The Ocean Blue - kids crafts

During our Mother's Morning Out program, we do all kinds of fun things, but mostly we make learning fun!  This summer we have talked a lot about gardens, bugs, sunshine and rainbows.  I realized that a lot of our little Nookers have been going to the beach, so we wanted to teach them about the ocean so they could take it all in once they got there.  There is not a better way to learn than to do something yourself, with your own two hands.  

So, big kids and little kids alike, made their own little oceans and this was by far one of their favorite lessons...

We love recycling for art projects!  So, thanks to my father-in-law for his morning orange juice!!!!

Start with talking about colors and what color the ocean is...

add a little food coloring to the water...

Then give them { glitter, pearls, shells, fish }

Add...

This is a great time to talk about what lives in the ocean.  You wouldn't believe the fun things that children will say, when you listen...

{ Add mineral oil to make waves when you shake it }

{ Hot glue the top }

Then, go swim around like fish, walk sideways like crabs, and make a fin like a shark!

We did.

Do you dare to reach in here?

We did.

Curious Morgan, the Birthday Monkey!

Curious George has always been an old favorite and this birthday called for a little George, a little pink and a little birthday girl.  

I could not even begin to choose which photographs to include because there were so many fun details for this party!  I loved the bright colors and geometric patterns and the idea of "updating" Curious George a little bit to fit the bill for a very sweet and hip little monkey!

Let's Go Bananas!

We started out by using Curious George paper for our invitations...ohhhm, can we say fun?

We created a dessert table that had youngsters and adults a little curious...

Stop monkeying around!

We love making the birthday chair special...

sweet little monkey and mama...

are those "Chimp-wiches" and "Monkey Munchies"?

banana chips too?

welcome to the jungle.

Of course all of our little monkeys wanted to become monkeys after reading a Curious George story in the Enchanted Forest!

We went outside to play pin the banana on the monkey...

monkey pinata...

more snacks...

I am so curious as to what she wished for???

Happy Birthday Monkey Morgan!

Here ye, Here ye...

Maypoles and goblets, armor and crown jewels were the recipe for this beautiful birthday party.  What a wonderful way to celebrate the birthday of both brother and sister, turning three and five!  

Sir Hopkins and Princess Lucy.

The Princesses made necklaces to add to their "Crown Jewel" collection.

The Knights decorated shields.

Then, a real princess arrived with a pony and when all of the children rode the pony, we had a ceremony.  The girls were "crowned" princess with crowns and wands and the boys were properly "knighted".

The girls danced around the Maypole to Frere Jacques.

 {Lucy and Hopkins dad is French, so it was fitting }

The Noble Knights slayed the dragon!

Our Princess read a fairytale...

The Little Nook loves your castle and all of your royal details Lucy and Hopkins!

Happy Birthday!