Wondering about activity number 4?  Well here it is…after rereading I love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck, the other night, the builder suggested we make “pirates a mayo…and we can make some for all of my friends!”

So this morning, he and I began making pirates from our magazine stash.  Soon the dancer was joining in the fun, and before too long, the grower was up from his nap, also part of the paper making festivities.

Materials needed:

• magazines, catalogs
• glue stick or tacky glue
• cardboard
• scissors
• magic marker

(you can do so much more with older kiddos and crafty supplies like scrapbook paper, glitter, fancy scissors, oh the sky is the limit…we’re just trying to do what we can with what we already have) 🙂

The builder would choose a pirate in the book and I would attempt at recreating the character with the magic marker on old magazines.  I found it best to fold the paper in half so that when I cut around the “bust” of the character, I had a front and back to glue between my cardboard stick. 

The dancer requested a princess and fairy, but mainly we had pirates.  They enjoyed pretend playing with them.  I hope they last long enough to make our own stage for them to act out a pirate adventure.  One of the best things is that the drawings don’t have to be fantastic.  They love them all the same.  The kiddos are the best non-art critics!  We made 8 in all, and after lunch they wanted more.  Perhaps tomorrow.  🙂

As the designer was getting ready to head back to the office after lunch, the builder requested that he take some of his pirates to work.  At dinner, the designer returned with the pirates, and the builder and dancer continued to play with their characters. 

We went to Grandma’s tonight to say goodbye to baby Dale, Ryan & Katherine.  Of course the pirates, princess and fairy had to come along as well.  On the way there, the designer remarked, “It’s great that we don’t have to buy toys anymore…you guys can just make them!” 

  Just remember, as in the story, kiddos are easy to please, making anything with them (no matter how funny it turns out), will be a success in their book, and they will feel oh, so loved!