MM...what a fun table to be 'entertained' at! You really put some nice thought into it...making it very colorful and age appropriate...adding the little gems and even thinking of an animal theme for the CC!! Love it. I'm glad they enjoyed themselves knowing this was just for 'them'..along with yummy grilled cheese!! You're a sweetheart Auntie... jane

There are so many directions she could go with crafts. Your friend may look into whether there is a theme of the month or use something like the seasons as a guide. Another idea would be to do something related to the various activities such as sewing, growing veggies, farm animals, etc. See what the kids are eligible to enter into the fair and look up an appropriate craft. Have the kids make things for their groups fair exhibit. For spring: Grow herbs in a tin can. (This idea could be simplified.) http://crafts.kaboose.com/earth-tin-can-herb-pots.html This site has some simple ideas. http://www.create-kids-crafts.com/bird_crafts_for_kids.html The kids have opportunities to raise chickens so the baby chick craft might be great for the younger kids. If your friend has a portable microwave or a toaster oven, basic cooking can be done. She may also want to get on the official 4-H web site to see what others are doing. Here is a link that might be useful: 4H website

When I was doing daycare, we made some really cool ornaments. I bought clear glass ball ornaments. The kids dripped a little bit of 2 different colors of glass paint into it. I taped the top shut and they gently rolled them around on the floor until the inside of the ball was completely covered. To dry them I removed the tape and layed them upside down in egg cartons to allow the excess paint to drip out. After dry, I replaced the hanger piece and we tied ribbons to the tops. They really turned out neat, looked like a marble finish.

The book "Ultimate Book of Kids Concoctions" (there are several issues) is a fantastic place to look for fun crafts and activities that use normal, household stuff. There are recipes for paint, clay, all kinds of crafts, etc. The sponge balls are fun to make (you cut sponges into strips, then attach together with electrical ties) and fun to play with. I let the kids make them, and give them assorted uses--if you leave the electrical tie long, they make great glass cleaners (I teach a children's cooking class). Or you can cut the ties off, so you have a fun ball to play with. We use them instead of water balloons for that game where you pair off, standing in 2 lines, and toss your balloon (or wet sponge ) back and forth, stepping back a step until you drop your balloon or sponge. Or how about making chocolate clay with them? You can google for the recipe. Fun to make, then they can play with it, modeling animals or whatever, and afterwards, eat it (it tastes a little like Tootsie Roll to me). You can make beads from magazine pages. The more colorful, the better. Cut long triangles--about an inch or 2 wide at the short side, and 4-5-6" long to the point. Put the most colorful side down, roll the strip up on a round toothpick, glueing the point. Let dry and string, alternating with purchased beads, if desired, on plastic laces. You can also color pasta--put a tablespoon or 2 of water in a plastic jar, add a few drops of food coloring. Add pasta with holes in the middle (elbows, etc), and shake the jar until evenly colored. Spread out on a cookie sheet to dry. String on plastic laces. A tip for stringing beads/pasta--TAPE one end of the lace to the desk, or tie one bead or piece of pasta on the string. Makes it easier to string without losing the beads/pasta, etc. If you read the book Strega Nona to them, you could have the students draw a picture of the town, then hand out white yarn for them go glue on to represent the run-away pasta. I've taught some 5 year olds (and many older kids to do straw weaving. It's fun and all you need is soda straws and scraps of yarn. Little too complicated to explain in a few sentences, but if you google "Straw weaving', you'll find directions. Have fun!