Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans

China's lunar calendar system is centuries older than the Gregorian calendar. The Chinese New Year begins in on February 8, 2016. The beginning date for Chinese New Year varies from late January to mid February on the western calendar. 2016 celebrates Chinese New Year of the Monkey (or KangXi). Each of the 12 years in the Chinese zodiac is represented by a different animal and the calendar repeats every 12 years. It was Chinese New Year of the Monkey in 2004 and will be again in 2028. CNY kicks off the Spring Festival in China and ends with the Lantern Festival, a quaint, charming holiday.   Free printable Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival lesson plans

Printable Lenten Almsgiving, Prayer, Fasting Activity

Catholics entered lent on Ash Wednesday. During this season, we fast, pray and give alms (extra tithing). Here's a way to do all three in one activity. Parents and homeschoolers, you might try this. Printable lenten calendar, prayer guide, family activities, coloring pages included.   Three in One Lent Almsgiving, Prayer, Fasting Activity

Free Printable Advent Calendars, Religious and Secular

Advent is a penitential season that starts four weeks before Christmas in Catholic and Orthodox-christian churches. As in lent (before Easter) we pray, fast and give alms to prepare our hearts for the "coming" (advent) of Christ (from the Latin "adveniat regnum"--coming of Christ's kingdom.) The first Sunday of Advent in 2013 is December 1. Here are printable advent calendars for kids. Free Printable Advent Calendar Crafts for Kids

Free Printable Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar

Thanksgiving in the US will soon be upon us. If your kids are anything like mine, they love holidays. As a homeschool family, we spent lots of time making holiday gifts, treats and crafts. But holidays can also mean antsy, bored kids who can’t focus. Well, this teacher mama has an activity for that! Free printable countdown calendars. Here’s a link for freebies from Disney/Family Fun Spoonful. Scroll through the Top 14 Thanksgiving Printables to find the calendar.  Free Printable Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar for Kids 

Best Personal Calendar, Online Planner, Organizer Apps

If I have any success, my secret to it is organization. Family, finances, home management, events, jobs, religious observances, holidays and church activities, volunteer work--it requires coordination to juggle them all. So I admit it--I am an organizer-ophile. I find it therapeutic to wander the planner aisle in Barnes & Noble. When I get a new cellphone, the first thing I play with is the calendar function. But I am also a tightwad--I will not pay for organizer apps or software. And I don't have to, nor do you, when there are so many free utilities available online. Here are the best organizer apps on the net. Use these for holiday planning.  Read more

Holiday Printables from Family Fun

Free Printable Projects for Older Kids: From Holiday Stuff to Room Decor Cutting, pasting and coloring is great for younger kids, but sometimes, older kids want a little more of a challenge. Do you need some challenging cut, paste and fold projects for kids eight and older? View more »