crafts

Watermelon-Inspired Banner Craft

July 31, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Summers are short in our part of the world! And so at this time of the year, we savor every moment of the season. This watermelon-inspired banner craft loaded with stripes expresses an appreciation of warm summer days perfectly. It is easy for little learners to create, and requires very little preparation time.

Stripes always make a statement, whether in art, fashion, or home décor. Early learners get practice drawing horizontal ones in this fruit-inspired craft.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for the watermelon-inspired banner:

broad line markers in shades of green, red, pink, and black
8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock paper
black adhesive gems
green yarn
wiggly eyes
scissors
ruler
single hole punch
white glue
glue paddle

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Making The Watermelon-Inspired Banner Craft

Celebrate the summer season with a low prep, easy-to-make watermelon-inspired banner craft. This is an all-ages papercraft.

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This watermelon-inspired banner requires minimal preparation. The craft is great to introduce on a day you are short on time.

Just give each child participating a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11-inch white cardstock paper and broad line markers in shades of green, red, and pink.

Then, demonstrate how to draw horizontal stripes in green hues on the top of the paper, and red and pink ones on the rest. The lines do not need to be perfectly straight.

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After everyone has added stripes to their paper base, write a word or saying on each piece of art using a black felt pen. Word choices on the featured art projects are:

Hello Summer
Sweet Summer
Happy Summer
Aloha

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Choose one of the following three ways to finish the bottom of the hanging banner craft:

Have children cut a triangle shape from the bottom edge to make a pennant design.
Have children cut a fringe on the bottom using scissors.
Help children punch holes on the bottom and thread through a green yarn fringe.

As a finishing touch, invite little learners to add adhesive gem “watermelon seeds” to their craft.

Embrace the summer season with this low prep, easy-to-make watermelon-inspired banner craft. This is an all-ages papercraft.

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Happy Summer Banner Craft

For the “Happy Summer” banner theme, invite early learners to add two wiggly eyes with white craft glue after drawing the stripes. Then have them draw on a smile with a black broad line marker. A few black adhesive gems can be added afterward.

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This striped watermelon-inspired banner craft adds color and style to any area when displayed, and makes a celebratory summer decoration.

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[Read more…]

DIY Grey Wolf Softie

July 14, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky 1 Comment

Make this adorable grey wolf softie today! A free pattern and tutorial, wolf facts, and book suggestions are included.

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This charming DIY grey wolf softie is ready to be included in storytime or play. It is an entry for #sewasoftie on Instagram, and part of a tutorial hop organized by Trixie Symonds on her amazing “Sew A Softie” website. The theme for the July 2022 softie sewing projects is “magic.”

It seems like a poor fit for a wolf softie to be part of a magic theme. After all, wolves are depicted as anything but magical in many storybooks. They are usually hungry villains that are devising a plan to eat one or more of the other characters for dinner!

Although super entertaining, these books give wolves a negative reputation. But there is a trend wherein authors write stories that portray wolves as more sympathetic. The tales “pull out the magic rather than the madness” in their wolf characters. And that’s how wolves, including my softie, fit into the 2022 “magic” theme for the current “Sew A Softie” topic.

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Supplies To Collect

To craft the wolf softie, gather together the following supplies:

9 x 12 inch felt sheet of white glitter felt, and a same-sized sheet of black glitter felt
three 9 x 12-inch sheets of grey felt
white and black embroidery thread
embroidery needle
sewing pins
polyester fiber fill
two small black buttons
scissors
white glue
glue paddle
wolf softie pattern

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Making The Grey Wolf Softie

Download this pattern to make the wolf. You may wish to make yours slightly bigger. If so, enlarge the pattern using a photocopier.

Free wolf softie pattern to download for an easy sewing project.

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Wolf-Softie-Pattern Download

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Cut two heads, two bodies. and a tail out of grey felt. Snip a chest, two ears, and two tail tips from white. Cut a heart nose from the sheet of black.

Note: You’ll have most of the black felt left over, but it will be useful for other projects, such as this lovely star wand by @life.with.moon.and.co.

Steps to make an adorable grey wolf softie. A free pattern and tutorial, wolf facts, and book suggestions are included.

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Using white glue and a glue paddle, adhere the ears and nose to the front piece of the head, and the white chest to the front section of the body. Then glue a white tip to both sides of the tail.

Using black embroidery thread, stitch on the button eyes. With a back stitch, add on a mouth. Then stitch on eyebrows to give the wolf a little more character. You can lightly pencil in dots and lines on the felt first to mark where the facial features should go.

Note: You can change the formation of the mouth and eyebrows to give your wolf a unique expression.

Then, attach the tail to the back of the body with a running stitch. Stitch the white chest on the front.

Afterward, pin the front and back head pieces together and stitch around the sides and top. Leave an opening at the neck.

Next, pin the heads to the bodies, and the front to the back. Make sure all pieces match and are ready for sewing.

With a running stitch, fasten the head and body parts together.

Using the same stitch, go around the body of the wolf, leaving an opening for the fiber fill.

Note: The thread color for most of this wolf is white. Black or grey thread works well too.

Stuff the wolf with polyester fiber fill.

Finally, sew closed the opening in the wolf.

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Good Books Featuring Wolves

This wolf softie could make its first appearance just before or after reading a few storybooks to children featuring wolves. It would be a handy accessory for retelling stories. Below is a list of delightful storybooks to share. In each one, the supporting characters succeed in “pulling out the magic rather than the madness” out of the wolf.

The Wolf, The Duck, And The Mouse by Mac Barnett
Brenda Is A Sheep by Morag Hood
Sheepish by Helen Yoon
When A Wolf Is Hungry by Christine Naumann-Villemin
The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza
Little Wise Wolf by Gijs van der Hammen
The Girl And The Wolf by Katherena Vermette

Two notable books about little wolves are:

The Way Home For Wolf by Rachel Bright
Little Wolf’s First Howling by Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Kate Harvey McGee

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An adorable grey wolf softie sewing project that is easy to do. A free pattern and tutorial, wolf facts, and book suggestions are included.

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Ten Wolf Facts

Sharing positive characteristics about wolves helps in understanding their magic. Here are ten fascinating wolf facts:

Wolves are the largest member of the dog family.
Grey is the most common wolf color.
Living in packs, wolves are social creatures who mate for life.
Female wolves have four to six pups at a time.
Recognized as a “keystone species,” wolves play an instrumental role in keeping nature in balance.
Wolves help control deer and elk populations, and this benefits many plant and animal species.
They are good at working as a team when hunting.
Their leftovers are prime food for many scavengers such as birds, bears, and beetles.
When the animal carcasses decompose, they add valuable nutrients to the soil.
Wolves are afraid of people and are not known to attack them. Killing livestock isn’t common.

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Sewing a softie is a rewarding experience. Learning new skills, using unique materials, creating a design or following a pattern, practicing eye-hand coordination, and having a cuddly finished project to cherish are all benefits. Include this grey wolf softie on your list of crafts to try!

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To learn more about sewing softies, check out the book Sewing Simple Softies by Trixi Symonds and Deborah Fisher.

[Read more…]

Space Father’s Day Craft

June 18, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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If you need a last-minute Father’s Day craft that brings a WOW factor, this Space Father’s Day craft is for you! Your child will love using pompoms in the craft.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

This whole craft can be made in construction paper and/or painted paper, but will look extra special with the following supplies:

12-inch x 12-inch dark blue or black construction paper
pompoms in various colors
cardstock in white and shades of yellow
white glitter cardstock
gold glitter cardstock
star paper punch
scissors
white glue
glue stick
double-sided tape
black felt pen

An easy-to-make Father's Day craft. A glittery spaceship and pompom planets are the highlights of the craft.

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Preparing The Craft

First, cut a spaceship from white iridescent cardstock, and “steam” from gold glitter cardstock. Glue together.

Next, with a star paper punch, punch stars from white and yellow cardstock.

Then gather a selection of pompoms in various colors and sizes to represent planets in our solar system.

Add double-sided tape to the back of the spaceship. This will give it a raised look on the craft, helping it stand out.

Finally, write a Father’s Day greeting and the words “You help me soar” with a black felt pen on strips of white cardstock, or use computer-printed messages.

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Making The Space Father’s Day Craft

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Invite your child to adhere the spaceship to a sheet of dark blue or black 12-inch square cardstock. This size paper gives a nice large canvas to work on.

Add glue to a small food container lid or paper plate. Have your child dip their pompom planets in glue and stick them around the spacecraft on the paper. Your child will love the chance to use soft, fluffy pompoms.

Ask your child to adhere punched stars in the sky with a glue stick.

Glue the Father’s Day greetings to the picture where there is space to do so.

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This colorful, easy craft can be made for a father or a father figure for Father’s Day. Or it can be adapted to give to a special person any time of the year.

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Related: Super Hero Activities

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[Read more…]

Easter Transient Art

April 17, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Here are three easy Easter transient art activities using egg, chick, and bunny designs as a base. They’ll add color and style to any Easter or spring theme.

Set out these adorable, party-ready Easter transient art activities using easy-to-find supplies. The activities also work for a spring theme.

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What Is Transient Art?

Transient art is non-permanent art using craft materials and/or loose parts. It is open-ended and process-oriented. The art can be designed and redesigned by the same child, or by different children. It allows children to be creative in a non-threatening environment.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following for these Easter transient art activities:

wood canvas boards
wall art frames
undecorated wood bunny, chick, and egg plaques
circle, flower, and butterfly paper punches
turquoise, green, yellow, orange, pink, and purple cardstock paper
12-inch x 18-inch yellow, pink, and blue construction paper
glue stick
scissors
pencil

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The Easter Transient Art Process

Adorable, party-ready bunny and egg transient art activities using easy-to-find supplies. The activities also work for a spring theme.

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First, select inexpensive unfinished wood plaques with an Easter or spring theme. The bunny, egg, and chick plaques featured here were purchased at a Dollar store. I was originally looking for just a bunny, but was excited to happen upon all three designs!

Next, pick wooden canvas boards and/or wall art frames that are slightly bigger than the plaques.

Then cut 12-inch x 18-inch construction paper in colors of choice to fit inside the frames or canvas board backs.

Punch out flowers and butterflies from spring-colored cardstock. Punch circles and glue contrasting colored ones to the flower centers.

Lastly, set the plaques on a table in frames or canvases, and add the paper punched shapes.

Set up this Easter egg transient art invitation for your child today! An easy, non-threatening spring activity.

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Invite children to pick an egg, chick, or bunny design to decorate with paper shapes.

Oh, so pretty spring chick transient art activity using easy-to-find supplies. A permanent artwork can also be created.

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Oh, so pretty Easter bunny transient art activity using easy-to-find supplies. A permanent artwork can also be created.

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Oh, so pretty Easter egg transient art activity using easy-to-find supplies. A permanent artwork can also be created.

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Tips:

For an economical alternative, a homemade cardstock frame can be used instead of the canvas board or art frames.
And die cut, foam, and felt craft supply butterflies and flowers can be substituted for paper punched ones.

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Permanent Art Projects

After children have had a chance to create transient art projects, they may wish to complete a finished work. White glue could be used to adhere the flowers and butterflies to the plaques. Or you could offer cardstock bunnies, chicks, and eggs as templates.

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Oh, so pretty Easter chick transient art activity using easy-to-find supplies. A permanent artwork can also be created.

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Oh, so pretty spring bunny transient art activity using easy-to-find supplies. A permanent artwork can also be created.

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[Read more…]

Jelly Bean Theme

April 16, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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A few weeks ago, I set out to make an Easter display that would work for a wall art tree. I thought of incorporating the “Jelly Bean Prayer,” and wondered if there was such a thing as a jelly bean tree. To my delight, an online search revealed a variety of references to “jelly bean tree,” and provided inspiration for other activities. So in addition to changing up the display, I came up with this fun and tasty Jelly Bean Theme. The post includes free printables and a few facts about the colorful candy.

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10 Jelly Bean Facts

Jelly beans are bite-sized candies with hard, crunchy shells and soft, chewy centers.
These sweet candies are associated with Easter in Canada and the United States.
Part of the appeal is their egg shape and tiny size. This makes them terrific Easter egg fillers.
There are eight basic colors and flavors, which often have a fruity taste.
Over time, jelly beans were created in many different color schemes, often matching seasonal celebrations.
Jelly beans became popular in the 1960s.
The most common order for eating the candies is: red, purple, green, yellow, and black.
Jelly beans are used as an art medium, and there are mosaic art pieces made with them.
President Ronald Reagan liked them a lot, so artist Peter Rocha made a jelly bean portrait of the president.
There is a National Jelly Bean Day (in the US) on April 22.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Jelly Bean Theme Activities

There are a number of easy, educational jellybean activities to do at home or school.

Tasting Jelly Beans

Give participants jelly beans in the colors red, purple, green, yellow, and black. Chart the order each child eats the jellybeans.

What order would you eat these jelly beans in? Try this candy tasting activity and record the results.

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Incorporate language and math sequencing by describing color and taste, and using words such as first, next, and last.

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Jelly Bean Sorting

Invite children to sort jelly beans by color. This flower-shaped paint palette is perfect for individual color sorting.

A flower-shaped paint palette makes the perfect tray to sort jelly beans by color.

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Candies On Display

Jelly beans look attractive stored in mason jars. The filled jars could be part of a tablescape display or food table.

Store jelly beans in jars for a tablescape or food table display. Have a "Guess The Number Of Jelly Beans In The Jar" contest.

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How Many Jelly Beans Are In The Jar?

Fill a jar with jelly beans, and have participants guess the number of candies in the jar. Then count the jellybeans together. For early learners, a baby food jar or small bottle would be a good size to use.

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Cupcake Liner Easter Party Favors

Add pipe cleaner handles to sturdy Easter-themed cupcake liners. Fill the liners with Easter-colored jelly beans and hand them out as Easter basket party favors. Or fill plastic Easter eggs with jelly beans.

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Jelly Bean Prayer Wall Display

Over-sized paper jelly beans for a "Jelly Bean Prayer" tree display. Download the free printable for art, book-making, and display opportunities.

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Download this free template for a Jelly Bean Prayer tree display. I used it to cut out large jelly beans from different colors of cardstock paper. Then I wrote a line of the prayer on each one and added them to a tree theme wall display.

Download this oversized jelly bean template for art, book-making, and display use.

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Jelly Bean PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Jelly Bean Art

Use this same printable for children to paint or color and cut out gigantic paper jelly beans.

Or have children dictate or write a page for a jelly bean storybook, and then decorate the background.

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J Is For Jelly Bean Craft

Invite children to glue jelly beans onto a paper letter J. How fun!

"J Is For Jelly Beans" in this tasty craft. Reinforce the letter J sound with this fun and easy activity.

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Jelly Bean Tree Craft

Print copies of this tree template on white cardstock paper. Set them on an art table along with white glue and jelly beans. Invite children to glue jelly beans on the tree.

This could also be a transient art activity offered in a tray.

How fun! Decorate a tree template with jelly beans. Glue the tasty candies on for a finished project. Free tree printable available.

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Jelly Bean Artists

There are artists who work with jelly beans as a medium, or as a subject in their art. Who knew?

Peter Rocha and Kristen Cummings are two notable jelly bean artists. Their creations can be viewed on the Jelly Belly Company’s “The Jelly Belly Bean Art Gallery” web page. Their candy art can also be viewed on my Pinterest Board Jelly Bean Kids Activities/Jelly Bean Artists.

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Storybooks Incorporating Jelly Beans

The flavorful candies make an entertaining subject for storybooks. Here are a few books incorporating jelly beans:

Arthur’s Jelly Beans by Marc Brown

Arthur and his friends participate in a “Spring Fling” party, which includes a jelly bean hunt of course!

Jellybean Mouse by Philip Roy

Happy the mouse isn’t excited to go on a laundromat errand but discovers a jellybean machine once there. The day’s adventure becomes just the excitement the spunky mouse is seeking.

The Jellybeans And The Big Dance by Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans

A group of girls with different interests meet at a dance studio, and slowly become friends. They eventually discover that just as jellybeans come in different flavors but go well together, they get along great. They decide to call themselves “The Jellybeans.”

There are three more books in this friendship and team-building series:

The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza
The Jellybeans and the Big Camp Kickoff
The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure

Jelly Bean Tree by Toni Yuli

This story isn’t about jelly beans, but the main character, a giraffe, is called Jelly Bean. It’s reason enough to include the colorfully illustrated, endearing story in the theme.

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[Read more…]

Spring Bunny Wreath Craft

April 14, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Make this adorable spring bunny paper plate craft with easy-to-find supplies. A jelly bean necklace is a finishing touch.

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Here’s a simple spring bunny wreath craft that’s perfect for the Easter season, but also celebrates spring. Along with a bunny, flowers, and butterflies, it incorporates jelly beans, fitting for National Jelly Bean Day!

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Supplies To Collect

Easy to gather supplies to make an adorable spring bunny wreath craft.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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For this sweet, floral craft project, gather the following:

white paper plate
cardstock in spring colors
flower, butterfly, and circle paper punches
white or tan cardstock
pink pompom
wiggly eyes
needle and thread
jelly beans
glue stick
white glue or glue gun
scissors
thin black felt pen

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Making The Spring Bunny Wreath Craft

Craft this adorable spring bunny wreath with easy-to-find supplies.

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First, cut the center from a paper plate.

Next, punch flowers, butterflies, and circles from spring-colored cardstock. Using a glue stick, adhere contrasting circle centers to some of the flowers.

Then glue butterflies and flowers around the paper plate rim.

Trace and cut a bunny head from white or tan cardstock. (A white bunny is perfect for Easter, but a grey or brown one will take the craft into spring.) Download this free template if desired.

Download this bunny head template to make a spring bunny wreath craft.

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Bunny Head PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Then draw two curved lines for the bunny mouth, and add whiskers.

Afterward, glue on the wiggly eyes and a pink pompom nose.

Lastly, adhere the paper bunny to the bottom back of the wreath using white glue or a glue gun.

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Adding The Jelly Bean Necklace

For a unique crafting experience, make a colorful and tasty jelly bean necklace for the bunny:

Pull a long piece of thread through a sturdy sewing needle.
Thread on jelly beans in a pattern of choice, or add them randomly.
Tie off the ends of the thread when the necklace is the desired length.
String the necklace around the bunny’s neck.

String a jelly bean necklace to wear or use in a craft. A super fun activity with pattern-making possibilities.

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Tip: For young children, the necklace could be prepared in advance. Or little learners could dictate which color jellybeans to thread on a necklace as you make one for them.

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Making this jelly bean necklace was easier than I thought it would be. I was sure that I would poke my fingers more than once. But thankfully I didn’t!

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This paper plate bunny wreath will brighten up any space, The jelly bean necklace is the highlight of the craft.

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Craft this adorable spring bunny wreath with easy-to-find supplies. A jelly bean necklace is a finishing touch.

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Related: Jelly Bean Theme

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The spring colors in the wreath are so welcome at a time of year when some days are bright and sunny, but others are grey and overcast. And I’m so ready for flowers and butterflies since we’ve had more than our share of snow this year!

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Shamrock Paper Plate Lion

March 14, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Today while completing a St. Patrick’s Day wreath craft a child held the circular frame to his face and said “lion mask.” Right then and there the idea for this adorable shamrock paper plate lion was formed. After all, shamrocks are perfect lion mane material!

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

There are just a few supplies to gather for this roarsome craft:

white paper plate
wiggly eyes
black felt pen
white glue
glue paddle
large sticker shamrocks

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Making The Shamrock Paper Plate Lion

Steps to create a roarsome shamrock paper plate lion perfect for St. Patrick's Day. The craft can also be turned into a mask.

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First, draw a lion’s mouth on a paper plate with a black felt pen.

Next, add a small shamrock sticker nose.

Then glue on two wiggly eyes.

Afterward, draw on whiskers.

Lastly, add a mane using shamrock stickers.

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Note: Paper cut shamrocks can be used if it is difficult to find the sticker variety. And yellow and orange shamrocks would make good substitutes for green ones.

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Lion Craft Variation

Instead of using wiggly eyes, cut out oval eyes to turn this craft into a St. Patrick’s Day lion puppet. Add a chopstick or drinking straw handle for the finishing touch.

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10 Lion Facts

After the craft is completed, share a few lion facts with participants:

Lions live together in groups called prides.
Most lions live in grasslands and savannahs in Africa.
These powerful animals can run fast, jump far, and see very well.
Only male lions have manes, which grow darker with age.
Female lions do most of the hunting. They work as a team to catch their prey.
Lions hunt large animals such as zebras, wildebeests, antelopes, and buffaloes. They will also eat smaller prey like mice, birds, hares, lizards and tortoises.
The loud roar of a lion can be heard miles away.
Lion cubs are tiny and weigh about 3 pounds.
Lions are a symbol of strength, courage, fierceness, and power.

For more interesting lion facts, view the blogpost Lion Facts by factanimal.com.

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A roarsome shamrock paper plate lion to create for St. Patrick's Day. The craft can also be turned into a mask.

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If you are on the prowl for a simple, unique St. Patrick’s Day craft for your early learners to make, this shamrock paper plate lion is the one for you. Why not give it a try?

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[Read more…]

Three Black History Month Crafts

February 26, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Three vibrant, easy-to-make Black History Month crafts. Pick one or all three paper crafts to celebrate the theme.

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These three, easy Black History Month crafts feature ribbons in vibrant patterns and colors and lots of hearts! I’ve always admired the rich-toned clothing that black people can wear. And they absolutely shine adorned with metallic gold and silver jewelry. They can get away with so many color schemes that elude me because of my fair skin!

The bold fabric colors and patterns not only look striking but carry meaning in African culture. The designs are a means of storytelling, communicating messages from particular people groups. Textiles are also used as backdrops for important public ceremonies. And they are dynamic collectible artworks.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Kindness Heart Wreath

This wreath with skin-toned hearts communicates that all lives matter and that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness.

Black History Month ribbon and skin-toned hearts are the highlights of this easy-to-make "kindness" wreath craft.

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Supplies to Gather:

9-inch paper plate
cardstock in skin tones
Black History Month ribbon
heart paper punch
glue stick
glue gun

Cut out the center of the paper plate, and cut or punch hearts in skin tones from cardstock.

Invite your little learner to glue hearts around the paper plate rim, leaving a little room at the top or bottom.

Cut a 26-inch piece of ribbon. Tie it into a bow and glue it on the top or bottom of the wreath with a hot glue gun.

Note: The hearts could also be punched from Black History Month colors: black, red, yellow, and green.

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Heart Banner Craft

The same skin-toned hearts can be used to decorate an attractive, display-worthy banner honoring Black History Month.

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Supplies To Gather

9 x l2-inch sheet of fade-resistant construction paper
thin Black History Month ribbon
12-inch strip of jute twine
black felt pen
scissors
glue stick
glue gun

Choose a color of construction paper that complements the ribbon. Cut a triangle out of one end.

With a hot glue gun, add a ribbon edge to the top and bottom of the sturdy paper.

Write the words “Black History Month” in the center.

Invite your little learner to glue skin-toned hearts around the words.

Use a hot glue gun to adhere the jute twine to the upper back of the craft for a hanger.

Hang the craft project on a wall as a banner.

Note: The words on the banner can be changed to “Kindness Matters” or “Everyone Is Special.” This would make the craft project suitable for any time of the year.

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Black History Month Heart

This heart craft takes full advantage of the vibrant, geometrically patterned ribbon, and looks striking on display.

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Supplies To Gather

two pieces of 9 x 12-inch fadeless construction paper
heart tracer
Black History Month ribbon in various colors, patterns, and widths
plain ribbon
glue stick
hot glue gun
scissors

Steps to make a stunning Black History Month heart craft to honor the important celebration.

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Cut ribbon into strips that are about 13 inches long.

Help your little learner pick and glue pieces of ribbon to one sheet of paper using a glue stick.

Afterward, trim the ribbon so it is even with the paper edges with a good pair of scissors.

Using a heart tracer, cut a large heart from the other piece of construction paper.

With a hot glue gun, adhere the cut paper outline to the fabric enhanced paper. Display the finished project on a wall with the caption “Black History Month.”

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These three ethnic ribbon-enhanced crafts would look amazing displayed as a group. Each individual craft would work wonderfully as a classroom project.

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[Read more…]

Ladybug Wand Craft

February 13, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Last month my preschoolers made simple snowflake wands to coordinate with winter and “Frozen” activities. The crafted wands generated lots of enthusiasm, and children were excited to use them in play. Because of their exuberant response, I decided to offer similar projects in the future. This ladybug wand craft is the next one we will do. I’m sure my little learners will enjoy making it, and I think yours will too!

With wings cut from a heart, this cute craft fits in perfectly with Valentine’s Day but could be offered in spring or any other time of the year.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this buggy craft, gather the following:

red and black cardstock
black adhesive gems
red and white thin ribbon
wiggly eyes
straws
glue stick
glue gun
scissors

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Making The Ladybug Wand Craft

Steps to make a cute ladybug wand craft early learners will love to help create and play with.

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First, cut large circular ladybug bodies from black cardstock, and similar-sized hearts from red. Then cut the red hearts in half to become wings.

Snip a few kinds of ribbon into strands about the length of a straw. Hot glue the ribbon strands to the top of the straws.

Then invite children to add black adhesive gem spots to a pair of red wings, and adhere them to their circle with a glue stick.

Afterward, they can add a pair of wiggly eyes.

Finally, glue the ladybugs to the top of the straws and invite crafters to play with their wands.

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Ladybug Facts

Ladybugs are well-loved by children. Even when they don’t especially like other insects, little learners are usually excited to hold a dainty ladybug and study it closely. Here are facts to share with little ones when they spot ladybugs while playing.

Ladybugs are a kind of beetle and can be found in a variety of habitats.
There are more than 5000 kinds of ladybugs.
Although shiny, red and black spotted dome shaped ladybugs are most familiar in North America, these adored creatures come in a variety of bright colors.
Ladybugs have from five to twenty spots, which can fade over time.
Their colors and spots help warn predators that they are not pleasant to eat.
With their six feet and two antennae, ladybugs smell and look for food. They use their front legs to clean their heads and antennae.
Their two eyes can distinguish between dark and light, but ladybugs don’t see well.
A pair of colorful hard, top wings protect two transparent, veined inner flying wings.
Ladybugs help the environment by eating pesky bugs such as aphids and mites, and spreading pollen.

A host of ladybug facts to share with early learners.

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Birds are huge predators. Other animals that like to eat ladybugs are frogs, lizards, wasps, spiders, and dragonflies.
In addition to flashing their spots and bright colors, ladybugs secrete oily, stinky, bad tasting, yellow drops of fluid from joints in their legs to discourage predators. They can also play dead.
Ladybugs are either male or female.
Over a period of about seven weeks, ladybugs develop in four stages: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults.
Tiny yellow eggs are laid in batches on the underside of leaves near aphid colonies.
Colonies of ladybugs hibernate over the winter in warm spots such as in rotting logs or ground cover, or under rocks and snowdrifts. Thousands of these little bugs may gather together.
Ladybugs commonly live for about one year, but some live two to three years.

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It’ll soon be spring, and all kinds of bugs will be crawling around. You’ll want to include this captivating ladybug wand craft in your insect theme activities. You could also offer it for Valentine’s Day along with the love bug headband craft featured below.

Pair a ladybug wand craft with a love bug headband for a session of buggy dramatic play.

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Related: Spider Theme Activities

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Dragon Necklace Craft

February 12, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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The first few weeks of this year have gone by so fast! Between winter, Chinese New Year, and Valentine’s Day, there have been so many activities to choose from. This dragon necklace craft was meant to be completed in early February for Chinese New Year, but time didn’t permit. And so my little learners will be making it next week.

Dragons are seen as positive creatures in Chinese culture. They symbolize wisdom, power, and prosperity, as well as fertility, long life, and good luck. Dragon dances are a big part of Chinese New Year celebrations. And since the new year festivities happen around the same time as Valentine’s Day, hearts are the perfect embellishment to be included in the dragon jewelry craft.

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Supplies To Collect

Craft supplies to make a dragon necklace craft your children will love to do.

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For these colorful dragon necklaces, gather the following supplies:

thick craft foam in colors of choice
wiggly eyes
adhesive round and heart-shaped gems
lacing string
small paper clips
scissors
hot glue gun

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Making The Dragon Necklace Craft

To start the project off, cut small dragons from craft foam colors of choice.

Steps to make a dragon necklace craft your children will love. An all-ages dragon-themed jewelry craft project.

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If desired, you can download this free template.

Free template to make a dragon necklace craft your children will love to do.

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Dragon Necklace Craft PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Invite little learners to decorate a dragon with sticker gem hearts and circles.

Next, use a hot glue gun to add a wiggly eye and tongue to each dragon, and a paper clip to the back.

Then cut lacing string into 26-inch lengths. Loop the cut string through the paperclips, and tie the ends together. Make sure to adjust the length of the strings so the necklaces fit properly.

Allow your little charges to wear their creations. Have a camera ready to snap some pictures.

Note: You can choose red or gold craft foam for the dragons in this craft, as they are traditional Chinese New Year colors. Or you could offer foam dragons in a variety of colors.

Easy and fun dragon necklace children's jewelry craft suitable for all ages.

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Color Meanings In Chinese Culture

The dragon necklace craft in this post is featured in red, yellow, green, blue, and orange colors. Here’s what these colors mean in Chinese culture.

Red symbolizes excitement, good fortune, and happiness.
Yellow stands for royalty and prosperity.
Green represents harmony, health, and spring.
Blue symbolizes growth, optimism, and peace.
Orange represents harvest, happiness, and celebrations.

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Whether children perceive dragons to be scaly, scary, and fire-breathing, or friendly and helpful, they’ll be super excited to make and wear this craft.

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Related: Bat Necklace Craft

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