Poppy pictures

This is or second poppy related craft for this week.  Mini-faithful adores sticking, so I thought this would make a great poppy picture for Remembrance day tomorrow.

What you need:
White card or paper
Red tissue paper
Green card
Black card
Scissors
Glue stick

What we did:
First of all, I cut big circles out of the red tissue paper, small ones out of the black card and leaf shapes out of the green card.  Older children (or ones who can be trusted with scissors can help cut the shapes out, mini-faithful is not one of them)

First of all we covered one side of the green leaf with glue (mini-faithfuls favourite part)

Then stick down on the paper, before adding a small amount of glue to the base of the leaf.

Next stick down the red circle of tissue paper, before sticking and adding the black circle to the middle.

Poppy printing

Tomorrow is November 11th, Armistice day, here in the UK, and this coming Sunday is classed as Remembrance Sunday.  As poppies are the symbol of this remembrance day, I thought it would be fitting to do some poppy related crafts this week.  First up, after the success the other week of pumpkin printing, I decided to try poppy printing.

What you need:
A potato (sponges can also be used)
Red paint
Green paper (or white if you have no green paper)
Black felt tip

What we did:
First of all, I cut the potato in half then shaped it into a rough poppy shape (sort of like a figure of eight shape).
Then I poured out some red paint and let mini-faithful print the poppy shapes onto the paper.

Once dry we added black felt tip circles to the middles to complete them.

Making Fireworks!

Well toddler style...  With loo rolls, tissue paper and glue...

What you need:
Kitchen roll tubes cut in half or empty loo rolls
Black paint
Glitter
Tissue paper
Glue
Black Card
Thread
Sticky tape
Stickers

What we did:
First of all we painted the rockets black. Then while they were wet we covered them in glitter to make them sparkle, before allowing them to dry.

Then we added stickers, we used some glittery star stickers for ours.

We then (using a stacking cup as a template) cut out a circle, with a cut into the centre to make the top of the firework.  Before sticking this in place on the rocket, we added the thread so that we could hang the fireworks up when finished.

  

Once the top of the firework had been added, we ripped some tissue paper into strips (I think this was mini-faithfuls favourite bit) before adding some glue to the inside, bottom of the rocket and sticking the tissue paper in.

I made 4 to stick up at the window, as floating fireworks, but left two without thread so that mini-faithful could play 'flying' with them....

Firework pictures.

As today is bonfire night, we decided to spend this week making firework related crafts, that hopefully will mean mini-faithful doesnt get frightened by them when they make loud noises tonight..
We made two different types of pictures based on fireworks, this is how we did the first set...


What you need:
Black paper or card
Runny paint (explained below!)
Straw
Glitter (we used glitter glue, but plain glitter may of made things easier)

What we did:
On the black card we made a big blob of paint, then using the straw we moved the paint around the card, by blowing out (small safety notice, they need to know not to suck through the straw before starting this, also its a good idea to have a small hole in the side of the straw to let the paint fumes out).

Once you have finished with one colour add in other colours until you are happy you have used enough paint.
Then place another piece of black card and pat down, to make to pictures instead of one.
If you are using normal glitter now sprinkle it over the wet paint to add that extra bit of sparkle, if not wait till the paintings are dry before adding glitter glue to the painting.

Fingerpaint fireworks


This is the second firework painting idea, I think mini-faithful enjoyed this one slightly more, but that might be because of her age.

What you need:
Paints
Paint palette
Black card or paper
Glitter glue
Paint brush (optional)

What we did:
We have several different colours in a paint palette, for mini-faithful to try.  The reason for using a paint palette is to allow them to mix their own colours for the fireworks

Then using fingers (or paint brushes) make marks of paint all over the black card.  We also added blobs of glitter glue to the card, before allowing it to dry.

Handprint Ghosts

This is my last craft for halloween (I promise!).  Its really easy to do and babies can do this as well as toddlers and older children.

What you need:
Paper (we used orange and black to make a more dramatic effect)
White paint
Silver glitter glue
Googly eyes

What we did:
We covered mini faithful's hands in white paint, then made handprints on the paper.

Once these handprints have dried, we added silver glitter glue to the edges of the handprints, which mini faithful then 'rubbed in' round the bottom of the ghosts.

After this had dried we added the googly eyes to finish our ghost handprints.

Pumpkin masks

This halloween based craft, is great fun and easy to do.

What you need:
Paper plates
Orange paint (we mixed red and yellow paint to make orange)
Green tissue paper
Black card
Black ribbon or wool
Glue stick
Scissors

What we did:
First of all we painted one side of the plate orange, and leave to dry.

While waiting for the plate to dry, we teared up some green tissue paper.

Once dry, we put some glue over the top area of the plate, before sticking lots of the torn up green tissue paper to the glued area.

We then cut out a mouth shape out of the black card and stick to the bottom half of the plate.
After doing all that sticking we measured where mini-faithful's eyes were on the mask and cut holes in the plate so she could see out, as well as two holes at either side of the plate, before threading the ribbon or wool through the holes to secure the mask to mini-faithful.
Then we let her loose to play with her mask, which ended up going on the cats and dog as well as faithful mummy, daddy and herself!

Pumpkin printing

Yet another halloween craft!
We used a potato cut into circle shapes as our printer, but circle sponges and even heels of your feet can make the prints!

What you need:
Potato cut into a circle shape (or an other circle object that you dont mind getting covered in paint!)
Orange paint (we mixed yellow and red to make ours)
Paper
Green glitter glue
Black felt tip pen

What we did: 
First of all we covered our potato with the orange paint, before stamping it across the paper (we used a mixture of white and black paper)

 

After we made all our prints, mini faithful had fun painting the potato and lots of paper!

Once they were dry we used the black felt tip pen to draw on the eyes and mouths.

Then added green glitter for the leaves.

Notes:

These also make great halloween banners, just cut them out of the paper and make small holes at the edges before stringing them together to make the banner.

Yoghurt pot spiders

Another halloween based craft.
We were originally going to make egg box spiders, but we didnt eat the eggs in time, so we used yoghurt pots instead.  I think it made them easier to make...

What you need: 
Empty small yoghurt pot
Black paint
Black pipe cleaners (2 per spider cut into 4 pieces each)
Sticky tape
Googly eyes
Glue sticks

What we did:
After washing out the yoghurt pot, (mini faithful enjoyed 'helping' with this part of the craft almost as much as the rest!) we made sure it was dry before painting the whole of the outside (including the bottom) black.

Next we left it to dry.  Once it was dry, we stuck 4 pieces of pipe cleaner to the inside of the yoghurt pot using sticky tape, before doing this to the opposite side of the pot.  Once we had done that we used a glue stick to add two googly eyes.

Mini faithful had lots of fun playing with 'incy' the spider including helping incy up and down the water spout, before our little incy got played with by the cats... We will be making more of these at a later date, as she enjoyed making them and then playing with them so much...

Witches hat!

This is one of our many crafts to do with halloween.  Its really easy to do and doesnt involve a lot of mess...

What you need:
Black card
Glitter glue
Stickers
Sticky tape

What to do:
The first thing we did was a decorate the card with stickers, we choose purple and silver stars to decorate the card with.

We then decorated the rest of the card with silver glitter glue.  

Finally once mini faithful had finished decorating the card, and it was dry, I twisted it into a hat shape and secured with sticky tape. 

Now let the fun begin! 

Is it just me?

Picture the scene...
Me and my daughter, who is 20mths, at a playgroup. After a while of playing with the kitchen set and pushing round a dolly in a buggy, the draw to the painting table is too much.  No problem, I think, there is aprons to stop her making a mess of her clothes, so off we go.On goes the apron and the painting begins... 5 minutes later we are back to wanting to play with the dolly and buggy again.  Very impressed as on taking the apron off no paint has made it onto any of our clothes, although both sets of hands need a wash.  Off we go to wash our hands, whilst getting some soap out, squirt, some of the blue soap ends up on my white top.  This seems to happen every time we go anywhere near a crafts table whilst out and about.  For some reason at home, where there is an abundance of clothes to change into this never happens.
Having spent the rest of the playgroup self-consciously looking around at the other mums, dads, grandparents or carers I have noticed none of the others have got paint or in this case soap stains on their clothes.  Even the other children have seemed to manage not to cover themselves in the stuff.  Yet there I am with a huge blue stain on my white top.
On the way home, I began to ponder, is it just me for just needs to look at a craft table to get covered, or is there a mum or carer like it at every playgroup?
I remember my mum recalling how as a child she would constantly be embarrassed at the fact all the other children look pristine at the end of school or parties or ballet class, yet I would always come away a complete mess, covered head to toe in jelly, paint and mud.  This has made me wonder, is there a genetic disposition to being a mess, or is it a learned habit? If its a learned habit, can it be un-learned, is there hope that I can actually come away from playgroups without stains?
Actually, I have a feeling I have found another person like me, looking at my daughter, she has paint on her tights and her t-shirt....

Hand and Footprint Painting, Frog!

Well to start my new section on hand/foot print art, Ive decided to do frogs.  Hand and foot (as well as finger/toes/etc) print art is a really good way to make pictures or cards to give as presents.  They are great to do at any age or stage of development, and for the most part are very easy to do.

What you need:

Green paint (although we used blue and yellow to make green, as this adds more fun to the make.

Green tissue paper

Red and green glitter glue

Googlie eyes

What to do:

First of all we needed to mix the paint (this step is not needed if you are using green paint) we added blue and yellow paint to a plate and allowed her to mix it, to make green.

While she was entertained with mixing the paint, we made a lily pad 
shape with the tissue paper, we then stuck this to the paper (or card if making a card).

Then we painted her foot with a brush (I find this method less messy than just letting her put her foot in the paint!) and added her foot print sideways across the paper (or card if making a card), partly on top of the tissue paper lily pad.  Then we painted her hands and added these upside down on top of the footprint to make the eyes, and allowed the paint to dry.

Once dry we added glitter glue around the lily pad, and a red glitter glue smile, as well as two googlie eyes.

Seeing The World, Differently!

This is an idea that Faith completed at one of the playgroups she did, but I have modified it slightly…

What you need:

1 piece of card, we only had orange left, but it works best with black

1 piece of coloured projector paper, coloured sweet wrappers that you can see through (for the eye holes)

Scissors

Glue stick, or better if you have it PVA

Selotape

Stickers or things to decorate.

What to do:

First, we measured her head and made the glasses to fit her, ensuring the eye holes are in the right place!

Then we gave her some stickers and jewels or other decoration bits and the glue covered glasses shape for her to decorate.

Once she had finished, we left it to dry.

Once dry we used the celotape to hold the pieces of coloured projector paper in place over the eye holes.

Then the fun began  we looked at how different the world looks through the glasses and had great fun.

Other ideas

Try using different colours and talk about the differences.

Its great for identifying colours, objects and shapes.  You can also, with older cover with card and discuss how it might feel to not be able to see.

Messy Foam Play

This is an idea I came across in my day job, and thought it would transfer well to playing with little ones.  We loved playing with the different textures and generally making a mess.

What you need:

Shaving foam

Paints

Paper

Pasta and/or Rice

What to do:

We used  the highchair so that she was contained for the messy play!

Then put some shaving foam, and different coloured paints on her highchair tray so she could make a mess.

We also gave her some paper so she could make ‘pictures’ of her mess.

After she had been playing with the paints and foam for a while, we introduced some dried pasta and rice to introduce a different texture.

Other ideas

I follow a few blogs done by some friends of mine, one of them (rainy day mum) asked how others do messy play.  So I thought I would use this opportunity to say how we do messy play.  We use the highchair, when baking or doing small painting etc.  For larger messy play, water play being a great example, we use the kitchen floor.  Our kitchen floor is wipe clean and dark coloured tiles.  We do now have an issue with using the floor as we have a puppy, so painting projects on the floor are a bit of a no no.