TOP-10 Cool School Fair Ideas on Pinterest

School fairs made easier with Pinterest
I've been in charge of organizing many school fairs when my kids were in elementary school, and it was always a pleasure. But I knew where to get good ideas.

Magazines websites, moms' blogs, teachers' tips, dollar store escapades, all came to the rescue. But now, thanks to Pinterest, I can collect the ideas I find most interesting, based on my experience "in the trenches", on my board School Fair & Party & Fundraising (updated March 2014) under the account pinterest.com/Nathalie Prezeau.

They are suggestions (relatively simple and inexpensive) which I feel would be a big hit with kids as a School Fair activity or as a classroom project to decorate the school prior to an event. Many ideas would also work for kids parties at home.

Note that you need to have an account with Pinterest to be able to access these links. It's easy and it's free. Simply go to pinterest.com.

My TOP-10 favourite school fair activities with my comments:
(You'll find these activities and more on my board)

• a cardboard labyrinth
• snakes made out of a tie
• Hoola Hoop decoration
• melting wax collective art
• cardboard drive-in theatre
• magnetic fish made out of solitary socks
• helium balloon tent
• recycled plastic igloo
• no-sand box for little cars
• car wash fun

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Useful blogs for crafting

When I wrote a post about Creative Bag, I didn't know they had a blog. And a very good one! 

It includes posts and tutorials on how to get the most out of some of the products they carry in their store (how to decorate their clear metal pails, how to sew on paper bags, etc). They also offer free labels to download.

They promote free workshops (with limited space, you need to register) presented in the store by artist Lorrie Everitt (another one with a fab blog!).

Finally, they've archived all their posts under an exhaustive list of categories (check the Labels section on the right-hand side of their page).

Here's the link to this useful blog on blogspot.

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About parking in Toronto: Green P

When I'm not sure where to park around a specific attraction in Toronto, I like to know where's the closest Green P parking lot. You can see them all around the city and they usually are the next best thing (cost wise) to a free street parking spot (unless you're parallel-parking challenged).

 (I saw this sign in NYC last fall. Clever marketing! N.P.)

On their website, you can find a parking lot by address, intersection or venue. Simply go to parking.greenp.com, write down your info and click "Go".

Your starting point (intersection, specific venue or address) will show as a red dot and you'll see all the options marked with a (what else?) green P, with a list on the left hand menu where the options can be sorted by distance or by price.

Click on any green P on the resulting map and a window will pop up with more information such as the number of spaces, height restrictions and a photo of the parking lot so you can recognize it at sight when you get there. Click a link in the window and you will get even more info like the accepted modes of payment and the maximum daily rate.

They even have an app for that! (Updated Nov. 17, 2012)