Use a dot of hot glue to glue the pompom to the center of the sock’s toe area. This will be the puppet’s nose. The pompom should be positioned on the opposite of the mouth side and just a little below the eyes. Use the ear pattern and your marker to trace the ears onto the green craft foam. Then, cut out the two ears from the green craft foam. Check the position of the ears and then glue the ears to the sock and to the backs of the eyes. Apply a line of hot glue along the flat edges of each ear and apply a dot of hot glue to the bottom part of each ear as well. Make sure that you press the ears firmly into place. Cut out six long, thin strips of black craft foam. Then, attach each of the thin strips to the base of the nose using a small dot of hot glue at the base of the nose. After all of the whiskers are attached, trim the whiskers to that they are all about the same length. Cut out two white foam squares for the teeth. Then, apply some hot glue to one side of one of the foam squares and fold it in half. Make sure that the edges are lined up and hold the edges in place for a few seconds. Then, apply hot glue to one side of the foam and fold it in half again in the same way.  Repeat this process for the other tooth. Trim the short edges of the teeth so that they are about the same length and so that the edges are even. Take one of the teeth and apply a line of hot glue to one of the short edges. Then, press the tooth into top part of the puppet’s mouth near the edge of the red foam.  Make sure that the tooth is placed on one side of the nose and that there will be room for the other tooth on the other side. Leave a small gap between the teeth as well. Press gently to make sure that the teeth stay in place. When both teeth are attached, trim them down a bit so that they are even with each other. Your sock puppet is now finished and ready to use! You can use your puppet to play, entertain your friends with it, or make some more puppets and put on a puppet show!
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One-sentence summary -- Give your puppet a nose. Create the ears. Make the whiskers. Shape the teeth. Attach the teeth to the puppet’s mouth. Use your sock puppet.


You can use real, hard-boiled eggs dyed or decorated for the Easter holiday, or plastic, hollow Easter eggs you can fill with goodies. Chalk eggs are also available, but this may not be a good idea when hosting indoors, as the children may draw on your furniture. Make sure an adult boils the egg. Keep in mind that real eggs may be smashed by young children, and will rot if they are not found. Consider plastic eggs if you would like to keep the indoor area clean. Plastic Easter eggs can be filled with goodies such as chocolate, candy, jelly beans, fruit, money, toys, or other small prizes that children will enjoy. Some families and groups choose to hide empty eggs, then distribute treats equally among the children after the hunt is over. Ask the parents of visiting children whether there are any treats you should avoid. Some children are allergic to nuts, and toddlers may not be able to eat chocolate or hard candies. Before you hide the eggs, you should determine which rooms or places children are safely allowed to search. For example, choose safe, open rooms such as the living room or den, instead of the utility closet where dangerous tools and chemicals are stored.  Lock off-limits rooms if possible, or hang signs that read "Do not enter" on cabinets and the doors of rooms you don't want searched. Hang the signs at the eye level of the children, and tell kids who cannot read where they are supposed to search. Store important documents, fragile items, and private objects in an off-limits area where children will not be searching. While most parents will not expect you to fully child proof your house, there are some easy and temporary safety adjustments you could make. Think about taping cardboard or foam over sharp corners of coffee tables. Move medicines and cleaning chemicals to higher shelves or locked cupboards. These precautions are especially important for toddlers and young children. If children with a wide range of ages or abilities will be hunting for Easter eggs, it might be more fun for everyone if different children search for different eggs. For instance, you could tell the older children that they should only look for the hard-to-find red eggs, while the purple eggs are left in easier places for the younger kids to find.  If there are many children visiting, you could even write the name of each child on one or more eggs and instruct the children only to find eggs with their own name written on it. To avoid arguments, make sure each child has an equal amount of eggs, and that you know where every egg is hidden so you can help out. If a relatively older child gets upset that they aren't allowed to pick up certain eggs, encourage him or her to help out a younger kid by pointing to the easy to find eggs.
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One-sentence summary -- Obtain eggs for the Easter egg hunt. Purchase treats if using plastic eggs. Choose specific indoor areas where the egg hunt will take place. Follow safety precautions. Consider color coding the eggs for children of different ages.


Preschoolers are just starting to learn to recognize letters and numbers, so look for games that focus on those things. Make sure the games are easy to understand so the preschooler you’re babysitting can follow along.  Play with them on a big ABC mat. Play with letter tiles. Hold up a tile and have them guess what letter it is. If they get it right, give them the tile. Play memory with a deck of cards. Spread all the cards out face down and have them flip the cards 2 at a time. The goal is for them to flip over 2 cards that are the same number. If there's no playdough in the house, ask the preschooler to help you make some from scratch. Put the playdough on a tray or plate so the preschooler you’re babysitting doesn’t make a mess. Help them build things with it and show them how to roll the playdough with their hands.  Don’t forget to clean up when you’re finished. Make sure the preschooler you're babysitting doesn't try to eat the playdough! Keep in mind that preschoolers may get things on their skin and in their mouth, so don’t use any supplies that are toxic or messy. Stick with crafts that are simple and easy to clean up. Supervise them at all times so they don't make a big mess.  Have the preschooler you’re babysitting play with stickers. Give them a sheet of paper and help them peel off the stickers and stick them to the paper. Give them paper and crayons to draw with. Crayons aren’t as messy as markers or paint, so you won’t have to worry about a big clean up afterward. Have them draw shapes and then you cut them out. Then, let them position the shapes on a sheet of paper. You can tape or glue the shapes to the paper for them. Avoid strenuous or overly active games that could lead to the preschooler you’re babysitting getting hurt. If you’re going to bring them outside, stick with activities where you’re sitting or walking, as opposed to running or throwing things.  Go outside and draw with sidewalk chalk. Prepare some bubbles and let the preschooler you’re babysitting play with them outside. Walk them around the backyard and teach them about the different plants and animals you encounter. If you can't find a show on TV, search online and watch an episode of something on the computer. This is a great activity for later in the evening when the preschooler you're babysitting may be getting tired. Limit their screen time to 1 hour so you don't spend the whole time you're babysitting them watching TV.  Make sure you get permission from their parents before you watch something with them. Ask the preschooler or their parents what their favorite TV shows are.
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One-sentence summary --
Play letters and numbers games if they're in the mood to learn. Play with playdough if they want to make something. Do easy, mess-free crafts if they're in a creative mood. Get permission to take them outside and do simple, low-key activities. Watch an educational TV show together if they seem tired.