DIY Pumpkin Veggie Platter

Here is s super simple and fun way to display your veggies for fall. Just wash, peel, and chop your orange and green veggies and arrange them into the shape of a pumpkin!

My kids thought this was a fun way to eat veggies and it would be great for a holiday gathering as well.

Preschool Fall Craft: Handprint Turkey

Here is another super simple painting project to celebrate fall with small children. Like the fingerprint pumpkin and tree, this turkey handprint picture is a great way to gear up for the holidays and remember how small the kids really are for years to come.

Preschool Fall Craft: Handprint Turkey

• Paint in fall colors
• Brushes
• Paint smocks if desired
• Paper

1. Help the child to cover their hand in brown paint and spread out their fingers to paint the base of the turkey.
2.  The child can then make different colored fingerprints on top for feathers and one red fingerprint on the turkey's neck for it's waddle.

Mandarin Monday: Intrinsic Impli ation Character of Briefness Can Give Birtm to Wigdom (The Chinglish Files)

DIY Caramel Candy Corn and Pumpkins

I don't really like store bought candy corn. Or at least I didn't when we were in America, American candy corn might seem better here. Here is China they have candy that looks like a corn cob and it actually tastes like corn. They have popsicles like that too. But I don't like either of those at all.

What I do like, a lot, is homemade caramel. So I made some caramel candy corn, pumpkins, and these cute turkeys I showed you before.

I used homemade caramel to make these, but I imagine a number of other options would work well also. Homemade chocolate ganache could work, as well as homemade edible play dough. I imagine store bought caramel, frosting and extra powdered sugar, or fondant would all work well too.

Homemade Caramel Candy Corn and Pumpkins Recipe

• Caramels (homemade, store bought, or see other options above)
• Sprinkles
• Chocolate chips

1.  For the candy corn, knead caramel and form into an elongated oval. Press yellow and green sprinkles on.
2. For the candy pumpkin, knead caramel and roll into a small ball. Mark lines with a toothpick and top with a chocolate chip or green sprinkles.
3. Allow to harden in the refrigerator before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Preschool Fall Craft: Fingerprint Pumpkin and Tree

This simple painting project is lots of fun for small children and a great way to decorate a classroom for fall.

Preschool Fall Craft: Fingerprint Pumpkin and Tree

• Paint in fall colors
• Brushes
• Paint smocks if desired
• Paper
• Pencil

1. Draw an outline of a pumpkin and/or a tree trunk. (You may also want to paint the tree trunk ahead of time so that it can dry).
2. Have the child fill in the pumpkin with orange fingerprints. Use any fall colors for the falling leaves on the tree.
3. For the pumpkin help the child dip their hand in green paint and use a handprint for the top of the pumpkin.

Mandarin Mondays: Insect Time (The Chinglish Files)

DIY Scrappy Christmas Tree

Our first Christmas after moving halfway around the world two years ago, I made this little scrappy Christmas tree. We think it is cute and it has served us well.

I know it is probably not everyone's choice for a living room tree, nothing is quite like a real tree after all. But if you had an area that you wanted to include a special little tree, this might make a nice addition to your holiday decor. If you had your own sewing or craft room this would be especially adorable in there. Or for a child who really would like their own Christmas tree in their room.

To make it I used the same methods as I did to make these three pumpkins to make each section of the tree. I used all different material from various old clothing I upcycled. This varied the texture of the tree a lot, but you could use all one kind of material in different colors or prints, or even the same material for the entire tree if you wanted.

Once I made six sections in progressively smaller sizes, I whip-stitched them together in between the sections so you wouldn't see the stitching.

I sewed buttons all over so that we could hang ornaments on the tree. And I sewed a fabric star in top to finish it off. I sat in on a painted ice cream container for a trunk (you could totally use a cute hatbox)
, and let my boys hang ornaments on it.

I gave them hot chocolate and cookies as we decorated the tree as well. Because my mom always did and some family Christmas traditions should be continued, even if you are thousands of miles away from your passport country and your Christmas tree is a bit different.

 Looking for Christmas ornaments you can make yourself?

DIY Beaded Ornaments

DIY Caramel Candy Turkeys

For either an unusual holiday dessert or a fun edible craft, these cute turkeys are sure to put a smile on your face.

I used homemade caramel to make these, but I imagine a number of other options would work well also. Homemade chocolate ganache could work, as well as homemade edible play dough. I imagine store bought caramel, frosting and extra powdered sugar, or fondant would all work well too.

Caramel Candy Turkeys Recipe

• Oreo or other sandwich cookies
• Caramel (homemade or see other options above)
• Sprinkles

1. Spread some soft caramel over the top of an Oreo. Sprinkle fall colored sprinkles on top.
2. Take a piece of fairly stiff caramel and mold it to look like a turkey's head.
3. Stick the turkey's head to the sprinkled Oreo and add a red or pink sprinkle for the turkey's waddle.
4. Let harden in the freezer and then stand up to serve.

Mandarin Mondays: Knock Down Furniture (The Chinglish Files)

Normally we would say folding or collapsible furniture.

Preschool (Or Family Togetherness) Thanksgiving Holiday Craft: Our Thankful Tree

I saw this idea floating around last year and thought it would be fun to try. It was a fast and simple project that lent itself to meaningful family conversation. I'm so glad we did it, and that we took a picture of it to look at in the future.

We took part of the evening before Thanksgiving to do this activity. However, I have seen other people say they make the tree and a big pile of leaves at the beginning of November and encourage each family member to put one on each day. You could start it today if you wanted. Then read all of the leaves together on Thanksgiving. Perhaps when some of our kids are older we will try it that way.

Thankful Tree

• Large white paper
• Brown marker or paint to make a tree trunk
• Colored paper for leaves
• Scissors
• Black pen or marker to write with
• Tape or glue

1. Draw or paint a bare tree trunk.
2. Cut out small colored leaves.
3. Ask everyone participating to think of things they are thankful for and write them on the colored leaves. Those not able to write can dictate things they are thankful for of course.
4. Tape or glue the leaves on the tree.
5. Count your blessings (literally or figuratively).