Craftivity Corner

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

archives

February 26, 2010
When good ideas flop!
I get asked often if I ever do a craft that just flops. The answer is all the time. I do 5-10 crafts a week and there is often a "learning experience" in there somewhere. This week I learned that hot glue doesn't hold two ( or 5) rocks together, no matter how much you use. Still I am posting this because finding, painting and playing with the rocks were a big hit, just skip trying to keep them together. Olympic Inuksuk - this is one of the symbols of the 2010 Olympic Games, for more info about it click here. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some rocks, and water colors. I don't...
Kids Crafts, The Olympics
February 25, 2010
Shamrock Sun Catcher
This project was almost not posted because the pictures didn't capture it as well as I had hoped. Still it was fun to do and looks great in person. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some white paper, a white crayon, green paint, tape, green construction paper and scissors. 2. Start by drawing shamrocks with the white crayons. I did this step for my son, but if your child is older have them do it. 3. Cover it in green paint! We put way too much on and had to blot some off, oops. 4. Let dry- the shamrocks should become even more obvious as the paint dries. 5. Make a frame with the...
Arts and Crafts, St. Patrick's Day
February 24, 2010
Taking A Small Child to A BIG Sporting Event
Like let's say the Olympics! This week we have been up in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics, braving the crowds, and cheering on our favorite teams. Here are a few things that helped when we took our 3 year old to a Hockey Game. 1. Know your child's limits. We chose 2 events - a men's hockey game and a women's hockey game. For our family of 3 we bought 5 tickets total. We all went to the women's game as a test ( I was prepared to leave if I had to ), then when it was announced it would be the host country Canada's team playing in the men's we had tickets for we knew we would not be taking...
Parenting Tips, The Olympics
February 22, 2010
Cute and Educational Links!
These nature impressions from Paint, Cut , Paste are so pretty and such a great lesson for kids ! I love this texture book from BlosemKids , I am kicking myself I have never made one! How adorable is this match box car bobsled race?! Make & Takes shows you how you can make one too! Spring isn't here yet and the birds could use a little help. Make these easy and awesome bird feeders! Find out how on The Entertaining House.
Crafts, Early Childhood Education, Early Learning, Links
February 19, 2010
Message in a Bottle
Kids love to find stuff and why not find letters ?! This is a fun road trip , or waiting room game , just make sure the lid is on TIGHT! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some rice, a glass or clear plastic jar, and some letter beads. 2. Pour the rice in the jar - almost to the top. 3. Add the beads. 4. Add the lid and shake! 5. Start searching for the letters!
Letter activities
February 18, 2010
Mr.Potato Head + Play-Doh = Fun
You may be able to tell by the light in my kitchen we were up early today! Instead of reaching for the remote which is really easy to do and yes I get sucked into the ease of it sometimes too, I grabbed the play-doh...and Mr. Potato head. Play-Doh time has been re-born! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some Play-doh, and some Mr. Potato head pieces. I am also using a plastic knife and half of the eyes are actually from a pumpkin kit from Halloween. 2. Start creating! 3. What a masterpiece!! I'm going to enjoy my earlier than usual coffee, and chill for a few minutes before my...
Preschool Activities
February 17, 2010
Here Kitty Kitty...Books About Cats
Naughty Kitten by Lisa Alderson is a cute book for babies and young toddlers. It follows Kipper a kitten who is like most inquisitive and apt for trouble. He's not a bad kitten though and does what any kitten or toddler does and simply follows what he finds interesting and fun. Young readers will love this book's soft touch and feel pages, the kitten and many other objects in the illustrations feel soft on little hands. A cute book for active babies who need something more than a story to sit still. Comet's Nine Lives by Jan Brettis a sweet story about a coastal cat who keeps finding...
Children's Books
February 16, 2010
"Olympic" Ring Sort
Ok so there isn't a red medal in the Olympics but there are silver and gold. I couldn't find bronze napkin rings anywhere! This is a fun and easy sorting activity that also promoted hand eye coordination and fine motor skills while having fun. 1. Gather your materials. You will need 3 colors of napkin rings, a divided dish or 3 bowls, some tongs and some paper or foam that match the ring colors. 2. Place the paper or foam in the bottom of the dish to show your child which color goes in which bow/dish. 3. Start sorting! Encourage your child to pinch , hook or grab the rings, there is no...
Early Education, Olympics, Preschool, Sorting
February 15, 2010
Gold Medal Craft
Are you in the Olympic spirit? Is your child? Have fun cheering on your favorite athletes with this homemade gold medal. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some sparkly gold sticky back foam, a CD, some tape , a marker , ribbon and scissors. 2. Trace the CD on the backing of the foam. 3. Cut out, peel off the backing and stick it to the CD. 4. Tape ribbon on the back! Easy and ready to play with in mere minutes!
Arts ad Crafts, Kids Crafts, Olympic Crafts, Olympics
February 12, 2010
Crafty Spotlight : One Pretty Thing
There are a lot of sites that have great craft links but one of the very best is One Pretty Thing. One Pretty Thing has all levels from crafts for toddlers to advanced sewing projects. Both are filled with inspiration and I find myself gasping with aw often! Here are my 3 favorite from One Pretty Thing: As a Canadian myself I have to tell you nothing makes me feel more like I am at home than a Nanaimo Bar, and putting an Olympic spin on it is perfect! Find the How to at The Kitchn . For more Olympic Crafts check out One Pretty Things Olympic Round Up. I bookmarked this alphabet art...
Craft Ideas
February 11, 2010
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is coming up, and this is a simple but fun art project to get into the celebration. 1. Gather your materials, you will need a piece of yellow construction paper, markers, scissors, tape or a stapler. 2. Start by drawing on your paper. 3. Trim off one end - save that for a handle. 4. Fold your paper lengthwise and makes cut from the fold toward the edges. Do not cut all the way through. 5. Unfold and tape the edges together. 6. Tape the handle on.
Arts and Crafts, Chinese New Year, Preschoolers
February 10, 2010
Easy Custom Valentines
My son goes to preschool and the other day a list of all his classmates name came home as a reminder for Valentine's . I was giddy, in all the schools I have taught we skipped this tradition and I always wished we hadn't. So today we picked up some basics and made some fun and simple ( we had to make 14) Valentine's for friends. 1. Gather your materials. You will need some pre-cut paper or foam hearts. Some fun stickers or adhesive gems and a marker. We opted for a variety of stickers including the ever appropriate police car stickers. Really though use whatever your child wants and have fun...
Preschoolers, Valentine's Day Crafts
February 9, 2010
Make them love books!
I love reading, I love libraries and I adore children's books but I don't think I was born like this. I think it was something instilled in me, and already I see it deeply instilled in my son. These tips come from my experience as a less than stellar reader, a teacher who studied early literacy and a mom who pays more in library fines than in life insurance ( that might be an exaggeration but I am afraid to tally the real amount). 1. Start early. Don't wait until your child is old enough to hold a book to read to them. Start when they are born. Create traditions right away. Read before bed,...
libraries, Preschoolers, Reading
February 8, 2010
Heart Butterfly Craft
Finding shapes in the everyday is common place for us but still holds a sense of discovery for young children. This is a fun and easy craft that can be used for Valentine's day but works all year round too. 1. Gather your materials, you will need a piece of white construction paper, a red pipe cleaner, scissors, a marker and some red paint, and glitter glue. 2. Fold your paper in half. Explain to your child you will be painting one half and printing the other. 3. Paint . Add lots of paint so there is lots for when you fold it. 4. Add glitter - it makes everything better! 5. Fold and draw...
Crafts, Preschoolers and Toddlers, shapes, Valentine's Day
February 5, 2010
Books About Trucks
Lately when we go to the library all my son wants to read are "Truck books" specifically trucks, not cars or other vehicles , only trucks. Here are a few that met his 3 year old standards. Little Dump Truck by Margery Cuyler was our newest library find this week. Hard Hat Pete takes readers along with him and his trusty dump truck as they go about their business. Not a complicated book but the text bumps along well and my son loved pointing out all the different construction vehicles along Hard Hat Pete's day! The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta was a facinating book , I...
Children's Book Recommendations
February 4, 2010
Secret Love Note!
Send someone you love this super fun secret love note. It's fast and easy to make and really fun to send! 1.Gather your materials,you will need a sheet of white paper, white crayon, a marker, heart sticker and a red marker to reveal the message. 2. Write your message in white crayon on the paper. 3. Fold up your message and seal it with a heart! 4. Color over it with a red marker to reveal!
Kids, Valentine's Day Crafts, Writing Activities
February 2, 2010
A Heart Full Of Kisses
Kids love to do things themselves and this easy stamping craft is fun and allows even little guys to be independent. My son wouldn't even let me have a turn ! 1. Gather your materials. You will need a milk cap, an eraser shaped like a kiss ( found ours in a valentine's day set), a stamp pad, some paper, tape and scissors. 2. Tape your eraser onto the top of your milk cap. 3. Dip it in the ink! 4. Get stamping! 5. Cut the paper into the shape of a heart. 6. Tape onto another pink or red piece and send it to someone you love!
Kids Crafts, Stamps, Valentine's Day
February 1, 2010
Cheat Sheet ! Super Easy Craft!
We made these for a friend's birthday but they are a beautiful Valentine's gift as well. We used printed cupcake liners but using plain and drawing on them would be a great way to involved younger children. Either way it's fast, cute and not at all messy! 1. Gather your materials, you will need some green and red pipe cleaners, some cupcake liners and tape. I have scissors as an option if you want to cut the liners to make fancy shaped flowers. 2. Start by flattening the cupcake liners. This was the only step my 3 year old did, this really is a craft for kids a little older than him. 3....
Crafts, Easy Crafts, Flowers, Kids., Valentine's Day