Getting Crafty

Family Tree Crafts Enchanted Learning Software’s
Family Tree
More Ki’ds Crafts
Make a child’s family tree from a small tree branch and construction paper.

You can acquaint your child with their ancestry by making this simple and pretty family tree.

Supplies needed: Sky blue and green construction paper
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Some yarn
A hole punch
Styrofoam or paper cup
A lump of play dough or other clay
Glue stick

Find a twig with many branches.
Put a lump of clay in the bottom of a paper or styrofoam cup. Insert the twig securely so that it remains upright.

Cut out big leaves from the green construction paper. Each leaf will represent a person in the child’s family and should be big enough to write that person’s name on the leaf. Cut enough leaves for each of the child’s siblings, parents, and grandparents (or more!).
Write the name of each person on their leaf. You might want to include the relative’s relationship to the child, like “Grandma Joan Smith.” Punch a hole on the end of each leaf.

Tie the leaves to the tree. The child’s generation goes at the top of the tree, the parents at the second level, and the grandparents at the bottom.
For an alternative project, use photos, and paste them on the leaves. Or use cut-outs of leaves, fruit (like apples), and/or flowers to represent the people.

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Make a child’s family tree from construction paper.

Your child can make a simple but pretty family tree and learn about family’s heritage.

Supplies needed: Sky blue and green construction paper
Crayons, tempera paint, or markers
Scissors
Glue stick

Draw a large tree with many branches.
Cut out leaves from the green construction paper or use leaf rubbings that you cut out.
Each leaf will represent a person in the child’s family and should be big enough to write that person’s name on the leaf. Cut enough leaves for each of the child’s siblings, parents, and grandparents (or more!).

Write the name of each person on their leaf. You might want to include the relative’s relationship to the child, like “Grandma Joan Smith.”

Glue the leaves to the tree. Put the child’s generation at the top of the tree, the parents at the second level, and the grandparents at the bottom.
A reader from Alaska wrote to say that she and her son added extra leaves for local animals (birds, wolves, moose and bears). She also suggested using leaf-rubbings instead of plain construction paper leaves!

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This is a fun project that can be created in a multitude of designs.
Parental supervision is recommended.

This project is rated AVERAGE to do.

What You Need

White craft foam sheet
Green craft foam sheet
Craft foam sheets in multiple colors
2 liter pop bottle
Clear plastic lanyard (Rexlace)
4 pieces of Purple ribbon (1″ wide x 18″ long)
4 pieces of Yellow ribbon (1″ wide x 18″ long)
Scissors
Pen
Hole Punch
Low temp hot glue gun or “the welder” glue
Fishing swivel hook

How To Make It
Note: You may need a friend to help you hold the craft foam in place while marking and punching holes in the bottle.

Cut 2 liter bottle near the bottom where it begins to curve inward.
Wash and dry 2 liter pop bottle.
Hole punch down the short side of the craft foam, about 2″ apart.
Take a sheet of green craft foam and wrap around bottle, matching to cut end of bottle. (Note: Put punched edge on top)
Mark holes with pen where holes are located.
Remove from bottle and hole punch other short side that is marked.
Cut a long string of Rexlace.
Wrap green craft foam around bottle, matching hole punches.
Tie a double knot in one end of the Rexlace.
Thread the Rexlace starting at the bottom (near the neck of the bottle) through about 3 holes.
Mark the remaining holes on to the bottle (under the craft foam).
Remove the craft foam.
Carefully using the scissors, punch holes where marked on the bottle.
Slide craft foam back on to the bottle.
Lace the Rexlace through the two layers of craft foam and the bottle. Double knot at the end. Cut off excess Rexlace.
Cut out the fence out of white craft foam sheet. Glue on to the green sheet.
Cut out bugs, flowers, and any shapes desired out of the different colors of craft foam.
Glue the shapes together and then on to the windsock.
Hole punch 8 holes, evenly spaced, around the bottom (neck end) of the windsock.
Tie a knot on one end of a piece of ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the back of the windsock.
Repeat for the rest of the ribbon, alternating colors around the windsock.
Punch 4 holes in the top of the windsock. Note each pair of two should be across from each other.
Cut 2 pieces of Rexlace about 2 feet long.
Tie a double knot in one end of a piece of Rexlace. Thread the Rexlace from the inside to the outside.
Then lace the Rexlace from the outside to the inside of the opposite hole. Tie in a double knot on the inside.
Repeat for other piece of Rexlace in remaining two holes.
Attach a swivel fishing hook to the loops.
Hang and enjoy your windsock!

windsock

Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

The children may wish to decorate the pinwheels with tiny stickers before assembling them.
Parental supervision is recommended due to the straight pins!

This project is rated EASY to do.

What You Need

To make 1 pinwheel:

Colored or Clear Tabbed plastic file folder, letter size
Ruler
Thin line marker
Scissors
Needle
Straight Pin
Unsharpened pencil with eraser
Dime

How To Make It

Note: You can make about 8 pinwheels from one folder.
If short side of the folder is closed, try popping open the end. Lie the folder out flat.
Mark and cut a 4 1/2″ square out of the plastic file folder.
Place the dime in the middle of the square. Trace around it.
Cut diagonally from one corner towards the opposite corner. Stop cutting when you reach the mark you made from the dime.
Repeat for following 3 corners.
You now have 4 cut sections.
Take the needle and push through the very center of the pinwheel, coming from the back of the pinwheel. (Do not push the needle all the way through, it will hold the points of the pinwheel)
Take the right corner of the first section and bend to the middle of the pinwheel. Push over the needle to hold.
Take one corner of the NEXT section and bend the right corner to the middle of the pinwheel. Push over the needle to hold.
Repeat for other two sections.
Remove from needle, carefully holding the sections together.
Push the straight pin through the front of the pinwheel completely through the back.
Push the pinwheel into the eraser of the pencil. Let the pinwheel loosen up between the corners and the back. Blow on the pinwheel and watch it spin.
Note: Please watch the children with the straight pins!

FOR MORE GREAT SPRING IDEAS PLEASE VISIT: KIDSDOMAIN

pinwheels, stickers

These beautifully vibrant butterflies are a great way to welcome spring! Suspend them from the ceiling with fishing line, or make several and attach to a paper plate mobile.

Age
3 and up

This project is rated EASY to do.

What You Need

½ black chenille stem
Paper coffee filter
Water color paints
Paint brush
Water
How To Make It

Flatten the coffee filter and place it on a plate or newspaper, the paint and water will soak through. Set aside on paper towels to dry.
Fold the chenille stem in half. Remember, you are only using half of a chenille stem to begin with.
Fold the coffee filter accordion style, in about ½” pleats.
Position the pleated coffee filter into the bent end of the chenille stem. Center the filter at the bend.
Twist the chenille stem around the filter to secure it in place.
Bend the tips of the chenille stems over about ¼” to create the antennae.
Fan out the butterfly wings.
If desired, hang with yarn or fishing line.

Helpful Hints
For a more vibrant butterfly, be sure to paint all white areas with paint.
Tie a piece of fishing line around the “neck” and suspend from the ceiling. They will look like they are flying!
Instead of using all the colors on one filter, make some with warm colors (red, yellow, orange) and some with cool colors (blue, green, purple).

FOR MORE GREAT FAMILY CRAFTS PLEASE VISIT: KIDSDOMAIN

butterflies, coffee filter, FAMILY CRAFTS

These adorable tiny flower gardens are a great gift for Mother’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, birthdays, or just to celebrate springtime.
Age
4 and up
This project is rated EASY to do.

What You Need

Baby food jar with lid
Small silk flowers
Rolling pin
White craft glue or hot glue gun
Green play dough or green modeling clay (you can use our homemade play dough below)

What You Need

If using the homemade play dough, follow recipe instructions below.
Roll out the play dough or clay with rolling pin.
Using the mouth of the jar as a cookie cutter, cut out a circle. If you use the lid as the cookie cutter you will not be able to close your jar when the time comes.
Glue the play dough or clay into the lid.
Stick flowers into the dough or clay. If using play dough, set lids aside to dry and harden over night.
Screw the lid onto the jar, carefully inserting the flowers into the jar.
Decorate the lid however you like. (We used a scrap of felt then tied a piece of ribbon on.)

Play dough recipe:
1 cup Flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup Salt
1 cup warm Water
1 teaspoon Oil
Food coloring

Helpful Hints
Modeling clay is inexpensive and can be found at most craft stores in a variety of colors.
Check the clearance racks for silk flowers, and look for flower arrangements at the dollar store as well.
As an option, you can use toothpicks for stems and foam flower cutouts if you prefer.

FOR MORE GREAT CRAFT IDEAS PLEASE VISIT: KIDSDOMAIN

Mother’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, birthdays

Spring is in the air and it is time to spruce up the house and get ready for the season. What a better way then to add some home made crafts to brighten up the home. This week we will be going over some easy spring craft ideas that can be done with the whole family.

If you have any great ideas then please pass them on to me. I would love to have some fresh exciting ideas to share with everyone.