Friday, March 30, 2012

Resurrection Rolls

I got this idea and recipe from the best Sunday School teacher I know...my sister.  She has volunteered at our church teaching the 2-year-old Sunday School class for the past 5 years.  I had the opportunity to help her bake Resurrection Rolls in her class last Sunday and the kids loved it!
This morning, we made our own Resurrection Rolls.  Before we started, we reviewed the Easter story.  If you need ideas on teaching your little disciples, you can see what I do on my post from several weeks ago.  Click on Teaching the Easter Story.

Resurrection Rolls
Ingredients:
1 can of Crescent Rolls
8 large marshmallows
1/4 stick butter, melted
cinnamon and sugar mixture
1. Flatten out each crescent roll.
2. Roll each marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

3. Place marshmallow inside crescent.
4. Roll the bread around the marshmallow.
I told my little disciples, "Jesus is like the marshmallow and the bread is like the tomb."  We kept discussing the story while preparing the rolls.
5. Pinch the crescent around the marshmallow so no marshmallow will melt out of it.

6. Brush butter on each roll.
7. Sprinkle the extra cinnamon and sugar on top of the rolls.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
   
When you open the roll, the roll is empty.  Just like the tomb was empty when the angel rolled the stone away.  I asked my little disciples, "Where is the marshmallow?"  The oldest said, "In Heaven!"  Well...um...I didn't know how to answer that one, but I knew she understood the story!


Monday, March 26, 2012

Butterfly Paper Towels

2 Corinthians 5:17  Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  When you accept Jesus into your life you begin a new life.
Today, we finished our last butterfly craft.  
1. Drop food coloring in containers of water.  The more drops, the darker the paper towel will be.
2. Fold the paper towel in halves until it's a square.
3. Dip the paper towel into the different colors.

4. Unfold the paper towel...and...
the colors are symmetrical!

5. Dry out the paper towels (it took a day).
Once the paper towels are dry, you will need pipe cleaners and beads.
Wrap the pipe cleaners around the paper towel then put beads through the "feelers".


I hung them with thread under our light fixture for more Easter decorations at our table.
I think the butterflies go well with our Empty Tomb Garden and Easter placemats.  
We had so much fun making our life cycle snack, playing Tic Tac Toe, and creating our milk jug craft.  But, it was now time to say goodbye to our butterflies.  Yesterday, we let them free!
Close-up in the grass.
Yes, I was excited too.










They must like red...

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Glowing Easter Egg Hunt

Day 4 of a rainy day...I know hiding Easter eggs is a little early, but I was in desperate need of entertaining my little disciples.  Last year, I had a Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt party.  My oldest disciple remembered, so she insisted on doing it again.  So tonight we put on our pajamas, covered the basement windows with a sheet, and got out our flashlights.


We also used glow sticks to put in the eggs.  The kids cracked them while I put them inside each egg.  The larger eggs would have been easier, I'll get those for next time.
Bracelet glow sticks and eggs

Breaking the glow sticks

Folded the glow sticks inside the egg.

Ooh la la!

These were the only good pictures I could take.
It worked great!


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Milk Jug Window Craft

Just like a caterpillar, Jesus was created into a new life.  We have been learning about the butterfly life cycle for the past 3 weeks.  I ordered them from Insect Lore Shop and we now have Monarch Butterflies!  Because it's been raining for the last 3 days (ugh), I have been trying to think of crafts to do with the kids.
Milk Jug Window Craft
First, I cleaned out empty milk jugs and cut them into large pieces.
Next, we found a picture of a Monarch Butterfly from a book to trace.

I cut out the butterfly when my oldest disciple was done, then taped it to the window with Scotch Tape.
Then, I cut out crosses to color as well. 
Older kids would be able to make a Stained Glass Cross design, but my kids were too young to care:)
Last, we now have a beautiful window craft to look at.  Can you tell how cloudy and rainy it is? (ugh)
For more butterfly ideas click on Butterfly Life Cycle Snack and Butterfly Tic Tac Toe

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Butterfly Tic Tac Toe and Books

This is the caterpillar and butterfly tic tac toe game I created.  You can print and share it here.  It's a great skill for preschool aged kids.

We read MANY books about butterflies that we checked out from our public library.  Here is a list:
Are you a Butterfly by Judy Allen
Born to be a Butterfly by Karen Wallace
Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons
Butterflies by Emily Neye
Butterflies by Donna Bailey
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I have also recently posted the Butterfly Life Cycle Snack.

Enjoy!!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Scratch-Off Paint Gender Revealing

 Our 3rd littlest disciple will be arriving in August!  We always find out the baby's gender (my husband and I are annoyingly organized and prepared people), and then just announce to our family in person or a phone call.  But we wanted to do something different and fun this time.

I recently saw a post from No Time For Flash Cards website over Scratch-Off Chore Chart.  I thought a scratch-off card would be a perfect way to reveal the baby's gender to our friends and family.

Supplies: Dish soap, Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint, Contact Paper, marker, brush, card stock paper

Directions:
Write the word you want to scratch out with a marker on the card stock paper.  Cut and place Contact Paper over the word. (If you don't place the contact paper, it makes it very difficult to scratch off)
In a small bowl, mix 2 tsp. of Metallic Paint with 1 tsp. of dish soap.
Paint over the Contact Paper and let dry.

Scratch off the paint with a coin for the revealing!
It's a BOY!!
 
This is the card I made to give to our family.  I put it in an envelope with a coin inside.  I even mailed one to my grandpa who lives out of town.  I know he will get a kick out of it!
outside
inside
If you would like your own copy to print or share you can get it here.  This scratch-off paint was too fun!

What are your ideas to use with scratch-off paint?  Please comment below so we can all see!