Simple Valentines Sun Catcher

I am a crafty person.  My Mom is and always has been a huge crafty person, instilling her joy of creating things in her kids.  As Liam gets older it is getting easier to do crafty things with him.  And I am thrilled that although he is 100% a Daddy's boy and into tools, building and doing stuff with Daddy, he often asks to do crafts with me.

This week, we made these super easy, no mess involved sun catchers.  These can be adapted for any season or any theme and are fun for a ranger of ages.  I do them with toddlers (18 months to 2.5 years old) at work and I've done them with my Brownie group (7-8 years old).

Materials Needed:

card stock

clear contact paper

tissue paper (cut into squares for younger kids)

glitter (optional)

scissors

Directions:

Step 1: Cut your shape from card stock.

Step 2: Cut two pieces of contact paper, each slightly larger than your card stock shape.

Step 3: Remove backing from on sheet of contact paper and position card stock shape in the centre .

***If you are doing this craft with a young child (toddler or preschooler) you may want to complete steps 1-3 before involving your child!****

Step 4: Sprinkle a small amount of glitter on to the inside of the shape. Not too much as you need the sticky surface for the tissue paper.

Step 5: Fill the inside of the shape with tissue paper pieces.  It doesn't matter if some pieces are loose or if the tissue is layered in places.

Step 6: Sprinkle a small amount of glitter on top of tissue paper. Note: There won't be anything for the glitter to stick to right now, so be careful or you will have glitter everywhere!

Step 7: Remove backing from second piece of contact paper and position over top of tissue paper.  Press into place to ensure two layers are adhered together.

Step 8: Trim excess contact paper, leaving just a little bit of an edge around the shape.

Step 9: Hang in a window and enjoy!

Conversations With Liam

As the days and weeks go on, the things Liam says are get more and more interesting.  Sometimes, they are simple, random comments. 

"I want to buy a stock car and race it really fast.  And I want to buy a derby car and crash it."

"Mommy, here's a marker for you.  But don't colour on yourself with it.  Wait for me to get you a paper."

"Daddy, go and put on a handsome shirt, so you can be like me."

"I want to be Iron Man when I grow up."

Ashely: "Liam, can I carry you?"

Liam: "Yes, but I am NOT a baby."

 Other times, they are full conversations.

While having, we are having soup, Liam is having mac and cheese.

Liam: "Mommy, you make good, very good soup."

Me: "Would you like some?"

Liam: "Eww! No, I don't like soup.  You can just make it for Daddy."

Five minutes after opening a new hot wheels car.

Liam: "Mommy where is my shark car?"

Me: "I don't know, you'll have to look for it."

Liam: "I need you to look for it.  Please help me."

Me: "Where did you have it?"

Liam: "It was in my hand.  Not it's not. Can you find it?"

And this is the conversation we had on the way home from daycare Friday night.  I had been told at pick up that Liam had a rough start to the day, that he was very grumpy and not listen, also that he threw his shoes and was put on a time out.

Me: "Were you grumpy and not listening to Terri this morning?"

Liam: "Yes."

Me: "Did you have to go on time out?"

Liam: "Yes."

Me: "How come?"

Liam: "Because."

Me: "What did you do that made Terri put you on time out."

Liam: "I threw my shoes."

Me: "Why did you throw your shoes?"

Liam: "I wanted to play with the fishies in the bucket.  And Terri said no."

Me: "Why did Terri say no?"

Liam: "I wanted to take the fishies at preschool out of the big bucket and put them away."

Me: "What kind of fishies?"

Liam: "The ones in the big bucket on second floor.  I wanted to but them in the basket with the humpback whales."

Daddy: "Are you talking about the aquarium?"

Liam: "Yes, I wanted to take the fishes out."

Me: "You wanted to take the real fish out of the aquarium?"

Liam: "Yes, I wanted to play with them and put them in the basket with the other fishies."

Me: "The real fish need to always stay in the water in the aquarium."

Liam: "But I want to play with them."

Me: "Real fish aren't for playing with, they are just for looking at."

Liam: "But humpback whales are like fishies, the fishies should go in the basket with the whales."

Me: "Not real fish.  Toy fish can go in the basket, but real fish always have to stay in water."

Liam: "They have to stay in the bucket at preschool?"

Me: "Yes."

Liam: "OK."