Summer craft

I came across this lovely craft idea recently - simple homemade dragonflies. They would look lovely decorating a window or maybe a child's bedroom. I'm sure the idea could be adapted to make butterflies too.



Summertime Dragonflies

We're in the process of updating our Summer theme at Activity Village at the moment so do check back regularly. Summer crafts are here: Summer crafts

Father's Day Jigsaws - Lots NEW!

Kids of all ages will enjoy our new Father's Day jigsaws, which can be played online or downloaded and saved for playing later. Fun as a quick activity in the classroom, or even as a small gift for Dad!
Father's Day Jigsaws

Father's Day Crafts - Lots NEW!

We have some great new craft ideas for Father's Day, including a garden plaque (a perfect summer activity, and sure to be treasured for years to come), a craft foam picture frame, a tray for holding Dad's keys or loose change, and a very original idea for a personalized "dream" picture for Dad.

Father's Day Crafts

Of course, all these craft ideas can be adapted as gifts for other special people! See Gifts Kids Can Make for more ideas.

China for Kids

Sarah and Jack have come up with some great crafts for our new China for Kids theme. I haven't got them all up on the site yet, but there's plenty of really good ideas to be getting on with!

China Crafts for Kids

Get Ready For The Summer Olympics!

We are all working hard to bring you a feast of activities to accompany the Summer Olympics in Beijing this year (they begin on 8th August). We have more to do still, but if you visit our Summer Olympics page now you will already find Olympic crafts, Olympic Games Worksheets, Olympic Printables (including some fun medals), and you will also find our new theme "China for Kids" which is packed full of crafts, activities and much more, too!

Paper-making fun

There is a wonderful step-by-step photo tutorial on making handmade paper shapes at The Artful Parent blog. Making paper by hand is a fun process and these shapes are a perfect introduction.

Handmade Paper Shapes Tutorial

They would look great as gift tags or as decorations on one of our printable cards: printables at Activity Village.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Your Husband

Some women have a difficult time trying to figure out what gift to give their husband for Father’s Day each year. Start thinking about Father’s Day gift ideas for your husband now and you’ll be better prepared when the day arrives.

Some people like to make sure they are getting the perfect gift by asking directly what a person would like, but many prefer the gift to be a surprise. If you fall in the latter camp then you need to do some serious thinking before heading out to the shops.

Does your husband have any hobbies? Perhaps he is a keen gardener or enjoys to work with wood, then a new tool might be ideal. If you are not sure which tool he needs then why not buy a gift card to his local home improvement store or gardening centre then he can choose the item he needs most?

Is your husband a sports fan? Maybe he is a golfer or fisherman? Take him to the closest sporting goods store. He may be searching for the perfect club or tackle. Allow him to pick out what he needs to fill his tackle box. By doing so, you may make his Father’s Day.

Does your husband enjoy reading? Check to see if he’s purchased a particular series of books or books about a certain topic. If there is a series he’s been reading, do some investigating and see if there’s a new book in the series that he doesn’t own. Take this opportunity to get that book so he doesn’t have to go looking for it.

Another possibility, if you have a games console, would be to purchase him the latest game. To make the gift even better, take some time to play the game with him, even if it’s not something you’re interested in. He’ll appreciate you choosing to spend time sharing something he enjoys.

Finally, you could take the initiative to get a babysitter for the children so you and he can go out on the town. Take him to his favourite restaurant and perhaps that new movie he’s wanted to see.

After dinner and movie, remember that the most important thing is that you’ve taken the time to think about him, what he likes, and chosen to spend the time with him. That’s really what you need to think about when deciding upon Father’s Day gift ideas for your husband. What would he really like? Then take the time to fulfil that desire.

Don't forget that there are lots of ideas for Father's Day crafts, printables and activities for children over on Activity Village:

Father's Day on Activity Village