We have always supported our kids’ learning here at home; in fact, that’s the very reason teachmama.com was started!
Big on learning in the every day, we’ve always done what we could to find cool opportunities for learning in the here and now. Fun learning in everyday events. Really doing what we can to be in the moment and roll with the adventures as they unfold.
So this weekend, we hosted an impromptu Kid Craft Sale.
No joke.
What started as Maddy and I learning how to make the brightest and most beautiful origami cranes, somehow morphed into Cora teaching us how to make fans. And then Cora’s fan-making turned into a Fan Sale which then morphed into a candy, iced-tea, and ribbon barrette sale.
And then with neighbors jumping in on the kid craft sale fun, the day took a whole new and exciting turn.
It’s about encouraging our creative kids and supporting young entrepreneurs, right?
And you can do the same–thanks to a rockstar giveaway: a customized package of Astrobrights Papers (you’ll love them!) and a $50 Office Depot gift card. Yay!
Summer fun, here. We. Come!
Here’s the skinny. . .
- Kid Craft Sale–Supporting Young Entrepreneurs: I’m thrilled that the folks from Astrobrights hooked us up with a boatload of gorgeous, insanely bright and beautiful paper because that’s how this whole thing started.
The minute we opened our box of papers, Maddy declared, Mom I totally want to use this paper for origami.
I said, That’s cool, Maddy, but first we need to learn how to do origami.
So that’s what we did.
Maddy did a bit of research on our little Acer C720P Chromebook and found an awesome how-to site for making origami cranes.
She and I step-by-step folded our Rocket Red paper into a cool crane. (We did a lot of pausing and rewinding along the way.)
They were not easy, and we were pretty much just happy making one each. We’ll revisit origami again this summer is the plan!
Then Cora jumped off of her swing and decided she wanted in. But she didn’t want to make a crane–that took too long.
She wanted to make some fans.
So she showed us how to make the ultimate fan, and then she said she was going to sell them. In our front yard. Today.
She got to work.
Cora made signs advertising her Fan Sale and set prices for each fan. She knew she wanted small fans and mini fans and super mini fans.
(Minis are perfect for dolls, you know.)
She assembled her money jar, her tray for her fans, and a tin that held all of her fans. And Maddy and I even let her sell our two origami cranes.
We dragged three chairs to the front yard–one for Cora, one for me, and one for the fans. And then we waited.
Meanwhile, Maddy and Owen pulled a table out to the curb along with iced tea, Maddy’s barrettes, and candy. They, too, made signs, set prices (though admittedly they were quite high. . . ), and they waited.
Before we knew it, a few neighbor kids joined in on the fun, and we waited together.
They flagged down passing cars, called to neighbor friends who were watering flowers or cutting the grass, and surprisingly, both sale tables made about $3.00, thanks to a few generous friends.
Bottom line? Our kids were outdoors, using their brains, getting all crafty and creative, and having fun.
And all I had to do to support my young entrepreneurs was encourage them to go with their ideas, carry a few chairs out, make a few fans, and remind them to use their manners before and after sales.
So fun.
Please note: Though we all want to support young entrepreneurs, it was brought to my attention that in some areas of the country, kids have been fined for having Lemonade Stands. Holy moly. Please do a bit of research before you go this route; a $500 fine is pretty hefty if you ask me.
Consider:
- calling your city officials, starting with the city clerk’s office
- reading Is Your Child’s Lemonade Stand Against the Law, by Erin Rooney Doland
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GIVEAWAY: A customized package of Astrobrights paper and a $50 Office Depot gift card.
Do you want to win your own customized package of Astrobrights paper and a $50 Office Depot gift card??! Yes, yes you do.
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Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to throw your name in the hat:
By entering this giveaway, you are demonstrating your understanding of and compliance with theOfficial Sweepstakes Rules.
This giveaway ends Friday, June 20, 2014 at midnight ET and is open to folks here in the US only. Winner will be chosen by ‘Rafflecopter’ and will be notified on or around 06/20/14. Winner must respond within three (3) days of notification or forfeit the prize, in which case an alternate winner will be selected. All Official Sweepstakes Rules apply.
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But wait. There’s another giveaway coming! #ColorizeYourClassroom Contest
- Astrobrights is helping teachers in every state get started with a Back to School #ColorizeYourClassroom contest!
- The skinny: Teachers share a photo of how they colorize their classroom on the Astrobrights facebook page from July 7-September 12. Winners will have Astrobrights Colorize their Classroom all year long! One winner per state plus a Grand Prize winner will be awarded.
- Find all of the details here: facebook.com/Astrobrights
fyi: This is a sponsored post but as always, my opinions are all my own, influenced only by my personal experience as a parent and educator–and, of course, my three little crafty-crafters.
Affiliate links are used for Acer C720P Chromebook.
What fun! My children love origami, so the paper would be ideal. I can also see them setting up another paper airplane “show” where they launch paper airplanes off the patio to the spectators (cousins, neighbors) below! The Office Depot gift card could definitely go towards printer ink- sometimes I think my children drink it! They are always working on Wordle (word cloud) projects and they love to print LEGO directions!
buy cool art stuff for my kids = and organizing stuff!
I’d use it with our summer swim team for pep rallies. We’d use the paper for posters and signs, and use the GC to buy fun supplies like markers.
We have found some fun origami flower pots online this spring that worked great for starting plants, but we have been talking about how pretty paper (not newspaper) would make them really cute. We also showed our 4-H club how to fold these who then shared with the community at our local farmer’s market. But you do know that there is a book about the paper cranes “Sadako and the paper cranes.” AS I remember(it’s been a while) this was a great read!
“We start by creating a crunched paper sculpture and staples. It would be tall.” 9 yr old 🙂
My boys would make awesome airplanes
We would use both as we homeschool.
I would love to make some cool dolls with my niece with the paper and we would buy extra supplies with the gift card
We’d add the paper and lots of creating supplies to our “project closet.” Our little mini office supply store in the house where my boys have been know to post a keep out sign and then disappear for long periods of time while they create pretty amazing things
I would give the Astrobrights colored paper to my son and I would buy a printer with the GC.
We would make fun summer decorations to put up on the windows in the playroom as well as hang from the ceiling.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing and the opportunity to win. 🙂
I would have my preschoolers illustrate comic books on them while they narrate it for me so I can write the words on the pages. SO many fun ideas!
We would make 4th of July decorations and invites for our upcoming backyard BBQ. Thanks 🙂
my boys love to make projects and paper chains! i love the color variety of astro brights! I would use the gift card to purchase school supplies! Thank you so much!
*kelly
kelly-tillotson@hotmail.com
Send out invitations to our bake sale and clothing swap!
This would be great for my daughter who is currently taking art classes. She could do so many crafts at home!
I would love to do something crafty with my kiddo.
Would love to do some origami as well, and wallets with vinyl would be nice too.
I loved making origami creations as a kid! I would love to use the paper to make some awesome origami creations with my son and little sisters! I would use the gift card to buy art supplies because we love making crafts together.
I’d make some kind of craft with my daughter.
I’d use it for crafts with my nieces/nephews! (:
This would help for me to have more paper to use for crafts with my boys.
They would go to my grandchildren to have fun and be creative this summer.
my daughter would have fun doing her art work with this
I would give it to my kids so they can create some wall decor for our home. Thank you for the chance to win
I would make paper airplanes with my kids! I would put the gift card toward a new office chair.
I would give to my children to make some diy Fourth of July crafts to decorate
I would use the paper for crafting, and I’d use the gift card for buying school supplies for next year.
we would probably attempt some origami
I would love to try origami with this paper as well!
I would spend hours with my boys, making cards and crafts to mail to family members!!
my son would love to make collages with the paper and we would so stock up on art supplies with the gift card!!!
My kids would love this!
We would make origami, too. My 7yo is very interested in that right now.
My niece loves crafts and would love this! I would definitely get her more things with the gift card!
I would use it for crafts and use the gc to purchase other items for crafts
shared with my facebook friends