Craftivity Corner

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

archives

June 29, 2011
Crafty Butterfly Snack
This craft combines premade snacks with fun embellishment to make it fit a theme. Even if you don't want to use pre packaged bars like we are you could wrap up almost anything in foil. Just make sure it's really secure. You will need your snack in foil, some googly eyes, double stick tape, scissors,  and adhesive backed glitter foam. Start by cutting your main shape, in our case a butterfly. Add smaller pieces for detail. Peel back a small section, press your antenna on. Press your treat on. Add the eyes with double stick tape.
Crafts
June 28, 2011
Summer Milkshake Craft!
We love pretend play and lately much of our craft time has been devoted to making things for our pretend play scenarios. This one was for our play ice cream shop ( aka our dining room) . Easy to make and fun to play with!   You'll need a clear plastic cup, pom poms in the color of your choice, a red pom pom, plastic straw and white glue. Start by coating the inside of the cup with glue. Add your pom poms. Add glue to the red pom pom and pop it on. Add the straw. Decide on the price and start playing!
Kids Craft, Summer
June 27, 2011
5 great bath toys ( not made for the bath).
In the summer we end up in the bath way more than we do in cooler months, washing off sun screen and scrubbing dirt from feet that have been on flip flops ( or nothing at all) all day long. So to stave off boredom we need to find some fun bath toys from things around the house! 1. Sippy Cups. My plain old take and toss cups are my daughter's favorite bath toy. They are light, easy to pour and come in a bunch of fun colors. 2. Pasta Strainer . Can you say fish net? 3.  Turkey Basters. Have extra towels on hand. 4. Ice cubes . You can even use food coloring to make fun colors! Just don...
Early Learning
June 26, 2011
4th of July Crafts!
I love this hand print flag craft from Muffin Tin Mom These jar luminaries by Crafts by Amanda  are so amazing ! These Firecracker crafts by Make and Takes  are cute and multisensory. I love this hat from Kiboomu , a perfect accessory for the parade!   And no Fourth of July is complete without some treats! Check out these Patriotic Rice Crispies Treats.
Fourth of July, Kids Crafts
June 22, 2011
5 ways to keep learning AFTER the field trip
Maybe it's the teacher in me but whenever we go to special events, out to places like the zoo, aquarium or museums I call these outings "family field trips". We get excited about them and we also use them for learning ( kids are always learning!). When you are at the special event or sight make sure to take in any extra you cam that will benefit your children. Maybe it's a feeding demo at the zoo, how to make horse shoes at the historical village or butter making at the farm... whatever it is these extra things seem small to us but are great memories for our kids. Take...
Early Learning
June 21, 2011
Straw Sorting
Fun and learning doesn't have to be elaborate this simple sorting activity uses drinking straws and a fun bright divided tray to make a perfect summer time fine motor lesson so your little writers don't loose all the skills they've been working on all year long just because it's holiday time. You will need some fun bright colored straws, a divided plate or tray and some kid sized tongs. Cut the straws into smaller pieces. Place all in the middle. Start sorting. After sorting by color you can sort by length, and even count the many straws. Simple, fun and packed with...
Early Learning
June 20, 2011
Butterfly Drink Markers
I hope you like butterflies because I have a few crafts this week with that theme - my daughter's birthday party is all about butterflies and so I will be sharing some of the fun crafts we are doing here. I love how these turned out and not only can you do a butterfly you can pretty much adapt this to any theme. You will need some card stock ( regular construction paper is too flimsy), a pencil, scissors, silly straws and a marker. You may also want to use a stencil ( anything can be a stencil if the shape is right). Start by drawing the shape on the card stock. Cut out. I cut out 3...
Birthday Parties, Crafts
June 19, 2011
Flip Flop Printing
  I love painting with things other than paintbrushes because kids do too. These flip flops were a buck at the dollar store , well worth the fun! This is a fun summer project perfect for the patio. You will need some paper - a big roll of craft paper would be ideal but smaller sheets work fine too. You will also need a plate, paint in as many colors as you want and a flip flop or two! Spread your paint on the plate , dip your flip flop in ... and print!
Arts and Crafts
June 17, 2011
Last Minute Father's Day Gifts
I have seen these photo ideas all over this year and I love it! These cuties are over at MomsTown.ca After you make that photo you can pop it in this super cool duct tape wallet! I love this idea for older kids, they get to report on their dad and create an awesome keepsake at the same time.   These suit cards have been around forever but they never get old! These are from FamilyFun Magazine.   This pencil holder we made a few years ago is always a hit , let's be honest anything with Home Depot on it is a hit with the men in my family.
Father's Day
June 15, 2011
Grab This Book For Father's Day!
My Father Knows The Names Of Things by Jane Yolen and Illustrated by Stephane Jorisch This is a great last minute Father's Day Gift that you have time to get! What better than giving a book for father and child to enjoy together? What I like about this book is that it's the anti -mush book. It encapsulates exactly the relationship my son and husband have. They explore together, they play pretend together and in the words of my son " I bet Daddy will know , he knows stuff!" It's that pride and confidence in dads that this book is devoted to and  is what author Jane...
Children's Books
June 14, 2011
Flip Flop Wreath For Summer
Looking out at the rain and wind doesn't make me feel like summer is right around the corner so I needed something bright and fun to get me in the summer spirit. This was really easy to make , but this is not a kid project. The glue is hot and you need to hold each flip flop in place for a few moments whichmake fingers easy to burn. I did have my son help decide on the flip flop colors! Gather your materials. You will need multiple pairs of colorful flip flops, hot glue gun and glue, some ribbon, artificial flowers and some cardboard or craft wreath. I started by using a cut out from a...
Arts & Crafts
June 13, 2011
Easy Chore Chart
Teaching responsability is not a single lesson , it happens over time after many lessons throughout childhood ( and beyond?). One easy tangible way to start is to have a simple chore chart of responsabilities. We made ours modeled after the "Helping Hands" chart at my son's preschool. I did this for two reasons, one he is familiar with it and two there are no prizes or stickers just a good feeling of helping and being responsible. Gather your materials. You will need 2 sheets of card stock or construction paper, some marker, double stick tape, and a psper clip. Trace your child...
Arts and Crafts, Chores, Preschoolers
June 10, 2011
Bomb and Blast Painting
It was a quick change for us my son went from wanting to save everyone as a fire fighter in his pretend play to wanting to bomb and blast everyone to smithereens. To use that energy for good we've incorporated it into our creative time. This was fun and even though he just though he was bombing with water colors he was also using fine motors skills - which is so important as he continues to improve skills like writing that depend on them. Gather your materials. You will need some water colors, a eye dropper, paper and an empty squeeze bottle . Start by flooding the water colors. Suck up...
Arts & Crafts
June 9, 2011
Father's Day Gift
I am so excited for Father's Day this year. It like many years lands on our wedding anniversary as well so even though we normally keep gifts small and handmade this year I went a little bigger with 2 "good" ( well good for us) seats at a Mariners game for my son and husband. My husband is a serious sports fan and loves sharing that with our oldest. However I HAD to make something. Since the game isn't until July I decided to make him a poster calendar for him at work featuring our son all dressed up like a baseball player and will circle the date of the game too. The...
Craft, Creative, Father's Day
June 6, 2011
Baby's First Trip To The Museum
We just got home from a wonderful family vacation to Chicago, although the trip was mostly to see family we also took in some of our favorite sights. My favorite place to visit is The Art Institute of Chicago, it's collection is jaw dropping , the facility is beautiful and the staff is helpful. As with any outing we started the trip with a full belly, a clean diaper and baby girl snuggly in the ergo. My kids love to be worn but if yours are fans of the stroller you are still in luck most museums are stroller/ wheelchair accessible. It also gives your kids a place to sleep if need be, That...
Fine Art, Museum, Traveling with Children
June 5, 2011
Cookie Mold Crayons - Toddler Art
My daughter is starting to really explore the world around her and also use her hands to explore objects. With her development we have started some fun super simple art . With young toddlers ( my daughter is just about 1) I suggest never being out of physical reach from your child. Not until they are older can you safely use simple projects to give yourself time to step away ( while still supervising) to stir dinner on the stove or fix yourself coffee. With infants and toddlers you must be able to take things out of their hands/ mouths if they become a hazard. These crayons are no exception...
Recycled Crayons, Toddler Art