KCC Kids Make Native American Art and Crafts in honor of the Wampanoag Indians contribution to Thanksgiving

Studying Native American Art and Crafts? 

Get crafty with Alex Toys and celebrate the Wampanoag Indians.  Without them, we'd have nothing to celebrate. Here are companion activities for your lessons on Native American History.

Native American Footprint Headband Craft

Mayhem wanted to go outside and collect stones and leaves in her pouch like a real  hunter-gather. "Indian Dress" paper grocery bag tutorial.

What a fun word, Wampanoag. Here is a site with fun facts about the Wampanoag. We learned some Wampanoags are from Natick, Massachusetts where the Daddy was born.


Wampanoags today  See the real Mayflower here. See our version here.  Daddy is not Native American, but Mommy is related to Pocahontas about five different ways- her Indians are known as the Powhatan or Virginia Algonquian. One day, we'll write a post about this relationship.

Tie Dye Fashion Groovy Tote Kit from Alex Toys ~ Fun way to learn about dyeing clothing.

Alex Toys has great products for your Thanksgiving celebration or to help teach Native American ways and honor their contribution to our country in the classroom.

I wanted to teach dyeing with the Tie Dye Fashion Groovy Kit and teach weaving with their Native American Loom, but the projects seemed a bit daunting for a six year old, eight year old, and an OCD Mom. So, I kept  putting it off. 

We'll do that post next week. We can do it tomorrow. It just has to be done by Thanksgiving...

The Tie Dye kit by Alex Toys is awesome, super easy, and nearly mess free ~ we did most of it in a tub in the kitchen sink.

Soaking items to dye before tying off with rubber bands and twist ties.

Knotting off patterns with bands included in the kit and recycled bread bag twist ties.

Projects ready to dye. The included, Groovy Tote and some of our old, stained t-shirts.

I've done some tie-dyeing in the past, but this was so much easier. Although, the kit was for one tote bag we had enough dye to dye several things. I wish we had prepped more items. We decided to use some of the dye to make super messy, water color paintings in the sink.

Leave lots of white space for better contrast and to keep colors from bleeding together.

This is our only mess! How great is that?

Squirting dye on paper and blending with plastic spoon.

Secure your items in plastic bags for 24 hours.

Patience is a virtue. Enclose in plastic bags for 24 hours to set the dye, remove bands, lay flat to dry for another 24 hours, and then wash and dry.

The bag was included in the kit and we did three shirts and several paintings.
All bottles are still half full! This would be great for a birthday party or classroom. 

Tie Dye Paper Art  ~ Less Squeeze is Best

Tie Dye Paper Art ~ Learning Phase

The loom? Oh my the loom, it was far too daunting for this post. See our weaving experiences in Jake's Journey in Art ~  Home-school Weaving. 

Native American Fruit - Persimmons

Weaving is tedious work that takes time. Imagine if you were a Native American making clothing to keep warm.

Popsicle Stick Indian Craft for Preschoolers

Next month, celebrate the spirit of giving with Santa's Elves of Indy as we collect, wrap, and donate gifts for those needing a little extra help this Christmas season.

AlexToys.com donated these toys for our unbiased review.
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What She's Wearing Wednesday ~ Santa's littlest Elf ~ Helping Raise Money for Christmas Gifts

Teaching kids how to participate and help other with Community Service Projects.

This past Saturday, we attended a Craft Fair and Rummage Sale to raise money for Santa's Elves of Indy. A friend organizes the event and often has more families in need than incoming donations.

The organization is young and struggling. Last year, I didn't feel we could take on a family or even a child, so we donated gift bags, tape, and wrapping paper.  

Every little bit helps.

This year, things are a little better for us.  We have "adopted" a family. That's what it is always been called, adopt a child or family for Christmas. When I posted this on another website, someone sent an angry message. It seems, they found the phrase "adopt a child for Christmas" offensive. Organizations have been collecting wish lists for needy children for years and using this terminology. We certainly don't want to offend families who are adopting children forever into their homes. 

We are in no way adopting a child or even meeting a child. To be clear, each volunteer takes a child's wish list which includes clothing and shoe sizes and shops for items for the child. Then, Santa's Elf volunteers wrap the gifts and deliver them to the children's parents or caregivers prior to Christmas Eve so no children miss out on a visit from Santa.

The craft fair wasn't bustling as we'd hoped. It is difficult to spread the word. Even for such a good cause, people have little money to spare. Donations are used to purchase gifts for families that haven't been "adopted" by a volunteer.

We manned the booth for Santa's Elves matching volunteer shoppers with families in need. We were also offering deep discount gift cards for Incredible Pizza, but no one was buying. For just $10 you could/can purchase a gift card valued at $20.

Here's your sign.

Mayhem asked if she could wear the sign and walk around the vendor area selling the gift cards. I agreed. She went from person to person and received many a no thank you. The little elf came back with a sad face and a great idea.

"Can I take the cookies and offer a bag of cookies with every card sold?"

What a great idea!

She sold 3 (the fair was almost over) and had a blast.

If you'd like to donate or purchase a gift card visit the Santa's Elves of Indy Facebook Page. There is still time to ADOPT a child's Wish List and play Santa for a family needing a little extra help this season.

Happy Holidays!

I am so Thankful for this magical little Mayhem.

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Kitchen Kids ~ Thanksgiving Beverage Warm Wassail Punch

How to make Wassail Punch: Easy Recipe for Kid's to Make

Mmm... warm and cozy Wassail punch for kids.

This Wassail punch is a festive beverage to add to your Thanksgiving dinner celebration.

You need:

2 C. Apple Juice
1 C. Orange Juice
1 Tbs. Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp. Lemon Juice
Cinnamon Sticks
Whipped Topping
Cinnamon
Optional Orange Slices and Cranberries

How to Make:

Combine juices and microwave until hot.  
Remove from microwave stir in brown sugar.
Add a cinnamon stick and microwave for another minute.
Pour into mugs.
Optional ~ add an orange slice and some cranberries for color.
Add a dollop of whipped cream.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Note: Most Wassail recipes call for pineapple juice but most kids don't like it.
You can add 3/4 C. pineapple juice for a traditional drink.

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So, who wants to go to the circus with me?

When is the Circus in Indy?

The Circus is coming to Indy! Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey presented Dragons in 2012.  Click here to find out:  When is the circus coming to town? Enjoy!

Answer this question from previous post in the comment section below:  How far away can a lion's roar be heard?

What is an all-access Circus pass?

Tickets include an all-access pass to the preview show: Ringling Bros.^® Animal Open House^SM Opening 90 minutes before show time, the Ringling Bros. Animal Open House^SM is FREE to all ticketholders. An hour before show time, audiences can join Ringling Bros. talented performers and learn new circus skills at the All Access Pre-show, FREE with your ticket!  Audience members can get up close and personal with Ringling Bros. performers to take photos, get autographs and learn circus skills. 

Meet some of Ringling Bros. majestic animals, see a pachyderm paint a portrait and learn more about Ringling Bros. commitment to elephant conservation at the All Access Pre-show. The All Access Pre-show is the only place where you can register for a chance to win a masterpiece created by one of Ringling Bros. artistic Asian elephants.

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*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! :)

Creative Country ~ Old-Fashioned Buggy Crossing Sign ~ Amish

Wordless, Caution Street Signs:

Horse and Buggy Crossing.

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Kitchen Kids ~ Kids Creative Chaos Cooks ~ Holiday Treats Available on Amazon.com and Createspace ~ Kid's Mix and Make Cookbook

Edible art and crafts for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas for Kid's to make.

I am excited to announce our first Kitchen Kid's Series Cookbook is available for purchase. Starting today, you can purchase a print version at Createspace for under $3. 

Now available at Amazon.com, so be sure to include it in your wishlist.

Holiday Treats is full of simple mix and make recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve with easy to follow instructions for kids of all ages. We've also added a few games to keep the kiddos busy while Mama or Daddy cooks in the kitchen. The perfect gift for budding bakers. 

Do you remember your first cookbook? Tell us about your favorite holiday recipe in the comment section below. We love to hear from you.


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Homeschool History Lesson: Levi Coffin House and the Underground Railroad Indiana

Take a Field Trip: Tour the History of the Underground Railroad and Levi Coffin in Richmond, Indiana

Our latest history homeschool adventure included a field trip to the historic, Levi Coffin House near Richmond, Indiana. It is said to be part of the Underground Railroad.

An eight-room, Federal-style, brick home near Richmond in Newport (Fountain City), Indiana became a safe haven to thousands of escaped slaves on their journey to Canada. The home of Levi and Catharine Coffin, North Carolina Quakers who opposed slavery quickly became the most well-known stop on the Underground Railroad.  During the 20 years they lived in Newport, the Coffins helped more than 2,000 slaves reach safety. Read More About it: Levi Coffin House

Learn about the Underground Railroad with a trip to Levi Coffin's Indiana home.

Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous story, Uncle Tom's Cabin is based on, "Eliza" one of the many slaves who hid in the Coffin home. Scholastic offers a great companion piece for an Underground Railroad Lesson. Myths of the Underground Railroad. A good story for younger children is Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky.

A story of the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman.

Nineteenth century wooden rocker cradle in the Levi Coffin house.

The tour guides at this historic site are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Prepare to spend at least an hour learning the Coffin family history. On our visit, we were not prepared expecting only a quick walk through the house. Our little one (pictured above) was not up to the challenge. However, rather than becoming irritated at her outbursts the tour guide began speaking directly to her and encouraging participation by pointing out kid friendly historic facts and interesting artifacts like the horse hair poking out of the wall which was used to reinforce and bind the plaster.

Levi Coffin.

Two handled "shovel" for scooping grain.  A chore for children.

Sewing bird to help hold fabric.

Rocking bench with baby guard.

Iron handcuffs.

Stairs to the attic.

Catharine Coffin's Wardrobe.

Room where runaways (often children) spent the night.

Underground Railroad = Secret attic access slide bed over to hide the door.

Field Trip Ideas for the Underground Railroad

For older students, I encourage you to visit Conner Prairie's immersion history program, Follow the North Star in Indianapolis, Indiana. As an interpreter at Conner Prairie, I participated on both sides portraying a woman who helped runaways find their way to a nearby Quaker family and as a tour guide/runaway experiencing the journey first hand leading a group of runaways thru the prairie at night. Nothing will help your student understand the importance of this historical event like Follow the North Star.

Another great place to visit is The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Slavery Lesson Plans for Elementary and High School

Recommended Reading:

Black History Expressionist Artist Alma Thomas

Reminiscences of Levi Coffin

Who Was Harriet Tubman?

Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times, with 21 Activities (For Kids series)

Kitchen Kids: Edible Mayflower Sandwich Snack for Thanksgiving Craft

Make a mini Mayflower Ship Sandwich Snack to celebrate the Pilgrims landing in America: Thanksgiving Craft for Kids

Get your kids in the kitchen for this edible Thanksgiving Craft. This snack craft is an easy, fun activity for afterschool or preschool class. It is fun to make an edible Mayflower ship craft. Enjoy!

Mayflower Edible Thanksgiving Craft.

You might also like this Fall Thanksgiving Craft, Painting with Pumpkins, Gourds, and other squash.

Attach cheese slices by making an eatable cream cheese paste on your Mayflower Sandwich Ship.

Fruit Snack Passengers = Madagascar Penguins.

You need:

Hot dog buns 
Cheese Slices (Yellow and White)
Pretzel Sticks
Cream Cheese
Optional: Goldfish Crackers or Character Fruit Snacks

To make:

Hollow out the center of 1/2 of  bun.
Spoon in cream cheese.
Cut cheese slices diagonally into triangles.
Slide pretzel thru one side of slice to form a sail. 
Note: This doesn't work well with room temperature cheese, so we used cream cheese as a paste. Stick sail into the cream cheese. Use mini pretzels for steering wheel and life preservers. Insert Goldfish crackers tail end first to represent passengers. Serve with baked chips and pumpkin salsa. Eat. 

Recommended Reading:

Cranberry Thanksgiving (Cranberryport)*

Kids Creative Chaos Cooks (Kitchen Kids Book 1)*

Eatable Art Snacks for Kids








ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*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! :)

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGON

Ringling Brother and Barnum and Bailey Circus Dragons

Did you come here from Facebook? The answer is: Five Feet!?   Stand back! The Dragons show came to Indy, and we went to see it. They asked us to share a little Circus History. Enjoy!

Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, 
The Greatest Show on Earth, present DRAGONS.

??What's the average span of a Tiger's swipe??

Fun Circus History and Trivia

What Ringling Bros. performer has an average shoe size of 28EEEEE?  CLOWNS!

Showtimes, For Tickets to area event Click Here, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS is a once in a millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling Bros.^® Presents Dragons to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus feats. Dragons is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show On Earth^®!

Fun Circus Insider Info:

An hour before show time, audiences can join Ringling Bros. talented performers and learn new circus skills at the All Access Pre-show, FREE with your ticket!

Audience members can get up close and personal with Ringling Bros. performers to take photos, get autographs and learn circus skills at the All Access Pre-show.

Circus-goers can meet some of Ringling Bros. majestic animals, see a pachyderm paint a portrait and learn more about Ringling Bros. commitment to elephant conservation at the All Access Pre-show. 

The All Access Pre-show is the only place where you can register for a chance to win a masterpiece created by one of Ringling Bros. artistic Asian elephants.

Ringling Bros.^® Animal Open House^SM

Opening 90 minutes before show time, the Ringling Bros. Animal Open House^SM is FREE to all ticketholders.

At the Animal Open House, visitors can learn about Ringling Bros. biggest stars, our Asian Elephants, and our commitment to animal conservation through informative kiosks, audio tours, or by asking one of our dedicated animal care team members. 

Let me tell you about CircusFit^®

Uniquely inspired by the athletic stars of The Greatest Show On Earth  and the daredevil stunts they perform, CircusFit^® is a national fitness program from Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey  that encourages America's youth to lead healthy, active lifestyles by combining the fun of circus skills with stretching, strength building and aerobic exercise.  

The Circus Fit website is so fun! Lots of fun activities.

“I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events.” “Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Recommended:

Phineas and Ferb Fun  

Perry the Platypus

If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss*

There's No Such Thing as a Dragon*







ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*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! :)

Creative Country: Big Red Barn Chicken Coop Ideas

Here is a fun idea for a Chicken Coop

Beware! Chicken Coops they sell at the store are not safe for your chickens. They aren't raccoon, opossum, weasel, or mink proof. 

I've heard awful stories of raccoons pulling the animals right through the wires and of minks squeezing through and, like a vampire, sucking the blood from every last animal and then lining them up in a row! 

We had a "friendly" possum and learned the hard way that "opossums sometimes eat sleeping poultry". Did  you get that part, eat? They eat them alive starting with their abdomen. It is very sad. It also ate part of our little girl duck's beak, poor thing. Please don't let this happen to you. The guilt is unbearable.

A friend of mine had some materials left over after building their barn, so they made a Chicken Coop to match! I am jealous! Don't you think they should market these? 

Here's a fun Big Red Barn Preschool Activity to make.

Chicken Coop Barn. 

Meet our baby Wyandotte chickens

Building our "chicken coop"

Recommended Reading:

Guide to Raising Chickens

8 Cheap Ideas to House Your Backyard Hens and Save Money

Backyard Chickens for Beginners

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

Anime Art Lessons and Curriculum for Homeschool Elementary Cartoon Animation Keroro

Homeschool Elementary Art: How to draw Cartoon Animation

Allow your kids to watch cartoons on tv with sketch book. Here is our favorite anime character Keroro. The kids study the drawing style and copy it. Try different cartoons for different techniques.

Homeschool Art Lesson with Anime Cartoon Drawing and Keroro.

If your kids are like mine they love to watch cartoons. My kids love the obscure cartoons found on Netflix. One of their favorites (which is questionable if you pay close attention) is the Japanese Anime cartoon, Sergeant Frog or Keroro. For Wikipedia Description Click Here


He says lots of wacky stuff. Luckily, most of it is difficult to understand, and it rarely makes sense. I'm not advocating watching the program, but I am advocating allowing them to watch cartoons while working on an ART LESSON.

Sgt. Frog a.k.a Keroro

When I was a kid, I wanted to become a SPECIAL EFFECTS ARTIST.  My younger cousin wanted to become a VIDEO GAME DESIGNER both of us were shot down by parents, teachers, and principals. Who said things like, "Do you know how many people want to be that and how many people actually are?" or my favorite from my high school principal, "Well.. they told Johnny Cougar he'd never make it and he did, but still I don't think you should drop Band for more Art classes." Say what?