This Thankful Tree Is Perfect for Any Season!

Use this craft during any season or holiday by switching out the paper colors! Children will love using their handprints to creat this beautiful tree!

Materials Needed:
9×12″ Heavyweight Construction Paper
Best Value Safety Scissors
Colorations® Washable School Glue
Huge 9″ Alphabet Collage Letters
Fadeless® Paper Rolls, 48″W x 50’L

Goals:

• Teaching appreciation for the things that are important to each child.
• To have the children learn about Thanksgiving and what it means to be thankful.
• Using fine motor skills to trace and cut

Before You Start:

• You will need enough pieces of construction paper for your class. To make an autumn tree, use fall colors, such as red, yellow, green and orange.

Let’s Begin:

1. Assist children in tracing their hands.
2. Help them cut out the shape of their traced hands and have them write, “I am thankful for…” on the hand. Let them choose what they are thankful for.
3. Help the children construct the trunk of the tree by using brown construction paper.
4. Next, have each child tape or glue their “thankful hands” to the tree.
5. You can also add pictures of the children if you would like!

Make These 3-D Self Portraits for an Abstract Art Exhibit in Your Classroom!

Materials Needed:
BioColor® 16 oz – Set of 11
Bingo Bottles with Tips & Caps – Set of 12
World Colors Paper – 50 Sheets
Best Value Tape
Full Strip Stapler

Let’s Begin:
1. Have each child create a self-portrait on paper using Bingo bottles filled with BioColor® paint.

2. Make a monoprint of each finished portrait by placing a clean sheet of paper on top and rubbing.

3. To create the 3-D effect cut out the oval face from your monoprint, then cut a 2” dart on the top and bottom, overlap dart and staple to secure.

4. Adhere 3-D face to original self-portrait with staple or tape.

Create Puppets and Explore Uniqueness!

Materials Needed:
Colorations® Acrylic Yarn – Set of 12
Colorations® Fabric Markers – Set of 24
400 Feet of Satin Ribbon – 16 Spools

Let’s Begin:
1. Lay out all of the materials and encourage the children to select the pieces they want to create their puppets. Allow them to be creative – there are no rules!

2. Create your own puppet alongside the children and show it to them as an example.

3. This is a great opportunity to talk about differences that make each of us unique. Encourage discussion among the children about eye color, hair color, and favorite features.

This Ocean in a Bottle Project Is Perfect for Little Hands!

Materials Needed:
Colorations® Liquid Watercolor Paint, 8 oz.
Colorations® Silver Liquid Watercolor Paint, 8 oz.
Sea Life Photo Foam Stickers
Colorations® Tacky Glue
Colorations® Blunt Tip Scissors, 5″L – Set of 12
Colorations® Color Permanent Markers – Set of 12
Colorations® Black Permanent Markers – Set of 12
Colored Masking Tape – 1 Roll

Let’s Begin:

1. Fill a water bottle with water. Add a few squirts of Colorations Liquid Watercolor, and then add approximately 1 tsp. Colorations® Silver Liquid Watercolor Paint.
2. Close bottle and shake.
3. Seal cap onto bottle using tacky glue or masking tape.
4. To add decoration, use Sea Life foam stickers, or create your own. You can use a marker to add details.

Check out more great craft ideas from Earlychildhood NEWS!

Turn Paper Plates into Crabs with This Fun Summer Craft!

Goals:

• Encourage children to experiment with colors and faces as they create their crabs.
• Utilize crabs for activities such as crab race, crab walk or just decorate the classroom!

Before You Start:
Cut crab claws and legs out of foam pieces, pipe cleaners or construction paper. Provide paper plates, red pom poms and wiggly eyes. Use Colorations® Foam Paint in various colors.

Materials Needed:
Set of all 12 Colorations® Extra-Safe Plastic Glitter – 1 lb. Each
Colorations® Foam Paint, 8 oz. – Set of 7
Assorted Colors Pipe Cleaners – Pack of 100
9″ White Paper Plates – 100 Pieces
Black Wiggly Eyes – 1000 Pieces
Red Pom Poms

Let’s Begin:

1. Have children paint two paper plates with Colorations® Foam Paint.
2. Encourage the children to make designs on their crabs.
3. Allow the paint to dry.
4. Glue the paper plates together.
5. Add pom poms and wiggly eyes.
6. Add construction paper claws and legs.

Furthermore:
With Colorations® Foam Paint and prepped materials, the project is done in one sitting and ready for a crab walk display!