For Blog's Anniversary: 5 Holiday Decorating Crafts and Activities with Disney Phineas and Ferb's Perry (Agent P)

Like Agent P? So, do we! 5 Perry the Platypus Holiday Crafts

It's my blogiversary! Today, the blog is officially 5 years old per the first post, although, I am certain I deleted some less than perfect posts from those first few months. Mayhem and Jake have grown so much over these last 5 years! We wanted to share our favorite things and that includes Perry the Platypus. Enjoy!

And, this little image, sealed the deal ;) Thanks again, friends!

When I started, I never believed I would make it this far. I never thought it would be possible to not only make a real living with my blog, but also to employ others who needed income and wanted to stay at home. 

Now, 5 years into it, blood, sweat, and tears behind me; I leap forward into a new career as an internet entrepreneur. I have never felt so empowered, and I am excited to see what gifts and lessons the future has for me. 

Thank you for reading our posts. Thank you for sticking with me all these years! If you've just stumbled upon us, welcome! Help us celebrate by leaving a comment or giving us a G+ 1 high-five. 

We leave our failed attempts, messy chaos, and more for you to review. The future is a gift to you. The blog will share more and more ideas for homeschool projects, preschool activities, and crafts for adults and kids alike as well as my chaotic musings on life.

The post that started it all- I've come a long way baby!  Spiffy title though, "Watch me Pull a Chicken Sandwich out of a hat", a la the Amazing Mumford from Sesame Street ;)

In 2014, we'll be introducing a whole team of bloggers here. Each with a special creative talent or skill. Want to get in on the action? You can submit a post for publication and get paid! Paid Submissions? Yes, I can do that ;)

To celebrate, here are 5 Holiday Crafts and Printables honoring one of our blog's favorite characters to craft, Perry the Platypus!

1.  Disney Family has free printable Phineas and Ferb (and Perry) Christmas tree decorations.  

Perry the Platypus and Phineas and 
Ferb Printable Christmas Tree Decorations.

2.   Free Phineas and Ferb Christmas Coloring Page Printable


3.   Squidoo has a Free Printable for Perry the Platypus Day. 

Perry the Platypus Day Clipart.

Say What?  Did you know there is a Platypus day? Apparently, it is March 2. That is very close to my birthday; Perry and I must be soul mates!

4.   Okay, so these aren't all Holiday Crafts for Perry the Platypus, unless you consider Platypus Day a holiday, but you could add a fun Santa hat to this paper bag puppet to make it so! The kids will love learning how to craft Perry into a puppet like this one from Chatting Over Chocolate.

Make a Perry the Platypus paper bag puppet.

5.  This Perry Merry Christmas card is also from Disney Family. What a cute card to make with preschoolers! 

Perry the Platypus Christmas Card paper craft to make.

Here is a bonus Perry the Platypus crocheted Christmas ornament decoration for you Christmas tree. You could make your own or buy it. It is the cutest thing! I found it on Etsy.

Perry the Platypus Christmas tree ornament decoration by kiki and jojos.

Recommended:

Perry the Platypus Costume Idea

Perry the Platypus Water Bottle*






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! :)

How to Make a Bottle Bloom into a Flower: Recycled Projects

Use your old plastic bottles to create a fun flower project for kids:  Bottle Bloom

Things to do with a Plastic Bottle. This is a special guest post written by my very creative brother, Jamie. Watch how he makes a plastic bottle into a flower  in this fun, recyled activity project. We'll be unveiling many cute coloring sheets for kids and lots of fun projects little boys will love. Welcome Jamie in the comments below the post. Enjoy!

Wondering what to do with all those empty plastic bottles? 
Make them bloom into something new.

Looking for things to do with plastic bottles? Have you ever seen an old plastic water bottle bloom into a beautiful flower? Take your recycled items to a new level, and give them new life with our fun, recycled project ideas for kids. Use this as a companion project for a science lesson on naming the parts of a plant.

Supplies Needed to make your bottle bloom.

This is a fun way to turn those constantly piling up plastic bottles into a cute craft that anyone can make. All you need is a pair of scissors, a glue gun, and a straw. Well, of course, you will need a bottle.

Cut the bottom off of  the bottle.

How to make a flower from a plastic water bottle:

• Cut the bottom of the bottle off near the end.
• Carefully space and then cut out leaves from the remaining bottle.
• Use a cap full of glue to secure the straw in the bottle's cap. You need to use a lot of glue to anchor the finished flower. 
• Now, glue the bottom of the bottle to the top of the straw.
• Finish with your choice of paint. We chose water colors- not the best coverage but an interesting look. If you want your paint finish to last use an acrylic or even spray paint made for plastics.    

Cut the leaves from the bottle.

Be careful not to cut them all way off, leave the sides (leaves attached near the lid).

Attach the straw with lots of glue.

Glue bottom of the bottle to the other end of the straw.

Make an entire flower patch in minutes!

Make a whole flower patch in just minutes!


Recommended Reading:

Sand Art Bottles with Rice

The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book*

The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling (Little Green Books)*










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! :)

Christmas Games for Parties: Have the Best Party Ever with these Christmas Party Games for Adults (Tips to adapt for children's parties too)

Are You Ready for the Best Christmas Party Ever? 

Here are some fun games for your holiday party for kids or adults: For many years, I was a party planner. The office Christmas party got me started, and then I became a catering and special events manager. I had to come up with creative, innovative ideas for icebreakers and party mixers. We also have some fun ideas for New Year's Eve with the kids. Scroll to the bottom for Cotton Ball games that you can swap out for Marshmallow games. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Shh... I paparazzied Santa during a summer picnic. 
He was wearing this discreet disguise.

This skill came in handy when I later began teaching summer camp and afterschool enrichment activities for kids. What's cute for little ones is silly for adults and embarrassing for teens. Want to have the best party ever? Pick a few games for parties from the list below.

Click the link to find ideas for the best slumber party ever.

Games for Christmas Parties:

• Gift Wrapping Game

Divide groups into pairs. Each pair of people stand around a table in front of a piece of wrapping paper, a roll of tape, scissors, ribbon, and shirt gift boxes. Each pair of players stands with one arm around the other person. Say "Go!' and the players must race to wrap their box with one person using only their right hand and the other person using only their left hand. (Keep the other hand wrapped around the partner's waist.) The first pair to wrap their gift box wins!

• Toothpick Tower Marshmallow Game

Supplies: Toothpicks, mini-marshmallows, and adult supervision or use uncooked spaghetti noodles to make an edible game for preschoolers.  

Who can build the tallest marshmallow tower? It may sound simple, but you have to be super fast and some what creative to win. Suggested for ages 10 and up. Game details and instructions 

• Shaving Cream Santas

Supplies: Shaving Cream, plastic spoons, and paper towels.

Divide into pairs. Each pair decides who will play Santa. The Santa covers his face with shaving cream. The other player is Santa's barber. Jingle a bell to start! The teams race to "shave" their Santas. The winning team is the first to have a clean shaven Santa and sit their spoon onto the table. To signify they are done, Santa lets out a loud "Ho ho ho"! 

Tip: Make this an edible game for kids with Non-dairy whipped cream.

• Balloon Stomping Game

Grab a bag of Dollar Store balloons and give one to each player with some curling ribbon. The players blow up their balloon and tie them to their ankles. Now blow a horn or ring a holiday bell to start the stomping! Each party guest has to stomp the other player's balloons. The more you stomp, the better your chances of winning the game. The last person to have a balloon wins! Use masking or painter's tape to mark a circle of play area on the floor.

Christmas Book for Kids

• Little Known Secrets Game

Before the party collect little known surprising facts about 5-10 employees or party-goers. Collect photos of them as a toddler. On a colorful poster board, tape photocopies of the baby pictures and write the secret fact underneath the photo as a caption. Label the images from 1-10 (or how many co-workers you chose). Hand out paper and pens as guests arrive. Point them to your board and tell them to number the paper from 1-10.  Can they guess who is who?Winner is the one who gets most correct wins. If several get all the answers correct, place their papers (with their names) in a Santa hat and draw for a winner!

• What’s in your Stocking

Before the party, fill several stockings with two or three non-breakable items. Tie the stocking closed with a ribbon. Divide party-goers into teams. Have them spread out into different corners of the room to work. Now, each team must guess (by touch alone) what is in their stocking. The winning team wins the contents of all stockings! 

• The Amazing Maze Game

This is a fun party idea for a  child's party. Choose a variety of Christmas curling ribbon colors in a single roll or ball. One for each player. Tie a prize or party favor to one end of each ribbon. Hide the end with the gift on it somewhere in the house. Now, unwind the ribbon and wrap it all over the room, all around furniture, over tables, under doors, anywhere it will be a fun challenge. Tie a candy cane to the other end of the ribbon. Repeat for each player, tangling the ribbons if necessary. When the guests arrive, give each one a candy cane and have them follow the ribbon to untangle it (wrapping it around their candy cane as they go). Let them know it leads to a surprise! Then, let the chaos begin!

Handmade Candy Canes

• Christmas Wrapping Pin the Bow

Wrap three large boxes. Line players up single file behind each box. Give each player a giant sticky bow, spin them around and jingle a bell to start. They must walk around the box and then pin the bow on top, return to the opposite end and sit down before the next team member goes. The first team sitting down wins.

8 Simple Holiday Games with Santa

Find Santa's Reindeer

Buy some cute Dollar Store holiday plushies Reindeer, Angels, Santas, etc. Hide them around the house. The reindeers must be found to drive Santa's sleigh. Attach a clue to each stuffie of where the next one can be found. When they find a reindeer, they line it up next to the Santa stuffie. There are 9 reindeer to be found. When all reindeer are placed next to Santa you announce the winner. The winner is the one who 
found Rudolph and/or placed him in the lead position next to Santa. They win the stuffie of their choice!

Cotton Ball Games for Parties Fun Adult or Kid's Activity

We have lots of games with cotton balls 
which are a great sensory activity for kids.

• Shoveling Snow – Cotton Ball Game

Supplies: Vaseline, bowl, cotton balls, stop watch, camera

How to play game: Everyone sits in a circle on their knees or around a table. Place a dab of Vaseline on the tip of each player’s nose. Place a bowl in front of each player with a pile of cotton balls next to the bowl or scattered in front of them on the table. 

The object of the game is to have them use their noses to pick up a cotton ball and then somehow get the cotton ball off their nose and into the bowl without using hands. Hands should always be clasped behind their back. After 1 minute, the player with the most cotton balls in their bowl wins! The prize can be a wrapped surprise gift or a stocking full of goodies.

• Sticky Cotton  - Another Cotton Ball Game Fun for all Parties

Supplies: Bag of cotton balls, two large bowls, a blindfold, and a large wooden spoon or ladle. 

Blindfold your guests and place them in front of two bowls, one empty bowl and one with cotton balls. Give the players a wooden spoon. They must move as many cotton balls as they can from one bowl to the other using only 3 spoonfuls. Tally the number of cotton balls per player. Have them go to the end of the line when done. Everyone gets two chances! The person with the most cotton balls in both turns wins! 

• Cotton Ball Relay Races

Supplies: Bag of cotton balls, two large bowls, a blindfold and a wooden spoon (Note: these are the same for another game above, you could play both at the same time.)

Divide the co-workers, family members, or kids into groups. Place a bowl of 10 cotton balls at a starting line (Use painter's tape on the floor) and the other bowl 15 to 20 feet away. To begin the cotton ball relay game, player number one takes the spoon, selects a cotton ball, and walks it down to the bowl on the other end dropping it in. When the player drops the cotton ball into the bowl, they must race back to the start. When they touch the bowl, the next player takes their turn, and so on. If the cotton ball falls off the spoon, the player must return and start over. No hands allowed! The first team to empty their start bowl and fill their finish bowl wins. 

• Cotton Ball Spoon Race

Supplies:  Bag of cotton balls, bowls, wooden spoons

This is similar to the game above, but in this one there are no teams just individual players. 

Set your start line, halfway point, and finish line with painter's tape of chalk. Divide the players and put them on opposite ends of the halfway point. Give each player a cotton ball and a spoon. Ring a bell to start the race. Players must place the cotton ball onto their spoon, and race to the halfway point and return to the start without losing their cotton ball. They cannot touch the cotton ball after initially placing it on the spoon. If it falls they must return to the start line and begin again. The winner is the one who returns to the start line first.

• Snowman Building Contest 

Supplies: White trash bags, recycled items, plastic grocery bags, duct tape, etc.

Get white trash bags and have the teams/players stuff them with recycled plastic grocery bags or old paper (shredded office paper). Get a basket to fill with office or recycled items (you choose what you have on hand). Ask a trivia question about the holiday, your boss, your company, or team members. The team who answers correctly first gets to choose an item from your basket. These items will then be placed onto the trash bag snowman with duct tape. When all of your items are gone the team with the best snowman wins! 

Make a Snowman Potato Head Game

• Cotton Ball Straw Race

Supplies: Cotton balls, drinking straws, space 

Use a long dinner table or the floor for this fun, competitive, sensory game for kids or adults. Hint: Teens love it!

1. Set a Start and Finish line (10 to 15 feet apart.) 

2. Give each player a drinking straw and a cotton ball.

3. Let them know they must move their cotton ball from the Start to the Finish using only their Straw. (Keep hands clasped behind back)

4. Tip - Do not demonstrate how to play. They can use it like a hockey stick, folded as chopsticks, or as a straw blowing air toward the cotton ball.

5. The first one across the finish line Wins. You can make a dot on each cotton ball with a marker so you know who is what color. This will eliminate any confusion as to who won.

*This cotton ball game can also be played as a relay race. 

• Cotton Ball Target Drop - Easy and fun game for toddlers.

Supplies: Cotton balls, bowl or jar 

This is an easy games for the little ones. Toddlers and preschooler will enjoy this party game just as much as teens or adults!

1. Player stands on a step stool.

2. Give each player five cotton balls.

3. They are to hold the cotton ball to their nose and let it drop into the bowl below. 

4. Each player gets five tries. Give a party favor for each cotton ball that makes it into the bowl. If playing with adults or teens, the team with the most balls in the bowl wins.

• Cotton Ball Snowball Scoop Up Game

Supplies: 1 or 2 bags of cotton balls, bowl, spoon, blindfold 

This is a simple game. Players form a circle. Blindfold the first player and sit them in the middle of the circle to scoop up as many cotton balls as they can within thirty seconds. The middle of the circle is filled with snowballs (cotton balls). Hand the bowl and spoon to the player once they are seated. Jingle a bell to signify the start. The player with the most snowballs in the bowl wins. Enjoy! 

Recommended Reading:

Great Games! 175 Games and Activities *


Teen Birthday Party Sleepover Ideas for Girls

Seasonal Party Ideas and Activities *


Group Activities for Kids


Earth Day Activities for Adults

Look for more Christmas Party Games in our site. In the meantime, add some Christmas Stories to your kids' holiday party.

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! :)

Chocolate Quotes Soothe the Soul Memes

Got Chocolate? Quotes Memes for Facebook or Instagram

We've got quotes and memes to go along with your crutch or vice. Chocolate soothes the soul, and now they say it has health benefits too! Count me in. What does chocolate mean to you? Do you crave chocolate or use it as a pick me up? Chantbou chocolate is waiting for you. Here's annother chocolate quote meme. Enjoy!

Here is a chocolate quote meme for your Pinterest Board or Facebook Posts.

Recommended:

Box of Chocolates*

Quotes and Sayings for Facebook Sharing

Secret Stash of Chocolate Meme

Chocolate by Sandra Boynton*

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! :)

Coloring Sheets for Thanksgiving: Pilgrim with Turkey and Wampanoag Indian Child

Here are some Thanksgiving theme coloring pages! 

We host lots of coloring pages at Mediafire.com. Yeah... don't look too closely at the Wampanoag Indian boy. I draw these Coloring sheets freehand. His arm holding the bow and arrow is a little wonky. You can copy these Thanksgiving Coloring Pages and save them to your computer too, but you might have to edit the size to print. Enjoy!

I'd do a test, but someone put a starburst fruit chew in my printer this week. Alas, the title, Kids Creative Chaos. Always an event going on here. The image captions link to media fire where you can print them all nice like :)  

Pilgrim with live turkey coloring sheet for Thanksgiving.

Make your own Native American Indian Featherband by tracing your feet! Perhaps, you need a traditional Indian costume to go with it? Try this paper bag Indian dress or vest for kids. Want to go all out with your homeschool lesson on Native Americans? Teach your kids to dye like the Indians did with our Tie Dye post. For the younger kids, we made turkey and indian puppets or magnets from popsicle craft sticks. Of course you can add a history lesson, here is a little bit about Indians and persimmons. And Art too! How about a weaving lesson for kids?

Wampanoag Native Americans shared the feast with Pilgrims.  
Think this Indian boy is after  a turkey?

Recommended Reading:

Candy Corn Turkeys

Turkey Thanksgiving Book 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! :)

Country Sayings: Fall Quote Meme by L.M. Montgomery - October

Here is a Great Fall Quote for the Autumn Season

Fall quotes? The author of Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery, had many well-known quotes. Imagine being in the country, with the nip of October in the air, straw in you hair, and pumpkins everywhere. The bump of the hayride bounces you through the fields as the intoxicating sound of children's laughter erupts all around. Feel free to share this picture meme quote on Pinterest or Facebook, but do not crop the watermark.

Photo by Lora Langston. 
Taken at Waterman's Farm in Indiana at the pumpkin patch hayride. 

Recommended Reading:

Butter My Butt and Call Me a Biscuit: And Other Country Sayings, Say-So's, Hoots and Hollers

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery


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Homeschool Country Study Fun Lesson on Afghanistan

Homeschool Country Study Lesson on Afghanistan

Today, Alaina from, The Cooks Next Door is guest posting. Homeschooled herself, she now homeschools her own children. Alaina is living proof homeschooling works! She is a Dental Hygienist by trade, and her brother is studying Architecture. So, sit back, relax, and learn about Afghanistan in this country study lesson for homeschoolers. Enjoy!

Afghanistan Homeschool Craft Time.

One of our favorite homeschool activities is to study different countries and cultures! I like that it develops an interest in the world, gives an appreciation of other cultures, and includes many subjects. 

We studied the country of Afghanistan and made flags out of construction paper (you can find images of the flag online), listened to music (youtube), identified and colored Afghanistan on maps, made a traditional dish (see below), read books (check your library) and wrote the capital and country. 

There are many free activities and coloring pages available online that make preparing for nearly any country study easy! I found several free geography printables here. We spent time talking about the political and religious climate of the country as well as the culture and traditions.

Afghanistan Flag Making.

I like that these homeschool activities include art, home economics, music, writing, cultural studies, and geography. We will often assemble a simple book with pictures, copy work, flag and anything related to the country we are studying – it’s nothing fancy but it helps the kids remember our work and they are so proud of it! Country studies are definitely a highlight for us!

Here is the delicious recipe we made. The kids were able to help with supervision, and I find that it makes them so much more inclined to try new things. We loved it on naan or pita bread - kind of  like a pizza! It made the perfect lunch and ending to our country study.

Recipe for Afghanistan Dish: Sabse Borani.

Sabse Borani Recipe

4 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup lightly drained plain yogurt (drain about 1 hr – easiest method is to place the yogurt in a coffee filter and let stand)

Place damp spinach in a skillet and cook until wilted (can cover). Drain and squeeze to remove excess water. Heat oil in a large skillet, sauté onion at low heat until golden, add garlic and sauté briefly, then add spinach, and cook for a minute or two more. Let cool. In a bowl, smooth yogurt and add spinach mixture. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recommended:

Rosetta Stone Persian Farsi Level 1-3 *

Lesson on China

Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan*

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea*
















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! :)

Birthday Party Ideas and Activities for Teen Girls

Time for Teenage Girl's Birthday Party, you Need Ideas!

Want to have the best party ever? A typical teen girl will change her mind several times when planning her birthday party theme. Why not avoid the stress and surprise her with a cool, hip idea. Here are a few fun ideas for teen girl's birthday parties. Enjoy!  

Why it is Important to have your Child Fingerprinted

Having a set of Fingerprints at Home can Save your Child's Life.

Rachel Donaldson, is a Forensic Scientist, Certified Latent Print Examiner. In other words, she is a real life CSI. Aware of the dangers facing missing children, she urges you to have your child fingerprinted. She tells us why it is important to get your child fingerprinted. Enjoy!

It is important to get your kids fingerprinted.

Picture this: you are in a shopping mall/ grocery store with your young child. You are distracted trying to find your size in the cutest top you've ever laid eyes on or you're trying to figure out if you have a coupon for the latest craze in health bars. You realize a couple minutes have passed and there have been no pulls on your shirttail or no sounds of "Mommy! Mommy! Come look!!" You look around in your general vicinity and your child is NOT THERE.


He/she then pops out of the nearest clothing rack or comes back around from the cereal aisle. UGH. The whole scenario is enough to make your heart stop for a second or two. But, imagine your child wasn't playing around and had actually disappeared into thin air? I know, believe me, it's not something you even want to try to wrap your brain around, but we live in a crazy world and unfortunately it does happen. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, hundreds of thousands of children are reported missing every year, however a fraction of them are actually abducted by a "stranger". 

Because sometimes the macabre can occur, speaking as a fingerprint examiner for my city's local crime lab, I cannot stress enough the importance of having your child(ren)'s fingerprints (and DNA) at home. Fingerprints are unique to an individual and are permanent. Fingerprints are formed in 9-11 weeks gestation and do not change (except for growth) until decomposition. No two people have the same fingerprint--not even identical twins. 

Having a set of fingerprints at home could save your child's life. They could put a detective on the right track of a child abductor. Take for example a child is held hostage, disguised, and sent to school under a different name. If there was any suspicion, the child's prints could be acquired, compared, and hopefully identified to the "missing" child's fingerprints, IF and only IF there is a standard set available, or if your child's prints were found in a person's home/car where they were never supposed to have been. 

It could be a huge lead in getting your child home safely to you. 

In 2002, Danielle Van Dam, 7, was snatched from her own bedroom, while her parents slept. A suspected neighbor, David Westerfield, was later convicted of her murder after Danielle's fingerprint was identified to a print found by his bed. Tragically, in the Danielle Van Dam case, it was too late to bring her home. However, Danielle's fingerprints were found in her neighbor's RV. Her parents had no set of prints on her, but her mummified body had to be fingerprinted to allow for a comparison. It would have been much easier to have been able to have compared them to the standards at home. 

I urge you to contact your local police department, crime lab, etc to find information on where to get a fingerprint/DNA kit. Some police departments have Community Days where they will fingerprint/ swab your children. It could save a child's life--maybe YOUR child's life.  


Recommended:

Roll Fingerprint Inkless Starter Kit*

Celery Science Experiment

CSI Fingerprinting Kit for Kids*
Sign up for our free newsletter.
















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! :)