6 Edible Apple Crafts for Kids

Here are 6 fun, easy things to do with apples!

Apples, Apples, Apples! It's September and the best apples are ripening on the trees. Around here, the apples and pears are falling off attracting wasps and bees. I need to collect these gifts from nature and do a creative craft for kids like this first fun apple idea from It's Gravy Baby.

Monster Edible Apple Crafts for Kids
Monster apples and pears from It's Gravy Baby blog.
What could be better than than scent of fresh apple pie?  Why not try to add some sensory play to your play dough? It's Gravy Baby also offers up this apple pie scented play dough. She must have a lot of apples too!

edible apple craft for kids apple pie scented play dough
Apple Scented Play dough.... can you smell it?
How about this wormy apple craft from Babble.com?  Worms are squishy, ooey-gooey, fun. This edible apple snack is perfect for Kid's Birthday Party Treat, a Halloween Edible Apple Craft, or an April Fool's day surprise.

Easy Worm Edible Apple Craft for kids
Apple Worm Craft for Kids from Babble.com
I'm not really a Star Wars fan, but lots of people think I am. You want to know why? I'm a Sesame Street fan. I LOVE me some Sesame Street. My favorite character is Super Grover. This translates to a special appreciation for Yoda from Star Wars. I even named my favorite pet bunny after him. So, when I saw this green apple craft for kids depicting Yoda I was all, I've got to try that one. Wait, no, I mean, I have to DO that one! Check it our for yourself at Bit Rebels.

star wars yoda edible apple craft for kids
Edible Star Wars Craft for kids from Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons.
Why is it watermelons make the cutest crafts for kids or baby shower edible art? I just love these mock watermelon slices made from green apples and jello. Find out how to make them at Chocolate on my Cranium blog.

edible Watermelon apple craft for kids
Mock watermelon slices apple craft for kids snack.
And finally, you've probably seen better versions out there in the blogosphere, but this was one of our first craft idea posts for our summer camp. Turkey Edible Apple Crafts for Kids with Dollar Store candy. Since then, I try to make healthy edible art and crafts for kids!

Turkey Edible Apple Snack Craft for Kids
Turkey Edible Apple Snack Treat for Kids.

Recommended Reading:

Apple Kids and Acorn Frolics: Linework Pattern Workbook

Apples by Gail Gibbons


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Build Self-esteem with Fashion Freedom

Fashion Freedom can help build self-esteem in Kids.

Girls (and boys) need to feel like they can do things on their own. They have little control over their own life. As parents, we can help build their independence and self-esteem by letting them choose their own clothing each day. The smile on their little faces shows a sense of pride when someone compliments or notices their outfit. I know it is difficult for some parents to let go, but as long as the clothes are clean, I say give your kids fashion freedom

I'd like to introduce my friend Rachael to the world of blogging. This is her very first post...ever. I'm happy to have the debut of a future blogging diva.  In the coming weeks, look for her own blog on fun fashion for girls and their mommas too! 

Lainie, my daughter is only 8, but you can't tell her that when it comes to her fashion sense! Gone are the days of mommy picking out her everyday required collared shirt and pant for school. Oh no, she's not having that, but at least she is subtle about it.

Girl's fashion leather jacket and plaid mini skirt
Showing her style.

She has taken to bargaining with me. "Weelll... Mommy, I could wear that shirt, but what if I wore it under this dress?"  Who am I to say no to my little mini-me when all she is trying to do is imitate her mother??  Now that the chunky statement necklaces are such an "in" thing for "grown-ups", Lainie has to pick out a necklace of her own everyday. With the accessories comes the occasional sneaking of the lipgloss, eyeshadow, and blush.

Oh boy... I think I've created a diva-nista!!



Fun fashion for girls with a sense of style
For a casual day of fun.


On a positive note, on the weekends, I no longer have to drop what I am doing to pick out clothes for her now that she is so into matching outfits herself.  Surprisingly enough, she does a fantastic job for her age! She has an uncanny ability to pick out clothes for me too! On a recent shopping trip, she was colorblocking and pointing out necklaces to wear with the outfits.  


Impressive, I tell ya!




Probably, her proudest moment in fashion was when she "designed" her own shirt online.  She had a smile from ear to ear and a twinkle in her eyes when it arrived. I have high hopes she will continue to have a unique style she can call her very own.  

You might also like our What She's Wearing Wednesday Series.


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3 of my Favorite Pinterest Fall Craft Activities

Here are 3 of my all-time fav Pinterest Fall Craft Activities

Sniff sniff. Can you smell it? Fall is almost here! We love a little Fall fun. When I saw these 3 fall activities on Pinterest, I just knew they'd be perfect for preschoolers. So, gather up some supplies and sit down with the littles and make some memories while you craft up your favorite fall preschool activity. Click the links for details on how to make the owl wreath, paperbag scarecrow, and easy Lite Brite pumpkin. Enjoy!

  1. Who's There Owl Wreath by Sherri at About Family Craft
Cute owl fall craft wreath from Pinterest
Cute Owl Fall Craft Wreath from Sherri Osborn.

2.  Paperbag Scarecrow from Easy Child Crafts




cute paper bag scarecrow craft Pinterest
Paperbag Scarecrow Craft from lunch bag.

3. Lite Brite Pumpkin from Giver's Log.


Lite Brite Pumpkin diy decorating from Pinterest
Lite Brite pegs in your pumpkin. Too cute!

Recommended Reading:

Fall Edible Crafts and Fun Games for Kids*

Fall Wreath           

Things to do with Pumpkins         









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*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Most Likely to Become a Racecar Driver

Most Likely to Become a Racecar Driver


Tracey is guest posting today for Meijer's most likely to... you still have time to enter the contest ends Sept. 8. 2013.

We all have big dreams for our children. We imagine them growing up to be actors and musicians and, if we are lucky, taking care of Mom and Dad after they become rich and famous! I try not to disillusion myself with these types of thoughts, but lately I’ve started to entertain the idea that maybe, just maybe, I have a future racecar driver on my hands.

Garrett has always loved sports! When he was just a year old, he would play, for easily an hour at a time, just shooting basket after basket after basket into his mini basketball goal in the kitchen. When he was 4, he started t-ball. He is now 12 and has played in Little League every season since then (even 2 seasons one year!). When he was 5 he played his first year of Flag Football and over the course of about 5 years, Garrett was able to put a few seasons of basketball under his belt, as well. In the winter, he plans to play again and is also considering his first season of Track & Field. But even with his wide array of sports interests, there is one sport that stands above the rest. It’s more than just a sport, it is a passion and it is his life. And that is racing.






Garrett’s obsession with racing began at an early age. At just 2 years old, he could easily identify and name many well known Nascar drivers, their numbers, and their sponsors. Of course, over time, his knowledge of drivers grew, as did his drive to become one of them. At 6 years old, it was evident that, if he were to realistically pursue this consuming desire to speed around turns at an alarming rate, and maneuver through tight packs of cars and thrill-seeking drivers at speeds nearing 200mph, that he would have to begin perfecting his craft at a young age (what were we thinking!??).




It just so happened that his father and I both had ties to a local race track that starts children (as young as 7 years old) as drivers of Junior Faskarts, an entry level racecar designed to allow beginning drivers an opportunity to gain racing experience at a young age. And so began his journey into racing, with a real car, real gear, and real sponsors.

It isn’t the cheapest endeavor, and at this level of racing no prize money is awarded, so he hasn’t been able to race in every season. But he definitely seems to have a natural ability behind the wheel and has placed well in the heats and features that he has participated in. Some even ended with the honor of driving the track with the coveted checkered flag in his proud, determined hand.





Garrett doesn’t just work hard on the track. He also works hard in the garage, helping his dad tweak and repair his car between races. And most importantly, he works hard in school. In order to race, he has to keep his grades up and do well in class, which he has done an excellent job at maintaining. Meijer has also been there to help us in keeping him successful in school. We always know that we will be able to find the supplies he needs for the coming school year, his after school sports, and even those Nascar shirts he loves!
As Garrett climbs the ladder of racing divisions, he will gain knowledge and experience that will help him succeed on the track. He has even begun dreams of going to college to learn the science behind the sport and we will have Meijer beside us every step of the way to help with whatever he needs to become successful on his journey.





Do you have a child that is “Most Likely to…..”? Then enter them in Meijer’s “Most Likely To” Photo Sweepstakes for your chance to win 1 of 25 $100 Meijer Gift Cards! Simply visit http://bit.ly/MeijerMostLikelyTo and submit a photo showing what your child is most likely to be when he/she grows up.

Meijer most likely to photo sweepstakes
Meijer most likely to photo sweepstakes.




This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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Teaching Kids to Deal with Stress can be as Easy as Coloring

Michelle from lifeismylemonade.blogspot.com is guest posting again today. The stress of school and work is getting to me! This is only our second year of homeschooling a gifted fourth grader and a dyslexic, hyper, frustrated second grader. (I resemble all of those remarks) I just started a new online venture. So, it makes me laugh when Michelle asks, 


Are you overworked and stressed out? 

De-stress with a little coloring session with the kids.


That's a big fat Y-E-S! Thankfully she has some reminders for me about how truly simple it can be to chill out. Unless you are like Jake... 

Since school has started, all we seem to do now is run, but it only takes a few minutes to treat yourself to a stress break. When my daughter needs a stress reliever, I often suggest drawing as a way for her to relieve her tension. How simple is that? The eco-friendly, Green Rainbow Revolution has several great products to help you along the path of de-stressing. Surf through the eco-friendly items and treat yourself to a much deserved break. My favorite-hmm that’s hard to decide between the colored pencils and the pastels.

What is your favorite medium?

destress your day with coloring
This is one of the happier chores we have to squeeze into our busy schedule
My daughter and her friends choose colored pencils as their medium of choice. It’s a great way for them to relax from the drama of school and be creative. If you sit down to color with your younger kids they are more likely to share things about their day. Ask them to draw a picture of their favorite and least favorite parts of the day. When you join in the fun with them it is a great way to open the lines of communication and bond over a good creative session.  


Let your inner child loose. There's nothing more important than play.


Colored Pencil Drawings Flamingo
How about a pink flamingo pencil drawing like this one from Lexi Murphy.

Have fun chatting with your children while you draw, color, and let the conversation flow. You never know what you might find out while creating your works of art. During one of the creativity gatherings the girls opened up, and I found out about their favorite teachers and least favorite. I also found out that they like to create characters. So, no matter what age you are, art supplies will come in handy on a stressful day.  

No kids-not a problem! Host an arty party for your friends. Even if you have a moment where the creativity is not flowing; there are fun kits to help you de-stress. You can play art class instead of painting nails or selling catalog products! Bring some whimsy back into your life and laugh, just like you did when you were a kid. Anyway, I’m off to see what doodles the girls created today. Will it be a caricature of the crush of the week doodled on their school sketchbook? Or maybe it will be their latest fashion designs done with those pastels to create the correct shading. And, who doesn't have fun getting messy while blending? Okay, well, maybe not everyone, but this girl at heart loves to get messy while doing a little pastel blending.

Happy Creating and De-stressing!
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Learning How to be a Community Leader Together: Service Projects for Kids

Service Project Ideas for kids to get involved in the Community

Michelle from Life is my Lemonade is guest posting today.Today, she shares her reluctant adventures in teaching a child how to be a community leader. Michelle and I met in college where we pledged Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. Needless to say, we've known each other awhile. Michelle also helps out with Pinterest account management. (Psst... Michelle's a little shy.) Here are some great ideas for service projects for your kids. Enjoy!

Service Projects How to be a Community Leader - Race for the Cure 2011  in Indy with Mayor Greg Ballard
Race for the Cure 2011 

What do you do when your child says I’m bored? I decided to take a page out of my family’s book and take her on a new adventure.  It started when she was old enough to put groceries away.  I took her to the food pantry to help put groceries away on the shelves and explained why we were helping out. Over the years, this evolved into working to bag up the bags for Saturday openings. Then, she asked if she could help out on Saturday’s when the pantry was open. She wanted to be able to work directly with the people that came into the food pantry and help them out to their cars. Aww!  That was a great idea so we stepped into the rotation and did a Saturday morning every once in awhile. 


Helping out at a food pantry doesn't mean just donating items.

I’m proud of how she stepped up and asked for more time with the people that came in. Her Grandpa would be proud of her. She didn't get to know him because he died from Leukemia a few years before she was born. One of the proudest memories I have is of his funeral, there were so many people there that came up to me and explained how they knew him. He had helped them throughout the years. He gave so many pints of blood I can’t even tell you what level he was at. He also was an EMT for many years, picked up people who needed transportation to doctor’s visits and church.  He and my mom both volunteered for numerous committees.  

When those people that he has touched came to show respect it made an unbearable day better. I was proud to know that he had done so much for others. Those are the moments I share with my daughter now. I am hoping that she will be able to say that she is proud of me for giving back as well. 

Here are some of the things we do or plan to do when she says she is bored:

Race for the Cure –whenever we can to support my Aunt who is a survivor and the friends we have lost. Relay for Life-again whenever we can to remember my dad and find a cure.

Sheltering Wings-This is a local domestic violence shelter that helped me out.  We have done many projects from planting flowers around their building, donating money, going to their various fundraising events, donating items for the silent auctions, earrings for the kids to give their Moms on Mother’s Day, numerous sweet treats just because and most recently Megan has written and received grants to help provide pre-school supplies for their new pre-school classroom and make up Birthday boxes for the kids

Yep, she really did the work on writing the grants. It’s one of the requirements for the grant because it is a Youth as Resources grant from United Way. Parents can assist but the kids are on the ones that write it up and give the presentation. When she was younger I helped out with the grant writing, but now that she is a teen it’s all her and her Girl Scout troop

Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat
Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat for Sheltering Wings
Some of the items that were purchase from the grant she wrote
Pre-school supplies purchased with Grant monies
So, while Megan is learning to help out in the community she is having a good time and getting great experience. She donated time at the shelter to babysit and play games with the kids. She learned that she likes to babysit, and she can earn money when she’s not donating her time.

Another bonus to helping out in the community is that she is setting goals:


  • Goal #1 earn the Bronze award for Girl Scouts. Happy to say that’s checked off, She earned her bronze award with a book drive and building a bookcase for the shelter.
  • Goal #3 she is going for the Gold award.  She has a list of the different places that she wants to help and a year to wait and plan so we will see what will happen. Top of the list for today is animal shelter, Riley or Peyton Manning children’s hospital, or outdoor area. Whatever she decides to do will be on her to plan from start to finish and raise the money for because this is an individual project.  She can get help from the community but she has to put in at least 100 hours of time to meet the goal. I don’t think it will be a problem though because she put in close to that with the Silver award.

Goal # 3 Going for Gold Award
Going for the Gold Award

Recommended:

The Kid's Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference*


Pinterest Tips & a Magic Trick: The Secrets of Bookmarklet

Well.. the Google+ chat didn't work out, but you can see my secret magic trick tutorial here.


Lora from Kids Creative Chaos shares insider tips and tricks for Pinterest.

Check out our other helpful Pinterest Tutorial's:


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How do I get recipes from Pinterest? You've got an account, what's next? Tutorial (Pinterest 102)

Here is your Pinterest Tutorial to get Recipes

You've set up your Pinterest account, you did everything they told you to do. You even started following your friends on Pinterest. Why do you only have 2 followers? Why aren't people finding you and following you? You wonder, " What am I doing wrong on Pinterest? " Here is your Pinterest Tutorial.

Pinterest Tips & Tricks Kids Creative Chaos Road Kill Boards
Pinterest Tips & Tricks.

Nothing- Everything.




You say, " Hey, all I really want is to know, how do I get recipes on Pinterest? My Facebook friends are blocking me. They hate it when I fill their feed with pictures of food, especially my dinner at a restaurant. I think they'd like it if I shared pictures of the beautiful meal I cooked all by myself after going on Pinterest. How do I do Pinterest?"

What kind of recipes do you like? Healthy Recipes? Vegan Recipes? Dessert Recipes? Gluten Free Recipes? Pinterest has you covered. There are three ways to go about finding recipes on Pinterest.

  1. Click the big Pinterest at the top of your page and scroll through your home feed.
Nothing good?  Pictures of your friend's kids? Images of the 1980's? Weird geek stuff? You need cooler friends. No worries, we can help.

  2.   Click the search bar on the left side of the screen. Type in recipes, pick "pins", and scroll through until you find something you like. Heart it. Pin it. This could take a long time. You have unusual taste. There aren't any pins for road kill stew. What's a hungry pinner to do?

  3.  Click the search bar on the left side of the screen. Type in "road kill recipes". Now, you could click pins, or pinners, but this time click boards. Now follow all of the boards titled "ROAD KILL RECIPES".


How do I get recipes from pinterest Tutorial and funny Road Kill Recipes
Funny bunnies road kill from Indulgy.com

Scroll through the boards that you find most appetizing. See anything you like? Pin it. Here's where it gets fun! When you come back tomorrow to pin and click the big Pinterest to find your home feed, you will see all the new pins from the road kill boards. Are some of them super stellar? Click the pinner and "follow all"; I'll bet you have a lot in common. 

Boy, oh, boy do you have a lot in common. You are special. Only a elite few share your tastes.

That was easy. Now, you've learned how to search for you favorite topic, follow the boards, pinners, and pin it to your own "Road Kill" board. Go create some fun boards so like minded individuals will want to follow you.  In the right top bar, click on the " + " sign. Choose create a board. Follow the prompts to create your own unique boards. For example, if you are into a road kill theme, you might want to add these board titles:  Things to do with Raccoons, Dead Deer Projects, Awesome Opossums, Skunk Oil Tips, Squirrel Secrets, and Duck Dynasty Fun. Fill your boards, by doing a search in the Pinterest bar just like I taught you in the above paragraphs. Can't find anything good? Oh yeah... you're a little off, but that's okay. Try a Google search, copy the url, go back to the " + " and choose add from a website. Paste your URL in the bar. 

Voila! You've done it.

 Keep it up, I promise you will gain a follower or two if you keep pinning all these awesome pins.

Next time, Bookmarklet- will it harm my computer? Should I use it? And, the MAGIC secret that will blow your mind. In the meantime, you might like these Raccoon coloring pages. ;)

Pinterest Account Management
Pinterest Tips & a Magic Trick (The Secrets of Bookmarklet) Pinterest (201)
How do I do Pinterest? (Pinterest 101)


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Sensory Play: Art Develops Critical Thinking, Reasoning, and Fine Motor Skills

Creative Outlets like Art and Dramatic Play Stimulate Children's Brains with Reasoning, Critical Thinking, and Advancing Fine Motor Skills


Art is creativity in action. Creating and playing with art supplies is stimulating to our brains. Our imagination takes over while art helps develop critical thinking and fine motor skills. Everyone can play and learn with art, regardless of their socioeconomic status or level of education. Read on to learn!


Sensory Play: Art Develops Critical Thinking, Reasoning, and Fine Motor Skills

This post contains affiliate links.


When taught in preschool, art and sensory play help every child, no matter their family income, to learn on the same plane. In early childhood, art can level the playing field and aid in other academic areas.


Creative outlets such as art and dramatic play strengthen critical thinking skills. When a child is creating, they are also solving problems. Whether they make a simple choice of what color to use or they experiment with different mediums and techniques, children learn to strengthen problem-solving skills through creation.


art supplies for kids Art Develops Critical Thinking, Reasoning, and Fine Motor Skills
Art: Let them paint with no restraints. This is supposed to be a black bat box. :)


They learn to form shapes, to match colors, to highlight areas of particular interest as they bring their vision to life. As the work begins to take shape, the child works to improve fine motor skills building a sense of pride or self-confidence in their newly discovered abilities. Learn more about how the arts can help in education by visiting Americans for the Arts.


Sensory play is an art form. When we use our senses to learn, it is easier to retain information. Creating with art supplies is an ideal form of sensory play.  The powder from chalk, the way the watercolor brush slides across the page, and the smell and feel of the modeling clay in a child’s hands develops a connection between learning and the five senses.

Unstructured, investigative play with common art supplies helps build and refine cognitive skills through problem solving. How does this marker work?  What will happen if I swirl the brush in a circle? How does water affect my painting?  

Fine motor skills are refined as the child learns to draw a straight line or manipulate the clay. The exploration of language evolves by using descriptive words. For example, the clay is cold, the chalk is dusty, and the paint is smooth. Learn more about sensory play and child development at PBS.org.



Recommended Reading:

Making Sense of Art: Sensory-Based Art Activities for Children with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders


Get a Bilbo Toy for Sensory Play


Schedule Dates with Your Children: Mommy and Me Days Make Lifetime Memories

Tracey Thomas is the Chief Elf at Santa's Elves of Indy. She is a frequent guest blogger for Kids Creative Chaos. This week, she shares her insights on the Mommy Share. Do you take your kids out for special alone time with Mommy or Daddy? Here are some ideas for mommy-dates with your children.

Mom and Me Day


We have a large family, which means busy schedules and lots of group interaction. Don’t get me wrong, I love our big family, but sometimes the craziness that is our lives leaves little room for individual time with the kids. With my oldest son, “mommy and me” time wasn’t scarce at all, because he had no competition, but after baby #2 came along, it started becoming evident that I would need to build in time to spend one-on-one with him. It is now 12 years later and, not only have I acquired 4 children of my own, but also 2 step-children and I still try to build in that individual time with the kids.

things to do with kids ideas for mommy and me time orchard trip
A trip to the orchard is a special treat that doubles as edutainment.

In a perfect world, I would have an endless bank account to pull from that would allow me to take each child on an exotic weekend excursion, but here in the real world, this isn’t exactly the case. Ok, so it isn’t the case AT ALL. So to preserve the budget and to help keep our time special, each month a different child gets to have their day. Sometimes, it’s something as simple as driving to the nearby frozen yogurt shop and sometimes, when the funds allow, we will plan something a little more expensive, like going to the movies, or out to dinner, etc.

things to do with kids ideas for mommy and me time movies
What kid doesn't love the movies, even better when you only have to share popcorn with  Mommy.
For my son’s 12th birthday, he opted to combine his birthday present with his “Mom & Me” day and was able to have an afternoon downtown with his friends. To date, this was actually one of my favorite “Mom & Me” days with him because, even though I had to share it with four other 12 year old boys, the extra-sweet bonus was when he still wanted to sit by good ole Mom during the basketball game at the end of the night.

things to do with kids ideas for mommy and me time orchard trip
Too cool for Mom... not this boy!
As our kids get older, make new friends, and gain new freedoms, they will have less time for Mom. Until that time, and as far into it as I can get, I will always try to maintain the one-on-one visits with the kids. It’s our time to catch up, hang out, and stay connected. And I hope that “Mom & Me Day” will become as important to them as it is to me. 

Check out her other posts in the boxes below and on the sidebar.  She is the author of "Slurpin' for Worms".

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