Octopus Climbing Cup Toy Craft

Here's a simple and fun craft idea that'll not only spark kids imaginations, but also keep them entertained for hours.

Matetials:

Paper cup
Red paper
Glue
Scissors
Marker
String of shoelace

Directions:

1) Cut and glue red paper around a paper cup.
2) Cut two small holes in the bottom of the cup.
3) Draw a puckered octopus face on the side of the cup.
4) Cut slits around the rim of the cup and curl up the sides to make the octopuse's arms.
5) Lace a string or shoelace through the holes in the cup.
6) Hang up the string and pull up and down to make the octopus climb.


Options:

Get creative! Make monkeys, rabits, birds or other animals.
Make several climbers, hang them up side by side and have a face with your friends.

Easy Rapunzel's Tower Photo Frame Craft

Here's a wonderful submission by Diane who has a great Youtube channel, Character Crafts. 

This is a simple photo frame inspired by the princess Rapunzel you can make with your little princess.

Materials:

• 2 different colors construction paper(pink and purple here)
• child's photo
• scissors
• glue
• ruler
• pencil
• thin ribbon or yarn for the hair
• glitter glue
• sparkles

Directions:

1. Trace and cut out a large rectangle from colored paper, this is the tower.
2. Trace and cut out a triangle for the roof and door in the other color.
3. Cut out a window near the top of the rectangle.
4. Glue on the roof and door pieces.
5. Decorate with glitter glue and sparkles.
6. Cut the photo to size and glue to the back of the photo frame.
7. Cu three lengths of yarn or ribbon and braid into Rapunzel's hair and glue to the top of the picture hanging down. Voila!

Here's Diane's complete video tutorial. Please check out her other great craft ideas on youtube.
Feel free to submit your crafty ideas and see them featured on Preschool Crafts for Kids*.



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Paper Plate Soccer Ball Sports Craft

Here's a simple soccer ball craft for a sports unit using a paper plate.

Materials:

• paper plate
• black construction paper
• scissors
• glue
• black marker/crayon

Directions:

1. Trace and cut out 6 pentagons from black paper.
2. Glue onto a paper plate as shown above.
3. Draw lack lines between all the pentagons.

Christmas Bell Paper Cup Craft

Use a paper cup to make a cute Christmas Bell craft like this.

Materials:

• paper cups
• wrapping paper
• gold and silver foil paper
• star punch
• sharp pencil
• scissors
• glue
• yarn
• craft jingle bells
• fishing line(if needed)

Directions:

1. Cut open a paper cup and cut off the bottom. This will give you the template to trace the perfect shape to cover a paper cup.
2. Trace the template onto extra Christmas wrapping paper and cut out.
3. Glue the wrapping paper to a paper cup.
4. Punch silver and gold stars from foil paper and glue on the cup.
5. Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup and thread a length of yarn through. 
6. Tie some craft bells to the string inside the cup. If necessary, tie with fishing line. Tie a knot in the string inside the cup.
7. Hold up your new bell and hang on the Christmas tree.

Valentine's Day/Mother's Day Heart Stamp Card Craft

This is a simple way to make a beautiful heart stamp card for Valentin's Day or even Mother's Day.

Materials:

• card stock
• sponge foam
• knife
• paints

Directions:

1. Trace three different size hearts on sponge foam and cut out with a knife.
2. Put three different colors of paint in dishes and let kids take turns stamping hearts all over a sheet of card stock. Allow to dry.
3. Fold in half and write a Valentine's Day or Mother's Day message inside.

Summer Sand Castle Beach Craft

For Summer School or beach theme, you can make a cute sand castle on the beach.

Materials:

• sheet of blue construction paper
• beige construction paper
• a little white paper
• scissors
• glue
• yellow tissue paper
• toothpick
• crab template
• novelty sea/beach pasta or shell pasta
• paints, brushes, trays

Directions:

1. Beforehand, paint various theme pasta in different colors and allow to dry.
2. Cut a simple sand castle shape from beige/tan paper, crinkle it up and smooth out again for a textured surface.
3. Cut the yellow tissue paper into little squares and glue on the bottom third of the blue paper for the beach.
4. Cut and decorate a little triangular flag from white paper and glue to a toothpick.
5. Glue the sand castle on the beach with the flag behind and glue on the pasta shells.
6. Glue on a little crab and add a sun if you wish.

Mother's Day Recycled Flower Vase Craft

This is the same as the Father's Day pencil holder, but here, we made a flower vase for Mother's Day.

Materials:

• toilet paper roll
• paper clay 
• paint, brushes
• cardboard, cereal box
• scissors
• glue

Directions:

1. Trace a circle on cardboard or a cereal box about 8 cm or 3 inches across and cut out. This is about an inch or so wider than the the end of the toilet roll. 
2. Flatten out the paper clay to an even thickness about 0.2 inches or 0.5 cm.
3. Trace a rectangle about 11.5 x 13 cm (4.5 x 5 inches) in the clay with a putty knife and peel off the excess. This will wrap around the toilet roll. An easy way is to take another toilet roll, cut lengthwise, flatten, and trace around it, but with a little extra the long way.
4. Smear glue on the clay and toilet roll and roll and roll the clay around.
5. Glue the wrapped toilet roll to the cardboard base. 
6. Glue more clay around the base. Allow to dry a little.
7. Paint the pencil holder and put the message, "I Love Mom". She'll love it.

Father's Day version:

Father's Day Recycled Pencil Holder Craft

Dad's like practical gifts. Here's one that he'll love. Recycle a toilet paper roll into a pencil holder for his desk. He'll be so surprised.

Materials:

• toilet paper roll
• paper clay 
• paint, brushes
• cardboard, cereal box
• scissors
• glue

Directions:

1. Trace a circle on cardboard or a cereal box about 8 cm or 3 inches across and cut out. This is about an inch or so wider than the the end of the toilet roll. 
2. Flatten out the paper clay to an even thickness about 0.2 inches or 0.5 cm.
3. Trace a rectangle about 11.5 x 13 cm (4.5 x 5 inches) in the clay with a putty knife and peel off the excess. This will wrap around the toilet roll. An easy way is to take another toilet roll, cut lengthwise, flatten, and trace around it, but with a little extra the long way.
4. Smear glue on the clay and toilet roll and roll and roll the clay around.
5. Glue the wrapped toilet roll to the cardboard base. 
6. Glue more clay around the base. Allow to dry a little.
7. Paint the pencil holder and put the message, "#1 DAD". He'll love it.

You can use this same idea to make a flower vase for Mother's Day.

Gingerbread Man Paper Dolls Craft

Here's a spin on the usual paper dolls craft to teach the fairy tale of the Gingerbread man.

Materials:

• brown construction paper
• pencil
• gingerbread man cookie cutter
• scissors
• crayons
• scrap paper, decorating materials
• hole punch
• glue

Directions:

1. Accordion fold the paper 4 times or so.
2. Trace a simple gingerbread man on the front along the fold. You could use a real cookie cutter.
3. Cut out the gingerbread men. Don't cut the fold.
4. Show some gingerbread man pictures and decorate your men. A hole punch is great for making eyes and buttons. Display your gingerbread men around the room or on the Christmas tree.