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DAFFODILS

• Yellow Crepe Paper
• Yellow Cupcake Paper
• Green Pipe Cleaners

Roll up a little ball on one end of the pipe cleaner so that when you stick it through the flower it won't just fall out. First cut the shape of the "back" of the daffodil...or approximately anyway. Put a small hole in the center for the pipe cleaner. Cut the cupcake paper in half. Roll it till you can glue the pleated edges together, making the part of the flower that sticks out in front (we called it the "trumpet"). Make a hole (or sort of open the one that's there) and put the pipe cleaner through both parts of the flower; glue the "trumpet" onto the back of the flower. We also added a little edge of orange with markers to make them look like the variations of daffodils.

BIRD'S NESTS

• Construction Paper
• Glue
• Cardboard
• Yarn
• Markers

Use scissors to cut the shapes of birds eggs from construction paper. Glue the eggs onto cardboard. Glue short strands of yarn under the eggs for a nest allow them to dry completely. Use markers to draw tree branches around the nest and speckles on the eggs. Draw leaves or use real ones, or felt (whatever) to make leaves on the branches. Variations: Wash and dry pieces or real eggshells. Glue them on top of the yard nests.Talk about the kinds of birds that live in your area. Compare their sizes, shapes, and colors. Take a walk and look for nests in trees. Talk about the materials that birds use to build nests and how high or low the nests are in the trees.

RAIN STICKS

• Cardboard Rolls - Wrapping Paper Rolls work best
• 1 1/2 inch nails
• Dried Peas
• Masking Tape
• Stuff for Decorating

Cover the end of the cardboard roll with masking tape and then poke in one and half inch nails randomly all over the tube so that they go all the way into the tube but not out the other side. You'll need to use quite a few to get a good sound effect. Then you put about a half a cup of dried peas in the tube (you really need to experiment with the number of nail and amount of peas to see what produces a good sound) and tape up the other end. Then you let the children decorate the outside of the tube however they like. You can use paper, fabric, leaves, acorns, bark, etc. Some children like to use Indian designs, but others just do their own thing.

BAGEL BIRD FEEDER

• Bagel
• Peanut Butter
• Bird Seed
• Yarn or String

Have children spread peanut butter on a bagel. When done, dip bagel in bird seed. Attach a piece of yarn and hang outside on tree branches or on fence.

PILGRIM HAT COOKIES

• 24 Chocolate striped shortbread cookies
• 12-oz package of chocolate chips
• 24 marshmellows
• tube of yellow decorators' frosting

Instructions:

• Step 1: Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax paper covered tray, spacing them well apart.
• Step 2: Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.
• Step 3: One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmellow, dip the marshmellow into the melted chocolate, amd promptly center it atop a cookie.
• Step 4: Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmellow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.
• Step 5: Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

RITZ CRACKER TURKEY

• thin pretzel sticks
• Ritz Crackers
• Ritz Bitz Sandwiches
• mini M&M's
• candy corn
• peanut butter

To make the turkey, first make a Ritz Sandwitch by spreading peanut butter in between 2 regular sized Ritz Crackers. Stick the pretzel sticks out of the stop of the cracker as turkey feathers. Put a small dab of peanut butter on the middle of the Ritz Cracker Sandwitch and then place the Ritz bitz down on the peanut butter. Use 2 brown M&M's for eyes that go at the top of the Ritz bitz. Put one candy corn point out at the bottom of the eyes for the beak. Use the peanut butter as glue to hold the mini M&M's and Candy Corn. Then add 2 candy corn (or 2 small pretzel sticks) coming out the bottom for the feet. The turkeys are so cute! Kids' love them!!

SUSHI: FRUIT ROLL-UP STYLE!

• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 cups mini marshmellows
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• 20-25 gummy worms
• 1-2 box fruit roll-ups (not the shapes... the flat roll-ups)

1. Grease a 12 x 17 inch baking sheet
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan
3. Add marshmellows and stir until smooth
4. Remove from heat and stir in rice cereal
5. Turn the baking sheet so the short ends are at the top and bottom
6. Place a plastic bag over your hand and spread mixture onto the sheet
7. At the short edge of the baking sheet, starting one inch from the edge, place a row of gummy worms end to end
8. Roll marshmellow mixture over the worms just enough to encircle them
9. Stop and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture
10. Continue with this method to make as many logs as you can
11. Lay the fruit roll-up flat and wrap it around the rice cereal log, giving them a squish to pack everything in. Let them sit for a bit before slicing them into 1 inch sushi rolls. They will look just like a sushi roll.

MARZIPAN DOUGH

• Ready-made marzipan dough from the grocery store
• Food coloring

Traditionally this dough is shaped into little fruits. Mix food coloring into the dough and shape into miniature fruits such as bananas, oranges, apples. The dough has a sweet almond taste.

PEANUT BUTTER DOUGH

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup karo syrup
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups powdered milk

Although a little on the sweet side, this dough is also very yummy. Mix together with your clean hands.

FLOWER MAGNET

• Craft foam sheets in various colors
• Pen
• Scissors
• glue
• Magnet

How To Make It

1. Draw a flower pattern on the craft foam sheet. Cut out.
2. Draw the middle of the flower (circle) and cut out.
3. Glue the two pieces together and the magnet on the back. Let dry.
4. Display and enjoy.

Tips:
Try tulips, daffodils, and other shapes. Punch a hole in the top of each and make a mobile for your room!

BIRD TREAT

• Flat wooden wooden shape
• Peanut butter
• Birdseed
• Drill
• Approximately 4 feet of ribbon

How To Make It:

1. Drill one small hole in each side of the wooden shape then cover the wooden shape completely in peanut butter.
2. Put the peanut butter covered wooden piece into a bowl of bird seed and cover the entire area with the birdseed.
3. Cut two lengths of ribbon each 2 feet long and run one length of ribbon through each hole.
4. Tie all ends of the ribbons together in a bow or knot.
5. Hang bird treat in a tree and or other bird resting spot. Discover the many different types of birds that come to feed!

ICE CANDLE

• 5 gallon plastic bucket or pail
• Water
• Candle
• Some nice freezing weather

Spray the inside of the bucket with the non-stick spray or rub with a little oil. This helps if you have problems with the ice sticking to the bucket when it's time to remove. Fill the bucket three quarters of the way full and set outside to freeze. Leave overnight (depending on how cold it is!). In the morning remove the ice block from the bucket. On the bottom there should be an area that is still liquid. Drain out the liquid and slush and turn it over.

Allow to freeze for at least for four more hours. The pocket where the water was now makes a great place to insert a candle. Light and place outside in your yard when it's dark for a beautiful ice "crystal" candle luminary!

Be sure to have an adult help you light the candle!

SPIDER SNACKS

Take 2 round crackers and put peanut butter in between. Before you add the top cracker take 8 mini pretzel sticks and add four to each side to make legs. Put the top cracker on. Now rub peanut butter on the back of 2 raisins and add them to the top of the cracker for eyes and you have yourself a Spider Snack! Easy and fun to make! – Bon Appetite October 2001