Spy Adventure - Daddy Daughter Activity

Spy Night

This was a really fun activity - The dads were still thanking me for weeks after the activity. It was also very budget friendly since I mostly just used stuff from around the house.

The guests were sent invitations instructing them to come in disguise.

 They were greeted by a sign on the entrance "Scan to Enter" with a big hand print on it.

Then they had to navigate through the "lasers"/ caution tape.

We had some tables set up so that the girls could write notes in invisible ink (lemon juice) while we waited for everyone to arrive. When everyone was ready we entered the gym to find that the refreshments were missing. On the empty table was a box with a ransom note in it. They rest of the activity was guided by the trail of notes left by the thief.

They then had to untangle the mess of yarn/ "diffuse the bombs". This was supposed to space the daddy daughter teams out a little better. 

 The yarn led them to the "bombs". They were supposed to follow the instructions and work together with their dad to simultaneously diffuse the bombs by reaching in the boxes to retrieve a marble. One box was full of Jello and the other was full of spaghetti. This part was apparently too complicated and people were just confused... and had to wash their hands before moving on...

The thief claimed to want a "worthy opponent" so next up was some target practice with a couple Nerf guns. I just printed some targets and put them in glass picture frames so the bullets would stick.

Then they had to look in the cave for their next clue. Each team took one piece of paper that was taped underneath. The paper had a room number on it. In the room was a balloon with a letter on it. 

When all of the balloons were found they had to unscramble the letters to decode the clue. I let them struggle for a little while before giving them the hint that each word was color coded which made it much easier. The clue was "Big White Cold Box" aka the fridge.

In the fridge they found their treats and a note congratulating them for finishing their spy training and that the "thief" just wanted to test them and keep their refreshments cold. 

The girls were then supposed to share something they did from the secret service challenge they had been assigned at the previous activity. That was part one of their spy training. 

And this picture is just for fun :)

Stepping stones

I made these stepping stones for the garden a few years ago and they still look great!

I just used the stepping stone mix and a mold from Joann's (probably not the cheapest, but I had coupons!) I also got some letter stamps, mosaic tiles and glow in the dark stars to play with.

A couple of tips:
*When you stamp letters don't push them too deep or you will see the square outline.
*Don't freak out when your letters or drawings start to fill up with murky water. LEAVE IT ALONE.  The letters will turn out perfectly unless you mess with it and try to get the water out.
*Don't use objects that will rust (like cute Izzy bottle caps)
*Have a design in mind before preparing the cement (you have plenty of time to create the design but not if you have a creative block and can't think of anything to do)
*Mix in a container that you won't mind being scratched. (Party size ice cream tubs are good)
*Most objects will stay on the stone, however I had a few small pieces that were barely pressed in and they fell out. Don't press it too deep either or it will drowned in the cement.
*When letting others make their own stone (or other artwork), praise or at least accept their efforts and don't try to meddle. Judgement or criticism will only stifle whatever creativity they have.

In case you can't tell the "PLAY"stone is supposed to have a kite and a castle with a little path leading up to it and even has a tiny princess on the path.

One Year of Activity Days

Activity Days is a church group for 8 to 11 year old girls but the ideas here would be great for any group of girls this age or birthday parties! 

The purpose of activities according to the manual: "In addition to providing fun and entertainment, activities should build testimonies, strengthen families, and foster unity and personal growth."

If you have found yourself in charge of activity days, my number one tip is to plan out the basic ideas for an entire year of activities if you can - this ensures that you get a variety of activities (instead of ending up with half of your activities involving paper and glue and markers) and that you can spend your time actually preparing for the activity (instead of looking for ideas on Pinterest for hours every time). In January I made a big list of ideas and had the girls mark their favorites which I tried my best to include while balancing the variety of activities and requirements for Faith in God. We accomplished this in one activity with girls and one meeting with leaders, a total of two hours to put together the plan for a whole year (plus the time brainstorming the list). It has been a life saver! It is also a great way to help you plan a budget.

This is a list of Activities that we have done for the past year:

Rag Dolls
(for orphans in Peru - best service project ever!) - the girls wanted to keep their dolls!

(picture from this great tutorial) http://www.restlessrisa.com/2014/07/rag-doll-no-sewing-required.html 

Hot Air balloon ornaments
I had a bunch of old light bulbs that I had saved to be re-purposed a few years ago...
So we turned them into hot air balloon ornaments. They cut out pieces of scrap fabric and ribbon and used diluted Elmer's glue (applied with a sponge - genius!). We used bottle caps to make the baskets. They turned out cute, but it would be easier to glue on the ribbon if you let the glue dry a bit in between. There are lots of ideas for light bulb crafts.

Activity Survey
Plan/Brainstorm for the year (I printed off the list and handed it out like a worksheet, they came up with a few of their own ideas too) Here is the Survey pdf.

Goal Setting in spare time

Friendship Bracelets

This allowed the girls to chat and get to know each other better while they were working. Some girls had done it before but still needed a refresher. A couple younger girls really struggled with it - it can be a little tricky. I suggest having a simpler version where the knot wraps around all the treads if the girls are younger or frustrated.

Valentines Service Advent 

Got cute printable service rhymes from: http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/love-letter-garland/
We did our advent as a poster rather than a garland (to see the challenge lift a flap, open a letter, or pull a heart out of a pocket)

Life Size Board Game

We ended up doing the Game of Life. We set up the board using pop up tunnels and tents, hula hoops, those interlocking foam floor mat squares and sheets of paper to mark the spaces. Each space/paper had a life event. I left some blank so that the girls could write on them and make up some of their own - they enjoyed that. 

I also brought costumes so that when they picked their career they could dress up - Loved it!
Made a giant spinner out of a sit and spin toy.
We ran out of time to finish since the board wasn't quite ready at the beginning of the activity. Make sure you don't make the board too long if you have a lot of players.

This is the list of career choices and life events tailored to young LDS girls I made up for my game board: Game of Life for Activity Days pdf

Decorate cupcakes
Super cute and easy! We had a young woman come in to show us some tips -she was in some sort of culinary school - My favorite is the marshmallow flowers: cut the marshmallow in half diagonally and dip the sticky side in sprinkles. Arrange as flower petals. 

Personal soapbox warning: I have an issue with treats. When treats are served at every activity the girls tend to be more focused on the treat rather than the activity. Also, I try to eat healthy and eat sweets in moderation, but that becomes very difficult went every single social gathering somehow includes a treat... that is no longer "just a little". So I try to be the change I wish to see. We've had a couple girls who have allergies, diabetes, or many dietary restrictions at home (but love sweets and feel very left out when they can't share the treat). But treats can be fun and are fine in moderation. I decided to serve treats only 4-6 times a year as a compromise. After a couple of weeks the girls stopped asking about sweets and don't seem to miss them, but of course they are delighted when they do get one, it has become a "treat" again.

Origami 

With kind notes

We did it step by step along with a you tube video on my phone to make a seed packet and a jumping frog. Some of the younger girls needed help with every step. I gave them free time at the end to fold whatever they wanted.

French Braids

and Hair Styles

I was surprised that some of the girls were really shy about it and didn't want to do anyone's hair or get their hair done. But some girls were very excited and I heard from their moms that they did their hair that way all week.

Egg Hunt – Articles of Faith

The girls loved the egg hunt. I wanted the girls to work together so I split the girls into teams and gave each team a designated area to search for their 20 eggs (important to know how many eggs you have or you won't know if they found them all) I made some really tricky.

I cut up all 13 articles of faith into little strips and mixed them all together for extra challenge and the girls actually got it all back together in order all working together without my help. Then I let them take turns hiding the eggs for each other. 

I wanted to give them an actual Easter gift (while also avoiding sugar) so I found a bunch of cute barrettes at the dollar store and used them as bunny ears. I decided to draw my own bunny clip art since I couldn't find a good one. They turned out so cute!

Feel free to use this original artwok  - just please give credit where credit is due :)

Finger Painting

 Write a nice note on the back of the picture and doorbell ditch them. (although the girls had to that on their own since we didn't have enough time)

Be prepared to clean up spills - best to limit the amount of paint they have access to, there were gobs of paint dumped on their papers... they were creative. Better yet choose a less messy medium or try finger paint prints in tubs

Mother Daughter

 Spa Night

We had everyone grab refreshments (watermelon, cucumber sandwiches, strawberries, and lemonade) and the mom's soaked their feet while we gave a spiritual message about how Christ washed other's feet (including how the apostles were a little hesitant to accept this service that they felt unworthy of). Then each girl shared something she had done recently to serve others. Then then mother-daughter pair had to think of some way that their color of nail polish could remind them of Christ. I was really pleased with the results of that challenge. 

We had the girls put lotion on their mom's feet and paint their mom's toenails. Then the mom's painted the girls nails. We told them to bring their own flip flops. 

Each mom and girl shared a gift bag that included nail stickers, polish, chocolate, lotion, and the foot soak tub (dollar store really came through for me that time!)

Total cost for 10+ girls and moms was under $80!

The room was decorated with fresh roses and flowers from our gardens and we had Sunday music playing in the background. It was lovely.

Scavenger Hunt
My gospel standards theme.

They had to guess the gospel standard that went with each clue

Fashion Design

and Grooming/ Modesty

Decorated paper dolls with scraps of fabric.

used this doll template: http://famouscanadianwomen.com/activity/magnussen%20page%201.htm
I liked the doll/ picture because it was girlish and cute, but also real - not super skinny or disproportionate.
One girl liked them so much she made a bunch at home with her sister designing outfits for different countries around the world.

Water Games

It was over cast and most of the girls didn't want to get wet. But we had fun anyway. The girls were delighted to discover that if your hand is covered in bubble soap - you can't pop bubbles with it!

Obstacle course
They enjoyed it of course. (I was on vacation so I don't know the details)

Jump rope 
playground games:

     This was a fantastic activity. The girls (mostly younger) were right at the perfect age to learn this skill. We probably spent about half of the time just spinning a big double dutch rope while the girls practiced running into the rope and jumping out without getting hit. They were not ready to try any rhymes yet, they just wanted to practice their skills. It was amazing to see their self confidence blossom as they experienced they joy of overcoming their fears and mastering a new skill. 

     We tried to play the Helicopter game, but the rope we had was really hard to spin

     So we played Knockout with the basketball

     Great website for playground games: http://www.playworks.org/game-tags/recess-games

     I really wanted to teach them how to do a Chinese jump rope, but I didn't get one in time. 

Pretend Campfire and Charades

Act out stories from the Book of Mormon about faith in Jesus Christ and the other team has to guess which one it is and briefly say what in the story needed faith. (inspired by one of the Faith in God requirements in Learning and Living the Gospel section. I told them they just needed to share there testimonies about Jesus sometime and they could pass off this one. I also took the time to remind them to be working on Faith in God and that many of the activities we do could count towards it but I usually forget to tell them. And I have heard/ noticed the girls have been working on it since then! Good reminder!)
I really wanted to do this activity mostly so I could make this yummy treat - Smores bites  (I used her picture because mine didn't turn out so cute - but still delicious!) http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2012/05/smore-pretzel-bites/#XMyYiAPR28Si3ABw.32

I made a pretend fire for the girls to sit around (rolled/ crumbled up brown paper for logs and red and yellow tissue paper with battery tea lights for fire - it looked pretty good and was super fast) also had blankets for them to sit on and one pinned up like a tent (using big binder clips) The girls loved it. 

Babysitter / Boredom Buster kits

*Although the girls are not legally old enough to babysit yet, many of them are getting close and they are all so excited to babysit and have been asking about this activity all year (we had several girls invite non-member friends to this activity!) It was also a great opportunity for the girls to get a taste of Young Women's, to be with them on a more equal level, and to see some great role models. 

We ended up doing this activity combined with the Young Women. Some older girls took turns teaching about babysitting and then some anonymous suggestions from women in the ward were read to address concerns/preferences about babysitters (mainly please don't text the whole time, or let the kids watch tons of TV, or leave the house trashed, or be really silent and awkward on the car ride home)

One of the best tips was to always have someone you can call for help if you need it, like your mom, in case things get out of hand or the baby just won't stop crying.

One tip that surfaced was that following the promptings of the Holy Spirit can help you be a better babysitter and keep the kids safe (like one story that was shared: not playing outside one day even though you normally do because you have a bad feeling  about it, and then later you find out there was a good reason you had a bad feeling and are glad you stayed inside)

Then the girls got their own reusable grocery bag to decorate to start a babysitting kit of their own in. They also got a nice handout of do's and don'ts  

Secret Service Challenge/ Mission

http://befickle.blogspot.com/2010/03/secret-service-activity-days-activity.html

This was Spy training in preparation for the Spy Night with their dads. During the activity they played telephone to practice passing secret messages and other "spy" games. We had a few minutes left at the end so I gave them a last minute challenge to see who could spin in circles the longest and who could run across the room after spinning for 60 seconds. It was fun to watch and they loved it.
We sent home the packet with the secret service challenge for them to do at home along with the invitations.  

Daddy Daughter

Spy night

It was Awesome! Everyone was surprised at least a little. I put it in a separate post:

http://clevercinderella.blogspot.com/2015/01/spy-adventure-daddy-daughter-activity.html

Inspiration:

http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/games-for-kids.html

http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/search?q=secret+agent

Sew ear warmers
(1/4 yd fabric/ fleece each)

http://prudentbaby.com/2010/12/baby-kid/adorable-diy-ear-warmers-2/

Popsicle stick nativities

(but we will use markers instead of paint)

http://www.whattoexpect.com/BLOGS/astudentatmamauniversity/nativity-crafts-for-kids-popsicle-stick-nativity

Carnitas Tacos (and Butternut Squash Quibebe)

This meal got rave reviews and is really easy (with some planning). Great meal to impress company. I'll have to make this for the next family reunion. Sorry no pictures - click on the links.

Tacos:
Carnitas
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Slow-Cooked-Carnitas-Tacos-241855
(the key is not to add any liquid to the crock pot so it can cook in it's own fat as it renders)

Pico de Gallo salsa
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Salsa_(Fermented)
Except I added some lime juice too. and I go easy on the chili peppers...

Corn Tortillas
http://www.cheeseslave.com/homemade-corn-tortillas-part-one/
Woot! made my own corn tortillas out of popcorn! (had to soak it in pickling lime) *** parchment paper if the key to rolling these out thin and them not sticking to anything


Side dish (or main dish):
Brazilian Butternut Squash Quibebe with Rice (I used tiny shrimp instead of chicken)
http://www.cynthiapresser.com/recipe-blog/main-dishes/chicken/325-butternut-squash-quibebe-with-chichen-and-coconut-milk-quibebe-com-frango-e-leite-de-coco

Shrimp Scampi (with hidden veggies!)

This "Shrimp Scampi" Reminds me of an adult version of Mac and Cheese.

(Disclaimer: I usually cook by making up a recipe that is "based on a real recipe" or some hodge podge in my brain so I mostly cook by taste and smell using ethnic flavors as my guidelines and this is my attempt to start writing some down for those times when I fall in a rut)

Step 1: Puree a bunch of random veggies together (and throw it in the freezer because you are going on vacation and don't know what else to do with everything)
-I used Potatoes, Green Beans, and Zucchini (seasoned with some bone broth, garlic, onions, salt probably)
It didn't go over well as baby food so I had to come up with another idea...

Step 2: Make the sauce
- Saute some shrimp with garlic and butter (whatever you want really)
-  add maybe a cup of the veggie puree (if cooking for 2-3 people)
- season with some lemon juice, salt, pepper, "scampi seasoning blend"
- add some frozen peas and a little Parmesan cheese for good measure
- thicken the sauce if desired (I used a tablespoon of arrowroot powder)

Step 3: Mix in the noodles - linguine

It resulted in a really sticky/cheesy sauce without any cheese really. Yum!

... side note... I'm not a fan of freezing the DIY squeeze pouches (especially if your kid decides they don't like the flavor). It takes up too much room and is difficult to warm up. I would rather freeze the puree and warm it up separately and put it in the squeeze pouch before serving (faster, less mess than spoon feeding, plus kids gobble it up). I'm not sure if I would recommend taking the homemade ones on the go yet... only do flavors that are good cold and double bag it.  

Sea Shell Collection - Trash to Treasure

Original Artwork

 This project started out as a way to display my seashell collection. I collected sea shells on many of my favorite childhood vacations and I was tired of having them sit in a box. 

Everything I used was laying around the house or left over from other projects. Someone gave us a broken dresser, so I painted the front of the drawers blue and used them as a base for my creation. I hot glued the shells on along with some other treasures. I attached the boards to another piece of wood covered in fabric. (warning - all of the wood makes it very heavy). I made some clouds out of cotton balls.

Then I made the quote to go with it using foam board, scrapbook paper and more fabric.

  

I hot glued pop tabs (actually V8 tabs) and pipe cleaner to hang up the foam board. 

Super cheap!

 I decided I needed a sand castle to go with my sea shells so I hot glued some sand onto foam board. I'm sure there's a better way to attach sand... (I wouldn't recommend the hot glue...)
There's a YW medallion on my castle and a Return with Honor charm. A geode is the door.
There's a chain-mail flower from my little brother and an itty bitty box from my stocking one year.

 There are a few coins from foreign countries, flattened pennies, and a shrinky dink kimono pin I made in elementary school among other random treasures I could never use.

Homemade pasta

I let myself go to Goodwill and I found an Imperia pasta machine for $5! Except I found out it was missing the handle. I did not feel like paying $16 for a replacement handle online so Prince Charming crafted this wonderful handle out of a hanger! I was so impressed. It got the job done, but someday I think I'm going to need something a little more solid.

 I served this pasta with cilantro pesto and some garlic mushrooms. Yum! Prince Charming thinks it's amazing too.

Whole Wheat Pasta Recipe:
3 cups flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp oil
Water as needed

Mix the dough. Mine was too solid to actually be mixed the bread hook on the Bosch, so I just finished it by hand - it felt like a brick. The dough should not be sticky or else it will get stuck in the machine.
Then let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Then I got to try our my machine! I rolled it on the widest setting first and then on a thin setting and then through the noodle slicer. It was a little tricky handling long sections of dough. I'm sure I'll figure out a better technique in the future.
Let the pasta air dry for at least 15 minutes to avoid clumping. I separated out the noodles, but I don't know how necessary that was. It seemed logical. I kind of wanted a pasta drying rack so that I could hang up all of my noodles. 
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. These fresh noodles only needed to cook for 3 minutes. I did it in a few smaller batches so that it wouldn't be too crowded. 
Probably makes 8-10 servings...

I also made some giant lasagna type noodles for tomorrow night because I did not have room to lay out any more cut noodles. Maybe I'll even use them to do a lasagna roll...
I made the curly pasta by wrapping it around a skewer and letting it dry for a while in that shape.So fun! It would make a great gift to give someone a bunch of dried homemade curly noodle sticks - and they would make a pretty decoration. I'll have to see how well homemade pasta dries.
I just had a really great idea I'm going to try sometime: make letters out of the pasta! maybe even write your name in cursive! It would be fun for kids- assuming it works.