20 Fun Ideas That Won't Break The Bank- When the kids get home from school, make some of these fun and inexpensive crafts! Not ready to spend a fortune on supplies? We've come up with some fun projects you can make with recycled materials from around the house. Here are some ideas to get you started!
ABC & 123 Alphabet Cookies- Teacher Appreciation week is coming up. Looking for something fun and tasty to give to your favorite teacher? Bake a batch of these cinnamon
sugar cookies to say "Thank You" for all
of their hard work.
ABC Salt Dough- Making gifts from salt dough is fun and creative. Make these easy salt dough alphabet letters for your teacher. Whether you simply add a magnet or your glue them to something more elaborate like a wall plaque, she will appreciate the work you put into them!
An Apple For The Teacher- Here's an adorable little craft for your preschooler or Kindergartener to take with them on their first day of school. What a warm way to begin the school year!
Back to School Party- Help your kids get ready for a new school year by hosting a back to school party! Let them reconnect with school friends by inviting last year’s classmates or say goodbye to summer with all their neighborhood pals. We can help with tips for choosing a theme, food, decorations, party favors, and fun back-to-school games and crafts.
Bandana Covered Notebook- Here's a creative way to use old bandanas and dress up those boring school composition notebooks at the same time! A fun craft for girls or guys, just change the bandana color.
Chick Pencil Topper- This adorable little craft is perfect for back to school, Easter, springtime, or just any old time!
Clothespin Magnets- Children love to display their
artwork on the refrigerator. Dad
is always hanging up phone
numbers and slips of paper.
And Mom, of course, has her
own little notes, lists, and
reminders. With the help of the
kids, why not personalize a
magnet clip for everyone in the
family?
Crafts To Make With Boxes- Jenny has a some great ideas on how to turn
regular old cardboard boxes into hours of fun for your kids!
Extreme Embellished Purse- Girls will love this purse! A great way to show young girls some basic sewing skills and help them create something of their very own.
Fabric Pencil Case- Here's an easy craft project that will help your child get back into the groove for school! It's a great project for both boys and girls. Keep it simple or add detail with embellishments. Each pencil case will hold about 6 pencils.
Grown-ups: Join the fun and make your own to keep that junk drawer organized!
Feeding Station For Birds- Make this Feeding Station for Birds out of
recycled plastic pop bottles. And don't miss the simple pine cone feeder for
the little ones to make.
Flower Power Pencil Holder- Make this cute and cheerful can for that special little girl in your life. This darling little can is perfect for pens, markers, or anything else her heart desires.
Foam Bug Magnet- This cute little bug is far from creepy! It's not only adorable, it's easy and inexpensive to make. All you need is some craft foam, glue and a magnet!
Foam Locket Magnets- Make these adorable locker magnets to display this school year. You'll not only have the best looking locker in school, all of your friends will want to know how you made them!
Football Star Shirt- Is your child a budding football star? Maybe you have big football fans in your family? This shirt is an ideal gift and a really fun project for game day. Whether a fan or a player, your kids will love it!
Friendship Pens- Make them for
yourself or swap 'em
with your friends! Why
not use your school or
scout colors or your
favorite colors.
Froggy Note Holder- This long legged frog is the perfect companion for any child's bedroom door or wall. He's perfect for hanging notes or photos and he's cute to boot!
Fun & Funky Tote Bag- Has your daughter outgrown her ribbons and lace and has long since ditched the princess decorations in her bedroom? Make this fun and funky tote bag for her sleepovers, dance class accessories, or even homework!
Furry Head Pencils & Eraser Heads- Terri of MakingFriends.com brings us these great crafts. Watch 'em wiggle when you write! Makes a great party favor.
Fuzzy Desk Accessories- Give a set of these fuzzy desk accessories to your friends and they won't believe you made it! Little girls will adore this craft and will want to show them off to all their friends.
Hair Flair - Just in Time For Back to School- Begin with plain barrettes, headbands and ponytail holders. With some imagination and glue you can turn these items from boring to adorable for any little girl in your life! Perfect for back to school.
Hair Scrunchies- A great craft to do with girls of any age. After all, all girls like hair scrunchies, even Moms! Make a bunch of these for heading back to school, going to gymnastics, or just hanging out!
Homework Before Play Sign- This cute door plaque doubles as a "quiet zone" sign and a "gone playing" sign. This is a great way to let your child's friends know that they are not yet finished with their homework and to come back later. It also lets kids know whether their friends are home or not.
Jean Leg Purse- Making cut-off shorts out of an old pair of jeans? Save the legs to make a trendy purse. Anna from Kings Park, NY made this purse with some help from her mom and grandma.
Knowledge Garden- In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we bring you this fun and creative craft that will light up that special educator in your child's life. Our version was created to honor all of the teachers and administrators at school, but you can personalize yours to fit an individual teacher if you prefer.
Personalized Nameplate- This nameplate is a great addition to a little girl's bedroom shelf or dresser top. Dress up some scrap wood in her favorite color and she'll love you for it!
Personalized Pencil Case- Personalize a pencil case for a
cool back-to-school accessory. Super easy for kids of any age, get your kids started on this fun project today.
Rainbow Magnet- This absolutely adorable rainbow magnet
is colorful and easy to make. Hang it on
your fridge and bring the luck of the Irish
into your household!
Salt Dough Bear Magnet- Kids love to create things, and so do grown ups! This darling little ladybug makes a great shelf adornment or a welcome visitor on your desk.
July 4th is almost here. Celebrate Independence Day this year with crafts, recipes and plenty of other ideas. Here are a few examples to get you started...
Fun Picture Riddles Help with Letter Recognition: Scholastic has done it again, releasing yet another fabulous book in its popular I Spy series. This time Jean Marzollo's witty riddles married with Walter Wick's vibrant photographs make for a fun and engaging read for children of all ages. Through the seemingly magical power of rhyme and repetition, children will obtain several early reading skills without even trying!
Family Matters Radio
FMR is a nationally syndicated radio program developed to help you live your best life, hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. No rants and raves - you get enough of that from your kids. Choose a segment below to begin listening!