Preschooler & Toddler Crafts

This is a page in progress with ideas for crafts to keep little hands busy.  When I started this page. Evan had just turned three and Sean had just turned one, so I believe many of these crafts are suitable for toddlers as young as one and can be more complex for older children.  I will post crafts as I try them with the boys and see how they work out.  If you have any ideas, please let me know.  If you try any of these crafts, let me know how they worked for you. 

I have started a new blog for the crafts.  There are pictures, and soon I’ll add a way to search through the crafts easier.  I’ll keep updating this page, but most of the stuff will be on the new blog.  So come on over and see it.  Faemom’s Crafts.

For crafts that are not messy, look for 🙂

A note: Half the stuff I do, I have no idea where I found them or heard of them, so if I have stolen a project, please let me know so that I may give you or that person full credit because we all know how hard it is to find things for toddlers to do.

Prep the area and your kids. 

I let them do messy art work on a card table covered withacheap plastic table clothboughtataparty store.  Depending on the project, I let them work over a piece of newsprint.  In the past when I have had many kids doing a messy project, I placed a cheap plastic table clothunderthetable too.  For the kids, I put them in over-sized button up shirts with the buttons facing the back.  I have started playing some of those Baby Einstein CDs to expand their mind and creativity.  I’m not sure if that’s a little crazy or not.

Pet Rocks

Things you need:

• Smock
• Rocks (find them with the toddler for more fun)
• Paint
• Paintbrushes (optional)
• googly eyes
• decorations like glitter or stickers (also optional)

After finding the right rock and setting up a work station, wash the rock to get dirt off.  Place the child in the smock.  With a watchful eye, let the child pain the rock in any manner.  Allow paint to dry and glue the googly eyes.

 Variation

Lady bug: Paint the whole rock, and then with a black marker, color the front to make a black face.  Draw a line done the middle (or if you have an older child they can do this).  Let the child make dots.  Glue eyes on the black face.

Paper Weight: Color the whole rock.  To decorate, use markers, jewels, marbles, anything you have lying around.  (We made these for their grandparents.  Sean painted the whole rock, and Evan decorated it, helping me glue on random “pretties.”)

Apple Stamps

(Didn’t work out as well as I hoped, but they still had fun moving the apples around)

Things you need:

• Apples
• paint
• paper plates or pie tins
• paper (preferably large)
• smock

Prep your area.  Cut an apple or two.  Up and down, gives you a butterfly or apple shape.  Across, gives you a circle with a star.  Pour paint in the plates or tins.  (I kept it simple with two colors.  I also thinned out the paint a little because I’m cheap.)  Pour about a medium size puddle as not to give the kids too much paint.  Help the kids use the apples like stamps.  (at this point, the boys used them more like paint brushes, and then they used their fingers.)

Potato Stamps

(Because potatoes are smaller and have rougher skin than apples, the potatoes were easier for the boys to hold.  They had a lot of fun on this project.  I even cut out shapes in the potato, which Evan loved.  Of course, after a while, Sean decided to use his stamps as paint brushes and started to pushpaint with them.)

Things you need:

• Potatoes
• knife
• smock
• paint
• paper plates or pie tins
• paper

Cut the potatoes in half width wise, making the tops and bottoms the handle.  If you prefer, cut shapes into the potato, like a square, triangle, or a smiley face.  Put the paint on the plate or in the tin.  Put the child in the smock.  Show the child how to use the stamps, and allow the child to go at it.

Frosting cookies (or graham crackers)

Things you need:

• Sugar cookies (preferably shaped)
• Frosting (easy glaze of powder sugar, water, a drop of food coloring and your favorite flavor of extract)
• Plastic knife
• bowl
• place mat and plate

Take a few cookies (if you want a longer project, have the kids help you make the cookies) and place them on a plate.  Put the frosting in a logistic bowl.  Smock the kids.  Give them a quick lesson how to butter a cookie (keep your sample cookie because you may not have another chance to eat one).  With a watchful eye, allow them to frost the cookies, turning a blind eye as they eat the frosting and eventually eat the cookie.  (After they are washed up, it might let them run out the sugar rush outside.)

Variation: Let the child frost graham crackers as they are an easy surface to work on and usually more on hand than cookies.  (Thanks to my best friend for that one who did it at her church.)

Mirror Image Butterflies

(better for older kids.  The boys just ended up painting the whole thing, but I did show them how the paint transferred, and they thought it was neat. http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html)

Things you need:

• smock
• white construction paper
• scissors
• paint
• optional: paint brushes

Prep your station and child.  Cut out a butterfly form out of construction paper.  Allow the child to paint one side.  Before the paint can dry, fold the butterfly so that the paint is covered by the other wings.  Press down.  Open the butterfly up and notice the paint transfer.

Sticker Butterflies 🙂

(Finally a non-messy craft that I found somewhere.  I read them The Very Hungry Caterpillar afterwards, but I suggest you read it or another butterfly book before, so that they remember butterflies are colorful.  My sons were pretty plain.  Sean had trouble with the stickers, but he’s only 14 months.)

Things you need:

• construction paper (colored and black)
• scissors
• color dots (the kind they use to mark prices at yard sales)
• glue stick (or any other glue)
• optional: other stickers and pipe cleaner

First cut out a butterfly shape out of the construction paper.  Cut a narrow strip of black for the body.  Help your child glue the body of the butterfly between the wings.  Let your child decorate the wings with the color dots.  For those who go the extra mile or older children:  Fold the pipe cleaner in half.  Curl the ends.  Glue the folded point behind the butterfly for antennas.  Use an array of colorful stickers to decorate.

Sticker Ladybugs 🙂

(Just like the butterflies.  The boys like them.  We read a ladybug book first, and they help me search the house for circles to trace for the project.  Original idea is from http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/toddler-theme.htm.  And I wish I had read it for the bending the page of the stickers so the stickers pop off.

Things you need:

• red construction paper
• black construction paper
• scissors
• black tab dots (or color the colored ones with black marker like I did)
• glue

Cut out a large circle out of the red construction paper.  (I traced a plate first.)  Cut ot a small circle out of the clack construction paper.  (I traced a CD.)  Cut the black circle in half.  Allow the child to place the black stickers on the red circle.  After the decorating is done, let the child put glue along the straight edge of the semi-circle.  Let the child show you where the head of the bug is suppose to be.  Glue the head on the back of the red circle.

Tambourines 🙂

(The boys had a lot of fun with this craft.  They also loved the results.  Who doesn’t love shaking stuff and making noise?  I got it at a great site. http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html)

Things you need:

• paper plates
• crayons, makers, whatever you want to decorate with
• beans
• stapler
• ribbon (optional)

I have your child color the back of two paper plates.  When the child is done, allow the child to put as many beans he/she would like on one of the plates (make sure the plate is right side up.).  After the child is done, Staple the plates together.  You may staple some ribbon if you would like.

Stained Filters

(I plan on changing the name when I get back to my computer and finding out the title and the site.  The boys are lots of fun with the markers.  It does get messy if you let them play in the water.)

Things you need:

• smock
• coffee filters (best if flattened)
• markers
• water
• eye dropper or something to drop the water (I used the medicine dispenser from the drug store and my fingers)

Allow the child to color the filters with the markers.  After decorating the filters, you or the child drop water onto the filter, allowing the marker to run.  Allow filters to dry.

Painted Toast

(They LOVED this one.  Bread gets soggy.  To toast, I recommend painting the parts the kids didn’t paint with white milk, so the bread toasts evenly.  If the bread is REALLY soggy, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to help cook the milk out. Use either a toaster oven or a stove and pan.  I actually found the pan easier because I could flip the bread.  Evan asked to do this tomorrow.  http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html )

Things you need:

• White bread slices
• Milk
• food coloring
• paint brushes
• toaster

First mix the food coloring and milk in separate containers, using as many colors as you like.  Allow your child to use the paint brushes to paint the milk on the bread.  After the child is done decorating, toast the bread.

Crayon Rubs 🙂

(It seemed so simple.  But neither boy cared really.  Evan enjoyed looking for leaves and ad fun collecting them.  But both boys preferred to color versus rub.  So I would say this is for older or more mature kids.)

Things you need:

• crayons
• paper
• leaves
• tape

Go outside and help the child find different types of leaves.  For younger children, tape the leaves to the table.  Place the paper over the leaves.  Demonstrate how to do a crayon rubbing with the crayon.  Allow the child to do the rubbing.

Snack Necklaces 🙂

(The boys enjoyed this.  The one year old couldn’t string the cereal, but he had fun watching and eating.  The both loved eating the cereal from their necklaces.)

Things you’ll need

• cereal with holes (like cheerios or fruitloops) (have as many different kinds as you like)
• string
• tape
• scissors

Measure out the length of string you’ll need.  Make sure it’s enough to go over the head.  Tape the place on the string where you will cut.  Cut the tape and string.  You now have a "needle."  Place the cereal out in bowls.  Demonstrate how to string the cereal.  Allow the child to string as much cereal as he/she would like.  Tie the ends together and place it around the neck.

Coffee Filter Butterflies

(It’s just like the painted coffee filters, but with pipe cleaners to make them into butterflies.  The boys just love markers.  This time I let them sprinkle on the water instead of using some sort of utensil.)

Things you need:

• Coffee filters (flattened makes it easier.)
• markers
• water
• half of a pipe cleaner
• smock

Let the child color the filter with markers.  The more color, the prettier.  After coloring the filter, allow the child to sprinkle water on the filter to make the colors run.   Place the filter somewhere to dry.  When dry, loosely fold the filter three times as though you were making a paper fan.  Fold the pipe cleaner in half, placing it around the middle of the filter.  Twist the top, leaving enough pipe cleaner to look like antennas.

Picture Frame

(I did this for a gift.  The boys loved painting the frame and showing it off later.  I used the black paint as the background color.  I had them paint on newspaper on the floor.)

What you need:

• Unfinished thick picture frame (the thicker the better to give room for toddler creativity)
• black or white paint
• finger paints
• paint brushes
• sealer or top coat
• sand paper
• smock

First sand and prep the picture frame.  Next paint the background color with white or black paint.  Once the background paint is dry, have the child paint the frame.  After the painting is dry, paint the sealer or clear top coat to protect the painting.

Sensory Lava Bottle

(This really isn’t for the kids to do unless they are older.  But the end product is fun for them to play with, and you can let them pick the color for the water.  Make sure you glue the cap on tight as both of my boys have worked to try to pry it off. Website: http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html .  NOTE: Do NOT mess with the cap while it is cooling.  This will prevent it from sticking.  And yes I was stupid enough to do it on my second bottle and nearly let the baby play with it.)

Things you need:

• water
• baby oil
• plastic bottle (like a water bottle or soda bottle)
• food coloring
• hot glue gun (or super glue though I haven’t tried it)

Fill the bottle a little less than half way with water.  Fill the rest of the bottle with baby oil.  Add as many drops of food coloring as you like, depending on how dark you want the water.  Put the hot glue in the lid of the bottle and screw on tight.  Shake the container to mix the dye and water.

Sensory Bottle: Snow Globe

(Another project not too suitable for toddlers other than they can help pick things out to put in it.  Today I tried confetti from with a luau theme.  Evan liked helping picking out which pieces to go in.  I plan on trying different types of stuff to put in the bottles. Website: http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html)

Things you need:

• plastic bottle
• water
• corn syrup
• glue gun
• food coloring
• glitter, confetti, beads, or etc.

Put glitter or confetti or what ever fun things you have in the bottle.  Fill the bottle half way with water.  Fill it the rest of the way with corn syrup.  Add food coloring.  Hot glue the cap on.  Shake to mix the water and corn syrup.

Nature Collage 🙂

(This was so much fun.  We looked for leaves and flowers in our backyard with Evan calling,”leaves, where are you?”  This would be great to do at the park or camping or walking around the neighborhood.  I took the time to point out and name different plants.  This has lots of potential.  I see ornaments and light catchers in the future.  Do watch the kids as they may get stuck in the contact paper and mess up their artwork, creating a mini-tantrum.  Website: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11722)

Things you need:

• plant material (leaves, flowers, etc)
• clear contact paper
• scissors
• tape
• hole punch (optional)
• ribbon (optional)

Go out for a walk and collect your natural material.  Cut a section of contact paper (I cut mine in a circle but try any shape before or after).  After peeling off the backing, allow the child to place the natural material on the contact paper.  After the child is done, place another sheet of contact paper on top sealing in the artwork.  You can cut a new shape or trim the non-matching edges (like me).  Optional: Punch a hole in the contact paper.  Thread a ribbon through to make a hanger to hang the art work nicely.

Glueless Collage 🙂

(This was a fun activity with little mess.  I used tissue paper, but I will try other things soon.  The boys had lots of fun putting the colleges together.  Evan was excited for me to seal it.  I used clear contact paper, but I bet you could use regular too, just don’t leave a space without something or use the clear to seal it.)

Things you need:

• Contact paper
• Tissue paper, magazine clippings, napkins, basically anything you want in the collage
• scissors

Cut the contact paper into the shape you want.  Let the child decorate the contact paper.  If you have clear contact paper, seal it now. 

Decorated Wooden Spoons

(If your kids are kitchen crazy like mine, this is a good way to distract them from your kitchen utensils.  My boys loved doing this, and they love their spoons.  I really don’t get it.  But it seems it works as a spoon, a sword and a magic wand.)

Things you need:

• cheap wooden spoon(s)
• paint or markers
• smock

Let the child (or you) decorate the spoon however the child wants.  If the child is known to put things in his/her mouth, keep the spoon part and the tip of the handle free of decoration.

Shape Sponge Painting

(This turned out better than I could hope.  The boys liked it, and I had a lot of fun.  Evan was almost paint free.  Sean not so much because he wanted to finger paint afterwards.)

Making the Sponges

Things you need:

• cheap sponges
• scissors
• hot glue gun
• dowel (optional)

To make the shape sponges, cut shapes into the sponges.  Now if your kids (like mine) don’t want to get messy when using a painting tool, make handles.  The handles I made where entirely of hot glue as I glued a big nub.  I allowed it to cool and glued some more on the nub.  Repeat until it is the right size, the thickness of a large crayon and about half an inch or so tall.  My mom has suggested hot gluing a piece of dowel as the handle.

Sponge painting or aka the fun part
Things you need:

• shaped sponges
• paper
• paint
• smock

Pretty self evident.  Let the child use the sponges to create artwork on the paper.

Paper Towel Coloring 🙂

(This is not very messy and easy to do.  Sean loves markers.  The boys enjoyed doing this craft.  It gave them something different to draw on.  But make sure you do it on top of some sort of cover because the markers do bleed through.  I got it from: http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html)

Things you need:

• Paper towels
• markers

Allow the kids to draw on the paper towels.  Show them the patterns of the paper towel. 

Bath Salts 🙂

(This is a great gift giving idea!  I learned it in the Girl Scouts.  Sean just enjoyed watching me color the salt.  Evan, after showing him the technique, loved smushing the salt around and moving the dye around.  They had a lot of fun.)

Things you need:

• Salt (table, rock, Epsom.  Your choice)
• food coloring
• scent oil (you can buy in the candle area)
• resealable sandwich bags

Fill the bag with as much salt as you would like.  I would recommend about half a cup or so.  Drop a few drops of food coloring and scent into the bag.  (Depending on how dark the color you want will depend on how many drops of dye.)  Seal the bag.  Double check the seal.  Show the child to smush the salt around to get the dye and scent equally on the salt.  Allow the child to smush the salt.  This can take a while.  If you would like, place it in a nice jar before giving it away or keeping for yourself.

Vinegar Pictures 🙂

(So we tried this one.  I first want to recommend green, blue, or red tissue paper.  I tried purple and silver, and they did not work.  Ugh!  So if you try this one with other colors and they work, please let me know.  The boys loved going crazy painting with vinegar.  The pictures do look neat.  I tried those birthday party streamers because they are out of the same material.  That worked well, and it’s a good way to use the left overs from birthday parties.  Also I can’t imagine this working with toddlers if the tissue paper is in shapes like it is recommended on the site.  Evan and Sean just piled on the tissue paper; I don’t think they would be gentle with shapes.  Got it from: http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html)

Things you need:

• bowl of vinegar
• white construction paper
• paint brush
• tissue paper or paper streamers

Cut the tissue paper into small shapes. (They recommended hearts; I tried squares.)  Let the child paint the paper with vinegar.  Have the child place the tissue paper on the wet construction paper.  When the paper dries, the tissue paper will fall off, leaving behind an imprint of color.

Ice Painting

(This was really simple.  My boys love playing with ice, so this was perfect.  Great with napkins in a restaurant.)

Things you need:

• Ice
• Colored Construction Paper

Give the child a piece of paper and some ice.  The ice will darken the paper as the child draws.  Of course, when the paper dries, there will be no more picture and no more mess. 

Variation: 🙂

Use the ice to make pictures on the sidewalk or patio.

“Sand” Art

(The boys really liked making the “sand,” and they enjoyed shaking out the salt onto the glue.  I wrote their names in glue because I am particularly obsessed with getting Evan interested into writing his own name.  But I did let Evan make shapes with the glue.  This could be potentially messy.  So keep a careful eye out on the kids.)

Things you need:

• salt
• food coloring
• resealable sandwich bags
• paper plates
• small jars with holes in the lids like herb jars
• glue
• paper

Like in the bath salts, pour the salt in the bag and drop several drops of food coloring in.  Make sure the bag is sealed tight.  Let the child smooshthebaguntil the dye is evenly dispersed.  Pour the salt out on a paper plate.  Allow to dry over night.  Pour the salt into the jar.  Then let the child use the glue to make a design on the paper.  Let the child sprinkle the salt onto the glue.  You may have to move the paper around to get the salt on all the glue.  To save the salt, pour it back on the plate you used to dry it.  If you are using more than one color, do one color at a time, covering all wet glue withthatcolorbefore using the glue to make a new design with a new color.  Place the art work were it can dry.

Halloween Countdown Calendar 🙂

(I read this on dooce.com, which used it for Halloween.  Which I am using for Halloween, but I am sure this will work for any holiday, and I plan to use it again to let you know.  Since there is a lot of stappling and cutting, you will do most of the work, unless you have an older child.  Coling the paper and the Halloween decoration will bring your kid into it.  Evan and Sean like ripping off the links.)

Materials you need:

• several pieces of construction paper (black and orange look nice)
• staples
• scissors
• Halloween picture (like a coloring Halloween sheet that you can have the kids color as you cut)

So allow the child color the Halloween picture and even the construction paper if you are inclined.  Fold the construction paper in thirds and then in half.  Using the folds as guides, cut the paper into strips.  Use the strips to make a chain, stapling the ends of each circle together.  Make as many links as there are days intil Halloween.  Staple the chain to the Halloween picture.  Now from the day you made the chain until Halloween, let the child tear off a link as a visual reminder to how far Halloween is away.

Easy Bracelets (or Wrist Shields) 🙂

(To keep the boys entertained as I stapled a paper chain, I cut a couple of stips of paper and after letting them draw on them, I made them bracelets, which they ran around the house pretending to be superheroes.)

Materials you’ll need:

• paper
• scissors
• stapler
• crayons, markers, or stickers

Take the paper and fold it to the width you want.  I just folded mine half and half again.  Using the fold as a guide, cut the paper.  Have the child decorate the strip.  When the paper is decorated, stapler it together, making the bracelet.

Nature Creatures 🙂

(I saw this online and thought it would be neat.  The boys weren’t interested in drawing around the leaves to make creatures or neat pictures.  They just enjoyed coloring around the leaves they choose.  I then talked about different mediums.  They had fun.  I found it here: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11527)

Things you need:

• paper
• leaves
• glue
• crayons or markers

Go out and get leaves.  Show the child the different kinds of leaves, asking what the different shapes look like.  (Evan said a five point leave looked like a star fish.)  (I showed how the round leaf could be a turtle shell, or two round leaves could be wings.)  Let the child pick which leaves to glue on the paper and where.  Then let the child draw pictures using the leaves.  Or around them like my boys.

Egg Carton Spider

(I came across this craft last year.  And the link I will provide has a great picture.  The boys really liked painting the spider.  Sean (16 mos) was too young to thread the legs, and I had to bend Evan’s (3yrs) spiders legs.  But they love playing with them.  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/eggcarton/spider.shtml)

Things you need:

• Egg carton
• scissors
• black paint (optional)
• paint brush
• 4 pipe cleaners
• glue (optional)
• googly eyes (optional)
• markers (optional)

Cut one section off of an egg carton.  Turn it over so that the inside is facing down.  Have the child paint the outdieof the egg carton piece black.  When it’s dry, punch out eight holes (four on each side) with the scissors.  Cut the pipe cleaners in half, and thread each one into a hole.  Bend a little piece of each pipe cleaner inside the carton. Bend the legs at the knees and the feet to make it stand.  Glue googly eyes.  On the site, they didn’t paint the egg cart but colored the face.

Egg Carton Caterpillar 🙂

(So I bet you’re thinking, FaemomIknowhave a cut-up egg carton what do I do with it now because it won’t make an even number of fire-starters {Don’t know or curious, just ask; if you do know, laugh}.  I’ll say funny you should mention it because I’ve gotacoupleofideasfor you.  The boys had fun with this, especially because they love reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  This was simple and easy.)

Things you need:

• egg carton
• scissors
• markers
• pipe cleaner

Cut out a section of egg carton with three or four egg cups.  Flip over the section so that the opening is facing the bottom.  Have the child decorate the carton, and don’t forget the eyes and smile.  After the section is decorated, poke two holes in the top of th"head."  Cut the pipe cleaner in 1/2 or 1/4.  String the pipe cleaner into the hole, make a twist so that it doesn’t fall out.  Do the same with the other whole.  Make a little nub at the end of each pipe cleaner.

Hidden Pictures 🙂

(I don’t remember where I saw this craft, but I knew right away that it was a cute idea.  I first tried it with Scotch tape; I don’t know what I was thinking.  But on second try with masking tape, it worked out well.  The boys enjoy coloring, so they enjoyed this.  But with a 17 month old and a three year old, you have to keep encouraging them to keep coloring so that some of the tape picture shows.  I did it with the first letters of their names as I am trying everything to encourage Evan to write his name.)

Things you need:

• Paper
• Masking tape (or any paper “friendly” tape)
• crayons or markers

Using the tape, make a design on the paper.  Have the child color the whole page (or as much of the page as you can get them to color).  Gently take off the tape to reveal the design.

Edible Aquariums 🙂

(This was so much fun!  The boys had a blast making the aquariums and eating them.  I really enjoyed this craft and plan on doing it more.  I had to show the boys to push in the sharks; but after that, they did it all just fine.  I’m on the look out for more food crafts, so we can all mix it up.  I got the craft from this site: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Cupofish.shtml)

Things you need:

• blue Jell-o mix
• 2 cups boiling water
• bowl
• spoon
• 2 cups regular water
• several clear glasses or bowls
• candy fish or fruit snack fish or sharks

Make the Jell-o following the directions, hence the water, bowl and spoon.  Fill the cups or bowls with the Jell-O and place in the fridge for an hour.  After an hour, let the child push the fish or sharks into the Jekk-O at various places and heights.  Let the Jell-O set in the fridge for the next three hours.

Pasta Necklaces

(We did this today.  The boys had fun.  We dyed the noddles the night before, and then I set the noodles out to dry.  It turns out that when you food dye noodles, when you get them wet with say saliva, the dye comes off.  Great.  Also, I used an inch long noodle, which means you have to make your tape noodle longer than the noodle for small fingers to string.  We plan to try this again without dye noodles.  If anyone knows what we did wrong, let me know.)

Things you need:

• string or yarn
• noodles
• tape
• scissors

Cut the string or yarn to an appropriate length.  Knot one end so that the knot keeps the noodles from slipping off.  (They will have a fit if the noodle falls off.)  Tape the other end to make a needle.  Make sure the “needle”; is longer than the noodle.  Have the child string the noodles.  When the child is finish, tie the ends together.

Cheap Shrinky Dinks

(I’m generally notimpressed withthisone, but I felt I should post it.  I plan on trying again . . . eventually.  The boys enjoyed coloring the Styrofoam.  I scrubbed the meat trays in advance; so I’m wondering if you need non used meat trays because it stank the kitchen up with cooked meat and plastic.  Also the Styrofoam curled in a way that it no longer looked like a square.  I cut squares because it was easy, and I figured if it worked, I would do a more complicated shape the next time.  Ha.  Let me know if this works for you.)

Things you need:

• Styrofoam meat tray (clean)’
• scissors
• markers
• microwave

Cut the meat tray into shapes.  Have the child color the shapes.  Pop into the microwave for five to eight minutes.  (Yes, it actually took THAT long.)  And supposedly you have neat shrinky dinks.

Egg Carton Bat 🙂

(These were fun to make because the boys love to decorate things.  They loved to play with the bats.  I got it from: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Eggcarton.shtml)

Things you need:

• egg carton
• string
• scissors
• crayons or markers

Cut out a section of three egg cups from the egg carton.  To resemble bat wings, cut the front off of the two side egg cartons.  Have the child decorate it adding a face.  Poke a hole in the top of the head to string a piece of string through.  Knot the string.

Name Caterpillar 🙂

( I saw this on this website: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/insects/mcaterpillar-letters.htm  But instead of printing out the letters I needed or the face, I went ahead and made them out of construction paper.  So either you can print it out or make it.  The boys had fun coloring this craft.  Evan used stick glue to glue it.  I plan to hang them in their rooms for them to learn to recognize their names.)

Things you need:

• construction paper
• scissors
• black marker
• glue
• crayons or markers

Cut out enough circles for each letter of the child’s name as well as one more for the face.  Cut out strips for legs and antenna.  using the black marker write a letter on each circle for the name.  Allow the child to color the circles.  Help the child to glue the circle together as well as the legs and antenna.

Jellyfish
(As with all the other coffee filter project, the boys loved it.  Sean loves coloring the filter more than Evan, but they always love painting it with water.  van absolutely LOVED playing with his jelly fish when he was done.  Use any crepe streamers you have around.  I got out green for the boys.  I got it from here: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mjellyfish.html)

Things you need:

• coffee filter
• markers
• crepe streamers
• scissors
• stpplers
• string
• tape
• water
• paintbrush
• cup

Have the child color the filter withthemarkers.  Remember the more coloring, the better it looks.  Let the child brush the filter with walter, making the colors run.  To dry the filter, drape it over a cup.  When the filter is dry.  Cut eight strips from the streamers, and staple them on.  Tape some string to the top of the jelly fish or punch a whole in it and tape the string on the other side.

Coffee Filter Fish

(Can you tell I’m a big fan of this type of art?  Again the boys loved to color and water the coffee filters.  I let them decorate their fishes with glitter pens, which went over well.  I got it from here: http://www.dltk-teach.com/books/rainbowfish/coffeefilter.htm)

Things you need:

• Coffee filter
• markers
• water
• brush
• scissors
• goggly eyes, bits of foil, glitter pens (optional)

Have the child color the filter with the markers.  Brush the filter with water.  After the filter is draw, cut the filter into a form of a fish.  If you have an older child, the child can do this.  Let the child decorate the fish with glitter pens or bits of foil cut in scale shape.

Paper Plate Fish 🙂

(Sean did this at fifteen months and loved it.  Evan couldn’t be bothered.)

Things you need:

• Paper plate
• Scissors
• markers or crayons
• stapler

There are two ways you can do this.  You can either cut the triangle shape for its mouth first and then let the child decorate the fish, or let the child decorate the plate first, then cut.  If you have a young child like Sean, let the child color the plate first.  After the triangle is cut, staple it to the other side of the fish to make a tail.  Don’t forget to make an eye.

Marble in the Container Painting 🙂

(One of the few no mess painting projects.  The boys, especially Sean, 18 months, really enjoyed doing this.  Evan didn’t like his artwork so much, but Sean did.  This is a great activity for younger toddlers.  I can’t find where I found it so I’ll keep looking.)

Things you need:

• Empty oatmeal container
• marbles
• paper
• paint

Place the paper in the oatmeal container so it’s flat against the sides.  Drip some paint in the container, hopefully missing the paper.  Add a couple of marbles.  Make sure the container is sealed.  Now let the child shake and roll the container.  After the child is done, open up the container and pull out the paper.

Noodle Collage

(Potentially messy.  Sean and Evan loved it!  Evan loved squeezing the glue and placing the noodles, and Sean loved placing the noodles.)

Things you need:

• Paper
• glue
• various noodles

Depending on the age of the child, let the child squeeze glue on the paper.  Then have the child place the noodles on the glue.

Gift Bag

(First off, this is another craft that I can’t find the site that I got the idea off, and it was a really neat site.  Second, I love this craft because I have tons of baby shower gift bags and only one of my friends has become pregnant in the last three years, so I loved finding a way to get these bags out of my house.  Sean loved doing the filter coloring as always, and it gave him something to do to feel important.  Feel free to just use colored paper.  Evan enjoyed gluing the papers and the thought of making a gift.  The mom I gave the present too loved the bag.  So Good all the way around. )

Things you need:

• gift bag
• glue
• scissors
• tissue paper or colored paper
• coffee filters (optional)
• markers (optional)
• water (optional)
• paint brush (optional)

Optional: Have the child decorate a couple of coffee filters with markers.  Have the child brush the coffee filters with water.  Let them dry.

Cut the tissue paper or colored paper or dyed coffee filters.  Let the child glue the pieces to cover the gift bag (either just a small section or the whole bag).

Egg Carton Turtle

(It was a lotoffun with the boys.  Evan glues the legs, and Sean decided that when he was painting his turtle shell he wanted a shell noodle on top.  Evan agreed.  Evan was so excited when he saw that it as a turle.)

Things you need:

• Egg Carton
• scissors
• glue
• green paint
• green construction paper
• markers (optional)

Cut one section off the egg carton.  Have the child paint it green.  Cut out legs, head, and tail out of construction paper.  I used a dime as a guide.  When the egg carton dries, have the child glue on the feet.  The head and tail may be tricky to glue depending on how you cut the egg carton.  The child can draw a face on the head and decorate the shell with markers.

Fireworks

(This was simple and easy.  The boys loved sprinkling the glitter.  Evan did his own glue.  I made shades for Sean because he needs to start learning them.  I showed Evan how to make the firework’s shape, but he preferred to do his own interpretation.  Lots of fun.)

Things you need:

• black construction paper
• glue
• glitter

Have the child (or yourself) make designs with the glue on the paper.  Let the child sprinkle on glitter.

Airplane

(The boys had fun painting, gluing, and playing with these planes.  Evan refused to have a tail on his, preferring to call it pterodactyl.  I got this craft out of Crafty Kids: Fun Crafts for You and your Toddlerby Rosie Hankin.)

Things you need:

• glue
• scissors
• pencil
• ruler
• empty toilet-paper roll
• paint
• paint brush
• construction paper
• glue
• stickers, markers, crayons (to decorate wings)

Have the child paint the toilet-paper tuber  Cut a strip of paper one inch thick and six inches long and another strip one inch by three inches.  Let the child decorate the wings and the tail.  When the tube is dry glue the wings and the tail on the tube.

Leaf Prints

(This didn’t work out too well.  I believe this might be a project for elementary age kids as Evan didn’t understand the point of slapping paint on a leaf and the leaf on the paper.  Rather than using the leaf as a stamp, the boys used them as paint brushes.)

Things you need:

• Smock
• leaves
• paint
• paper plates or pie tins
• paper

Go collect leaves with your child.  Put the paint on the plate or in the pie tins.  Put a smock on the child.  Have the child dip the leaf in the paint and place it on the paper like a stamp.

Marshmallow Snowmen

(The boys had a lot of fun with this project.  It’s a great dessert while you clean up dinner.  We built snowmen and towers.  Potentially messy)

Things you need:

• Marshmallows (big and small)
• white frosting
• pretzel sticks
• plate

On the plate put some marhmallows, pretzel sticks, and a glob of frosting.  Show the child how to make a tower or snowman by using the frosting as glue.  Then allow the child to create and eat.

 

Footprints and Handprints

(When Evan was a baby, I inked up his feet and put down footprints that I decorated and framed for my parents and in-laws.  They loved it.  You can either frame the footprints or handprints or you can make them into ornaments.)

Things you need:

• White paper
• Washable ink pad
• Wet wash cloth or wipes
• Hole punch, scissor, ribbon (if you make the ornament)

Just ink the feet or hands (on young babies, hands are difficult).  Then place the inked hand or foot onto the paper.  Wash the hand or foot right away for nothing else gets decorated. 

 

 

Handprint Shirt

(The last time we did this, Evan loved it, and Sean was too little to remember, but we plan on doing it again.  I looked online for clever shirt sayings.  Our favorite: “You’re the best (fill in here)!  Hands Down!”  We also put the ages and names of the boys underneath their hand prints.  My dad loves his shirt.)

Things you need:

• Shirt
• Fabric paint
• Cardboard
• Wipes

(If you don’t like the raise look of fabric paint writing, water down the fabric paint a little bit and use a brush or pencil to write the saying.)

Place the cardboard inside the shirt to keep the paint from bleeding through.  Write the clever saying with the fabric paint.  Allow it to dry.  Then dip the child’s hands into the paint, making sure it’s nice and even, and place the hands on the shirt.  Wipe the child’s hands immediately.  Allow the hand prints to dry, and write the name and age of the child.

 

Paper Aquarium  🙂

(I remembered doing this as a child and how much fun I had.  Using stickers because I knew they wouldn’t be able to draw fish, the boys really enjoyed this activity.  At three years, I hadn’t realized Evan could peel the stickers himself.  I had Sean pick the stickers he wanted and put them down myself.  Evan had a pile of sea creatures fighting.  Yea.)

Things you need:

• Blue construction paper
• stickers or pictures of sea life (like fish, whales, sharks, shells) or crayons
• plastic wrap
• glue

Have the child place stickers on the blue paper.  Or if the child is a young toddler, let the child choose the sticker; while you place them on the paper.  After the child is done adding “fish,” wrap the front of the paper with plastic wrap, securing it with glue in the back, creating the glass front.

Variations:  Add glue and sand to the bottom of the page.  Or cut the blue paper into a fish bowl shape.  Or with older children have them draw their fish and color them.

 

Toilet paper roll Firework

(Originally I was trying to create a rocket ship, but I have yet to come up with an efficient way to put on a top.  The boys loved making and playing with them.  Now, I can’t find the site with the firework craft.)

Things you need:

• Smock
• empty toilet paper roll
• paint
• paintbrush
• construction paper
• stapler
• scissors

Put the child in the smock.  Let the child paint the tube.  When the paint is dry, cut some strips of construction paper.  Staple the strips to the inside bottom of the firework.

 

Gingerbread Men 🙂

(My sons are crazy about Gingerbread Men; I don’t know if it’s because I made some last week or that we are watching too much Shrek.  We used crayons and fabric paint to decorate them, but you can use a variety of different mediums.  Evan loved squirting the fabric paint, making a Santa Clause and elves.  If you don’t have a cookie cutter, then try this page for a template.  I actually liked the medium ones better than my cookie cutter.  http://www.first-school.ws/activities/fairytales/gingerbread-man-boy.htm)

 

Things you need:

• Cardboard or brown construction paper
• Gingerbread man cookie cutter or template
• Black marker or pen
• Scissors
• Crayons, markers, fabric paint, finger paint, glitter glue, white out, (whatever you want to decorate with)

 

Trace the cookie cutter or template on the cardboard or construction paper.  Cut out pattern.  Let the child decorate the gingerbread man.

 

Snow Scene 🙂

(We did this in Girl Scouts; the girls loved it.  My boys loved it.   Watch toddlers carefully as they are known to eat chalk.)

 

Things you need:

• Black paper
• White chalk
• Hair spray

 

Let the child draw a snowy scene with the chalk, making hills, snowflakes and snowmen to create the scene.  When the child is finish, spray it with hair spray to keep the picture.  If you don’t have hair spray, the picture will fade away eventually.

 

 

Snowflakes 🙂

(Just because sometimes we can’t think out of the box, let’s remember how much fun it was to cut out snowflakes.  Of course, my boys were too little to cut them, but they had fun playing with them and hanging them up.)

 

Things you need:

• White paper
• Scissors
• Bowl (optional)
• Pen (optional)

 

If you want circle snowflakes, trace the bowl and cut out the circle.  Fold the paper as many times as you like as the more you fold the more complicated the pattern.  Cut.  Cut squares, triangles, circles, and random shapes.  Unfold the paper.

 

 

Thumbprint Bees

(Once I got the boys to settle down, they liked doing it.  They love finger painting and getting messy.  These turned out very cute, and I need to find the website I got these from.)

Things you need:

• Smock
• Black construction paper
• Yellow paint
• Popsicle stick or wooden skewer or toothpick
• white colored pencil

Place the smock on the child.  Help dip the child’s thumb into the yellow paint.  Have the child make yellow thumbprints.  While the paint is still wet, “erase” the yellow paint in lines with the stick so that the black shows in stripes.  When the paint is dry, draw wings and antennae. 

 

Paper Towel Roll Brush

(Another painting idea!  The boys loved it!  They always love painting.  Evan preferred the tube with more cuts than less.  Sean had fun, but keep an eye on little ones because Sean, at eighteen months, tried to eat the paint and then looked through the painted end of the tube.  Sean painted from both ends.  I’m trying to find the site I got this idea from.)

Things you need:

• smock
• paper towel roll
• scissors
• paint
• paper plate or pie tin
• paper

Take the paper towel roll and cut the ends to make fringe.  (I tried eight cuts, four cuts, and fringe cutting.)  This makes a “brush” effect on the roll.  Put some paint on the paper plate, and put the smock on your child.  Let the child use the paper roll as a paint brush.

 

Paint Dotting

(I meant to do this craft with a tooth brush because it’s fun.  Evan figured it out when he tried to sword fight my paper towel roll brush, hitting it to great the dots.  Evan and Sean were very excited by the effect.  This craft can get real messy, so be careful.)

Things you need:

• smock
• paper
• paint
• paper plate or pie tin
• tooth brush, paint brush, or paper towel roll brush

Put the smock on your child.  Put the paint on the plate.  Show your child how to sprinkle paint on the paper.  With the tooth brush, run your finger along the bristles, facing the brush down towards the paper.  With the paint brush or the paper towel roll brush, tap the brush on your finger.  Let the child experiment.

 

String Painting

(I used to love doing this as a kid.  The boys were less impressed.  They enjoyed swishing the string around for two minutes, and then it was time for finger painting.  Perhaps they need to be older or they may not be patient children.)

Things you need:

• Smock
• String
• Paper
• Paint
• Paper plate or pie tin

Put the paint on the paper plate or pie tin.  Put the child in the smock.  Show the child how to dip the string in the paint and use it to swish around on the paper.  Let the child paint.

 

Muddy Worms

(I’m on a mission to find foods kids can make.  My boys love the ones at Mimi’s, so we tried it.  The boys had tons of fun making it and playing with it.  They ate the pudding but not the worms.  Cold gummy worms and chocolate didn’t really taste good.  I want to experiment to see if it was because I but the worms in before the pudding.  Stay tuned.)

Things you need:

• Chocolate pudding mix
• milk
• gummy worms
• package of hot chocolate
• bowls

Make the chocolate pudding mix, letting the child pour in the ingredients and help stir.  Let the child put a few worms in each bowl.  Pour in the pudding.  Pour some of the hot chocolate mix on top. Chill according to the mix directions.  Enjoy.

 

Play Dough Sun Catcher 🙂

(I saw this and thought it would be really cute to try.  The boys love playing with play dough.  Keep an eye on young toddlers as they may want to eat the play dough.  It is also a good idea to put away the play dough once you have the amount you want to use as it is an easy distraction.  I got it from this site: http://www.toddlertoddler.com/todaysplaydoughsuncatcher.htm)

Things you need:

• Play dough as many colors as you would like
• clear contact paper
• scissors

Cut a rectangle of contact paper, making it twice the size that you want the sun catcher.  Fold the rectangle in half, creasing it.  Remove part or all of the backing.  Give the child small pea-size pellets of play dough to place on the paper.  The child can squish it on or leave it as a ball.  Seal the play dough with the other half of the contact paper.  If you’re like me, you’ll need to trim the excess or the sticky sides off.  Do not trim to close so that the play dough doesn’t leak out the sides.  Let the child squish the play dough into different shapes.  When the child is done, display the sun catcher.

 

Spiral Snake 🙂

(We’re all Kung Fu Panda here, so I looked for a craft that would interest Evan.  How about a viper?  The boys had fun decorating their snakes, and then they had fun running around with the snakes trailing them.  The fatter your spiral, the smaller the snake.  Don’t make too long of a snake or it’ll break.  I got it here: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/animals/spiralsnake/)

Things you need:

• Construction paper (whatever color you want your snake)
• black marker
• crayons or markers
• scissors
• string
• tape

Draw a spiral with the black marker on the paper.  Make sure the beginning of the spiral is large as this will be the snake’s head.  I had my children color first, but older children can color the snake after it is cut.  If your child is proficient with scissors, have the child cut along the spiral.  Tape a piece of string under the snakes head.

 

Decorated Chopsticks

(We did this when I worked with the Girl Scouts.  For the girls, they had a choice of decorating the chopsticks for hair accessories, which they could paint all the way down to the end, or chopsticks, which they could only paint half way down.  My boys are sword fighting with them.  Markers just wouldn’t do; so we HAD to use paint.  Because the boys are only three and a half and nineteen months, I didn’t break the sticks apart until after they were done decorating.  Older kids can decorate with them split.)

Things you need:

• Wooden chopsticks (you can get them at the grocery store or grab them at a Chinese resturaunt)
• Markers or paint
• (if your using paint) smock, paint brush, dish for paint

Give the child the chopsticks.  Depending on the child’s ability, break them before or after the decorating.  Let the child decorate the sticks.  If you’re stuck for inspiration, go online and look at all the neat ones for sale.

 

Rice Painting

(It was Chinese New Year, and the boys finished their chopstick painting quickly and moved on to the paper underneath the chopsticks.  I can’t remember what site suggested that I sprinkle rice on the paint for a “sparkle” look, but I tried it any ways.  It didn’t sparkle, but it gave a new texture that the boys LOVED.  Keep the excess rice; I have an idea!)

Things you need:

• Smock
• Paper
• Paint
• Paint brushes
• Paper plate or pie tin
• Rice

Put the child in the smock.  Place the paint on the plate or in the tin.  Put down the paper.  Have the child paint.  When the child is done painting but the paint has not dried, let the child sprinkle rice on the wet paint.  When the paper is dry, tap off excess rice.

 

Rough Lizards 🙂

(We’re in the middle of a dinosaur phase.  This was a fun and different way to color dinosaurs.  Evan liked it so much that I might just try the rubs again!)

Things you need:

• Dinosaur picture
• crayons
• sand paper

Find a dinosaur coloring picture online or in a coloring book.  Let the child color the picture.  Place the sand paper underneath the dinosaur picture.  Have the child color the dinosaur again.  Now it has scales!

 

Impressions of Plaster of Paris

(Plaster of Paris is awesome!  It’s cheap.  It’s easy clean up.  It’s paintable.  As I said, we’re going through a dinosaur phase, so we have started to make fossils.  The boys LOVED doing this.  They LOVED having these impressions.  We used plastic dinosaurs and shells, but don’t limit yourself.  Use anything with a great design and easy clean up.)

Things you need

• Plaster of Paris
• water
• disposable container
• stirrer
• molds (I cut the bottom half of a plastic party glass, but as a kid, we used mini pie tins.)
• something to make the impression with

Follow the directions on the Plaster of Paris container.  Pour the Plaster of Paris in the molds.  Wait a moment (not too long because it hardens faster than you think {oh, my dad, the cop, says the speed up the drying time add salt}).  Have the child place the impression piece into the plaster.  Make sure it’s put in nice or as nice as you can.  Take out the impression piece without too much damage to the impression.  DO NOT leave it in the plaster.  It will stay there.  When the directions say the plaster is dry, take the plaster out of the mold.

 

Fossils

(Another dinosaur.  Another Plaster of Paris.  The boys had a blast!  And so did I.  They liked making it.  They liked cleaning it.  They liked showing everyone their fossils.  Don’t limit yourself.  We now have dragon fossils.)

Things you need:

• Plaster of Paris
• water
• disposable container
• stirrer
• mold (bottom of plastic part cup or mini pie tins)
• sand
• item to make the impression

Let the child fill the cup with a half inch or so of sand.  Place the item in the sand to make an impression.  Press evenly to make a good impression.  Take out the object.  Make the Plaster of Paris according to the directions.  Pour the plaster over the impression, pouring to nearly the top of the mold.  When the plaster is dry, pop out the mold OUTSIDE.  Let the child “clean” the fossil to find it under the sand.

 

Pom pom Caterpillars

(This was a lot of fun.  Evan got to glue.  Sean loved placing the pom poms on the Popsicle stick. Of course, Sean wanted more on the stick than the stick could hold.  This is a great craft to teach colors or patterns.)

Things you need:

• Popsicle sticks
• glue
• pom poms
• wiggley eyes

Let the child draw a line of glue down the Popsicle stick.  The child can proceed to putting the pom poms on the glue.  When the glue has dried, have the child glue on two eyes.

 

Painting Pots

(Nothing like a little gardening to get the kids interested in the great outdoors and possibly vegetables.  Before I dug a hole, I thought the boys would like to paint their own special pot.  This would also make a great gift.  The boys loved doing this.)

Things you need:

• Terra Cotta Pot
• Primer
• White paint
• Washable paint
• Paint brushes
• Smock
• Sealer (optional)

Primer the pot, and then paint it white (or any color you or your child would prefer as the background). Allow the pot to dry.  Have the child paint the pot with the washable paints.  Allow the pot to dry.  If you want this work of art to last, seal the pot.

Planting

(I don’t know one kid who doesn’t like getting dirty.  For young children, like my boys, I would recommend starting out with a plant; while, older kids have more patience and would enjoy starting a plant from seed.)

Things you need:

• A pot
• Potting soil
• Pebbles
• A plant or seeds
• A small shovel
• Water

Have the child cover the bottom of the pot with pebbles to allow good drainage.  Then have the child shovel the soil half way in the pot.  Have the child place the plant or seeds in the pot.  Have the child fill the pot with soil with the shovel or hands.  Water the plant as needed.  (Encourage your child to talk and sing to the plant as this will help the plant grow better.)

Lily Pad boats 🙂

( I got this idea at this website :  http://www.toddlerstoday.com/articles/activities/water-fun-3396/2/ but I decided not to float tea candles on them.  I thought we could float frogs, which worked out well.  The boys loved them!  I made a few of them testing out with different glues.  Don’t use school glue, unless it’s a one time use.  Craft glue and hot glue worked well.  Craft glue gets a little soggy, but it will re-adhere when dried.)

Things you need:

¨       2 sheets Green craft foam

¨       A CD

¨       Scissors

¨       A pen

¨       Hot glue gun with glue or craft glue

¨       A toy to sail the boat, preferably a frog

Trace the CD on both pieces of craft foam.  Cut out the circles.  Cut out a triangle out of the circles (best to do it with one circle on top of the other), forming the lily pad.  Glue the lily pads together.  Allow the glue to dry.  Take the lily pads out to the pool or bath.

 

Butterfly Kites

(I got this idea off of Family Fun.  But I decided to do it using coffee filters, which was more fun and messy.  The boys loved building these and playing with them.  It makes walking to get the mail more fun.)

Things you need:

• Smock
• 2 coffee filters
• Markers
• Bowl of water
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Pipe cleaner
• Yarn

Have the child color the coffee filters with markers.  The more color, the more fun.  After the child is done decorating the filters, have the child paint them with water, making the colors run.  Let the filters dry.  Fold the filters in half to cut out half a butterfly making the wings even on both sides.  (I wish I could have found a template.)  Do not make a head or tail because the pipe cleaner will do that.  Have the child fold the pipe cleaner in half and slip the butterfly wings between it.  Cross the ends of the pipe cleaner to form antenna.  You can bend them into little nubs if you like.  Tie a piece of yarn to the pipe cleaner, long enough to fly the kite behind the child.  If the child wants to flutter the kite, tie two short pieces of yarn to the pipe cleaner.

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