Craft Idea: Chinese Lanterns

Here's a fun craft idea to celebrate Chinese New Year with (which will be on Monday, Jan. 23, and it will be the year of the dragon).

Fun, cheap, and pretty easy to do!  Here's the link to the instructions.  I used one inch red construction paper for the streamers and glue sticks in place of double sided tape.  It seemed to work fine, and the kids had fun making them!  We didn't have anything decorative for the top or bottom of the lanterns, but the lanterns turned out very pretty regardless.

Craft Idea: Recycled Card Ornaments

 
Brought to you by Martha Stewart crafts!  Here's the link to the instructions.  I've only done the globe ornament (pictured in the upper left), but all the ornaments seem like easy and fun projects you can do with old Christmas cards.  Or you could let the kids decorate a blank piece of cardstock and use that for the decorations.  Either way, lots of fun!

Storytime Book: "Llama Llama Holiday Drama"

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

by Anna Dewdney

Goodreads Summary: If there's one thing Llama Llama doesn't like, it's waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree . . . but how long is it until Christmas? Will it ever come? Finally, Llama Llama just can't wait any more! It takes a cuddle from Mama Llama to remind him that "Gifts are nice, but there's another: The true gift is, we have each other."

Thoughts:  Another adorable book in the Llama Llama series!  A great book for kids (and adults!) who can sometimes forget the true meaning of the holidays amidst all the hustle and bustle.  One of my favorite parts about this book is that it doesn't name "Christmas" specifically, and instead uses the word "holiday" so that it could be appropriate for anyone.  This book probably wouldn't work for baby storytime (a little bit too wordy), and but the rhyme and repetition makes it great for a toddler or preschool storytime.