Valentine's ideas for food, activities, homemade valentines, and decorations.
http://homewithlindsay.blogspot.com/p/valentines-day-crafts-recipes-and-ideas.html

Superbowl Activities

There are come fun football worksheets out there. My kids really liked this one - http://www.printactivities.com/Mazes/Math-Mazes/Football-CountingBy1s.shtml

Game Idea - Pin the football in the goalposts
We played "pin the football in the goalposts", a play on the classic pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game.
Cut out a goal post out of construction paper and tape to a wall, window, or poster board.
Cut out little brown footballs. Blindfold the kids, spin them, and let them see if they can score a field goal!

Fun Football Food Ideas
Football brownies! I think boxed brownies are gross and most of the "recipes" out there call for a box mix when making these.  Try "Katherine Hepburn Brownies".   They take only a few more minutes than a box mix and are a million times better.   

Tub paints

Last week, I made tub paints (with food coloring, dish soap, and cornstarch). The kids had a blast painting in the tub!

**Be careful! The tub gets very slippery!

French Toast Rollers

The Sneaky Chef tried this kid recipe with her children and they loved it.
I finally tried it on mine and they loved it too!
It's a fun twist on french toast - rolled up style!
Here is the recipe (with a few alterations)...

French Toast Rollers

3 large eggs

¼ cup milk

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

6 slices bread

In a large shallow baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Set aside. Using a rolling pin, roll out each slice of bread on a cutting board until flattened. If desired, spread 2 tbsp filling on each flattened bread, keeping about ¼ inch away from edges. Roll up each slice of bread, pressing to seal the edges. Dip each log in the egg mixture until saturated on all sides, then cook in a well greased skillet over moderate heat, turning to brown each side. Remove from heat and dust with powdered sugar.

Optional fillings –

- 1 tbsp peanut butter,

- 1 mashed banana, nutella,

- 1 tbsp cream cheese + 1 tbsp jam,

- granola (to make a crunchy rollup).

Dancing Raisins

We tried a science experiment and made "dancing raisins".

You turn on your favorite music (for the effect), pour 7-up into a tall glass, then throw in a few raisins. Then watch them "dance".

Here are more details and the science behind the experiment...

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/dancing-raisins-the-bubble-lifter

Homemade Gingerbread Playdough

We made gingerbread playdough today. The kids had a blast making the dough and then rolling and cutting it with cookie cutters.
Here is the recipe:

Gingerbread Playdough
 * Note - I halved the recipe and it worked fine.

4+ cups flour
3/4 cups salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp ginger
2 Tbsp instant tea (this is a powdered tea mix that is available in the coffee/tea aisle at the grocery store. I know Licpton makes some.)
2 cups water
1/2 cup oil

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Add wet ingredients and stir. If the dough is sticky, knead in enough flour to make it the desired consistency. (Note - we added a lot more flour so it wasn't so sticky.)
Get out your cookie cutters and playdough tools and have fun!
If the dough starts to get sticky again as the kids are playing with it, just knead in more flour again.

Jesus in the Manger ornament

Materials Needed

Green Card stock

Yellow card stock

cream card stock

Brown card stock

mini wooden craft sticks (available at Walmart & craft stores)

regular or jumbo wooden craft sticks

yellow yarn

foil star stickers

Glue (I used hot glue, but other glue will work.)

 Glue 2 mini sticks to the larger stick. Let dry.

 Turn the stable over and glue on 2 mini sticks to make the roof.

 Trace the shape of the stable on green cardstock. Cut out.  Turn the stable over again and glue the cardstock onto the to side sticks. 

Glue a loop of yarn to the back.

If you are doing this craft with children, an adult might want to prepare the ornament up through this step ahead of time.

Cut out a baby shape from the cream card stock. Cut out a manger from the brown card stock. Cut out a circle from the yellow cardstock. GLue the baby to the manger, then the manger to the bottom of the ornament.

Glue some cut up yellow yarn at the bottom, under the manger. GLue the yellow circle to the top and place a star sticker in the center.