Snowtastic Winter Party, Snow Games and Sports Printables

Raise your hand if you've had it with winter. I know I have!Here's a winter blues buster: throw a snowtastic party. Celebrate the closing of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and extend the fun with your own game variations. Here are safe, easy snow activities requiring no fancy equipment. I've included literature-based activities, lesson plans and crafts.  Extend Winter Olympics: Easy Snow Games and Sports 

Homemade Story Dice for Writing Prompts Games

Here's a creative writing game I designed with students. Story Prompts dice. It's a mashup of Magnetic Poetry and a Chicken Soup for the Soul Game. Make 6 paper cubes (basic box pattern). Draw a cross of six equal sized squares, four long and one on each side, second down. Fold four long into a box. Fold in the two side flaps as top and bottom. Tape. Here's a printable template if you need it.  Homemade Story Dice to Encourage Outside the Box Thinking

Parents, Don't Like Adult, PG-13 Ads? Keep Kids on Kids-Only Sites

I'm reading gripes about "adult" ads on Bubblews. Well, let me ask you this. Do you like getting paid? Because sharing ad revenue is how Bubblews does it. Google and other search providers partner with advertisers and place ads on our articles. Bubblews is paid when readers click. Then we get a cut.

Google doesn't allow porn. But it's a little foggy what constitutes porn. I got my Adsense ads pulled on a blog because I used the word "testicle" in a health article. But Google does partner with PG-13 to R sites. What constitutes PG-13 or R is also little nebulous. Usually it includes adult-themed video games like "Evony", dating sites, maybe or sexual enhancement ads.   Why Hate Bubblews Adult Ads? This is Not a Kid Site and Ads Pay Our Earnings

Harry the Dirty Dog Game, Craft, Snack, Printables

Are your kids going winter stir-crazy? Too cold to play outside long. Snow too deep for little one. Well, you need a craft afternoon. I learned as a teacher/homeschool mom to make lesson plans hands-on. So my craft parties include an interactive story and snack and lots of free printable book-based activities.
One of my husband's favorite children's literature characters is Harry the Dog, created by Gene Zion and drawn by Margaret Bloy Graham. My mom described a yarn bush she made for the birds and it reminded me of Harry. Here are activities based on "No Roses for Harry."   No Roses for Harry Recycled Yarn Craft, Snack, Printables