Sign up for our free newsletter:

January
3 Happy Anniversary to the Drinking Straw! Serve drinks with silly straws all day today. See how many straws you can attach end-to-end by inserting one tip into the other. Can you make a line from one end of your kitchen to the other?

16 Appreciate a Dragon Day. Hide plastic eggs filled with stickers or treats and help your kids go on a Dragon Egg Hunt.

17 Kid Inventors Day. Did you know that water skis, earmuffs and Popsicles were all invented by kids? It's true! Inspire your kids to come up with their own creative ideas and sketch them out on paper. Give their invention a quirky name and make up a commercial to advertise your new product.

20 On this day in 1982, the camcorder was developed. Spend time today making home movies. Watch them together as a family for an afternoon of laughter.

For more fun ideas go to www.MOPS.org/TerrificTips.

Blues Busters
The key to keeping the winter blues at bay is to stay active. Get outside every day, even if it means bundling toddlers in 500 layers of clothing only to hear, "Go potty!" Get out and enjoy the snow, the cold winter winds and even the rain.

If the weather is too much to bear, get moving indoors with fun games like Simon Says (jump up and down). Have a dance party in your living room. Try a new exercise video for young children or make a family fitness checklist and update it daily. Start with items such as running in place two minutes. Do five jumping jacks. Swim like a fish. Hop like a kangaroo. Gradually increase demands as you each improve your fitness level.

Need some downtime? Try tuning into sweet children's movies about Little Bear, Franklin or Winnie-the-Pooh that provide inspiring character-building themes.

Hot Chocolate, Characters & Cuddles
Cold weather got you down? Cheer up your little ones with a fresh batch of hot chocolate, served in a funny cup and topped with mini marshmallows or whipped cream. After a happy chat over this soothing drink, curl up with a few favorite picture books and cuddle while you read aloud to your child. Try these titles to start:

• That's Good! That's Bad! by Margery Cuyler

• Jamberry by Bruce Degen

• Be Gentle! by Virginia Miller

• The Tawny Scrawny Lion by Kathryn Jackson

Craft Time
Living Letters
Help your child draw an oversized version of the first letter of her name onto construction paper. Then, sparking your child's creativity, encourage them to convert the letter into an imaginary character. Add facial features, clothing, background details, etc. Provide strips of scrap material and other fun craft supplies. If your child shows an interest in this project, continue with the other letters or initials in her name and frame them for display in his bedroom or on the refrigerator.

Snowy Silhouette
Let children tear white paper into various shapes. Help them glue this confetti to black construction paper to make a unique winter scene. Try making snowflakes, snowmen, stars or angels.

	We'd really like to know what you think about this article!
	Is this the kind of article you'd like to see more of? Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Please send your response to

				Try Today's Christian Woman Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. If you decide you want to keep Today's Christian Woman coming, honor your invoice for just $17.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Today's Christian Woman as a gift Order a gift subscription!

FREE MomSense Newsletter Subscribe to the MomSense Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help