crafts
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The Year of the Homemade Gift
I shared my word for the year at the beginning of the month, but I haven’t let you in on another intention that I set for 2023. I’ve decided that this will be “the year of the homemade gift.” I’m challenging myself to make things for every gifting occasion this year and I’ve had just as much fun planning what I want to make and give as I know I will putting it all together. January is a big birthday month for our friends and family, so here are a couple of the gifts that I’ve already created and given: A bright, sunshiny quilt for a happy little girl A…
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Easy Preschool Valentine Gift
I love to make a nice gift for families on Valentine’s Day – but after the chaos of trying to finish Christmas gifts quick and inexpensive are my main requirements! Here’s an idea that meets those characteristics and is super fun too. Try this easy preschool Valentine gift with your class this year. I started with a thin wooden heart from the Dollar Tree – they come natural and you could definitely leave them that way, but I used a couple of coats of old house paint to paint mine white. I also removed the twine hanger. When these were dry I took some washable Crayola paint (affiliate link) and…
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Felt Food
Years ago I made a set of felt food for my classroom. When I make something I have a tendency to go a little above and beyond, which means that this particular set of felt food was amazing, but took me FOREVER. Which is why I haven’t made any more, until now. I’m working on a set for my own daughter to play with so I thought it would be fun to share some of my inspiration with you. Here are some of my favorite DIY play food ideas: Sliced Cheese from Pieces by Polly Pasta from Fairy Fox Sugar Cookies from Cuddle Bear Baby Breakfast from Hanging on by…
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Patriotic Ribbon Wands
For Memorial Day I shared a tutorial for paper pinwheels that would be perfect for a parade or party decorations, so today I wanted to share another fun party toy that is easy for kids to make: Ribbon Wands. I know that this is not a new or novel idea in the slightest, but young children often love he simplest things and there are so many different variations and materials that you can use to create a basic ribbon wand. It is easy for children to personalize their own, and you can select materials that meet your budget constraints as well as the theme or tone of your party. For…
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Firefly Crafts
It always feels like it’s officially summer when the fireflies show up – and usually it’s right around this week (at least it is where I live). I know that it’s typical to explore bugs and insects in the spring, but fireflies would be a fun, different summer theme if you’re looking to switch it up from the usual beach and barbecue themes. Here are some fun firefly art projects to try out while you explore these amazing little critters! Eric Carle inspired Firefly Suncatchers 3D Glowstick Fireflies Beaded Fireflies Plastic Egg Fireflies Firefly Jar Which one will you try first?
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Sewing for the classroom
This beautiful piece of equipment just arrived at my house and I cannot wait to get it out of the box, but I promised myself that I would post something before I get sucked in by the sewing machine and no one can find me for the rest of the week! Singer Modern Quilter Quilting and Sewing Machine (Amazon affiliate link) Since sewing is just about the only thing on my mind right now, I figured I’d share a list of all the wonderful things that I’ve sewn for my classroom. The photos below aren’t mine, because I’m notoriously bad about remembering to take classroom photos, so if you want…
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Great gifts for preschoolers to make
You still have time to figure out those family gifts – I know, not my favorite thing either – here are some ideas that preschoolers can actually make, and they won’t break your budget! I’m a huge fan of ornaments, they are a great keepsake, they’re useful, and they don’t take up a ton of space. Here are 5 easy ornament ideas: from Happier Homemaker from Ginger Snap Crafts from Martha Stewart from Fireflies and mudpies from One Perfect Day If ornaments aren’t your thing, or you have a large number of families that don’t celebrate Christmas, here are some other ideas; from Easy Peasy Fun from Mama.Papa.Bubba from the…
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Spice Air Freshener Craft
This activity is a great way to explore spices and a cute keepsake for families to use throughout the holiday season (plus, it’s REALLY easy to make). You’ll need canning jar lids (not the rings, just the lids), some ribbon, white glue, and spices (Invest in a bulk jar, any pie-related scent will work – cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin or apple pie spice), paintbrushes, and something to catch the spices as the children sprinkle them on their lids (I used paper towels, but you could use waxed paper, printer paper, or activity trays). The first step is one that you’ll want to do outside of the classroom – attach a small…
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Perler Bead Alphabet Letters
I can’t take credit for this idea, I saw it on 1+1+1=1, but when I saw it on my Pinterest feed, I knew I had to try and make my own set of Perler bead alphabet letters. I picked up the supplies at Ikea when I was there last weekend, and let me tell you, I had a blast playing with them. I spent the entire afternoon making fun stuff, it felt like I was 10 years old again! It took a bit of time to figure out the correct shapes for the letters, but once I got the hang of it, I was off and running. I can’t wait to…
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Easy Alphabet Match Activity
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Valentine’s Day Bags and Boxes
If you’ve ever hosted any kind of Valentine’s Day Party in the classroom, you understand the need for some sort of container to corral all of those cards and treats. I generally like to create ours in the classroom – it makes my life easier because I know that everyone will have one and they will all be the same size. I think that spending the week prior to the big day doing little activities to get ready helps my students understand what the day is all about, and it ensures that they will know what to expect, because they’ve been a part of the planning. In the past my…
