By Haven Mitchell-Rose 

The Holidays are almost here! That means fun in the snow and warm mugs of cocoa. It also means being surrounded my your loved ones and many, many children. How will you ever keep all of these little ones entertained? Spellbound Theatre is here to help with these holiday-inspired creative play activities!

Not only is this a great way for your child to explore what they Holidays mean to them, but it makes a lovely wall decoration for any holiday parties you might be hosting 

Materials 
Large sheet of paper (the back side of an expanse of wrapping paper works nicely)
glue/ tape 
smaller paper (copy, construction, or both)
pencils/ markers/ crayons etc. 
stickers/ glitter/ feathers (optional) 

Step 1: Secure the large piece of paper to the wall. You can choose to add a title such as "Happy Holidays!" or "My favorite thing about the holidays is..."
Step 2: Present child(ren) with smaller pieces of paper and arts supplies. Encourage them to draw their favorite thing about the holidays 
Step 3: Help them add their finished creations to the large piece of paper, and VOILA! you and your family have a beautiful and meaningful holiday decoration! 

Each tradition has its own holiday stories, that have been passed down from generation to generation. But, what would happen if instead of stories being told by elders to children, kids got to tell the elders their own version? In this next activity, you will find out! 

Materials: 
An open space
Some good stories 
You imagination 

Step 1: The Child(ren) is the narrator. What they say goes. (S)he will chose a story to tell - it can be a traditional holiday tale, a year round family favorite, or a new story that the child makes up on the spot
Step 2: As the child narrates adults/ other children will act out the story that is unfolding
Step 3: Ensure that all children present (who wish to) get a chance to narrate, and who knows? Maybe you and your little one(s) will create a brand new holiday tradition! 
*Challenge: Which kid can come up with the SILLIEST story? Which grown up is most COMMITTED to acting it out? give awards for each. 

As always, please share any festive pictures/ videos you take to our Facebook Page with the hashtag #Spellboundholidays

A variation on the "Collaborative Holiday Image" from a Free Family Arts Day this past summer. Info on future Free Family Arts Days is coming soon! 

By Haven Mitchell-Rose 

It's been raining these past few days. A lot. While the excess water may be making you and your little one a little grumpy by keeping you cooped up inside, we here at Spellbound want to show you some creative play fun that can be had with water. Hopefully these water-inspired activities will help you and your little one feel warm and sunny!

The Magic Elevator game is an old favorite here at Spellbound, and we with think that it will be a great way for you and your child to explore water while staying nice and dry. 

Materials: 
An open space 
Your imagination 

Step 1: Clear an open space in the middle of the room, and designate a small portion of that space to be your elevator. Now this is no ordinary elevator. Instead of going to the floors in a building, this elevator goes to any water related place you can think of. 
Step 2: Get in your elevator and ask your child to decide which floor they want to go to first. (Ex: The Waterfall Floor, The Ocean Floor, etc.) 
Step 3: When you arrive at your chosen floor, open the elevator doors, and venture out into the watery world that awaits you. Use your bodies to show what it looks like to swim in the ocean or stand under a waterfall etc. 
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 & 3 until all water related environments have been explored. 

Now that we've explored water with our bodies, let's create so water-based visual art! 

Materials: 
Paper (copy or construction) 
Paints 
Paint brush 
Water 
Plastic tub (optional)
Flat surface 
Newspaper/ paper table cloth 

Step 1: Wet you and your child's paper. It helps to fill a plastic tub with water in order to fully submerge the paper without ripping it. 
Step 2: Gently place the wet paper on the flat surface in front of your child. 
Step 3: Help/ Show your child to load their brush full of pain and apply it to the wet paper. Watch the color spread out, and see what beautiful shapes they make. 

As always, please share any aquatic pictures/ videos you take to our Facebook Page with the hashtag #Spellboundwater

Photo credit: fineartamerica.com 

By Haven Mitchell-Rose 

In honor of our very successful Fall Fundraising Event last weekend, this week's blog is dedicated to exploring natural world, just as "Under The Tree" main character, Pea, did in our VIP donor performance at The Old Stone House. The performance was proceeded by fall themed visual art activities and storytelling. A huge, huge thank you to everyone who came and donated! You are the reason we are able to do what we do. 

There is no shortage of beautiful fall leaves this year, and now you and your little one can explore all the fun to be had with them! 

Materials
Leaves 
Your thinking cap 
Light source (optional) 
Wall (optional)

Step 1: Explore your yard, street, or a nearby park with your little one, and gather any leaves you see that strike your fancy
Step 2: What ways can you use these leave to create a funny character? (ex: wear one as a hat or an eye patch) See what your child can come up with! 
Step 3: Shine a light behind a leaf and play with the size and shape of its shadow on a blank wall. You and your little one can also choose to break or cut leaves into other shapes to create a variety of shadow puppets
Step 3.5: For infants, try playing peek-a-boo with a leaf, or let them hold it so they can experience its texture and accompanying sounds 
*Challenge: What other creative uses for leaves can you and your little one come up with? Be sure to post a comment telling us what you discover and/ or post pictures and videos to our Facebook Page

Remember summer, when you could leave the house without wearing every single jacket you own? Now you and your little one can look forward to warmer weather with this creative play activity. 

Materials
Several chairs/ stools/ cushions (optional) 
An open space 
Your imagination 

Step 1: Designate an area that will be the train. You can use chairs/ stools/ cushions etc. arranged in a line to create it if you would like, if not simply sit in a line with your child on the ground
Step 2: Explain to you child that this is a magic train, and that instead of stopping at locations, all the stops are seasons. Ask them which season they would like to visit first, and explain that when we arrive, we are in that season 
Step 3: The doors open, and you and your child arrive at your first season. Model for them the kinds of activities one can do during this season, and invite them to join in
Step 4: Take a little piece of whatever season you are in - a flower from Spring or a hand full of warm sand from summer, put it in your pocket, and re-board the train. Next stop [insert season here]!