Have Fun Kids. See you at Bellaboo's

Recipes games crafts

Click on each Bellaboo above for recipes, games, and crafts

Click on each image for a large, printable activity sheet

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BELLABOO’S BATIVITIES
Bellaboo is a most unusual bat.  While other bats sleep during the day, he is wide awake.  While other bats hang upside down from the ceiling, Bellaboo walks on the floor.  And, while other bats eat bugs, Bellaboo is quite a good cook.  He likes to draw and climb and play.  He is very good at sliding and jumping.  Mother and Father Bat don’t know what to do with Bellaboo.  But he makes them smile and you will too, when you visit Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center at Three Rivers County Park in Lake Station, Indiana. 

Batty Bug Grub: Kid Friendly Snack to make
Recipes

"Edible Snowflakes"
Ingredients:
Flour Tortillas
Oil
Preparation:
Using the same technique as cutting out paper snowflakes, make snowflake shapes out of flour tortillas, you may need to warm the tortilla in the microwave first to make it more flexible. Put a touch of oil in a pan and fry tortilla until it is crisp. Top with one or more of these ideas:

 

"Things you can do with a heart-shaped cookie cutter"
In lieu of a recipe this month, Bellaboo thought it would be fun to tell you all of the fun things you can do with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.  Try out these fun heart treats:

Eggs in a Nest: cut a heart out of the middle of your piece of toast – drop an egg in the middle and fry.  You’ll have a cute little heart toast left over for dipping!
Cookies:  Of, course!
P, B & J’s:  Kids can feel the love at lunchtime.
Brownies
Scones
Homemade Cheese Stuffed Ravioli’s
Rice Krispie Treats
Pancakes
Quesadillas
Sliced Cheese
Pita:  Add a dip to make it fun

So many ideas – time to share the love.  Or, if you don’t have the time to make heart treats at home – come join us at Bellaboo’s Feb. 7 – 14 where we will be munching on heart-y yummies daily.  Bon Appetit!


Bellaboo’s Challenge – JUST WING IT!

BellabooWelcome

"Outdoor Snow Fun:  Little Kids Following Big Footsteps"
A great game for both grown-ups and little ones!  Once you’re ready to go outside, parents lead the way by creating a path of footsteps for your children to follow.  Have them wait in a wind free space while you create a path and pattern with your snow boots (make sure to keep your foot steps close together – their feet are much smaller then yours!).  When you are done have your child follow in your footsteps so it looks as though only 1 person had ever walked their. 
Next, your child can create the path and you can show off your parenting goofing skills by attempting to fit in their tiny footprints. 
Sometimes the simplest games can bring the biggest smiles. Be sure to bundle up to stay warm and dry.  Have fun!

"Don't Break My Heart"
Around Valentine’s Day is a good time of year to not only talk about love but truly have fun with it!  This is a game you can play after dinner with the whole family and all you need is a bag of pink, red or white balloons and a sense of adventure!  Each player gets a blown up balloon with their name written on it in marker to represent their heart (please remember, balloons are a choking hazard before and after broken so make sure to play this game in a clean area so the broken pieces can be quickly identified and easily removed).  Find a fun “love” song to play.  (My family enjoys any Beatles “love” tune like “All You Need is Love” or “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”)  When the music starts playing tell everyone to be light-hearted and float their hearts around the room – the idea is to keep all the balloons in the air while having fun bopping them to one another.  But!  If a balloon hits the floor with your name on it – you have to try and pop it by sitting on it and the only way to stop trying is for everyone in the room to say something they love about you then your balloon can rejoin the others and the game can continue.  Try to make a point of having everyone’s balloon drop so all family member can be showered with praises.  When you’ve had your fun – you can break hearts as a group, just make sure to follow up with a thorough clean up.  This is truly feel good fun!

 

 

crafts

CAVES FULL OF CRAFTS

"Mancala"
Playing games with family and friends shows them how much you love their company.  Today you will learn how to make your own Mancala game.

Materials Needed:
Egg Carton
Two small Styrofoam cups
Scissors
Tempera paints
Paint brushes
Making tape
48 dried beans

Directions:

  1. Cut off the lid of the carton.
  2. Glue the base inside the lid.
  3. Trim the cups to 2” in height
  4. Paint all the board pieces beige with green, black, or red designs.
  5. Let board pieces dry while you learn how to play Mancala.

How to Play:

  1. Player A will use the right side of the board; Player B will play the left.  Each player will have a cup(bank) to hold the captured beans.
  2. Start by placing four beans in each hole on the game board.
  3. To begin the game, Player A will take four beans from any hole on the right side and place one bean in each of the next four holes, moving counterclockwise around the board.  When the last bean is put into a hole, all five of those beans are picked up and placed in Player A’s bank.
  4. Play continues until the last bean falls into an empty hole.
  5. At that point, Player B begins by taking four beans from a space on the left side of the board. Play proceeds as above.
  6. The game continues until all of the beans have been collected.
  7. The player with the most beans is the winner.

Mancala is a wonderful way to embrace the African culture.  This board game is played all over Africa (also in parts of the West Indies, in Guyana, and Sri Lanka).  Games are a fun and universal way to learn how to get along.  Celebrate diversity, learn about one another and spread the love.