10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too!
Crafting with young children really isn't about creating something in particular. Most young children don't have the foresight to see what a project is going to be.For young children it's more important that they have the opportunity to play and experiment with art. Kids need to use as many of their senses as possible to get the most out of crafting. This allow them to try new sensory experiences, as well as learn causal relationships.These are my 10 favorite crafts for little kids based on all that AND the 'fun factor.'1. Finger painting: Finger painting is a wonderful activity for kids. It lets them 'feel' the craft as well as be creative. You don't have to have finger paints to do this activity with kids. You can finger paint with homemade paint, watercolors or even mud. You can also experiment with adding
other things to the paint such as sand or glitter.2. Yarn Painting: Dip pieces of string or yarn into paint and then drag it across the paper to paint with it. It's a good experience to paint with something other than a brush and you can just throw the yarn away when finished.3. Q-Tip Painting: Use Q-tips to create a painting. There are lots of ways to use a Q-tip - scrub, dot, or use it like a brush. It's a good coordination exercise because Q-tips are small around, but it also provides a lot of interest for the child.4. Glue Art: Draw squiggle lines on a piece of paper or let the child use their finger to make random glue spots or patterns on a piece of paper. Experiment with adding different objects to the glue. Sand, glitter, cotton, yarn, feathers, and tissue paper all work well.5. Salt Dough Sculpture: Make a batch of salt dough and turn the kids loose with it. You don't have to worry about them eating it (it's safe and tastes terrible) and clean up is easier than play dough. If you want to keep their creations, let them dry overnight and then paint them the next day.6. Toe Painting: If it's a warm summer day, put on the swimsuits, put some finger paint into pie tins, lay out large sheets of poster paper, and let them 'paint' all afternoon. They will have a ball and all you have to do is hose them off when they are done (that's my kids' favorite part actually!)7. Found Object Art: This project is always a sure thing because kids love to 'discover' things. Let your child gather up leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. and then glue them onto a piece of paper. When they are done, let them tell you about their collection.8. Peanut Pictures: Every kid loves to play with packing peanuts -- but it makes such a mess. Let them create pictures with them instead. Kids can draw on them, glue them to a sheet of paper, or glue the peanuts to each other to make a sculpture. The kids will love it!9. Sticker Play: Turn your child loose with a bunch of stickers, markers, and a sheet of paper and let them create. It's good for little ones to work on their coordination, and it's fun!10. Stamping: Kids love to use any kind of stamps. My favorites are the self-inking stamps or the double-sided markers with the stamps on one end. This may sound like pure play, but is also teaches young children cause and effect.Chris Yates makes it Easy to craft with Little Kids and
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10 Excuses for NOT Authoring an eBook!
Most people at one time or another have said to themselves, "Someday I'd like to write a book." or "I only wish that someone would write a book about ______." or "I think there would be a lot of people who would be interested in what I have to share about _____ ."Before the existence of eBooks (electronic books), writing and publishing a book would have been a daunting task. Not so with the marriage of creative writing and eBook technology. eBooks make writing a book relatively easy, affordable, and doable without the need to sell your sole to the publishing devils!eBooks have advantages that standard books do not. The author can control the entire process from creating to writing to publishing to marketing to sales. eBooks have only a reasonable investment involved in their production and distribution. eBooks provide passive income; a positive reputation as an author; tax breaks as a self-employed entrepreneur; the ability to target niche markets that otherwise would never be considered by standard publishers; act as catalysts for further sales of products and services; access to a world-wide market 24/7; a boost to personal and professional self-esteem; and for many, a fulfillment of a life-long dream ? authoring an eBook.Despite all the advantages to writing an eBook, only some of them listed above, there will always be individuals who like to make excuses for not doing what they really want to do.With tongue firmly planted in cheek, here are some excuses for not writing an eBook that are really very good reasons for experiencing the adventure known as the eBook authoring journey.The following 10 excuses are presented in no particular order of importance. They are part of a much longer list.Excuse # 1I crave anonymity. I like being the "unknown wannabe author". Who needs fame anyway! I'd rather be nameless and faceless in the crowd. I've never made a name for myself so why start now!Okay, whoever you are! This excuse speaks to several attitudes prevalent among those not seeing the true value of becoming a published author. Bringing positive attention to oneself doing something that others will appreciate is a powerful incentive to discard that cloak of anonymity and step in to a world of "niche recognition". Do it for others. Do it for you. Seek fame among the "minority" (and maybe fortune too).Excuse # 2Money isn't everything you know. I've got enough money so the opportunity to make residual income with relatively little work on my part holds no particular allure.Okay, Donald Trump, we get the message! Even Donald, with all his money, recognizes that making money is a worthwhile endeavor. Finding ways that can meet your needs at a personal/professional level and combining them with making money is the true "entrepreneurial spirit" upon which civilizations have prospered. But I get carried away! There is nothing wrong with making a profit being one of your motivations for writing an eBook!Excuse # 3Nobody helped me get to where I am today. I didn't learn anything from mentors who helped me. I didn't read anything written by experts in the field who acted like mentors to me. I did it all by myself so others can do the same thing.Are you serious? What about all those text books and self-help books you read? What about owners' manuals, special interest classes, supervisor's assistance, courses and training sessions, colleagues?? "No man is an island." You didn't get to where you are today without the help of others. eBooks are an opportunity to give back to that pool of attitudes, skills and knowledge that you learned from others and add to it your unique insights, experiences, and reflections. Leave a legacy of your accumulated wisdom for others. What you give comes back a hundred fold!Excuse # 4I just don't have that entrepreneurial spirit. Being self-employed with all its tax breaks and income after retirement is just not "real" for me.Everybody has an entrepreneurial spirit. Remember those childhood days when you sold "Kool-Aid" at the curbside to the guys who were putting in the sewers. You loved collecting all that money. And spending it. eBook authoring is much the same. Only the profits will be after expenses not without expenses like in the "Kool-Aid" experience where Mom and Dad supplied the capital. Not like the "Kool-Aid" days. The world of small business (eCommerce) is a fascinating place to be. It teaches you an appreciation for so much that goes on behind the scenes of our commerce system. It makes you an active player. It's exciting.Excuse # 5I'm not passionate about anything. I have trouble carrying on a conversation about things I feel passionate about so I know I can't write an eBook. After all, if I can't talk I can't write!Think back to the last time you got an opportunity to talk about something you really care about. Was it your hobby or interest, your project at work, a 'cause' that is beneficial to others, an event currently in the news, a life-long pursuit, a 'calling'?? There are few among us who don't have at least one thing about which we are passionate. About which we could talk forever. If you can talk about it, you can write about it. eBooks are informal in nature and conversational in form. All you need is a niche market of people like yourself who share your passion. Passion makes good eBook authors.Excuse # 6There is already too much information out there! Information is the same today as it was yesterday. Nothing really changes. It's the same old, same old, all the time.Where have you been? The Internet is viewed as the source of information in the information age. Combine the information age with the technological advances and you create tremendous problems. People are busier and more productive today than they have ever been. So what's the problem that eBooks can solve? With your experience, you can sort through the over-abundance of information and help direct that information to solving your niche market's problems saving them time, effort and money. And they are more than willing to pay you for this! Use the Internet and eBook technology to reach those who appreciate it most ? on the Internet. With eBook technology, updating information is easy and affordable making your eBook a living, growing document.Excuse # 7I have nothing new to add to the subject of my interest ? no new material, attitudes, experiences, problem-solving approaches, information, philosophies, theories, perspectives, knowledge, skills, attitudes? nothing!Do you really believe that? Are you not a unique individual? Do your unique experiences not bring something new to the subject? Think back to when you first became interested in the topic for your eBook. Think about your journey to where you are presently. Think about others and their journeys which may be just beginning or are being bogged down and need some rejuvenation. What can you offer to these people? How have your successes been forged? Shouldn't others know how you did it? Your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is what makes you different from others. It's not that information isn't available - it's just that your uniqueness in sharing your information is what others want and need.Excuse # 8I'm not up to the challenges. Boredom is ok with me. Change is bad!Climb out of your rut. You've been stuck there too long. What ever happened to the thrill of experiencing new adventures? What happened to your childhood reckless abandon? What happened to your life? Take up a new challenge that will change you forever. Embark on an eBook authoring journey that will provide you with an opportunity to take a good hard look at yourself. Change is inevitable. Embrace it. Take advantage of the opportunity to share your passion with a world-wide audience. Change their lives while you yourself undergo a change. eBook authors get more out of writing the book than the readers do in reading it! Create your own 'reality' show. Get on with it!Excuse #9I only care about myself. Why would I want to make a difference world-wide 24/7 when all I care about is me right this minute. I live for the minute. My minute.My world is small. My influence is confined. My fame is restricted. My ambitions are limited. My aspirations are within easy reach. My life is? Imagine the thrill of seeing your published eBook cover on a web site. Imagine the excitement of someone purchasing your eBook. Imagine your amazement when customers from hundreds of different countries download your eBook. Imagine the feeling of receiving emails seeking your advice, of encouraging you to write another eBook, of expressions of appreciation for what you have done to help solve someone's problem. Imagine an income in retirement or a new career built around your eBook. Expand your horizons. Look "outside" and "inside" yourself. Write your eBook!Excuse #10I have trouble committing to getting up in the morning. I'd have to commit to a life-altering experience if I wrote an eBook and right now getting up in the morning is plenty hard enough.While we can empathize with you we can't sympathize. We all have trouble getting up some mornings. But you can't make that your excuse forever. One of the biggest steps in the eBook authoring process is the Commitment step. It is at this point in your journey that you publicly must announce your intention to write an eBook. You must be prepared for the feedback that will inevitably come your way. Making a commitment to something is a learned behaviour. Once you share your ideas with others, a marvelous thing happens. People want to help you. They want you to succeed. You suddenly have a team where not long before there was only you and your dream. The journey begins with a single step. Public commitment is often the most important step.You may have a few other excuses you might like to use. Go ahead. But remember, there are convincing arguments against every one of them. Don't believe me? Ask someone who is successful.No more excuses. Get on with it. Write your eBook.
10 Ways to Shatter Writers Block
1. Use Logic: Check for External PressuresAre you under physical or emotional stress? Is your diet lacking? Do you need more sleep, or more restful sleep? Would a visit to the doctor be in order before you start beating yourself up about your inability to concentrate?2. Start brainstormingJot down all the possible plot permutations you can think of. At first, these will be fairly logical. Then, as you run out of options, you'll find that you start to come up with more off-the- wall ideas. These might be just what you need to get you going again.3. Ease into your writingStart your writing session with something that's 'easy' - a letter, a shopping list, a recipe, a 'to do' list. Then move on to a brief session of free writing. THEN go back to your story. You may find, as others have in the past, that a half-hour session of writing in a journal or diary is a good warm-up for a writing session.4. Take some time outOnly you know how much time this should be. Sometimes the subconscious simply needs time to work its magic. That might be a day, a week or a month. Obey your instincts. You might think that the danger is you'll never get back to it. Okay: perhaps that means you don't LIKE it enough to get back to it. Writing shouldn't be a penance. Find a job or a hobby that you DO like.5. Revisit the last few pagesGo back ten or twenty pages and revise. You could even retype the last page completely, and see if that releases new ideas.6. Use the tried and true 'carrot' trick. Reward yourself!Think of something you'd really, really like. (Of course, the family might object if you want to reward yourself for your diligence with a trip to Bali.) A chocolate? A trip to see a movie? Dinner out? New clothes? Set yourself a task that is commensurate with the size of the reward - and DO IT.7. Pressure Cooker TacticsSome of us work well only under pressure. You'll probably know if this applies to you by thinking back to how you handled homework, assignments and exams at school. If you can produce when the pressure's on, then set yourself a deadline. Don't make that deadline too unrealistic, though, or you may find that you're setting yourself up for failure - again.8. Change the time and venueJ.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book in extended stints in a cafe (or so the story goes). Roald Dahl worked in a battered garden shed. Try changing the venue or the time of your writing - from home to a library; from late evenings to early morning; from the kitchen table to a table in the corner of your bedroom.9. Meditate or go walkingSometimes it helps to get out in the fresh air, or to sit quietly and move into a meditative state and just let the ideas flow. Or not flow. Perhaps what you need is to dissociate yourself from the world for a while.10. KEEP walking... remember Forrest Gump...Don't want to write any more at all? OK. Then walk away and keep walking. Nobody said you have to write. Why write if it makes you miserable? It may ALWAYS make you miserable. If that's the case, don't do it. It really is that simple.Or...it may be making you miserable NOW, but you loved it in the past and you expect you will again. If so, walk away just for a while. Give yourself an extended break - and only go back to the keyboard when you just can't stay away any longer. That's the best cure there is for writer's block. (c) copyright Marg McAlister Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/