New Horizons: Here and Now

On January 19^th 2006, a rocket lifted the New Horizons probe from the surface of the Earth, never again to return. At the time of this writing, the early afternoon of July 14^th 2015, the probe has completed its flyby of Pluto. For some NASA scientists, today is the most important day out of the three-thousand, four-hundred and sixty-three that have passed since launch. Those few thousand days include others with their own special importance, however. Through my office door I can hear the low, joyful roar of children playing here at the museum. Save for a handful of older kids, each of those girls and boys marks one of those days since January 19^th of 2006 as their birthday. For their whole lives, this piano-sized, plutonium-powered robot has been speeding through empty space at velocity of over nine miles per second away from the sun. And they are all still going strong, on paths unknown.

I was born in the year 1985 in Huntsville, Alabama. As a child, I made regular visits to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center located there; space exploration fascinated me then as it does now. My interest in rockets and astronauts dominated the design choices of my childhood bedroom, which featured a hanging mobile of the solar system. Pluto, then included as a planet (but what’s in a name?), was represented as a grey, mostly formless rock. That was our best guess at the time as to what it would look like. We now know, though just for the past few weeks have we known, that to have been an error. Pluto, as it turns out, is a ruddy world with varied geographic features. Certainly the original guess could have ended up being accurate, but as it stands this serves as a perfect example of my belief that inquiry and exploration are practices that enrich our world. Learning and understanding are value-adding courses of action. Pluto is a real place and, standing beneath it in the night sky, the only thing between it and you is the distance and a few miles of air. We now know what it looks like. We didn’t before.

The kids I work with on a daily basis as the science educator of this museum are in the business of exploring the universe around them. They are aligned in this sense with the grownups of the world who have gotten jobs as scientists, and certainly some of the voices I hear even now outside my door will one day deliver presentations at important academic conferences or discuss the design of an experiment late into the evening with researcher peers. Regardless of job title, however, it is my personal and professional goal that visitors to our museum, young and old alike, gain some kind of new appreciation for this world and those around us. Science is one of the tools that I have to assist with that, and a wonderful thing about using science is the fact that it can show us how interconnected everything truly is. The gravity on Pluto is not as strong as Earth’s, but it follows the same rules as the gravity on Earth. Understanding how the radio waves we use to send commands and hear from New Horizons work also leads to an understanding of the light that we use to see. The same rules of color-mixing that the probe uses in order to take photographs is taking place with paint and brushes right now a few yards from my office. No matter your starting point, seeking to understand the universe can take you to unexpected places. All roads lead to everywhere.

In just a few short weeks we will temporarily close our doors to undergo a renovation. Upon reopening, there will be a dedicated science area that we are calling Step Up to Science. Another new addition to the museum will be our climbing globe, 14 feet in diameter. If we were to create a scale model of the solar system based upon that as our Earth, the moon would be about 3 feet, 10 inches across and located, on average, 422 feet away. The sun would be 1,530 feet across and a bit over 31 miles away. Pluto, for its part, would be 2 feet, 7 inches across and almost 1000 miles away from our front door. And New Horizons itself would be an invisible mote of dust drifting by, only ever having gotten as close as 14 feet to Pluto’s surface in our scale model, taking five seconds to move an inch. One day in the not-so-distant future, kids sitting at our Science Bar will draw up maps of our scale model solar system. Or they will program a robot. Or they will toddle right past me and to the lunch tables, still waiting for the day or the question or the experiment that piques their interest. We will be here, just as Pluto is there. I look forward to the adventure!

Giving children time to explore

Earlier this week, in The New York Times, David Kohn wrote about children and learning, and although he didn’t use the exact phrase that we do here, “The power of play,” it still resonates throughout his story. Children learn through hands-on exploration. They need to set their own pace, and they need to be given constant opportunities to use their imagination, create rules and boundaries, and interact with other children.

From Kohn’s story, “Play is often perceived as immature behavior that doesn’t achieve anything,” says David Whitebread, a psychologist at Cambridge University who has studied the topic for decades. “But it’s essential to their development. They need to learn to persevere, to control attention, to control emotions. Kids learn these things through playing.” You can’t teach these things, and you certainly can’t test them. Children will observe and respond and learn at different levels, but even the silliest-looking play has so much more going on than can be quantified, objectified, and compartmentalized.

Kristin Tillotson, writing in The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, uses an analogy familiar to anybody who’s read the Sunday funnies: when kids explore, it looks like one of the characters in Bil Keane’s The Family Circus, taking off on their meandering, “serpentine” paths, connecting points A and B by way of every other possible letter. We see this a lot with our regular guests. Sometimes, they arrive and the child has a very specific idea about which area of our Museum they’d like to explore and go straight there, but just as often, we’ll see a child absolutely determined to climb in our treehouse, but only after winding around through every other place they can find and writing their name on our paint wall first.

It’s pretty amusing watching children do this, but it’s also perfectly natural behavior. Tillotson calls this “informal meandering” an organic way to learn, and Marjorie Bequette, director of evaluation and research at the Science Museum of Minnesota, agrees, pointing out that children respond to being in charge of the adventure.

Even looking around and observing things in a space, whether it’s one you are familiar with or one that’s brand new, has so much value. In her story, Tillotson mentions that some New York police officers receive training in observation at the Museum of Modern Art. I read some more about that in a 2009 story at Smithsonian, and learned that there is a program where veteran officers get an early morning class in observation. It’s evidence for Tillotson’s theory that museums really are mind-expanding, and that, whether you’re an adult or a child, the experience at any museum is one where the observer is continually learning.

When you next visit us, once you catch up with your child after their “serpentine” tour of the place, try spending a few minutes asking questions about what they have explored and observed. What does the Moon Sand feel like? How many lights do they see? What do they notice about colors and shapes? Perhaps they’ll have some questions about what you have seen and explored as well, so keep your eyes and ears open as you play with your children… you may just learn a thing or two yourself!

http://www.startribune.com/museums-are-literally-mind-expanding-researchers-say/301738001/?stfeature=S
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/teaching-cops-to-see-138500635/?no-ist

Farmers Markets Around Atlanta

Have we had enough of these April showers yet? If you can see the billboards through all the rain, you may have noticed that some of the region’s large farms have begun strawberry picking. Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge and Washington Farms near Watkinsville are getting their crops ready, which is a good sign that the various farmers markets around Atlanta are up and running, with fresh fruits and vegetables, salsas, juices, meats, honey, and all sorts of other local vendors selling directly to customers.

My family loves shopping at the Marietta Square Farmers Market. It is open Saturday and Sunday mornings and brings out vendors selling the most wonderful milk, cheeses, jams, and veggies along with the omnipresent King of Pops cart and a local girl who pays for her horse’s boarding fees by selling the best limeade you’ve ever had. Marietta Square Farmer’s Market is a favorite with my family, but there are several other established farmers markets in the city. I asked some of our Children’s Museum of Atlanta staff which ones they like to visit.

The venerable Your Dekalb Farmers Market was many people’s favorite. Hajar Lateef, from our Visitor’s Service staff, told me that she loves going to get all the vegetables and fruits from different parts of the country, and that the selection is unbeatable. “It’s like a candy store!” she exclaimed. Development assistant Alicia Robertson is also a big fan, and particularly enjoys visiting one particular vendor among the ones who sell prepared foods at the market. She loves buying fried garlic plantains from one of the sellers.

Toy Expert Lucreacia Henderson only just started going to Your Dekalb Farmers Market at the beginning of the year. She says “It’s the one place I can find all the natural and organic stuff that I’m looking for in one place,” singling out a particular coconut oil as a favorite. But it’s not all herbs and oils for her, because one vendor makes a particularly amazing peanut butter cookie. “You can see the peanuts in it! I’ve brought home his whole stock!”

While Your Dekalb Farmers Market is the largest in the city many  of our employees visit the smaller ones in their own neighborhoods. Courtney Strickland, also from our Visitor’s Service team, enjoys the “quaint” Sandy Springs Farmer’s Market along with what appears to be all of her neighbors. “If you’re in Sandy Springs, you go,” she told me. Apart from the vegetable sellers, she’s particularly fond of buying fresh, homemade bread and honey.

On the east side of town, Michelle Cherubim enjoys the Stone Mountain Farmer’s Market, and is glad that she lives nearby, because she believes that it has the most variety of any in the city, with foods from many different countries. Daniel Lomax, our newest Imaginator, is particularly fond of the venerable Sweet Auburn Curb Market, which first opened almost a hundred years ago. As writer Christiane Lauterbach explained in a story for Atlanta Magazine last year, manager Pam Joiner reinvigorated Sweet Auburn in 2005 by bringing in small and eclectic restaurants to draw crowds to the produce and the meats. Daniel tells me that he can’t find fresher fish in Atlanta than what’s available at Sweet Auburn.

One thing’s definitely certain: farmer’s markets are hugely popular. So, make sure you get to your local market early enough to beat the crowds and grab some great deals!

More information about Atlanta-area farmer’s markets: AJC

Staff Pick: Earth Day Toys

Earth Day is right around the corner and here at the Museum we love to encourage healthy planet habits that take care of Earth! We will be celebrating Earth Day this weekend with Novelis on Saturday and Sunday. This will be the 45th anniversary of the Earth Day movement, meaning 45 years of “broadening the base of support for environmental programs, rekindling public commitment and building community activism around the world through a broad range of events and activities”. All the environmental activities and lessons are very important to pass down to our children.

We currently have some awesome items in our Museum Store that are definitely Earth Day appropriate. Our staff picked out their 3 favorite Earth Day items from the store and shared a little bit about why they liked the particular items.

Kareen Dames, manager of museum sales, recommends:

The Busy Bug Gardens is my favorite thing in the Museum Store because I love butterflies! This awesome little kit allows children to learn about gardening and enjoying the site of Monarch butterflies and hummingbirds, both of which are attracted to the Purple Coneflower that will sprout from the seeds in the kit. I also like that this is an activity that can be done inside or outside.

Debbie Palay. director of development, recommends:

I would recommend spending time with the Solar Print Kit. These kits are an excellent way to teach kids about the power of the sun and the chemical process behind the imaging that takes place on the special paper. This is an activity that is suitable and appealing to both boys and girls and can be a fun way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Cayce Dunn, digital marketing manager, recommends:

I love the Recycled Paper Beads kit! I love doing crafts and the fact that this craft also recycles was definitely a two-for-one plus! Making paper beads always seemed tedious and a little tiring by hand, but this gadget that fits perfectly on a recycled water bottle looks like a super simple and efficient way to make beads. Not to mention, the added bonus of the recycled water bottle being used as a container for the finished beads. I love the idea of showing children how old magazine pages can be used to create fun jewelry and awesome one-of-a-kind handmade gifts. Recycling is definitely a planet-friendly way of using your imagination to figure out how to use the most out of the stuff you have!

If you plan on visiting us to celebrate Earth Day, drop by the Museum store to check out these items. They would make awesome gifts or just a fun activity to take a part of the Museum and the message home with you. Earth Day celebrations at the Museum begin Saturday, April 18th at 12 PM. The fun will continue Sunday, April 19th at 3:00 PM. Check our Programming Schedule for more info of the days happenings!

Source: EarthDay.org

 

Gardening With Kids

Gardening with children is a very important, and fun, activity to experience with your kids! Exposing children to where their food comes from or how flowers and plants grow allows them to understand and experience a natural process that can help them learn patience, problem-solving, science and an overall appreciation of nature’s way. Gardening can give kids a sense of responsibility, empowerment and accomplishment.

Pike Nurseries is a great place to go locally to get all the supplies you need to begin gardening with children. There are so many ways to begin the process. If the weather isn’t cooperating, plant a garden indoors. Pike Nurseries has a free class on container gardening this weekend! It can be as simple as an taking an egg carton, filling each section with dirt and planting little seeds in each so you can watch the little sprouts come up. Once you decide between planting flowers or food, you need to make sure to have the right soil and space available. And don’t forget about garden protection! Birds love to feast on your hard work, so some kind of cover can be necessary for fruits and veggies.

When you begin to till the soil, explain why it’s good to rough up the soil and how the seeds will need water and good soil to grow healthy roots! Tilling can be an easy activity for a toddler as young as 4. Once you plant the seeds, make sure to keep note of what seeds are planted where. Making little identifiers can be a fun craft project. Or draw the garden in a notebook and keep track with fun illustrations. You can explain along the way about how important it is to plan ahead with watering the garden and keeping any weeds out. This will help with teaching children about responsibility.

A garden will definitely keep kids guessing and wondering as the sprout turns into a little plant and the little plant turns into a flower or fruit/veggie. The important thing is to always remember that the time spent teaching children about the colors, shapes, sizes, soils, tools and tips of gardening is definitely a time to cherish and one that will surely impact their lives in a positive way.

Sources: Mom.me – Tips for Toddlers | Mom.me – 10 Reasons to Garden with Kids | Pike Nurseries – Free Classes
Photo Credit: Pike Nurseries

Professor Labcoat & Superhero Scientists!

Hello girls and boys, parents and friends! Professor Labcoat here!

I work at The Children’s Museum of Atlanta as the Science Educator. This means that I get to do all kinds of activities here at the museum as well as in classrooms all across Atlanta and the surrounding area! Whether I’m mixing up a chemical reaction to make foamy bubbles, making my hair stand on end with static electricity, or using invisible ink to show how germs move around, I’m always having fun!

Science is all about trying to figure out how stuff works, from the tiniest pieces of the tiniest speck to the biggest things we can see out in space – as well as everything in-between, including you and me. No matter what you’re interested in or what question you have, there’s probably a scientist somewhere trying to figure it out. And the best part is that, one day, that scientist could be you!

You see, all scientists get their start the same way everyone gets their start: as a kid. I, Professor Labcoat, am no exception. I was a kid who wanted to be all sorts of things when I was growing up. At different times I wanted to be a garbage man, a puppeteer, a veterinarian, an actor, a doctor, a teacher, a scientist, and an architect. It was tricky to choose, but after I finished high school, I decided to go to college at Georgia Tech and study something called Materials Science and Engineering, or MSE for short. People who study MSE learn all about different kinds of metals and plastics and other stuff that things like cars, spaceships, sandwich bags, and comfy chairs are made of. They learn how to make things, measure things, and sometimes even how to break things! I enjoyed figuring things out and working in a laboratory, but as it turns out, my favorite thing to do is to share what I’ve learned with other people and show everyone around me what a cool world we live in.

One of the coolest things about the world is the fact that I know a lot of wonderful people who are working to make the world a better place. These are my Superhero Scientist friends, and I’d like to eventually introduce you to all of them! For this special first blog post of mine, however, I’m going to start with my friend Kathy Silver.

When I was in college learning how to be a scientist, Kathy was in some of my classes with me. She’d started working in the laboratory before I did, and when I came along, she helped to teach me how the different tools and machines worked. Even grownups don’t know everything, and we all have to help each other figure stuff out sometimes. Nowadays, Kathy works at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, or GTRI for short. There, she works with other scientists to try and solve all kinds of problems, and figure all kinds of things out. I decided to pay my friend a visit, so I went down the street to Georgia Tech to visit Kathy and see the buildings where she works. I decided to ask her some questions so that you could learn about her and her job. Girls and boys, allow me to introduce: My friend Kathy Silver, a Superhero Scientist!

Prof. Labcoat: How old were you when you decided you wanted to be a scientist?

Kathy Silver: Probably about 10 or 11.

PL: Was there anything else you wanted to be growing up?

KS: A medical doctor.

PL: I thought about doing that too! What is your favorite thing about your job now?

KS: Learning about new things happening on our campus that help others.  For example, some researchers are looking at less painful methods to deliver vaccines/medicines traditionally delivered via shots.  No more painful shots at the doctor’s office!

PL: I’m sure a lot of my friends would like that! But sometimes things that are no fun are necessary. What is the hardest part of your job?

KS: Deciding when an experiment is not working as expected and knowing when it’s time to move on to another approach

PL: That can certainly be tricky. I once spent six months trying to make one measurement, and after all of that time it didn’t work and I had to start all over! I eventually figured it out, though. What are you working on right now?

KS: Some of the work we are doing in our lab includes materials analysis (determining how and why something broke, for example), lithography (a method of printing) on very small objects (called micro-lithography) and viewing objects at the atomic level with special microscopes.

PL: That sounds cool! What kinds of special tools do you use?

KS: Liquid nitrogen (temperature of about -320 F, more than twice the coldest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica) , optical and atomic microscopes, and lasers.

PL: Wow. That all sounds really interesting! Is there anything you’d like to tell my friends who might want to have a job like yours?

KS: Do well in school, do math and science homework (don’t get discouraged when it seems too difficult – seek out help from your teacher), read for fun and most importantly, be curious.  Curiosity is not only the first step in the scientific process, it is also a scientist’s best trick for keeping their work fun and rewarding!

PL: That’s some great advice! Thank you so much, Kathy!

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I’m so happy that I got to introduce you to my very first Superhero Scientist friend. Keep checking the blog to hear more from me and I promise to show you some cool stuff, answer your questions, and introduce you to even more Superhero Scientists!

Thanks for reading!

-Professor Labcoat

Save the World With Your Fellow Super Kids!

This week, we are super excited about welcoming a new feature exhibit on Saturday. This is always a very exciting time for everybody here at the Museum. We love watching the pieces come together and something that we’ve heard about for months click into place. This one looks truly terrific and we are really looking forward to exploring it with you!

The exhibit, Super Kids Save the World exhibit, is based on a children’s book, George Saves the World by Lunchtime, which was written by Jo Readman and illustrated by Ley Honor Roberts. The book was developed by the Eden Project, an educational charity located in Cornwall, England, which is dedicated to showing the importance of taking care of our world. George Saves the World by Lunchtime features an ordinary family, who in the course of their day save the world simply by making responsible choices. George, Flora and Grandpa demonstrate that by taking simple steps, families can become eco-friendly superheroes in their own communities.

Super Kids Save the World features immersive environments inspired by the book where children can learn about “green” practices in their community. The exhibit features a family home with a garden; a re-use charity shop, where kids learn to donate outgrown items instead of discarding them; a recycling center, where today’s trash becomes the materials of tomorrow; a gas station and a Smart car, where families learn tips to reduce fuel consumption; a farmer’s market, where foods come free of wasteful packaging; and even a research lab, where alternative fuel sources are under development. Through pretend play, engaging activities, fun graphics and energy-saving tips, kids can find out how they too can become super kids and save the world.

The exhibit was created by The Magic House, a terrific children’s museum in St. Louis MO, and was designed by Killeen Studio Architects. It debuted at The Magic House in April 2010 and, after a local run of eight months, began touring the country. It will be with us for three months and we can’t wait to play and learn in it!

Here are some facts about recycling and reusing materials:

• Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees
• It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than to make new ones
• 84% of all household waste can be recycled
• Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees
• The amount of wood and paper thrown away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years
• Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day
• 5 billion aluminum cans are used each year
• Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic every year
• How long does it take for waste to break down? Organic materials, like cotton, rags, or paper, take about 6 months. Plastics and aluminum cans will take 500 years!

Learn lots more, and get ready to have lots of fun, when Super Kids opens on Saturday. We look forward to seeing you!

Volunteering with Kids

Volunteering is a great way to teach children about appreciating what they have and helping others. It is also a great experience for families to do together to strengthen bonds. A guaranteed outcome will be meeting new friends and feeling more involved in the community. Children will learn new skills and get to explore different activities. Youth who volunteer are more likely to do better in school and less likely to engage in risky behavior. I may be rushing things a bit for our readers, but students who volunteer are 19% more likely to graduate from college. By encouraging your children to do community service now, you are making it more likely that they will continue to do so as adults. One study showed that adults who started volunteering as children donate to and volunteer for charitable organizations more often than those who did not. Studies even show that volunteering increases happiness! Who doesn’t love an extra dose of happy?

Check out Red Tricycle’s article What Gives? Volunteer Opportunities for Children for a list of some family-friendly charities in Atlanta for you and your children to become involved with. Fur Kids is an animal shelter that lets children help take care of the animals waiting for homes. Help your children put together a “Hero Box” for service men and women who are overseas. Piedmont Park’s Clean and Green program teaches kids as young as five how to keep their parks clean, as well as basic gardening techniques. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has a program for little ones to do service projects around the hospital. Gather meals and toiletries with your children to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. There are also lots of walks raising money for different illnesses throughout the year for kids to become involved in.

You can visit handsonatlanta.org for even more organizations to become involved with. On the left there is an option to refine the search to “appropriate for children” which is super helpful. Tons of opportunities will pop up, such as helping at farmer’s markets, working with senior citizens, and assisting under-served children in the city.

Source: helpguide.org

Christmas Around the World

You better watch out. You better not cry. Better not pout, I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town! But he’s not just coming to Atlanta – Santa Claus is coming to towns all around the world.

To many of us, when we think of Christmas, we think of the festive season around December 25 celebrating the birth of Jesus, embellished with red and green decorations, beautifully wrapped presents, singing carols and of course Santa Claus. However, children around the world don’t all celebrate like we do. Some children don’t even celebrate Christmas on December 25th or with Santa Claus. Since Christmas is all about spreading joy to friends, family and even strangers, we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the ways children around the world celebrate Christmas.

So just like Santa Claus does on Christmas, let’s take a trip around the world and see how children celebrate around the globe!

In Italy, Santa Claus takes the form of an ugly but friendly witch named Befana who flies around on a broom on Christmas Eve and drops down chimneys to deliver presents to all the good children! The story behind this tradition is that Befana missed the night star that was to guide her to baby Jesus to deliver her gifts, so she flies around to every home on December 25th just in case Jesus is inside.

In the Netherlands, the most important days for presents are December 5 and 6, when Sinterklaas brings presents. Did you know that we actually get the name “Santa Claus” from the name “Sinterklaas”? Children leave clogs out by the fireplace and windows and sing Sinterklaas songs hoping to wake up the next morning with gifts in their shoes. Sometimes if you put hay and carrots in your clogs, they will be replaced with sweets, in addition to presents!

In Greece, instead of having a Christmas tree, many families will have a shallow wooden bowl with a wooden cross wrapped in basil hanging down. A small amount of water is kept in the bowl to keep the basil alive. Once a day for twelve days, someone will dip the cross and basil into water and use it to sprinkle holy water in each room to keep the “Killantzario,” or bad spirits, away. The bad spirits are thought to come into homes through the chimney, so having a fire burning though the twelve days of Christmas is also believed to help keep these bad spirits away.

In South Africa, the children are visited by Father Christmas, who visits homes and fills stockings with presents. Christmas occurs during the summer time in South Africa, so many families celebrate on the 25th and 26th with outdoor activities like camping and going to the beach. December 26 is called “Boxing Day” in South Africa and this is the holiday of outdoor relaxation.

Father Noel visits the children in Brazil and he comes dressed in silk because the weather is very warm in December. Father Noel is thought to come from Greenland, which is very close to the North Pole. Nativity scenes, midnight mass and huge fireworks take place in celebration of Christmas which continues until January 6th. That day is called “Three Kings Day” and three kings bring more gifts to the good children just like they did for Jesus’ birth.

Canadians share very similar traditions to the American Christmas but they also have a tradition of Masked Mummers, which is similar to the American holiday Halloween. Small groups of people visit neighborhoods during the 12 Days of Christmas ringing bells, making noise and asking for candy and treats.

Since weather in Australia is very hot in December, Santa Claus is known to change out of that heavy suit of his and throw on some red beach clothing and sunglasses. He also gives his reindeer a little break and is pulled through Australia by a special team of kangaroos, also called the “Six White Boomers” after a popular Australian Christmas carol. Just like many children in the United States, Australian children also write letters to Santa Claus with gift ideas and examples of how they have been good all year.

Learning about Christmas all around the world is a fun way to incorporate some new traditions into your holiday season! Maybe you and your family can take the countries of your heritage and learn how your ancestors celebrated the winter holidays.

A Bird of a Different Feather

Our Maker’s Space has everyone at the Museum thinking about crafts and do-it-yourself projects. Thanksgiving, historically, has been a great time to do fun family projects with your children. From turkeys and pilgrims to feathers and leaves, there aren’t many limits to what you can craft with your kids this time of year. We pulled up three different ideas for classic Thanksgiving turkey crafts to get you started.

Source: http://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/leaf-feather-turkeys-for-thanksgiving/

Source: http://www.parents.com/holiday/thanksgiving/crafts/turkey-day-crafts-for-kids/#page=5

Source: http://frugalfun4boys.com/2012/11/10/pine-cone-turkeys/

 

First up is the adorable leafy turkey (on the left). While on a walk with the kids, have them collect leaves in various shapes, sizes and colors. Once back at home, cut out two circles. A larger circle for the body (3-4 inches in diameter) and a smaller circle for the turkey’s head (1-2 inches in diameter). Glue the turkey head right in the middle of the larger circle, the turkey’s body. Then, glue the leaves to the back of the turkey’s body to create his feathers. Now this little turkey sure does look ready for the holidays.

The turkeys in the middle take on a different shape with the use of pom-poms as the body of the turkey. The feathers, beak, and feet can either be made from felt or from construction paper. This craft most likely requires the use of a hot glue gun, but the kids can have fun cutting out the feathers, beak and feet. Once assembled, place them around the house for a fun game of I Spy with visiting relatives!

Well, you don’t get much more classic than a pine cone turkey! Children love making all kinds of crafts from pine cones, and these are perennial favorites. A little glue and construction paper, a pen to draw the eyes and scissors to cut the tail feathers, and you’re good to go!

You can find more ideas for Thanksgiving crafts by visiting our Pinterest page, and we would love to hear from you. What are some of your favorite kid-friendly Thanksgiving crafts? Leave us a comment or drop us a line on Facebook!