No time for much of a message today, as I'm catching up after having to take a
lot of time away from my computer unexpectedly. But I think you'll agree we have
lots of great new printables and crafts this week, which will hopefully make up
for a few weeks away! If you have written to me in the last couple of weeks and
I haven't yet replied - huge apologies, especially to those of you who have
offered to help us with our language printables, and I'll be catching up over
this weekend.
Just to let you know that we are also working on all sorts of exciting new
projects behind the scenes, including new "themes", more stories, a much
enlarged video channel, and a few secrets too!
Some of you may remember that we told you about a Munch Bunch short story
competition some time ago. The competition was to find six winning children’s
stories written by UK mums and dads so that they could be turned in to podcasts
read by celebrity and voice of Munch the Cow Gail Porter. The stories have now
been judged – by children – and are available for mums to listen and download
from 9th March at www.munchbunch.co.uk.
You can also watch a "making of the podcasts" video below. I wonder if any of
the winners found out about the competition through Activity Village?
What's New At Activity Village?
A fun craft idea for St Patrick's Day - a new collection of St Patrick's
Day fuse bead patterns! Great for pins (badges), cards, or perhaps a
mobile? St Patrick's Day fuse bead patterns
We also have lots more new craft ideas for St Patrick's Day, including this
gorgeous leprechaun made with a paper cup! St Patrick's
Day Crafts for kids
We've added five very pretty new Easter colouring pages to our already
enormous collection! Easter colouring pages
Give an extra-special card this Easter - one that your child has
coloured in themselves! Easter colouring cards
And here are 6 new Easter puzzles to print this week Easter puzzles
Here's our latest video for little children (we made it for Mardi Gras but think
it is fun all year round). Can the
kids work out who's behind the mask? Who's Behind The Mask?
If you are in the UK, Mother's Day is just around the corner. We have 7 gorgeous
new printable Mother's Day cards this week - just print and fold!
Mother's
Day cards
These are my favourite new printables this week - some really bright and
cheerful new acrostic poem print-outs for Mother's Day, using "Mother", "Mummy"
and "Mommy". Perfect for the classroom (or home, if Dads or grandparents get
involved). Mother's Day acrostics
It's too late for this year's World Book
Day now, but if your child needs to dress up as a book character we
have started a collection of
World Book Day Costumes
suggestions and inspiration. Ideas gratefully received - and if
anyone would like to share their child's costume, we would be delighted
to add it to our pages! Email editor@activity....
Parents who have 5 minutes to spare might like to sit down with a cup of
coffee and enjoy a video or two. While we love the fact that thousands
of videos can be shared so easily on the web, we don't like that fact
that many can be corrupted with inappropriate content or comments - so
we are beginning to pick some of our favourites and feature them within
Activity Village's pages to provide a safer watching environment. We
have only a few non-Activity Village videos so far, but our collection
will grow steadily and we welcome any suggestions from you, too! Just For Fun Videos (Parents)
The Baby-Sitter
A teenage boy arrived to baby-sit one night, and, after a brief session
of play with the youngsters, he sent them upstairs to bed with a sigh of
relief and settled down to watch football. One of the youngsters kept
creeping down the stairs, but the teenager was engrossed in the match
and just pointed back upstairs, saying firmly "Back to bed!"
At 9pm the doorbell rang. It was the next-door neighbour, asking
anxiously whether her son was there. The teenager was about to reply
when a little head appeared over the banister and shouted, "I'm here,
Mum, but he won't let me go home!"
Have You Seen?
It's beginning to feel a little like Spring here - at least once I have
scraped the ice off my car in the mornings! Find a growing collection of
Spring printables - including sorting games, lacing cards, alphabets,
scrapbook paper and more... Spring Printables
Something To Think About..
Five thousand breathless dawns all new;
One million flowers fresh in dew.
Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold;
One million snowflakes served ice cold.
Five quiet friends, one baby's love;
One white sea of clouds above.
One June night in a fragrant wood;
One heart that loved and understood.
I wondered when I waked that day -
In God's name - how could I ever pay?
