Kids Holiday Crafts - Making Pinecone Pots Kids Holiday Crafts

Kids Holiday Crafts are such fun and they love making something that can

contribute to the holiday spirit, fun and decorations. This is one of our easy Kids Holiday Crafts that that the kids will love.

This is what you will need for your kids holiday craft:

• Pinecones
• Wood stars
• 1¹/₂ Inch terra cotta pots
• Paper napkins
• Acrylic paint in the desired colors
• Thick white crafts glue
• Paint brushes

How to do this crafts:

1. Paint your pots in the desired color
2. Let them dry completely
3. Choose another color to decorate the pots, you can decorate them with stripes, or dots or any pattern you like. Use as many colors as you please.
4. Remember to rinse the brushes well before you change colors.
5. Dots can be made very easily by dipping the back of the brush in the paint and pressing it to the pot.
6. Now the paint has to dry once again.
7. Meanwhile you can paint your pine cones white.
8. Let them dry.
9. Apply a second coating of white paint.
10. Let them dry
11. Now you can paint your stars to match your pots
12. Let your stars dry well.
13. Now you have to fill your pots with crumpled paper napkins so the pine cone will fit nicely.
14. Wet the paper with lots of crafts glue
15. Neatly set the pinecone in the pots onto the wet napkins to glue it in position
16. Glue a star onto each pinecone
17. Let all the glue dry very well before you use your pots in your decorations.

Fall Kids Craft - Acorn People

This is a fun autumn craft for children, kindergarten and up. The younger the child, the more

help will be needed. Those without the fine motor skills to

draw the little faces, may enjoy directing your drawing and gluing the acorns

and leaves. 

This acorn craft makes a great companion activity to a story or poem about the mighty oak and its humble beginnings. It also is a fun activity to a lesson about the oak tree and the uses of acorns in nature (such as how squirrels gather and store them) and by American Indians and other peoples. Check with your local children's librarian for book suggestions.

Supplies

• Acorns with their caps (loose caps can be glued). The various shapes will determine the shapes of the acorn people's faces.
• Fine tip markers.
• Glue.
• Wooden clothespins: With springs or the old fashioned, wooden, duckbill type, which are slightly bigger.
• Autumn leaves: These should be small and a bit shorter than the sticks or clothespins because they will be the acorn people's dresses.
• Optional: Tiny twigs (for adding hands and feet if you choose).

Directions

Before adding the bodies, we'll first make the acorn people's faces. Here's how:

1. Check the caps on the acorns to make sure they won't easily fall off.
2. Glue any loose caps so that the acorn people can keep their hats.
3. Using fine tip markers, draw eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth.
4. Using a fine tip marker, add any other features you want, such as a moustache, glasses, etc.*
5. After adding a face to the acorn, glue the acorn to the clothespin near the top, so that none of the clothespin rises above the acorn.

*When drawing the faces, you can make the expressions as cute or silly as you like. Give each of the acorn people his or her own personality.

Variation: Children may enjoy creating the facial features with natural items such as seeds from plants gathered on a nature hike.

If you want to give your acorn people arms that stick out from the leaf dresses, use the twigs and glue to create hands with fingers and arms. Then glue onto the

craft stick or clothespin before adding the leaf.

Next, glue the leaf to the front of the acorn person's stick or clothespin body.

Pants and shirt variation:

Using the old fashioned clothespin, attach the acorn so the clothespin facing in the direction that allows the two "legs" to appear side by side. Cut out a shirt and pair of pants from a leaf. Glue them onto the clothespin.

When the acorn people are completed, the clothespin legs will help them to stand up, but it's a good idea to prop them up against something so that they will not fall over. Also, if you want these to last longer than the leaves will, coat the leaves first with a leaf preservative (many crafts stores off and online carry these).

Another fu project for kids is: Pressing Flowers. Have a look at: How To Press Flowers

Easter Eggshell Crafts for Children

After spending so much time and care coloring all those pretty Easter eggs, it seems a

shame to throw away all those shells. Here are three Easter egg shell crafts that will enable the children to keep those pretty colors in the home year round, two from cooked and colored Easter eggs and from eggs especially colored for the craft.

The first two, the eggshell vase and picture, can be easily done by children pre-school age and up, while the last one, the eggshell tulips is easiest for slightly older children because it requires finer motor skills. 

Eggshell Vase

Supplies

• Crushed Eggshells (varying colors) that have been rinsed and dried.

• Vase or bottle (glass milk bottle, juice bottle, etc.).

• Glue that dries clear, such as Elmer's non-toxic school glue.

• Large bristled art brush (inexpensive type since this is just for glue).

Directions

1. Place eggshells in a paper or plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
2. Using the brush, cover the outside of the vase with glue.
3. Apply the crushed eggshells to the surface.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Brush a coat of glue over the eggshells, allow to dry, and then brush on one more coat.

Fill with spring flowers – or the eggshell tulips described below!

Egg Shell Painting

Supplies

• Poster board or other stiff paper.

• Crushed eggshells (varying colors) that have been rinsed and dried.

• Clear drying glue (such as Elmer's non toxic school glue.)

• Large bristled art brush (inexpensive type since this is just for glue).

Directions

1. Place eggshells by color in separate bags and crush with a rolling pin.
2. Draw a picture on the poster board or paper.
3. Decide which colors you want to use where. This will be similar to painting with numbers.
4. One section at a time, paint with glue and then apply the eggshell pieces. If they are finely crushed, you can sprinkle them on.
5. After your picture has dried, hold upside down to see if any eggshells fall off, and apply more to any empty spots.

Now you have a nice, cheery picture to remind everyone of Easter, even when it's cold and gloomy out!

Egg Shell Tulips

Supplies

• Eggshell halves obtained from cracking open raw eggs to use in cooking. These should be gently washed and allowed to dry. You may want to collect them ahead of time whenever you use eggs.

• Green pipe cleaners.

• White glue or hot glue gun (for faster setting and to be used by an older child or adult only).

• Tempera paint or Easter egg dye.

Directions

1. Paint or dye the eggshell halves to resemble tulips.
2. Allow to dry.
3. Optional: Using fine tip markers or a fine tipped paint brush add details.*
4. Fold the end of a green pipe cleaner into a spiral shape.
5. Glue the spiral to the base of the tulip. Leave to dry (white glue will take a few hours to set).
6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for each tulip.

*Looking at real tulips or close-up pictures of tulips will provide inspiration for the details.

Easy Kids Crafts - Toilet Roll Binoculars

This is one of our Easy Kids Crafts that are for the really little kids. It is easy and requires very little

supplies.

What you need for this easy kids crafts:

• 2 Empty toilet rolls
• Glue
• String
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Instrument to make a hole with

How to do this easy kids craft:

1. Paint both the toilet rolls black
2. Let them dry completely
3. Pate them together to form your binoculars
4. Make holes at the top and outside of the toilet rolls
   
5. Attach the string to go around the child's neck

That's it, and I promise you, this is one of our Easy Kids Crafts that my little granddaughter of five enjoyed very much when they made them at school. Use the opportunity to explain how real binoculars work and have a pretend play where they go bird watching with their "binoculars"

Go to Amazon now and have a look at: Enchanted Fairy Garden Kit

Valentine's Day Decoupage Craft for Kids

This decoupage craft is easy for children of all ages. Its collage style lends itself well to imagination, and the box can be filled with a Valentine's gift such as candies, heart shaped cookies, a plush toy animal, candles or "I love you" notes. You might even want to decorate the box to match what you tuck inside or vice versa.

Supplies

• Scissors: Small, sharp school scissors or for young children, round tip safety scissors.

• White glue that dries clear or Modge Podge Decoupage finish (gloss or matt.

• Cardboard box: This could be a recycled gift box, but it should be sturdy. Cardboard hat boxes (round), heart shaped boxes and other sturdy boxes can be found at inexpensive prices at many online crafts stores, as well as offline at large chain stores, such as Michaels.

• Pictures: These can be cut out from magazines, Valentine's cards, gift wrap and from computer print outs. You could use your Paint program to create lettering or designs (like big red hearts). Printed photographs could also be used. Depending on the type of design, you may also want other materials such as doilies.

• Large art brush (for spreading glue).

Before we get started with the directions here are some various designs that could be used for the box. These may help you to think of some of ideas of your own, or you may want to use one of these as is. When you make your box you will be working with pictures, words and/or designs you have cut out. You will be gluing these on like a collage, so keep this in mind while considering your theme.

Puppy Love: This would be a cute Valentine's Day theme for someone who loves dogs or puppies, and who can resist an adorable puppy? You could create a collage of puppy pictures, or you could cover the box with say all pink paper and then add two adorable puppies to the center. Then cut out letters to spell "Puppy Love." Remember, you can cut out letters from magazines, cards or pages printed off the computer.

Victorian Hearts & Lace: In the Victorian style, lots of tiny designs are used, such as romantic flowers, hearts and cupids. For lace, you could use scarps of real lace, lace ribbon or pieces cut from doilies. To get an idea of the Victorian styles, search online for "Victorian Valentines Day Cards" or even "Victorian Decorating." This is a very romantic style.

Flower Power: Get in the groove with this 1960's design. Decorate your box with bright colors like lime green and pink and pictures of mod flowers (like the ones that decorate the Scooby Do gangs van), big hearts and words like "Love" in 60s style lettering. You can find lots of images and ideas online.

Directions

1. Cut out your pictures and letters. You may want to lay them out in front of you to experiment with design ideas, or you may want to create as you go along.

2. One at a time, use the brush to smooth the glue or Mod Podge onto the back of the picture and adhere to the box. Depending on how you want this to look you may want to have some pictures upside down and at different angles, instead of all right side up. When you press each picture to the box, smooth it out so there aren't air bubbles and so that it lies nice and flat. You can have everything overlapping so that none of the box shows, or you can leave spaces. It all depends on the design you want.

3. Continue gluing your pictures and lettering to the box until all the sides, the top of the lid and the sides of the lid are covered. You don't need to do the inside or bottom.

4. Using the brush, dab on the glue or Modge Podge. (If you brush it on with long strokes, the brush strokes will show when it dries.) After this application dries, apply one or two more.

Now, you have a lovely Valentine's box!

Creating with Fimo Acrylic Clay

Fimo is a polymer non-toxic clay that is found in mostly craft stores that is safe and easy to work. It is a clay that is available in many bright colors; making it a great craft material for kids and adults alike.  Creating with Fimo Acrylic Clay is a book filled with collection of 25 projects using Fimo, for ages 11 up.

There are at least three different projects described in each chapter, for a total of more than twenty-five. The illustrations and instructions are clear, and the lists of tools and clay amounts needed is precise.

In this book you will find Lots of creating with Fimo clay ideas:

• Step-by-step instructions describing how to create necklaces, earrings, pins, and more.
• Techniques used include stenciling and marbling.
• General information on the use of Fimo acrylic clay, including colors, tips on working with the clay, baking it, amounts needed, and tools and accessories needed for the projects.
• Five chapters that give instructions in a different technique — cookie cutting, stencil cutting, marbling, petal discing, and hand-building with Fimo clay.
  

  

Elephants, clowns, watermelons, roses – it’s easy and fun to create them all with this clay.

Step-by-step instructions show kids how easy it is to make earrings, necklaces, pins, barrettes and more from brightly colored acrylic clay.

The easy to read layout and simple to follow illustrations make this book enjoyable for most age levels, however please note that a kitchen knife is needed for most projects so use caution when necessary.

Clay crafts are a great way for family fun, quiet play, and more.

Creating with Fimo Acrylic Clay (Kids Can Do It)

Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter

Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter is ideal for someone that wants to try a hand on a variety of crafts. Your kid can be exposed to a wide variety of crafts. The young crafter can learn the essentials of crocheting, embroidering, and sewing in one awesome kit. With Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter you will be able to keep your kid budy with beginner crafts for quite a while. Add this to the mosaic crafts for beginners and some beginners scrapbooking and any homeschooler can be doing crafts for quite a while.

The  Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter set won the Family Fun magazine Best Toys of the Year Award and Parents’ Choice Approved Award, so you know it is a good set to get for your kid.

The  Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter includes materials and instructions to make a stuffed dog, coin purse, felt brooch, embroidered bandana, wall hanging, sewing pouch, hair ribbon, bracelets and a scarf. Wow! That will keep for quite a while.

The activities in  Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter encourage a child’s imagination and learning development. It is a great kit for one child or a small group alike.

The Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter is a great introduction to several basic tasks appropriate for young girls. With this kit a little girl will learn all the basic techniques for all the “sewing and yarn” crafts that girls very often love. So with this Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter a little girl will have many hours of happy crafting. (Do not leave the boys out, they may enjoy it as well!)

Have a look at some of the reviews you can find on the Amazon site:

First of all, the craft projects are separately packaged with very clear directions, so it’s easy for my 7 year-old daughter to chose which one she wants to do. The materials are colorful and durable. The rounded chest itself is also impressive. It’s a keeper. I’ve purchased several Alex craft products and I recommend them as a company. This product is one of our favorites

I bought this for my very art and crafty daughter (9) and its pretty neat. Lots of needles though so for sure one has got to be careful – but she likes it a lot

our 10 year old granddaughter loves this product and is carrying it everywhere. It is a well made box, with so many items on the inside that it keeps her fascinated!

So, Go Now And Have A Look At Alex Toys Happily Ever Crafter