April is only a few weeks away, which means it’s time to start planning for the first of the month…April Fools Day! The sooner you start, the more pranks you’ll be able to fit in. We’ve gathered up some of our favorite tricks for the whole family, because even though it’s fun to be the prankster, helping your kids prank each other, their friends, and of course Dad, is even better!
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Cereal is the most classic of breakfast pranking materials. Parents Magazine suggests serving up the way too real looking worms (above). Freeze your kid’s cereal to guarantee confusion, or create morning magic by putting food coloring at the bottom of the bowl and watching the milk change color when it’s poured in.
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Oh Happy’s Day mini lunch is so perfectly petite it’ll be a shame to miss seeing your kids reaction when they open it. Just make sure to pack a regular sized meal too!
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Chocolate for an after-school snack might seem too good to be true – because it is! Love Wednesday takes advantage of perfectly sized Easter egg candy wrappers to disguise grapes.
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You look so mature this morning! Age kids overnight by drawing on a mustache with a washable marker while they’re sleeping. The shock when they look in the mirror will lead to serious giggles. (Image via)
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Another way to simulate an overnight growth spurt is to switch your kids clothes out for a smaller size – or old clothes they’ve grown out of. Today’s Parent suggests stuffing toilet paper in the toes of their shoes to take the effect one step further. (Image via)
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Perfect for the kid who likes to be the center of attention. Any household item becomes an audience member once you add a pair of googly eyes. (via Oh Happy Day)
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Help your kids make this super realistic ice cream spill from Studio DIY. Set it up on Dad’s laptop and try to act casual….
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“Want some Brown-E’s Dad?” This idea from Jacks & Kate is another fun trick for the kids to get in on. Completely fair payback for all of those awful dad puns, right? If you’re feeling generous, make a real batch of brownies to share post joke.
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One more idea for Dear Old Dad. For this prank from Pen n’ Paper Flowers, all you need is a small piece of tape. Cover up the sensor on the remote and watch Dad’s confusion as the TV refuses to cooperate. Be “helpful” by offering a new set of batteries.
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Your kids will get a kick out of tricking their friends with a pretend cast. For even more fun, help them come up with a crazy story about how they broke their bone. Parents shares the how to.
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Talk to your kids about celebrating holidays in different cultures while crafting Handmade Charlotte’s French fools fish game. Help them make a bunch of fish to tape to their friends backs for a silly surprise.
Get supplies off the desk and onto the wall to leave room for what’s most important – creativity! …and homework. While it may not technically be time yet for “spring cleaning”, de-cluttering feels good no matter the season. Helping your kids create a space that’s all their own will keep them occupied until it’s time to play outside again – and it might help you chase away winter blahs as well!
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I made the magnetic boards, above, for FamilyFun magazine by fitting sheet metal into old frames and dolling up with paint. All your kid’s doodles, paper scraps, A+’s, and mementos will have a dedicated spot in a gallery that grows with them. (As a bonus organization craft, check out the bright yellow tool-chest-turned-school-supply-box on the desk!)
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If you are in need of a new, or first, desk, this is a simple but cheery option I crafted for Scholastic Parent & Child magazine. Built in elastic straps prevent paper wrinkling and double as a display. Click here for the DIY!
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A piece of art storage that looks like modern art itself! This smart velcro wall from Brit + Co is a perfect option for preschoolers. Using a small spot of felt on the back of each piece of art, you can mix, match, and rearrange as often as you’d like.
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Tiny items with rolling potential have a way of disappearing. A shelf with jars helps keep track of bits and pieces without them getting in the way. via Charlotte Love for 91 magazine
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Homework spot above, secret hideout below. Ikea’s idea to extend a cork board transforms your kid’s desk into a space for work and play. Password required.
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Think outside of the box, and in the bucket. As an alternative to all of the square storage options, brightly colored paint cans create a visually pleasing display area. via petit & small
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Cardboard might not sound like the most exciting material for desk organization, but Brit & Co’s triangular wall caddy elevates the humble supply into a tool that’s as pretty as it is functional. Can you imagine how cool it would be to cover an entire wall in these pockets?
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Parents magazine has great suggestions for creating an entire craft wall for your kids but I especially love the wall mounted paper roll. With just a dowel and a yard stick you can create a never-ending canvas where your kids can doodle to their heart’s content – or work out a really hard math problem.
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I’ve seen lots of posts about beautiful wall display boxes but I love this idea Marie Mersier made arranged. The boxes are still filled with fun patterned paper but by stacking them on top of the desk itself they become much more accessible and useful.
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Finally, Steph Bond’s gorgeous pegboard for her daughter’s study space is designed to be flexible. She maximizes space with painted spice racks and hooks for clipboards or calendars.
From first to twelfth grade, I had to wear a uniform to school—it was some combination of gray, navy, light blue, khaki, and white. With that ever-so exciting palette to work with, I clearly had to get creative on St. Patrick’s Day to escape the pinchers!
While most accomplished this by wearing green underwear, I would take to my accessory collection to find the most green, yet dress-code compliant item I could.
This is a dang easy craft, so I don’t even want to insult you with a list of materials and how-to pics. Gather all of the green beads you have…if you’re not like me with buckets of beads laying around, think outside the box. Got green straws you can cut into beads? How about some penne that you can dye or paint? The fun is in the mixing of shapes and tones to create a playful bauble to wear on March 17th. I added a green ribbon and a little dash of gold just for fun.
As my son would say, this one is “easy peasy lemon squeezie!” (Maybe lime squeezie in this case!)
As one of the most basic party supplies, paper cups usually play more of a sideline than starring role. However, they have some serious beyond-the-birthday potential. From toys and games to decorations and even interior design elements, there are plenty of awesome ways to reimagine paper cups. Here are 10 examples that will certainly make you see the cup half full.
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(Above) These charming paper-cup lights from Mommo Design cast a cozy glow that would definitely banish bad dreams.
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Give your budding photographer her own paper-cup lens to practice with. All of the fun details on Molly Moo‘s version will make her feel like a pro.
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Persia Lou’s painted paper-cup poppers could have a place at a party any time of year. Confetti for new years, pom poms for a birthday, or even water droplets for a backyard bash.
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Hello from the other cup…The classic can phone gets a very cute upgrade with dot stickers, felted pom-poms, and paper cups from Marie-Laure Pham via Hello Wonderful.
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This cheery advent from FamilyFun Magazine shouldn’t be saved for Christmas. Mount paper cups to a piece of foam core and cover the opening with numbered sheets of tissue paper. Let kids draw numbers from a hat at party and then punch out the number for their party favor!
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Handmade Charlotte‘s collection of paper-cup sea creatures look as fun to craft as they do to play with. As a fishing game, they are also a great way for your kids to practice hand eye coordination.
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For a hat that’s sure to be the star of the party, Oh Happy Day’s teeny tent tete topper takes the cake. Afterwards, use the mini paper-cup circus tent as a home to your kids’ toy circus animals.
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Send guests home with a goodie bag that looks good enough to eat. Though Willow Day‘s paper-cup apple box isn’t edible, it’s the perfect container for tiny treats.
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Martha Stewart works her magic with these mini rocket ships. This multipurpose shape could also be reworked into castle towers for a princess party or little houses to fit with a fairy theme.
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One Charming Party takes the pain out of piñata making and lets you save energy for the fun part – breaking them! These are made from cone cups, but can easily be made from the average party version too.
While St. Patrick’s Day may not rank high on my list of favorite holidays, I’ve been running into so many clever ways to add little luck to your wardrobe that I can’t help but get into the spirit this year. I’ve gathered 9 crafts that you can use to get green from head to toe. Just one is enough to prevent you from getting pinched, but who knows you might get carried away. The more green the more luck right?
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This paper clover crown from Oh Happy Day! looks better than the real thing. And instead of wilting, it can bring luck year after year. (See image above!)
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The Melrose Family created these cute rainbow clips which can also be crafted as a pins. Wouldn’t they make a sweet gift for friends or classmates?
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The lack of green in these giant lucky charm barrettes from Handmade Charlotte is made up for by the amount of luck they’ll surely bring.
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I love these simple collars from Fabricworm Blog. Go with green for sweet and sassy way to dress up a crew-neck t-shirt! (If your sewing skillz are a bad as mine, use the pattern to make a no-sew felt version.
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I think rainbows definitely rival clovers as the best way to invoke St. Patty’s spirit. This collar pin from The House That Lars Built is still sweet enough to wear year round though.
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Simple As That’s Clover Leaf Lei would be a great craft to have little hands help with. I love the way newsprint is mixed in with all the other fun green patterns.
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Nautical bracelets might not be your first thought when it comes to St. Patty’s day, but this minty one from Thanks I Made It fits so perfectly with the holiday color scheme. To make the guys in your life their own green and gold version, follow the tutorial from Hello Glow.
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You’ll look pinchable – until you bare your soles! The House that Lars Built does it again with these cleverly painted shoes.
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If you like the idea of showing your spirit on your feet, but don’t want to make any permanent changes to your shoes, the perky Pom Pom Shoe Clips from Lovely Indeed might be the perfect craft.
If your kid is Thomas-the-Train-obsessed, then you know that you can go to the ends of the earth with track before you can satisfy his or her love for all things Sodor.
This chalkboard would be an adorable addition to any kid’s playroom or bedroom!
For the big loves in your life, make something that screams LOVE for all to see! Make this photo frame with just a few basic materials. Click on over to this post for the full how-to!
Shot through the heart! In a holiday season full of frills, this Valentine’s themed game is on target for both boys and girls. It has all the fun of darts, minus the danger, plus your kids will be too distracted playing to even notice their working on their addition skills.
To make the dartboard and arrows you will need:
Felt in red, pink, blue, orange, purple (use a 18×18-inch piece for the base & 9 x 12-inch sheets for other colors)
Standard scissors (sewing size are helpful too!)
1 large piece of cardboard
Pencil
Marker
Paper straws
Styrofoam balls (same amount as straws)
Adhesive Velcro dots (5 per arrow)
Sparkly tape
Tacky glue
Rope
1. Fold your base color piece of felt in half and cut out a large heart on the fold.
2. Repeat step one with the rest of your felt colors, using the previous heart as a guideline to cut the next heart slightly smaller. Make sure to leave approximately an inch between colors so there’s plenty of space for the arrows to land!
3. Use a marker to outline numbers 1 through 4 on extra felt from the center heart (in our case orange). Use leftover felt from the second smallest heart to create a 5 for the center heart. Smaller sewing scissors work best for cutting out the numbers.
4. Apply tacky glue to the edge of each heart and attach them in consecutive layers.
5. Use tacky glue to attach the numbers on the top left edge of each heart layer in ascending order with 1 on the outer heart and 5 in the center.
6. Trace your heart onto a piece of cardboard with a pencil and cut it out with scissors. Secure the felt to the cardboard with tacky glue.
7. Cut a few feet of rope and attach to the back of the cardboard with tape.
– and your board is done! To make the arrows:
1. Cover one end of each straw with a 2 inch piece of tape folded in half over the top.
2. Trim the tape into an angled “V” shape and cut small slits on each side to create a feather.
3. Trim each straw to about 5-inches long. To make your arrow tip, insert the straw into the center of a styrofoam ball and secure with tacky glue.
4. Finally, stick five scratchy (not soft) halves of circular velcro around the styrofoam ball to help increase the likelihood of little hands making their target.
On Valentine’s Day what do conversation hearts, cards, and flower bouquets have in common? Give up? They all disappear…the candy gets eaten, the cards get recycled, and the flowers wilt. I ask you this: why are we showing our affection with gifts that have zero staying power?
Obviously I believe that a homemade gift tops the charts, and Valentine’s Day is certainly no exception. I bet if you took a survey, asking what the most personal gift could possibly be, the vast majority will agree on photographs. This Valentine’s Day, I’ve partnered with Nations Photo Lab to show you two clever ways to combine photographs and crafting to get your kids involved in making meaningful, heartfelt Valentine gifts with affordable photo prints.
Free your pics from your memory card and phone to craft these simple but stylish Valentine’s gifts for the special people in your family’s life!
PHOTO WALL HANGING
This mobile takes about ten minutes to make, but can last forever. Cut the strings as long as you’d like to hold as many photos as you want! Since the photographs are not glued, your giftee can switch them out for new ones when the mood strikes.
What you’ll need:
Photographic prints (you can choose from a variety of finishes; I chose glossy)
Skewer
Scissors
Colorful and natural beads
Twine
Mini clothespins
Tacky glue
1. Trim the point off of the skewer.
2. Tie the twine to one end of the skewer and add a dot of glue to keep it in place.
3. Slip the beads (in a pattern or at random!) over the skewer.
4. Cut the twine about 12-inches long, and tie the end to the other end of the skewer; add another dot of glue.
5. Cut pieces of twine, ranging in length from 10 inches and longer, tie beads to one end securing with a knot, and tie in between the beads on the skewer.
6. Trim photos if necessary, and clip them to the strings using mini clothespins.
LOVE FRAME
You can use this technique to write out someone’s name, or even to make a series of heart-shaped frames. The “O” in love makes the perfect spot for the perfect picture!
2. Cut a 36-inch piece of wire (better to have too much than not enough at this stage) and fold over one end, creating a stopper. String on the paper straw beads until you fill the wire. Fold the wire over the last bead to create a stopper.
3. Bend the wire into the script word “love.” (Don’t worry if you mess up…the straw pieces will hide any kinks in the wire so it’s okay to undo what’s not working.)
4. Lay your photo under the “O” and trace the circle onto the photo.
5. Cut inside the line that you drew, and measure it to make sure it’s fitting perfectly behind the letter. Trim off edges when needed.
6. Use mini glue dots around the periphery of the photos, and carefully stick the photo in place on the back of the “O.” You can stand the frame up on the edge of a shelf or dresser, or tie string to the “L” and “E” to hang.
If you are ever in need of a laugh, a quick google search for “vintage valentines” brings up more weird and wacky cards than you would think possible. I’d love to know who bought them back in the day! Inspired by these funny throwbacks, I’ve gathered a collection of crafts that are light on the candy and heavy on the humor. Pardon the puns in advance!
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Diamond-shaped ring pops will make kids feel just as special as if they were receiving the real thing! Let your kids show their classmates how much they shine with this idea from Bloom Design.
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The Alison Show came up with a wearable valentine that’s as fun to make as it is to give – plus the painting and stringing are a great way to help develop your toddler’s motor skills.
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This classic piece of kid jewelry brings some summertime magic into chilly February. Dandee shares the simple instructions and free printable so that every kid can be part of the club.
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Say Yes’s clever fruit captions will have the whole class feeling peachy. Dollar store fruit never looked so delicious!
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“Will zoo be mine?” – it’s tough to ask without getting the giggles! The circus animals, stamped letters, and felt heart give these valentines from The Blue Robin Cottage an irresistibly timeless look.
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These “amaze”ing valentines from Frog Prince Paperie will find their way into the hearts of your kids classmates – while giving them an outlet for all their sugar rush energy. You can buy the heart mazes here.
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I’m a sucker for all things miniature, especially when they’re functional! These pocket-sized watercolor sets are a fun way to spark creativity. Get the cute printable from Armelle.
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This toothy heart from All for the Boys might have sharp chompers, but it’s also perfect for delivering a sweet kiss.
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This valentine from Love and Lion is sure snot to disappoint….(sorry I couldn’t help it). Luckily the only thing that will be coming out of this nose is pencil shavings.
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Finally, this cute card from Paging Super Mom will help your kids express their feelings, rather than erase them!
