five craft ideas

Craft Theme: Snow and Winter

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I live in Vancouver, which gets relatively little snow in the winter compared to the rest of Canada (sometimes none!).  So, when the great outdoors get a little snowy, the kids get a little crazy with excitement.  Our back yard is currently coated in a blanket of snow, but snow is always short-lived here, so it likely won’t last much longer.  Here’s a list of five (actually six!) craft supply ideas for snow-themed crafts, so we can make our snow days last a little longer when the rain decides to wash the real snow away.

1. Cotton Balls

Snow craft supplies - cotton balls The classic craft supplies for winter themed crafts.  Cotton balls already look like a snowball, so all the kids need is a little glue and a piece of paper so that they can create snowmen, snow forts, and other snowy day pictures.  Ripping the cotton balls up into smaller pieces is a fun tactile activity that creates whisps of snow or snowbanks.

 

2. Paper Doilies

 Craft supplies for snow theme - paper doilies different sizes can be used for small, medium, and large ‘snowballs’ on a snowman picture, or sponge on some glue and sprinkle glitter to make a sparkly snowflake

3. Shredded Paper or paper confetti

 Craft Supplies for snow theme - recycled paper shred Put your paper recycling to work by running old bills and statements through the shredder to create long strings of snow.  Tear, rip or crumple paper shred into snowy scenes or 3-D forts.  Use a sprinkling of white paper confetti to make a blizzard.  A blizzard looks especially intriguing if it’s created on black paper with white pencil crayon or crayon drawings, and lots of paper confetti.

 

4. White Yarn or String

white string for winter craft theme or snow craft theme  Use white string or yarn in any number of ways: glue it on to paper to make a pretty design, press it onto a glued pattern on waxed paper, leaving it to dry into a peel-off snowflake, pull it through white paint to create an abstract snowy painting, or integrate science by making a borax icicle

 

5. Shaving Cream

 Practice letters with shaving cream or whipped cream craft Play in the snow indoors!  Spray a small quantity of shaving cream onto a washable placemat or table surface.  Kids can use their index fingers to practice tracing oversized numbers or letters in their ‘snow’.  Gently wipe the letter away and start all over again

 

6. Food Items from your Kitchen

Sugar cube igloo craft for winter or snow theme The kitchen is overflowing with various items that can be used to create a lovely snowy scene.  Use flour or icing sugar for a dusting of snow, sugar cubes to create 3-dimensional snow projects such as igloos or snow forts, shredded coconut for larger snowflakes, and whipped cream for a big dump of snow!  Most of these ingredients could be integrated into a baking project too – make Gingerbread with a dusting of icing sugar, and serve with whipped cream and a sprinkling of coconut.  Wouldn’t that be great after a big play outside in the snow?

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Father’s Day Craft Ideas

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Five ‘Tried and True’ Father’s Day Ideas from the kids

Father’s day is quickly approaching, so it’s time to put plans in place for the big day. Here are five crafts and activities for the kids to do as a way of saying “Love You Dad!”

  1. Bake Father’s Day Cookies – your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe can be transformed into a gift for dad.  Divide the cookie dough into several large pieces and shape each piece into a letter to spell “#1 Dad”, “We Love Daddy”, or another special phrase that describes dad.  Tip: this also works well with pancake batter.  Pour the batter into the shape of each letter on hot griddle, and let the kids serve breakfast
  2. ‘Little steps’ foot tracings – trace dad’s foot (or use dad’s shoe to make tracing) and then trace child’s foot.  Position child’s footprint inside dad’s footprint ‘frame’, and decorate.  Make this an annual ritual to track how quickly the kids grow into dad’s shoes!
  3. Draw a picture of dad and finish the sentence “I love my daddy because…”
  4. Get in the game picture – if the dad in your house is a world cup fanatic, get him into the game!  The web has new game photos with every match.  Print a picture of your favourite team in action, and replace a player’s head with a headshot of dad.  Frame the picture with construction paper and a caption such as “2010 World Champion” or “Champion in our Hearts”
  5. Yard Wide Message to Dad – if your lawn care falls under dad’s domain, get the kids outside with some washable paints and let them paint pictures and a Father’s Day message to dad, right onto the grass.  He’ll smile when he sees it, and again when it’s time to cut the grass!

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