Christmas Tree

Here's an activity that will get you and your child into the holiday spirit. With a little bit of help and imagination, your child can magically transform a simple magazine into a miniature Christmas tree that will bring holiday cheer to any room in the house. Kids will experience a sense of accomplishment and you will feel good about recycling and reusing materials gathered from around the house. And when the holidays are over, gently tuck your magazine Christmas tree into a box and save for next year, and many years to come.
This activity helps build your child’s fine motor skills, focus, creativity, and attention to detail.

What You Do:

Beginning with the first page after the magazine cover, have your child fold the top right corner of the page over so the top edge of the page rests along the spine and forms a triangle. This creates the branches of the tree.

Then have your child fold the bottom right corner in to create another, smaller triangle. The upper edge of the small triangle should be flush with the lower edge of the large triangle. This creates the base of the tree.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 with each page of the magazine until all the pages are folded.

Once the folding is done, help your child thoroughly coat the magazine with spray paint and allow it to dry overnight. Be sure to spray the magazine over old newspapers or a drop cloth to avoid a mess.

Apply a second coat of spray paint if necessary.

Now the tree is ready to decorate! Have your child use her imagination to embellish the tree with the small decorations; it can be as realistic or as stylized as she wants.

 

Sparkling Crystals

Get your child excited about Earth science by showing him how to make borax crystals at home! Using just a few materials, your child can start his very own borax crystal collection. As the crystals form, he'll get to see the process of crystallization firsthand and will grow to better understand the formation and structure of crystalline rocks and minerals.

Note: Adult supervision is recommended during the steps involving boiling water. Also, be sure the Borax is not ingested.

What You Do:

Discuss with your child what shape he would like to create: A star, a heart, a spiral, a snowflake? Once he has decided, help him form his shape out of pipe cleaners, making sure it fits through the opening of the jar you're using.

While your child makes his pipe cleaner shape, bring a pot of water to boil.

Have your child knot one end of a length of string around the pipe cleaner shape and the other end around the pencil. Carefully lower the pipe cleaner shape into the jar, then lay the pencil across the rim of the jar. If the pipe cleaner touches the bottom of the jar, adjust the string so that the pipe cleaner hangs freely. Lift the pencil to remove the pipe cleaner shape from the jar, and then set it aside.

Carefully pour boiling water into the jar, filling it until it's about three-quarters full.

Have your child add borax to the water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring after adding each one is added. After 4 tablespoons have been added, check to see if the borax has begun to collect on the bottom of the jar. If not, have your child add more borax to the jar, one tablespoon at a time, until a small amount has collected on the bottom.

Explain to your child that hot water can hold more borax than cold water. The crystals will grow on the pipe cleaner as the water cools and begins to release the borax.

Have your child lower the pipe cleaner shape into the jar, laying the pencil on top as before. Make sure the pipe cleaner is fully submerged in the solution.

Using oven mitts, carefully move the jar to a safe place where it won't be disturbed.

Let the jar sit for 24 hours. Have your child periodically check the progress of his crystals to see how they are growing. Explain to your child that the borax molecules are attracted to each other even when they are in the water. First the molecules form small crystals and then larger ones as they attach themselves to the pipe cleaner. Once the pipe cleaner is covered in crystals, remove it from the solution.

Hang your crystal in a window and enjoy its sparkling beauty!

Andy Warhol-Inspired Prints

Pop artist, painter, printer, icon—the list goes on. Andy Warhol is an important figure in both American history and world art. Introduce your young child to this pop art legend by helping him create an everyday object print. Similar to Warhol’s famous soup can art, this art activity encourages him to turn a simple household item into a masterpiece. He'll explore the world of art and use basic artistic concepts such as shape, line, and space to design a meaningful piece of art in multiples.

What You Do:

Begin by discussing Andy Warhol as an artist. Show reproductions of his work to your child in books or web images. If you are lucky enough to have a museum nearby with one of his works, take a family art viewing field trip. Talk about the frequent use of everyday objects as subjects for his art.

Introduce the concept of printing and creating multiple images. Compare the process to using a stamp and ink pad.

Help him find a suitable and appropriate object for the subject matter. Does he have a favorite food such as soup, yogurt, or cereal? Is there a favorite toy that can be used?

Have him use a wooden stylus, a tooth pick, or even a craft stick to draw an image of the object on scratch foam or styrofoam. If he is using a styrofoam plate or tray, you may need to first cut the sides to make it flat. Make sure that your child is using enough pressure to see the image in the styrofoam. If he is struggling to draw what he sees, point out shapes and lines in the object that may be easier to recreate.

Use a roller or brayer to roll paint across the styrofoam plate. If you don't have one available, he can simply use a paint brush to cover the images. Young kids often want to press the paint down into the lines that have been etched into the plate. Explain to him that the print will not work if he does this. He should see the white etched lines after the paint has been applied.

Press a piece of construction paper down on top of the styrofoam plate. Have him press firmly across the entire piece of paper to transfer the painted print.

Pull the paper off and repeat multiple times.

Pretty Ritty craft

THE SURPRISE IS HERE!!

Do you remember Pretty Ritty story telling?

This is a cute craft for kids that you can make out of a recycled empty toilet paper roll. This nice little mouse was very easy to do and cheap! :)

 

Materials needed:

• toilet paper roll
•  White, grey or pink paper
• glue
• scissors
• black marker

Cut a toilet paper roll in half and wrap it with a grey colored piece of paper (I colored a White piece with a grey crayon).Then draw the mouse's face. Add some big ears, two Little feet and a tail to the back.

And you have a nice Pretty Ritty toy!

Turkey Napkin Rings

Get ready for Thanksgiving by enlisting your child's help! In this activity, you'll work together to create some adorable turkey napkin rings. These easy-to-make table adornments will give you child a chance to make a memorable statement at the dinner table, and help her feel that she played an important role in the preparations for the big event!

What You Do:

Set a dish with brown tempera on the table and have your child dip her thumb in the paint and test her thumbprint on the newspaper. When she's happy with the quality of the print, have her press her brown thumbprint in the center of each of the strips of construction paper. These will be the turkey bodies.

Repeat the process with brown paint using her first finger this time. Stamp directly over the brown thumbprint to create the turkey's head.

Set out the other colors of tempera paint. They'll be used to create the feathers. Have her use her pinky finger to create four different color prints above the turkey's head. Make sure to have her wipe her pinkys off when she's transitioning between colors.

Help her glue two small googly eyes on the head of each turkey to give them personalities. Allow the paint and glue to dry completely.

Help her roll the napkins by wrapping the napkin rings around the center of the napkins and taping them in place.

Funny patterns

 

Patterns can be found everywhere in nature, from the veins in a leaf to the skin of a lizard. Patterns also play an important role in fashion and clothing design. This activity allows your child to practice inventing her own patterns while creating a portrait of a pet. This pet could be based on an actual family pet, or it can be a completely fictitious animal your child would enjoy cuddling with.

What You Do:

Help your child draw the outline of her pet using a pencil. Make sure she keeps the details to a minimum. Encourage her to draw the outline of the pet as large as possible so that it fills the page.

Help her to trace the pencil outline with a marker so it's easy to see.

Section off parts of the pet using a marker. We drew horizontal stripes across our animal, leaving a couple of inches between the lines.

See how many patterns she can name. Some of them may be: zig-zags, polka dots, plaid, stripes, argyle, diamonds and geometric.

Ask your child to design a different pattern for each section of her pet. She can use as many colors as she likes, but each section must be completely unique. 

When she finishes, hang up her patterned pet portrait for family and friends to enjoy!

Pinecone People

Who knew that nature could get so crafty? Show your kid how to collect and morph pine cones into a whole team of personalized pine cone people. He'll use craft materials such as pipe cleaners, yarn, and paint to personalize his pint-sized, plant-like friends. This project will inspire the nature investigator in him, while also prompting size, color, and shape comparison. For an extra lesson in self-awareness, encourage him to complete a mini pinecone of the self-portrait variety.

What You Do:

Embark on a pinecone-collecting adventure. Accompany your child outdoors to find pinecones in a variety of shapes and sizes. Ask him to compare the sizes to the members of your family. For example, the tall pinecone might be Dad's and the very smallest might be used for her baby brother.

Once he's gathered all of the pinecones, help him bend a pipe cleaner around the back, weaving it in between sections of the pinecone for stability. Leave the two sides of the pipe cleaner sticking out as arms.

Ask her to glue down the wiggly eyes on the front of the pinecone.

Help her add hair with cut yarn and glue, using a variety of colors for a fun touch.

Assist her in dressing the pine cones in their finest attire. She can cut scraps of fabric and glue them to the pine cone, or use tempera paints to paint on an outfit. Try wrapping the fabric all the way around the pinecone. This will cover up the pipe cleaner on the back that is connecting the arms.

Jewels

 

Here's a counting game that puts old buttons to good use and produces unique jewelry that your child can wear or give as gifts to friends. Make bracelets in different colors to accessorize everyday outfits or suit a particular theme. While she's having fun, your child is also building her fine motor skills, practicing color and size recognition, and sharpening her concentration.

What You Do:

Cut a piece of cord long enough to fit around your child's wrist, plus an extra inch.

Help your child lay out the buttons (and bells, if using) that she wants to use for the bracelet. Have her count each item as she works.

Have your child string a button onto the cord, threading the cord up through one of the button's holes from the back to the front and then down and out of the opposite hole. If your buttons have four holes, just use two that are on opposite sides.

Repeat step 3 until there is just 1/2” of elastic left on either side of the bracelet.

Tie a knot in the cord on each end of the bracelet, making sure the knots are larger than the button holes so the buttons don't fall off. If you're using a metal crimp tube, affix it to the bracelet with a pair of pliers.

Adorable pigs

Pig noses are adorable decorations made from recycled egg cartons. Each pig nose has a custom-designed personality depending on how it's accessorized. This is a great exercise for little ones to practice fine motor skills.

What You Do:

Help your child cut out individual cups from the egg crates. Cut out as many cups as she would like to make pig noses.

Have her paint all of the cups with pink paint. Allow to dry completely.

Ask her to cut out two pink triangles for her pig's ears and glue them in place from behind.

She can now glue on the googly eyes to create a personality for the pig nose.

Have her create unique features for her pig nose. We used chenille sticks twisted and cut for glasses, a construction paper bow, and raffia glued on for hair.

Paper bags cats

Paper bags can be pretty boring. Why not design the bag with a stylish fox to make it more memorable? Whether it's a bag lunch, goody bag, or used to decorate a table, this cute little fox bag is sure to make your kid smile. This project is also a great way for your kid to practice drawing and cutting basic shapes.

What You Need:

• Paper lunch bag
• Construction paper (orange, black, white)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Pipe cleaners (We used orange and brown.)
• Glue stick
• Low-temp hot glue gun (Adults only!)
• Stapler
• Ruler
• Drinking glass

What You Do:

• Put whatever you want into the bag (lunch, toys, candy) and and fold the flap over. Staple it in place.
• Help your child cut a sheet of orange paper down to  5.5" x 5" to create the fox's face. Ask her to identify the shape of the orange paper (a rectangle!)
• Have her fold the rectangle in half. On the opposite side of the fold, have her cut out half of an oval shape. When opened, the fox's face will now have a nose.
• Ask her to glue the shape to the front of the bag, the flat edge matched with the top edge of the bag and the nose on the edge closer to the table.
• Have her fold a sheet of white paper in half and trace the bottom of a drinking glass on the center of the paper. Ask her what shape she just drew. Have her cut out the circles and set them aside.
• Ask her to fold a sheet of black paper in half and trace the cap of the glue stick. Ask her what shape she just drew. Cut out the small circles and have her glue one on each white circle to create eyes.
• Help her cut out a rectangle and glue it over the nose to create a mask for the fox. Glue the eyes in the center of the rectangle.
• Grab the white paper and ask her to draw and cut out a semicircle for the fox's nose. Glue it in place.
• Have her cut out a square from the black paper that will fit into the white semicircle. Glue it in place to create the tip of the fox's nose.
• Ask her to fold orange paper and cut out a triangle, then do the same with black paper, to create 4 triangles. Have her cut bottom half off of the black ones and glue them on the orange ones to create a two-color triangle. Glue them on the bag to create ears.
• Take over duties and add the final touch by gluing pipe cleaner on either side of the nose using a glue gun.

Recycled Twig Birdhouse

Your child can turn an old milk carton into a unique and quaint birdhouse with the help of some twigs from the yard and a hot glue gun! Birds love a place to get out of the rain or cozy up during a snowfall. Along with making a cute new house for birds, your child will learn more about the birds native to your neighborhood!

What You Do:

Head outside with your child and pick up some twigs from around your yard and neighborhood. While out for the nature walk, your child can get a closer look at any birds native to your area! She can do some more research about native birds at your local library or on the Internet if she wishes.

Invite your child to use a ruler to measure the sides of the carton to help determine how long her twigs should be. She can also give the milk carton a good rinse to make sure it’s clean before beginning the project.

Now she can use the ruler to measure the twigs and then cut them with scissors so she has a good stack of twigs for her birdhouse. While she’s measuring and cutting, your child can also plug in the hot glue gun to get warmed up.

Before beginning to cover the milk carton, invite your child to cut a small hole in one side of the carton for the birds to get in and out of their new home! If she needs help tracing, have her use a small juice glass as a stencilfor the hole.

Have her use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of the carton, to use for hanging later.

Now your child can begin attaching the twigs to the birdhouse, working slowly and gluing the twigs as close together as possible so none of the milk carton shows through!

When she gets to the side with the hole cut out, have her cut the twigs to fit around the hole, and also the hole at the top of the carton.

Once her birdhouse is finished, she can thread a string through the top hole and hang in a tree where she can see which birds decide to call it their new home!