Thanksgiving Indian Corn Spongepainting Craft

Here's a unique method to make an Indian corn craft for Thanksgiving. Use sponges and chopsticks to make small corn kernel stamps to make a variety of colors. Great idea. Follow the tlink for the full, step by step tutorial.

Boy Mama Teacher Mama

4 Easy Craft Toys You Can Make From Disposable Chopsticks

The Japanese are known for their resourcefulness and artistic creativity. This extends to kids crafts as well. Disposable chopsticks and rubber bands are common household items that can be recycled to make simple kids playthings that will keep them entertained for hours. Here's a list of 4 easy-to-make craft toys from rubber bands and disposable chopsticks. Have fun Gambate!

Chopsticks Rubber Band Gun Craft

Japanese Chopsticks Catapult Toy Craft

Japanese Chopsticks Launcher Toy Craft

Japanese Chopsticks Boat Toy Craft

Search this site for even more great Japanese craft ideas.

Christmas Fireplace Box Craft

This is a cute idea I got from a friend. Turn a small box into a mini fireplace complete with fire and stockings.

Materials:

• small box (a tissue box works great)
• checkered fabric to resemble bricks
• wooden chopsticks
• red and white felt
• thread( green is nice)
• needle
• glue
• scissors

Directions:

1. Cut a rectangular opening in the side of the box for the fireplace.
2. Cut pieces of fabric and completely cover the outside of the box.
3. Cut some disposable chopsticks into small pieces for logs. Color the ends red with a marker.
4. Cut a piece of jagged red/yellow felt  for fire.
5. Glue the pieces inside for the fire.
6. Cut some little stocking and/or snowmen shapes from felt.
7. Thread the pieces on a length of thread and attach to the front, so they hang in front of the fireplace.

You could go all out and make little Christmas trees to go on the mantle.

Peanut People Drum Puppet Craft

Here's a cute Japanese craft idea. Make these peanut drum puppets from a paper bag on a chopstick or skewer.

Materials:

• chopsticks or bamboo skewers
• small paper lunch bag
• old newspaper or cotton
• tape
• brown marker
• string
• plastic bottle caps

Directions:

1. Stuff old newspaper or cotton into a small paper lunch bag. Pinch and tape the top of the head so it stands up. Pinch the bag in the middle into a peanut shape.
2. Stick onto a chopstick or skewer and tape the bottom.Decorate with a marker to look like a peanut with eyes and a mouth. You could also cut and paste on the face.
3. Tie 2 short lengths of string to the peanut. Tape bottle caps to the other ends for hands.
4. When you twist the peanut puppet, the bottle cap hands hit the body like the drum from the Karate Kid 2.

Banchan

International Flag Craft

Here's a simple and fun flag craft you can do when learning about other countries or cultures.

Materials:

• flag templates
• card stock
• scissors
• crayons or scrap paper
• glue
• tape
• chopsticks, bamboo skewer, or dowel rod

Directions:

1. Find a lack and white template of the flag of choice on the Internet.
2. Print out template on card stock and cut out.
3. Have kids color the flag correctly or use scrap pieces of colored paper.
4. Tape the flag to a stick or chopstick and wave your flag.





Thanksgiving Day Indian Corn Craft

Here is a simple and easy Thanksgiving Day Indian Corn Craft with real popcorn.

Materials:

• yellow and green construction paper
• scissors
• paint in a tube or glitter glue
• glue
• popped popcorn(eat some, too.
• kabob skewers or chopsticks
• tape
• google eyes(optional)

Directions:

1. Cut some leafy corn shuck shapes from green paper.
2. Cut some oblong cob corn shapes from yellow paper.
3. Glue the corn on the shucks.
4. Spread glue on the corn and stick on real popcorn.
5. Decorate the edges with squeeze paint or glitter glue. Allow to dry.
6. Glue the corn shucks to a skewer or chopstick. Add some tape to secure.
7. If you notice, one of the corn cobs has google eyes(cute). Never saw corn with eyes. It kind of looks like an owl.

Source: Creatively Content

Thanksgiving Day Mayflower Milk Carton Craft

Here's a cute Thanksgiving Day Mayflower Milk carton craft that's loads of fun to make and really brings out your kids creativity.

Materials:

• milk carton(washed an dried)
• brown paper lunch bag
• scissors
• popsicle sticks or chopsticks
• red and white paper
• markers
• tape

Directions:

1. Close the end of your milk carton and ecure with tape. Wrap the milk carton in a brown paper bag and tape shut.
2. Decorate the outside of your Mayflower.
3. Glue together 2 popsicle sticks to make one mast for your sails. Make 2 masts. Or use chopsticks.
4. Cut out sails and flags from red and white paper nd atach to masts.
5. Cut 2 slits in the top of your mayflower and insert the masts. Set sail!

Source: Our Homeschool Fun

Spring Flowers and Vase Chopsticks Craft

This simple Spring flowers with vase craft is great for preschoolers. Use chopsticks, a paper cup, and construction paper.

Materials:

• 2 pair of disposable chopsticks(or short dowels)
• paper cup
• sharp pencil
• flowers template or draw your own
• construction paper
• scissors
• tape

Directions:

1. Trace 4 simple flower tops on colorful construction paper or draw your own and cut out.
2. Break the chopsticks apart so you have 4.
3. Tape the flowers to the tops of the chopsticks.
4. Turn your paper cup upside down and poke 4 holes with a sharp pencil.
5. Stick your flowers in the holes to make your vase. Finished.

Koi Nobori Carp Streamers Windsock Craft 2

In Japan, May 5th marks "Kodomo no Hi", Boys' Day or Childrens' Day. The traditional decoration are large carp streamer windsocks. Carp swim upstream and are considered strong and lucky. Parents want their children to be like carp.

Here's a small handheld  Carp Streamer version you can make yourself.

Materials:

•  large paper for decorating, or wrapping paper.
• 4 inch wide wooden loop or ring cut from a toilet roll
• scissors
• glue
• bamboo stick, dowel or chopstick
• hole punch
• string
• tape

Directions:

1.  
2. Cut a piece of 13.5x18 inch paper to decorate or use wrapping paper.
3. Decorate your paper to look like a carp and make big fish eyes.
4. Roll your paper into a tube and wrap around and glue to the wooden loop.
5. Flatten out the fish tube and cut along the bottom halfway from the end to make a fish shape as shown.
6. Punch 4 holes around the top, just under the wooden loop.
7. Tie 4 pieces of string to the carp, then tie together and tape to the top of the stick.
8. Run and fly your carp streamer.

Source: Free Kids Crafts

4th of July Fireworks Wand Craft

The kids will love waving around their 4th of July fireworks wand craft at their next Independence Day Party.

Materials:

•  wooden dowel or disposable chopsticks
• red ,white, or blue tape like electrical tape
• red, white, and blue star wire garland
• scissors

Directions:

1.  Cut several 5 or 6 inch lengths of 4th of July garland.
2. Tape garland around one end of a dowel or chopstick
3. Wrap the rest of the dowel in red, white, or blue tape.
4. Wave your magical and patriotic wand.

 

Source: Kiboomu

Inkblot Butterfly Craft

This is a simple and colorful idea to make a butterfly by using an inkblot technique. You can use chopsticks or lacking that a Popsicle stick. This is a great follow up activity after reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.

Materials:

• white paper
• paints and paintbrushes
• scissors
• pair of disposable chopsticks attached at one end (or you can use a craft stick)
• tape

Directions:

1. Read the story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Look at the picture of the butterfly.
2. On one side of a piece of white paper,  paint 1 large colorful circle and then 1 more small colorful circle above it.
3. Fold the paper and press down gently. Open again to reveal a beautiful butterfly. Allow to dry.
4. Cut around the image in a butterfly shape.
5. Insert the butterfly between the chopsticks and tape to secure. Or tape to a craft stick.
6. Let students make their butterflies fly around the room.

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.

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.

Paper Cup Pinwheel Craft

You can make a cute pinwheel from a paper cup.

Materials:

• 1 paper cup
• thin dowel rod or disposable chopstick
• drinking straw
• masking tape
• scissors

Directions:

1. Poke a hole in the center of the bottom of a paper cup.
2. Using scissors, cut slits down the sides of the cup all the way around making about 8 or 9 segments. Leave about a quarter of an inch at the bottom of the cup.
3. Fold the segments down at a slight angle to make the pinwheel shape.
4. Wrap masking tape around the end of a a thin dowel or chopstick.
5. Slip on a length of a drinking straw. The dowel should stick out of the other end.
6. Put the pinwheel on the dowel in front of the straw, the bottom of the cup facing out. There should still be some dowel sticking out.
7. Wrap masking tape around the dowel in front of the pinwheel so it can spin freely, but not fall off.
8. Decorate the front of your pinwheel if desired.
9. Hold your pinwheel in the wind or run  to make it spin.

Japanese Chopsticks Catapult Toy Craft

 

Here's a fun toy you can make from disposable chopsticks and rubber bands to launch an acorn or small ball or marble into a cup.

Materials:

• 2 sets of disposable chopsticks(the kind that are fused together)
• 2 short lengths of a chopstick, cut and taped together
• rubber bands
• drink bottle cap
• tape
• ammunition(acorns, super balls, marbles)

Directions:

1. Using a box cutter, score and break off 2 short pieces from a chopstick(about 1 inch long). Tape together to make the fulcrum for the spring.
2. Place 2 sets of disposable chopsticks on top of each other and tie the small ends with rubber bands and cover with tape.
3. Place the fulcrum between them bout 2 inches from the end and tie several times with rubber bands.
4. Tape a drink bottle lid near the big end of the chopsticks.
5. Place an acorn in the lid, press down on the chopsticks and try to shoot the acorn into a cup.

Chopsticks Rubber Band Gun Craft

This is a very easy toy gun you can make from disposable chopsticks and rubber bands.

Materials:

• set of disposable chopsticks (the kind that are fused together)
• 2 short pieces cut from a chopstick, about 1.5 inches long
• rubber bands
• box cuter or sharp knife
• tape
• small squares cut from cardboard(ammunition)

Directions:

1. Using a very sharp knife or box cutter, score and break off two short lengths from a chopstick.
2. Place a rubber band over the skinny end of an unbroken pair or disposable chopsticks and secure with tape.
3. Lay one short stick across the chopsticks near the thick end and wrap from underneath with a rubber band. This will create the fulcrum for the trigger.
4. Lay the second piece on top of the first, perpendicular and tie down the front with a rubber band. The back will be sticking up. This will be the trigger.
5. Pull back the rubber band from the front and place it under the trigger.
6. Insert a small square cut from cardboard into the rubber band. Take aim and push down on the trigger and watch it fly.

Japanese Chopsticks Launcher Toy Craft

 

There are a lot of fun craft toys you can make from rubber bands and disposable chopsticks. This one can launch a toilet roll into the air.

Materials:

• 1 pair of disposable chopsticks(the kind that are fused together)
• short piece of cut chopstick(longer than the opening of a toilet paper roll)
• 1 rubber band
• toilet paper roll
• tape
• pen
• box cutter or sharp knife

Directions:

1. Loop a rubber band over the thick end of a pair of unbroken disposable chopsticks and secure with tape.
2. Use a sharp knife or box cutter and cut another piece of chopstick longer than a toilet paper roll is wide.(only by an adult)
3. Tape the cut piece to the other end of the rubber band.
4. Draw a rabbit, frog, kangaroo, or other jumping animal on the toilet paper roll.

How to play:

Hold the chopsticks straight up with one hand and press the toilet paper roll down the middle over the stick. Let go and watch the rabbit jump up.

Japanese Chopsticks Boat Toy Craft

 Here in Japan, disposable chopsticks are a common everyday item. But, disposable chopsticks can also be the source of a lot of original craft ideas. This is how to make a simple boat toy for the bathtub from chopsticks.

Materials:

• 3 disposable chopsticks
• rubber bands (a few colored ones are better)
• milk carton
• scissors
• stapler

Directions:

Motor paddle

1. Cut a rectangle from a milk carton about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide.
2. Fold the rectangle in half, then half again, then half again to make eight equal sections.
3. Fold every two sections onto each other and then into a four way cross shape. Staple each section in the middle to secure.

Boat Frame

1. Put two chopsticks together and tie near the top with a rubber band.
2. Open to a "V" shape and place one more chopstick across to make an "A" shape. Tie with rubber bands.
3. Tie two blue rubber bands together and then two purple to make two sets of two.( colors are only examples)
4. Tie one end of each color set around the center of the motor paddle.
5. Tie the ends to bottom of the "A".
6. Wind up and let your boat sail in a bathtub.