Kids will love the game “Smart Farmer” by Smart Games. The object of the game is to separate the different species of animals by creating pens. The excellent quality of this game is immediately visible and the pieces are very well crafted. The game features a game board that represents a meadow, two horses, two …
Hello everyone! I am Beaverly! I wanted to see my friends in Omega Park again. As it is winter now, you will see that the landscape is quite different. We will take a 12 km drive to discover Canadian wild animals like elk, bison, wolves, bears, etc. in their natural environment. The first friends I …
What to do when a giant nutcracker has been spending many Christmas seasons outside and its head begins to collapse? This is the story of Larry, one of the first builders of my nutcracker model. Actually, I should count him double because he made not one, but two giant nutcrackers that stand guard on either …
I bought this Lego box and wanted to show it to you. This box is interesting because it allows you to build different projects. You will also find a small instruction booklet with several construction ideas. But for me, the best part is that you can use the contents in so many ways. One of …
After moving three times, my skeleton lost its head and badly broke one leg! But luckily, with some basic surgery, I was able to fix it. Let’s start with the broken leg, near the hip. I cut a piece of cardboard of the right width and glued it to the back of the leg with …
Suzanne Gohier of Éditions Caméléa informed me that their website has free activities targeted at kids in grades 1 and 2, that are perfect for keeping children busy while they are confined to their home. These activities are based on books about Camelea, a very active little girl, her brother Carl and their friends. Reading …
The nutcracker tradition probably originates with the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written by German author E.T.A. Hoffman. This story was adapted for ballet by Alexandre Dumas and the music was created by the famous composer Tchaikovsky. Since The Nutcracker story takes place during Christmas, it’s easy to see how the elaborately carved …
For most people, Christmas weather is too cold for camping in Canada. So why not create the magic of Christmas in July? In fact, that is a tradition in many campgrounds across Quebec. This year, a group of campers, inspired by my book How to make a Giant Nutcracker, created not just one but four …
I am not a big fan of video games. I think children these days spend too much time in front of a screen rather than interacting with real-world objects. I am convinced that kids learn a lot more about geometry and spatial relationships by doing crafts that make them cut out shapes from cardboard, paint …
Saint Patrick is one of Ireland’s three patron saints, because he was the one who introduced the Christian religion to that island in the 5th century. Among the miracles he is given credit for is the fact that by the force of his prayers, he would have banished all snakes from Ireland. But should we …
Last November, the Animaplates team (my husband and I with our two cats) moved into a new home. I promised you, at that time, that I would share pictures of my new studio. After having organized the rest of the house (and celebrated Christmas and New Year), I finally have time to start organizing my …
Happy Year of the Pig! I am the twelfth and last sign of the Chinese Zodiac, because I arrived last when they were deciding on the order. It wasn’t my fault: I was sleeping and I didn’t hear the alarm clock. But if you’re born under my sign, that doesn’t mean you are lazy! You …