crafts

Creative Painting for Kids

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Try these creative painting ideas for kids!
This week we had so much fun playing both inside and outside (depending on the weather).  This included some indoor play at the mall and some outdoor play at the park.

We found an amazing carnival with tents and colorful strings of lights, the night ended with a beautiful sunset.  It made for a wonderful summer evening with great memories.
We are making the best of this Summer 2013!
Thank you all for stopping by again this week to share your creative ideas with us. 
We love seeing what everyone has been up to.  This week we chose some fun painting activities for kids. 
These are great on the hot summer days when you just want to stay indoors or sit on the porch.  Not to mention it keeps the kids busy and provides your fridge with some beautiful artwork while school is out for the summer 🙂
Inspired Montessori– shared beautiful apple stamp art.  This fun and creative activity is great for kids any age.
Serenity You created magic artwork by first drawing on paper with a candle.  I can see my daughter loving an activity like this with a secret message!
Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds combined shaving cream and water colors for some awesome finger paints.  What a great mix of sensory play and artwork!
Laughing Kids Learn if  you are looking for some mess free painting check this out!  I love the ideas for mathematics and literacy she shares.
Janis Cox made a beautifully textured hand print turtle by adding nut shells for the turtle shell.

Suncatcher Craft for Toddlers

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Suncatcher craft

This craft idea for toddlers is an old one on the blog! Many years ago, we made a suncatcher craft using simple items found around the home, and it was a hit with our 2 and 3 year-olds. Creating a suncatcher craft is a wonderful art project for 2-year-olds that engages their creativity and fine motor skills. This art and craft activity is specifically designed for the little ones, allowing them to explore their imagination and create beautiful decorations for their windows.

Let’s have fun during toddlerhood with this glitter suncatcher craft!

craft for 2 year olds- suncatcher craft with glitter and buttons

Craft for 2 year olds

Using simple items found around the home, such as contact paper, glitter glue in a squeeze bottle, and buttons, this craft for 2-year-olds is both fun and educational.

I have seen many suncatchers on the web and I always say we need to make one of those.  The suncatchers always look so pretty in the window.  I figured they had to be fun to make also.  Well what better time than today to try making one.  I think I was more excited to start than the kids because they didn’t really know what we were going to do.  Even the most classic of activities to a young kids is brand new.  I love seeing them get excited about a “new to us” project.  I hope you all can get excited too, even if you have made one before.

Materials for a suncatcher craft with toddlers:

  • contact paper
  • buttons
  • glitter
  • glitter glue
  • marker
  • plate
  • scissors
  • tape
  • ribbon
  • hot glue gun and tray
craft for 2 year olds

How to make a simple suncatcher craft:

  1. I took a piece of contact paper and folded it in half.  You could also cut out various shapes.
  2. Then I took a plastic plate and traced it with a marker.  
  3. I then cut almost the whole circle out.  
  4. I took this and taped half down to a tray.  
  5. I peeled up the paper to leave the sticky side up for us to add glitter and the buttons.  Children can choose their favorite glitter glue colors and carefully squeeze them onto the sticky side of the contact paper, creating vibrant designs and patterns.
  6. Next, they can place colorful buttons (or any items found around the home) on top of the glue, adding an extra touch of creativity.
  7. Once we had everything on it we wanted, I took the top half of the contact paper and peeled that paper back and folded it over the bottom half.  
  8. Now both pieces folded over each other holding in the buttons and glue.  
  9. I then took a hole punch and made a hole at the top.  
  10. I took ribbon I had cut and pulled it through the hole.  
  11. I used a glue gun and glued the ribbon over itself to use to hang the suncatchers up.

Why make arts and crafts with 2 year olds?

This craft not only introduces toddlers and preschoolers to the joy of art but also enhances their fine motor skills and provides drawing ideas for 2-year-olds.

There are many reasons why making crafts with young children is beneficial.

Child development- Making crafts with 2-year-olds is essential for their overall child development. Engaging in art and craft activities at this age allows children to explore their creativity, express themselves, and develop various skills that are crucial for their growth.

Fine motor skills- Using craft materials supports development by manipulating novel items and tools while achieving fine motor milestones. They are building coordination, strength, and dexterity to manipulate and handle materials such as scissors, glue, buttons, and paintbrushes. These activities promote hand-eye coordination, improve their grip strength, and enhance their ability to control and coordinate their small hand movements.

Sensory experience- Toddler crafts are a great opportunity to experience textures, messy play, and movement! They get to feel different textures, explore various colors, and engage in hands-on activities that stimulate their senses. This sensory play aids in their cognitive development and helps them understand the world around them.

Self-expression and imagination- Crafts allows 2-year-olds to make choices, make decisions, and communicate their thoughts and ideas through their creations. This process helps foster their creativity, boosts their self-confidence, and encourages problem-solving skills as they experiment and find solutions. Crafts are a great tool to build self-confidence through play as a way to practice language, movements, and understanding how their bodies and the world around them works.

Language development- When 2 and 3 year-olds make crafts, parents and caregivers can engage in conversations, ask open-ended questions, and introduce new vocabulary related to the materials, colors, and shapes being used. This interaction enhances their communication skills and expands their language abilities. Read about receptive language as a resource.

Social skills- Making crafts with toddlers provides social interaction, and an opportunity for developing social skills. It provides an opportunity for children to collaborate, share, and engage in cooperative play with others. They learn to take turns, negotiate, and work together, thus developing their social skills and empathy.

There are so many ways that making crafts with 2 years olds helps to create a nurturing and stimulating environment that supports their overall growth and lays a foundation for their future learning and creativity!

craft for 2 year olds with paint and buttons

This was our first time making a suncatcher.  The boys and I really enjoyed it!

Big brother used buttons and dry glitter.  Little Brother used glitter glue and buttons.  I may should have let the glitter glue dry before closing up.  I am always learning something new.  

Even tough we didn’t let it dry I think they still turned out great.  The kids had fun and are happy to look at them on the window.   Now if we could only get a little sunshine over here!  

Making these suncatchers was a great rainy day activity for us.  We look forward to making more in new ways in the future.

 
 
suncatcher by FSPDT
 
 
 
 
suncatcher by FSPDT
 
All kids are different and only you can decide how you let your kids play. And with what materials you let them play with. My children are supervised when 
playing. Please keep this in mind with any post you read of mine!



I am an everyday stay at home mom. I have 3 boys ages 4yr to baby.  I love to find fun activities, crafts, recipes…. for us to do together. I then enjoy sharing them with other in hopes they may find something for their family to enjoy too.  My blog Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tail. 

 

Patriotic Craft Fingerpainting Fireworks

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This finger painting fireworks craft is a great July craft for toddlers that can be used to celebrate the Fourth of July with toddlers and preschoolers! Add this one to our favorite creative painting ideas!

Finger Paint Fireworks

This weekend I had 5 kids (ages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) and I had to think of something to keep them all busy. Finger painting is a fun craft for kids all ages, the babies love feeling the different texture of paint on their fingers and playing with the paintbrushes. I pulled out the paper and let them go to town with the washable finger paints!

 

 
 
 

 

 
 I helped my little guy (2) make hand prints in red and blue.

 

 

 The big kids enjoyed mixing colors while my 2 year old enjoyed painting his hand…and mixing colors in the paint jars…ughh. I think every color is now brown. 
 
 This project kept the kids busy for about 30 minutes, enough time for me to put away the dishes and wipe down the table 🙂

 

 
Once the paint was dry we gathered up some black construction paper, gold tinsel from a gift bag and scissors.  I folded the paper into a small square and helped the older kids cut out fireworks.
 
 

 

 
 We glued the fireworks onto the paper and made the tinsel stream down from the fireworks.  We talked a little about the 4th of July and I told my daughter it was the country’s birthday.  The best part was hearing
my daughter recite the Pledge of Allegiance  (so cute)!
 

 

beach small world play

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Many years ago, we made a creative ocean and beach small world play activity and it was a Summer hit! Whether you are looking for activities to keep the kids busy at home through hands-on, sensory play, OR if you need Summer occupational therapy activities to use in skill-building, a beach small world is a fun way to play!

Beach small world

Beach Small World Play

Creating a beach small world using miniature animal forms and homemade colored sand can be a fantastic sensory activity for children.

It doesn’t take much to create a small world, and the benefits are huge:

  1. Imagination and Creativity: Small world play encourages children to use their imagination and create their own narratives and scenarios. They can invent stories, develop characters, and build unique worlds, fostering their creative thinking skills.
  2. Language Development: Small world play often involves storytelling and dialogue, which helps children enhance their vocabulary, expressive language skills, and communication abilities. They can practice describing objects, expressing emotions, and engaging in role-play, leading to improved language development.
  3. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: When engaging in small world play, children encounter various challenges and obstacles. They learn to think critically, problem-solve, and find solutions to overcome these challenges, fostering their cognitive skills.
  4. Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating and arranging small objects in a small world setting requires precise hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and fine motor skills. Children practice grasping, pinching, and manipulating objects, which can enhance their fine motor abilities.
  5. Social Skills and Cooperation: Small world play often involves collaboration and cooperation when children engage in shared storytelling or role-playing scenarios. They learn to take turns, negotiate roles, and collaborate with others, promoting social skills and teamwork.
  6. Emotional Expression: Small world play provides a safe and controlled environment for children to express their emotions and explore different feelings through their play narratives. They can process and make sense of complex emotions, develop empathy, and practice emotional regulation.
  7. Sensory Stimulation: Small world play often incorporates sensory elements, such as sand, water, or different textures. Engaging with these sensory materials stimulates children’s senses, promotes sensory exploration, and contributes to their sensory development.
  8. Knowledge Acquisition: Small world play can be a great tool for learning about different concepts and subjects. Children can explore nature, geography, history, and various themes as they create their miniature worlds, leading to knowledge acquisition in a fun and engaging way.

How to make a beach small world

With a bit of imagination, parents can transform a small tray or container into a mini seaside paradise.

You’ll need to first gather just a few items to make a beach small world activity:

  • Animal figures: seagulls, crabs, and dolphins, fish, or other animals
  • Tray or Container: Select a shallow tray or container that is large enough to hold the materials and provide a play space for your child. It can be a plastic tray, a wooden box, or any other suitable container.
  • Sand: Use play sand or kinetic sand to create the beach or ocean floor. You can also dye the sand using food coloring like we did to make our homemade colored sand
  • Water: Incorporate a small amount of water into your small world setup to represent the ocean. You can use a separate container for the water or create a section within the main tray for a shoreline or shallow water area.
  • Rocks and Shells: Gather some small rocks and seashells to create a more realistic beach or coastal environment. You can collect these from a local beach or purchase decorative ones from a craft store.
  • Plants and Foliage: Consider adding some greenery or beach vegetation to enhance the sensory setup. You can use fake or dried plants, small artificial trees, or even real seaweed (if available and safe to use).
  • Tools and Utensils: Provide some child-friendly tools and utensils for scooping, digging, and creating patterns in the sand. Small shovels, spoons, sieves, and rakes can be used to enhance the sensory experience and encourage fine motor skills.
  • Optional Accessories: Depending on your preference and the space available, you can include additional accessories like toy boats, small beach umbrellas, mini beach chairs, or even a small plastic container to mimic a tidal pool.

As children manipulate the sand, feeling its texture and watching it flow through their fingers, they enhance their sensory development.

We used our DIY Colored Sand to do a little pretend play one rainy afternoon.

We used our refrigerator farm animal magnets and had fun with our pretend lake. Once you know how to make colored sand, you can use it for so many sensory bin activities!

 
 
 

small world lake
 
 
 
 
It was a fun day at the lake 🙂
 
 
 
The bunny went swimming…
 
 
And the temptation was too great…we HAD to mix the two colors of sand together. 
 
Looking for more ways to have fun this Summer? Grab a copy of the Summer Kit!
 
 
 

Playing With Color: Cotton Swab Painting

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Use a cotton swab and paint to create a pretty bird craft while working on the fine motor skills needed for a functional and dynamic pencil grasp.

This was a fun painting craft we did recently.  We’ve been doing a lot of blue activities lately:
Playing with Color: Toddler Play
Blue Play Sensory Tray
Big Sister and Little Guy went dot crazy on these bird pictures.

…using that tripod grasp to paint away with the cotton swab.

We finished up our blue play with a little Fruit Loop lacing on pipe cleaners.
 In blue of course 🙂

…more tripod grasp play!

Create a Wishing Well

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wishing well made from five gallon bucket
One day recently, Big Sister came up to me and said,
“Mom, I reeeeeeeally want to make a Wishing Well.”
So, a Wishing Well we made.
supplies needed to create a wishing well
Our supplies were easy to find around the house and in the garage:
5 gallon bucket
crafting paper
clear tape
plastic pot
plastic grocery bag (our “water”)
markers
rope
two pieces of wood and a paint stirrer
We taped the crafting paper around the bucket and taped it into place.
craft paper wrapped and taped around five gallon bucket
Big Sister drew “bricks” on the paper.
draw bricks on craft paper
Tape the wood pieces to the inside of the bucket and tape the paint stirrer across the top.
We cut the bottom third off of a brown paper bag and slid it over the paint stirrer.
Tie the rope to the bucket.
And haul in some water.

Pirate Party- DIY Treasure Chest and treat bags!

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Pirate Treasure Chest Party Detail

picture of cardboard treasure chest
This was one of the DIY projects us sisters got together to make for a Pirate birthday party.  It was a fun afternoon DIY project while the little cousins played together and us sisters hung out and made stuff!
Start with two diaper boxes.  With all of the little kids in this family, we go through a ton of diapers.  Saving a few boxes was NO problem!
Cut one box on a curve and cut along the top edge.  Use a screwdriver to poke holes along the two cut sides.  Use zip ties to form the arch of the top of the treasure chest.  We found this pack of zip ties in the dollar store and it has lasted us for SO many projects.
Keep attaching the two sides with zip ties until the arch is formed.
We painted the box a brown color and once dried, used a permanent marker to draw the black lines.
Attach a little sign for extra Pirate-y fun.
The Pirate chest was used at the party to hold

DIY Personalized Pirate telescopes and favor bags.

Pirate Party Favor Bags

These favor bags were super simple to make…brown paper bag with a map drawn on in marker! done.
The kids loaded up their bags with their personalized telescope, chocolate gold coins, eye patches, and Pirate masks.  FUN!

Spring Nature Hunt Flower Craft

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We are so excited to join our friend Karyn over at Teach Beside Me as she complies a week’s worth of Spring Learning and Play activities! Stop over and see what has been added to her spring themed blog hop.  Have you done any Spring-themed activities?  Link them up!



Spring Fun!

We have been loving the warmer weather recently.  Digging up worm, running around the yard, and playing in the dirt is happening daily around here!
We went for a Nature Hike one day recently and took along a bucket to collect all kinds of fun Spring-y items: flowers, acorn tops, tree buds, blossoms…
When we got back to the house, we did a little crafting with our Spring Treasures. 
I cut out some tulip shapes from cardstock and contact paper.  The kids created a collage of our collected items.
Baby Girl (18 months) loved this activity!
((look at those knuckle dimples!  The chubby belly! The dirty fingernails! I can’t stand the cuteness in this picture!!))
The kids stuck the nature treasures onto the contact paper and we glued the cardstock to the contact paper to keep the little bits in place.
 We taped a green popsicle stick to each flower and placed them into a basket of paper filler.


It’s a pretty Spring reminder of our fun Nature Hike!
Have you gone on a Nature Hike this spring?  Found any treasures?  What did you do with them?

Dollar Store Spring Garland

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We had this Garland up for our Easter decorations and have used it in previous years, too.
We took down some of our Easter décor but Big Sister said we need to keep this garland up because it is Spring. And we need Spring decorations 🙂

This was so easy to make.  I got a pack of the foam table scatter at the dollar store a few years ago, but I did see it there this year, too.
Use a hot glue gun to glue matches together on a long length of ribbon.
Done.
How easy is that??