Handprint Ducks In A Row

Toddler, Pre-K, K, 6+

Okay, I might be a genius for coming up with this one. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how it looks hanging in my kitchen!

To make this craft you will need:

• Yellow paint
• Large sheet of paper (I actually glued several pieces to a large cardboard piece I had)
• 1 mommy (or daddy) hand (or be creative and do both!!!)
• kids hands
• crayons/markers
  

Now, first think it out and make sure all of your ducks are facing the same way. We did ours with the right hand.

Start with your biggest duck first. It is easier to squeeze in smaller "ducks" not so easy to squeeze in bigger ducks.

Stamp your hand down and clean yourself up. Now, take your eldest duck and paint their SAME side hand as you did. Stamp them close to you, but leave a bit of room. Keep going until you have all of your ducks in a row! :)

Once the paint is dry add a few finishing touches like webbed feet and and bills and eyes. I also put our names under the ducks. And, I jazzed it up with some construction paper grass layers.

I think it needs a ribbon frame around it, but other than that I LOVE it.

Mommy Crafts A....

Easter Bunny Plate

My paint markers have been one of the BEST investments I have ever made. They are $20 at Walmart for a box of 4-5 colors--but they are so worth it. I have used them for so many, many projects.

I found the idea for this online. Do you know people sell these things for a bundle?

I got my plate at the Dollar Store, and I had the paint markers here!!

Oh, and if you do want to get the paint markers, get the FINE point ones--seriously!

Sock Bunnies

6+

Aren't they just too cute?!

To make this craft you will need:

• socks (I used baby socks that Thomas grew out of, but I couldn't bare to throw away!)
• rubber bands (2 per bunny)
• dry rice or beans
• ribbon
• felt (optional)
• fine tip marker/pen

First, fill your sock to the cuff with dry rice or beans. Now tie a rubber band around the top. Mentally divide your sock into thirds and place another rubber band around the top 1/3 of your soon to be bunny.

Now you have made his/her head.

You want to cut the duff of your sock in half and kind of round out the tops to look like bunny ears.

From here you just dress him/her up. Add a pretty ribbon and the eyes, nose and mouth. I used felt pieces for the eyes and nose, and used a thin marking pen to make the the mouth. They look very happy on top of my tv.

Oh, and my rubber bands were not white, so I used a little white-out to cover them up. You could of course use a little paint.

Paper Hatching Chicks

Toddler, Pre-K, K

This one I thought of myself--and I love how it came out! You cut the shapes and your toddler can do (almost) the rest. If you are working on cutting practice with your preschooler or kindergartner, draw the shapes and have them cut them out.

To make this craft you will need:

• white heavy paper (or glue stick white paper to cardboard)
• yellow construction paper
• brass brad
• scissors
• glue stick
• stickers (optional)
• crayons
• hole punch
  

First cut out (or draw and have your older child cut out) an oval from your white paper. You can use construction paper, but it won't be as sturdy, so be aware it may come apart after a few fun games of "peek-a-boo."

Now, cut out (or draw) a chick head from your yellow construction paper. I just free handed basically a rectangle with a rounded end. You want it to be long, because some will be glued to the egg that won't be shown.

Have your child decorate the egg any way they want. We used stickers and crayons. Now let your child work on his or her chicken. I cut out pieces from construction paper, but they could color the face or however they want it.

While they are coloring the chick, cut a jagged line all the way across the top 1/3 of their finished egg. Punch a hole in the top left hand corner of the largest half of the egg, and the bottom left corner of the small piece of egg. You want to line these up and put the brad through it so it can open and close.

Glue stick your child's chick to the bottom of the egg and let it dry for a moment (if you get them to wait that long).

Now, play peek-a-boo with you new "peep-peep!"

Mommy Crafts A....

Time Out Mat

I found the idea for the mat on one of my craft blogs, and they used a dollar store mat and fabric paint to paint the words "Time Out."

I love the idea of a mat, because you can take it with you. We have a 2-level house, and while having the same spot is a great idea, that can be tricky with a tantrum-ed toddler. So, the idea of having a portable "spot" sounds great to me. But, the idea of a plain old mat didn't (you know me).

So, hey, I have all of these left over spit rags (cloth diapers) sitting around, and they are the perfect size for a two yer old tooshy. And, my mother gave me a fabric clock years ago that she found somewhere, that you stuff and sew to help kids learn time. Perfect!

Now, if you are thinking that I wasted the time telling clock, you are wrong. What is perfect is I can hang this up after the "time out years" and we can use it as a clock. I simply glued the felt piece that says "Time Out Thomas" on it to the clock as well as the felt hand pointing to the 2 (you should give your child one minute in time out per year he/she is old), but I didn't heat set it--so it will come off with a wash in the machine.

Mommy Crafts A....

Green Vest & Bow Tie

I used a vest that currently fits Thomas to make a pattern for this one. I LOVE the frogs. And, you know how I love bow ties. So, I made him one from green felt to match it! No one was pinching these cheeks today...but you know you want to! :)

***

I entered this in to my first "link up" with another crafting site. Call me super brave since I am not so confident in my sewing ability. I just like making things for my kids!

Hand Print Leprechaun

Toddler, Pre-K, K

You know I would have to squeeze in a hand print idea!

To make this craft you will need:

• Orange paint
• Green paint
• Peach/flesh paint
• 1 cute hand :)

Paint your child's palm skin color, his fingers orange. Now wipe those colors off and paint the three long fingers green and stamp them at the top of the "head" on your paper. I painted my son's pointer finger green and attempted to stamp the brim of the hat, but that was tricky.

Once your paint dries add some features with a permanent black marker. And don't forget the date!!

Rainbow Snack

Since Gracie was buying lunch today (a rarity I tell you!) I had to make something festive for her snack.

Actually my friend Candice gave me this idea based on one she found in a magazine.

To make this snack you will need:

• Wooden skewers (cut the pointy end off after you make your kabob!) or lollipop sticks
• Strawberry Slices
• Mandarin orange slices
  
• Pineapple chunks
• Green Apple chunks
• Blueberries (this will add to it, I didn't have any and forgot to get them :(
• Purple (well they are called red) grapes

Put your fruit on the skewers, but off the pointy end when you are done and pack in a container.

Viola! A edible rainbow!

Rainbow Treasure Hunt

K, 6+

After school today, my kids found a note from the leprechaun leading them on a rainbow treasure hunt. And they loved every minute! I hid the clues around the back yard and dressed up a Costco box and hid it out iof sight. I put a few $1 store goodies inside, and it was a blast to watch them find it!

I found this great idea here--and you can print the shamrock clues, or save ink like I did and write it on construction paper that you cut into shamrock shapes!

For this game you will need:

• All colors of construction paper, or a printer
• A few goodies

Counting Coins

Toddler, Pre-K, K

What a fun idea this turned out to be for Thomas!

I had the idea to start introducing counting to him. He already knows 1, 2...3! Because it usually means something fun afterward. So, I came up with this idea, and he has been playing with it for days!!

To make this counting craft you will need:

• Pot of Gold pattern
• Black marker
• Gold coins (so MUCH easier)
• or make your own coins:
  
• Cardboard
• Glue stick
• Gold paper (I used a gold gift bag from the 1$ store)

You can find many pot of gold patterns online, pick on you like and print it out. Trace your coins on the pot. I did 10 of them to learn to count to 10. My idea was to hide the coins and let him find them, but he saw what I was making and couldn't wait.

We would place the coins on top of the drawn coins on the pot and count.

Now, in hindsight, I shouldn't have numbered the coins I made (I just cut circles from cardboard and glued on the gold paper). Just number the paper circles. It is less confusing.

And, his favorite part about the idea was that I found a wooden box in the $1 store as well, and this was his treasure box. He LOVED keeping them in there and opening and closing the box and taking out his treasure. And the lesson worked so well! He really is counting out the numbers (not in order yet, but still he is getting there!)

Leprechaun Treat

I am posting this idea first, so you will give yourself more time to make it than I did! I found the idea online, and we loved it! Yum, Yum!!

To make this snack you will need:

• Several HOURS!
• 3 cups of boiling water
• 1 big box of Lime Jello
• 1 16 oz. tub of Cool Whip

Mix the Lime Jello powder with the boiling water for 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Add the Cool Whip to the bowl. Stir until all the Cool Whip melts into the warm Jello mixture. Carefully pour the Jello into glass containers. This makes approximately 10 servings 1/2 cup each. Refrigerate the mixture for about 8 hours until set. Top with a little Cool Whip.

St. Patrick's Day Fun

GREEN fun for all! Play With Us!