Contact_FullName: Bettie

Contact_Email: Keshet333@aol.com

Area: misc purim ideas

Idea:

For Purim, we make Shalach Manot Baskets for a near by nursing home. I ask parents in advance for little donations of samples like lotion, perfume and candy. The children love giving their decorated baskets, and the residents at the nursing home love seeing the children.

Contact_FullName: Kelly

Contact_Email: kellygibbons@telus.net

Area: Purim

Idea:

Make puppets for Purim! King Ahasuerus, Vashti, Queen Esther, Mordecai, evil Haman.

Supplies:

5 wood tongue depressors,

5 mini wood 'popsicle' sticks,

scissors,

white glue,

scraps of fabric,

scraps of yarn & embroidery floss,

10 wiggly eyes,

permanent pen,

gold foil (chocolate bar wrappers - yum!).

Instructions:

Glue the mini wood stick about 1-1/2" from the top of the larger wood stick; let dry. Glue wiggly eyes above mini wood stick; draw on nose and mouth; glue scraps of embroidery floss for hair &/or beards. Use the scraps of fabric, felt, yarn, etc, for making clothing. (Children can be very creative and imaginative with this craft.) Allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Gold foil can be used to make crowns for the King and Queen.

Use the puppets to tell the story of Esther, how she relied on God's strength and saved her people from destruction.

There are other people mentioned (read: Esther in the Old Testament)... puppets can be constructed for palace guards, etc.