Leprechaun Paper Toy

Visit Jaquelynn Davis' Digital Drawings blog to get this adorable, printable Leprechaun Toy perfect for St. Patrick's day storytelling and other fun.  You can also get a blackline version of this toy, that students can color in themselves.

Then find bunches of rainbow activities and fun in this previous post.

Image from Digital Drawings.

Period Costume Paper Doll

When students are learning about bygone eras, paper dolls can be a perfect way to reflect on the culture of the time period. Check out this cool 1964 paper doll at Doe-c-Doe. Originally published by Boeing, this paper cut-out toy includes costumes for all seasons, so students can practice choosing clothing appropriate for different weather conditions. Or, kids can simply improve their fine motor skills and enjoy the funny way their grandparents used to dress.

Then check out this huge list of printable paper dolls I featured in a previous post.

Image from Doe-c-Doe.

Even More Printable Valentines

If you still haven't found the perfect Valentine's cards, here are two more can't-believe-I-can-have-that-for-free printable love notes.
Hurry over to June Craft for this beautiful and free tweety-bird card that I discovered via Creature Comforts.
If that idea's not sticky enough for you,
visit Wild Olive to get her free Valentine post-it template and directions. Then students can fill in a personal message inside the heart-bubble.

Images from June Craft and Wild Olive.

Lunch Labels

With just a few months left in the school-year and the stress of standardized tests fast approaching, any excuse will do for adding a little cheer to the school day.
Go to Martha Stewart's crafts page to get this super-cute lunch label download. Read through the article on this page to find tips for creating personalized stickers using your own images.
Also, check out these Thoughtful Stickers that would superbly adorn notebooks, supply boxes and personal letters.

Images from Martha Stewart Crafts.

Mythology and The Lightning Thief

In a few days, children's bestseller, The Lightning Thief will make it's debut in movie theaters. If you're reading Rick Riordan's first children's book or getting ready to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, take advantage of the opportunity to get to know mythology.

Get reader's excited about The Lightning Thief with an audio clip of author, Rick Riordon reading an excerpt of Chapter 1. Click on author and scroll all the way down.

Then go to Puffin Books' Percy Jackson site to play Who's Your Daddy, the are-you-a-demigod quiz. Or try the Find Your Power quiz at the Percy Jackson the Movie website.

Go to the American Museum of Natural History's Ology site for kids for some mythological fun. Start by testing your knowledge of worldwide mythological creatures with the Mythic Mystery Map game.
Then make personalized Mythic Creatures of the Sea stationery.

Also check out Lightning Thief author, Rick Riordan's Explore Greek Mythology page which is jam-packed with mythology games and resources for kids.

Visit Fantasy Jr. to get Zeus and Poseidon coloring pages.
Then print a set of their Greek masks so students can make-up their own mythical adventures.

Images from AMNH Ology and Fantasy Jr.