Home Show Ideas

Specific themes, designed to be used one at a time at each home show

1. Pencil-free Math! -- Highlight the Big Sticker Book of Math, Wrap-Ups, and Learning Palette

2. Science, Clean and Messy! - From 100 Science Experiments

a. Build a structure with raw spaghetti and marshmallows (Tell how many science skills are embedded with this activity!) -- This one was SO much fun! You should've seen all the things we made!

b. Gloop -- Cornstarch and water, and this was AMAZING! Karen made some in a container - it's a liquid and a solid at the same time - you HAVE to try this! She also put some in a zipped baggie and passed it around. SO cool!

3. "How would we cook if we didn't have an Usborne cookbook?" - That's a direct quote from Karen's 10-year-old SON (Yes, boys love to cook!) - Ahead of time, she and her sons made the Chocolate Brownies from the First Cookbook. They were crunchy on the outside and SO nice and soft and gooey on the inside! (One consultant from another team had said awhile back, "I'll never go back to Betty Crocker again!" which is a great line to use as a theme for this kind of activity.)

4. Fold It and Hold It (OR: Origami is for Everyone!) -- Each of us got a square piece of paper, and another of Karen's sons, the 8-year-old, demonstrated patiently how to make something from the spiral-bound Origami book. Even the non-craftiest people tonight were able to make it, and some of us were shocked that we could (me included)! We were very excited

5. Can You Draw People? -- Everyone was given paper and a pencil, and we drew the Cowboy from I Can Draw People, easier said than done! LOL -- We each had to name him and then add something unique that no one else would have in their drawing. When we were done, we went around the table and showed what we made, what his name was, and our unique thing -- it was amazing how creative each person was! -- Then as a last activity, we put the paper on top of our heads and tried to draw the Angel from the book. Yikes! That was funny!

Check out Beckey Thompson's 50 Literacy Activity Cards for more of these activities.

Other Fun Ideas

Chocolate Party Quiz from Becky Dean 5/2007

Banana Split Party or Ice Cream Sundae Party……it’s a draw but can be kind of distracting and messy.

Christmas in July or August – Highlight Christmas Books which are in July Catalog. If your hostess is inclined she can set up mini-Christmas tree. Lots of people are holiday shopping this early.

Come and Go Party – On the go? Juggling too many things at once? Have friends drop in and out in allotted time period. Drawing every 30 minutes.

Couples Party – this can work with a certain people. I one time had a hostess who had wine and cheese on a Friday night with mostly neighborhood friends. It was great.

Garden or Patio Party – Have your show in your garden or on the patio/deck.

Hawaiian Shirt Party – A bit of the Islands here on the mainland. Some Don Ho music, your favorite tropical drinks and a lei and you can have Hawaii in your living room. Guests who wear their favorite Hawaiian shirt will get a gift.

Mother/Daughter Party – Includes mothers-in-law, step-mothers, grandmothers etc.

Pool Party – Party around your pool.

Red, White & Blue Party – Celebrate the good old red white and blue. Prize for the best patriotic outfit.

Shower Party – What better way to give new parents a great start on their child’s library.

Tropical Drink Party – Get the blender out, bag the ice and let’s party. Serve various tropical drinks and unwind with friends

Favorite Usborne Books Party – Give everyone an extra raffle ticket or two for bringing their favorite Usborne Books. Have guest share about their book and they do the selling for you.

Halloween Party – Challenge your guest to come in costume and earn a gift. Goodie bags given to all who bring a friend. Serve apple cider, pumpkin pie or candy apples.

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