Paper Bag Frog Craft

05May09

Puppet shows are one of the oldest forms of entertainment and are still enjoyed today by children and adults. One of the easiest ways to make puppets is from an ordinary brown paper lunch bag. For this craft I’m going to show you how to make a paper bag frog.

What you need

  • Brown paper  bag
  • Construction paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Marker
  • Wiggle eye

(1)Lay your brown paper bag flat on a table. (2) Cut out two circles the size of a silver dollar from green construction paper. (3) glue the two circles to the bottom of the bag, which with be the face of your frog. (4) Trace and cut frog arms and legs. (5) Glue or tape the arms and legs to the side of the bag. (5) Make a long tongue from red construction paper. (6) Glue the tongue to the center of the bag coming out of the mouth. (7) Glue Wiggle eyes onto the green circles. (8) Either draw or cut out green circles to make spots for your frog and glue them on. (9) Place your hang inside the bag and let the puppet show begin.

Now that you have your paper bag frog complete you can start crafting other creatures for your very own puppet show.


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Window Art Craft

05May09

Even as an adult making window art is one of my favorite crafts because it is fun and you get to make a little mess. Parents are normally washing kids hand prints off the windows and sliding glass doors but with this craft the point is to allow the kids to leave a mess of art on the windows.

What you need

  • Tempera paint (all different colors)
  • Clear dishwashing liquid.
  • Pain Brushes

(1) Choose what colors you want to use. (2) Put the colors in separate bowls and at 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid to every ½ tablespoon of paint. (3) Dip your paint brush in the paint and get creative.

Kids love this craft because they get to paint where they are usually told not to touch and parents can enjoy their kid’s art somewhere other than the refrigerator. Cleaning up the art from the windows is not difficult. Just wipe off with a wet paper towel.


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Pet Rock Craft

03May09

If you are around kids a lot you know how amused they are by the simplest things. Instead of going and buy new toys and dolls try giving the kids in your life a rock. Yes, it sounds strange but they will love it. A simple rock can be transformed into a best friend or pet in no time at all.

What you need:

  • A smooth round or oval rock
  • Acrylic craft paint in desired colors
  • Wiggle eyes
  • Black sharpie marker
  • Craft glue

(1)Wash and dry your rock. (2) Chose an animal or creature you want to make. (3) Paint the rock in desired color. You might have to do more then one coat of paint. (4) Get creative and paint designs on your rock. (5) Glue on wiggle eyes.

Now you have a pet that will never run away from home. Pet rocks can be fun for kids. After they have the rock help them to make the pet rock a home.


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Pencil Holder Craft

03May09

Earth Day has passed but we can still encourage everyone help the planet. Next time you have a drink in an aluminum can, save the can and make a pencil holder. Be environmentally friendly.

What you need:

  • Empty aluminum can
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Fabric scraps
  • Scissors
  • Craft glue
  • Water

(1)Have an adult cut off the top of the can with either scissors or a knife. (2) Paint can to make a solid color and let dry. (3) Cut up fabric scraps to glue to your can. (4) Put glue in a bowl and thin by adding water to make it easy to paint onto the can. (5) Paint on a layer of glue and start applying your fabric scraps until the entire can is covered.

The kids can make it for their room or a family member’s office. If you know where you want to use the pencil holder think about the colors in that room and coordinate the fabric squares


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Photo Bouquet Craft

30Apr09

This is a great mother day’s gift for either mom or grandma. Making a photo bouquet is very simple and doesn’t take long at all. Last year I had the kids I worked with bring in six photo’s to create a little bouquet for them to give to their moms on mother’s day. The craft was such a big hit, it is something must share.

What you need:

(1)Cut a simple flower shape out of the construction paper, which ever colors you like most. (2)Cut your photo into a circle. (3) Glue your photo to the center of the flower. (4) Tape the chenille stem to the back of the flower.

Repeat this as many times as necessary to create a full bouquet of flowers. You could also put the photo bouquet into a vase. This craft works as a great gift or decoration for a baby shower or birthday.


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Glitter Shamrock Craft

18Mar09

This is my favorite St. Patrick’s Day craft. The glitter can be messy but the out come is beautiful. The glitter shamrock’s are really easy to make for all ages.

What you need:

  • 3 wooden hearts
  • Green glitter
  • Green Acrylic Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Glue

(1)Paint you hearts Green and let dry. (2) Put glue on both edges of the first heart and form a clover shape by pressing the other two hearts on either side of heart one. Let the glue dry. (3)Once the hearts are glued together forming a 3 leaf clover paint on a layer of glue over the top of your clover. (4) Sprinkle green glitter over the glue. (5) Shake of lose glitter and sprinkle on more glitter till all the spaces a filled. Let the glue dry.

Now you might ask what can I do with this Shamrock I just made. I have seen them used as coasters for drinks and as magnets. If you use it as a coaster be sure to spray with a craft sealant to secure the glitter. To make the shamrock a magnet, just place a magnet with an adhesive back to the clover or glue a magnet on.


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Leprechaun Hat Craft

18Mar09

Here is another really cute St. Patrick’s Day craft. A little felt leprechaun hat pin is a simple way to be festive for the holiday. Just pin the hat to your shirt and enjoy the celebration.

What you need:

  • Green, Black and Yellow Felt
  • Scissors
  • Craft Glue
  • Pin back or magnet

(1) Cut a hat shape out of a piece of green felt. It can be what ever size you prefer, but I mad mine an 1 ½ inches across. (2)Cut a strip of black that will fit across the base of the hat.(3) Glue on the back trim to the green had shape. (4) Cut a yellow square and a smaller back square the make the buckle of the hat. (5) Glue the yellow square to the black trim and the smaller black square on top of the yellow square. (6) glue a pin back to the back of your felt leprechaun hat.

There you go, you have a cute little Leprechaun Hat.


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Cereal Rainbow Craft

18Mar09

This is a really easy craft to get everyone in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day. This craft can be done with any age and they will love it because they get to eat why making a beautiful rainbow.

What you need:

  • Fruit Loops Cereal
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Cardboard

(1)Take a piece of cardboard how ever big or small you would like and cut out a half circle. (2) Separate your Fruit Loops into color piles. (3) Choose a color and follow the curve of the cardboard to make the first row of your rainbow. (4) Continue alternating rows with different colors until completely covered.

You can easily turn this craft into a refrigerator magnet for the holidays by glue a magnet to the back of your cereal rainbow. Be sure the kids don’t eat the cereal with glue on them. I have seen that happen and it causes a horrible stomachache.


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Mardi Gras Mask Craft

24Feb09

Happy Mardi Gras! Masks are very popular for Mardi Gras. It is also a very easy and fun craft from kids of all ages. In my experience, kids love this craft. You might be surprised at how much fun they will have making and wearing the mask. 

What you need:

  • Paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Markers
  • Cardboard
  • Straw

Optional supplies:

(1) Trace or print out a mask template. (2) Color your mask whatever color you would like. (3) Glue on a piece of cardboard and cut out. (4) Once dry, cut out eyeholes. (5)Now let your kid go crazy decorating the mask with glitter, feathers and whatever else inspires them. (6) Tape a straw or stick to the side of the mask for them to hold it to their face.

This is also a great craft for birthday parties. Have a masquerade theme and let them make their own masks at the beginning of the party. Good luck!


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Mardi Gras Float Craft

19Feb09

I spent part of my childhood in New Orleans, where Mardi Gras is one of the biggest events of the year. Every year each kid in my school created their own Mardi Gras float out of a shoebox to display in the school parade. Out of all the Mardi Gras crafts, making a miniature shoebox float was my favorite.

This craft leaves you with a lot of room to be creative. There are no right or wrong ways to complete a shoebox float. Mardi Gras floats traditionally have a theme. Maybe you have a favorite movie or pet that you would like to model your float after.

Two years ago my family made a full scale float with the theme the Pixar movie Cars. We went with a new release movie that might be popular among children. This is your chance to use your imagination.

What you need:

  • Shoe Box
  • Paint
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Optional Supplies:

  • Tissue paper
  • Tinfoil
  • Felt
  • Ribbon
  • Beads
  • Glitter
  • Felt
  • Stickers
  • Sequins

(1) Turn your shoebox up side down and paint the box and lid whichever color attracts you. The traditional Mardi Gras colors are green, purple and gold. (2) Once dried, glue the lid to the back end of the shoebox float. (3) Use your supplies to decorate to a theme or no theme.

Remember there is no right or wrong way to complete a Mardi Gras shoebox float. It can be as bright and chaotic as you wish!


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