Archive for May 2009
Decrotive Switch Plates
Posted on: May 26, 2009
(I first did this craft when I decorated the rooms. Then I decided to let the boys do their own. If you don’t care what it looks like, just plunk down a bunch of stickers. If you have a theme, only give them those stickers. Or else chaos reigns. And as long as there is chaos, there is fun.)
Things you need:
¨ Switch plate
¨ Stickers
¨ Clear nail polish
¨ Screw driver (regular head)
Either use the existing switch plate or buy a new one.
A Switch plate (not to be confused with a switch pitcher)
Wash the switch plate. Have the child decorate it with stickers.
Stickered
Coat with clear nail polish because it is easy to clean when on and the cheapest, most on hand sealer. Screw switch plate in place.
Ones I did with a theme
Sticker Aquariums
Posted on: May 25, 2009
(This is a very easy craft and non-messy. The boys loved doing this so much that we’ve done it several times and I’m working on new ideas.)
Things you need:
- Blue construction paper (or water looking scrapbook paper)
- Sea stickers
- Markers (optional)
- Plastic wrap
- Tape
Give the child the piece of paper and the stickers to create an underwater theme.
Pretty water paper (blue construction paper works just as well)
If the child wants, (s)he can draw seaweed, sand, and any other sea creatures.
No markers here
When the child is done, cover the paper with plastic wrap to give the illusion that one is looking into an aquarium. Tape the plastic wrap onto the paper.
A "wrapped" aqurium. Notice the feeding frenzy in the top one?
Gift Bags
Posted on: May 25, 2009
- In: Easy Crafts | Gift Crafts
- 2 Comments
(Sometimes you just want to spruce up that gift bag, and sometimes you need an activity for a party. I first did these with elementary school children at a Halloween party with all kinds of art supplies. Then we did them at Sean’s birthday party with two three-year-olds and a two-year-old. Every child I have done this with has enjoyed it.)
Things you need:
- Plain gift bags (any color)
- Crayons, markers, stickers, glitter, glue, what ever you want to decorate with
Give a bag to the child. Let the child decorate it. (Totally easy and potentially mess free.)
Can you figure out who did what?
Another example
Decorate a tote
Posted on: May 22, 2009
(This project may be a bit advance for younger children as I used a stencil to decorate the tote. Of course, I’m all for handing over the fabric paints and letting kids go wild. I made this tote for my nephew’s birthday to replace a gift bag. Evan liked it so much that he wants one. You can make one with any theme or let the child do it. I liked how it turned out. And yes, it was fun.)
Things you need:
- Tote
- Stencil
- Fabric paints
- Paint brushes
Note: I used red, blue, and black fabric paint. You can add water to dilute the paint if you would like. Any type of stencils would work.
Lay the tote flat. Place stencil down on tote. You may tape it to keep it from moving. Holding the stencil firmly paint within the stencil.
I hope a black skull looks as good as a white one.
It is easy for paint to soak under the stencil, so you must hold it firmly.
Well, I wish I had yellow paint.
It is best to let the print dry before using another stencil in case you have to overlap.
Hmm, not bad, but it's missing something.
I used the tip of the handle of the brush to write the words.
Do the letters look straight?
Rock Paper Holders
Posted on: May 20, 2009
(Did I mention we picked up a lot of rocks on our nature walk? We decided to make some paper weights. We made some a few months ago for their grandparents. We glued on some of those half-marbles. This time Sean decided on shells from a shell lei. This is an easy project for 12 month old on up.)
Things you need:
- Rocks
- Smock
- Paint or markers
- Glue
- Glitter (optional)
- Shells, buttons, plastic gems, beads, whatever you like to add
Go on a rock hunt with the kids. Wash and dry the rocks. Have the child decorate the rock.
Painting and glittering a rock
Coloring a rock with markers
Let the rock dry. Glue on the little knick knacks.
Rock with shells
Pet Rocks
Posted on: May 19, 2009
(There’s nothing like a pet, especially a pet rock. We have a great time looking for rocks. Then we wash them, dry them, and decorate them. The boys love rock hunting. They enjoy the painting too. This is a fun, easy project. And you can do it over and over because you can make all kinds of pets.)
Things you need:
- Smock
- Rocks
- Paint (or markers)
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Random other stuff like buttons, plastic gems, shells, whatever you want to add (optional)
Find some rocks with the kids. Have the child wash the rock. Allow the rock to dry. Have the child paint the rock (or color it).
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- Evan’s rock
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- Sean’s Rock
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- My rock
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- Evan’s tiger rock and my rock (not pictured: Sean’s rock, which was in his hands)
Allow the rock to dry. You can have the child decorate the rock with markers. (Evan made a tiger rock. I messed around.) Glue on eyes.
If you want to make you pet rock more unique, glue on other fun stuff.
Finger-painting and confetti
Posted on: May 18, 2009
(Some days you just don’t know what to do with the kids. How about some paint, glitter, and confetti? The boys loved this. It’s actually one of those duh crafts, but sometimes we need a little help thinking outside the crayon box. Basically we were sitting at the bank, and Evan pointed out finger-painting pictures with confetti. He loved them, so I thought why not. This will also work on little toddlers.)
Things you need:
- Paint
- Confetti
- Glitter
- Smock
- Paint brushes (optional)
- Glue (optional)
- Paper (newsprint is great for projects like this)
Set up the craft, and then let the kid just create!
Evan working on his master piece
Sean's work in progress
Tada
Natural Collage
Posted on: May 15, 2009
(This is another craft we’ve done twice. Since we recently moved to another city with completely different vegetation, I thought this was a great way to learn more about the plants in the area. The boys just LOVE picking flowers and leaves. This is an easy craft that the boys like doing. There is no mess. I found this craft at Family Fun, which is a great site. Note to self, must add a blog roll. Also you can flatten the materials, but if you don’t the buds can rot. Younger children, like around 12 months to 18 months, easily get stuck to the contact paper.)
Things you need:
¨ Plant material
¨ Clear contact paper
¨ Marker
¨ Scissors
¨ Hole puncher (optional)
¨ Ribbon (optional)
Go hunting with your child for interesting art material. Trace the shape of your collage on the clear contact paper. (I like circles, so I traced a plate.) Don’t cut out the shape, but do cut around it. Peel the paper. Have the child decorate inside the shape with the plant trimmings.
Sean puts on the buds
Cover the trimmings with another piece of contact paper.
Evan prefers a larger variety. Notice the covered collage.
Cut the shape out. If you would like, punch a hole in the collage and tie a ribbon through the hole. I’m easy; I hung them up on our window with tape.
Aren't they pretty?
Pom Pom Caterpillar
Posted on: May 14, 2009
(These are really fun to make and play with. We’ve actually done these twice. Evan loves to play with what he makes. Sean just likes to get messy as he makes things. This is an easy craft, and it is not very messy.)
Things you need:
- Six to seven 1 in pom poms
- Popsicle stick
- Glue
- Black marker or goggly eyes
- Mini pom poms (optional)
- Magnet (optional)
Have the child put glue on the Popsicle stick.
Gluing the pom poms
Have the child place pom poms on the stick.
Making a colorful bug
Have the child mark the eyes with a marker or help the child glue the eyes. Glue the mini pom poms on the head for antenna. If you would like, glue a magnet on the bottom of the stick when the caterpillar is dry.
Two cute caterpillars crawling along
Cheese Crisp
Posted on: May 8, 2009
(It’s every local dish, like the neighborhood as my husband says. Anyways, it’s a lot of fun to make and to eat. I figured I throw some recipes on the blog, since I have such a hard time finding easy to make recipes for toddlers.)
Things you need:
- Tortilla
- About a cup of shredded cheddar cheese (If you like another kind, try it and let me know how it tastes.)
- Butter
- Butter knife (or spatula as my mom suggested for younger kids)
- Pizza pan
- Foil (optional, I just don’t like to wash more dishes than I need to)
- Pizza cutter or knife
Preheat oven to 350°. Wrap the pizza pan with foil. Place the tortilla on the pan. Have the child butter the tortilla.
Evan buttering without a spatuala
Have the child sprinkle the tortilla with cheese until it is covered.
You missed a spot
Leave a small area around the tortilla like a crust.
Mmm, cheese
Place in the oven for five to ten minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the tortilla are golden.
Waiting is the hardest part
Remove from oven.
Don't freak out. The cheese will go back to normal.
Cut pieces and serve.
Yum, now I'm hungry.
Faemom Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers and Kids 