shelhop

I know this is a little too late for this year, but I have to share with you my idea that worked out great.
I made an "Advent Calendar" for my little ones that was relatively simple, and so exciting for them. Here's the best I can explain it:
I purchased a clear plastic shoe-keeper from a dollar store. The kind that hangs on a door, has pockets in it for each individual shoe. (Important: It has to have 24 pockets)
I purchased a plastic holiday door cover, also from the dollar store. Something with a really nice picture on it. Next, what you need to do is take about three pieces of poster board and measure them out so they will cover the shoe keeper. When you've cut them to the right dimensions, glue the holiday door cover on your poster board. (This is so you have a stiff piece of the picture to go in each pocket.)
Okay. So you've got a solid picture, the same dimensions as your shoe keeper, right? Measure the size of each individual pocket, and map it out on the back side of you picture. You're going to cut the picture up so you can fit one "card" in each slot, reassembling your picture inside the shoe keeper.
Once you've got it all in there, it again looks like a complete picture. Now you randomly take out one peice at a time, anywhere on the picture, turn it over and number it "1". Then replace it, leaving the number showing. Repeat this until you've done all 24 numbers.
That's all there is to it, except finding little "gifts" (candy or trinkets) to put in each pocket, behind the number. Starting on December 1st, your child will go to the corresponding number of the date, turn the number around so a peice of the "puzzle" is showing, and remove that day's prize.
I hung ours on the laundry room door this morning, and the girls got to do their first number before bedtime tonight. They loved this! They each got a little pair of earrings. And now they're trying to guess what the completed picture is going to be.
Anyhow, just thought I'd share. I love it when a project turns out well.

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If the mailman knew that my heart races when the UPS man comes by, would he still bring me freebies?