Easter basket

Easter baskets were today's craft! This is a multi-step activity, you can do it all at once, or spread out during the day.

First I got the papers ready. I cut half circles for the basket part- I cut these out of cardboard. Then I drew out the eggs and bunny to put in the basket. Then we cut strips of paper for the "basket" (weave). Older kids can help cut the strips. Also- with older children, you can show them how to "weave" the strips on their basket.

Then I gathered everything we needed. Besides the paper stuff that I already had together, I got pipe cleaners, markers, glitter glue, paint brushes, and the glue- which I colored with brown paint. I put the glue/paint in a bigger shallow dish.




I let the kid paint the glue/paint onto their baskets. And then start adding the paper strips (weave). You have to sort of hurry with this step, before the glue/paint dries.




After they put the strips on, we decorated it a little more with the glitter glue!

Then, they started coloring their bunny and eggs.


Then we cut them out, and glued them onto the basket. (You can also glue them to the back, so it looks like they are in the basket- but I made it simple for them to do!)



Then we added the pipe cleaner for the handle of the basket!

Easter Fun

Today, we did two crafts. There are just so many things to do around holiday times, that I like to get them all in!

The first one we did was bunny Ear headbands. First I collected everything we needed. I just had the kids color the ears, so the younger ones could do it too, but you can do anything!

I needed 2 bunny ears per child- I cut these out of cardboard, so they will stand up- if you use cardboard the possibilities are endless with how you decorate them! We were coloring, so I got the markers. Then the stapler, and the bands- which I made out of construction paper, fit to each child's head! We also had some Easter stickers for the head band!



Then I let the kids color on their ears!


(see even the younger ones can do it!)

After they were done, we put the stickers on their head bands, and stapled the ears on!



The next craft was an Easter Egg. Again, you could do this with any art supplies- collage stuff, crayons, glitter, paint etc. We used "special paint" so it would be shiny. I mixed some liquid tempra paint with white craft glue. It will dry with a 3-D type image to it, and be nice and shiny!

Before I mixed the paint I cut big egg shapes out of cardboard- use cardboard because the kids need to put lots on to make it stand out!


Then have the children paint on the paint mixture. Have them try painting it, dripping it and even swirling it! See what they come up with!
(please note, they will take a while to dry!)

Easter bunny

Today we were going to go on an Easter Egg hunt, but due to the weather, and Bryce being under the weather, we were at home. So, Danika and I made the most of it. Today, she made a hopping bunny.

First I drew out all the bunny parts on paper, gathered markers, glue, googly eyes, tape, a popsicle stick, one cotton ball, a toilet paper roll, and markers.


Then I let Danika color all the bunny pieces!


After she was done, we cut out the bunny pieces, then glued on the googly eyes. And then started gluing on all the bunny pieces to a toilet paper roll.



After those were all on we glued on the cotton ball tail...


Then we had the bunny...


After that, we added a popsicle stick to the toilet paper roll, by taping it to the inside. Now we have a puppet, that can jump along with many Easter, or rabbit songs!

Rain Umbrella's

Today, we made rain umbrella pictures. Taking some kitchen items and turning them into a great rainy day picture!

I collected everything we needed, crayons, muffin/cupcake papers, cotton balls, glue, tape, pipe cleaners (cut and rounded on the end), paper, and blue sprinkles (like the kind you would put on cupcakes!)


I cut the cupcake papers in half, then let the kids color them. After they were coloured we taped the pipe cleaners on them...


Then the kids spread glue all over their pages. Once the glue was all on, they put on the pulled cotton balls (clouds), and their umbrella's.




After they had placed their clouds and umbrella's, we added some glue to the tops of those, and made sure there was enough glue still showing for the "rain". Then we took the cupcake sprinkles (in blue) and shook them all over the page.


Then, you have a beautiful, shiny, rainy day picture!

Rain clouds

They say 'April Showers bring May flowers", so today, we made rain clouds (I think also in hopes that the snow in the forecast changes to rain!).

I collected everything we were using- paper cut into cloud shapes, paint, glue, and paper cut into rain drops.



Then the kids painted their cloud



And then glued on the rain drops




And then we had our final product. (I may let the older kids add some sparkles if- and when they dry!)

2 crafts in one!

Today we ended up making 2 crafts in one! Since we have been talking about letters, and what letters are in each child's name, I decided to have them make a picture and then stick letter stickers- from their names, onto the picture. They turned out well, and actually turned into two crafts!

First I collected everything we needed. Paper, sponges (you could do anything for the picture), paint (I use finger paints when we do sponge painting, it is easier to come off and always ends up all over their hands! And the foam stickers- enough to spell out each child's name a couple times!



Then I put the paint onto a piece of cardboard for each child (so they all had their own paint, and wouldn't fight!)

After that, I gave them their supplies- paper, paint, and sponges, and let them go to it!


After they were done painting (with sponges and fingers!), I gave them each a pile of letters, all the letters of their names. I waited for them to notice these were letters from their names, and it didn't take long. Then we talked about the letters in each of their names!



When we were done, we had 2 crafts, little did they know. I kept their paint tray's (the cardboard pieces I put their paint on). It makes a great abstract piece, and holds up! And we had their letters in their name painting!





Both crafts may take awhile to dry- depending on the piles of paint! So, make sure you have somewhere to store it until it dries!

Hatching chick

Today we made a hatching chick. Again, a fairly easy craft, but you could add anything you wanted to it.

First I gathered everything we would need. I cut the yellow paper into a chick coming out of an egg, and the white paper into an egg shape. I got markers and the clasp things (that I can't remember the name of right now- HAHA!). I also got together glue and scissors. You could paint these, add glitter or collage them, we just did markers for ease today!



Then I had the kids color the chick and the egg...




After they colored them, I cut the egg in two. Following the zig zag lines. Then had the kids glue the bottom piece to the bottom part of the chick paper. (I left that larger bottom on the yellow (chick) piece just to make this part easier for them.



And then we added the clasp thing (again, can't remember the name)- which attached the top part of the cracked egg, and lets it open and close, to see the chick! After they did that, I had them write their names, and the word Egg on it- since we are talking about Letters this week. They both did the letters themselves- not bad for being three and a half hey!

First letter of my name

We are working on letters this week. Today, we did a collage with the first letter of each child's name. First I collected everything we would need, paper- which I cut into each letter, glue, and pieces of scrap paper (and other scraps, like felt, lace etc).



Then I gave the kids the glue, and scraps. I held up each letter and asked "Who's name starts with this letter?". When they answered, I asked what letter it was, and what other things started with that letter. That got the conversation going about what things start with. So, we discussed starting letters while they decorated their letters!




And just because