Tuesday’s Tips: How to Celebrate the End of a Dino-Mite School Year
Have you ever wished you had a treasure trove of great ideas for those days when motherhood feels draining and mundane?
Ever longed for just one tried and true tip that has actually been used successfully by REAL MOMS with REAL KIDS? Me, too!
That’s why I’ve created Tuesday’s Tips– a weekly post designed to reduce frustration and multiply inspiration in the wacky and wearisome trenches of
motherhood.
Of course, a good idea is meant to be shared. So don’t keep those jewels for yourself!
If you discover something that makes motherhood a little easier, a little more exciting, or a bit more meaningful, please let me know. I’d love to feature your idea on an upcoming Tuesday. Just leave a comment after this post or email me at rbruxvoort@iowatelecom.net.
How to Celebrate the End
of a DINO-MITE School Year
Joshua wrapped up his school year today, and while he was singing on his carpet square one last time, Maggie and I decided to quickly plan a little party to celebrate his preschool graduation. When my littlest boy got home we were waiting for him at the door with a dino-mite party plan.
I tossed this fun event together in less than an hour today. So don’t scratch the idea of an end-of-the-year celebration just because you’re short on time. A little bit of creativity and a whole lot of enthusiasm can go a long way!
With the help of some long-forgotten toys in our toy closet and a quick visit to the Dollar Tree, I created a few silly activities that made my five-year-old graduate feel extra BIG and SPECIAL.
With the help of some long-forgotten toys in our toy closet and a quick visit to the Dollar Tree, I created a few silly activities that made my five-year-old graduate feel extra BIG and SPECIAL.
Here’s what we did…
We hung a sign on the door,
Stashed some plastic dinosaurs in the trees
Buried some dinosaur bones in the sandbox
(I found a package of dinosaur bones at Dollar Tree, but small plastic dinosaur toys would have been easy to bury, too. Or Q-tips could have served as fossilized bones as well),
(I found a package of dinosaur bones at Dollar Tree, but small plastic dinosaur toys would have been easy to bury, too. Or Q-tips could have served as fossilized bones as well),
And hid some dinosaur eggs in the grass.
(These ready-to-hatch wonders were just old plastic Easter eggs filled with
gummy dinosaurs)
(These ready-to-hatch wonders were just old plastic Easter eggs filled with
gummy dinosaurs)
Then I turned Josh and Maggie into
dinosaur hunters!
I gave them very professional looking hats and binoculars
and the adventure began!
and the adventure began!
(The hats and binoculars are from the Dollar Tree,
but if you’d rather make your own,
you can find a template to make a paper dinosaur hat here
and you can find instructions for making toilet paper tube binoculars here. )
They bravely rescued the dinos from our trees,
collected the eggs scattered across our yard,
And performed an archeological dig in the sandbox.
Then, before we headed inside for a dino-mite snack, I gave my little ones a final challenge:
to set free a few frozen dinosaurs.
(Think Ice Age here! A big thanks to my friend Sherri for the great idea).
Josh planned to destroy the glacier with a screwdriver. But while he was rummaging in the garage looking for just the right tool, Maggie experimented with the baseball toss.
In the end, Maggie’s simple rescue technique won out.
All the cold little dinos were rescued from their chilly perils and invited to relocate
to the warm pink playhouse in Maggie’s bedroom!
How will you and your family celebrate the end of a dino-mite school year?
Your ice idea has inspired us over and over.. yesterday Josh froze those plastic Little People in ice blocks and invited his siblings to help him “set these poor kids free.” Wondering what the neighbors think!
Your a Dino mite mom!!
I feel so special to be mentioned in any of your marvelous adventures!