HRM Parent Blog

Ok, so I know we just got through the craziness of pumpkin carving, costume making and trick-or-treating but with less than a month until we start the countdown to the holidays, it’s a perfect time to start thinking about an advent calendar.

Here’s a few ideas to get you started.  The kids will love helping you create your own version and guaranteed it’ll be something you’ll treasure for years to come.  Plus, be sure to get creative and have fun filling it with more than just chocolate….trinkets, money, stickers, erasers and more.

Gather up all the old worn our jeans that are ready for the trash and turn them into this neat pocket calendar to hold all the fun favours.

Leave it to Martha to come up with this adorable set of matchboxes that transforms into a tiny tree as they are opened.

Mini envelopes that you make or buy are an easy way to create your countdown with this easy calendar .

If you like recycling – this is the calendar for you. Old magazines, cards or giftwrap are transformed into these sweet paper pockets to hold plenty of treats.

Who would have thought?  Check out this fast and easy advent calendar made out of a basic shoe organizer.

This one is just too cute and so easy, especially if you have lots of teeny unmatched socks that you’re still hoping to find the match for.

Finally, here’s the one we made a few years ago using felt, glitter glue and lots of tiny embellishments that we had so much fun collecting.  It’s pulled out every year and watching the excitement of our kids as they unveil the daily treasure will never get old.

I’ve been promising my kids that we could make a Halloween craft for a little longer than I want to admit, but tonight, I was finally able to follow through.  With cookie selling, dance classes, birthday party planning, making costumes and a cold that took a few of us off the grid for a few days – it’s been a busy month so far.  I’m sure there are more than a few of you who can relate!?

Nevertheless, as we giggled our way through playing with googly eyes, told stories about our day as we painted and got a little too silly making up other uses for the pipe cleaners, I was reminded again how important it is to make the time.  

So even though the girls have named these little guys Fancy Pantsy Spiders, I’ve secretly called them Reminder Bugs. 

Make them yourself and enjoy the fun!

For one spider you’ll need:

1 Medium size Styrofoam ball

4 Fancy thick pipe cleaners (we found ours at the Dollar store)

1 thin orange or red pipe cleaner

2 Googly eyes

Black Paint

Glue

Paint brush

Scissors

Paper plate

Wooden skewer

To make the spider:

1. Cover entire styrofoam ball with paint.  To avoid too much mess we put the ball on a paper plate and used a wooden skewer placed in the ball as a handle for easier painting.  Let dry.

2. Cut each of the 4 thick pipe cleaners in half to make 8 legs. Bend each leg at the middle and push into sides of the spider.

3. Glue on the eyes.

4. Cut a small piece of the thin pipe cleaner for the mouth and bend each end and push into the ball to secure.

5. My daughter suggested we make a web out of yarn as a home for these so we’ll see how that goes over the weekend!

These turkey crafts are too cute not to gobble them up the first chance you get! 

It doesn't get much better than this .  An adorable turkey and a great way to teach the kids about being thankful. 

Move over paper bag princess…and say hello to the paper bag turkey .  So cute.

Kids love tracing their hands and it makes for an even more personalized turkey!

This little guy is great way to recycle a toilet paper tube and is super fast and easy.

The kids will love choosing and folding their own paper colors for this fancy turkey.

Have the kids make one of these gobblers for everyone at your thanksgiving dinner table.

Paint, paper and some hands…no instructions required, this one speaks for itself.

Whether your kids are heading to school next week or still a few years away from a classroom, they will love these fun ways to add some pizzaz to their pencils. 

Foam Pencil Toppers:  This is a cute and creative ways to add life to the top of your pencil. Who knows what your child will come up with?

Fun with Felt:  These house and car pencil toppers from One Crafty Mumma take a little extra time and will need your help but are worth it for how adorable they are!

Pinwheel Pencils:  the kids may not want to use these as pencils after they transform them into these classic pinwheels.

Buddies: These little pals are great for keeping kids company while doing homework.

Names and Letters: the kids will have fun using alphabet beads to really personalize their pencils with their name or favourite words.  Check it out here

Flower Power:  these are quick and easy to make with just some fancy paper and sticky tape.

Be Mine:  These conversation hearts are too cute to just use on valentine’s day.  Of course, the kids can always use different shapes and messages to add to the fun.

Painted Pencils:  With a little paint, Martha Stewart transforms simple pencils into ones with lots of personality.  Use different styles and colors for each subject to add to the fun.