Holiday Crafts for Kids

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

December is my favorite month. By far. If’s full of the best holidays of the entire year! And there are so many cute kids crafts for Christmas, Hanukkah, and winter. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Melted Snowman

Santa Barbara Snowman: This activity was easy-peasy and made a neat and funny craft. Living in sunny Southern California, we don’t really have opportunities to make snowmen, so using a simple pre-printed sheet with the outline of a puddle and an overturned paper bowl the kids made their own melty, sunshine snowmen. They put the usual accessories on, with the exception of the sunglasses, and then wrote a sentence about where their snowman should move to or what happened to him. A lot of bang for the buck. (source)

2. Paper Plate Wreaths

Cut the center out of the middle of a paper plate. Cut green construction paper into squares, and glue the first layer of green paper around the edge of the plate. Keep layering the green pieces and add some red small pieces for berries. Great preschool and kindergarten craft for the holidays! (source)

3. Popsicle Stick Menorah

Glue craft sticks to construction paper and make a cute and super easy Hanukkah craft for kids. Then spread glue above the craft sticks and sprinkle glitter to light the menorah. Love it! (source)

Finish the Drawing- Christmas

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Here’s a fun activity to use in a unit on symmetry or during a discussion of story setting (since lots of holiday stories take place at a gingerbread house!). Print off one page for each student and have them finish the rest of the picture. Make sure to help students focus on whatever aspect you’re learning about (symmetry, setting description, etc). You could extend this activity further by turning it into a writing project. …Or just color it and have fun! Here’s the free printable PDF: Finish the Drawing- Christmas 1 Happy holidays & Merry Christmas!

Click here for more fun and free Christmas/Winter stuff for kids!

Paint Swatch Turkey Craft (Thanksgiving)

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I absolutely love the paint section at Lowe’s. The colors are just so fun! So when I saw the swatches, I just had to grab some and turn them into a craft. And here’s what I came up with (just in time for Thanksgiving!):

It was super simple so you can do it with even young kids and it didn’t take very long. You’ll need some paint swatches, brown construction paper, scissors and glue or tape. First, I trimmed off the part of the swatch that says the paint name. I recycled those pieces so they wouldn’t accidentally end up on my turkey. I used a paper cutter, but students can use scissors, since it’s not very much cutting.

Then I made strips by cutting the remaining parts of the swatch. Depending on the original size of the swatch, you’ll end up with more or less strips (or feathers). I’d have kids each cut up 1 or 2 swatches and then share the resulting feathers with kids around them so everyone ends up with a variety of colors.

Then I cut out the shape of a turkey’s body. This is part of the fun (ending up with different sized/shaped bodies) so just have your kids make their own if they’re old enough. If they need some guidance, have them draw a small circle on top of a bigger circle (kind of like a snowman) and then cut out the outside only.

Then attach the feathers together (in groups of 4 or 5 feathers each) at the bottom using tape or glue. Tape’s faster, but glue works too. Once you’ve attached a few feathers together, stick them to the back of the turkey. Keep doing this until you feel you’ve got enough feathers.

Then draw a beak, eyes and wings on your turkey and add some legs with the remaining brown construction paper. And that’s it. Easy-peasy Thanksgiving craft for kids!

If you’re looking for extensions for this craft, have your kids make a graph showing how many blue feathers, green feathers, red feathers, etc. are on their turkey or at their table. Have your students write a character description of their turkey or use spelling/vocabulary words in a story about their turkey. But whatever you do, have a great Thanksgiving!

Scissor Practice Activity (Cute Paper Hedgehog!)

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

There are always kids in preschool and kindergarten who need a little extra practice using scissors. So here’s a perfect activity… making an adorable paper hedgehog! Click here to see the tutorial.

Thankful Pumpkin Craft for Kids

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I saw this cute “Thankful Pumpkin” paper craft idea (source) and wanted to make some printables to go with it. I love the idea of helping kids remember what they’re thankful for. Activities like this are perfect opportunities to talk with kids about how blessed we really are!

Materials:

2 Sheets of Cardstock (to print these printables on: Thankful Pumpkin Printable)
Small Hole Punch
2 Brads
Green Construction Paper
Brown Pipe Cleaner

Directions

1. After you print the two printable pages, cut them into strips (cut on the lines).

2. Finish writing the “I am thankful for” phrases on 5 strips of cardstock.

3. Decorate the “Happy Thanksgiving” on the other 5 strips. Get Creative!

4. Make a small hole in the center of both ends of each strip. (Use small hole puncher or another tool to make the small holes.)

5. Stack the paper strips alternating the “I am thankful” and “Happy Thanksgiving”.

6. Stick the prongs of a brad through the holes on one end of the stack with the metal circle of the brad resting on the side with the writing. Secure Brad.

7. Fan out the slips with the writing side facing the table.

8. Pull up one strip and feed the prongs of the 2nd brad through the hole with the metal circle resting on the blank side of the strips. Continue putting strips on brad going in a circular pattern.

9. When all of the strips are on the brad and you have formed a ball, secure the brad by pushing the prongs down in opposite directions.

10. Cut 2 leaf shapes from the green construction paper. Poke a small hole at bottom of each leaf.

11. Wrap the brown pipe cleaner around a pencil to make a spiral shape. Gently slide the pipe cleaner off to keep spiral shape.

12. Lift up the prongs of brad, hold brad in place from below, and slide on leaves.

13. Place brown pipe cleaner next to prongs, push prongs down on top of pipe cleaner to securely attach the leaves and “stem”.

Here’s what it looked like when my friend tried it with her class:

Click here for more fun and free Thanksgiving stuff for kids!

Thanksgiving Turkey Craft (Pre-K, Kinder, 1st Grade)

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I absolutely loves this easy Thanksgiving turkey craft. It’s very simple, but it turns out pretty ADORABLE! Click here for the tutorial over at Happy Home Fairy.

Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

I love kids Thanksgiving crafts! They’re all ADORABLE! Turkeys, pumpkins, pilgrims, they’re all fun and easy to make and just brighten the room! These would be great for your school class or your kids at home.

Thanksgiving Hand Wreath

Toilet Paper Roll Turkey

Framed Hand Print Turkey

Coffee Filter Turkey

Veteran’s Day Coloring Pages & Activities for Kids

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

First let me say thank you to all those Veterans (and their families) out there who have sacrificed so much for our America. Thank you!!!

Here are 2 free printable coloring pages (source) for you to use as you remember this special day. Click here for the Veteran’s Day coloring pages: Veterans Day Coloring Page I and Veterans Day Coloring Page II Here are some images that might be helpful for your class (to see the uniforms of each branch): detail on uniforms, All Branches- dress uniforms

.Last year’s post included a comprehension worksheet detailing the history and significance of Veteran’s Day so be sure to check that out too! Looking for more Veteran’s Day fun? Here’s a cool website for kids (published by Veteran’s Affairs) called VA Kids. It’s got activities, facts and games for kids K-5th. Kids Connect also has a great page about Veteran’s Day. Enjoy!