Crafts for Children

“Learning Can”

Posted on February 19, 2009. Filed under: Crafts for Children |

I was trying to think of a fun way to teach my toddler basic shapes, colors and letters.  I devised this “Learning Can” to use both sight and physical interaction to learn basic concepts. Once the can is finished, use the black frame to choose a shape/color or letter/color combination.  Have your child find things of that shape or color or that start with the letter to put in the bucket.

Materials:

• 1 #10 can or other gallon-size can
• Scissors and/or a paper cutter
• 2 pieces white cardstock
• 1 piece black cardstock
• packing tape
• self-adhesive velcro (available in office supply or craft stores)
• a pencil and markers: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
• Items to help draw shapes (small square, circle, rectangle items)
• Sewing tape measure

Directions:

1. Cut the two pieces of white card stock in half so you have four pieces each 4.25 by 11 inches.
2. Tape two pieces together so you have two long pieces of paper about 4.25 by 22 inches.  Only put tape on one side of the paper so you can color on the other side.
3. Measure and the two pieces of paper so the are as long as the can is around.  When you put the papers around the can, the ends should touch.  Make sure you cut the two papers the exact same size.
4. On one paper, draw seven shapes: circle, square, rectangle, star, heart, triangle, and diamond  Use the tape measure to make sure they are about the same size and distance apart.
5. Color each shape a color of the rainbow and label with the color and name of the shape.
6. On the other piece of paper, write the alphabet in rainbow colors.  Put half the alphabet on top, and flip the paper over to write the other half.
7. Put the two papers together so they are back to back and tape them together.  Put tape around the parts that were taped together before so they do not come apart.
8. Cut the black paper so it fits like a belt buckle around the papers.  Thread the paper through it so it forms a window around one shape at a time.
9. Put a velcro piece on the can, and then cut the matching velcro piece into four pieces.  Put one on each end of the papers, so there is one on each end on both sides.
10. Velcro the paper to the can, and you can flip it around to do shapes on one side, and the alphabet on the other.

Snowflake Mobile

Posted on January 10, 2009. Filed under: Crafts for Children |

Items Needed:

• 1 hanger
• yarn
• scissors
• milk jug
• hole punch
• white paper

Directions

1. Cut to rounded triangles from the bottom of the milk jug, then cut two circles from the sides
2. Punch two holes from in the middle of the circles.  Make  a small cut with your scissors on each side of the triangles  (3 cuts per triangle).
3. Punch 3 evenly spaces holes around the outside of the circle, and on each corner of the triangle (three holes per plastic shape).
4. Using the scissors, make a hole through the middle of the milk jug cap.
5. Cut one really long string of yarn and eighteen medium length strings of yarn.  It is ok if they are not exact.
6. Make 13 snowflakes: 6 small, 6 medium, and one large.
7. Take the long string of yarn and put it through the milk jug lid.  Tie the top to the middle of the hanger, tie the bottom to the large snowflake.
8. Tie each of the snowflakes with the medium length strings.
9. Attach one snowflake to each hole you made in the plastic shapes.
10. Tie the two plastic circles to the bottom of the hanger passing yarn through the holes in the middle.  Attach them on either side of the yarn already attached to the hanger.
11. There should be four remaining strings.  Put a knot at the end of two of them.  Attach the knotted end of each string to one of the slits on each triangle.  Loop the other strings through the other two slits of the other triangles.  You should have three strings to hold up the triangles making them hang down and give the snowflakes a 3D effect.  Attach the triangles to the ends of the hanger.
12. Display your creation for all to see!