Category: Theme Ideas

It’s almost here guys!  Shark Week 2021 begins July 11 and we are pumped!!!  Are you ready for an exciting week filled with new reasearch on the  amazing world of sharks?  For the 33rd year, Discovery Channel will be airing programs hosted by many celebrities to help us better understand the behavior of sharks and respect the “fin-tastic” world they live in!

It was a bit of a struggle for me to find a schedule of all the programs to be aired in a nice little chart format.  I’ve finally decided that I have looked so hard for it on the Discovery channel that at this point I am staring right at it and not seeing it.  I’m sure you understand what I am saying, right?  Further search led me to the TV Insider website where I found a layout by days of the week that I felt is easy to follow.  Click here to see the TV Insider nicely laid out Shark Week schedule…

Of course, how do we completely enjoy this special week without some fun food and crafts to go along with it???  We started a few crafts early so we could share with everyone.  Read through some of the old posts as well as this new one to bring some jaw-some fun to Shark Week 2021!

Shark Week 2021 Crafts ~

Starting with the old posts first, “dive in” to some of these below to start gathering ideas for fun food and crafts:

• Shark Week 2020 post…
• Shark Week Games…
• Free I Spy Shark Printable….

Now, let’s move forward to the first of this year’s crafts.  The paper plate shark puppet made a real “splash” with the kiddos.  One of the things I learned while doing these is you need to think ahead when painting anything so that you leave time for them to dry (especially because kids tend to paint very thick).  Keep this in mind when working on the one!

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I wish I could tell you how many people comment, “Bring back E.T.!” whenever we post a picture of Max in his E.T. mask!  There was a short span of time that EVERYTHING he did was done with that big E.T. head.  One only has to be around him for a short period of time before he has you engrossed in his imagination and role playing.  While we are all laughing with delight at his antics, we never stop to think of the many benefits there are to children when playing dress up.

Have you ever been told, “Maybe you should try walking in my shoes for a bit?”  I’m sure almost everyone has either heard that phrase at one time or possibly even said it.  This is a person wanting you to understand what their life or situation is like…a person asking for empathy.  When a child engages in role playing, they are doing just that.  Whether it be dressing up like mommy and daddy, a superhero, a princess, or even E.T., they are “walking in their shoes,” and without realizing it, learning empathy.

Sure, it’s fun to pretend they can fly like a superhero or swim like a mermaid.  However, they have also watched this person in action and are now trying to mimic them…or walk in their shoes.  The process of watching…remembering…then mimicking is building brain power without them even realizing it!

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As if 2020 hasn’t been crazy enough….October 31, 2020 will showcase a rare blue moon!  What is a blue moon?  When a second full moon illuminates the sky in the same month, it is referred to as a blue moon.  It’s not actually blue in color…it is just so uncommon that it was given this special name.  I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Once in a blue moon.”  That saying is obviously used when things are rare!  We brought October 1, 2020 in with the Harvest Moon and will be saying goodbye to October on October 31 with a rare Halloween blue moon.

There are many different thoughts regarding this phenomenon occurring in 2020.  I like to think of it as Halloween is going to be a little different for us this year, so we are being given this extra little treat!  Instead of trying to blur our thoughts with another weird happening…let’s celebrate this unusual experience.

Enjoy a Cocktail ~

Gather up your festive drinkware and make a batch of Blue Moons.  Cocktailsandshots.com has a festive recipe for the Blue Moon here!   Of course, you can also stock up on the Blue Moon Belgian White!

For a festive non-alcoholic drink to mix up for the family, try this link:  Blue Moon Frozen Punch Recipe by Momskoop.com

Make Some Snacks ~

There are so many different treats that you can buy that are already blue in color.  But let’s get crazy and make some fun “blue” snacks for the family.  They don’t have to be “moon” themed, but it will be extra fun if you create some recipes that still have the spooky Halloween flair to them while still being blue:

Poison Halloween Apples that are blue-purplish in color….perfect!!!  Follow this link for awesome blue/black candied apples by wannabite.com.  Wanna Bite has done a fantastic job with this wicked recipe:

Blue Monster Popcorn is another fun idea!  Check out the Blue Monster Popcorn by Smart Party Planning!  The whole family will be sure to love  this monster popcorn recipe by Smart Party Planning:

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“I Spy” Shark Game

Shark Week preparations are going on here….are you ready????  It’s such an exciting yet educational time for kids to take part in.  What better way to learn than to have fun while you are doing it.  Let the games begin!  Whether you choose to make your own or purchase them, you should definitely have some fun Shark Week games on hand and ready to play!

Everyone loves a good game of “I Spy.”  I created a special shark search game along with a search key for you to share with your kids.  They can sit and search for them on this post or you can use the link below for a printable version:

Mimi’s Shark Week “I Spy”

Other Shark Games ~

You may already have the Shark Bite game in your game closet.  We have had this game for quite some time and we love it.  However, I must be honest in telling you  that it took a bit for the kids to get used to those shark jaws.  Players take turns using a fishing rod to fish for colorful creatures.  But be careful…you never know when the shark is going to bite!  Of course, it doesn’t actually bite, the jaws just come up to get the creatures.  The other wonderful thing about this game is that it doesn’t need batteries!

           Get the fun Shark Bite game now!

Another fun one that I need to add to our game closet is “Sharkopoly”.  You knew it was just a matter of time before this was created, right?  Of course, this one is for kids a bit older, but what a fun way to keep Monopoly going in your household.  Remember fighting over which token everybody got?  These new tokens include a shark, jawline, fin, flipper, buoy, and a mask with snorkel.

           Forget the “old” Monopoly — Give Sharkopoly a try!

Here’s a great outdoor shark activity….Shark Bean Bag Toss Game.  What a fun way to celebrate shark week with lots of laughter and outdoor play!

Of course, another simple but forgotten treasure is Play Doh.  Have fun molding sharks or better yet, make a fun contest out of who can make the best shark!  Such a good time to look at pictures of different types of sharks to add some learning into the fun!

We love shark week so much that it will be tradition to write about new games, crafts and fun food ideas every year.  Last year’s food and crafts were exciting for the kids.  Check out my post from 2020 here with craft and food ideas….Shark week crafts and food ideas can be found by clicking HERE!

Whether you find games online, print out free copies or purchase games to keep around, I’m sure you will have a lot of fun with these for Shark Week as well as throughout the year!  Have fun!

Hugs ~

Mimi

It’s 6 days away folks…Shark Week 2020 airs from Sunday, August 9 to Sunday, August 16.  I’m sure if you take a poll about people’s favorite animals you will rarely get the answer of shark.  Then why is it that there is such a frenzy around shark week every year?   Because they are fascinating creatures!  The episodes are not only fascinating to watch, but the week as a whole becomes a flurry of themed food and crafts.  Check out these fun shark games and crafts to make learning about sharks more exciting at your house.

Shark Alphabet Game:

As you can imagine, we are joining in on the fun!  There are a vast amount of fun ideas out there!  Check out this fun idea for toddlers and preschoolers!  I love how they cut out fish in various colors and put letters on each one.  What a fun way to work with letters for preschoolers while working with colors for toddlers….definitely a bonus when you can find an activity that reaches different age groups.  Of course, you can also have the older kids spell different words before feeding the fish to the shark.  Another benefit of this activity is the kids can jump in and help cut out the fish.  Addi is loving learning how to cut right now.

Clothespin Sharks:

Another fun idea is making sharks out of clothespins.

Supplies Needed ~

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Looking for a fun activity to do with your children?  This one takes a little planning, but is well worth the time spent.  Of course, there are many variations to creating a scavenger hunt, but dressing the kids up as pirates and making some props in advance is definitely the ultimate pirate scavenger hunt that your young children will love!

Preparations for the Pirate Scavenger Hunt~

Ok, my daughter loves a good dress up activity, so she went above and beyond for the outfits. (they are pretty cute, huh?)  Let your imagination flow with getting their pirate clothing together.  The bandanas are a must of course!  You may have some stuff to pull from a dress up box or put some clothing items together from everyone’s closet.  If things are too big, belt it up!  If you put your imagination to work you will be surprised with what you come up with.

Then get to work on your pirate map.  This one was made from an envelope.  You can also use colored paper or even a piece of cardboard.  (I know you all have more boxes than normal right now due to online shopping….right?)   Use stickers or cut out images from online to create your map.

You will also need treasure boxes.  You can purchase these online or at your local craft store.  The treasure box can be painted or left natural.  Then decorate with stamps, paint, and/or markers.  This would be a fun activity for the kids to decorate, but to create the full scavenger hunt experience you will want to have the box prepared ahead.

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