Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year is coming up on February 10th.  I like to touch on it as a way of learning about other cultures and comparing customs.  Christmas Around the World is always popular, but then we tend to forget the rest of the world the rest of the year.  Here are a few super simple ways to celebrate if you're interested!

{dragon dance}
2013 is the year of the water snake but the dragon dance is a major part of the yearly celebration.  Show your students pictures like these or maybe even a video clip of the dragon dance.  The choreography shows a dragon chasing a pearl with the intention that if the dragon catches it, the pearl with bring him good fortune and prosperity.

{lion dance}
The lion dance is often confused with the dragon dance but is actually a little different.  The dragon requires multiple people and their faces are shown but the lion dance only uses 2 people {they only have 4 legs!} and their faces are covered by the costume.  You can see examples of the lion dance in this video.

{dragon crowns}
Then find a dragon or lion coloring page that you like, attach it to the front of a sentence strip crown, run streamers down the back {for the dragon} and let your students make their own celebration dance!

{fire breathing dragons}
Tell me this isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen.  KangarooBoo made them using paper cups, popsicle sticks & streamers.  The kids blow through the back to make the flames fly!

{pattern block dragons}
Use die cut pattern block pieces to let your students create their own dragons.  If you'd rather stick with the 2013 theme of the water snake, just don't add the legs!  ;)

Always extend by writing on the back, of course!  They flipped to write with a white colored pencil.  :)

{paper lanterns}
Show your students pictures of children in China just like them to compare celebration symbols.

Follow the DIY steps to make a simple paper lantern with streamers.


{Chinese New Year symbols}
Create a Bubble Map of celebration symbols using the vocab cards at Communication 4 All.  Or print the large vocab posters, put them in your writing center and let your students explain what each symbol means.

{history of the Chinese New Year}
While you're there, download the awesome powerpoint story about the history of Chinese New Year {perfectly acceptable for young children} by clicking on the image below.

{fortune cookies}

Tell me you haven't been sitting there thinking of orange chicken as you read this.  Or beef and broccoli?  Whatever your preference, Chinese food meals always end the same...fortune cookies!  Kids loooove cookies.  Make these cute ones out of cupcake liners then serve a real one for a snack.

{ni hao kai-lan}

Nick Jr.'s special friend Kai-Lan can also tell you a lot about China, their culture and the Chinese New Year.  Click on the picture of her below to be taken to a video clip of her explanations and maybe even learn a few Chinese phrases!  :)

Happy Chinese New Year!

NYE fun for kids {and kids at heart}

As far back as I can remember, our family did New Year's Eve together.  We might've been at home or at grandma's house, but the elements were the same...board games, snack foods, silly hats, making our own mock TV broadcast and lots and lots of laughing.  As we got older and started going on dates or out to parties for NYE, it always felt foreign not to be at home.  And now that my sister and I both have families of our own it's rare for us to all be together for NYE.

But this year...we are.  :)

Here are some fun ideas for your family to do together or to keep your kids entertained if you're headed out on the town.  Either way, be sure to kiss someone you love at midnight and drive safely!

{keep 'em busy til midnight}
This is especially great if you're leaving your kids with a babysitter because it gives them plenty to do for each hour until the ball drops.  You could put a movie, a fun snack or noise blowers inside.

{from Hoosier Homemade}

For a few moments of quiet, see who can complete this scavenger hunt first!  If you're missing some things around your home, turn on the Rockin New Year's Eve broadcast and you'll be sure to spot the rest.

{by Hewlett Packard}

New Year's Eve BINGO is another good game that will last for a while.

{from Parents.com}

If your kids need to get some energy out after playing a few quiet games, roll out the left over bubble wrap from your holiday packages and let them go wild!

{from Martha Stewart.com}

Every kid loves bowling but it can be noisy and expensive.  This toilet paper snowman bowling game is perfect for kids of any age and is soft enough that nothing will get broken while you're rolling those strikes. {video footage courtesy of The Today Show}
{decorative bling}
Never underestimate the power of good old balloons.  As champagne bubbles, a room filler, to add table height or to hold your confetti until midnight.  Balloons are cheap, come in any color scheme and can be used as another child-occupier once their duty as decoration is finished.

And what's New Year's Eve {or any party really} without confetti??  Make your own by punching circles from various types of paper and use it as decoration on your tables or keep it up in little bags ready to be thrown when the ball drops.  Don't worry so much about the mess...enter your next game for kids.  Whoever picks up the most pieces gets a prize!  ;)

For more glitzy decorations, use sequins or little mirrors to make your own personal disco balls!  Styrofoam balls are cheap in any floral section or you can use that old Christmas ornament that nobody really likes anymore anyway!

{festive foods}
Whatever you choose to serve {it's always finger foods in our house} if you're having people over, Chickabug has made a great guide for how much to buy.  I pinned this immediately for future reference!

{what to wear}
It's a little {only a little} too bad that we're not going out on the town this year because the sequin dresses that are super on trend are RIGHT up my alley!!  Super classy with high necklines, sleeves and varying lengths, I want to get one just to wear around the house.

 {dresses by: Ralph Lauren, Badgley Mischka & TFNC}

And party hats.  Obviously.  A party supply store or basic paper hat is your best bet but if you don't have time to go out and get them, a make-shift base will do.  Add feathers, glitter, sequins, tinsel, stickers or anything else you can find that will make you feel fancy.

When in doubt, throw some glitter on for pizzaz and no one will notice anything else.  ;)

Happy New Year friends!  Here's to making a difference in 2013!!!

New Year's resolutions

Happy 2012!  I rang in the new year with my parents, good friends, some bubbly, a super hyped up puppy and a sick husband.  :(  He hung in there until the ball dropped and was immediately in bed afterward.  I can't believe it but we didn't take any pictures.  Not one!

I'm back to school tomorrow even though it appears the rest of the world is off for NYE {or is it New Year's day?  I'm never really sure} and put off planning for tomorrow until the last second.  I didn't even clean up the kitchen from last night until 2pm and am still in my pajamas, yes at 9:18pm.  At least I was a good hostess last night.  That's all that counts, right?!  ;)

If you're looking for something fun to add when you go back to school in between reviewing rules, reviewing procedures, practicing procedures and reviewing rules again, I will save you time in your last few minutes of break.  There are 3 super fab ideas right here.  The first one is from yours truly to help your little ones figure out how to write a resolution and what that means.  No, you can't make a resolution to tie your shoes if you already know how to do it!

Anna Brantley {ever a favorite} also has some fun ideas on her blog.  I especially love the Bubble Map for making predictions of things that will happen in the new year.  Will someone get a new brother or sister?  What will they learn to do?  How many teeth will fall out?  I'm getting excited thinking about the possibilities of a new year just looking at it!

And Cara Carroll {The First Grade Parade} has an entire unit up for grabs.  Telling time, making words...lots of good stuff.  Some of it is a little high for my kinders but I'm definitely using her Making Words activity in a literacy center.  So great!

Happy New Year friends!  Here's to being a more loving, more patient wife, sister, daughter, teacher, friend & overall blessing in other people's lives in 2012!