Arts And Crafts Ideas

Squeeze Paint

Materials:

Food coloring
1/3 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
small squeeze bottles
water

Procedure:
Combine dry ingredients in a jar. You can make an assortment of colors by adding food coloring to the mixture. Add water until it has made a thick consistency. Pour into empty squeeze bottles. Squeeze out designs onto construction paper, cardboard, paper plates. Put weights on the corners of your creations so that they won't curl as they dry.

Soap Bubbles

Materials:

1 cup water
1/3 cup liquid detergent
1 tbsp.
Sugar or glycerin 
Directions:
Mix ingredients together. Make wands with pipe cleaners, old coat hangers, Easter egg dippers, a paper roll or three straws tied together. Use the soap bubbles immediately after mixing together.

Pole Dyeing

Materials:

Paper Towels
Pencils
String
Paint (several colors)
Brushes
Newspaper
 
Directions:
For this activity, you'll probably want to cover your work area with newspaper. Place the point of a pencil in the center of a sheet of paper towel. Gently (but tightly) wrap the paper towel around the pencil and tie a small piece of string around it to hold the paper tight. Some of the children may be able to wrap the paper towel themselves, while others will need your help to do the wrapping and tying. Taking turns, the children can use different colors of paint on different parts of their "pole". Allow the paper towels to dry 30 minutes to an hour. Then take off the string and let the children open their paper towels to see the designs.

Rubbings

Materials:

Paper (thin paper works best)
Crayons
Pennies, leaves, paper clips, rubber bands, etc.
Directions:
Show the children how to place the object under the paper and color over it with crayons, making the outline of the shape appear. Let them try making rubbings with all of the objects. At the end, see if they can match the rubbings with the actual objects.

From: Mister Roger's Plan & Play Book

Thumbprint Mural

Materials:

Stamp pads of different colors
Fine tipped markers or pencils
Butcher paper
Directions:
Cut a long sheet of butcher paper. Lay it on the table or the floor. Put markers, pencils and stamp pads around it. Using the markers or pencils, have the children help you draw small circles all over the paper. Then let the children ink their thumbs on the stamp pads and put all colors of thumbprints in the circles. Hang the Thumbprint Mural.

Variations:
Along The Lines: Draw lines on the paper and have the children put thumbprints along the lines.

Color Creatures: Draw features on the thumbprints to create "make-believe" creatures.

Creatures On The Go: Let the children draw cars, trucks, buses, and airplanes with a lot of windows. Have the children put thumbprint creatures in the windows.

Stick Masks 

Materials

Bristol board
markers or coloured pencils
glue
large popsicle stick
yarn for hair or beards
Directions
Help the children draw a replica of their face on a piece of Bristol board and cut it out. Put the mask up to the child's face and draw the approximate location of their eyes and mouth. Cut out the eyes. Let the children decorate the mask, either to look like themselves or as a fancy mask they would wear to a masquerade ball. Glue the masks to the popsicle stick. Have a parade of masks. Read a story about masks and get the children to participate with their creations, etc.

Paper Tube Person

Material

toilet roll tube
round disk made from heavier cardboard or Bristol board
markers or coloured pencils
glue
yarn for hair or beards
googly eyes
poster paint
Directions
Give each child a toilet roll tube and a round disk. Have them paint the tube with poister pain and let them dry. Decorate the tubes to resemble a person's bady wearing colourful clothes. Draw facial features and hair on the discs and glue to the front of the tube. googly eyes and yarn for hair and beards will make the faces more interesting.

Rhythmic Gymnastic Ribbons

Here's a craft that is actually a great sport as well. Can be incorporated into a fitness, reading or music program.

Materials

1/4" to 1/2" pieces of doweling or 1/4" x 1" board cut into 8" strips
colourful ribbon cut into 3' or longer pieces
glue
music to dance with
Directions
Give each child a piece of doweling or wood and a ribbon. Tie or glue the ribbon to the stick. Turn on the music and show the child how to swirl their ribbons around their bodies, over their heads, etc., as they dance to the music.

A preamble to this craft would be a book or a video from the library on rhythmic gymnastics. You could also incorporate other props such as balls that the children can roll along their arms, pass from one child to the other, bounce them as they stand on their toes or knees.

Caution: Keep an eye on the younger children to ensure they do not get the ribbon caught around their necks. Do not cut ribbons so long that they trail on the floor and possibly trip the other children.

Connect the Stars 

Materials

plain white paper
foil stars or stars you help the children to trace and cut out
crayons or markers
glue
Directions
Read to the children about the stars in the sky and the constellations. Keep the book available as you help them glue or paste the stars on their paper to match one of the shapes in the sky (or they could just make up their own constellations, or for that matter they could put the stars on the page in the shape of the first letter in their name. Once the stars are in place, have the children connect them with the crayons, like a dot-to-dot drawing.

Salt Drawings

Materials

trays, shoe-box lids, baking pans
salt (can substitute with cornmeal, flour or sand)
popsicle sticks, small doweling or unsharpened pencils
Directions
Pour a thin layer of salt or whatever product you chose in a tray or box lid. Show the children how they can draw in the salt using the pencil or popsicle stick. After the children have finished drawing their picture, show them how to gently shake their container and draw pictures over and over again. This is a great opportunity to teach the children about salt and its properties like taste, texture, use.

Weird and Wacky Edible Art

Materials

marshmallows
raisins, cut fruit
pretzel sticks
paper plates
Directions
Have the children wash their hands before engaging in the edible art activity. Give each child a selection of large and small marshmallows and mixed cut fruit on a paper plate. Challenge them to create weird and wacky funny designs with the food poking it on to the pretzel sticks the younger children may need help with this). Have them put their creations on a dish to show the group before they eat them.

You might also have them assist you in making a simple dip in which to dunk their creations, such as sour cream and brown sugar, or you can just use prepared dips you can purchase at the store.

Star Light, Star Bright

Materials

construction paper
pencils
wax paper
yarn
glue
glitter
Directions
Draw a star on a sheet of construction paper. Make one for each child or have star cookie cutters available that the children can trace with a pencil onto the construction paper. Place a sheet of wax paper over the construction paper. Dip a piece of yarn in the glue and use it to outline the star design on the way paper. (Press the sheet of wax paper down so you can see the design clearly.) While the glue is still wet, sprinkle the yarn with glitter. Let the glue dry overnight. Peel the dried yarn off the wax paper and add a loop of yarn for hanging.

You could make several stars to use as Christmas tree decorations, hang in the window or to decorate packages. Try using other cookie cutter ideas or Christmas shapes for even more decorations.

Soapflake Snowman

What would winter be without snowmen? The craft below helps children explore new textures, develop their fine motor skills by using paint brushes and sponges, and pasting with one finger.

Materials

Pre-cut snowmen made from white construction paper
Blue and black construction paper
Pre-cut facial features and top hats
Nontoxic glue
Brushes and/or small sponges
1/2 warm water
1/2 cup soap flakes
Directions
Give a precut snowman to each child. Explain how you are going to cover the snowman with whipped soap flakes.

Prepare the soapflake mixture by mixing the warm water with the soapflakes to form a thick paint.

Help the children apply the soapflake mixture to the snowman shape with either their hands, a large brush, or a small sponge.

Once the snowmen are dry, let the children paste on eyes, a nose, mouth and a top hat. You can then paste the picture onto the blue or black construction paper or leave them as they are.

Paper Windows

This fun craft helps children develop their memory.

Materials

The sheets of coloured art or construction paper
Crayons and markers
Magazines
Nontoxic glue or tape
Scissors
Directions
Give each child one piece of paper and have them draw a number of boxes on the paper to act as windows.

Using the scissors, cut three sides of the box to make a window opening. Cut the openings in different ways for the windows open upwards, from the sides, or cut a large box down the middle so it opens up from both sides like a shutter.

Take a second sheet of paper and help the children tap or glue the paper together so the windows open up to display the new coloured paper.

Have the children cut out pictured from magazines to fit in the window and glue in place. Or, the children can draw pictures in the windows.

Another idea is to help the children draw boxes to make a house with a door and windows. Cut and paste accordingly.

Art Show

This fun craft idea can actually turn into a week-long project.

Materials

The sheets of coloured art or construction paper
Crayons and markers
Paints and brushes
Magazines
Odds and ends such as string, glitter, stars, etc.
Nontoxic glue or tape
Scissors
Directions
Give each child one piece of paper and allow them to choose from a variety of art projects like painting, drawing and colouring, making a collage from magazine pictures, etc. Encourage the children to take their time and do their best artwork as the pieces will be put on display for their art show for parents. Have each child sign their creation.

Work with the children to design a nice art show wall or bulletin board. A long strip of plain newsprint will work great for this project
as the children can decorate it as well. Once the art show area is designed, help the children display their artwork.

Take some time during reading or language arts to talk about art shows, and to make up invitations for parents come to the show.
The children can also cook some cookies or other delectables to serve the parents.

Victorian Valentine

his adorable craft of an old fashioned Victorian valentines says "May heart is in your hands."

Materials:

Coloured paper (red, pink, etc.)
Pencils, markers, crayons
Scissors
Nontoxic glue
Doilies, cotton batting, foil, glitter
Directions:
Fold a piece of 8.5" x 11" paper in half. Have the children trace their open hand on the paper, keeping their baby finger lined up along the fold (so two hands get cut out together) using the pencil. Help the children trace their hands as needed. Cut out the hand outline. Next, cut out a hear shape from red or pink paper that is about the size of the child's palm. Open the hand and paste the heart in the centre. Decorate the valentine with smaller hearts, doilies, foil, glitter, etc. Help the children write a valentine message in the middle of the heart....like "May heart is in your hands." Have then print their name if they can, otherwise you can help them sign it.

Heart Prints 

Materials:

White paper
Tempera paint (red and pink)
Heart-shaped cookie cutters (various sizes)
Shallow pans
Doilies, cotton batting, foil, glitter
Markers, crayons, coloured pencils
Directions:
On the art table place white paper and heart-shaped cookie cutters of various sizes. Mix pink and red tempera paint and pour into shallow pans. Have the children dip the cookie cutters into the paint then place the cookie cutter on the paper to make a print. When finished, the children can decorate the hearts, or write sayings in the hearts.

Peanut Buddies

This adorable craft of an old fashioned Victorian valentines says "May heart is in your hands."

Materials:

Peanuts in the shell
Pencils, markers, crayons
Scissors
Nontoxic glue
Yarn, felt, roly eyes, beads
Magnetic strips
Directions:
Help the children decorate their peanuts using the roly eyes, beads or felt pieces for the eyes. An apple seed works great for a nose. The children can draw a mouth on their peanut using the markers or coloured pencils. Next, have the children decorate their peanut with decorations made from felt, such as a bow tie, buttons, two half circles glued to look like a vest, etc. Yarn could be used to make hair. As a option you might glue a magnetic strip to the back of the peanut for a refrigerator decoration.

Pinecone Feeder 

Materials:

Pinecones
Wire or string
Peanut butter
Birdseed
Directions:
Place the bird seed in a tray. Tie a thin piece of wire or string around a pinecone and have the children spread peanut butter over their cone. Once covered, the children can roll their cone in the birdseed and hang it up outside for the birds to enjoy.