Elece Hollis's Blog
Posted by Elece Hollis
Dear Readers,
Children trapped inside by inclement weather can keep busy with a play or puppet show, and art show, a musical presentation, or even a program of recitations and readings. The children can work together and are encouraged to sing, act, recite, or dance.
They only need a little nudging to put on a real show with programs, a stage curtain and simple props. They will take off and have a grand time sending invitations, preparing the program selections, assigning parts and practicing their production, setting up the stage and even serving refreshments.
A show at home can be just the thing to brighten up a dismal day or even a week or two of cold weather. A part can be found for every child regardless of age or skill level. So turn up the lights and get the children ready for an adventure in drama and the arts, with Indoor Activities for Cold North Winters.
~Elece~
Posted by Elece Hollis
Hello and Happy Fall !
Planning an autumn event or want some fresh ideas for decorating clasrooms or home for the fall? Decorate with bold fall flowers or the changing shades of summer. Incorporate dried berries, and other fall finds from nature into rustic and fun arrangements. Add pinecones, Indian corn, mini-pumpkins, gourds and overcup acorns for a unique decoration.
Gather up some of those fall colors--the rusty reds, bright oranges, brilliant yellows, browns. tans, and purples. Add some touches of golds and greens and you have the makings of a beautiful fall bouquet .
Children love the fall leaves. They like to collect and press colored leaves. Encourage them to look beyond the leaves for other fall finds you can incorporate into your creations.
Elece
Posted by Elece Hollis
Hello and Happy Fall,
Are you looking for a spectacular and unique autumn decoration? You have probably already thought of using pumpkins, but a Pumpkin Bouquet is an interesting and unique way to display fall flowers, leaves, and grasses.
The pumpkin has to be a good shape for standing upright and still fresh and hard. The top is cut off and instead of inserting a candle, you fill the pumpkin with a vase of flowers. Ideas for the vase and the flowers and plants to use for the bouquet are included.
A bouquet with water-filled vase and fresh flowers will not last long. The inside of the pumpkin will mold in about one week, so cut and prepare your pumpkin vase close to the event you are decorating for.
I used one to decorate my sideboard during a fall party in my home. It attracted attention and drew many comments from my guests. It was a good conversation piece and fun and simple to prepare. I may have started a new fall tradition.
Elece
Posted by Elece Hollis
Moms and Grandmothers,
Do you have girls who love to entertain? These ideas for an autumn tea for the ladies will be a hit with them. Autumn is perfect for tea parties.
The weather is changing and the cool dark earlier evenings are perfect for sipping hot tea, apple cider or hot cocoa. There are plenty of easy and beautiful autumn decorations to make and fall colors to employ.
What fun the girls will have planning and preparing the food and decorations for a fall tea party! get them started planning a party for their cousins, the moms in the family, homeschool group, relatives, church friends, or neighborhood children.
Wear clothes in fall colors or with leaves or fall designs. Make a fall bouquet for the table. Bake pumpkin bread, apple-spice cake, cinnamon toast, molasses cookies, or gingerbread.
Much of the fun is in the preparations and looking forward to the actual party. My daughters and I had a grand autumn tea this year and I am sure you will too!
Elece
Posted by Elece Hollis
Dear Parents,
Do you have a child who spends a lot of time in solitary play? One child wrote to me asking for games he could play alone outside. Certainly, for most "games" there is more than one player required, but there are many active things a child can play when alone.
In my article about loner activity, I divide play into categories and list ideas for each type of play--leaving details up to the child. A child can play ball games alone, also search and scavenge, run foot races against the clock and his own records, maneuver obstacle courses, study nature, and play old time games like hopscoth, marbles, and jump rope alone.
Join me today if you know a child who needs ideas for games he can play himself. Active and outside--these go with fall!
~Elece~
