cooks, she cleans, helps with your homework, and has been there for you since day one. We celebrate her once a year, taking the time to appreciate all of the work she does that seems completely out of this world. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, have you thought of how you will be celebrating? There are many thoughtful things you can do to help show your mom that you are grateful for all that she does. Here are a couple of ideas on how you can make your mom feel like the brightest star in the universe for Mother’s Day.

Photo By Gabriela Pinto

Photo By Gabriela Pinto

Click here to make mom smile!

Maracas for Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo gives us a chance to celebrate Mexican culture, and a part of that culture is music. Maracas are simple percussion instruments that are used instead of the common drum. You can have a set of this rhythmic and rattling sounding pair of your own at home as a result of perfect craft opportunity that will have your little ones shakin’-it to the sounds of your May 5th festivities! Here is how you can make maracas with your kids for Cinco De Mayo.

Photo by Steven Depolo

Photo by Steven Depolo

Decoupage Maracas for Cinco De Mayo

What you will need:

    • Empty plastic bottles (Empty Salad dressing bottles are perfect since they have a long enough neck for the handle)
    • Modge Podge
    • Brightly colored tissue paper (Try sticking to traditional Cinco De Mayo colors like red, orange, green, and yellow)
    • Paint brush
    • dried beans

Steps:

Start by having your little ones tear the colored tissue paper into pieces while you take an empty plastic bottle and coat it in Modge Podge using the paint brush.

Once the bottle has been generously Modge Podged, have your kids place torn tissue paper all over the bottle. Have them layer the tissue paper to cover the bottle as you go over the pieces with the paint brush and Modge Podge.

Once one bottle is covered in tissue paper, set it aside and repeat the process with your second bottle.

Let both bottles dry completely

Once the bottles are dry, fill them with your dried beans and place glue on the cap of the bottle before you replace it for a tight seal.

Creating a set of your own maracas is a great craft that’s suitable for children to enjoy as you celebrate the Mexican culture in an upbeat way! Challenge your kids to try and keep time with a beat, counting down in between shakes to keep a steady rhythm. Make these maracas and enjoy your Cinco De Mayo fiesta with your kids!

 

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