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Spider Ryhmes & Fingerplays

Toddler, Pre-K

Here are some of the rhymes and finger plays Thomas and I have been working on this week. Songs and songs with actions are great for toddlers especially. Of course your preschooler will really get into these as well.

You can print out the pictures below for your child to color.

Spider Snack

Toddler, Pre-K, K, 6 & Up

These cute spiders are a fun way to have a healthy snack and celebrate fall, or hallween, or bugs in general. There are many variations on this neat idea, so use your imagination!

For this snack you will need:

• Round crackers
• Peanut Butter
• 2 Raisins
• Pretzel sticks

Put peanut butter on one round cracker. Add your pretzel stick legs on each side. As I have mentioned before, spiders have 8 legs, but good luck getting that many on those small crackers :) Spread a little peanut butter on a second cracker and add to the top of your legs. ( You can also stuff the cracker extra full of peanut butter and just stick the pretzels in the sides after you close the crackers together) A small dollop of peanut butter on both raisins will make them stick to the top of your cracker sandwich and make adorable eyes.

Serve with love.

Mommy Tip:
Pretzel sticks are much easier to use with this craft! I only had the twisty little kind, so I broke off straight pieces. It did give the legs some dimensions, but it made the crackers a little more "bumpy" and I had to be extra careful when putting the top on.

Spider Windsock

Pre-K, K, 6 & Up

This is a great cutting craft for your preschooler as well as a counting craft for preschool or kindergartner.

For this craft you will need:

• This template printed from First School
• Scissors (safety ones for smaller inexperienced hands)
• Glue or tape
• Hole punch
• Ribbon/string
  

The idea is simple. You just cut out the spider windsock. Count the legs together and then cut the lines between the spiders legs in a straight line. Now you just need to glue or tape the top edges together (I used tape so the kids wouldn't have to wait for it to dry). From here you would punch holes in the two opposite sides and add string or ribbon to hang your cute craft where ever.


Mommy Tip: Your child will likely want to hang it outside since it is a windsock, may I suggest letting it hang outside until the end of the day (not a windy or wet one). Your paper windsock will blow away or get soaking wet from rain. My kids were fine with hanging them inside from the window locks--and they look cute beside the paper plate spider.

Paper Plate Spider

Pre-K, K, 6 & Up

I did this craft with my toddler, but I do not recommend for younger ones. If you are in love with this craft, do it for them, or save it in a file for later.

For this craft you will need:

• paper plate
• black pain
• permanent marker
• black construction paper or black pipe cleaners
• scissors
• glue stick
• stapler
• hold punch
• ribbon/string

When I found this idea it was to be used for a candy holder. We are far from Halloween, and I am not a fan of letting the kids have candy, so Thomas and I made a spider "binki holder." How cute was this paper creature holding his beloved binks!

First, paint your paper plate black. When dry, cut the painted plate in half. You want the two "right sides" facing each other so they make a pocket. You will staple these together--BUT FIRST you need to add the spider legs.

I used strips of black construction paper and folded them like accordions. The original craft used black pipe cleaners. If you use paper the kids can use the glue stick to add the legs on either side. I used 6, even though 8 is the actual amount. I made my legs a little too thick, so let's just say his spider is "special." If you use pipe cleaners I would suggest bending them a little for a movement effect and taping them in place.

Now, staple the two halves of your spider together.

Punch holes in the top corners of your spider and ties string, or ribbon (I used orange ribbon for contrast) and you can hang your spider wherever.

Don't forget to add a fun face. I used permanent marker (and marker on two oval cutouts from white paper for the eyes), but you could get creative and cut out all of the features or find googly eyes and add a hair bow.

**Take a look at the original idea that I based my craft on**

Thumbprint Spider

Toddler, Pre-K, K, 6 & Up

Since Thomas' hand was already covered in paint I used his thumb to make a thumbprint spider as well.

Actually, I am working on a keepsake fall book for him so we will do many more thumbprints through out this month and next.

For this craft you will need:

• Black paint (washable is best)
• Paper (of any kind)
• Permanent marker--black
• A cute little thumb :)

Simply do a thumbprint of your child, wait until it dries and add details with your marker.

Mommy Tip:

Before you go to work on the details, practice what you want your spider to look like. Draw a black oval the size of you child's thumbprint and make designs until you get the one you want. Also, the smaller the thumb, the smaller your details will be. You will want to choose a fine line marker for smaller thumbs. I had a very fine lined scrap booking pen that I used for Thomas' spider. And don't forget to add your child's name and the date somewhere on the paper or on the back--you will really want that later on!

Handprint Spider

Toddler, Pre-K, K

This activity is great for all ages!

I wish I had done more hand prints with both of my kids. If your child can sit still or be held and you don't mind painting their tiny hands with washable paint--I say strip them to their onsies and go for it.

For this craft you will need:

• black paint (washable is best!!)
• paper of any kind (the thicker the better)
• permanent marker--black
• 2 adorable hands

*Note: most people will tell you to lay down newspaper before you start the craft, and you can and should if you don't have a table that can be easily wiped down with a Chlorox wipe like mine can. I will however warn you to wear an apron. Not the child--you! If you are working with a toddler or younger you won't be able to control their hands until you can wash them or wipe them thoroughly with a baby wipe. And the paint is washable, but you will have to change your clothes, because you will be covered in their adorable and possibly flailing hand prints.*

The idea is simple. Have your child spread their fingers and make two vertical hand prints meeting at the edge of their palms.

Once your child's hand prints are DRY, take a permanent marker and make the eyes and mouth. you can do scary or cute. (I prefer all things cute in this house :)

I dressed my child's hand print up a little with an added rhyme.


Mommy Tip:

Your child's hands are covered in paint, lay out an extra piece of paper and get them to stamp some of the excess paint off on the clean sheet. Now you not only will have the craft, but you will have a hand print copy by itself. You can send this print (or prints since both hands are wet you could do two) to grandma or for dad's office, etc.

Spider Week

Gracie and I just did arts and crafts and projects all of the time, but now that I am a mother of two, I am finding it harder and harder to create those educational and bonding moments with my year old son while sister is at school.

So this month I sat down with a calendar planner (I found at the Dollar Store) and just started writing down some ideas of things to do with him.

Clearly he has very little focus, and an even smaller attention span, so I looked for things to do with small hands, and small supply lists, and even smaller project times.

I found myself grouping the projects and ideas in to themes (you will find I am a person that will beat a theme to death!!!).

Since it is October and I love fall, the ideas are flowing like rain, but I warn you in months to come I may be a little slower to add ideas.

But, back to this week. Thomas and I are starting our mommy and me playtime with spiders!

Come Play With Us!