Tis the Season of Giving

December is the season of giving. There are many community service activities your Cloverbuds can do to help them understand what it means when you say that it is better to give than receive. With parent/guardian permission, do one or two of the following:

• Collect nonperishable items for the local food pantry
• Sponsor a family in need by providing food and gifts
• Visit local nursing home or assisted living facilities and play bingo or do crafts with the residents
• Draw pictures and/or write thank you cards and send them to veterans thanking them for their service
• Volunteer at the animal shelter or collect food and toys for the animals in the shelter

Of course, all of the above activities can be done anytime during the year, not just in the month of December. Residents in local nursing homes or assisted living facilities enjoy company anytime throughout the year. Be sure to check with the facility before you visit to find out what their rules are regarding visitors.

How do you decide which community service activity your Cloverbuds will enjoy? Give them two or three to choose from and let them vote. Depending on the age of your group, you may need to explain in detail what each activity is. Your project is more likely to succeed if the children have a voice in selecting the activity.

Whatever you choose to do, talk to your Cloverbuds about the importance of helping others. After the activity take time to talk about what they learned, how they felt, and why they think it is important to help others.

As Aesop once said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

image from stock.adobe.com

Just like that, the end of daylight saving time is upon us again…

Some look at it as an extra hour to sleep, but when those clocks turn back, many are up even earlier thanks to daylight saving time wreaking havoc on sleep schedules.

Children are naturally early risers, so until a child has adjusted to a new schedule, this time change means that they may wake up an hour earlier than normal each morning, a nightmare for some parents, but perhaps a blessing for others whose children sleep too long and struggle to get up for school.

While we have months of darker, longer nights ahead of us, the end of daylight saving time does not mean the end of fun for children. Sure, by the time children get home from school, have a snack, and finish their homework, it is already dark outside, but this is where a little planning and creativity can turn the time change slump into exciting opportunities for indoor and outdoor activity.

Want to get your Cloverbuds outside? Try these low-to-no cost games to get everyone outside and moving.

Firefly

All it takes to play this game is a pocket flashlight that can easily be switched on and off. PRO TIP: It is best to use a small, pocket flashlight with a light beam that is not too bright or easy to spot. You will select one person to be “it” and have them run and hide in the dark. This person is the “firefly” and can move from hiding place to hiding place flashing their light every minute or so. The other players race around to find the firefly. When they catch them, the game is over. The first person to spot the firefly is “it” for the next round.

Do you prefer to have indoor options because of the dark or less than ideal weather? Fear not, get those creative juices flowing and get started. Let’s bring the glow indoors.

Glow-In-The-Dark Dough

Supplies needed

• 3 cups flour
• ¾ salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 3 cups boiling water
• fluorescent/neon paint
• glitter (optional)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine  flour,  salt,  vegetable oil, and cream of tartar.
2. Gradually add in  water and stir until the dough is sticky.
3. Once cooled, divide the dough into multiple portions adding 1 tablespoon of paint (and glitter, if desired) to each portion.
4. You may add more flour and/or paint and knead the dough until it is no longer sticky.
5. To make the dough glow, let it sit in direct sunlight or artificial light for a few hours.

Looking for other options? Here are a few more suggestions for those indoor activities…

• Put on a Play
• Have a Paper Airplane Competition
• Bake and Decorate Cupcakes
• Break out the Board Games

In the event the time change has gotten the best of you or your Cloverbuds, remember that longer days are ahead as time will spring forward on March 9, 2025!

Image from stock.adobe.com