Arts & Crafts Projects for Young Children-Puppets

Paper Bag Puppets

A lunch paper bag is a good size for a child's small arm and hand.  Gather scraps of fabric, yarn, sequins, buttons, wiggly eyes, crayons, markers tempera paint, brushes, etc. to create the puppet. Ask the children where they would like to place the eyes, nose, mouth, arms, etc. of the puppet.

Stick Puppets

Stick puppets can be made with chopsticks, tongue depressors and Popsicle sticks.  A variety of materials can be used for the puppets such as: fabric, yarn, sequins, markers, paint, construction paper, etc.  Glue or tape materials to sticks. Have a puppet show!

Arts & Crafts Projects for Young Children-Weaving

Weaving crafts have several objectives. 

• Practice hand and eye coordination.
• Sharpen fine motor skills.
• The design and planning of patterns and shapes.

Berry Basket Weaving

Materials needed: one side of a plastic berry container, scrap yarn and clear tape.

Show children a partially woven piece for an example. Describe visually the proper way to wrap a piece of clear tape around the end of a string of yarn. The taped end will help in the weaving process. Demonstrate how to weave in and out through the plastic frame. Discuss the various shapes and patterns that can be woven. Encourage the weaver if she/he would like to weave an entire berry basket!

Paper Plate Weaving

Cut slits in paper plates before the lesson.

Materials that can be woven on the plate include: yarn, beads, stiff fabric, wall paper, strips of construction paper, etc. Show a partially woven piece. Demonstrate how to push the material through the slits.

Plastic Soda Can Ring Weaving

Various materials can be used for weaving such as: yarn, ribbon, bias tape, chenille sticks, etc. Discuss with children what available materials would be their choice for weaving.  Cut a slit in each plastic soda ring to attach one ring to another; secure with tape. Demonstrate to young children a sample of weaving.

Styrofoam Tray Weaving

Provide yarn and foam trays. Cut slits on the side of foam trays ahead of time. Place a stick for ease of weaving. Show children a sample of weaving in this manner. A young child may need the foam loom to be strung with horizontal strings before weaving. An older child may take on the challenge to string the loom before weaving.

Arts & Crafts Projects for Young Children-Texture Rubbing

Embossed Greeting Card Rubbing 

Provide crayons, paper and greeting cards with raised designs. Best results are obtained by rubbing on the side of crayons. Place a piece of paper over the raised designs and rub.

 

 

 

Foil Rubbing

Place a piece of foil over raised objects and rub with fingers. Note the small details rubbed on the foil.

 

 

Ground Rubbing 

Provide crayons, markers and paper. Go on a walk and find various types of ground covering, such as: asphalt, concrete, bricks, etc. Talk about texture. The paper can be crumpled first then flattened out for an interesting effect.

 

Leaf Rubbing

Collect various types of leaves. Place leaves on a hard surface. Put a piece of paper on top of a leaf and rub with a crayon. Best results are obtained when the crayon is rubbed on its side. Keep rubbing until the stem and veins show through the paper. More than one color per rubbing can be used. Be creative!

Rock Rubbing

Plan a rock hunt. Show children various types of rocks. Talk about texture. Provide crayons, markers and paper. Rub rocks by covering with paper and rubbing with crayons and markers.

Arts & Crafts Projects for Young Children-Printmaking

Brush Print

Assemble tempera and/or watercolor paints, paper and brushes. Dip various size dry brushes in paint and dab on the paper to make brush prints.

Sponge Prints

Materials needed for sponge printmaking: sponges of various shapes, tempera paint and construction paper. Dry or damp sponges can be used for varying effects. Dip sponges in paint and press on paper. Notice the effects of the first sponge print and the latter ones loaded with more paint.

 Watercolor Finger and Brush Prints

Materials needed: watercolors, brushes and watercolor paper. Lightly moisten watercolors and place fingers in the paint. Dab fingers on the paper for a variety of shapes, such as animals. Brushes can be used to add details.

 

Variety Prints

Materials needed: Construction paper, tempera paint, watercolors, ink pads and a variety of objects to make prints. Print making items are numerous and can include: fabric, feathers, bubble wrap,  rubber bands, etc.

Glue Print

Spread white non-toxic glue over an object. Press to a piece of construction paper. Remove the object and sprinkle glitter,colored sand, dried coffee grounds, etc. over the glue. Let dry.

Holiday Turkey

Place a child's hand on a piece of paper. Encourage children to trace around their hands.  Ask the child where the head, feathers and feet might be. Feathers can be colored with crayons, chalk, markers, etc. Cut the tips of the feathers lengthwise with scissors for a feathery look. Glue the turkey on another piece of paper.

Arts & Crafts Projects for Young Children-Crayon and Paint Resit

Crayon Magic

Provide paper and crayons. Remove paper from around the crayons. Demonstrate to the child how to color on paper with the side of the crayon.  The artist can use as many colors as they choose. Try coloring over the initial colors with more colors.

Use an object to scrape the top layer of crayon off. Encourage the child to draw shapes they like. Remind the artist to look for the colors underneath the top layer.

 Watercolor Resist

Provide brushes, watercolors, paper, stencils and crayons. Use crayons on paper to make designs. The designs can be made using stencils or free-hand. Paint over the entire surface of the paper, except the inside of the crayon designs.

Choose different colors than the background and paint inside the crayon designs, crossing over the crayon lines to blend colors. Observe what new colors are made.

Crayon Resist-Watercolor with salt

Items needed: watercolors, watercolor paper, sponges, salt and a white crayon. Draw shapes on the paper with a white crayon. Moisten paper on both sides with water, also moisten watercolors. Load damp sponge with watercolor and dab on the paper. Sprinkle salt over the wet watercolor. Dry flat. When dry, rub the salt off.

Tempera-Glue Resist

Items needed: tempera and non-toxic white glue. Run a thin stream of glue on a piece of paper, making designs. Let dry. Paint tempera both in-between the dried glue and outside of it.

Watercolor-Glue Resist

Items needed: watercolor and non-toxic white glue. Run a thin stream of glue on a piece of paper, making designs. Let dry. Paint watercolor both in-between the dried glue and outside of it.

My blog is back!

Whew! My computer is back from the shop. I know it has been a while since my last posting.

My next art blog will be resist painting for young children. I hope to have it ready to be posted this week. If you have any questions or comments, let me know!

Ten Little Puppies/Diez Perritos

Author: Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy. English version by Rosalma Zubizarreta. Illustrated by Ulises Wensell. 2011.

Children count along in English and Spanish as ten little puppies disappear. Each page is filled with beautiful illustrations and lively translations from Spanish to English in this classic nursery rhyme. The back of the book contains the song, Diez Perritos/Ten Little Puppies. More information is given about the puppy breeds that are shown in the story.

I highly recommend this book for an enjoyable story time experience. This fast paced story is a delight even for the youngest children!
Recommended teaching tools: ten stuffed toy dogs, or felt puppies on a storyboard, each one removed from view as the puppies disappear from the story; puppy cutouts pasted on paper; ten puppy finger puppets, etc.