Football Bean Bag Toss

Save your Costco boxes, because your kids could also have as much fun as mine have this week!

This is the second hand made bean bag toss I have made so far, and they love them! I was hoping to make some football shaped bean bags, but my sewing machines are dead, so we just used the ones we have.

I decorated my box with a football field look and used a sharp knife to make a hole for the bean bag toss.

You never know what you can use with an old box!

Football Math

Mommy Craft for
K, 6 & Up

This idea I have had before, and I even made one for my then Kindergartner, but it was just before the move, and it was a little above her skill level. So, I made a new one now that she is much farther along in the math department.

To make this game you will need:

• Green construction paper
  
• Brown construction paper
• Permanent marker
• White crayon
• Yellow construction paper (optional)
• Contact paper (optional)
  

I simply made a field from my green construction paper. I ended up using a sheet and a half of green and I glued it to some left over poster board I had to make it stiff--but you could just made a one sheet field.

Use your white crayon to make the yard lines on the field, only instead of doing 10, 20, 30 etc do 1, 2, 3 ...to 10.

Add some yellow goal posts if you would like. I free handed mine and folded a small part of the goal post and glued it to the field so it would stick upright.

Now cut out football shapes from your brown construction paper. Use a dark black (thick is better) marker to make addition or subtraction problems on the football. I was unfortunately out of brown construction paper and thus I had to color my white paper brown and it looks super dark. I also wrote problems on both sides of the footballs, and I laminated them to hold up to use.

Have your child choose a football and they have to land the ball on the correct yard line. Gracie likes to toss hers, but the idea is to get the football on the correct answer. For example one football might say "1+1" and the child would put the ball on the "2" yard line.

Even being as girly as she is--Gracie loves this game and I am hoping it will help her to memorize some simpler math tables.

Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

K, 6 & Up

We have to throw in something girly for this week--since I have a daughter, and she likes doing fun crafts with mommy even though she is a big first grader ;)

These pom poms are super cute--and super easy to make! Choose your favorite colors or favorite team and let's go!

To make this craft you will need:

• Tissue Paper (your color choice!)
• You need a "stick" to hold them, the original craft called for a dowel rod--I couldn't find one, but I did have large Popsicle sticks that worked great.
• Scissors
• Stapler

Unfold and smooth your tissue paper lengthwise.

Fold lengthwise, and cut it in half.

Now, fold your half in half (also lengthwise)

Cut strips starting from the bottom up to the fold-- leaving an inch at the top UNCUT. If you want to save some time, before you cut, fold your half in half again this time wideth wise, so you are cutting through 4 layers instead of two. Remember to leave an inch at the top where the fold is UNCUT.

Now wrap the fold edge around the "stick" of your choice and staple in place. The original idea called for tape--this did NOT hold for us, and it doesn't take much effort to add a staple.

You continue to do more and more layers until you get the fullness you are looking for. Since we used a staple I would add the next layer a few centimeters above the last layer so the staples wouldn't get messy.

My daughter was ready to play with them after only 3 layers, and we made ours 2 colors. If you want to do this, simply alternate the colored tissue paper layers (ex: red, then a white layer, then a red layer, etc.)

Go team go!

Paper Plate Football

K, 6 & Up

This is an idea I kind of thought out, and now not only is it a fun "decoration," but I tweaked it and decided it would be a great lacing project, or a great way to help your little boy learn to tie their shoes!

To make this craft you will need:

• 2 paper plates
• brown paint
• scissors
• hole punch
• ribbon, yarn or string (I used brown, but white would work too)
• Old newspaper
  

First let your child paint the BACKS of 2 paper plates (when put together they will look like a 3-D football). Let dry.

I cut my plates in half and then cut an 1.5 inch from one half of the newly cut plate (you will need to do this for the back and front, so cut an inch and half from 2 of your pieces). This will give the plate a more oval shape.

Next tape your half and your 1.5 inch shorter half together, set aside.

Punch holes along the straight edges of your two remaining halves. I put my halves together to be sure that the holes would match, but the paper was too thick and it hurt my hand! So, make holes in one of the halves, line the other plate up and make pencil marks on your un-punched plate, and hole punch it. :) Your holes don't have to be perfect though, it will still work fine, but you do want the same number of holes on each half.

Now, staple the halves to the whole plate you just taped together. Remember that you want it to look like a bowl shape in the middle, and you are going to fill it in.

Cut strips of newspaper (what I did), or be inventive with your filling and fill the inside of your ball until it has a good shape.

Now, lace your holes with ribbon or yarn or whatever you have. You can let your child lace it as a lacing craft, or you can lace the football like you would a shoe (as I did) and let your child practice tying his or her shoes.

Paper Plate Football Player

K, 6 & Up

This is such an easy idea--if you are looking for something fun to do with your little boy--this is it!

To make this craft you will need:

• 2 paper plates
• Crayons, markers or paint
• Scissors
• Stapler (or tape)
  

First color or paint the inside of your paper plate skin color, or forget that part and add your face (eyes, nose, mouth, etc).

Now, turn the other paper plate over and draw a half circle INSIDE the circle that is already in the middle of a paper plate.

I cut in two small rectangles underneath the half circle to give it more of a face mask look. If you child is more into football they may have better ideas to make him more realistic.

Now, staple or tape your face mask/helmet to your football player.

I like the way this player came out, but you could paint or color the top part of the face mask/helmet to match your child's favorite team, or let him or her create their own team and design.

Football Handprint

Toddler, Pre-K, K

I love making hand prints with Thomas, and when I decided to do a "football week," I racked my brain trying to figure out the best way to use his hands. While searching for fun football ideas (which there are very few! Most of the ideas you will see this week I made up myself!), I came across a clip art graphic and the light bulb went off.

Now I love the outcome--but the football in the middle would look just as cute (maybe better--who knows) as just a drawn or cut out ball. When you do this craft you can try either way.

To make this craft you will need:

• Paper
• Skin color paint
• Brown paint
• A cute pair of hands

I simply had him make hand prints with both hands and left some space in the middle and top for the ball.

I closed his fingers and didn't paint his thumb when I made the football. But, as I said, I think it would look just as good or better if you just drew or painted or cut out a football shape.

I added the "touchdown" part just to be cute.

Football Treats

Mommy Craft

I saw this idea on the back of a Cocoa Krispies box once and filed it away for later. Glad I did, because these were cute and yummy!

To make this snack you will need:

• Cocoa Rice Krispies
• Butter
• Marshmallows
  
• Chocolate Chips (melted) or brown or white icing
• Wax Paper

Follow the directions to make your rice krispie treats, only use cocoa krispies.

Let your mixture cool--A LOT!

Use wax paper to get a handful of the mixture and shape into a football. Put on your plate or serving dish. Repeat until all of the krispies are used.

Now, melt your chocolate chips and put in a icing bag, or fold a piece of wax paper like I did, and make laces on your footballs. You could also use brown or white icing to do this as well.

Enjoy!

**A few "notes:" mine have a different color to them because I added in some regular rice krispies thinking I wouldn't have enough for the butter & marshmallow mixture I "eye balled." Also, the Rice Krispie website has the recipe for the footballs, but they add in peanut butter, and I thought "nah." So, I used the original recipe to make the krispie mixture, which I have added below. Click on this link if you want to give the peanut butter one a try **

Here are their "pretty" footballs, but I have to say mine came out cute too**

Rice Krispie Recipe

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies®

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.


Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.