St Patrick’s Day Party Ideas
Throwing a St Patrick’s Day party can be a lot of fun for kids and adults. It may be something new to you, too, depending on your background and where you grew up. Here are some fun ideas for a St Patrick’s Day party, from decorations to food and drink.
Decorations
Think green! Decorations can revolve around the color green, shamrocks, pots of gold, rainbows, and leprechauns. Try some of these decorations for your party.
1. Green Hats
You can use these little green hats for place markers at the table, or just leave them around as decorations. To make them, you’ll need:
* Green paper cups
* Green card stock, craft foam, or construction paper
* Yellow card stock, craft foam, or construction paper
* Scissors
* Glue
* Green marker or pen
Cut circles from the card stock/foam/paper that are slightly bigger than the open top of the paper cups. You’ll want about 1 inch all the way around for the hat’s brim. Glue the paper cup upside-down onto the circle of card stock. Next, cut out a yellow hat band from the card stock/foam/paper. Glue this in a ring around the middle of the cup. Then cut a square out of the yellow card stock and write the person’s name on it. Glue it in the middle of the yellow ring. If you aren’t writing names, draw a square on it to look like a buckle.
2. Shamrocks
Cut shamrock shapes out of green card stock or construction paper, and place them on tables and hang them around the room. You can also tuck them into flower pots and set them around the room.
Games
Fun games make any party better. Here are some to try at your St Patrick’s Day party.
1. Find the Pot of Gold
Searching for that elusive pot of gold is part of the fun. Do a scavenger hunt with clues written on paper shamrocks hidden around the room or yard. Have them culminate in a pot of gold chocolate coins (or some actual money if you like!).
2. Fool the Leprechaun
For this game, you’ll need a group of at least five and a coin. (It can be a pretend coin or real money, but a chocolate one won’t work for this game.)
To play, everyone but one player sits in a circle. The one who is standing is the leprechaun. He stands in the middle of the circle while the players pass or pretend to pass the coin from one to another. The leprechaun says “Stop!” when he thinks he knows who has the coin. If he’s right, he wins and the person who was holding the coin stands in the middle. If he’s wrong, play again.
Food and Drink
Traditional foods from Ireland include potatoes, cabbage, soda bread, and shepherd’s pie. Children would enjoy green Jell-O shamrocks, yellow Jell-O circles and rainbow cupcakes (grown-ups might like these sweet treats, too!). You can serve this tasty green punch to wash it all down.
1. Green Punch
* 1 2-liter of lemon-lime soda
* 1 can limeade concentrate
* 1 can lemonade concentrate
* 1 quart of lime sherbet
Mix everything but the sherbet in a large bowl. Top with scoops of lime sherbet. As an alternative, rainbow sherbet would also work with the theme.
Easy Mushroom and Tofu Stew
Ingredients:
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 cup vegetable stock (more if needed)
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 oz dried mushrooms (for example dried shiitake mushrooms)
St Patrick’s Day Craft Ideas for Kids
St Patrick’s Day is fun to celebrate with children, and really lends itself to crafts. Here are some ideas for St Patrick’s Day crafts you can do with your kids.
1. Lucky T-Shirt
You and your kids can wear this craft on St Patrick’s Day. Here’s what you’ll need:
* White t-shirts
* Green fabric paint
* 3-D green fabric paint (“puffy” paint)
* Heart-shaped stamp (you can cut one out of a sponge or buy a foam one at a craft store)
Lay each t-shirt you are decorating on a flat surface. Use the heart stamp and fabric paint to create shamrock shapes – the points of three hearts meet in the middle. Put as many shamrocks as you like on the shirt. Then, outline the shamrocks with the 3-D paint and add a stem. Allow it to dry overnight, and wear it for luck!
2. Pot o’ Gold with Rainbow Streamers
Hang this one up to brighten the room on St Patrick’s Day. Here’s what you’ll need:
* Black card stock or craft foam
* Yellow card stock or craft foam
* Tissue paper in rainbow colors
* Glue (you can use white glue if you use paper; but you’ll probably need a hot glue gun if you use craft foam)
* Yarn or ribbon for hanging
First, cut out a pot shape from the black card stock. Use about half the sheet to make the pot. Then, cut round coin shapes from the yellow card stock. Glue them along the top of the pot to look like gold coins heaped up over the edge. Next, cut tissue paper in long strips, one strip for each color of the rainbow. Make the strips 18-24 inches long. Glue them to the back of the pot so that they hang down below it. Glue a loop of yarn or ribbon to the back of the top and hang.
3. 3-D Shamrock
These make nice centerpieces for the table. You’ll need:
* Scissors
* Green card stock
* Shamrock pattern to trace (or you can draw it free-hand)
Trace or draw the shamrock onto the green card stock and cut it out. Using the cut-out or template, trace and cut another shamrock. It’s important that they be exactly alike. Now cut a slit up from the bottom of one of the shamrocks, starting in the middle of the stem and going up about halfway. On the other shamrock, cut a slit starting at the top center and down to the middle. Slide the two together along the slits.
Snowy Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers
It’s that time of year, and snow is an inspiring medium for all kinds of arts and crafts. Preschoolers tend to love crafts, and they can make things out of snow or use paper and other media for creating snow-inspired crafts. Here are some ideas for snowy arts and crafts for preschoolers.
1. Snow Viewing
When it’s snowing, take your kid(s) outside with a sheet of black paper and a magnifying glass. As the flakes land on the black paper, the kids can look closely at them and examine them under the magnifying glass. This is a simple activity and is not necessarily a craft per se, but it’s a great place to start to inspire preschoolers to create their own snowy creations.
2. Salty Snow
Epsom salt looks glittery and snowy on all sorts of objects. For preschoolers, try this fun craft. You can use these balls as Christmas tree ornaments, in bowls, or piled up on windowsills or in bay windows. You’ll need:
* Styrofoam balls, any size you like or a variety of sizes (you can also use inexpensive bulk Christmas tree balls)
* Epsom salts
* Decoupage medium or white glue slightly thinned with water
* Paintbrush (for the glue)
Place a good amount of Epsom salts on a plate. Using the paintbrush, coat balls one at a time with decoupage medium and roll them in Epsom salts. Once dry, repeat the process and you’ll have some very snowy looking balls! If you use varying sizes, you can then make snowmen with your preschooler(s).
Note: you can use this method on candles, votive holders, and anything you want to make look like snow.
3. Glue Snowflakes
Make snowflakes for your windows with this craft. You’ll need:
* White glue
* Wax paper
* Salt or glitter (optional)
* Snowflake design for inspiration
Lay the sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet or other hard surface that you can leave undisturbed for a few hours. Help your preschooler make snowflake shapes out of glue – squeeze the glue directly onto the wax paper. While the glue is wet, sprinkle on salt or glitter if you like. When the snowflakes dry, peel them off and hang them up in windows or on the tree. Use a little soft wax (such as beeswax) to stick them to windows.
4. Ice and Salt Sculptures
Begin the night before for this craft. You’ll need:
* 1-quart plastic yogurt tub, whipped topping tub, or similar plastic or cardboard container (milk cartons work, too)
* Liquid food coloring
* Rock salt, such as driveway salt
* Plastic gloves or small scoop (to keep salt off hands)
* Camera (this craft melts!)
The night before, make ice blocks by filling your container with water and freeze. In the morning or whenever you’re ready to do the craft, run hot water over the container and slip the ice block out. Place the ice in a pan or tub, large side up (if there is a larger side).
Let your preschooler sprinkle rock salt on the top of the ice block using gloves or a scoop. Then drop liquid food coloring on top where the salt chunks are. Vary the colors. As the salt melts the ice, it will create color streaks through the ice block, as well as create interesting shapes. Take pictures!
Smart Snacking Ideas for Preschoolers
While parents may think that “no snacking between meals” is a healthy goal, it’s been shown that snacking may actually be healthier. Preschoolers and toddlers are said to especially benefit from snacking – their smaller stomachs and growing bodies mean that they need to eat frequently to meet their nutritional needs.
Of course, healthy snacks are the sort of snacks that are beneficial. Hurried parents may just get pre-made, packaged snacks and go with that, and some store-bought snacks are fairly healthy. But for a little effort, you can make your own snacks, too. Here are some ideas for smart snacking for preschoolers.
Whole Grain Crackers
You can buy or make these. If you’re buying them, look for crackers with as few ingredients as possible. Health experts agree that hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, and preservatives should be avoided.
Crackers that are multi-grain are fine, but make sure the manufacturer didn’t just throw some whole grains into a white flour product. Truly whole grain crackers are made with entirely whole grains and whole grain flours.
Making your own crackers is surprisingly easy. Look online for cracker recipes, or scan your family-friendly cookbooks for ideas.
Wheat- or Gluten-Free
If you prefer that your child not be exposed to wheat or gluten (or if this is a necessity for you), you can look for nut-based crackers that contain no wheat or no grains.
Fruits
Fresh fruit is always a healthy snack and preschoolers tend to love it. Keep fruit on hand and in sight to motivate your little ones. Puree fruit and freeze it into popsicles, and/or let your preschooler eat frozen fruit out of hand. Some fruits can be cut up ahead of time without turning brown, such as kiwi, and others are naturally bite-sized, like berries. Fruits that preschoolers tend to like include:
* Bananas (dried or frozen slices are yummy, too)
* Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
* Apples
* Peaches
* Kiwi
* Pears
* Avocado (chunks or as a spread/dip)
Veggies
Vegetable crudit
Safety Tips When Ice-Skating
Ice-skating is a fun and beautiful activity. It can be dangerous, though, if you don’t observe some basic safety protocol. Here are some safety tips to help you enjoy this fun activity with less risk.
Etiquette
A lot of injuries can be prevented if everyone on the rink follows the rules of polite behavior: no pushing, shoving, hitting, or crowding (give every skater a big personal space on all sides). Unless you’ve rented the ice rink for a special game time (such as broom ball), there should be no “horsing around” and goofing off. Older kids playing rough and crazy games can hurt younger kids and each other.
Learn How to Fall
Let’s face it – falling happens in ice skating. If you’re learning, it will happen a lot! Learn to fall on your body’s natural cushion: your bottom. It is not fun to fall, but it’s a lot less fun to fall incorrectly, such as on your face or side. Extending your arms to break your fall can result in broken arms. So learn how to fall on your bottom when you lose your balance.
Ponds and Lakes
Only skate on frozen ponds and lakes if you are certain the ice is thick and stable. Even then, be careful and observe safety measures, such as never skating on a pond or lake by yourself. Always have another person with you, and fan out on the ice so that you are not clumped together. The combined weight is more likely to break the ice, and if someone does break through, the other person will not go down with them if he or she is ten feet away.
Ideally, there should be a person with a cell phone on the pond or lake bank watching the skaters. You can alternate with this person so he or she gets a chance to skate, too.
Pads
Elbow and knee pads can help reduce injuries, especially for learning children.
Dress Appropriately
Whether inside or out, it’s important to keep yourself from getting chilled. The wind you produce as you move whips the heat away from your body. Layers are essential – you can remove a layer or two as you warm up from the exercise, then replace the layers when you stop so you cool down slowly. Hats and scarves are important, as are thick socks and gloves. If you feel your feet or hands getting numb, get off the ice and get to a warm area.
Figure Skating Routines
If there is someone on the rink who is practicing figure skating moves, that person should be given space and should have the right of way. Figure skaters often have sharpened skates, and it’s important for those who are not practicing a routine to stay out of the way.
How to Lower Anxiety Levels in Children
According to psychologists, anxiety is an increasingly common disorder among children. For parents who deal with this problem with their children, it’s good to know some coping mechanisms and learn some ways to lower your child’s anxiety level. Here are some tips.
Us against It
For parents, it can be tempting to get angry with your child’s anxious behavior; but this just makes it worse, say experts. Instead, try to make it an “us against it” situation – team up with your child against the anxiety. Treat the anxiety as something you are going to fight together, side by side. Developing and cultivating that mentality can help in several ways:
* It helps alleviate parental anger by redirecting the feelings that anxiety can produce – parents can “re-wire” their reactions to be from a helpful standpoint rather than a punishing one.
* It identifies the anxiety as a third party, so to speak, and not something that is “wrong” with the child. The child may feel very relieved to know that his or her feelings are actually the anxiety.
* Once the anxiety is considered separate from the child, the child can learn to “boss it back” and not feel so much like a victim.
Reduce Your Own Anxiety
Children seem to pick up on parental anxiety, and their anxiety can make parents feel anxious, setting up an unpleasant cycle. As the adult, you can set an example of anxiety management and reduce the amount of anxiety that is in your living space. Meditate, pray, take deep breaths, or whatever works to keep your anxiety from worsening the situation.
Structure
Have you ever sat down and made a list or business plan to collect your thoughts? Do you feel better seeing it all down on paper? Structure – having a plan and a routine – tends to produce a sense of calm. The same is true for children.
Establish a routine (it need not be rigid, but it should be predictable), and limit extracurricular activities so there is plenty of “down time.” However, an outlet is important. Many anxious children benefit from music lessons or other classes that engage their mind and body.
Relaxation Exercises
You can teach your child various relaxation exercises and benefit from them yourself. Meditation may help, as can physical exercises that slowly relax each muscle group. Learning the mind-body connection can go a long way toward helping relieve anxiety. You might consider a martial arts or yoga class for your child.
Coping, Not Avoidance
While forcing your child to do too many things is not a good idea, teaching him or her to cope with anxious situations is a more useful tool than allowing him or her to avoid everything that causes anxiety. Teach your child how to face anxiety-producing events and situations, and he or she will likely feel more comfortable with some tools at his or her disposal.
Knitting – a Fun and Timeless Hobby for All Ages
Knitting is making a comeback these days, and for good reason. It’s a practical, enjoyable, and timeless activity that many different ages can enjoy. It’s a great excuse for a group get-together, too!
What makes knitting so enjoyable? Why has it lasted down through the ages? Here are some interesting things to consider about knitting.
Stress Relief
Knitting is said to be a great stress reliever, which explains in part why people keep doing it through the years! It may have a significant calming effect, especially if you are not a hurry-up-and-get-to-the-end kind of person. Knitting is about enjoying the process, which really fits some people’s personalities.
Prevents Snacking
People who knit say it keeps them from eating, because both hands are occupied. If you like to snack while watching TV, taking up knitting may help you break the habit! Knitting may help with just about any habit that involves the hands, from nail-biting to overeating.
Variety
Knitting encompasses such a wide range of items to choose from. You can knit entire coats, or just knit a hot pad or oven mit. Shawls, sweaters, hats, baby clothes, socks, gloves, blankets, and even dish cloths can all be knitted. So knitting incorporates a lot of interests, which may account for its broad appeal.
Gifts
People love to receive hand-knitted items for gifts. Knitting is attractive to people who like to give homemade, meaningful gifts – and then the “giftee” may be inspired to take up knitting as well after receiving such a nice gift!
Another note on giving hand-knitted items – they can be customized to fit the recipient. You can knit in his or her favorite colors, whether it’s a blanket or sweater. You can choose wool, acrylic, cotton, or a blend – all depending on what the person likes. It’s hard to find that level of customization in the store!
Economical
Hand-knitted items can last a lifetime and beyond. Families may pass down a knitted piece from generation to generation. And for the frugal among us, it’s wonderful to know that you can produce something of such great quality for little money.
Back to Basics
This is a technological, electronic age. For many people, knitting is a basic, functional, old-fashioned activity that brings a certain amount of peace, focus, and quiet to our busy lives. You’re producing something, too, which can be very satisfying.
Beer-Batter Onion Rings
Ingredients:
2 large white onions, sliced into 1/4inch slices
1 cup beer
1
Knitting Circles – How to Start and Run One
Knitting is the hot new trend that is not really new. Getting together in a “circle” and creating something is a centuries-old tradition. There’s a new twist to any trend that comes back around, though, because a new generation is discovering it and giving it a unique character.
Knitting in the 21st century is a good example of this old-meets-new cycle. Starting a contemporary knitting circle looks different than it did a century ago, or even a quarter century ago. If you’d like to start one up, here are some hints on how to start and run a knitting circle.
Find Other Knitters
With the trend growing, finding others who are interested in knitting should be fairly easy. Ask around at your workplace, church, or favorite social networking site. The internet is a great place to connect with other knitters and finding others who share your interest. Here are some other ideas for finding fellow knitters:
* At your local sewing store, where knitters are likely to go to buy yarn, post a notice that you are starting a knitting circle and would like to know who’s interested. Leave minimal contact information, such as a phone number or email address. You can also leave the contact information of the venue where you plan to meet.
* Send out a group email to others you know to see if there is interest. If you’re a parent, you can check with other parents at your child’s school or homeschool group. If you’re single, this could be a great way to connect with other singles who might be interested in a social activity.
* Post your interest in knitting on your favorite social networking site and see how many responses you get.
Time and Place
Deciding where and when to hold your circle is important; it will affect the dynamics of the group. There will probably not be a time and day when everyone in the group can all attend, but you should be able to agree on a time and date where at least some of the group will be able to attend each time. Here are some ideas for finding a venue:
* Members of the circle can rotate host/hostess duties. Each circle will meet at a different member’s house each time.
* Your local library would be a good place to meet. It’s free, and the library is generally accessible to everyone. Libraries are generally very open to community events.
* A house of worship is another good place that costs nothing but can accommodate a group. Most houses of worship are also very supportive of fellowship and community activities.
* A conference room at your workplace could be ideal, especially if it’s a lunch-hour group of your co-workers.
Expectations
Make sure the expectations of the group are clear. Decisions need to be made about the following questions:
* Are drinks, snacks and refreshments to be provided? if so, by whom?
* Should everyone bring his or her own supplies?
* Can beginners join, and will there be instruction given?
* Whom should members call if they can’t attend a circle?
* Are children welcome, or do members need to find childcare when they attend meetings? Will childcare be provided?
Introducing Toddlers to New Food – Top Tips
This is a formative time in a child’s life – the toddler years are when impressions about food are formed as your child moves into the realm of a mature diet. Keep in mind, though, that toddlers are really still babies in many ways. Remembering that may help you keep a healthy perspective.
New foods are challenges for some toddlers and parents; for other toddlers, new is exciting and fun and they can’t wait to dig in. Regardless of what kind of child you have, you may from time to time need some help in introducing new foods. Here are some tips.
Story Time and Snack Time
Books like Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit feature nibbling raw vegetables. Other books feature interesting food descriptions, too – your local librarian would probably be glad to put together a collection of books featuring various foods. Then you can serve the relevant snack while you read the book. If they can associate it with a neat story and interesting literary character, toddlers may be less hesitant to try the new foods featured in the book.
Have a Stuffed Animal for Dinner
Let your toddler bring a stuffed animal “guest” to the table on a special night when you’re going to try something new. Let your toddler “feed” the new food to the stuffed animal, and let the toy join in with the dinner conversation by “asking” it how the food looks, tastes, and so forth.
Your toddler may begin to associate new foods with fun exceptions, like bringing a toy to the table (if she asks if the animal can join again, tell her it may join her the next time she tries a new food). This also gives your toddler the opportunity to express herself through the toy; it takes some of the “pressure” off when trying a new food.
Fun Food
You don’t have to go all-out, but making new foods into fun shapes can attract toddlers who might otherwise shun the food. Use a little nut butter or cream cheese to “glue” fruits together in attractive designs (maybe a pineapple ring with berries on it to make a wreath, or a broccoli “forest” held upright on a plate with blobs of cream cheese).
If you’ve never tried Bento, now is a great time! Toddlers enjoy the fun and pretty shapes you can make with food using the Bento method. Look online for interesting Bento ideas.
No Big Deal
Don’t worry if your toddler doesn’t respond positively to a new food. Your worry and anger will only make mealtime more tense, and make your toddler clam up even more the next time, say experts. Do praise your toddler for trying a food, but keep it low-key.
How to Know If Your Teen Is Responsible Enough to Drive on Their Own
When is your teen responsible enough to drive? As a parent, you may be thinking “never.” But at some point, your teen is going to want to drive like most other teens his or her age. So it’s a good idea for parents to know when to step in and when to step aside.
While every teen is different, here is a general checklist to help you get started determining your teen’s driving readiness.
1. Is your teen responsible in other areas of his life? If he is not getting homework done, for instance, or has a habit of blowing off responsibilities, then he may not be ready for the big responsibility of driving.
2. When you drive with your teen, what is her attention span like? Being easily distracted can be deadly on the road. Take note of your teen’s attention span and note if she is able to filter out distractions and concentrate on the road.
3. Does he listen, especially when you’re driving? Teens are notorious for thinking they already know everything. But your teen doesn’t know everything about driving, and he needs to be able to hear and understand driving tips and directions before heading out on his own.
4. Is there a practical reason why she needs to drive on her own? Some teens take on jobs and need to commute, or maybe they are taking a class or participating in extracurricular activities which require a commute. Take your teens practical needs into consideration as you decide about her driving.
5. What are his reflexes and reaction time like? Having a quick reaction time is crucial on the road. If your teen tends to “zone out” and take a while to come back to earth, he might need someone else in the car with him for a while longer.
6. Is your teen able to contribute to the costs of driving, such as insurance, gas, and maintenance? If she is just expecting you to do it all and has no idea how registration works, it’s a good idea to bring her up to speed on these important matters before turning her loose.
7. What about your teen’s room? Is he responsible with his belongings, or does his room look like a bomb hit it? Your teen might treat his own car or your car as lightly as he does his smaller belongings. It might be a good idea to make sure he knows how to keep his own stuff together first.
Tropical Fruit Salad with Toasted Coconut
Serves about 5 – 6
Ingredients:
1 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 cup of red, seedless grapes
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into slices
Fresh mint leaves
How to Choose Your Son/Daughter’s First Car
So the time has come for your child to get his or her first car! It’s a scary prospect, and for good reason – teens are disproportionately represented in car accidents, especially between the ages of 16 and 19, sources say. But choosing the right car for your child can go a long way in promoting safety. Here are some tips.
Bigger Really Is Better
Experts are in agreement about the largeness of a vehicle being in proportion to its safety. It’s simple physics – if you crash two things together, the bigger, heavier object will “win.” So SUVs, pickup trucks, Volkswagen Beetles, and other vehicles (that your teen will probably be embarrassed to drive) are higher up on the safety list. As you research different cars for your child, make sure to find out the safety ratings – some SUVs have a high roll-over rate.
Limited Passenger Room
The dangers of distracted driving are a particular issue with teen drivers. And the more full the car is, the more distractions – and the greater the likelihood that not everyone in the car will be wearing a seatbelt. Vehicles like some pickup trucks can only accommodate one other passenger – although experts agree that two-seated sports cars that encourage speeding and zipping in and out of traffic are not a good idea.
Cost of Insurance
Let’s face it – insurance is astronomical for young people, especially young men. And if you buy a brand new sports car for your child, the premiums are even higher. You can save on insurance if you buy an older, used car with a good safety record.
Safety Features
While it can save money to buy used or older vehicles, make sure there are the basic safety features available in the vehicle: anti-lock brakes, airbags, etc.
How Much Power?
A car with too little power can pose a danger – your teen needs to be able to get up speed after merging, for example, or if he or she is stopped at a red light on a hill. But too much power might encourage speeding, even if it’s accidental. Look for moderate power and performance.
Automatic or Manual Transmission?
Some sources point out that all new drivers should learn on an automatic transmission. However, it bears mentioning that manual transmissions use less gas and, for some drivers, can act as a guard against “spacing out” or getting distracted while driving. After all, you have to actively drive the car with the manual transmission. However, some teens may not handle learning to drive a stick shift at the same time they are learning the basics of driving. So choose a transmission that works with your teen’s learning level and skills.