Craftivity Corner

Allison McDonald
Creative crafts, book suggestions, and tips to make time for learning in your busy day.

archives

July 31, 2009
School Supply Sales = Fun !
How can you resist the 25 cent crayons? Maybe your willpower is stronger than mine, but I stock up on crayons like Crayola has gone bankrupt and it's the only way I will get "Burnt Sienna" this time of year. In light of all the cheap supplies I thought I would post some links to awesome crafts based around crayons. On my site No Time For Flash Cards I have a fun earth friendly melted crayon activity today but here are some more amazing things to do with those crayons! Awesome for a space or Earth Day theme: Melted Earth Craft from Ten Kids and A Dog I never thought of cutting melted wax...
Activities with Children, Arts and Crafts
July 29, 2009
Spin Art !
This is a classic fun art activity but I'd never ever done it with my son. My salad spinner died a few years ago and every time I saw one in the store it was $20 or more and just to use it for art seemed indulgent. Then I saw this basic and oh so cheap $3 one and the plan was hatched! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some paper plates, liquid paint and a salad spinner. 2. Cut your paper plates so they fit in your spinner. 3. Pour in some paint. 4. Pour in some more! 5.Spin! 6. Try different combinations of color and keep going.
Arts and Crafts, Painting, Preschoolers, Toddlers
July 28, 2009
Paper Roll Desk Organizer
I love crafting with paper towel and toilet paper rolls because it's one material that most of us do have an abundance of. Depending on how old and skilled your child is they can make intricate designs, or simple scribbles! 1. Gather your materials. You will need 1 paper towel roll, 1 toilet paper roll, some markers, a little white foam ( or construction paper), a fine tip marker , scissors, a paper plate and hot glue. 2. Cut your paper towel roll so that you have three different sized rolls. 3. Color your rolls, I use markers because I find glue adheres to it better than wax crayon. 4....
Activities for children, Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers, School Age Kids
July 28, 2009
Lady Bug Lacing Card
Fine motor skills are essential skills for writing and thus literacy. Making a fun craft from start to finish is one way to make an activity like lacing more fun. I did a lady bug because we found one that day but don't feel restricted , do whatever your child is into. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some cardboard ( cereal boxes are my favorite), a marker, some crayons, a hole punch and a shoe lace ( I like the big ones from the children's department.) 2. Draw a lady bug on your cardboard with a marker. 3. Have your child color it with crayon. I like wax crayon because it doesn...
Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers, Toddlers
July 27, 2009
Simple Science
I have been meaning to get some Queen Anne's Lace to try this forever but never saw it in the store. Today on a walk it was everywhere, apparently I am the only person who didn't know it grew wild. Simple science experiments like this are a wonderful way to introduce your child to experiments. I broke it down for my 2 year old simply by asking what will happen if... then asking why and filling in any gaps they may have. You will probably be surprised how much they will figure out by doing simple science. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some Queen Anne's Lace, a few glass jars, water...
Science, Toddlers and Preschoolers
July 23, 2009
Button Bug
Making something they can play with is good but when the process includes patterning and a fine motor skills workout , it's fantastic! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some buttons of various colors, a pipe cleaner and that's it. If you want to put eyes on you need 2 small buttons as well. 2. Start by bending your pipe cleaner in half. 3. Start threading your buttons on.Make sure to thread them on both ends. We did a pattern but you don't have to. 4. Only thread buttons half way along the pipe cleaners. 5. Add the eyes 6. Bend the pipe cleaners up to make antennae.
Activities for children, Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers
July 22, 2009
Play Dough Cupcakes
My son recently got 3 birthday invites in the mail, and has been playing with them and proclaiming what gifts we will be giving each friend. Then he always stops and gets very serious and asks, "Will have cupcakes at the party?" I always say I don't know, but it wasn't good enough until we made our own play cupcakes! Here is what we did. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some play dough ( my favorite recipe) , some foil or otherwise fancy liners, some fun toppings like sprinkles and coconut, and some birthday cake candles. 2. Have fun pretending to make the dough, have your child...
Activities for children, Pretend Play, Toddlers and Preschoolers
July 21, 2009
Recycled Catalog Doll House
I love reusing things I get sent for free in the mail. Catalogs are a perfect material for lots of crafts so after I read through them lusting after the bedding and chandeliers I hide them away . 1. Gather your materials. You will need a paper grocery bag, some home catalogs , scissors, double stick tape and a few figurines. 2. Cut the paper bag so that it is in the shape of a house. I left wings so that it would stand up like a tri-fold . The bottom of the house should be the top of the bag so it's even and will stand. 3. Decide on your floor plan. 4. Cut furniture out of the catalogs...
Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers
July 20, 2009
Count and Clip
My main blog is called No Time For Flash Cards and my whole goal is to get kids learning in fun , creative ways , not simply parroting back info from flash cards. That doesn't mean flash cards are evil, but when I do use them I like to include my son in making them and add in fun dynamic learning to make the experience authentic and memorable. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some cardboard ( my favorite are cereal boxes), 4 colors of crayons, matching clothes pins if available if not plain old clothes pins are equally good, a marker, and scissors. 2. Draw a square for each number...
Arts and Crafts, Early Learning, Preschoolers, Toddlers
July 16, 2009
Books About Adoption
When a new baby comes into a family it's time for great celebration, but there are also many questions especially from other children. When a family is adopting a child the questions can be more numerous and often tougher to answer. Children's books are a great way to explain and reassure children going through any major life change. These three books all have specific angles and purposes for explaining adoption . Whether you are adopting yourself or simply explaining what it is to your child books are always helpful! "You're Not My Real Mother" by Molly Friedrich is a book about a...
Adoption, Children's Book Recommendations, Parenting
July 16, 2009
Alphabet Soup!
I know soup in the summer is a little weird, but my son only makes one thing in his play kitchen. You guessed it: soup. The type varies from banana to egg to pickle but it's always soup. This craft throws in some learning along with the pretend play that it facilitates once it's completed. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a cereal box or other sturdy paper, markers, dry pasta, scissors , glue and alphabet stickers. 2. Start by cutting the cereal box open and drawing a basic saucepan . 3. Have your child color the sauce pan with markers. 4. Time to cut out and add the letters!...
Arts and Crafts, Toddlers and Preschoolers
July 15, 2009
Color Your Garden
When I was a child I loved painting rocks in my front yard. It's a great summer project to do outside and to introduce your nature lover to painting. 1. Gather your materials . You will need some rocks, water color paints,some water in a cup, and a paint brush. 2. Wash your rocks if they are fresh from your garden. 3. Paint !
Activities for Chlidren, Arts and Crafts
July 14, 2009
Links I Love ! Crafts You Will !
I am presently on a road trip and my glue and glitter are at home so enjoy these fun crafts from some of my favorite blogs! I thought I'd seen and made every jelly fish craft ever, I was wrong. This is a new and awesome jelly fish from Preschool Playbook. When I saw this castle at Her Cup Overfloweth I knew I had to do it! This tie snake from Make and Takes is the perfect solution to that bad tie that found it's way under the Christmas tree last year! This Fish from Just 4 Fun is a foot print! How clever! All I wear all summer are flip flops so I squealed when I saw this awesome flip...
Activities for children, Arts and Crafts, Blogs
July 13, 2009
Mess Free Music!
The comment I hear from parents over and over is that they just hate the mess that doing crafts with their kids make. There are ways around the mess, and here is a fun music shaker that is mess free ! 1. Gather your materials. You will need a plastic container with a lid ( ours is a puffs container), some stickers, buttons ( uncooked rice,popcorn, pasta or beans work great too) and some glue. 2. Start by adding stickers to your container. Something I love about using stickers is that you can use character ones, letters, numbers... the sky is the limit! 3. Pour in the buttons. 4. Add...
Arts and Crafts, Toddlers and Preschoolers
July 10, 2009
Books About Friendship
The summer is a great time to talk about friendship since your children are probably spending more time with friends now that school is out. These books talk about all the different lessons friendship teaches us. Raymond and Nelda by Barbara Bottner. This book is all about two friends, best friends in fact that have a big fight. Feelings are hurt, and it takes time to figure things out but with the help of a caring mail lady they work things out. I think this book is really useful because the friends don't fix things right away. It takes time and for young kids having their first real...
Book Reviews, Toddlers and Preschoolers
July 9, 2009
Have a Ball !
This is a preschool classic and for good reason, it's always a hit! Fun, easy and surprisingly not very messy. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a box, a golf ball( or marbles for older kids), some paint and plain paper. 2. Cut your paper to fit inside your box. 3. Add a drop of paint. 4. Add the ball. 5. Rock the box back and forth and let the ball paint the paper. 6.Add another paint color if you want and keep rolling!
Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers, Toddlers
July 8, 2009
Business Card Blooms
I ordered business cards recently and thought I proof read them... oops. Of course I decided to turn my mistake into fun for my son. Here is what we did. It only uses a few business cards so even if you don't have 250 extras like I do you can still join in on the fun! 1. Gather your materials you will need some business cards, drinking straws, metal paper fasteners, crayons, and a small hole punch. 2. Start by coloring the backside of the business cards with the crayons. 3. When they are done punch holes in the same corner in each card. 4. Poke a hole in the straw. 5. Put the fastener...
Arts and Crafts, Preschoolers, Toddlers
July 7, 2009
Please Knock...Dude!
With school out for summer I thought I'd add in this activity for older kids. Preschoolers and toddlers could make one too, but older children seeking their privacy from younger siblings will eat it up. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a cereal box or other cardboard. Scissors and markers. 2. Trace the bottom of a cup to make the hole for the door knob. 3. Draw the outline of a surf board around the circle. 4. Draw some waves, stripes, really whatever your little surfer thinks is cool. Add your message as well. 5. Color in with other colors. 6. Cut out the board including the...
Activities for children
July 6, 2009
Bath Time Icebergs !
I don't know about your children but mine goes through loving baths to hating baths, there never seems to be an in between. When he is in a hating phase we make these, and he jumps right in! 1. Gather your materials. You will need a plastic container, a toy , food coloring ( optional) and water. 2. Pour some water into the container. Add a little blue food coloring. 3. Pop in the toy. 4. Freeze. 5. Add in more water and freeze immediately to keep the toy frozen in the middle. 6. Pop out of the container and have fun in the bath. My son loves holding it in the water counting to 3 and...
Activities for children
July 2, 2009
Celebrate With Crafts!
I have seen the best , most creative and easy to do 4th of July crafts around the blogosphere this week! Here are a few that I thought I should pass on to you. Have a wonderful holiday weekend. How cute is this flag? Click over to Her Cup Overfloweth to see how it was made Look at this awesome wreath from Frugal Family Fun Blog ( found via One Pretty Thing). These firework pom poms from Make and Takes are simply awesome! I love these sparkly doily fireworks from Preschool Playbook! Last but not least I love these 4th of July wands from My Charmed Life, and kids will too! Happy 4th...
Arts and Crafts
July 1, 2009
Red, White and Blue !
I love garlands, it doesn't feel like a holiday at our house unless we have made one and it's up for us to enjoy. This project can be done with even the youngest child, sure they won't be doing the cutting or threading but doing projects together is a great chance to bond and practice a little teamwork. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some card stock, a large and small star cookie cutter, a marker,scissors, some ribbon, red, blue and silver glitter paint. 2. Start by tracing your cookie cutters on your card stock. I am using blank greeting cards, they are perfect for this craft...
Arts and Crafts, Fourth of July, Preschoolers