I got inspired by my Dogwood post at the MOB Society this week and decided to make some paper dogwoods. I actually found a tutorial on Martha Stewart but she made it too artsy and perfect for a kid to do. So, here’s my {better} tutorial…

1. Start with a square piece of paper. Mine were 5×5. I had to cut them from a regular old piece of copy paper. But tissue paper would probably look neat. Or some of that cool origami paper.

2. Fold in half. Then fold in half again.

3. Fold diagonally. Then the other way. Now you should have lots of creases on your paper.

4. Fold it back up, following your creases until it’s a triangle. Hold it with the folded side to the left.

5. Begin cutting a semi circle (half heart? ice cream cone?) from the cut side.

6. You should end up with the final shape!

7. Open it up and see your flower! Experiment with different widths and shapes of cuts to make them look “more” like dogwoods!

8. Use a marker (or glitter glue) to make a few dots in the middle of the flower.

9. Highlight the 4 “corners” with red marker.

VOILA!

I hot glued them to a branch and added a few construction paper leaves and we have a beautiful (If I do say so myself!) Easter-Spring-Time-Resurrection-Day decoration!

See all our Easter & Resurrection Day ideas–and add your own!

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It’s spring and I felt the need to do some kind of new-life craft with the kids! You know, baby bunnies, little lambs or a beautiful butterfly! As I was looking through our books for inspiration I found one of our favorites, Tiny Tadpole by Judith Nicholls. It’s one of those touch-and-feel kinda books from Little Scholastic (we love the Noisy Egg, too). Usually touchy-feely board books are the kind you don’t want to read over and over. But both my kids have loved this one at every age–and I like it, too!

It basically goes through the life-cycle of a frog from tadpole to full grown hopping leaping frog. It’s a simple book that I’m pretty sure my 5 year old can quote it we’ve read it so many times.

To make this book come alive we made some stick puppets! The teeny tiny tadpole was an easy one. Just cut out a little circle with a tail, tape on a craft stick, add a wiggly eye (or 2) and there he is!

Next we tackled something a little harder. I just bought this great over sized construction paper which was the perfect size for Freddie the Frog. I sketched him out and let the kids have at him with finger paints!

The important part here is that I drew the body, arms and legs separately so when we cut them out it would be easy to re-connect later!

Then after a little cutting by mom, we punched holes in his arms and legs and used paper fasteners so he could really hop and leap!

We added a big paint stick to his middle and one little skewer to his arm for a little more fun manipulation. The best way to make an arm rod (especially out of something as pointy as a bamboo skewer) is to take a piece of masking tape and fold it over the top making a little flag. Then tape the flag to the puppet’s arm. You’ll be able to move the arm without ripping the rod right off! (See my how-to-make-a-rod-puppet post for a close up picture!)

Oh, and did you see we made webbed feet, too? We just glued on some green tissue paper and then trimmed up the excess! It was Lydia’s idea–she’s all for realism!

The kids had a blast ribbit-ing, jumping and performing a puppet show from behind the couch. They acted out the entire book then Lydia grabbed my Flip and started making videos of their puppet shows. I may be a proud mama, but I’ll spare you the homemade-by-a-5-year-old videos!

This was also a great activity because we got to talk about the life-cycle of the frog. It was the perfect object lesson for the  big conversations we’ve been having about salvation, growing in the Lord and being born again. Remember that old song, Bullfrogs & Butterflies?

Ol’ tadpole in a fishin’ hole
He couldn’t croak or jump to save his soul
But then one day
It’s the funniest thing
Why he started growin’
Turnin’ green
Yes, he jumped up on a lily pad
And he was croakin’ out a song, gave it all he had

Bullfrogs and butterflies
We’ve both been born again
Bullfrogs and butterflies
We’ve both been born again

I didn’t plan for this craft to be about the transformation that a life with Jesus brings, but it just worked out that way! It was exactly what I want for my life (and Impress Your Kids) to quietly see and hear God’s WORD and LIFE in our everyday activities!

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This post is part of a huge and fun party at Helping Little Hands called the Read Along–so many good blogs, books & kids crafts! You will love it!

The other night as I was putting Lydia to bed she stopped me and said, “I…I…I am scared…” I said, “Scared? Scared of what?” We have been through fear with Lydia. First it was big tall men, then thunderstorms, then fireworks and talking to adults. But what could she be scared of in our own home?

She finally (after several minutes of coaxing) said she was afraid of someone coming into our house and ultimately into her room. I was shocked. “Who told you that? Did you see it on TV? In a book?” And she said no, it just popped in her head.

And since then it has been nighttime drama. She insists she “can’t” get rid of the thought. We’ve talked about thinking on things that are lovely (Philippians 4:8) and how God can give peace (Psalm 4:8) and about 12000 other verses that are appropriate and helpful. So, she’s been staying awake in her bed for hours and then getting up early. Which results in such BAD BAD behavior the next day. (Honestly, I think I’m going to write a post how no sleep=bad behavior.)

Scripture is really the only way I know to combat any of this stuff. Sleeping with all the lights on doesn’t solve the problem. You certainly can’t discipline her. But she is getting to the point of arguing and manipulating me with continuing to talk about how she “can’t” and “but it’s still in my  mind!”, etc. etc.

I’ve got the feeling that she needs something tangible. A few people suggested putting some “safety powder” or spray around the room (just any old spray or powder and call it magical!). And although I understand the thought behind it, I don’t want my daughter to trust in something so trivial and false. I need her to (on a 5 year old level) deal with this the best she can.

So, we made a Scripture verse reminder tool. It’s called, “My God Can”. I got the idea from Dennis Lee an amazing ventriloquist I met at Children’s Pastors Conference one year. The pun is that it is “my God can” but really it’s a can that holds all the things MY GOD CAN do!

We just wrapped a raisin container with paper and then decorated it. We memorized Job 42:2, “I know that you can do all things.” and then began to think of all the scriptures we knew about the great promises of God. For each scripture we picked an object to put in the can.

When Lydia begins to feel scared or out-of-control she can go to her God Can and look through the objects and remember each promise that goes with it.

We’re going to have to go on a search (even to the store) to find some of the objects we need. But right now we’ve got 3 items:

• a puffball to remind us of Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns anger away.” This is to help her be gentle with her brother.
• a candle to remind us of John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Perfect for dark nights in your room.
• a rock for Psalm 40:1-2 “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” She really recognizes that her fear is a slimy pit and she needs God to lift her out and help her stand firm.

Lydia listening to Psalm 40:1-2 on Seeds and playing with the objects in her God Can. See how the puffball is on top of the rock?

Along with this we turned on Seeds of Worship’s Seeds of Courage CD and have been listening to it nonstop. There are TONS of great scriptures on it that we need to memorize and are going to get objects for as we do. So, here are a few more scriptures and objects we’ll be adding:

Philippians 4:8 {a flower to remind us of the lovely things we should think about}

Philppians 4:6-7 {not sure, but this verse is about the peace of God guarding our hearts. Maybe a little knight? Or army man?}

Philippians 4:13 {this is the one she needs to help combat the “I can’t!”–maybe a little strong armed guy?}

Isaiah 41:10 {her favorite song from Seeds and we’re hoping to find a little hand!}

Psalm 4:8 {a little pillow to remind her of sleeping in peace}

Isaiah 26:3 {this is another one about keeping your mind fixed on God and having peace…not sure of an object}

I’m hoping this will be the tangible visual item she needs to help focus and relax her mind. The main problem is that she keeps thinking there is an “easy fix”. Every time I tell her to sing a song or think about something else she argues, “But I did! And that thought is still there. It’s like half my mind is good and half is bad.” I explained that just like medicine is taken in doses and food is eaten 3 times a day, God’s Word has to be continually feasted on. I pray these objects will remind her to continually focus on what God CAN and WILL do for her!

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linked to WFMW at We are THAT Family