DONNA’S DAY: A world of differences
DONNA’S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN
As a family, take advantage of ethnic holidays and celebrations throughout the year to expose kids to the cultures that make up our world and our national heritage. Exploring cultural diversity gives our children a connection with our country’s roots, and it often demonstrates how people influence each other and provides the opportunity to appreciate and respect ethnic differences.
To get started discovering a world of differences, enjoy some family fun as many people of Irish ancestry celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. Here are some ideas to get you started:
“ List names and surnames that are typically Irish, such as Sean, Megan, Shannon and O’Brien. Do any of your friends have Irish names? Are there any Irish ancestors on your family tree?
“ Go online or check out a book on Ireland, and read and discuss how the island was divided and what it means to people living there today.
“ Listen to a recording of traditional Irish music, or attend a local concert on St. Patrick’s Day.
“ Cut a potato in half and carve a shamrock design on one of the halves so that it makes a raised surface like a stamp. Dip the design in green poster paint or a green stamp pad and print shamrocks on paper lunch bags, napkins and even on construction paper for place mats for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage.
“ Make brilliant green shamrock sun catchers to hang in your window to welcome friends for a visit.
To do this, sort through crayon boxes, and look for “almost used up” green crayons. Peel off the paper. Make crayon shavings in piles, by shade, from peeled crayons using a grater or a crayon sharpener.
Lay a sheet of wax paper, waxed side up, on a small stack of newspapers on an ironing board. Sprinkle the shavings evenly over the wax paper. Set a second sheet of wax paper on top, this time waxed side down. Cover with a lightweight cloth. Using an iron set at Warm, an adult may iron over the cloth until the shavings melt. Remove the cloth.
Make cutout shamrock shapes from your “stained glass” sheets. Glue string or fishing line to the top of each shamrock and hang by a window.
Tip: It’s easy to make a shamrock pattern by arranging three paper heart shapes with the points touching.