St. Patrick's Day Craft...

 

 

Not only did the kids' "wearing of the green" craft project help prevent them from being pinched, (who started that crazy tradition, anyway? lol!) but it also set the stage for learning how St. Patrick used Ireland's own shamrock (three leafed clover) to teach the natives about the Trinity (the three manifestations of the one God). 

Happy Valentine's Day! Preschool Craft...

My two older grandchildren made these Valentines for their baby brother who is in the hospital.  They are missing him very much.

 

 

Did you know that doves mate for life?

2013 Christmas Star Ornament Craft / Snowman Gift Box Decoration....

Star shapes cut from craft foam.  Glue a smaller star shape onto the larger star shape.  Glue on a plastic craft button, let dry overnight, punch a hole through one of the tips, and then hang with string or an ornament hanger.  So simple and easy!

 

I took this pic when the glue was still wet.

 

 

Snowman decoration / tag made from card stock.  The faces are drawn with marker.  The snowman on the top right is a pic cut from a Christmas card.  The scarf part of the snowman head was folded up and taped onto the package so that it is standing upright.

Bunny Cake from Betty Crocker...

 

I believe the picture is fairly self-explanatory.  So cute!!!

Easter Crafts for Children...

 

Handprint Chick and Egg

(construction paper and wiggle eyes)

- a good way to introduce the 'oval' shape -

 

 

 

The Empty Tomb - Matthew 28:6

"He is not here; for he is risen."

(construction paper and brass fastener)

 

 

Jesus Christ - Lamb of God

(Copy onto cardstock an image of a lamb.  You can find one to be copied free from the internet. Glue on cotton balls.  Add a construction paper heart with these words:

 

Jesus Christ - Lamb of God

Perfect Sacrifice For My Sins







2012 St. Patrick's Day Jewelry / craft projects...

 My grandson wearing his claddagh (pronounced "clod-uh") bracelet.  The claddah is the Irish symbol for love, friendship, and loyalty.  The image was obtained from the internet, copied onto cardstock, and colored.  "With these hands I give you my heart, and I crown it with my love."

   

"Pinch - Free" Badge

 

(image obtained from the internet, copied onto cardstock, and laminated; two holes were punched to accommodate the safety pin latch; not recommended for children under 6 unless well-supervised by an adult.) 

(my grandson wearing his "Pinch - Free" Badge)

 

(an Irish "wise saying")

This craft was obtained from Easy Paper Crafts - Book 2 published by Christian Light Publications.
 

2012 St. Patrick's Day Activities & Decorations...

 We learned some geographical facts about Ireland and located it on a globe.  We made an Irish flag and displayed it in our classroom alongside our Christian flag.

As you can see, our little mini-Dachshund, Sassy, must be part of everything we do.  If she is excluded, she is not happy at all! 

 Our St. Patrick's Day Bulletin Board and Holiday Tree. 

We learned the history of St. Patrick, the Christian symbolism of the shamrock, and a few Irish superstitions - the Blarney Stone , Leprechauns, and the Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow.

St. Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate the concept of the Trinity.

 

2012 St.Patrick's Day project (the Blarney Stone)...

We painted a large gravel (from our driveway) black, allowed it to dry, then painted on a green shamrock and outlined the shamrock with glitter glue.

We talked about the Irish folk tale of the blarney stone - that the person who kisses the blarney stone will receive the gift of "gab". 



2012 Presidents' Day Decorations / Bulletin Board / Crafts..

Images of Presidents Lincoln and Washington, as well as images of our currency having their likenesses were copied from internet sources.

 

Our Presidents' Day holiday tree.

 

George Washington's Powdered Wig.

(Glue cotton balls and a ribbon onto a baseball cap.  Wear cap backward.)

Abraham Lincoln's Top Hat

(Color the rim of both sides of a paper plate - black.  Cut away the center, leaving a ring.  Glue or tape two or more sheets of black construction paper together, end to end.  Make a tube and fit it into the ring.  Tape to secure.  Cut out a black circle and tape it to the top of the hat.)  

2013 Valentine's Day Bulletin Board & Craft Ideas...

This project teaches and/or reinforces number, color, and shape recognition; teaches the concept of an emotion: love; and enables the child to practice his small motor coordination as he/she helps to cut out the heart shapes.  You can fold each piece of colored paper in half and draw half of a heart shape on the fold.  When the child opens the folded shape that he has just cut away from the larger piece of paper, he/she sees both sides of the heart together making the complete heart.  This project also teaches symmetry (things that are the same on both sides, mirror images, similarity, matching) 

Below is a little book that we made teaching the concept of  sin and salvation through Jesus Christ.  We are now studying the letter "S".  

A great lesson/story for teaching love and compassion for people is the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan.   Below is something we did last year.  You can find free pictures to color on the internet.

2012  (first half of) February Bulletin Board Idea

and

(year-round) Holiday Tree decorations

 

"Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World"

 

Who says "holiday" trees are only for Christmas?

 

 

Tree Topper on left.  Decorations on right.

 

 How I attached the tree topper.

 

 

This picture frame is made of wood and comes unfinished, to be painted or colored with markers.  I think I purchased it from S&S Worldwide.

 

Benjamin Franklin craft project (birthday Jan. 17)...

It is interesting to note that Ben Franklin had only one year of formal education.  His father could not afford to send him to school any more than that.  Ben was mostly self-taught (a type of homeschooling). He like to read, and read whatever he could get his hands on.  He has many accomplishments.  A web search will reveal much about his life.

Christmas Mittens Tree Ornaments...

These ornaments are made of felt, a cotton ball, and deorative ribbon.  Take a sheet of felt or a sheet of craft foam and (using a felt-tipped, fine-point marker) trace around your child's hands the outline of two mittens.  Using a hole punch, make a hole in one corner of each mitten before gluing on the cotton.   Add a small ribbon bow and lay flat to dry.  Attach wire ornament hangers through the holes that you punched earlier. 

The mitten ornaments displayed on our classroom tree:

 

 

 

 

Peppermint Stick Mouse Christmas Tree Ornament Craft...

This is just too cute and too easy not to feature on my blog!  This craft kit was purchased from Oriental Trading Company  www.orientaltrading.com  .  It comes in a set of 24 and is very reasonably priced.  Candy canes included!  The mouse parts (except for the nose) are made of felt.  However, you could make your own pattern rather than purchasing the kit.  If you do, then I think it would be better to use craft foam sheets instead of the felt because the glue tends to soak into the felt (which can be a pain).  You could even use wiggle eyes if you prefer.

Nativity Craft Project...

The stable is made from a shoe box with an attached lid.  It is decorated/covered with construction paper.  The Nativity figures were copied from the book Easy Christian Crafts (grades 1-3) published by Carson-Dellosa.  You may possibly be able to find similar figures online if you don't want to purchase the book.

Where to hang those Christmas stockings?

No mantle?  No problem!

Simple Christmas Wreath...

This wreath looks MUCH better than the  picture shows.  This pic turned out rather dark, so the color isn't showing.  Let me describe it:

The wreath is made from a 10" styrofoam ring that has been wrapped with rope tinsel.  The tinsel is two-toned in green and blue.  It catches the light and is really quite pretty.  It is decorated with ribbon, small bells, tiny pine cones, and artificial holly leaves and berries.

Home (self) Made Christmas Ornaments 2012...

Ornaments are made from salt dough: 1 cup salt, 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup warm water.  Mix and then knead.  Roll out and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.  Bake at 200 degrees F. for 1 to 3 hours, depending on how thick they are.  Using tongs, turn shapes over to expose the underside.  Return to bake for an hour more.   Allow to cool completely before painting or decorating with glue and glitter.  

(My 4 year old grandson loves these ornaments that he helped paint.)

I think I will get out my smallest Christmas tree (from last year) and set it up in our classroom so my grandson can make good use of these ornaments.  A photo will soon follow...