trees

Paint Chip Christmas Card

December 20, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Paint chips, available at hardware stores, come in a glorious array of colors and shades with equally splendid names. The rows and rows of paint color samples offer many choices for painting walls and other items. Teachers love to use recycled or donated paint chips for educational purposes such as sorting and matching activities. Creators love them for craft projects. The many-hued paint color samples add beauty to any activity or project and look pretty in this paint chip Christmas card with a tree theme.

Artificial Christmas trees also come in a huge array of colors. In addition to traditional green, you can now purchase a tree in your favorite color. Many come pre-lighted and ready for ornaments to be strung…so easy! This festive homemade card features paint chip swatches in five colors.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies for this simple handmade Christmas card:

8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock
donated or recycled paint chips
adhesive gemstone stickers
pencil and scissors
marker
glue stick

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Making the Paint Chip Christmas Card

To make this tree-themed Christmas card, fold an 8 ½ x 11-inch piece of cardstock in half. I chose a creamy white color for the cardstock as I like it better than pure white.

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Next, draw and cut out a Christmas tree from cardstock to be your tracer. The tree should be slightly smaller than your paint chip samples. A cardstock scrap works fine for this.

Then pick out five donated or recycled paint chips in varied colors for the trees. This is the most fun!

Using the tracer as a guide, trace and cut out small trees from the paint color cards.

Afterward, arrange the tree cutouts on the front of the folded white cardstock sheet, and glue them on using the glue stick. Leave a little space to add a holiday message such as “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”

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As a finishing touch pick one tree to add adhesive gemstone stickers to. I had silver gemstone stickers handy, so they were my choice for the dose of glam.

Pen a greeting inside the tree-themed paint chip Christmas card and it is ready to give to someone special during the festive holiday season.

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More Christmas Tree Activities

Color Explosion Science Experiment

Build A Christmas Tree Steam Activity

Christmas Tree Decorating Center

Candy Cane Tree Experiment

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More Christmas Art and Crafts Activities

Click on the pictures below to access more Christmas art and crafts activities.

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[Read more…]

Fall Pom Pom Tree Craft

September 29, 2024 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Fall is such a pretty time of year, and for many people, it is their favorite season. Aside from the leaves changing into gorgeous, radiant colors, the home décor is also stunning, and is super fun! The colors and décor of this fall season inspired the bat-topped fall pom pom tree craft.

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Fall Pom Pom Tree Craft Supplies

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Gather just the following few supplies for this soft and simple autumn tree craft:

pom poms in pink, melon, white, and purple hues
9-inch x 12-inch cardstock or construction paper
8 1/2 x 11-inch cream colored cardstock
white glue
glue gun
bat sticker
bat ring party favors
scissors and pencil

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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The Fall Pom Pom Tree Craft

The design of this tree is a triangular Christmas tree shape. So it’s a little like creating a Christmas craft early. The tree base is cut from cream-colored cardstock.

Young children enjoy using special craft supplies such as pom poms and will love gluing them to the paper triangle base. The pom poms can be squished together or spread apart in a random design. White glue works well for this task. 34 pom poms are affixed to this crafted tree.

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A metallic gold sticker bat is the unexpected but delightful tree topper, tying into the fall theme wonderfully. A bat cut from paper adhered with glue would work fine too.

An optional addition is to glue bat ring party favors between the pom poms for even more flare.

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Finally, a tree trunk cut from gold foil tissue paper and the pom pom-decorated tree display nicely when glued on a 9-inch x 12-inch piece of colored construction paper.

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An alternate way to showcase the crafted tree is to cut a thin cylinder from a toilet paper roll and cut two slits opposite from each other. Gently slide the bottom of the fall pom pom tree in the slits. The tree stands up sturdily on a table or shelf.

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Pom poms in pink, purple, ochre, and white provide the color scheme for this seasonal tree craft. But the craft would look spectacular in any color scheme.

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Bat Theme Pretend Play

Bat Necklace Craft

Neon Finger Paint Tree Art

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More Fall Activities

Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Fall Scissor Skills Activities

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Christmas Small World on the Light Table

December 14, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Transparent Christmas trees are the inspiration for this whimsical Christmas small world on the light table. They illuminate beautifully and pair with a variety of loose parts for creative and imaginative seasonal play.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Light Table Small World Supplies

The following supplies are included in the Christmas small world setup:

transparent Christmas trees in green, red, pink, and clear colors
clear acrylic deer figurines
clear acrylic snowman figurine
acrylic clear nativity decoration
pink transparent pebbles
small wooden shelters
wooden peg dolls painted red, green, pink, and white

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The Christmas Small World

In this Christmas small world, transparent trees in red, green, pink, and clear hues set the color scheme.

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Wooden peg dolls painted with acrylic paints in red, pink, green, and white colors complement the trees.

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Clear acrylic deer and a snowman are beautiful ornaments to explore.

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Transparent pink pebbles are a soft touch.

A simple nativity decoration enhances the Christmas small world theme.

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Making Your Own Transparent Trees

An alternative to purchasing transparent trees is to create your own.

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The trees above are made from transparent page dividers and paper rolls. To make them, cut paper rolls into two-inch cylinders. Next, cut a one-inch slit into opposite sides of each paper roll section. Then cut triangular trees from transparent page dividers.

Feel free to download this template to create the trees.

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Paper Roll Tree PatternDownload

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Slide the bottom of the trees into the paper roll trunks and set them on your light table or another tabletop. These DIY trees also illuminate nicely.

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More Christmas Activities

Christmas Peppermint Sensory Bin

Paper Bag Christmas Ornaments

CD Case Christmas Craft

Plaid-themed Christmas Rice Bin

Christmas Sheep Craft

Christmas Treasure Blocks

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Apple Playdough Tray

October 15, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Tis the season of all things apple, and here’s a tantalizing apple playdough tray to add to your rotation of fall activities. It features playdough in three different scents and colors. The aromatic apple-themed sensory activity also works well for a nutrition or fruit and vegetable theme.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Apple-Scented Playdough Recipe

Gather the following easy-to-find supplies for this silky apple-scented playdough recipe:

apple-scented hair conditioner
cornstarch
large bowl
green food coloring
measuring cup
spoon for stirring

To make the simple no-cook recipe, first scoop 2 parts of cornstarch into a large bowl. Next, add one part apple-scented hair conditioner and mix it with the cornstarch using a stirring spoon. Then knead the scented dough ingredients together to make a smooth dough. If the dough is a bit crumbly, add a tad more hair conditioner. If it is a little slimy, add a bit more cornstarch. A playdough recipe couldn’t be any easier to make.

Apple themed playdough invitation with apple cutting board, ice cube tray, cookie cutters, leaves, and gems.

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Optional: Mix in a generous amount of green food coloring with the apple-scented hair conditioner before adding it to the cornstarch to get a light green color of playdough. You can also add the food coloring at the end. In this case, the playdough will look marbled with green at first and turn an even shade of light green after it has been used in a playdough invitation.

While you are making this recipe, it may not look like it will form a smooth playdough. Be assured that it will.

This dough becomes more mouldable as it is being handled. Round balls and other shapes are easy to form once it is warmed up a little with little human hands!

When using the dough for a second or third time, set it out and let learners add a tad more conditioner to their dough. If it gets a little mushy, have them work in a bit of cornstarch. They will love doing this.

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Apple-Scented Playdough Variations

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Since many apples come in varying combinations of red, green, and yellow hues, you can use other conditioner colors such as strawberry hair conditioner with red food coloring added to make red dough, and coconut hair conditioner with yellow food coloring added to make yellow dough.

Color mixing is a favorite activity for little learners, and they will relish the chance to mix all three colors of playdough together.

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Apple Playdough Tray

This apple playdough tray is easy to set up for little learners. Three colors of playdough are featured, but little learners would be more than happy to use only one scented playdough variety for the activity.

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In the tray are:

red, green, and yellow playdough
apple cookie cutters
alphabet letter wood stamps
leaf pie edgers
red, green, and yellow acrylic apple gems
green, red, and yellow apple counters
yellow, green, and red beads
brown pipe cleaners
drinking straws

Scented hair conditioner is an effortless ingredient to use in playdough, especially when only one or two other ingredients are required. Checking for it at dollar stores is an economical alternative.

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Having a bulk container of cornstarch ensures that there will be enough of this ingredient to make the playdough for a group of students. Using one cup of cornstarch to one-half cup of conditioner makes a recipe big enough for one or two children to share.

Loose parts such as yellow, green, and red apple counters, acrylic gems, and beads add interest to the tray.

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Pipe cleaners cut in half and wrapped around a pencil make curly caterpillars. Cut straws can be used to poke holes in the playdough and represent how caterpillars dig holes in apples and burrow inside.

Lowercase alphabet letter wood stamps offer an opportunity to spell the word apple.

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More Apple Activities

For more apple-themed activities, check out the following blog posts:

Apple Theme Activities

Watercolor Apples With Markers

Apple Print Activities

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Shiny Paint Cactus Art

August 3, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Four easy to make shiny cactus art projects that look beautifully displayed. Kitchen supplies gleam in this all-ages art activity.

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This all-ages shiny paint cactus art can be made in a few different ways. Try one of the versions or try them all, and share a few cactus facts along the way. Saguaro and prickly pear cactus trees are featured in the activities, and two free cactus templates are available to download to make your art activity preparation easier.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Make this shiny saguaro cactus tree art project using only a few supplies. An all-ages easy-to-do desert art activity.

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Gather the following basic supplies for the cactus art projects in this post:

white corn syrup
neon purple and green food coloring
green food coloring
paint pots
paintbrushes
glue paddle
small bowls
spoons
white glue
scissors
large circle punch
8 ½ inch x 11-inch white cardstock paper
12 x 12-inch colored cardstock
flower confetti
cactus templates
newsprint or tablecloth

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Cactus Art Paint

Three of the four projects featured employ a shiny paint made by adding a food coloring hue to white corn syrup. Little learners find this paint soooo satisfying to use. It is super sticky and can work as an adhesive. It dries with a glossy, smooth finish.

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Coconut Embellished Saguaro Cactus

Saguaro cactus trees grow naturally in southern Arizona and in the Mexican state of Sonora. The desert dwellers are covered in prickly spines.

Saguaros often bloom in late May to late June, but the blooms can be spotted earlier or later in the year. The stunning white flowers with yellow centers mature into edible ruby red fruits.

Steps to make a shiny saguaro cactus art project using only a few supplies. An all-ages easy-to-do art project.

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For this first saguaro cactus art project, start by squeezing a little white corn syrup into a paint pot. A baby food jar works well as a paint holder.

Next, add a few drops of neon green food coloring into the corn syrup and stir it in.

Then cut a saguaro cactus tree from white cardstock paper. Feel free to download this template for the project.

A free saguaro cactus template to use for art and craft projects. Paint, glue, and create with using unique cactus design.

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Saguaro Cactus PrintableDownload

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Afterward, set the cactus cutout on an art table along with the sticky green paint, a paintbrush, a small bowl with shredded coconut, and a spoon.

Cover the cactus with shiny paint, and then sprinkle on coconut bits to represent pokey spines. Press in confetti flowers to depict a cactus in the blooming season.

To complete the cactus art project, add a strip of golden or yellow ochre sturdy paper to the bottom of a 12-inch x 12-inch piece of cardstock that is a pastel shade. Using white glue or a glue gun, carefully adhere the painted cactus to the cardstock background. Punch or cut out a large cardstock circle and glue it on to represent a sun in the picture.

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Note: This paint takes a generous amount of time to dry. After at least a few days of drying time, the art is ready to be displayed.

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Chive Embellished Saguaro Cactus

This easy to create saguarro cactus tree art uses chives as one of the supplies. An all-ages art project that is rewarding to do.

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This second cactus tree art project uses green glue instead of corn syrup paint. For this art activity:

Mix a little neon green food coloring into white glue to make a light green hue. Use a glue paddle to apply the glue all over a cactus template. A light coat of glue works best, as it helps prevent the paper cactus from curling as it dries.
Sprinkle on freeze-dried chives to look like cactus spines, and add pink confetti blooms.
Finish the project the same way the first one was done.

Note: Corn syrup paint works beautifully for this cactus art design just as well.

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Purple Prickly Pear Cactus Art

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As I am always drawn to unique colors in nature, I was excited to find out that there is such a thing as purple cacti. Some prickly pear cacti are purple, so this next project celebrates this pretty, vibrant hue and highlights the unique prickly pear cactus shape. Feel free to download the template below for the art activity.

A free prickly pear cactus template to use for art and craft projects. Paint, glue, and create using this unique cactus design.

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Prickly Pear Cactus PrintableDownload

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To complete this art project:

Mix a little neon purple food coloring in a pot of white corn syrup.
Paint the prickly pear cactus with the purple sticky paint.
Sprinkle on uncooked rice grains to represent spines.
Press in purple confetti flowers. Or use yellow confetti flowers…the natural color of purple prickly pear blooms.
Finish the project the same way the first two cactus versions were done.

This prickly pear cactus art project requires simple supplies you can find in your kitchen. It's an easy-to-do all-ages art activity.

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Cactus Christmas Tree Art

This last cactus project is elevated by using cake sprinkles for the spines. The balls in the sprinkle mix inspired me to turn the cactus into a decorated Christmas tree.

Use supplies you have in your kitchen to decorate a saguaro cactus as a Christmas tree. An all-ages art activity everyone will love.

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To make this art project:

Mix a hue of green corn syrup paint and brush it onto a saguaro cactus.
Drop on cake sprinkles with your fingers or a spoon, and press them in gently. Space out the sprinkle balls to look like ornaments on the tree.
Glue a cut or punched metallic paper star at the top for a tree topper.
Complete the art project the same way as all the others.

Note: The corn syrup paint and glue paint have adhesive qualities. If any of the embellishments do not adhere, use white glue or a glue gun to affix the shapes.

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These shiny paint cactus art activities are suitable for people of every age. Each project can be a cooperative one for little learners, with an older child or adult helping a little one with the cactus art.

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Related:

Octopus Art

Sea Turtle Art

Sea Star Art

Lizard And Turtle Art

Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

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