Putting the Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

paper crafts

Sunflower Heart Craft

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A sunflower heart craft that makes a perfect addition to fall decor.

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Sunflowers are a standout in any yard or garden. When the growing season ends and colder nights loom, their beautiful flower heads can be preserved in a sunflower heart craft.

Sunflowers come in a surprising array of colors, and are given catchy names such as “Lemon Queen”, “Moulin Rouge”, “Firecracker” or “Teddy Bear.” There are around 70 kinds of sunflowers in all, and they range in size from 2 feet to over 6 feet tall. This slide show from Country Living features 15 types of sunflowers that provide inspiration for the craft.

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Craft Supplies To Collect

sunflower stem

white corn syrup

red and yellow food coloring

large heart cut from sturdy paper

thin ribbon

small paint jar

paintbrush

spoon

cutting board

knife

scissors

glue gun

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Making The Sunflower Heart Craft

Steps to making a sunflower heart fall craft.

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Pour the white corn syrup into a small paint container. Squirt in a few drops of yellow food coloring, and a tiny amount of red food coloring. Mix the colors into the syrup with a spoon. Adding a little red turns the yellow paint from lemon to golden.

Test the tacky paint on a piece of scrap paper to make sure it is the shade you want to offer.

Have your little learner use a paintbrush to cover the heart with the slimy corn syrup paint. The paint will be shiny and thick, providing a unique sensory experience.

Cut a sunflower head and three leaves from a plant or purchased sunflower stem from a flower shop.

Help your little learner press the leaves onto the painted heart and add the sunflower head. A glue gun can be used by an adult to help secure the sunflower to the heart. The leaves will stick to the paint on their own.

Let the sunflower craft dry on a flat surface. It will take a few days to dry thoroughly.

Cut ribbon and hot glue it in a loop to the back of the embellished heart for display.

Oh so pretty sunflower heart craft that is easy for little learners to make.

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Paper Plate Ocean Drum

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This DIY paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a family member and/or pet.

Ocean drums are versatile musical instruments that imitate the soothing sound of gentle waves hitting the shore. Your early learner can help create a paper plate ocean drum to make water sounds and will be able to use it in many other ways. The drum can be personalized and will look awesome displayed.

Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

What To Collect

two 9-inch paper plates

9 x 12-inch white cardstock

transparency film or clear file folder

photo of a child, family, or a pet

small beads

cinnamon candy hearts

alphabet letter beads

adhesive gems

scissors

glue gun

glue stick or glue tape

Making The Paper Plate Ocean Drum

Steps to create a personalized paper plate ocean drum.

Cut out the middle part of one paper plate.

Print a favorite photo onto cardstock paper. Or use a picture from a vintage calendar or magazine. Trace a 15.5 cm / 6 1/8 inch circle around the part of the picture chosen for the drum. Cut the circle out and use glue tape or a glue stick to paste it on the center of the second plate.

Cut the same sized circle from a clear file folder or sheet of transparency film.

Use a glue gun to attach the clear circle to the cut plate.

Sprinkle cinnamon candy hearts, letter beads, and small round beads onto the photo-enhanced plate. Alphabet letter beads that spell love or the name of a child or pet would work well.

Glue the edges of the two plates together with a glue gun.

If desired, decorate the paper frame of the drum with adhesive gems.

This paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a family member and/or pet.

Playing the Ocean Drum

The crafted drum can be played many different ways, creating a variety of sounds:

Tilt the drum in all directions by rolling your wrist slowly while holding the instrument by its frame. The encased beads and candies will roll over the bottom and mimic the relaxing sound of waves lapping the shore.

Stop and start playing the instrument suddenly to make the sound of crashing waves.

Hold the drum over your head and tilt it.

Move the drum around your body.

Tap the drum gently with a drumstick.

Scrape the drum.

Use the percussion instrument as a shaker.

Make loud, soft, fast, and slow sounds.

Tap or shake a pattern of sounds.

This paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a favorite pet.
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Dinosaur Valentine Craft

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A cute and "rawr-y" dinosaur valentine craft with ribbon, hearts, and pompoms. An all-ages activity.

It was just a couple of days before Valentine’s Day when one of my preschoolers said “Remember, Mrs. Kaminsky…you promised to make a dinosaur valentine craft for us to do.” And yes, I had!

We were just finishing up a polar dinosaur theme when I had come across super cute dinosaur Valentine’s Day window clings. They served as perfect transition décor from that winter wrapped dinosaur theme to a Valentine’s Day topic. And they provided lots of craft inspiration, which led me to tell my preschoolers we would do a dinosaur valentine craft.

So this is a very last minute dinosaur-themed Valentine’s Day craft project!

Supplies To Collect

dinosaur printable

12-inch x 12-inch cardstock

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock

pompoms

wiggly eyes

thin felt pen

paper or foam hearts

thin ribbon strip

white glue

glue paddle

glue stick

Making The Dinosaur Valentine

Download one of these two dinosaur templates and print it on 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper in the color of your choice.

Dinosaur template to use for a dinosaur-themed craft.
Dinosaur PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

Rawr-y dinosaur template to use for a valentine craft.
Rawr-y Dinosaur PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

Fashion a bow from a small strip of thin ribbon.

Cut out the dinosaur, and invite your early learner to use a glue stick to paste it on a 12-inch x 12-inch piece of complementary cardstock.

Then have your little one use white glue to add pompoms to the dinosaur back, wiggly eyes to the head, and a bow to the neck.

Next, have your little learner use the glue stick to add paper or foam hearts to the body, and use a thin felt pen to draw a smile on the head.

Cut out the “I Rawr-y Love You” greeting to add to the craft if desired.

Cute dinosaur valentine craft.
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Christmas Dove Art

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Beautiful squish painting and collage Christmas dove art projects suitable for all ages. Free dove template included.

Angels are often my “go-to” theme for a Christmas craft keepsake, but this holiday season I have doves on my brain. Doves are symbolic of peace and love, welcome inspiration at Christmas, or any time of the year. So here are two Christmas dove art projects that make touching keepsakes… and display beautifully. Bonus: I’ve included a free downloadable printable to use for the crafts.

Squish Painted Dove

Create a symmetrical dove pattern or download the printable in this post to use as a template. Cut out one bird from white 8 ½ inch x 11-inch cardstock paper for each child completing the project.

Dove printable to download for a craft project.
Dove TemplateDownload

This printable is for individual and one classroom use only.

Set the doves out onto a table along with red and green paint and spoons.

Invitation to spatter paint paper doves with red and green paint.

Invite your little learners to spatter paint their dove.

Spatter painted dove using green and red Christmas colors.

Then help them fold the dove, and smooth their hand over it. Placing newspaper underneath and overtop the folded birds helps absorb excess paint.

Ask your little ones to unfold their birds. They are bound to be excited to see the art they have created.

Squish painted dove art project in red and green colors.

After the doves dry, hot glue a sprig from a Christmas stem underneath each beak.

A sprig from a Christmas stem is the finishing touch for this squish painted red and green dove.
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Butterfly Sunflower Papercraft

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A butterfly sunflower papercraft that is sure to wow. The sunflower head has a scrunched tissue center surrounded by paper butterflies.

This butterfly sunflower papercraft is easy to make and is sure to be a parent pleaser. It’s an all-around showy harvest craft. I did it with my preschoolers this fall and sent it home around Canadian Thanksgiving Day. I’ve included a downloadable pattern for the craft in the post.

Supplies To Collect

Paper supplies needed to make a butterfly-themed sunflower craft.

8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock paper in various shades of yellow

9 x 12-inch green and yellow fade-resistant construction paper

12 x 18-inch fade-resistant construction paper in shades of blue

brown construction paper

brown tissue paper

butterfly paper punches

white glue

glue stick

scissors

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Book Inspired Tree Art

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Tree Art inspired by the storybook "Wow! Said The Owl" by Tim Hopgood. Papercraft art using a variety of colors and textures.

Inspiration For The Tree Art

Trees are a popular art theme, and I love using tree art in a mosaic pattern on a bulletin board display.

Over the years I’ve done a few tree displays celebrating our four Alberta seasons.  This year I chose an art project based on the storybook “Wow! Said The Owl” by Tim Hopgood.  In the story, an owl stays up past his bedtime one summer night and notices the beautiful colors of early morning, midday, and dusk.  The owl loves all the color schemes but decides the night colors are still the best.  As I read the story, I was saying “Wow” right along with the owl, because the illustrations featuring the owl and tree throughout the day are gorgeous!

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