Category Archives: Craft Ideas

Craft Ideas

Gingerbread Man Paper Bag Puppet Craft

Happy Saturday! Today is a great day to spend some time with your family and create something unique together!

Check out this activity:

gingerbread paper bag puppet craft image collage with the words gingerbread man puppet craft in the middle
Gingerbread Man Paper Bag Puppet Craft

What You Need:

  • Craft paper
  • Colored card stock (in pink, red, green and yellow)
  • White card stock
  • Black marker
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick (this one has the strongest hold)
  • Brown paper bag
  • Gingerbread man template OR your own Gingerbread man with pencil and paper

Directions:

Download the gingerbread man template, print and cut out the pieces.

Glue the circle buttons to the middle of the gingerbread man body.

hand gluing buttons to paper bag gingerbread craft

Use the black marker to draw four small circles on the circle buttons you just glued on to make it look more like a real button.

hand drawing button holes on to paper bag gingerbread craft

Glue the icing details on the end of the arms and the legs. Use the scissors to cut the excess ends off.

hand gluing icing decorations to paper bag gingerbread craft

hands trimming paper bag gingerbread man craft

Position the gingerbread man’s hair and the top of his circle head and glue into place.

hand gluing icing hair to paper bag gingerbread craft

Glue the eyes just below the hair.

hand gluing eyes to paper bag gingerbread craft

Place the pink circle cheeks below the eyes and glue in place.

hand gluing cheeks to paper bag gingerbread craft

Use the black marker again to draw a smile between the two pink cheeks.

hands drawing a smile on paper bag gingerbread man craft

If you’re making a girl gingerbread, glue the bow onto the top of her head. If you’re making a boy gingerbread, glue the bow to the top of his body piece.

hand gluing bow to paper bag gingerbread craft

Glue the completed gingerbread body to the lower part of the brown paper bag.

hand gluing body onto paper bag gingerbread craft

Glue the completed head to the flap of the brown paper bag.

hand gluing head to paper bag gingerbread craft

Isn’t this one of the cutest and simplest Christmas crafts for kids?

We just love how cute they turned out!

Craft Ideas

Sparkly Snowflake Craft

Happy Saturday! Today is a great day to spend some time with your family and create something unique together!

Check out this activity:

Sparkly Snowflake Craft for Kids

What You Need:

  • popsicle sticks (4 sticks per snowflake)
  • hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • white glue
  • sequins, buttons, glitter, or jewels
  • Dabber Dot Markers

Directions:

  • To get started I pre-glued four popsicle sticks together to make a snowflake using a hot glue gun.
  • Then the kids decorated the popsicle sticks with their Dabber Dot Markers. After the marker dried, the kids covered their snowflakes with white glue and then started adding sparkles!
  • To contain the mess with my larger preschool group we used a big container so that the kids could shake the sparkles onto the snowflakes without getting them all over the floor.
  • Once all of our sequins were used, kids could just grab a handful from the big container and sprinkle them on their snowflakes.
  • After the glue dried, kids would shake their snowflakes to get rid of any loose sequins.
  • Once the snowflakes were finished, we added a ribbon loop to them using a hot glue gun and then they were ready to be hung on a Christmas tree or door of window or wherever.
Craft Ideas

Easy Snowflake Craft

Happy Saturday! Today is a great day to spend some time with your family and create something unique together!

Check out this activity:

easy snowflake crafts for kids mosaic design
EASY SNOWFLAKE CRAFT

What You Need:

Equipment
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Pom poms
  • Colored Paint
  • Plate
Materials
  • Blue and White Card
  • Colored Scrap Paper
  • White Rice
  • Tissue Paper

Directions:

  • Print off as many copies of the snowflake template as you need OR create your own snowflake with pencil and paper.
  • For a mosaic snowflake cut your scrap paper into shapes, put glue on the inside of your snowflake and glue on the scrap paper pieces.
  • For a scrunched paper snowflake put glue on the snowflake and then tear and scrunch your tissue paper to decorate it.
  • For a pom pom printed snowflake put blue and white paint onto a plate and then dip your pom pom into it, dabbing the paint onto the snowflake template to decorate it.
  • For a rice decorated snowflake put glue onto your template and then sprinkle rice onto it.

Craft Ideas

No-Sew Sock Snowman Craft

Happy Saturday! Today is a great day to spend some time with your family and create something unique together!

Check out this activity:

DIY No-Sew Sock Snowman Craft for Kids and Grownups. Such a fun DIY Gift Idea
No-Sew Sock Snowman Craft

What You Need:

  • 1 white sock
  • 1 sock in color for the hat
  • rice
  • rubber bands (or thread)
  • colorful buttons
  • ribbons
  • glue gun
  • markers or paint
  • orange pom poms

Directions:

Start by filling your white sock with rice. You will need a hefty amount (we were quite surprised to see how much rice can go into one sock).

Once you are happy with the amount (and size) of your sock snowman tie the top with the rubber band.

Take another rubber band and place in the middle – more to the upper side – of the rice filled sock to form the head shape.

Step 3

Now glue the buttons to the bottom side by using a glue gun (glue dots do a fairly good job too).

Draw the mouth and eyes with a black marker or with black paint.

We also added pink cheeks (Crayola washable paints were great for the job). We made the nose out of two orange pom poms – turned out amazing.

Add a ribbon for the scarf – we fount that glue dots and glue gun work best for ribbons, while other glues kind of fail miserably. You can cut off excess white sock (or you can tuck it in the hat we will be making next).

Cut the colored  sock (we cut the foot part, without heel). Roll it a bit and place it on the head of your snowman. You can leave it as it is or you can secure it with some glue.

This sock snowman is ready to rock.

Craft Ideas

Family Gratitude Pumpkin

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

Thanksgiving Grateful Idea
Family Gratitude Pumpkin

What You Need:

  • Pumpkin (real or faux)
  • 2-2.5’ long ribbon
  • Sharpie Marker
  • Scissors

Directions:

  • Start by cleaning your pumpkin, and allow it to dry.
  •  Next, you’ll need a 2-2.5’ long ribbon to tie around the stem.
  • Then write on the pumpkin what you are thankful for.
Craft Ideas

DIY Dollar Store Burlap Fall Wreath

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

This Fall wreath was really easy and cheap to make! I picked up the supplies at the Dollar store and hand cut the leaves in colors to match our home decor. It turned out so cute!
DIY DOLLAR STORE BURLAP FALL WREATHS

What You Need:

  • Straw Wreath or Pool Noodle or Foam Wreath
  • Burlap Ribbon
  • Cut Out Embellishments or Free Printable (You have to sign up with the bloggers mailing list)
  • Glass Head Sewing Pins

Directions:

  • Gather supplies.
  • Wrap the straw wreath with the burlap fabric.
  • Pin the ends of the ribbon to the straw wreath.
  • Cut the free printable or your own embellishment by hand or use a Cricut.
  • Use push pins to attach flowers or bats and moon to the wreath.
  • Add ribbon and hang anywhere in your home!
Craft Ideas

Handprint Fall Ornaments

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

Handprint Pumpkin Fall Salt Dough Ornaments
Handprint Pumpkin Fall Salt Dough Ornaments

What You Need:

  • 1 cup of warm water AND 1 tablespoon of warm water
  • 1 cup of salt AND 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour plus extra AND 2 tablespoons of salt
  • orange and green food coloring
  • orange acrylic paint
  • cotton ball

Directions:

  • In one bowl, combine the cup of warm water and orange food coloring. In another bowl, combine the tablespoon of warm water and green food coloring. Add as much food coloring to achieve the color that you want.
Salt, Flour, and Food Coloring
  • Add the salt to the colored waters. Stir thoroughly until some of the salt begins to dissolve.
Orange Water and Salt
  • Slowly mix the flour into the salt water mixtures. Use a silicone spatula for easier stirring.
Stirring in the Flour to the Orange Salt Water
Making Green Salt Dough
  • The salt dough will be rather sticky. Kneed the dough with your hands, adding extra flour until the dough becomes firm but neither crumbly nor sticky. If you plan to continue your project later, place the dough in an airtight container for up to a few days. Form the salt dough into a ball.
Ball of Orange Salt Dough
Ball of Green Salt Dough
  • Place a ball of orange salt dough onto a piece of waxed paper. Use a rolling pin to carefully roll the dough ball flat.
Rolling Out the Orange Salt Dough Ball
  • Roll a small piece of green salt dough into a cylinder. Moisten one end of the cylinder with water. Stick the green piece onto the flattened orange ball to form the pumpkin stem. Carefully roll the green cylinder as flat as the orange section.
Adding a Green Stem to the Orange Salt Dough
  • Use a pin to prick many small air holes on the back of the salt dough pumpkin.
Pricking the Back of the Salt Dough with a Pin
  • Carefully flip the salt dough pumpkin over onto a greased baking sheet. Remove the wax paper.
Flipping the Salt Dough Pumpkin Over
  • Press your handprints and/or footprints into the salt dough.
Adding Footprints and Handprints to the Salt Dough Pumpkin
  • Use a pin or knife to inscribe the pumpkin with the year or any other information. Also poke a hanging hole through the dough near the top.
Adding the Date to the Salt Dough Pumpkin
  • Preheat the oven to 250º. If you have a convection oven, use the convection setting. Bake your salt dough pumpkin ornament until the surface of the dough begins to brown slightly. Remove the baked salt dough ornaments from the oven. The dough will continue to harden during cooling. Allow the ornaments to cool completely.
Baked Salt Dough Pumpkin
Baked Salt Dough Pumpkins
  • Once the salt dough pumpkins cool, use a cotton ball to spread a thin layer of acrylic paint on your hands and/or feet. Press the paint prints into the prints on the salt dough pumpkin. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly.
Adding Acrylic Paint Prints to the Pumpkins
  • Seal the pumpkin fall salt dough ornaments with a clear protective enamel spray.
Wall of Salt Dough Ornaments
  • Hang the finished pumpkin ornaments on your wall to enjoy. Happy autumn!
Craft Ideas

String Art Pumpkin

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

This pumpkin string art project is such a simple craft to make and will add the perfect pop of fall to your table or mantel!
String Art Pumpkin: A Fun Fall Project

What You Need:

  • wood
  • paint or stain
  • sand paper (optional)
  • small wire brad nails
  • hammer
  • embroidery thread
  • scissors
  • pumpkin template

Directions:

  • Start by painting or staining your piece of wood. If you want a more distressed look, sand the edges a little with sandpaper after the paint has dried.
  • Print out a pumpkin template that is roughly the same size as the piece of wood. You can find free clipart shapes by using Google or if you have a Cricut or Silhouette, you can design your template in the software program and print it out.
This pumpkin string art project is such a simple craft to make and will add the perfect pop of fall to your table or mantel!

  • Place the template on top of the wood and start hammering in the nails. Hammer the nails right through the paper using the lines on the template as a guide. Make sure not to hammer them in too far, about halfway down works well, and space them evenly throughout.
This pumpkin string art project is such a simple craft to make and will add the perfect pop of fall to your table or mantel!

  • After all the nails are in place, pull up the paper template to reveal your pumpkin design.
  • Take one end of the embroidery thread and tie it in a knot around one of the nails. Start the stringing process by wrapping the thread around each nail, going up, down, across, or diagonal. Continue this process until the pumpkin shape is filled with string. Tie off the end to a nail and trim any excess with scissors.
This pumpkin string art project is such a simple craft to make and will add the perfect pop of fall to your table or mantel!

  • Using brown thread, I repeated the stringing steps to create the stem. Get creative with your string art – use different colors or even create a pattern with the string by zig zagging back & forth. So many possibilities!
This pumpkin string art project is such a simple craft to make and will add the perfect pop of fall to your table or mantel!

Craft Ideas

Puffy Ghost Halloween Craft

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

Hanging Puffy Ghosts
Puffy Ghost Halloween Craft 

What You Need:

  • Cardstock paper
  • Elmer’s liquid school glue
  • Cotton balls
  • Black construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Optional: Black yarn

Directions:

1. Draw your own ghost or download this puffy ghost template from the original post. (You will be asked to join her mailing list)

2. Cut out the ghost(s). If your kid is the one doing the cutting, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. The ghost will be covered up by cotton balls anyway!

Puffy-Ghost-Cut-Out-Template

3. Glue the cotton balls on the ghost. 

Puffy Ghost Glue Cotton Balls On

4. Cut out eyes and mouth for the ghost from the black construction paper.

5. Glue the eyes and mouth on the ghost.

Puffy Ghost Cotton Balls on Black
Happy Puffy Ghost on Black

6. Optional: Tape a piece of black yarn on the back of the ghosts and hang them up on your wall or doorknobs!

Puffy Ghosts on Doorknob

 

Craft Ideas

Fall Snow Globe

Happy Saturday! For our kids, and all you 9-5ers, this is the best day of the week. It feels like you have so much time, making it the perfect day for family fun!

Check out this activity:

Who says snow globes are just for winter?? This Falling Leaves Sensory Bottle is a cute and easy Fall kids craft or decor idea!
Autumn Snow Globe

What You Need:

  • Large Mason Jar
  • Glycerin
  • Fall Foil Leaf Confetti
  • Tree Branch (from your backyard)
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Water

Directions:

  • Collect a small tree branch or twig from your yard. Make sure it’s clean, without peeling pieces of bark that might cloud up your bottle.
  • Trim the tree branch to fit inside your mason jar. Test to make sure that it fits (with the lid closebefore attaching with glue.
  • Once you have the size you need then add a generous drop of hot glue on the middle of the bottom side of your mason jar lid. Place your tree branch in the middle of the glue and hold until it is set.
  • Glue leaves to the twig and allow to set until all the glue is completely dry.
  • Fill mason jar with water (if using a quart jar this will be about 4 cups), then add the glycerin (I used a little over ½ cup).
  • Stir with a spoon then add a handful of the confetti to the jar. Swirl again with spoon and if the confetti immediately sinks to the bottom then add more glycerin.
  • Place the twig carefully down into the water and twist on the lid tightly. You can glue it to make sure it stays in place.