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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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Related:

Black History Month Paper Craft

Celebrate Diversity Butterfly Craft

Make this gorgeous handprint butterfly craft to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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Celebrate Diversity Yarn Heart

Make this gorgeous skin-toned yarn heart craft to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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[Read more…]

Heart Doily Gnome Valentines

February 5, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky 4 Comments

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These adorable heart doily gnome valentines will add a major dose of cuteness to your holiday décor. Little learners can review shapes while you work on the project. And wouldn’t the valentine crafts look great displayed together on a classroom wall? To make the papercraft super easy, I’ve included a free printable for downloading below.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For the gnome valentines, gather the following supplies:

4-inch red paper heart doilies
6-inch white paper heart doilies
red, white, and grey cardstock
cardstock in different flesh tones
valentine scrapbook paper
8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock or construction paper
heart paper punch
black felt pen
glue stick

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Making The Heart Doily Gnome Valentines

Steps to create an adorable heart doily gnome valentine.

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There’s a bit of cutting to do in order to set up this valentine gnome craft. The good news is that it can be completely made of paper, keeping the project low cost. If desired, download this free template for the shapes.

Heart gnome template to use to make adorable gnome valentines.

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Heart Gnome Valentine PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Tip: Construction paper or cardstock works best for the papercraft.

Cut an oval nose and two circle hands from flesh-colored paper, and punch or cut a small heart “pom pom” from white. Snip a heart valentine (the smallest one on the template) from red paper, and two oval shoes from grey. Finally, cut a curved, pointy hat from the scrapbook paper of choice.

Using a glue stick, adhere the red heart doily upside down near the bottom of an 8 ½ x 11-inch sheet of sturdy paper. This heart will be the lower body of the gnome.

Glue the large white heart right side up halfway over the red lacy one to serve as a beard.

Note: The heart doilies help make for an exquisite craft, but they can easily be substituted with paper ones. Included on the template are two heart shapes that can be used instead.

Center the flesh-colored oval in the middle of the top of the white heart for the nose.

Creating this huggable valentine gnome will be fun for the whole family. Free printable included for easy crafting.

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Paste on the scrapbook paper hat.

Write a message on the smaller red heart with a black felt pen. Then glue it to the white one.

Adhere the circles to serve as hands holding the valentine heart, and the white heart to the tip of the curved hat for a pom pom.

Glue the grey ovals on the bottom of the red doily heart to become shoes.

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Multicultural Heart Doily Gnome Valentines

Multicultural heart doily valentine gnomes that are fun for the whole family to make. Free printable included for easy crafting.

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The heart gnomes can be crafted in different flesh tones, making the project multicultural. And while putting together this craft with little learners, heart, circle, and oval shapes can be discussed.

Adorable multicultural gnome valentine with exquisite heart doilies taking center stage.

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Tip: Paint samples work well for the nose and hands, as they come in so many flesh tones.

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Sweet multicultural gnome valentine with exquisite heart doilies taking center stage.

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Six Gnome Facts

Gnome ornaments and crafts have been extremely popular in the last few years. If you are interested in finding out a little more about these mythical beings, here are a few facts:

Gnomes are legendary creatures originating in European stories.
They are small men with pointy hats and long, white beards.
These imaginative creatures live in dark, rural places such as forests or underground burrows.
Gnomes are considered to be industrious, kind, and wise.
Guarding the earth and wildlife is important to gnomes.
Garden gnomes originated in Germany in the mid-1800s and are prevalent today.

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You are going to love creating these huggable gnomes! Tag me on Instagram with your creations and I’ll share them in my stories!

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Multicultural heart doily gnome valentines that are fun for the whole family to make. Free printable included for easy crafting.

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More Valentine’s Day Activities

Valentine’s Day Light Table

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

Valentine’s Day Water Play

Valentine’s Day Gingerbread Cookies

Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

Valentine’s Day Playdough Activities

Valentine’s Day Jewelry on the Light Table

Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

Woolly Valentine’s Day Crafts

Valentine’s Day Process Art

Ladybug Wand Craft

Scissor Skill Heart Collage

Painting With Chocolate

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CD Case Christmas Craft

December 24, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky 2 Comments

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An empty or used empty CD case can be turned into a beautiful art or craft project. There are many creative ideas to try. For this blog post, I’m choosing to feature a CD case Christmas craft.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more creative ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following for this seasonal craft:

clear CD jewel case
thin unpainted wood holiday decoration
festive cardstock
acrylic craft paint
scissors
ruler
glue stick
white glue or glue gun
craft bits: pony beads, holiday confetti, garland strips, sequins, punched paper snowflakes

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Assembling The CD Case Christmas Craft

Steps to making a CD case Christmas craft. An all-ages craft the whole family can do.

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Carefully remove the tray from a clear CD case.

Trim the cardstock pattern of choice to the size of the case.

With the case open, use a glue stick to adhere the cut cardstock to the bottom right section.

Paint a thin holiday-themed wood decoration with acrylic paint and let it dry. The paint and decoration can easily be found at dollar stores.

Note: Acrylic paint dries quickly and comes in a large variety of colors. It’s so fun to use!

Glue the painted wood shape to the cardstock.

Add craft bits of choice.

Close the case snugly.

Make this easy and fun holiday-themed CD craft today!

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Display on a shelf or wall in the classroom or your home.

Tips: The craft bits can be glued down so they are stationary or left movable.

These holiday-themed CD case crafts are a lot of fun to make. Have the whole family create one!

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These charming CD case Christmas crafts are perfect for displaying during the holiday season.

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If desired, add a clear seal to keep the CD case closed.

You may wish to make this CD case Christmas craft in a variety of holiday and winter themes. The craft lends itself to being showcased in groups.

Make this cozy CD case Christmas craft in a variety of festive color schemes. An all-ages family craft.

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Of course, little learners can get in on making this creative craft. The activity could be a cooperative one for a parent/teacher/caregiver and child.

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CD Case Christmas Blocks

Instead of displaying the crafted CD jewel cases, include them on a table with blocks for little learners to use in construction play. This is an idea I look forward to exploring in the future.

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Make this winter-themed snowman CD case craft today! It's easy and fun to do.

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Christmas Village Tuff Tray

December 22, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This Christmas Village tuff tray is filled with people figurines participating in outdoor activities. It’s the perfect winter play invitation to include in holiday celebrations.

A tuff tray is a sturdy, portable tray that can be used on a table, on the floor, or outside on the ground. Although it stores easily, it can also be set on a stand. I recently purchased a tuff tray online at Education Station, and love using it for this snowy activity.

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Supplies To Collect

A winter-themed pioneer village tuff tray filled with people participating in outdoor winter activities during the Christmas season.

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For the holiday tuff tray set up, gather the following:

wooden train tracks and train
wooden vehicles
silver and white placemats
tin foil disposable lid
snowflake window cling sheet
gem snowflakes
Christmas village-themed gift boxes
winter-themed people and animal figurines
miniature village signpost, mailbox, light post, fence, bench, and tree props

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Setting Up The Christmas Village Tuff Tray

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Place a large, round silver placemat in the center of the tray to represent a skating rink. Or add a circle cut from tin foil.

Lay wooden train tracks around the circular placemat.

Set in another snowy or icy area by trimming a white or silver rectangular placemat into a curved shape.

Add a round tin foil or white cardstock disposable container lid to suggest a third outdoor play space.

Then arrange the gift box buildings around the edge of the tray. These can easily be found at a dollar store.

Cut out large window cling snowflakes, leaving the backs on. Set them in open areas in the tray.

Next, put winter-themed people figurines and miniature village props on and around the “snow” and “ice.”

Generously sprinkle in gem snowflakes.

Finally, set a wooden train on the track. Or add community helper vehicles.

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Your little learners will be excited to investigate this Christmas Village tuff tray. If some of the figurines and props you choose to use are breakable, they need to be used carefully by little ones. The holiday play invitation must be supervised by an adult at all times!

This tuff tray setup is non-messy, so can easily be added to a session where there are ample other activity choices.

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Earth Day Craft

April 24, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Earth Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1970 and is now observed all over the world every year on April 22. It is a day to appreciate animals, plants, and earth’s majestic landscapes. It is also a time to do activities that show care for our beautiful planet. This beaded earth day craft was our activity of choice this year to recognize earth day. It works well as a cooperative activity at home or in the classroom.

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Supplies To Collect

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pony beads in shades of blue and green
thin green yarn
scotch tape
8 ½ x 11-inch green cardstock
12 x 12-inch cardstock
8 or 9-inch circular lid or flat disc with an edge
glue gun or white glue

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Making the Beaded Earth Day Craft

Tie a pony bead onto one end of a long piece of yarn. Wrap a thin piece of scotch tape around the other end to prevent fraying.

Set the rest of the pony beads on a tray along with the yarn. Have students or family members take turns stringing beads. Or have one child string beads over time.

Invitation to string blue and green pony beads for an earth day craft.

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Next, cut a green cardstock circle to fit just inside a circular cookie tin lid or item with a similar shape. A disc-shaped dog toy turned out to be the perfect size in my stash of supplies!

Fit the circle into the mold. Then starting on the edge, glue down the strung beads in a tight spiral shape with white glue or a glue gun.

After the rim of the circle is beaded, take the cardstock shape out of the mold and tack down the rest of the beads. Trim off extra beaded yarn if necessary.

Steps to complete a beaded earth day craft with green and blue pony beads.

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Mount the bead project onto 12-inch x 12-inch cardstock and display.

An attractive classroom or family earth day craft project with green and blue pony beads.

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You might choose to use the mold as a frame.

Stunning, super easy beaded earth day craft. This piece is framed and ready for display.

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TIPS:

Be on the lookout for packages of beads in various shades of one color.
If the string of beads isn’t long enough to completely fill in the circle, carefully attach a new piece of yarn with a small piece of scotch tape. Then add more beads.
A smaller or thinner bead can be used for the center if a bigger one doesn’t fit.

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Exquisite earth day craft with green and blue pony beads. This easy-to-do activity works well as a classroom or family creative project.

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This earth day craft is inspired by the exquisite bead art of Canadian Métis artist Katherine Boyer. Her beautiful art can be viewed on her website @katherineboyerart.com.

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Earth Day Craft Video Tutorial

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25 Earth Day Activities

Doing an earth day craft is just one way to help little learners or your family honor the conservation-minded special day. Here is a list of 25 activities to choose from:

Clean up a park or playground.
Pick up litter at the beach.
Bike to work or school.
Plant a tree.
Start a vegetable or flower garden.
Compost fruit and vegetable scraps.
Plant wildflowers and native plants.
Grow plants that attract butterflies, bees, and birds.
Learn more about an animal you are afraid of.
Read books about animal care.
Go on a bug safari.
Take care of animals.
Invite in an animal specialist guest.
Take a field trip to a farm or zoo.
Go on a nature walk.
Have a nature scavenger hunt.
Read books about planet earth.
Study a globe or map.
Do a science experiment.
Discuss the four Rs: reduce, reuse, repair, recycle.
Put recyclables in a bin.
Visit a recycling center.
Create earth crafts using recycled materials.
Give away gently used toys.
Donate money to a conservation group.

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Of course, earth day activities are appropriate any time of the year. And the beaded earth craft also works beautifully as part of a Night And Day or Space theme.

Easy to do, eye-catching earth craft with green and blue pony beads. The activity works well as a classroom or family creative project.

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