Tye-Dye Butterflies

We did this back in 2009. So fun!

HERE are the INSTRUCTIONS

Edible Butterflies

Since I have 3 girls, over the years I have done different butterfly snacks. Here are 2 of them.

Butterfly treat bags in 2010:

They are snack sized ziplocs, filled with robins eggs and jellybeans and M&Ms then twisted and clipped with a clothes pin that my kids decorated with glitter paint.

Then, we had Butterfly cupcakes in 2010:

 These are jumbo marshmallows cut in 1/2 then dipped (sticky side down) in sprinkles. Gummy worm bodies. and voila! done!

All these treats were for a Butterfly Bash for my middle daughter's 1st birthday:

 Who is now 3! Sniff!

Fist Ladybugs!

Don't forget when we made these!

FIST LadyBugs!

back in 2009!

Ladybug Cookies

I try to do some kind of baking each week with the kids. They love to be in the kitchen with me, so we decided to "wing it" and make these.

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Red Baker's Chocolate
Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Melt the Red Chips, then have the kids dunk cookies in the red chocolate and sprinkle with mini chips.

Simple, and good for an afternoon snack. :)

Made by the kids, for the kids.

Mmmm.

Ladybug Life Cycle

I went to THIS WEBSTITE to teach the kids about Ladybug anatomy.

It is very kid friendly.

Then we went on to discuss the life cycle of the Ladybug.

Printed THIS PAGE OUT , colored it and then made a real model of it with rocks!

Here!

 We painted Ladybug rocks.

 wrote some labels.

 drew on rocks

 then put it all together.

Fist Ladybugs

Today we embraced what little sun we had and read a few books outside on the porch.  The above 2 were our favorites and K actually had the left one in his backpack!  Lucky us! So here's what we did...

We sang this cute little tune that is to the same tune as 5 little pumpkins...

Five little ladybugs, climbing on some plants,
Eating the aphids, but not the ants!
The first one said: "Save some aphids for me!"
The second one said: "These are tasty as can be!"
The third one said: "Oh, they're almost gone!"
The fourth one said: "Then it's time to move on!
The fifth one said: "Come on, let's fly!"
So they opened their wings and flew through the sky.

Then we got to work!  Paint the side of the fist like so... 

Make five of each side then you wash the hand with a wipe and connect them with the other fist, making 5 heart shapes.

While those are drying, find ugly scraps of paper and cut them into grass, I was really lucky and found this hideous piece of scrapbook paper that looked like clouds and it totally worked for this craft.  That just goes to show you NEVER throw anything out.  (my husband just rolled his eyes reading that) :)

So here we are gluing grass on the aforementioned paper...

See what I mean hi-de-ous!

While the kiddos were doing that I freehanded and cut some bodies.

My son glued all of the bodies to the hearts.

He is nice like that.

Then we glued the spotless ladybugs to the grass.

I meant punched them to the grass.

Then it was time for the spots.  I used infant Q-Tips and let them make the spots. While they were drying and the kids were eating pineapples I did the antennae.

And voila! 

I know SUPER cute right? Go on, grab a kid and do one today!

(Preferably your own kid)