When my daughter’s friend’s mother hired me to run crafts at her daughter’s party, we chose two fun princess party crafts for them. One was spot-on for that age group, and one was a bit challenging, but still fabulous. I’ll give a bit more specific guidance and feedback, but first the two crafts:

1. Decorate your own crowns and
2. Princess poke art

Both follow my main rules for party crafts: they need to have zero or almost zero dry time, include a take-home that will double as a party favor (though in this case, she did have full favor boxes available), and it needs to be something functional that they can use.

Decorate your own crowns Princess Party Craft

Our first craft was fabric princess crowns that we decorated with gems and rhinestones. This craft was such a hit, and as you can imagine, the kids wore it for the rest of the party.

This was our main “original” craft. It was the first choice for the party and it was a good one.

Why we chose it

Open-ended decorating with stickers is one of my favorite party craft types. Give kids gems and they can really sit for a long time with them.

We did gem decorating activities at A’s birthday, with the same group of kids, and they sat with it for a long time. They were mesmerized, carefully placing each gem, and feeling so proud of their work. You really can’t go wrong with this one.

We LOVE party crafts that include wearables because the kids take such pride in it, and wear it for the rest of the party. It doubles as a party hat and kids wear it for the rest of the day. When they go home, it goes into their dress-up box for continued use.

The crown base is a fabric one, with an elastic, so it’s a costume-quality craft.

How it went

The kids loved it. It was a similar crowd to A’s party when we also did gem decorating and they really went with this one too. I did add in foam stickers to change things up a bit, and the kids enjoyed both.

The crown pictured on A is the one that she actually made. Adding the foam stickers DID shorten the time that the craft occupied, because the kids felt like their crowns were full earlier.

As with any party craft, some kids will finish earlier than others. It’s good to be prepared with something extra for them to do in that time.

Alternatives and tips

With this kind of open-ended party craft, it really is a good practice to have lots of options for kids to choose from. I personally don’t think I’d put out foam stickers next time, but I might do what I did with our sleep mask craft – that is, provide a big initial or some other focal piece, but allow kids plenty of surrounding space to get detailed with their gems.

You can definitely pull out other decorations for this but I really recommend you stick to self-adhesive no-dry-time ones. Some examples:

• Decorative patches (small ones)
• Flower rhinestones
• Smaller foam embellishments
• Self-adhesive pearls – we had some mixed in with our stones, but I’d definitely provide more as its own decoration next time
• Lace washi tape

Test supplies in advance to make sure they really work (the only ones I really tested are foam).

Princess Poke Art Party Craft

The second one we did was princess poke art. These are printed foam princess figures that have notches in them. Use a stick to poke little bits of fabric into the holes to look like a ruffly dress.

This princess party craft was a bit less successful. It’s still a cool craft, though, or I wouldn’t be sharing it. I WILL share with you what we should have done to make it more of a success.

Why it’s such a cool party craft

The reason we chose this to begin with is for the cool effect factor: kids are fascinated by the fact that they are creating a ruffly dress. They enjoy playing with and displaying the dolls after.

In fact, they even come with little acrylic stands to display the princesses. And since they come with sticker jewelry there is even more crafting value.

How it went

I’ll be honest: most of the kids didn’t finish it. And a few even got a bit frustrated, though they were very determined to finish it. There were a couple of older kids (6-8 years old) there who really spend a very long time on it and finished the whole thing.

The age listed on the craft was 4+ and most of the kids were age 4.5 to 5. I tested it on A, who was the oldest in the group (besides for the two big kids) and she did fabulously. But… she’s a bit of an advanced crafter.

The kids loved it. Some asked to bring home their sticks and some extra fabric and finish it at home. Even the ones that just poked in a few were very proud of their work. It’s a bit harder to learn and a bit more fine-motor-skills focused, which is why we still love it. It’s a real fine motor challenge, and is great for pre-writing skills.

What we’d do different next time

So what would we change to make it more of a success?

The biggest thing is: I’d do it first. The kids need to be fresh, with all their patience intact to really enjoy this. We had chosen this as an extra time-filling project, but it really needs to be a main project. The kids need to have their focus and be shown properly how to do it.

On that note: another thing I’d change is to really walk around the room and one by one show the kids how to poke it by finding the hole and poking it in.

Two Fun Princess Party Crafts to Make

Here’s a quick breakdown of everything I purchased and included in these activities beyond the basic kits, as well as how we ran the workshops (I did have one teenage assistant to help).

For both crafts, we used acrylic bins and containers spread out on the table for the supplies. This way it’s fully contained, but kids can clearly see what’s inside each.

We also brought gallon sized Ziploc bags and a Sharpie, and immediately gave each kid a bag with their name on it to store the craft in.

Craft Number 1: Decorate your own crowns

Supplies Needed

• Base crowns
• Gems
• Foam shapes – only include very small ones

Process

1. Right when you get the crowns, test the elastic. Some were a bit loose. A bit of hot glue or a second in the sewing machine fixes it, but you’re best off doing that in advance rather than finding broken crowns at the party.

2. Stick on gems and foam bits! That is really all. Some kids worked within the frame work of the pattern on the crowns, and others totally ignored it.

Now kids can wear their princess crowns proudly!

Craft Number 2: Princess Poke Art

Supplies needed

• Princess poke art kit: note – we only used the princesses, and not the larger wraparound ones. Consider this when buying your kits.
• Extra sticks. They’re basically scratch art sticks – like a larger, thicker toothpick. The kit came with two – check your kit details.

Tutorial

1. Proper instruction is key with this princess party craft. Point out to kids how the holes have a center.

2. Kids should place the fabric over the hole, roughly centered. Show them this detail. It doesn’t need to be perfect but they should know that it should be over the three-prong shape in the middle of the fabric.

Then they need to poke it in that shape (they can see it through) all the way to the table.

3. They can keep going, playing with different colors until all the holes are filled – or as many as they’d like to fill.

4. They can finish it off with the jewelry and tiara stickers if they want. And then they can display it on one of the stands (or rather, take one home to display it with).

I hope you enjoyed these princess party crafts! Comment if you have any to add to the list.

The post 2 Fun Princess Party Crafts – DIY Gem Tiaras & Poke Art! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I love a really easy grab-n-go activity that keeps kids busy, doesn’t take up space, and can simply be discarded or passed on when we’re done with it! Craft stick puzzles are a win in this way: they’re so flat and easy to pack, they can even be kept in my slim shoulder bag!

This shape matching activity is ideal for classrooms, for road trips, for long plane rides, or any time you’ll enjoy something nice and compact for on the go.

Tips for making this shape matching activity

Before we start, here are some crafting tips and ideas for variations to get the most out of your shape matching activity.

Your Puzzle Base

I used craft sticks to make this shape matching puzzle, because it’s affordable, accessible, and flat! Go for jumbo tongue-depressor style ones, or, if you can find it, super jumbo craft sticks.

If you don’t have craft sticks, you can follow the same format using scraps of corrugated cardboard, or just cardstock. It just won’t be as neat and durable, but it’ll definitely work.

You can make an XL version for more permanent use as a playroom or classroom toy by using paint stirrers or similar wooden slats.

Adding the Shapes

In this tutorial, I show you how to create these craft stick puzzles using acrylic paint. You want something bright and opaque for kids to be able to see easily.

To do this, use a stiff-ish thin paintbrush. You’ll need to exercise some wrist control, and may want to keep things clean by outlining your shapes.

If you prefer to, you might have a much easier time using paint markers. I highly recommend POSCA markers if you can swing them – they’re opaque, long-lasting, and of superior quality. However, if you can’t, Ohuhu also makes a few versions of paint markers that work very well (their automatic ink ones are my favorite).

More shapes to draw & matchmaking tips

While this was absolutely created as a shape matching activity for basic shape recognition, don’t stop at that! Try creating other images for kids to match up, and think beyond the drawn shapes. Some ideas:

• Themed: florals for Spring, holiday shapes
• Unit-based, such as transportation/vehicles, animals, and more.
• Letter recognition
• Number recognition
• Color matching – use dot stickers split on two sticks
• Morse-style patterns for older kids
• Images clipped from magazines

You can see that with the basic format of this craft in place, the possibilities are endless.

Ways to use this shape matching activity

Here are some of my favorite ways to use any craft stick puzzles!

Taking it on the go

I love organizing simple activities in pencil cases in a travel binder, coupon file (see my ideas for a DIY travel activity kit here), or even in simple activity pouches.

This one is small and flat enough that it works in any of these settings – and even small enough to store in the car without too much clutter.

You can also attach magnets to the back and use it on a sheet pan as a magnetic activity.

Classroom lessons and applications

There are so many lessons to be learned from a simple activity like this:

• Counting
• Color identification
• Matching
• Pattern and sequencing
• Visual Perceptual Skills
• Fine Motor Coordination

Of course, you can add to the mix by swapping out the themes like I did above. You can add social skills by playing games with this (such as racing games, or give each kid a stack, and have them swap with friends the parts that they’re missing, like open-card go-fish style).

Since this is inexpensive, you can make a few sets and have it as a classroom center activity and quiet time toy.

How to make a craft stick puzzle shape matching activity

Here’s the step by step process to craft these. Of course, do it as you’d like.

What you’ll need

• 16 jumbo craft sticks
• Acrylic craft paints in black, white and primary/ROYGBIV colors (recommended for preschool kids for early color recognition.) Alternatively, use paint markers
• Washi, masking, or painter’s tape
• Paintbrush if using craft paints
• Pencil

Step by Step Instructions

1. Gather all supplies. Using a low tack paper tape, attach eight sets of two jumbo craft sticks together.

2. I recommend outlining your shapes on a separate paper to keep things consistent. I recommend: a circle, a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a heart, and a diamond. For big kids, you can add more complex shapes like hexagons, trapezoids, etc. Select one color of craft paint for each shape.

3. Using a pencil, trace three shapes onto each set of jumbo craft sticks. Make the combination of shapes random. Make the center of the shape (especially those with a distinct center point like diamonds and hearts) fall on the space between the sticks.

4. Basecoat the hearts with red acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary.

5. Basecoat the rectangles with orange acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary. Note: these are just color suggestions, as I did it. Feel free to adapt with your own colors.

6. Basecoat the triangles with yellow acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary.

7. Basecoat the squares with green acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary.

8. Basecoat the circles with blue acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary.

9. Basecoat the diamonds with purple acrylic craft paint. Let dry, then apply a second coat if necessary.

10. Once all the paint is dry, remove the washi tape or painter’s tape. Mix up the craft sticks and play the game.

Mix the sticks up and let your preschooler match them back!

And of course, pin the image below to share it with a fellow parent or teacher!

The post Shape Matching Activity – DIY Popsicle Stick Travel Toy for Toddlers appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

As I was coloring in these leaf coloring pages, I realized that I must – I mean MUST – turn them into suncatchers. They were so beautiful, with bright pops of color that just had to adorn the house for fall.

I’m thinking of all those glorious and cozy fall holidays, especially Thanksgiving! These are just perfect decorations that anyone can make.

I experimented with different methods of turning the paper translucent on a scrap paper, and found the baby oil method to be the perfect idea. It’s easy, affordable, and hard to get wrong.

I’ll be sharing loads of tips for making these, but meanwhile, you can grab the coloring pages right here!

Tips for making autumn leaf suncatchers

Using baby oil to make paper translucent

I wanted to turn the paper translucent, and I tried a few methods. I found that using dish soap mixed with water made colors run. However, baby oil, due to the nature of oil and water not mixing, really just soaked into the paper and didn’t affect the coloring.

I chose baby oil because I felt like it was very neutral and unlikely to go rancid, unlike food oils. Definitely feel free to try this with other oils!

The trick really worked wonderfully. I used a cotton ball with a clothespin as a brush to really hold enough oil to allow me to sufficiently soak it.

You can also pour the oil onto a plate and place the leaf inside, allowing it to soak in.

The only downside of the baby oil method: it does leave your project slightly greasy! However, it’s baby oil, and not a “dirty” grease, so I’m personally fine with it. It’s not necessarily the best project to store from year to year, but it’s really fun while you’re using it.

Which art supplies can you use to color these?

One of the cool things about using baby oil is that you can really use a number of art supplies, especially water-based ones. Water and oil don’t mix, so scientifically, the oil shouldn’t smudge it. And even alcohol based art supplies, like the Ohuhu markers I used, worked fabulously.

For younger kids, I’d recommend using washable markers or other water-based markers. Again, it does not matter if they are water soluble, as it won’t mix! For wax crayons or oil pastels, I would recommend testing them first. I’d imagine that if you have too thick a surface on the autumn leaf suncatchers, it will prevent the oil from absorbing.

So if you’re using something else, test it first! Just swatch your art supply, dab on (or soak in) baby oil, and see if it works!

Hanging up your autumn leaf suncatchers

One of the biggest challenges when crafting these autumn leaf suncatchers: how do you tack it up if it has a slick surface??!! While we DID dab away as much of the baby oil as possible, some will naturally sit on the surface. I’ll share the fixes that I did myself and some other ideas to play with – to see for yourself if they work.

For starters, I used Duck Brand’s Nano Grab circles. This is a very strong permanent or temporary double-sided tape (the kind with the gel texture). It just barely holds the lightweight leaves with all the grease involved, but it held for the time I tested it.

It’s also translucent, and you can barely see it through. The only caveat is that you might not know if it comes off the window cleanly. I pulled hard to get it off the window, and it did come totally off without leaving residue. I recommend deciding for yourself and testing it, as I offer no guarantees it’ll come off.

Some other ideas for finishing off and hanging your autumn leaf suncatchers:

• You can cut out frames for it using black paper and staple them in place, but it’s a bit of a complex shape, and you’ll want it around the leaf, not backing the leaf, to retain the suncatcher effect.
• You can laminate it or enclose it in clear contact paper. I don’t know how it’ll hold or how well it’ll be preserved. But it’ll be held together around it (even though it won’t adhere to the actual leaf), and you can hang it from the plastic cover.
• Punch a hole and hang it from a string or a suction hook.

These are fabulous to make as a fall craft for the classroom, a library activity, or in art class! Make these to decorate the classroom window or even your sukkah!

How to make autumn leaf suncatchers – step by step

You’ll need

• The leaf coloring pages, printed on regular copy paper, nothing thicker
• Art supplies (see notes above) – I used Ohuhu alcohol markers
• Scissors
• Clothespin
• Cotton ball
• Baby oil (other oils may work – feel free to test them)
• A protective surface
• Paper towels
• Nano-Grab mounting dots Important: I cannot guarantee that this will come cleanly off your window. I tested it on mine on the window, and it came off nicely, but I don’t take responsibility for your use of it!

Watch the video:

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Process

1. Color in your leaves however you’d like! Go fancy or keep it simple.

2. Cut out your leaves. The stem is a bit delicate, so be careful with it!

3. We’re going to be using regular baby oil to make the page translucent. Start by protecting your surface – oil usually stains permanently.

4. Use a clothespin as a handle and insert a cotton ball.

5. Pour some baby oil onto the cotton ball.

6. Start dabbing and painting! You’ll want to cover the whole surface with a layer of baby oil.

7. Let it sit for a few minutes (at least) to absorb into the paper. Then, dab off the excess oil by placing it between two sheets of paper towel and patting off what you can.

8. It’ll still be a bit greasy. See more ideas for finishing it off in the intro to this post if you want alternatives. The best way I found to hang it was using Nano-Grab circles – they’re transparent and they hold the greasy surface, although not extremely strongly. Test it on a surface you don’t mind ruining before using it on a window you care about.

Your autumn leaf suncatchers are complete – aren’t you just thrilled with them?

DIY Autumn Leaf Suncatchers Using Baby Oil

Print

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Materials

• The leaf coloring pages, printed on regular copy paper, nothing thicker
• Art supplies (see notes above) - I used Ohuhu alcohol markers
• Scissors
• Clothespin
• Cotton ball
• Baby oil (other oils may work - feel free to test them)
• A protective surface
• Paper towels
• Nano-Grab mounting dots Important: I cannot guarantee that this will come cleanly off your window. I tested it on mine on the window, and it came off nicely, but I don't take responsibility for your use of it!

Instructions

1. Color in your leaves however you'd like! Go fancy or keep it simple.

2. Cut out your leaves. The stem is a bit delicate, so be careful with it!

3. We're going to be using regular baby oil to make the page translucent. Start by protecting your surface - oil usually stains permanently.

4. Use a clothespin as a handle and insert a cotton ball.

5. Pour some baby oil onto the cotton ball.

6. Start dabbing and painting! You'll want to cover the whole surface with a layer of baby oil.

7. Let it sit for a few minutes (at least) to absorb into the paper. Then, dab off the excess oil by placing it between two sheets of paper towel and patting off what you can.

8. It'll still be a bit greasy. See more ideas for finishing it off in the intro to this post if you want alternatives. The best way I found to hang it was using Nano-Grab circles - they're transparent and they hold the greasy surface, although not extremely strongly. Test it on a surface you don't mind ruining before using it on a window you care about.

Your autumn leaf suncatchers are complete - aren't you just thrilled with them?

Notes

I experimented with different methods of turning the paper translucent on a scrap paper, and found the baby oil method to be the perfect idea. It's easy, affordable, and hard to get wrong.

I wanted to turn the paper translucent, and I tried a few methods. I found that using dish soap mixed with water made colors run. However, baby oil, due to the nature of oil and water not mixing, really just soaked into the paper and didn't affect the coloring.

I chose baby oil because I felt like it was very neutral and unlikely to go rancid, unlike food oils. Definitely feel free to try this with other oils!

The trick really worked wonderfully. I used a cotton ball with a clothespin as a brush to really hold enough oil to allow me to sufficiently soak it.

You can also pour the oil onto a plate and place the leaf inside, allowing it to soak in.

The only downside of the baby oil method: it does leave your project slightly greasy! However, it's baby oil, and not a "dirty" grease, so I'm personally fine with it. It's not necessarily the best project to store from year to year, but it's really fun while you're using it.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Autumn Leaf Suncatchers – Baby Oil Translucent Paper Method appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I’m always looking for new and creative cutting practice pages for preschool – so why not make some fun hairstyles ones? When you’re done, try these alphabet do a dot printables too. This post contains affiliate links.

A is actually obsessed with cutting – any time I give her a coloring craft, she runs for the scissors! And since she loves everything dress-up and beauty, I decided to design the perfect craft for her: a hairstyle focused one!

Scroll down for more details on how to craft this or get it here:

To build scissors skills, you’ll usually use pages with all sorts of shapes to go around. These are surprisingly challenging for preschoolers because of the constant direction changes.

That makes hair textures the perfect scissors practice challenge for them! And yes – it can be hard!

How to approach learning scissors skills with hairstyles cutting practice pages for preschool

Skill-levels

I wanted these cutting practice pages to also double as a bit of a self-portrait project, however, I realized after A tried it that it was the wrong approach. (This is why you always want crafts that are really tested properly!)

Due to the various challenge levels, it’s best crafted in sequence, with the straight hair being “level 1” and the others progressing as follows:

• Waves
• Zig Zags
• Curls

Crafting the rest of it

The girl’s body and head are also great cutting practice for preschoolers, and overall, you can really take this ten steps further. A pulled out the crayons to make a simple face (AFTER she was done cutting, of course) and she was able to assemble the character on her own.

You can take also do the following:

• Print the hair on regular paper and have kids color it.
• Add buttons, etc to the body
• Make little paper hair bows to glue on
• Or, glue on any craft supplies – buttons, pom poms, small satin bows – to the hair as accessories
• Bring out the googly eyes, pipe cleaner mouth, pom pom nose, etc.
• Add some glitter glue bling: earring, necklace, headband…

Printing the template – can you print on construction paper?

The coolest part of this template: you can print it right onto the construction paper that you’re using!

Yes, you can use an ink jet printer on construction paper. I don’t think a laser jet would work.

You may need to trim the paper down to fit the printer (most construction paper is 9×12 inches, a bit larger than the 8.5×11 that a standard cheap printer will handle).

You’ll also need to print one page at a time or get the order correct on the first try (ha! I didn’t.) You’ll want the hair and faces on the right color paper.

I used a skin tone pack of paper from Pacon for the faces and brown hair, and one of Crayola’s standard colors for the blonde and redhead. I used regular colored copy paper for the body.

Download the cutting practice pages for preschool

This is a premium download, available in my shop, on Etsy or TPT. Your purchase helps keep this blog alive and the tutorials coming.

How to assemble the cutting practice pages for preschool

You’ll need

• Skin tone construction paper
• Regular Construction Paper
• Scissors
• An inkjet printer
• A paper trimmer is recommended
• Glue sticks (My daughter loves Elmer’s scented ones)
• Optional: crayons and other standard craft supplies to decorate it

Process

1. Trim your construction paper as needed (about 1/2 inch from the width and 1 inch from the height). Print out the template.

2. Have your child cut it out around the outline and cut the hair lines.

3. Glue the head to the body.

4. Glue the bangs in front and the main hair in back, sandwiching the head and body.

5. Color and decorate!

I hope you enjoyed these cutting practice pages for preschool! If you haven’t yet, you can download them in my shop, on Etsy or TPT:

The post Hairstyles Cutting Practice Pages for Preschool appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Ready for some outdoor fun? We first tried this easy DIY sidewalk chalk paint as a spur of the moment art birthday party activity for Y’s 8th birthday. I realized I’d need to get the kids ouside a bit so that I can switch from food to painting, and needed a same-day, on-the-fly activity!

DIY sidewalk chalk paint was the perfect solution – the kids had fun with it and it came together super quickly.

Today I’m going to share with you everything you need to know about making your own sidewalk chalk paint, including storage, use tips, and yes, how to keep it neater than I did.

And yes, it has that white chalky finish just like sidewalk chalk – but goes on as a liquid like paint! It’s the cornstarch that gives it its chalky texture, and yes, it just washes away, just like chalk!

They can even paint on their outdoor toys.

Does DIY sidewalk chalk paint stain?

I used food coloring to make this sidewalk chalk paint. The advantage is that you get the color in little drops, leaving the texture of the paint intact.

However, food coloring can stain! I stained my hands awfully because one of my food colors was old and lumpy and didn’t mix in well. (It’s photographed here but I threw that color out).

I did not find that it stained the outdoor surface or my kids’ clothing. I think it’s because the color absorbed enough into the corn starch.

I did tell party participants to send kids in junk clothing, so I wasn’t worried about it at the party. I will suggest that if your kids get it on their clothing they should wash it right away (this always applies, even to washable paints!) I also recommend considering where you color – while it didn’t stain our outdoors, you need to keep open the possibility that it might leave light stains, and do it in an area where that won’t bother you.

You can also try using one of the following options to color it instead:

• Ground up sidewalk chalk (an extra step that makes it not so easy anymore)
• Washable kids’ paints (it’s less pigmented, so you’ll need to use more which may affect the texture).
• Washable liquid pigments
• Washable powder pigments

Food coloring is the easiest choice for me, but you can definitely play around with this recipe.

Tips

I always jot down notes as I do an activity to share with you how you can improve on it – or the choices I made that worked out well and made it easier.

Making it neater – on the prep end

This CAN be a neat activity to prepare, and yes, I did it quite neatly at the party. But then when I repeated this to share it in this post, I made a royal mess.

Here is my take on how to keep things neat:

• Mix up all the cornstarch and water in one large container and distribute it between smaller ones to add color. Remember: it’s food safe, so you can use your regular kitchen tools.
• Use containers that are larger than needed both for mixing in colors and for mixing the main batch.
• Use fresh food coloring and don’t add too much! Just 2-3 drops per color.
• Work slowly, don’t rush. Corn starch can get all over, but if you measure carefully and place it in a large bowl, you’ll be able to contain it better.

While I see people make DIY sidewalk chalk paint in muffin tins, I do NOT recommend that. I recommend making larger batches in food storage containers, and planning to use it all at once.

Which brushes should you use

We brought out an assortment of brushes but found that the typical bristled house painting (chip) brushes worked best. You can get large packs for a great price, and the large sizes are great for outdoor use (just make sure it fits neatly into the containers you’re using.)

We found that silicone brushes didn’t hold enough paint and foam brushes shredded on the pavement. Large, cheap bristle brushes held the paint well, gave us good strokes and coverage, and while they did lose a few bristles, they held up well enough.

Storing DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

This DIY sidewalk chalk paint is NOT designed to prepare in advance. Your best bet is to prep it as needed – it really takes minutes.

If you need to advance prep, here are so me ideas:

• Prep pre-measured colored water (you’ll need to do the colors separately so it’s more work), and pre-measure cornstarch. Mix each color fresh.
• Store it in an airtight container. Use it as soon as possible.
• If it dries up, you can try rehydrating it.

I really, really, recommend that you just make it fresh.

It separates a bit (almost immediately) but still works totally fine as you paint. So don’t worry if you see a bit of separation.

How to make DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

You’ll need

• Corn Starch (I used about 1/3 cup per color)
• Water
• Food coloring
• Storage containers
• Recommended: a large mixing bowl
• Paintbrushes (I recommend chip brushes 2-4 inches wide)
• Popsicle sticks or spoons to stir with
• Large mixing bowl or container
• Measuring cup

Watch the video

Process

1. Mix equal parts corn starch and water. Note: I recommend doing this in a big bowl and dividing it up after. If you’re doing it in separate containers, add water to one at a time and mix it right after.

2. Add 2-3 drops food coloring and mix well. Mix and match colors and add more only as needed.

Your DIY sidewalk chalk paint is complete! Have fun playing! And if you want a fun spin on this, try this foamy sidewalk paint too!

DIY Three Ingredient Sidewalk Paint

Make your own DIY sidewalk chalk paint - it's easy, cheap, and uses things you probably have!

Print

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Ingredients

• Corn Starch (I used about 1/3 cup per color)
• Water
• Food coloring
• Storage containers
• Recommended: a large mixing bowl
• Paintbrushes (I recommend house painting bristle brushes 2-4 inches wide)
• Popsicle sticks or spoons to stir with

Instructions

1. Mix equal parts corn starch and water. Note: I recommend doing this in a big bowl and dividing it up after. If you're doing it in separate containers, add water to one at a time and mix it right after.

2. Add 2-3 drops food coloring and mix well. Mix and match colors and add more only as needed.

Your DIY sidewalk chalk paint is complete! Have fun playing!

Notes

• Mix up all the cornstarch and water in one large container and distribute it between smaller ones to add color. Remember: it's food safe, so you can use your regular kitchen tools.
• Use containers that are larger than needed both for mixing in colors and for mixing the main batch.
• Use fresh food coloring and don't add too much! Just 2-3 drops per color.
• Work slowly, don't rush. Corn starch can get all over, but if you measure carefully and place it in a large bowl, you'll be able to contain it better.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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There’s nothing like a good craft derived from the recycling bin to get the creative inspiration going, and these egg carton flowers are no different!

There are so many different ways you can turn cardboard egg cartons into flowers, but I’m going to share a way that makes use of the shape of the egg carton itself for a fun craft that can be done – on different levels – by virtually any age group.

While most tutorials for egg carton flowers can be quite advanced, with the goal being a polished finished result, I originally crafted this one with my toddler. The goal was just a fun process. And since you paint so much of this, it’s really fun for toddlers!

So while this does require a bit of adult (or big kid) input in preparing, and it uses a hot glue gun, it’s a much more simple egg carton flower tutorial.

Tips for making egg carton flowers

The egg cartons

One cool thing about this tutorial is that it makes use of the egg carton shape itself. The problem is that egg cartons aren’t all the same! Here are the egg carton flowers we made nine years ago:

And here are the ones we made this year:

The original egg cartons were MUCH more suited to egg carton flowers. But I’m happy that I have the chance to show you how to do this with egg cartons that aren’t as perfect.

I did play with both 18 egg and 12 egg cartons, and found that the dozen eggs was much better suited to this craft, so if you can choose that.

Choosing the right supplies for egg carton flowers

My original craft was created as an excuse to use some new neon colored Crayola washable paints with my toddler (those paints are no longer in production and are available at inflated prices. This bold set is most similar). If you are doing this with toddlers, you may want to stick with washable paints.

However, I found that the egg carton is VERY absorbent. The main difference in functionality between washable paint and good quality craft acrylics is in the richness of the color. Washable paints tend to be much less opaque and the coverage isn’t as good.

It has a look to it and you can definitely use that. For the remake, I went for good coverage and used craft acrylics from a good brand.

Another great option is paint sticks – they’ll dry quicker but won’t absorb as much. They lay on the color thick and smooth and are washable, however, you do need to get a good quality brand to make sure they dry well.

More material tips

As the years of running this blog progressed (I’ve been doing it for more than ten years) I found that my stash of supplies became more advanced and sophisticated. The cool thing about remaking a craft like these egg carton flowers is that even though I used better supplies this time, I know that it can be done simpler.

For example, I used colorful dowels on the remake. On the original, I used regular dowels. You can even use a stick from outside.

On the original, I added more leaves and used washi tape to integrate them… there are so many ways you can craft these egg carton flowers, just go crazy and get creative!

Notes on the original egg carton flowers

Confession time: I am not the perfect mom. I like when my crafts come out pretty. I also always disliked the concept of “adult-created kid crafts” that involve the adult so much more than the child.

Which is why I enjoyed this so much – I prepared the parts, we painted them together, and we assembled it “together”, but it’s totally recognizable as what he painted.

He takes great pride in it and definitely recognizes them as something he made – because he painted the actual final form.

Another thing is, because we did it TOGETHER it didn’t seem to matter so much. I wasn’t correcting his work, or adding on to it. We were doing it as a team effort. And I got the pretty I like when I craft and he had the time of his life painting with Mommy.

Two years later, these egg carton flowers are still sitting on our bookshelf, and M, now four, remembers making them. There are moments like these that simply stick. And despite the fact that I mess up often, and can make a list a mile long of my parenting mistakes, I know I’ve done right by him with this one.

How to make egg carton flowers

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Supplies needed

• An egg carton (one for 3 flowers)
• Wooden dowels – 3/16th inch ones work great here
• Hot glue gun (adults only) – my favorite is this one from Surebonder
• Strong scissors and/or craft knife
• Paint – washable kids’ paint or good quality craft acrylics
• Paintbrushes
• Smock

Process

1. (Adult) Cut your egg carton as follows:

Split the base into three sets of four. Cut around it halfway through, but leave that center part nice ‘n long, with the hole in the center.

2. The covers tend to have these leaf-shaped holes so that you can “peek” at your egg, I guess? Cut around them in a leaf shape. If you have a solid cover, you can simply cut out regular leaf shapes.

3. Cut the fronts and backs of the base and cover into long strips, and cut fringe into them. Don’t worry if its a bit broken up.

4. Paint your parts! You can just block in paint and have fun with it like M did on the original. Or, color it a solid color and add detail around the edges and center like I did on take 2.

Paint the back too. I used the color that I used around the flower edge.

5. Paint the center yellow. On take 2 I also added some brown detail and blended it in.

6. Paint the leaves green (again, some brown and yellow accents add dimension) and the dowel if you want.

Allow all your painted parts to dry completely before assembling.

7. Cut fringe into your yellow centers. It should be relatively close together, and almost till the end.

8. Optional: if you want to make things look a little nicer, curl out the fringe end of your yellow center. Simply roll it over the dowel. Do this so that it tapers off toward the end – the very end shouldn’t be rolled at all.

9. Assemble your flower! Note: on the remake, I used hot glue as an efficient and strong solution. On the original, I used a good quality washi tape which can work as well and is more kid-friendly. You can also use masking tape and then paint over it.

Start by gluing the dowel to the end of the center strip that is not curled out.

10. Start rolling it around the dowel! Do this by adding a small line of glue…

And then rolling up that bit, holding it in place till it sets. Repeat until your center is all rolled up.

11. Your egg carton should have a naturally occurring hole in the center of the flower. If it doesn’t, make a hole with a craft knife. Poke the dowel through the hole from the top of the flower.

12. Add some glue to the base of your center and push it all the way through the hole so it sits in that flower center.

13. Finish it off by gluing your leaves in place. Some leaves will have a natural curl to it – if it doesn’t, curl the ends around the dowel before gluing.

Your egg carton flowers are complete! Which occasion will you be crafting these for? Comment below!

These egg carton flowers look beautiful displayed simply in a vase!

And that’s all for now. I did add some white vase filler to it to anchor the flowers.  I love how this craft uses almost the entire carton, and makes the most of the various parts!

Loved these egg carton flowers? Try the flower crafts below:

The post Egg Carton Flowers – A Recycled Craft for Kids and Grown-ups! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

As someone who has been making jewelry for many years, I know that the age to start is… as soon as the kids won’t eat beads. There’s such pride that kids get in wearing the jewelry they made, and A’s hands and neck are always adorned (read: piled high) with her creations.

I recently ran a beading activity for preschoolers that was very successful and I wanted to share with you some of my best tips for teaching young kids how to bead. The kids were at different stages with their fine motor development and some needed serious guidance.

The process can be frustrating as it takes a lot of coordination to get the string through the bead, and then grasp the string, let go, and slide the bead down. But young kids, even those who don’t have the best fine motor skills, CAN learn with the right technique.

Skills learned by beading with preschoolers

Not only will they be so incredibly proud of their creations – and their success, but beading is just such a fabulous craft.

It exercises those fine motor skills at the pre-writing age, building the coordination needed for writing, and fine-tuning that pincer grasp.

I find that it really teaches kids patience and self-control in a way that is attainable for them because of the tangible reward each time they exercise that patience.

They can also practice basic math skills like counting and patterns. Of course, you can very easily incorporate sequencing and color practice in this beading activity for preschoolers too.

And finally, from a sensory standpoint, I personally find beading to be such a fun, tactile craft. Beads and strings come in so many different textures and finishes – think smooth plastic, rough wood, and soft silicone to name a few.

Tips for teaching preschoolers how to bead without a needle

First things first: only do this with close supervision and kids who won’t misuse the materials (such as mouthing the beads or wrapping the string around their neck.

Teaching them the process for threading the string through the bead

The way I did this was as follows: I showed the kids to hold the string about an inch from the end. They obviously didn’t do that exactly but that was a great starting point.

Hold the string so that it doesn’t flop down – it sticks out. Now in the other hand, show them to hold the bead between their thumb and index finger so that the thumb is on bottom and the index on top – and they are NOT covering the holes. They then thread the string through until the bead bumps their finger. They let go of the bead, catch the other side of the string with the bead hand and use the string hand for the bead, to slide it down.

Watch this video for more clarity on the process:

It might sound overcomplicated but the kids got it with the visual, and after a few tries they caught on to a motion that we might expect to come naturally but doesn’t necessarily.

Troubleshooting their beadings kills

Some of the kids had trouble with the first two, and breaking down what’s required for successful beading will help you show them where to improve – which is why it’s so important.

The most common issues kids face when beading:

• The string flops – they need to know to hold it close enough to the end that the string end is stiff enough to stay mostly horizontal, but not so close that they can’t comfortably string it. You’ll show that to them.
• They’re covering the bead hole – While it might seem natural to us to hold a bead a certain way, these kids are still developing their coordination skills. Demonstrating this to them will allow them to be aware of them, and showing them the proper way gives them a starting point.
• Switching from stringing to sliding down – Again, this is a coordination issue that can be taught. When they first try, they tend to let go of the string first and it slides out. Show them to let go of the bead and quickly grab the string.

This process had a 100% success rate in teaching my preschool girls how to bead making for an incredibly successful beading activity for preschoolers.

Materials you choose for a beading activity for preschoolers are important

The materials you use can make all the difference.

There are a few notes to make with materials:

• String – three qualities you need: it should be stiff enough that when you hold it about an inch or two from the end it doesn’t droop, it should have end that don’t fray easily, and it should hold a knot. With the group, I used beading elastic – the kind made from multiple strands, not the crystal kind. You can use different types of cord and string as long as they have these qualities and aren’t too thick.
• Beads – They should be large enough for young kids to grasp (at least 8mm), with a large enough hole to make stringing forgiving (2 mm can work, 4mm or larger is recommended). This kit is a fabulous starter kit, or just go for pony beads (a bit less of a challenge.)
• Starter – You’ll need something to tie on as a blocker. I don’t recommend using traditional blockers as they can be pulled off by kids. Use half a clasp tied on or a bead, but make sure it’s secure. You can even glue the knot in advance.

How to run a beading activity for preschoolers

Materials

• String – I’ve done this with preschoolers with beading elastic and this cording.
• Optional: plastic clasps
• Large hole bead – pony beads are a great starter bead.
• Scissors
• Patience 🙂

How to make the necklace

1. Make a double knot at the end of your string, large enough to block your clasp. String on half your clasp, open side facing out. OR tie on a bead.

2. Show kids to hold the elastic with their weak hand about an inch from the end so that the “tail” is a horizontal line. Show them to hold a bead between their index finger and thumb using their strong hand so that they are not blocking the hole. Then, they should string the end of the bead through the hole.

Release the bead to catch the end of the string with their strong hand and now they can let the bead slide down the string and guide it with their weak hand.

3. They can string on as many beads as they want – practice is good! If it’s a bracelet and it’s too big, I just sneak a few off before tying it off. Here, A made a necklace.

4. String on the other half of the clasp, open end facing away from the beads. Tie off tight (glue knots if you want for durability) and trim the string so it fits inside the clasp.

The necklace is ready to wear!

Got any additional tips for this beading activity for preschoolers? Any other strategies you use to teach preschoolers how to string beads?

Comment below!

Tips for Teaching Preschoolers to Bead

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Materials

• String - I've done this with preschoolers with beading elastic and this cording
• Optional: plastic clasps
• Large hole bead - pony beads are a great starter bead
• Scissors
• Patience 🙂

Instructions

1. Make a double knot at the end of your string, large enough to block your clasp. String on half your clasp, open side facing out. OR tie on a bead.

2. Show kids to hold the elastic with their weak hand about an inch from the end so that the "tail" is a horizontal line. Show them to hold a bead between their index finger and thumb using their strong hand so that they are not blocking the hole. Then, they should string the end of the bead through the hole.

Release the bead to catch the end of the string with their strong hand and now they can let the bead slide down the string and guide it with their weak hand.

3. They can string on as many beads as they want - practice is good! If it's a bracelet and it's too big, I just sneak a few off before tying it off. Here, A made a necklace.

4. String on the other half of the clasp, open end facing away from the beads. Tie off tight (glue knots if you want for durability) and trim the string so it fits inside the clasp.

The necklace is ready to wear!

Notes

Some of the kids had trouble with the first two, and breaking down what's required for successful beading will help you show them where to improve - which is why it's so important.

The most common issues kids face when beading:

The string flops - they need to know to hold it close enough to the end that the string end is stiff enough to stay mostly horizontal, but not so close that they can't comfortably string it. You'll show that to them.

They're covering the bead hole - While it might seem natural to us to hold a bead a certain way, these kids are still developing their coordination skills. Demonstrating this to them will allow them to be aware of them, and showing them the proper way gives them a starting point.

Switching from stringing to sliding down - Again, this is a coordination issue that can be taught. When they first try, they tend to let go of the string first and it slides out. Show them to let go of the bead and quickly grab the string.

This process had a 100% success rate in teaching my preschool girls how to bead.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Beading Activity for Preschoolers appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Everybody loves butterflies! This craft is inspired by their beautiful colors and symmetrical shape. It’s a wonderful multisensory activity that can strengthen many of your young crafters’ skills. At the end, we’ll attach a magnet to help you proudly display their artwork.

I first started doing this craft with preschoolers, but I found that my older kids always wanted to join in. This is a great, flexible activity for mixed skill levels, and each crafter can decide how much effort they want to put into their design.

Besides being adorable and fun, how do clothespin butterflies enhance children’s development?

Skill-building while making a beaded butterfly craft

Let’s start with fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Using a pincer grasp (forefinger and thumb) to string beads is a huge leap in preschoolers’ development. This craft has them putting beads onto a pipe cleaner. The pipe cleaner’s stiffness makes it easier to work on this skill than using string, which flops around as you’re trying to aim for the hole in the bead. (I’ll be addressing teaching preschoolers to string with flexible strings on another post!)

The fuzziness of the pipe cleaner also requires you to push the beads down instead of just letting them slide on, so kids are continuing to manipulate the beads for longer.

Spring-loaded clothespins are also great for building finger strength. This craft doesn’t require a whole lot of pinching to open the clothespin – you really only need to do it once – but you can work more exercise into the activity along the way. Most kids won’t be able to resist pinching it just for fun anyway.

Another educational feature of this activity is colors, patterns, and sorting. Depending on your crafters’ level of development, you can have them name and choose what colored beads they want to use, sort beads to use a different color for each wing or set of wings, or create a pattern of alternating colored beads. You can introduce the idea of patterns with different levels of complexity for children who have already mastered simple patterns.

Of course, as with most craft activities, we’re exercising the ability to follow directions. While all crafts require following directions to some extent, this one is more unique as it has some new steps and materials that they don’t see every day – but that are still really easy and age-appropriate to work with.

As a bonus, you can also use this craft as part of a learning unit about butterflies. Wouldn’t it be fun to make a caterpillar by stringing beads onto a pipe cleaner… and then twist it to become the wings of a butterfly? 

How to make a beaded butterfly craft

Materials

• Clothespins
• Paint
• Pipe cleaners
• Pony beads
• Magnetic tape or small magnets
• Scissors
• Paintbrush
• (Glue – optional)

Process

1. Paint the clothespin with the color of your choice. Set aside to dry.

2. Thread pony beads onto two pipe cleaners. Leave about 1 inch empty on each end of the pipe cleaners.

3. Bring the two empty ends of the pipe cleaner together to form a circle. Twist the ends together and wrap them around the circle to hide the sharp ends.

Spread the beads out to leave an empty space on the top and bottom of the circle. 

4. Pinch the top and bottom together and twist the pipe cleaner together in that empty space between the beads. 

5. Repeat steps 3-5 with the second pipe cleaner.

6. Make sure the paint on the clothespin is dry. Pinch the clothespin to open, and slide the pipe-cleaner wings in. The clothespin will hold the wings in place, but you can reinforce it with a little glue if you like.

Adjust the shape of the wings as needed.

8. Take another pipe cleaner and cut it approximately in half for the antennas.

Fold the pipe cleaner piece in half and curl the ends.

9. Pinch the antenna pipe cleaner in the end of the clothespin to hold it in place. Reinforce with a little glue if you’d like.

Cut a small piece of magnet and stick it to the back of the clothespin. If it doesn’t stay, use glue.

Your beaded butterfly craft is complete! Did you turn it into a magnet? If not – can you think of a way to make this as a keychain?

How To Make A Beaded Butterfly (Fine Motor Craft for Preschoolers)

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Materials

• Clothespins
• Paint
• Pipe cleaners
• Pony beads
• Magnetic tape or small magnets
• Scissors
• Paintbrush
• (Glue - optional)

Instructions

1. Paint the clothespin with the color of your choice. Set aside to dry.

2. Thread pony beads onto two pipe cleaners. Leave about 1 inch empty on each end of the pipe cleaners.

3. Bring the two empty ends of the pipe cleaner together to form a circle. Twist the ends together and wrap them around the circle to hide the sharp ends.

Spread the beads out to leave an empty space on the top and bottom of the circle.

4. Pinch the top and bottom together and twist the pipe cleaner together in that empty space between the beads. 

5. Repeat steps 3-5 with the second pipe cleaner.

6. Make sure the paint on the clothespin is dry. Pinch the clothespin to open, and slide the pipe-cleaner wings in. The clothespin will hold the wings in place, but you can reinforce it with a little glue if you like.

Adjust the shape of the wings as needed.

8. Take another pipe cleaner and cut it approximately in half for the antennas.

Fold the pipe cleaner piece in half and curl the ends.

9. Pinch the antenna pipe cleaner in the end of the clothespin to hold it in place. Reinforce with a little glue if you’d like.

Cut a small piece of magnet and stick it to the back of the clothespin. If it doesn’t stay, use glue.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Beaded Butterfly Craft appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

The best crafts for kids are the ones they continue to enjoy after the craft activity is finished. These upcycled paper giraffes will inspire hours of pretend play and additional craft ideas. 

Pretend play is a crucial part of child development. It strengthens kids’ understanding of the world, language and communication, and emotional health. It helps kids socially interact with the peers and adults who join their play. Best of all, it’s super fun! Make a few of these giraffes or add other safari animals for more social play-acting.

Craft some paper grass or trees for the giraffe to romp around in or feed on, too.

I love how this craft uses simple materials I have at home, (including some I accidentally threw out… how could I?!). Repurposing trash for crafts teaches kids to be more conscious about waste, and builds their creativity and imagination. 

Toilet paper rolls are perfect for this craft, but if you feel squeamish about that you can take a paper towel roll and cut it down to size. You can also take thin cardboard, like an empty cereal box, roll it into a tube, and staple or tape it together. And yes, you can buy craft rolls too. Though not recycled, they are recyclable.

You can save even more waste by using scraps of paper from past projects for the smaller cutouts in this one. 

As you can see, I’ve kept this post extra simple for you. But if you’d like to dress it up a little, feel free to add wiggly eyes and a braided yarn tail, or mix up your materials.

You can use any kind of glue for this project. Tacky Glue would be perfect because it holds a little faster and requires less patience.

What you need

• Colored cardstock or craft paper
• Empty toilet paper roll or cardboard tube
• Pencil 
• Scissors 
• Tacky glue
• Markers

How to Make a Toilet Paper Roll Giraffe

1. Print out the PDF template (at the end of this post)  and use cardstock paper or craft papers to cut out the pieces for the giraffe.

2. Glue the circles to the end of each horn.

Glue the muzzle (mouth part) to the bottom of the head.

Glue the hoofs to the bottom of the legs.

3. Glue the giraffe’s spots onto the body, head and legs. 

4. Wrap the body paper around the toilet paper roll and glue it in place.

5. Glue the horns onto the head, sticking out from the back. 

Draw a friendly face on the giraffe’s head (optional).

6. Glue the head to the neck.

7. Glue the legs onto the bottom of the giraffe.

Download the free toilet paper roll giraffe template

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

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Ages ago, (yes, I’ve been doing this a LONG time), I shared some printable do a dot number learning sheets and for the longest time I wanted to follow it up with an alphabet theme.

Today, I’m finally sharing it – number dot marker sheets!

These are in a fruit and vegetable theme and include a writing element as well, perfect for building beginner writing skills! Kids can color, trace, and of course, dot.

Different ways to complete alphabet do a dot printables

These alphabet do a dot printables were designed for use with Do a Dot markers, also known as Bingo markers. However, there are a few other ways you can complete them:

Color Coding Dot Stickers

My favorite no-mess fine motor skill-building way to use dot marker sheets is by using dot stickers! Opt for 3/4 inch dot stickers in a good variety of colors.

Pouncers and Paint

While a bit ambitious, paint is so much fun for little kids to get their hands on! Use pouncers (again, the correct size would be 3/4 inch ones) and dip them into washable paint prepared on a plastic palette.

Fingers if you dare!

Kids just love fingerpainting and yes, you can do this with fingers. Teach them how to delicately dot in the circle spaces.

If you’re really not feeling it, but your kids love it, you can try Color Wonder Mess-free finger paints and print these on Color Wonder printer paper. Yes, that’s a thing. The paints are “invisible” on everything besides for the color wonder paper!

Preview the pages of the alphabet do a dot printables

These feature fruit and vegetables with a focus of the best nature has to offer our bodies! The idea is that just as kids have that familiar, friendly vibe with animals because they are so frequently featured in their crafts – why not do the same with healthy food?

See a preview of the pages here:

Download the alphabet do a dot printables:

This is a premium printable available for sale in my Etsy shop. Your purchase includes a license for personal or single classroom use.

The post Alphabet Do a Dot Printables appeared first on Moms and Crafters.