Craftivity Corner

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

archives

November 28, 2010
Amazing DIY Links
I am amazed by the wonderful and creative blogs out there and Christmas is prime time for creativity. All of these would make great treats for under the tree! Want to make that adorable hanging book shelf? Pop over to Lori Danielle and see how! Don't these chocolates look awesome? Kids made them! Check it out at Nurture Store Super Easy Hooded Bath Towel Tutorial from Make and Takes Last but by no means least is this amazing peek a boo house from I Can Teach My Child.
Christmas Gifts, Crafts, DIY, Links
November 27, 2010
Kid Made First Aid Kit
My son's 4th birthday was last weekend and we made these crafts for his fire fighter themed party as a take home craft. They would make a great Christmas gift for kids who love to pretend and dress up as a doctor,nurse, fire fighter or EMT. 1. Gather your materials. The insides were all bought at the dollar store ( various sizes of band aids, some gauze and a mask). The container was also from the dollar store and then sticky back sparkly red foam for the cross. 2. Start by cutting two strips of red foam in the same size. Peel off the back and attach to the container. 3. Stuff your...
Homemade Christmas Gifts, Kids Crafts, Party Favors
November 26, 2010
Easy Snowflake Kids Craft
I love easy crafts - and it doesn't get much easier than this one. Hang it in a window , on a tree or from your hearth it will look beautiful anywhere. 1. Gather your materials. You will need scissors, tin foil cupcake liners, double stick tape and ribbon. 2. Fold your cupcake liners in half then half again, and make small cuts . 3. Carefully open and tape ribbon to it. Easy Peasy but really really cute.
Kids Crafts
November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
5 Tips To Make A Gracious Guest ( out of your child). Today we are going over to a family friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. My son has never met this family who my husband grew up with so he will be a little out of his element to say the least. Add on travel time and unfamiliar food... you get where I am going? Add in that he is already having a meltdown as I write this and I admit I am really afraid I won't be sitting eating turkey and pie so much as trying to keep my craving for comfort and familiarity 4 year old from melting down. Here is my 5 part plan ( I'll come back and let you...
Holidays
November 24, 2010
Indian Corn Craft
1. Gather your materials. You will need some corn kernels, glue, a crayon, scissors and some yellow and green paper. 2. Start by drawing and coloring your husk. We were originally going to attach this to the end instead of as a peek-a-boo but liked it better the other way. 3. /next draw a cob and add dots of glue. 4. Add the kernels. Let dry and cut out. 5. Cut out the husk and glue to the cob.
Thanksgiving Kids Crafts
November 22, 2010
Family of Turkeys- Kids Craft
The holidays are probably my favorite time of year and having my son born on American Thanksgiving makes it even more special. This craft celebrates families and Thanksgiving but isn't too complicated to do during this busy season. 1. Gather your materials. You will need 2 sheets of construction paper, some crayons, scissors,glue and googly eyes. 2. Start by tracing your family's hands on the paper. 3. Color the hands. 4. Cut out. 5. Glue on the other paper. 6. Add eyes 7. Add waddles!
Kids Crafts, Thanksgiving
November 21, 2010
5 Thanksgiving Family Feild Trips
Learning the details about the origins of holidays we celebrate is a goal in our house this year and with Thanksgiving fast approaching I thought I would share my ideas for some family field trip ideas . I normally start by reading a picture book or two with my son to plan the seeds of learning and give him context to build on. 1. Visit a local farm to see turkeys and other animals that were included on the first Thanksgiving table. Talk about farming and giving thanks for these animals and what they provide for us. 2. Visit a local Indian Reservation and spend time at their museum or...
Early Learning
November 19, 2010
My 2 Favorite Thanksgiving Books!
Growing up in Canada I celebrated Thanksgiving ( although in early October and without pilgrims) but it's simply not as big a deal as it is in the United States. I love holidays and as soon as I moved to the States I started baking pies, decorating with corn and soon found 2 books I love about the holiday . A Plump And Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman makes me laugh hysterically every year. Maybe I just have a juvenile sense of humor but it really does make me laugh out loud no matter how many times I read it , and I have read it often. The story is about a town that needs a turkey to roast...
Thanksgiving books
November 16, 2010
Thanksgiving Crafts From The Blogosphere!
These fall and Thanksgiving themed crafts caught my eye this week- hope you like them too! Aren't those pilgrim hats awesome? Find them at Ramblings Of A Crazy Woman. Cute fall tree from Structured Play Love these classic paper bag turkeys from Itsy Bitsy Learning Give this snaky gift to someone you are thankful for! Check out The Picky Apple to find out how. Another treat was featured on my main blog , but here is the original link to The Entertaining Kitchen
Thanksgiving Crafts
November 14, 2010
Shhh! Learning in Church...
Our church is super family friendly but that little bit before my son heads to Sunday School can feel like forever if he's fidgeting, and speaking in that too loud even when trying to be quiet 4 year old voice. Here are a few tricks I have used to keep him quiet, learning and having fun. 1. Count the Choir. Simple and it keeps him looking front not at his friend in the pew behind us. After he counts the whole choir, he can count just the ladies, and just the men. 2. Find the letters in the bulletin! Give your child a pencil and turn your church bulletin into a letter search game. Today we...
5 minute sparklers
November 13, 2010
Recycled Christmas Card
I use Pottery Barn Kids catalogs for crafts more than shopping and they are great for this craft although old Christmas cards would be perfect too. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a blank note card, scissors, double stick tape, and a catalog or old Christmas cards. 2. Cut images from the catalog or cards. 3. Tape or glue onto your blank card. 4. Add some inside too with your message. Don't forget to leave ample room for emergent writers to write their names.
Crafts, greeting cards
November 11, 2010
Kid Made Custom Birthday Cards
I try to have my son make his friend's cards not just because I have a lot of blank cards I want to use but also because it's an easy way to have him participate on the giving side of birthday parties and because it's easy to customize it to the birthday boy or girl's theme. 1. Gather your materials, you will need a blank card, stickers in the theme of the party you are attending or something your child's friend enjoys and a marker. 2. Have your child add stickers to the blank card ( inside and out, their choice!) 3. If your child is still learning to write keep the message small so that...
greeting cards, Kids Crafts
November 8, 2010
Thankful Thank You Note!
November is a big month to give thanks, and what better way than to write a thank you note? This one is fun, really quite easy and can help teach letters too! 1. Gather your materials. You will need a pre folded blank card, sharp pointed scissors, letter beads, 2 pipe cleaners, and strong tape. 2. Start by finding the letters needs for your message . 3. Thread them onto the pipe cleaners. 4. Poke holes into your card. 5. Thread your pipe cleaners through, bend the ends back. 6. Tape the ends down inside the card.
Crafts, greeting cards
November 7, 2010
Thanksgiving Card
This week I am focusing on being thankful and showing that thanks with cards. I will feature different easy ( some super easy) greeting cards to make at home. 1. Gather your materials. You will need a pre made blank card in your choice of color, some scrap paper in fall colors , contact paper , a marker ,double stick tape, scissors and a leaf shaped paper punch. 2. Start by drawing a leaf on the front of your card. Cut out. 3. While you are cutting it out have your child punch leaves out of the scrap paper. 4.Cut a piece of contact paper twice as large as the card, so you can sandwich...
Crafts, Thanksgiving Craft
November 3, 2010
Clearance Rack Counting
Even if you didn't grab up the clearance rack candy and Halloween decor don't put yours away yet. Use them for learning! 1. Gather your materials. You will need some fun Halloween containers ( or fast forward to your next holiday), some sticky labels, a marker and candy! 2. Write numbers you are working on the labels. Make sure that many candies can fit in your containers. 3. Pop the labels on the containers and lay them out. 4. Count and fill. Amazingly my son didn't eat many candies at all, I on the other hand ... well it wasn't pretty. If you want to try this sans candy try pom poms...
Counting, Halloween Candy, Learning
November 1, 2010
Making Donating Fun
Our house is over run with toys. My son's 4th birthday is later this month and coupled with Christmas a month later and my house will easily look like Toys R Us with little effort from my husband or I. Before that happens we try to teach our son about giving to others while cleaning out the old. We also make it a game. 1. Gather your materials. Grab your toys , a few baby blankets and bags for donation. 2. One key to teaching about giving is to ask your child to choose some toys they still like. This shouldn't just be toys they are grown out of, or broken. Go through the bins asking your...
Charity, Early Education