Putting the Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

keepsakes

New Year’s Crafts

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Glitzy, easy to make 2021 New Year's keepsake crafts that enhance eye-hand coordination, fine motor control, patterning, and number recognition.

2021 is just around the corner, and who doesn’t mind having some easy to do New Year’s crafts at their fingertips. These activities double up as 2021 keepsakes. You can choose from several versions.

2021 Collage Craft

Supplies Needed:

glitter gold cardstock

tan cardstock

8 ½ x 11-inch cream cardstock

gold sequins, stars, balls and confetti

gold glitter glue

glue paddle

collage containers

adhesive gems

black or gold metallic felt pen

pencil

scissors

glue stick or glue gun

Making The 2021 Collage Craft

Trace your little learner’s hand on a piece of tan cardstock, or let your child do the tracing.

Help your child cut out the hand.

Add gold glitter glue and the craft bits to small containers. Just collect any gold colored craft items you have around for the collaging.

Set out the gold bits, glue, glue paddle, and paper hand on a table.

Gold craft supplies to decorate traced hands.

Invite your little one to glam up the hand with the collage items, using the glitter glue as an adhesive.

Let the collaged hand dry.

Cut a number one and a pair of number two shapes from gold glitter cardstock or a gold gift bag. Download the printable further on in this post to use as a template if desired.

On cream-colored cardstock, help your little learner use a glue stick to tack on a number two, the decorated hand, another number two, and a number 1. Reinforce the shapes with a glue gun if needed. Add a greeting with a black or gold metallic felt pen.

Gold-themed traced hand 2021 keepsake craft.

The glitzy hand takes center stage in this craft.

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Painting With Chocolate

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You read it correctly: this blog post is about painting with chocolate. It’s easy, it’s fun, and your workspace will smell divine. The activities featured have a process art focus. A few embellishments will make the art display-worthy or ready to give away.

Fingerpainting, ice cube painting, and brush painting with chocolate. The process art hearts can be turned into valentines to give away. Art and Science activities for all ages.

Materials To Collect

hot chocolate powder

cocoa powder

chocolate sprinkles

bowls and spoons

sturdy white paper

waterproof felt pen

ice cubes

tray for ice cubes

paintbrush

container of water

doily heart

decorative 12-inch x 12-inch cardstock

ribbon

plastic (or real) rose

small plastic pouch

chocolates

Activity One: Painting With Chocolate And Ice Cubes

Freeze different sizes of ice cubes.

Cut a piece of sturdy paper into a large heart shape. Optional: Write the words “You and Me + Chocolate” on the heart with a waterproof felt pen.

Scoop hot chocolate powder and cocoa into bowls. Add spoons.

Set out a tray of slightly melted, very wet ice cubes along with the paper heart and bowls of chocolate ingredients.

Invitation to paint with ice cubes, cocoa, chocolate powder, and chocolate sprinkles. An all-ages art and science activity.

Start the activity off by saying that the powders are “mystery paints.” Ask your child to guess what the paints might be. Smelling the powders will give the answer away pretty quickly.

Invite your child to scatter hot chocolate powder and cocoa on the heart-shaped paper. (Chocolate sprinkles can be added later.)

Painting activity using ice cubes to swish around cocoa, hot chocolate powder, and chocolate sprinkles.
Cocoa and hot chocolate added to a heart shape. Ice cubes can be used to swish the powders around.

Ask your child to swish the powders around the heart with ice cubes, which will make spreadable chocolaty paint.

Offer a paper towel to dab on wet spots if desired. The pattern on the paper towel will add texture to the heart painting.

Heart painting made by swishing ice cubes through cocoa and hot chocolate powder.

Optional: Near the end, your child can add chocolate sprinkles to the heart. This will lead to a discovery that they make it harder to move the ice cubes around.

Activity Two: Brush Painting With Chocolate

Painting with cocoa and hot chocolate powder. The powders are moved around with a paintbrush dipped in water.

Brush painting is a less messy option if there isn’t much time for cleanup.

Invite your child to scatter hot chocolate and cocoa on a paper heart.

Offer a container of water and paintbrush. Encourage your child to add water to the dry ingredients and paint the heart.

A paper towel can be used to soak up excess liquid.

Gorgeous chocolate heart paintings made with water and hot chocolate and cocoa.
Swoon-worthy hearts painted by preschoolers.
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Mother’s Day Crafts And Gifts

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Mother's Day paper crafts with jewelry and decorative key chain accents. Art ideas all children can do.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and every mom deserves to be treated special.  Here is an easy Mother’s Day craft that is bound to hit the mark. A key chain or brooch makes a lovely addition as a gift.

Supplies used:

Flower and butterfly paper punches

Craft paper with cream, gold, and silver tones

Gold and silver metallic bead stickers

White pearl and silver jewel stickers

Butterfly adhesive shapes

Template with the word MOM

Decorative silver key chains

Glue stick

Preparing The Mother’s Day Craft

Create a template with the word MOM on it or download my template. This template is for personal or one classroom use only.

Mothers-Day-TemplateDownload

Paper punch small flowers and butterflies from patterned paper with complementary tones.

Add on sticker beads.

Decorate the word "mom" with gorgeous paper butterflies and flowers. This craft is suitable for all ages, and works great for Mother's Day or word review.

Making The Mother’s Day Craft

Have children use a glue stick to attach butterflies and flowers, or just butterflies to the lines of the letters that spell the word “mom.”

Add a brooch or key chain gift to the finished picture.

Mother's Day collage craft with flowers and butterflies glued on to the word 'Mom.' A starfish keychain is fastened on as a gift. This craft is suitable for all ages.
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