KIDS ACTIVITIES

MEAL-TIME PLACE MATS

Supplies Needed:
-Large, light-colored paper
-Crayons or paint pencils
-Clear contact paper (or laminate machine if available)
-Scissors

Give children a chance to express themselves by having them do drawings that can be used as placemats and will become items of conversation at the dinner table. Have children draw pictures of animals they like, foods, seasonal ideas, or holiday themes on the colored paper. Have them color their pictures with crayons or paint them. Designs can be put on the back to make them reversible. Cover the front and back of their entire picture with clear contact paper, or laminate their pictures. To finish their place mats, trim the edges neatly.

LARGE CARDBOARD BOX FUN

Supplies Needed:
-Large cardboard box (washer/dryer size preferable)
-Box cutter or sharp knife
-Tempera paint or markers
-Glue or glue-gun
-Scraps of material or wallpaper
-Paper towel roll

Allow children to be creative in designing a special play-box. Make sure all staples are removed from the box. Adults, cut out a door and several windows in the box. Some ideas are: a house with cut-out flowers, window-boxes and wallpaper curtains; or a castle, painted gray to resemble stone blocks with paper towel rolls added to the corners with flags glued to them. A space ship, grocery store, or a pirate ship are also good ideas and fun to decorate, depending on your child’s interests. You can place a pillow, toys and books in the bottom of your structure after you decorate it add to your child’s enjoyment.

SAND PAINTING

Supplies Needed:
-Art paper paint brush (Pox 1-inch width)
-Colored sand (several shades)
-Coffee cans with lids
-Glue pencil

Put a couple of inches of colored sand in each can, depending on how many colors you are using. With a sharp object, pierce numerous holes in the lids of the coffee cans and put them back on the cans. Then have the child draw a design on the paper. Using white glue and the paint brush, the child should trace over the design he has drawn, making sure he completely fills in his design with the glue. While the glue is still wet, let the child pick the colors he wants and shake the coffee can over his picture. Shake the excess sand into a shoebox lid, and then onto a newspaper. If he used one color, roll the newspaper into a cone shape and return the sand into the can for another time. If he mixed colors, collect this sand and keep one can of multi-color sand for use later. Cans may be labeled with masking tape denoting the colors.

CHILD-CRAFTED SEASONAL CENTERPIECE

Supplies Needed:
-Coffee can (3-lb. works best)
-Acrylic paint can
-Tree branch (that extends in all directions)
-Paint brush
-Sand or pebbles
-Construction paper
-Tissue paper
-Scissors and glue

Paint the coffee can in the colors you prefer and fill the can with sand or pebbles. Find a bare tree branch with full, extending branches. The tree branch may be spray painted if desired. Stick the branch down into the center until it reaches the bottom of the can. Then, children may glue tissue-paper flowers they’ve made onto the branches for a spring centerpiece. Follow through the seasons with tree leaves for summer and fruit, nuts, and colored leaves for autumn. You can cut out snowflakes for winter .Other ideas include hanging small colored eggs for Easter time on the branches or cotton balls for winter. Wrapped candy may also be glued to the branches. Heavier items may require the use of a glue gun (adult supervision required). Using cool-melt glue guns is best when working with children, and white glue works fine for gluing paper items. You can decorate the tree for special occasions, such as weddings, showers, birthdays, and also use holiday themes. When the centerpiece is complete, surround the base of the can with additional decorations, depending on the theme you selected.

PHONICS PRE-SCHOOL SCRAPBOOK

Supplies Needed:
-Package of alphabet letters
-Loose-leaf paper
-Yarn
-Construction paper
-Crayons
-Glue
-Scissors
-Old magazines
-Hole punch

This activity helps young children learn the alphabet. Look through old magazines for pictures that start with all the letters of the alphabet. Cut out and glue pictures on a new page for each letter in the alphabet. For example, glue the letter A in the center of the page and surround it with pictures of things that start with the letter A. Keep going until you complete the alphabet. Have your child draw a front and back cover using construction paper. Now, line up the holes with the loose-leaf pages in the correct alphabetical order and thread yarn through holes to make a phonics folder. Have fun saying the letters out loud and naming the pictures together with your preschooler.

CHILDREN’S CRAFT: WOODEN SPOON PUPPETS

Supplies Needed:
- Large wooden spoon (several for a puppet show)
- Scissors
- Chenille pipe cleaners (several colors for hair)
- Scraps of material and ribbon
- Small plastic eyes
- Fine tip markers
- Large paper clip
- Craft glue or glue gun
- Small items, such as tiny beads, pearls or gems

Cut about a three-inch section of pipe cleaner of desired color for hair. Put glue across the top edge of the spoon and glue the hair in place, curving down on each side of the head. Glue the plastic eyes on the front of the spoon to begin the face. Take your markers and draw a nose and mouth. Decorate your puppet with things like mustaches, bow ties, necklaces, earrings, or hair ribbons. Put a little red mark with the marker on the top of your finger and dab on the checks for blush. The paper clip may be glued to the back with about a half inch sticking up to serve as a hanger if you want to display your puppets. These puppets may be made into story characters, clowns, or even designed to look like family members. Holiday themes may be used to decorate your puppet. Turn over a large box and cover it with a cloth. Children can sit behind it and put on a puppet show.

REFRIGERATOR FUN FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Supplies Needed:
-Package of magnetic numbers
-Large white drawing paper
-Crayons/markers

Help your child fold the paper in four squares. In square one, have her draw one shape. In square two, have her draw two shapes. In square three, have her draw three shapes. In square four, have her draw four shapes. Secure the picture to the refrigerator. Next, hold a number up for the child to see. Let her guess which box it matches, and place the magnetic number in the box she guessed. Praise her efforts with a hug. As she makes progress, introduce new numbers.

CHILDREN’S CRAFT: PASTA NECKLACE

Supplies needed:
- uncooked rigatoni
- large beads
- tempera paint
- heavy string

Allow your child to paint the uncooked rigatoni any color. Let it dry. Next, thread rigatoni onto a string that is about three feet long and heavy. Then thread the beads - one by one and in any pattern - onto the pasta necklace. (A good idea is to lay the pieces in a row first to see how they will look on the necklace.) Tie the ends of the string, making sure the necklace will fit over your child’s head. Trim any excess string.

Note: Adults may spray the entire necklace with a coat of clear acrylic sealer to give it a gloss. This will also preserve the rigatoni and prevent the paint from fading.

CHILDREN’S CRAFT: EASY PENCIL HOLDER

Supplies needed:
- Trim or lace (for edge, top and bottom)
- Wallpaper scraps
- Glue
- Juice can (med. size)
- Scissors

Wash and dry a juice can. Help your child cut a piece of wallpaper to fit around the can and glue it on. Wrap and glue the trim around the top and bottom and trim any excess. Now you’re ready to fill with your favorite pens and pencils!

EXPLORATION SAND BOX

Supplies needed:
- Magnifying glass
- Large shoebox (filled with sand)
- Small shells
- Small rocks (with fossil imprints, if possible)

Directions:
Hide a variety of rocks and small shells in the sand-filled shoebox. Children love digging their hands into the sandbox to look for shells or rocks that are hidden and it is fun for them to see how many different items they can unearth. Help them explore the different textures using a magnifying glass. For variety, make sure that you hide lots of different rocks and shells in the sandbox, particularly for new explorations. If you are worried about the mess, take the box outdoors!

This activity may prompt children to start a rock or shell collection. Another good idea is for children to keep their collection in a medium-sized box, personally decorated according to their interests. Over time, they should be encouraged to add more rocks or shells to their collection, perhaps from trips or walks, wherever these items may be found.

DESK CRAYON HOLDER

Supplies needed:
- Cap off liquid detergent bottle
- Glue
- Strips of trim, bread, lace or rickrack
- Crayons
- Tiny stickers (any designs)

Directions:
Wash and dry cap. Decorate with open end of cap upward. Glue lace or trim around outside of top ledge. Next, glue strips of trim, to fit from top to bottom. Glue these vertically all around cap about a 1/2 inch apart. Let it dry. Next, stick several small stickers in between each line of trim. Fill with crayons.

COTTON BALL SNOWMAN

Supplies needed:
- 2 x 15 inch strip of colorful material (plaid looks great)
- One small white dessert paper plate
- Two 8-inch white paper plates
- One bag cotton balls
- Glue
- Scissors
- Two small wiggle eyes or buttons
- Scraps of orange, red, and black construction paper
- Two brown pipe cleaners
- Stapler

Directions:
Line up the three plates vertically, smallest to largest, and slightly overlap each one. Now staple each plate to the one beneath, forming the snowman body. Next, ask the child to glue cotton balls all over the plates. Then, using the construction paper, cut out a smiling mouth, a carrot nose (triangle shape, orange) and three small black circles. Glue the wiggle eyes, nose and mouth onto the cotton balls on the snowman’s head. Glue the three circles down the front of the middle plate. Now cut out a rectangle-shaped top hat and glue onto the snowman’s head. For the arms, glue pipe cleaners to each side of the middle plate. Bend the arms in the shape you like. Finish the snowman by tying the scarf (strip of colorful material) around his neck and cutting a little fringe at the bottom of each end. For hanging, add yarn through the top of the hat and tie in a knot.

PAPER BAG MONSTER HEAD

Supplies needed:
- Lunch bags
- Newspapers
- Plastic wiggle eyes
- Craft glue and glue gun
- Yarn for hair (various colors)
- Pencil to curl paper tongue
- Construction paper (several colors)
- Scissors

Directions:
Begin by stuffing the small paper sack with newspaper. Tie off with yarn to seal the bag. This makes the neck and face. Holding the bag upside down, glue on wiggle eyes and paper cutouts for nose and mouth. For the tongue, cut a red 1 x 3 inch strip of construction paper and curl it around a pencil. Remove the pencil, then glue the curled tongue onto the mouth. Next, with a glue gun and adult assistance, glue on the yarn hair, all over, in varying lengths. White glue may be used, but a glue gun is faster and the hair adheres better. Use the markers to draw stitches, bugs, or other creepy things!
Note: Here’s a great idea for a Halloween party decoration! Make a monster cave! Have a group make lots of paper bag monster heads and glue the heads (with a glue gun) to a large piece of cardboard with a cave opening cut out. Attach bits of leaves, fake cobwebs, and plastic spiders to add to the spooky effect.

INDIAN NECKLACES

Supplies needed:
- Paint (tempera or acrylic)
- Noodles (dry, mostaccioli or other small tube shape)
- Colored beads (various sizes, wooden or plastic)
- Four-inch circle of white tag board or poster board
- Newspaper
- Colored markers
- Hole puncher

Directions:
Lay out newspaper on a table. Paint noodles desired colors and let dry. Punch three holes in the bottom of the circle and two holes in the top. With markers, decorate medallion in Native American designs such as zigzag lines, teepees, and arrows. Next, thread yarn through the top of the medallion, centering the medallion. From either end, thread beads and noodles in a pattern you like. Then tie the ends in a knot, making a necklace. To complete your necklace, thread three 3-inch pieces of yarn in each hole in the bottom of the medallion and tie in a knot to secure. Now tie on a bead to hang at the bottom of the yarn, so that three beads are suspended from the medallion.

LEAF CRAYON RUBBING

Supplies needed:
- Leaves
- Double-sided tape
- Easel
- Crayons
- Newspaper Directions:

Collect a variety of leaves from outside. Using double-sided tape, tape a leaf in at least two places to an easel. Next, place a sheet of newspaper over the leaf and tape it in place. Have the child rub firmly over the leaf with the flat side of a crayon (from which paper has been peeled off). The leaf outline and the pattern of the veins on the leaves will appear. Try different leaves, particularly leaves with good vein patterns.

SPONGE PAINTING

Supplies needed:
- inexpensive package of sponges (pre-cut designs may be purchased at craft stores)
- scissors
- tempera paint (assorted colors)
- crayons
- paint tray (small pie pans work well)
- large art paper

Directions:
Peel back the paper on the broad side of a two-inch piece of black or brown crayon. Make tree trunks and branches using the side of the crayon. Lay the crayon flat on the paper and press hard, moving it up into the shape of the tree trunk and branches. Adults, cut sponges into blossom shapes and leaves. Help children dab sponge shapes into paint and then dab the print onto the tree branches. When the painting is dry, children may want to draw additional things, such as animals or grass, on the picture using crayons.

ANIMAL EAR MUFFS

Supplies Needed:
Course black thread for whiskers (6)
Tacky glue
Scissors
Wiggle eyes
Pom-poms

Directions:
For cat or dog earmuffs, cut two ears from felt, (triangles for cat ears, thumb-shaped felt for dog ears). On one side of the earmuff, glue the felt ears, wiggle eyes, and the tiny black nose to make a face. Next, glue the two bigger pom-poms under the nose side by side, touching each other. To finish, glue the whiskers beneath the tiny black nose. Complete the look (if desired) with a small ribbon bow glued beneath the larger pom-poms. Repeat all the steps for the other side of the earmuffs.

CRAFT: STRAW BLOWING

Supplies Needed:
Thin tempera paint (various colors) or watercolors
Soda straws
Paintbrush
White art paper

Directions:
With your brush, place several pools of various colors of paint around your paper. Next, with your straw, blow designs from each pool of paint. Overlap and blend the colors for a different look. For cool colors, choose blues and greens. For a more vibrant look, choose red and orange and yellow. When your picture is dry, add more details if you like.

STRING ART

Supplies Needed:
1 Sheet of art paper
Waxed paper
Roll of twine
Glue
Pencil
Scotch Tape

Directions:
Draw a picture using lots of curved lines, perhaps a bird, an ornament, or a turkey. Use a pencil and draw lines that form designs within your drawing. Next, tape waxed paper over your picture. Lay out the dry string pieces to fit your design, cutting where needed. Make sure the strings are touching other strings. Now dip your strings into glue until they are saturated. Trace the lines of your picture with the wet strings until you have covered the entire pencil drawing; then let the strings dry completely. Finish your artwork by removing the string construction from the waxed paper.

SNOW CHALK PICTURE

Supplies Needed:
Large sheet of blue construction paper
White chalk
Scraps of colored construction paper
Glue
Scissors

On the blue paper, use the white chalk to draw a winter scene, such as children playing in the snow, building snowmen, or sleigh riding. After your picture is finished, make sure you dot lots of snow all over the scene, again using the white chalk. Next, add a little color to your picture by cutting out small items such as arms for your snowman or colored runners on your sleigh. You might give some of the children in your picture a colorful scarf and mittens. Just use your imagination.

PUNCHED HOLE PICTURE

Supplies needed:
1 sheet of construction paper (any color)
Hole puncher
Scraps of construction paper (various colors)
Glue, or child’s hand-held glue stick (not glue gun)

Let your child have fun punching out holes in the construction paper scraps. (He will need a lot of punched out dots to complete his picture.) Then suggest that he first lightly draw a picture with a pencil. Next, he’s ready to begin filling in the shapes with the colored dots, gluing the dots into place until the picture is complete. (It will be easier to place the glue on the paper and stick the dots onto it than the reverse. You do want your child to finish the picture this year!) Smaller children can fill in a coloring book page with their colorful dots. For a pretty winter scene, let them glue white dots on dark blue construction paper.

MODELING CLAY PENGUIN

Supplies needed:
Black, white, and red finger paint
Awl or toothpick
Paintbrushes
Modeling clay

Begin by shaping a ball from the modeling clay for the penguin’s head. Next, you’ll need to make a sausage shape for the body. For the feet, take 2 small balls of clay, slightly flatten them, and mark them with four lines to give each one a webbed look. (Take the toothpick and lay it on its side to make indentions on the feet.) Attach the head to the body, smoothing the pieces together, and attach the feet the same way.
For the back of the penguin, make two sausage-shaped patties and flatten them. Now convert them into long wings by cutting out a triangle shape in the middle. Attach these to the back by smoothing the wings onto the back.
For the arms, roll out two flat cylinders and use the toothpick to mark small lines on the end of each. Again use the toothpick to make a mouth and a circle on his belly, making a tiny hole in his middle for his belly button. Allow the piece to harden, then paint the body white and the wings, arms, back, and feet black. Finally, paint the eyes black and the mouth red and your penguin is ready to sit atop the ice, er, cottonballs.

PAPER BAG FISH

Supplies needed:
Tempera paint
Paper bag
Newspapers
Construction paper scraps
Glue
Scissors
Construction paper (brown, for treasure chest), and glitter for jewels

Directions:
To begin, crease the bottom of the bag for the mouth. Now color this area with a bright color. Next, decide the colors your child wants his fish to be and paint or color the entire bag in those colors. You can choose a solid like a goldfish, or use your imagination with swirls of various colors and designs.
After the body is dry, stuff the bag with newspaper, stopping about three inches below the top of the bag. Twist the top or the bag and spread it out to form the tail. Cut out eyes and fins, and glue to the fish. Hint: Use these for a group project, stapled to large blue paper (to which waves have been painted) to make an aquarium bulletin board. Add paper seaweed, shells, bubbles, and other sea creatures, to complete your aquarium. For added interest, include a buried treasure chest overflowing with gems. (Use construction paper, glue, and glitter for the chest!)

PLANETARY SPHERES

Supplies Needed:
Balloons (various sizes)
String and Yarn
white Glue or liquid Starch
disposable Bowls
large sheets of mural Paper or large sheets of drawing Paper
tempera Paint and various sizes of Paintbrushes
Glitter (optional)

Directions:
Let your child use some imagination to create an outer space mural for his or her bedroom wall. Provide a place covered with newspaper for your child to paint an outer space scene. Next blow up round-shaped balloons and knot them. Fill the bowls with the starch or glue, and begin soaking the string and yarn in the liquid. (Squeeze excess glue from the yarn since it’s more absorbent than the string.) Now help your child wrap the string around the balloon numerous times, creating unique designs. If you want, sprinkle glitter all over the wet string, shaking off the excess. Tie a string to the balloon knot and hang to dry for several days. Pop the balloon and add a new string to use as a hanger. Help your child hang the mural or pictures and the planetary spheres all around his room. He’ll discover that light shining through the spheres makes for some interesting shadows on the walls.

SAND ART PLANTER

Supplies needed:
large glass Jar with a wide mouth, such as a pickle jar
non-toxic colorfast Sand in an array of colors
small long-handled Paintbrush
about 1 cup of potting Soil
small Plant, such as a cactus, or an artificial plant
a cup with a pour Spout (or cut a whole in the corner of a small plastic bag)

Directions:
First, carefully wash and dry the jar. Now, decide the order of colors you want to use. Begin by putting the sand you want as your first color into the cup or bag, and slowly pour the sand into the jar making a thin layer of color. Next, choose another color, and pour this on top of the first color. The more sand you pour, the wider the band of color. Keep alternating colors, until you are within about 2 inches of the top of the jar. For an interesting design, take the point of the paintbrush and slowly push down through the edge of sand against the glass. Do this all around the jar, causing the colors to make new designs. After you finish and are satisfied with your design, put in about 2 inches of potting soil, and plant your plant in the center. Sprinkle a little water at the base of the plant, but don’t soak it. Place it in a sunny window and water lightly whenever it’s dry!

Mosaic Pictures

Supplies needed:
construction Paper, various colors
sheet of art Paper or construction Paper
Pencil
gum Eraser (optional)
Scissors
Glue

Directions:
Draw a simple picture for the mosaic, for example a clown, an animal, or an outdoor scene, such as ships on water. Cut the colored paper into squares, triangles, or small rectangles. You can also use a hole puncher to punch out paper circles. The object is to fill in the drawing with the paper cutouts, leaving a small space between each cutout. Now glue the cutouts onto your picture. Use different groups of colors throughout your picture, filling all areas, so that it resembles the look of mosaic tiles. This project may require several sessions, since it takes time to fill in all the areas, but the finished picture is worth the effort.