Origami Dinner, Fork, Knife Craft

Here are more origami food ideas. Believe it or not, everything pictured was made with origami paper, tissue, and milk carton.

Materials:

• origami paper
• tissue(Kleenex)
• scissors
• pencil
• glue

Directions:

Food

1. The orange part is chicken ketchup rice with green peas on top. Just a ball of tissue wrapped in orange origami and little green balls on top.
2. The hamburger is a tissue disk wrapped in brown paper.
3. The egg is a piece of tissue and another small piece wrapped in yellow.
4. The tomato is a red circle folded in half with some dots for seeds.
5. The French fries are folded strips of yellow paper.

Fork and Knife

1. Wash, dry, and ct open a milk or juice carton.
2. Fold the carton to show the inside, white part.
3. Along the fold, draw a knife, fork, or spoon shape about 4-5 inches long.
4. With strong scissors, cut out along the fold so you have 2 mirror image pieces joined together.
5. Put glue on the printed side and glue shut.
6. Wrap and glue a strip of origami around the handle.



Funny Face Paper Plate Mask Craft

This is a really easy and fun paper plate craft you can make with a few magazines. It's good for a theme about the body, senses or "All About Me".

Materials:

• paper plate
• old magazines
• glue
• scissors
• Popsicle stick
• tape

Directions:

1. Beforehand you can cut out face parts from old magazines; eyes, noses, ears, and mouths. Or students can do it themselves.
2. Pu all the face part pictures in dishes. Let students choose 2 eyes, 2 ears, a nose and mouth. It's funnier if all the pieces don't match.
3. Glue face parts onto your paper plate.
4. Tape a Popsicle stick to the back for a handle.
5. Students can show off their funny faces.

Triceratops Dinosaur Craft

Use this simple idea to make a triceratops dinosaur craft that moves. Use the same idea to make other dinosaurs of your own.

Materials:

• simple triceratops template(available below)
• construction paper
• pencil
• scissors
• 3 brass fasteners(butterfly pins)

Directions:

1. Print out the simple triceratops template with 4 pieces, a body, a head, and 2 short legs.
2. Cut out all the pieces from green paper or other color.
3. Attach head and legs to the body with brass fasteners.
4. Draw details on the face and toes. Decorate your dinosaur and make him walk. 
5. Put tape over the pins in back for safety.

Original description and template available from First School Website.

Recycled CD Top Craft

I love tops. Here's a simple way to turn an old CD into a new toy for hours of fun.

Materials:

• 1 used CD
• 1 round marble
• plastic drink bottle cap
• strong glue, rubber cement, or superglue with an adult.
• construction paper
• pencil
• scissors
• stickers or other decorating materials

Directions:

1. Trace the CD on paper and cut out. Use the circle to make a pattern like stripes or swirls.
2. Glue a marble in the hole on the bottom of a CD.
3. Glue your pattern design on the top.
4. Glue a drink bottle cap to the top for a handle.

For the simplest top, Glue the marble on the printed side of the CD and spin the rainbow side up.

Pipe Cleaner People Craft

This is a very simple and cute idea to make little people from pipe cleaners and foam pieces. This is good when teaching about the body.

Materials:

• pipe cleaners
• craft foam pieces-the ones that look like marshmallows and stick together when whetted. Or foam packing peanuts would work too.
• marker

Directions:

1. Make a hole and stick a piece of pipe cleaner all the way through a piece of foam. The bottom part of the pipe cleaner will be one leg. The top part will be where the head goes.
2. Stick another piece of foam on top for a head.
3. Cut three short pipe cleaners. Stick 2 in the sides for arms and 1 in the bottom for the second leg.
4. Draw a face.
5. Pose and play with your pipe cleaner people.

T-Rex Fossil Skull Milk Jug Craft

I thought this was such an amazing idea when I saw it. If you're studying about fossils, why not make your very own, 3D Tyrannosaurus Rex skull from a milk jug. Follow the link for  full description and pattern of this copyrighted craft

Danielles Place of Crafts and Activities

It makes me think, how about making a skeleton to go along with the skull? You could use other recycled materials, cardboard with puffy paint, or paper mache. Mount your skeleton on the wall, or stand it up. You could also try making other dinosaur skulls from milk jugs.

T-Rex Paper Plate Craft

Here's another idea to make a dinosaur from a paper plate, this time, a friendly Tyrannosaurus Rex, (T-Rex) Craft.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate(a green paper plate if you can find it, otherwise, paint it green.)
• green and yellow construction paper
• scissors
• glue
• google eyes
• marker

Directions:

1. Use a green paper plate, or paint one green.
2. Trace the paper plate on yellow construction paper and cut out.
3. Cut the yellow circle in half on a curve to make the the T-Rex's underbelly.
4. Cut out other scale shapes from yellow paper.
5. Draw and cut out a head, tail, and 2 legs and arms from green paper like the ones shown.
6. Glue the yellow belly piece and scales on the top of the paper plate along the rim.
7. Glue the head, tail, and 1 arm an leg on the back of the paper plate.
8. Glue the other arm and leg on the belly
9. Add eyes and draw a face. Add scales to the tail. Draw toes on the feet.

If this craft is done well, it can also serve as a pocket to hold papers, stickers or cards.You could also change the head design to a more familiar profile position.

Ducks on Ice Winter Craft

Here's a cute winter craft. It uses glitter and Saran wrap to simulate ice complete with little ducks.

Materials:

• dark blue construction paper
• glitter
• glue
• scissors
• white paper with little ducks
• Saran wrap

Directions:

1. Find a duck template from a coloring page or draw your own. Reproduce and cut out many small ducks.
2. Color the ducks feet and draw an eye.
3. Draw a pond shape from dark blue paper and cut out.
4. Cover the blue pond with glue and sprinkle on glitter or use glitter glue.
5. Wrap the whole pond with Saran wrap and glue on the back.
6. Glue three little ducks walking on the ice.

Dinosaur Bones Fossil Craft

Here's a great idea to make dinosaur bones using cardboard, tissue paper and glue. I think using puffy paint would also look good, too.

Materials:

• thick cardboard
• scissors or sharp knife
• glue
• water
• tissue paper or toilet paper

Directions:

1. Draw dinosaur shapes of thick cardboard like a skull and bone and cut out.
2. Mix water and glue in a bowl. Make balls of toilet paper and dip into glue, then stick on your bones. Allow to dry.

This craft has a great 3D look. You might also try puffy paint. Why not make a whole skeleton for a display!? You could use the bones to play party games too, like a treasure hunt or play hot bone instead of hot potato.

Source: Activity Village

Dinosaur Card Craft

Here's a fun idea to make a dinosaur card that can stand up on its own.

Materials:

• dark green construction paper(body)
• light blue or light green construction paper(spots)
• scissors
• yellow paint
• water
• glue

Directions:

1. Trace and cut out a dinosaur shape similar to the one shown from dark green paper.
2. Fold in the middle at 2 places so it can stand up.
3. Cut small ovals from light green or blue paper for spots and glue onto the body.
4. Mix yellow paint with a little water to make it runny and use brush to flick paint onto the dinosaur for skin detail. Allow to dry.
5. Draw nails on the feet and eyes, or use eye stickers.
6. Write a message on the opposite side and send to a friend.

Easy Paper Plate Frog Crafts

Here are two great and simple ideas to make a frog from a paper plate.

4 legged Frog

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• green paint
• green construction paper
• 2 small cotton balls or google eyes
• black marker
• scissors
• glue

Directions:

1. Paint the bottom of a paper plate green and allow to dry.
2. Cut 2 long front legs and 2 back legs at right angles from green paper as shown.
3. Glue the legs onto the unpainted side.
4. Glue 2 mini cotton balls for eyes and add black paper dots or use google eyes.
5. Draw 2 dots for a nose with a marker.

2 legged frog

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• green paint
• green construction paper
• pencil
• scissors
• 2 white circles for eyes
• black marker
• pink pipe cleaner for a mouth

Directions:

1. Paint the bottom of a paper plate green. Allow to dry.
2. Trace and cut out hand prints from green construction paper.
3. Glue hand prints to the unpainted side of the paper plate to look like a squatting frog.
4. Glue on white circles for eyes and draw a pupil with a black marker.
5. Glue on a piece of pink pipe cleaner for a mouth.

About.com

Paper Plate Frog Craft

Here's another classic craft from DLTK. Make a frog puppet from a paper plate.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• green construction paper
• red construction paper
• green and red paint
• glue
• scissors
• template for eyes, legs, arms, and tongue

Directions:

1. Paint the bottom of a paper plate green and the top red. Allow to dry.
2. Fold the paper plate so the red is on the inside to make the mouth of the puppet.
3. Cut out all the eyes, arms, and legs from green and the tongue from red paper.
4. Glue the arms on the side, inside the mouth, the legs on the bottom, the eyes on top, and the tongue sticking out of the mouth.

Here's the DLTK Template

Easter Bunny Paper Plate Rabbit Craft

This Easter Bunny craft is an alternative to the same-old bunny craft using a paper plate. This craft was originally meant to be a Chinese New Year rabbit for 2011, but it could easily be made for Easter or any other occasion.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• brown paint(or other color)
• scissors
• 2 brass fasteners
• 1 google eye
• 1 medium, white pom pom(tail)
• 1 small, pink pom pom(nose)
• glue

Directions:

1. Paint the back of a paper plate brown or other color. Allow to dry.
2. Cut paper plate in half.
3. From one half, cut; 1 small semi-circle for the head, 2 long, thin curved strips for the ears, and 2 slightly bigger curved strips for the legs. Use the rim portion.
4. Glue the ears to the back of the head piece and glue the head to the unpainted side of the half paper plate.
5. Attach the legs to the body with brass fasteners as shown.
6. Glue on the tail, nose, and eye.

Kaboose

Paper Plate Brontosaurus Craft

Brontosaurus is also known as apatosaurus. This is a cute idea to make a brontosaurus craft from a paper plate.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• scissors
• pencil
• brass fasteners or simply glue
• paints
• google eyes

Directions:

1. Cut a paper plate in half.
2. On one half, draw an outline of a neck with  small head and a tail along the rim of the paper plate.
3. Draw 2 o 4 rectangle legs.
4. Cut out all the pieces and paint a desired color along with the other paper plate half. Allow to dry.
5. Attach the pieces with brass fasteners or simply glue on.
6. Add a google eye and other decorations to you brontosaurus dinosaur.

Kids Craft Weekly

Here's another version:

Making Learning Fun

Stegosaurus Paper Plate Craft

This is an absolutely adorable dinosaur craft from a paper plate.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• 2 different color paints
• scissors
• google eyes
• glue

Directions:

1. Cut a paper plate in half.
2. On one half draw a cute little head, tail, and feet.
3. Also draw 6-10 triangles for the dorsal plates.
4. Cut out all the pieces.
5. Paint the half paper plate and head, tail, and feet one color(blue or green). And paint the triangles a different color(yellow). Allow to dry.
6. Glue the pieces on the paper plate and add a google eye on the head.

Source: Jump Start

Footprint Stegosaurus Craft

Here's a simple and fun idea to make a stegosaurus craft from a footprint.

Materials:

• sheet of construction paper(background)
• green or other color construction paper(footprint)
• scissors
• pencil
• glue
• markers

Directions:

1. Have students step onto construction paper and trace their foot.
2. Cut out the foot
3. Glue onto a different color construction paper(the heel becomes the head)
4. Let students draw a thick tail on the toes side of the footprint.
5. Cut about 10 triangles and glue on for the dorsal plates.
6. Draw a face and legs.

Alternatively, you cold cut out pieces for the legs and tail. I think this idea could be easily adapted to make an anklyosaurus by drawing circles or scale shapes for the bony plates on the shell.

Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater Craft

Here's a very easy craft to do for the nursery rhyme Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater. The website as a template you can print out.

Materials:

• template from website
• crayons
• scissors
• box cutter(used by an adult only)
• glue or tape

Directions:

1. Color and cut out the pumpkin and Peter's wife.
2. The teacher cuts a slit in the pumpkin with a sharp knife.
3. Glue or tape Peter's wife into the pumpkin.

Making Learning Fun

Cow Paper Plate Craft

Here's a cow craft you can make from a paper plate.(left) This was originally for the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle, but you can use it for anything.

Materials:

• cow head, arms, and legs template from website
• paper plate
• scissors
• crayons
• glue

Directions:

1. Print and cut out the templates from the website.
2. Glue the arms on the bottom of the paper plate(front) at the sides.
3. Glue the cow's head and legs on the top of the paper plate(back).
4. Color the hooves and add black spots.

Here's the website with the templates:
Kids Crafts-Hey Diddle Diddle

Hey Diddle Diddle Jumping Cow Craft

Here's another, simple craft idea for the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle(the one on the right). This website also includes a paper plate cow craft.

Materials:

• Hey Diddle Diddle coloring sheet(website)
• card stock or white construction paper
• cow template(website)
• crayons
• scissors
• tongue depressor or Popsicle stick
• tape
• box cutter or sharp knife(to be used by an adult)

Directions:

1. Print out the templates from the website.
2. It's recommended that you glue the templates to card stock or construction paper beforehand to give them strength.
3. Color the coloring sheet and cow.
4. Cut out cow and tape to a Popsicle stick to make a puppet.
5. The teacher cuts a slit on the dotted line of the coloring sheet. Insert the puppet and make the cow jump over the moon.

Here's the website with the templates:

All Kids Network

Hey Diddle Diddle Mobile Craft

Here's a really nice nursery rhyme themed mobile craft from DLTK.

Materials:

• Hey Diddle Diddle templates from website
• paper towel roll
• scissors
• crayons
• glue
• yarn
• blue construction paper
• paper stars

Directions:

1. Visit the DLTK website(link below) and print out the Hey Diddle Diddle characters template.
2. Decorate the paper towel roll with blue paper and stars to make a night sky.
3. Color and cut out all the characters. There are 2 mirror images to sandwich together.
4. Glue the characters together with the a length of string in the middle.
5. Tie the strings to the cardboard tube.
6. Tie another piece of yarn through the tube and hang up.

Here's the original site with the templates:
Hey Diddle Diddle Mobile

I really like this craft and the cartoons look great, but the disadvantage is that there are 8 characters, all with 2 mirror images. That's A LOT of coloring and cutting for little kids.

Actually, I made an easier version similar to the one shown. I used chopsticks tied at the center to make a cross at the top.

Materials:

• 4 or 5 characters from coloring pages
• 2 disposable chopsticks tied in the middle
• yarn
• crayons
• scissors
• tape

Directions:

1. Tie chopsticks at the top to make a cross.
2. Color and cut out pictures.
3. Tape to pieces of yarn.
4. Tape the yarn to the ends of the chopsticks and hang up.

Hand Print Spider Paint Craft

Here's a slightly different way to make a spider from hand prints. Don't trace and cut, just paint, splat, and add eyes. You could also cut it out.

Materials:

• white paper
• black paint and brushes(other colors are fine, too.
• google eyes
• scissors(optional)

Directions:

 

1. Brush child's hands with black paint and press onto white paper with the wrists together. You might want to hide the thumbs. Allow to dry.
2. Add 2 google eyes.
3. Cut out and fold the legs down slightly so the spider stands on its own. (optional)

Old King Cole Crown Craft

Here's a simple crown craft idea we did to teach Old King Cole.  I noticed this becomes a pattern exercise for older kids as they really try to make the crown design symmetrical on both sides. Afterwards, the kids paraded around in their new crowns.

Materials:

• yellow construction paper
• gold, silver, other shiny paper or cellophane
• shape paper punches
• scissors
• tape
• stapler
• glue

Directions:

1. Beforehand, cut lots of little shapes from shiny metallic paper. Gold and silver and others to make jewels in the crown. Cutting diamond shapes is fine, but use shaped punches to make stars, suns, flowers, or heart shapes.
2. Cut a sheet of yellow construction paper in half, lengthwise.
3. Tape the short ends together on both sides so you get one long strip.
4. Fold in half where you taped it and draw big triangles all the way down the length.
5. Cut along the lines to make the crown shape.
6. Unfold and glue on lots of jewels to decorate. Gluing gold stars at the tops of the triangles looks great, too.
7. When finished, the teacher sizes the child's head and staples the crown in place.

Penguin Paper Craft

Here's an easy penguin paper craft you can do for a winter theme.

Materials:

• black, white, and orange paper
• 2 white circles or eye stickers
• scissors
• black marker
• glue

Directions:

1. Cut the white, bowling pin shaped chest piece from white paper. Cut the black, body outline from black paper. Cut a tiny triangle beak and two little feet from orange paper.
2. Glue the white chest piece on the black body.
3. Glue on beak, and feet.
4. Glue on two white circles and draw eyes or eye stickers.

Little Miss Muffet Spider Craft

Here's a very simple spider craft using a paper plate. We made a spider craft after teaching the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet. We used it for a role play, kids taking turns being Miss Muffet or the spider. They loved it. This is Great for Halloween, too.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• black paint
• 8 thin strips of black paper for legs
• push pin and sharp pencil
• string or pipe cleaner
• google eyes
• glue

Directions:

1. Paint the paper plate black on both sides and allow to dry.
2. Cut out 8 thin strips of black paper for legs and glue to the top side of the paper plate.
3. Take a push pin and make a hole in the center of the paper plate and make it bigger with a sharp pencil.
4. Thread a piece of string through the hole and tie a knot so it hangs upside down.
5. Glue 2 google eyes to the plate for eyes.

Alternative:

Instead of paper legs, take a hole punch and make 8 holes and tie yarn or pipe cleaners for legs. Also, your spider doesn't have to be black, how about orange, purple or let kids decorate with stripes.

All Kids Network

Toilet Paper Roll Snake Craft

This is a simple, tried and true snake craft anyone can make using toilet paper rolls.

Materials:

• toilet paper rolls
• strong scissors
• hole punch
• paints
• 2 google eyes
• red paper or pipe cleaner for a tongue
• yarn, string, or pipe cleaners
• glue
• tape

Directions:

1. Cut several toilet paper rolls in half and paint them. You can make your whole snake one color like green, but I think it's more fun to make different color segments and have kids practice making a pattern.
2. Take a hole punch and punch 4 holes on each body segment and 2 holes for the head and tail parts.
3. Tie the segments together with short lengths of string or pipe cleaners.
4. Glue 2 eyes on the first segment for the head.
5. Cut a red tongue from paper or a pipe cleaner and tape on the inside of the mouth.

Winter I Spy Bottle Craft

I absolutely love this idea. Kids love I spy stuff and this is a great 3D I spy bottle craft for a winter theme.

Materials:

• cleaned out clean plastic bottle with cap, jar, or even a strong zip lock bag would work
• white filler material; raw rice, foam packing pellets, etc.
• colorful spangles
• small winter or Christmas theme toys, ornaments, or erasers(trains, toys, presents, snowmen, candy canes, Christmas trees, etc.

Directions:

1. Fill the bottle mostly with white filler material and some colorful spangles. Then put in the I spy toys.
2. Screw on the cap tightly and shake. Let kids turn it and try and find the hidden shapes.

You can go crazy with this. Make a bottle for any season or theme; summer, fall, dinosaurs, ABC,. etc.

Q-Tip Snowflake Craft

Here's a great idea to make a snowflake craft from Q-tips.

Materials:

• Q-tips
• construction paper
• white glue
• glitter or glitter glue
• snowflake pictures
• scissors

Directions:

1. Show the kids pictures of snowflakes and teach them that they are always different and have six sides.
2. Give them a bunch of Q-tips and make a snowflake design on paper. They can cut them to make smaller pieces, too.
3. Glue them in place at the junctions.
4. Brush lightly with glue and sprinkle on glitter or use glitter glue.

As an alternative, glue them on wax paper. When they dries, peel them off and hang up.

Salt Crystal Snowflake Craft

Here's a great alternative for making snowflake that's also a science lesson.

Materials:

• salt
• water
• pot
• heat resistant cup
• thick black paper or card stock(regular construction paper is too thin)
• narrow paintbrushes

Directions:

1. Before starting, talk about snowflakes and show them pictures of snowflake designs.
2. Boil water in a pot or kettle and pour into a heat-resistant cup or mug.
3. Add salt teaspoon by teaspoon and stir with a paintbrush until you make a super saturated solution and the salt doesn't dissolve any more.
4. Paint dots and snowflake shapes with the paintbrush. Allow to dry overnight. See the salt crystals that grow.

Chinese Dragon Puppet Craft

2012 is here and its the year of the dragon. This is a very cool Chinese dragon puppet craft you can make to celebrate. The kids will have loads of fun dancing around with their dragons.

Materials:

• dragon template below or make your own
• 2 kabob skewers, chopsticks, or Popsicle sticks
• red construction paper
• colored pencils
• scissors
• glue

Directions:

1. Color and cut out the dragon and tail piece from the template or make your own from construction paper.
2. Accordion fold a long piece of construction paper.
3. Fold the head and ail pieces and glue to the construction paper body strip.
4. Glue to 2 kebob skewers(be careful!) or disposable chopsticks.

Here's the template site for the one above.

http://www.craftjr.com/dragon-paper-craft/

Here's a simpler, do it yourself version that looks great, too.

Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Craft

This is a craft we did as a follow up to teaching the nursery rhyme, "There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe".

Materials:

• sheet of blue construction paper(or other color)
• brown construction paper
• boot template
• white paper
• crayons or colored pencils
• Copy of the rhyme "There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" to cut out

Directions:

1. Find a big boot template or simply draw one. Trace onto brown paper and cut out.
2. Glue he boot to the background paper.
3. Cut pieces of white paper into squares or rectangles for windows and glue onto the boot.
4. Draw kids in the windows and/or the old woman outside.
5. Add details like a chimney or steps.
6. Cut out and glue a copy of the nursery rhyme and glue it next to the boot.

Hanging Spiral Snake Craft

This is a nice looking paper snake craft you can hang up and watch twirl around.

Materials:

• green construction paper (alternatively, use a paper plate and paint it green.)
• scissors
• crayons
• string

 

Directions:

1. Using the template below or free hand, draw a spiral on green or other color construction paper. Personally, I think it's easier to draw on a paper plate, but you have to paint it first.
2. Cut out the spiral along the lines.
3. Decorate your snake.
4. Poke a hole in the end at he middle of the spiral and tie a string to hang up.

I've seen this craft done with the head hanging down or with the tail hanging down. I think it makes more sense that the head is at the bottom, but you can do it either way.

 

Here's the template from DLTK:

  http://www.dltk-kids.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/image/bspiralsnake.gif

Cotton Ball Snowman Craft

Here's a fluffy snowman craft using cotton balls.

Materials:

• sheet of blue construction paper
• black and orange construction paper
• cotton balls
• pipe cleaners
• pencil
• glue

Directions:

1. Draw a snowman shape on the blue construction paper.
2. Glue on cotton balls to fill in the outline.
3. Cut out hat, buttons, and nose from black and orange paper an glue on to the snowman.
4. Glue on pipe cleaners for hands.
5. With a little paint, white out, tissue paper, or cotton, add snow falling in the background.(optional)

New Years Dragon Paper Plate Craft

According to the Chinese almanac, 2012 is the year of the Dragon. The image for this craft is a big dancing Chinese dragons at festivals or the Chinese lion dance with two men inside. Here's a cute New Years Dragon puppet craft you can make from a paper plate.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• 3egg carton cups
• black, red, and white construction paper
• red and gold paint
• black marker
• glue
• scissors

Directions:

1. Cut out three cups from an egg carton. Paint them green, inside and out. Allow to dry.
2. On the bottom of a paper plate, paint the center gold and the rim red. Allow to dry.
3. Cut 2 black paper rectangles. Cut slits on one side and glue onto 2 green egg cups for eyelashes.
4. Cut 2 small white circles to fit in the bottom of the cups for eyes. Draw a black pupil with a marker.
5. On the outside of the 3rd green paper egg cup, draw 2 dots for a nose.
6. Fold the paper plate in half. Cut slits along the rim if desired for a frill effect.
7. Cut out a large red tongue longer than half the paper plate so it sticks out the front. Glue inside the mouth.
8. Cut out big white triangles for teeth and glue them on the upper lip.
9. Glue the eyes and nose on top of the head.

  Here's the original craft at DLTK

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/china/mfold-dragon.htm

Snowman Puffy Paint Craft

Here's a great looking, 3D puffy paint snowman.

Materials:

• sheet of light blue construction paper
• puffy paint(equal parts white glue and shaving cream)
• green tree, yellow sun, and black snowman hat cut from construction paper
• 3 buttons
• 2 google eyes
• 1 piece of candy corn
• glue
• scissors

Directions:

1. Draw a snowman outline on the blue paper by hand or from a template.
2. Make puffy paint by mixing equal parts white glue and shaving cream.
3. Fill inside the snowman outline with puffy paint.
4. Put on eyes, buttons, and nose on snowman.
5. Glue on tree, sun, and hat.
6. Add more puffy paint for snow or cloud details.

Kids Activities

Polar Bear Puffy Paint Paper Plate Craft

Here's another great puffy paint polar bear idea. Simple and easy and looks great.

Materials:

• 1 paper plate
• puffy paint (mix equal parts white glue and shaving cream)
• 2 white circles for ears (the picture shows cosmetic sponges)
• 2 big google eyes
• black circle or Oreo cookie

Directions:

1. Make puffy paint by mixing equal parts white glue and shaving cream. Mix well.
2. Cover the bottom of a paper plate with puffy paint.
3. Add paper ears or sponges, eyes, and a black paper nose or Oreo cookie. Allow to dry.

Don't eat the cookie. After drying, the paint maintains its puffy texture.

Kiboomu

Easter eggshell creatures Craft

You can used the crushed eggshell idea not only to make collages, but also fun egg creatures for Easter.

 

Materials:

 

• hard-boiled eggs
• crushed eggshells of various colors
• pipe cleaners
• construction paper
• glue

 

Crushed Eggshells Directions:

 

1. Rinse and allow egg shells to dry after cooking. Be sure to remove the inner membrane.
2. Put into a zip lock bag and break into small pieces. Don't pulverize them.
3. Place water and food coloring into small cups. Pour in the eggshells. Adding a little vinegar or lemon juice will create a stronger color. Remove and allow to dry. Separate your various colors.

Eggshell Creatures Directions:

1. Spread out the color eggshells you want in a shallow dish.
2. Spread glue all over the outside of a hard-boiled egg. Roll the egg in the colored eggshells to completely cover it. Allow to dry. You could also dye your eggs the same color as the crushed eggshells first to get a base coat.
3. Use pipe cleaners, construction paper, and google eyes to create your creatures.

 

Armadillo

1. After covering in orange crushed eggshells, twirl yellow pipe cleaner around your finger, pencil, or other cone like shape to make the head and tail and glue to the body.
2. Make an oval shape from a pipe cleaner and tie on little leg pieces and glue to the bottom for legs.
3. Add ears and eyes

Fish

1. After rolling in green eggshells, Cut out and glue on paper or foam fins.
2. Add a short piece of pipe cleaner for a mouth and add eyes.

Let your imagination go for other creatures. For example, make a chick, rabbit, or even a 2012 New Year dragon. You could could stick several eggs together to make a snake or caterpillar.

Spoonful

Eggshell Collage Craft

This is a really colorful craft idea for a collage using dyed eggshells. It's also a  good way to recycle all those eggs. It'd be a good idea to make the dyed eggshells far in advance and keep a stock of them on hand for various crafts.

Materials:

• egg shells
• Easter egg dyes or food coloring
• vinegar or lemon juice
• cups
• paper
• glue

Directions:

Colored Eggshells

1. Rinse and allow egg shells to dry after cooking. Be sure to remove the inner membrane.
2. Put into a ziplock bag and break into small pieces. Don't pulverize them.
3. Place water and food coloring into small cups. Pour in the eggshells. Adding a little vinegar or lemon juice will create a stronger color. Remove and allow to dry. Separate your various colors.

Collage Craft

1. Draw a design on paper with glue.
2. Cover with eggshells and pour off the excess.

or..

Draw a design with crayons and put glue on the inside decorate.

Easter Eggs String Craft

Here's a great idea to create colorful Easter egg shapes that are light as a feather using string and fabric starch.

Materials:

• balloons
• various colored embroidery floss or cotton yarn
• fabric stiffener(fabric starch)
• scissors
• pin
• string

Directions:

1. Blow up a balloon until only 6 inches long or less. Be sure it is egg shaped.
2. Cut the yarn into 1 to 2 foot lengths. Put the fabric stiffener into a small cup and dip your yarn thoroughly before wrapping.
3. Wrap the yarn around the balloon. You should still see the balloon. Allow to dry overnight.
4. Pop the balloon with a pin and carefully remove the balloon.
5. Display your string eggs.

Variations:

There are various ways of applying the fabric stiffener. You could dip the yarn in a cup as above, you could put the stiffener in a shallow tray and roll the balloons around, or you could use a spray can type. Put on 3 or four coats.

For display, you could hang them from strings, or on an egg tree. You could place them in small baskets, too. Or you can cut a hole in the side and fill with grass and a small toy as shown. Have fun.

Crafts for all Seasons

Easter Finger Puppets Craft

It's amazing what you can do with some pipe cleaners and a few pom poms. This is a great idea for simple Easter animals finger puppets. You can adapt this idea easily to anything.

Materials:

• pipe cleaners
• big and small pom poms
• google eyes
• glue

Directions:

1. Decide what kind of character you want to make and color. Yellow for a chick, pink for a rabbit, white for a cat, etc.
2. Take the pipe cleaner and wrap it around your finger and carefully remove.
3. Glue on a big pom pom on top for a head.
4. Glue on eyes and small pom poms or a nose. In case of a rabbit, glue on two short,  pink pipe cleaners for ears.
5. Add a tail if you like.

Craft Jr.