Craftivity Corner

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

archives

December 30, 2009
New Years Crafts!
I am still in my Christmas hangover ( figurative of course , I am expecting!), we were away and my house is a mess but these awesome blogs are on the ball with fun New Years crafts for kids. Check them out! You can always count on Make and Takes for something fun, these glasses are awesome! These cupcake liner fireworks from my blog No Time For Flash Cards were originally made for 4th of July but add in some purple and green and you have a perfect New Years craft! I thought this was a great lesson to help teach the concept of a new year for preschoolers from Preschool Daze I couldn't...
Kids Crafts, New Years
December 26, 2009
Keep, Pass, Ditch!
Too Many Toys is a great book by David Shannon that most of us parents can relate to any time of the year but the day after Christmas this feeling multiplies! I am in a guest room in my in-laws' house knee deep in toys, and we have more than we can store or ever possibly play with at home waiting for us. Here is my plan for culling the mess. During nap time or when your kids are out of the house: First grab 3 flat sheets or large towels. Make one the keep pile, the next the pass pile and the last the throw away/recycle pile. The Keep pile is easy - things that your child actively plays with...
Christmas, Toy Mess
December 23, 2009
Last Minute Christmas Craft!
This craft is so easy but will keep keen kids busy for enough time to sneak that gift past them and wrap it quickly. I did it with tape but you can use a glue stick easily! 1.Gather your materials. You will need a hole punch, some green paper ( or white and you can color it green), various colors of tissue paper, scissors and tape or a glue stick. 2. Start by folding your paper lengthwise. and cutting out a tree shape. 3. Next start punching holes all around the tree. 4. Cut tissue paper into small pieces . 5. Glue or tape them so they cover the holes. 6. Cover as many or as few as you...
Arts and Crafts, Christmas, Holiday Crafts
December 21, 2009
Creative Traveling
My husband and I grew up very very far from one another. I in western Canada and he in Texas. So during the holidays we are always traveling somewhere since we live neither place. I love to travel , well I LOVED to travel before my son was born. Now as any parent knows we get the evil eye from other passengers at the gate. Some are almost screaming through their stares " Not next to me, please not next to me!" It's not fair, most kids are good kids and will not leave the flight having traumatized the adults around them. But as a parent I know every flight is a possible meltdown, and there is...
Holiday Stress, Holiday Travel, Preschoolers
December 18, 2009
Christmas Craft Links
My jaw dropped in awe when I saw this homemade wrapping paper on Filth Wizardry. This recycled Nativity from Dollar Store Crafts would be a great family project! Isn't this a cute snowman from Mom Tried It ! An easy and frugal idea from Make and Takes to make plain old plates festive for holiday goodies. I love these DIY gift card holders from maya*made
Arts and Crafts, Christmas
December 17, 2009
DIY Snowflake Crayons
Making your own gifts saves money but it can also show your children that gifts don't have to be bought, and that when you make them they are even more special. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a silicone baking pan .We are using a snowflake shaped pan, but you can use any shape! We got ours in the dollar section of a large retailer and only use it for making crayons. You will also need crayons and an oven set at 250. 2. Peel the paper off the crayons, break and place in the pan. My son loves this step. 3. Bake for about 15 minutes- check every few minutes, if they are smoking,...
Arts and Crafts, Christmas, Winter
December 16, 2009
DIY Matching Gift Tag!
These are easy to make and will keep those board school age kids busy while you are wrapping gifts! Put them to work with this fun idea. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some scrap wrapping paper ( that matches the present you are wrapping), a glue stick, some card stock ( I am using business cards )a hole punch, scissors and ribbon. 2. Punch a hole in one corner of your card stock. 3. Cut designs out of your wrapping paper. 4. Glue most on one side. 5. Glue one on the other side along with the message. 6. Add to your gift!
Arts and Crafts, Christmas
December 15, 2009
Easy Snowflake Ornament!
I have cleaned glitter off my floor far far too many times in the past few days so today I decided to do something simple and low on the mess meter! I think we succeeded ! 1. Gather your materials. You will need a cup cake liner, some wrapping paper scraps, a clothes pin, scissors and double stick tape. 2. Start by folding your liner into a triangle. 3. Cut into the sides to make a snowflake. 4. Cut out a design from your wrapping paper scrap. 5. Tape the picture into the center of your snowflake. 6. Tape the snowflake onto the clothes pin, add it to your tree!
Arts and Crafts, Christmas
December 14, 2009
Holiday Quickies
The holidays sneak up on me no matter how prepared I think I am. I am scrambling to get this or that done and I still find myself cursing as I lay in bed about not getting everything on my list completed. So where in there do I possibly make time to coordinate fun activities for my son? Here are some fast and easy ways to keep your little ones busy while managing to check off the most important to do on your list. 1. Play Dough. When I am baking my son loves to help, if I am making short bread that is great because there are no eggs or risk of salmonella from him sampling the dough. However...
Arts and Crafts, Christmas
December 11, 2009
DIY Foam Ornament
This was not a kid made creation but it was a kid directed one. My son asked me why we don't have any firetrucks on our tree and then promptly asked me to make him one. I never shy away from a challenge so we made this, me doing the grunt work and he telling me what colors of our favorite sparkly sticky back foam to use. I think we make a good team. 1. Gather your materials, you will need some cardboard for backing, a few sheets of sparkly foam a marker and scissors. 2. Start by drawing on the cardboard a general outline. Cut out. 3. Use the cardboard as a template to cut out your first...
Arts and, Christmas
December 10, 2009
Snowy Books
Winter chill has hit all across the country and these books are perfect to cuddle up with your kids and stay warm while reading. Sally's Snow Adventure by Stephen Huneck is an adorable book written from the perspective of Sally a black lab who is on vacation in the mountains at a dog friendly resort. Kids will laugh at his ideas of a bed, and yummy food! Everything is great until Sally get's lost on the mountain but don't fear, the rescue dogs are on the job! Snow Sounds : An Onomatopoeic Story by David A. Johnson is a wonderful look at all the sounds that come with a huge snowfall. It's...
Children's Book Recommendations
December 9, 2009
Sparkle Snowflakes
Cookie cutters are my favorite tool to use with toddlers and young preschoolers who are so eager to make something themselves but that still looks like what the big kids are doing. These snowflakes are great for that. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a paper plate, some sparkles, while glue and a snowflake cookie cutter. 2. Spread the glue on the plate and dip the cookie cutter in. 3. Print on the paper , repeat until you have the desired amount on your paper. 4. Cover with sparkles. 5. Shake off extra and let dry.
Arts and Crafts, Toddlers and Preschoolers, Winter
December 8, 2009
Jingle Bell Bracelet
Making something your children can play with is always fun, my 3 year old didn't help making this but older children could do it independently. Please be careful with small jingle bells and young kids, if you are worried about them popping things in their mouths find bells that are too large to pose a hazard. 1. Gather your materials. You will need 3 pipe cleaners, and 3 jingle bells. We used one large and two small. 2. Thread your bells on a single pipe cleaner. 3. Twist the pipe cleaners together. 4. Carefully twist the ends together to make a circle.
Art and Music, Christmas, Toddlers and Preschoolers
December 7, 2009
Christmas Tree Painting
This project is a fun one for everyone, just be sure to do it in a place that is easy to wipe down, the paint does splatter. The best part about this art project is that as you smack the needles into the paper the aroma of evergreens fills the air! A multi-sensory project for sure. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a small switch of pine tree. Any type will do, some red and green paint and paper of your choice. 2. Dip your needles in the paint. 3. Start painting! If you want you can cut the final paper once it's dry into a fun Christmas shape like a tree, wreath or bell!
Arts and Crafts, Christmas, Toddlers and Preschoolers
December 4, 2009
Holiday Craft Links
Check out some of the fun and fab crafts I have found around the crafty blogosphere this week! This advent calendar from Dollar Store Crafts is made from a recycled cereal box! How cool! These candy ornaments from Ramblings of A Crazy Woman will make your mouth water and your tree sweet ! Awesome Chanukah crafts from Creative Jewish Mom ! This Christmas mouse from Preschool Playbook is a great craft to make at a holiday party, as a little make and take for your little guests!
Crafts, Holidays, Kids Crafts
December 3, 2009
Ribbon Mix and Match
Learning doesn't have to take a back seat this time of year just because we are busy wrapping, baking and generally loosing our minds with holiday prep, instead fit learning into your day. While wrapping gifts bits of ribbon can turn into a color match game, as well as a lesson about textures. 1. Gather your materials. You will need various colors of ribbon, a container with 2 or more sections and some paper or foam in the colors you are focusing on. 2. Pop the paper or foam in the bottom of the divided container. We are using sparkly foam because it's fun and festive! 3. Cut small pieces...
Color Recognition, Early Learning, Preschoolers, Toddlers
December 1, 2009
Star of David Magnet
I am a big fan of sparkles and glitter, frankly I just think it makes anything that much more festive. Even better than adding glitter with glue is glitter foam. Way less mess and such great shine! This fun magnet is not only fun for holding up Hanukkah themed art projects but also for a fun lesson about shapes! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some silver sticky back glitter foam, blue sticky back glitter foam, a magnet sheet, scissors and double stick tape. 2. Start by drawing a triangle on the backing of the foam. 3. Cut out. 4. Trace the first triangle on the second sheet. I find...
Crafts, Hanukkah, Preschoolers.