Craft a Snowy Mobile!

        Teachers looking for new ideas to decorate a classroom in a winter play land theme could easily let their students help craft the following projects. This is a fun distraction after the Christmas break and your room may then easily transform from a Christmas theme to a winter one within just a few days!
       Craft supplies are also cheep and easy to find for this project. I've included a printable at the bottom of the post that may be used in any classroom freely.

Supply List:

• white paper plates
• hole punch
• template for circular shapes
• punches for circular shapes (optional)
• white thread or twine
• white school glue
• tray of watercolors

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut one paper plate in half and give each student a "half hill" or a "half cloud" to cut a ruffled edge to. 
2. Punch hole in the center of each cut tab. This is where the students will tie a long piece of twine or thick thread through each hole. (see photo)
3. Now cut out many small round shapes from white paper. The more circles you cut the snowier the skies get . . . 
4. Glue a front and back snow circle, sandwiching the twin between, to make a string of snow drifting through the air. The affect of the hanging snow mobiles is quite chilling one an entire class of students have aided and abetted the inclement weather!
5. To make the project stretch into more than one day, students may color in the page of sledders and snowman makers that I have included below. Alternatively, they could use their watercolor sets purchased at the beginning of the school year, to paint in the figures. The washy effect would suite the topic of snow and ice in winter.
6. After the figure have dried, cut them out and paste them on the snowy hills of butcher paper framing a bulletin board in the room.

The paper snowing mobile made from a paper plate and white typing papers.

• See also our vintage "Snow Day" paper dolls from the 1950s at my doll craft and coloring blog...

These simple drawings feature: snowmen, sleds, and children at work and play in the snow.
Students can Color, cut and them paste them directly on to a simple winter scene of a
bulletin board. Hang the snowy mobiles from the ceiling in front of the bulletin board
for special winter effects.

Valentine Printable cards, roses, bunnies and locks . . .

 Valentine printables below are for young children to print, sign, craft with. They are not intended for sale or to be redistributed by alternative websites.

"These two Bunnies, Friends of mine, Are bringing you, My Valentine." Bunnies
and hearts, (Valentines) illustrated in red, may be colored in.

"A wish-locked in this heart of mine, Says "Will you be my
Valentine? Hearts and roses with lock included.

Decoupage A Valentine Post Box

       During my own childhood, Valentine's Day was celebrated in school with ambitious dedication. Every child took great care to design a shoe box that would reflect one's superior crafting skill and every teacher would complain about the wasted time given them during school. Annually homeroom teachers would beg the art teacher or parents to take over the craft, but to no avail. Kiddom would not allow the Valentine custom to die out; the making of the mail boxes was almost equal to the "sanctity" of Santa Claus, but not quite.

Above is a traditional, Valentine mailbox
 made from a shoebox.

Supply List:

•  one shoe box
•  white butcher paper
•  scissors
•  white glue
•  Mod Podge
•  ribbon and rick rack to trim
•  Victorian scraps
•  paper clay molded angels, hearts, etc...
•  scotch tape
•  one pack of white paper clay, I prefer Model Magic for small children
•  candy mold tray, one with a Valentine theme, these may be purchased from a craft, hobby or cake decorating store.
•  tacky glue
•  soft camel-hair brush

Overlap slightly the Valentine scraps and white,
 paper clay pieces.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  Follow the simple directions on the Model Magic label.
2.  Mold as many little candy decorations with the paper clay as you wish. Let these dry for an hour after removing them from the candy mold.
3.  Cut a generous slot into the shoe box lid, this is where the letters are pushed into the Valentine mailbox.
4.  Wrap the shoebox in white butcher paper. Wrap the lid and the bottom half of the box separately. Tape down the edges of the paper with scotch tape on the interior of the box so that the wrapping will appear seamless.
5.  Now cut out your Valentine scraps. These may be downloaded and printed from a great variety of resources from across the web or purchased.
6.  Paste the pictures down to cover the surface of the shoe box.
7.  Paste the molded, Valentine motifs randomly onto the surface of the decorated box.
8.  Glue the trim around the bottom edge of the shoe box lid with tacky glue.
9.  Cover the entire outside surface of the decorated shoe box with Mod Podge using a soft, camel hair brush. Let the Valentine mailbox dry over night.

More Valentine Post Boxes:

• Annual Valentine post box competition for dolls . . . .

Craft Disney Princess Valentine Garland Using Stickers

Craft Secret Disney Princess Messages on A Valentine Or Two

Princess Tiana says, "I suppose you want a kiss?"

Princess Snow White says, "Someday my prince will come."

Princess Ariel says, "I want to be part of your world."

Craft a Disney Princess Garland

Close up of my little Disney princess garland made from
stickers and decorative papers. See really cute Disney 
themed Birthday party dress banner by Inkberry

    Students can also use medallion shaped stickers to craft simple Valentine garlands. I alternated heart cut shapes in both decorative Valentine papers and solid colored papers in pinks and red, to design this little Disney princess banner.

    Even though you may not be able to locate these particular stickers next year, you can always count on medallion type designs being sold in a hobby shop or drug store every year by big companies like Hallmark or Disney. Medallion shapes are by far the most popular graphic sold in the form of stickers to consumers. These particular stickers were sold in Walgreens drug store the year I made this design, but they are common enough to find every year...

I connected the hearts with tiny brads so that the garland could be adjusted easily to hang from
 any wall, window or counter.

More details of my sticker princess garland for Valentines Day or a Birthday party.

DIY a Praying Angel Paper Wreath

Praying angels with halos highlight this collaged wreath pasted on top of a paper plate.
Look for even more angelic crafts at our Christmas blog here.

        To make this Christmas wreath with angels, children will need the following supplies: green solid paper scraps, decorative print paper scraps, a home printer, scrap typing paper, a paper plate, the printable below, colored pencils, white school glue and twine for a hanger. 
       With this craft parents or teachers can supply young students with a random array of scrap Christmas papers or even wrapping paper to work with. It is designed to enhance a ''scrappy'' decoupage aesthetic, at little expense to those making it. It would even look neat made with newsprint I think; there is no end to the variations kids can come up with. They just need a little guidance and encouragement!

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Print and color the angel figures included below. 
• Cut them out and set them aside to decorate the wreath with later.
• Cut out the center of a paper plate to build your wreath onto. 
• Draw a simple holly shaped leaf on scrap typing paper. Once you have a shape that you like, use the leaf as a pattern to trace around. You will need many holly leafs for this wreath.
• Trace around the holly leaf on top of both patterned green Christmas papers and solid green construction papers. 
• Then cut out the leaves and also cut them in half lengthwise. 
• Now glue these onto multiple holly leaves cut from typing paper but do not cut these in half. Rotate pasting printed halves with the solid colored halves onto each holly leaf. 
• Now layer the leaves around the paper plate with glue rotating the patterns and solids as you go in one direction. Cover all of the paper plate until you can no longer see it.
• Paste the angels evenly spaced around the wreath.
• Staple on a piece of twine so that you can hang your paper wreath creation on a wall or door.

Left, the cut-out printable angels. Center, holly details. Right, the wreath when finished.

You can color the angels however you wish. Give them different colored gowns, wings and flesh.

Angel printable by kathy grimm, copyrighted materials, for home
use or classroom use by students only. Not for sale or redistribution
from alternative web pages.

 

Craft ideas for angels from Ministry-To-Children

Assemble A Paper Shoebox Nativity

       The stories about the birth of Jesus are most important to present to the children at Christmas time. We suggest, therefore, that the events which occurred at the time of the birth of God's Son be visualized in every possible way. (first publisher was by Standard) The assembly of these scenes as a handwork project is not only enjoyable, but also profitable, because 90% of our lessons are learned by "doing" them. Encourage and help your children to prepare this Nativity scene. This scene may be set up on the mantel-piece, under the tree, or on a table in the classroom. If handled with care, it can be put away with the tree ornaments from year to year. One package of dark-blue crepe paper is more than enough for the background. Attach it to the wall with blue thumbtacks or scotch tape. Paste the big star and the angels to the background. Note the one angel speaking to the shepherds on the left of the host of angels in the heavens. The whole story is presented here regardless of time. The shepherds and the Wise-men did not visit the baby Jesus upon the same night, but we can imagine them far away. Set the Wisemen as far to the right as space allows. 

       To build a stable for the paper printables below, start with a shoe box and lid. Cut two side edges horizontal of each other as shown on the right in figure 1. Paste "A" to "B," positioning the lid to hang over the front opening. Use tacky glue between the layers of cardboard and cover the sides and roof using brown paper bags or brown construction paper. Make sure to cover the open triangle shapes at either end with the layers of paper to make the stable stronger. Support the roof with two twigs, hot glue these in place with the help of an adult. (shown in figure 2.) Make a pattern for the roof a little larger than the roof. There should be about an inch more paper to hang off the roof; cut the additional paper into a fringe as seen in figure 3. Cut more paper, yellow, into shreds to include piled up about the stable for cushion; this is the straw for the animals. Figure 4. is the assembled stable.

More Nativity Crafts for Kids:

• "The Old, Old Story" Silhouettes - from Color The Bible
• Children can model their own Nativity scene! - using oven-bake clay or Sculpey
• Print color and cut a Nativity Diorama using paper creche figures from our Belznickle Blog here

The baby Jesus printable. Cut the manger from heavy brown construction
paper. Fold and paste, as directed. Cut the yellow hay on all solid lines, to
make a fringe. Fold the fringe so that it will not lie evenly; paste this to the
manger. Cut the baby from flesh colored paper. Draw his face and fold his
arms up. Paste white clothes to the baby for warmth. Lay him in the
manger, but do not paste him down if you want to lay him in his
mother's arms later.

Mary and Joseph printable. Fold on the dotted lines, cut on the solid lines.
Layer on with glue the headdress and veil for each figure. Mary is seated
Joseph is standing next to her.

The donkey and sheep printable. Cut two donkey shapes and paste these 
back-to-back; fold under the tab between the two sides so that the donkey
may be displayed in a standing position, inside of the stable. Paste two 
ears on either side of the donkey. Follow these same steps for the sheep.

The star and rays printable. Use yellow except for the center star, which is 
tin foil or perhaps white paper with glitter on top. The rays may be as long
as you wish. Paste all of these onto a piece of large blue construction paper
or poster board for the backdrop of your shoebox nativity.

The shepherd and angels printable. Bend, cut and paste according to
the directions above.

More shepherds and sheep printable. Bend and but the figure
as shown on dotted lines. Layer the pieces together. Treat the
sheep as before.

Palm tree and camel printable. Print it three times. Cut two camel shapes and
paste these back-to-back; fold under the tab between the two sides so that the
 camel may be displayed in a standing position, inside of the stable. Cut the 
solid lines of the blanket into a fringe; do the same for the palm tree leaves.

Three wise men printable. Print it three times. Layer on his 
clothing as it is illustrated on the same pattern sheet above.

The Spose Brigade

 The Spose Brigade Illustrated
by Eda Bowers Robinson

Illustration with very cute drawings.

S'pose a foot and a foot make two feet.

Does a boot and a boot make two beet?

S'pose a tooth and a tooth make two teeth.

Should a booth and a booth make two beeth?

S'ose a deer and a deer make two deer.

Could a seer and a seer make two seer?

S'pose a sheep and a sheep make two sheep.

Can a peep and a peep make two peep?

S'pose a wife and a wife make two wives.

Will a fife and a fife make tow fives?

S'pose a child and his friend find more s'poses

To add to his rhyme, 'fore it closes.

The Owl and The Bobolink

 The Owl and The Bobolink

A Bobolink trilled a roundelay.
"Halloo!" cried an owl. "That's fine!
I'd like to learn your song--if I may;
It is worth a dozen of mine!

"Folks say that my singing makes them blue;
But I practice the livelong night,
And I can't get a note beyond 'Tu-whoo,'
Though I try with all my might."

"Ha! ha!" laughed the bobolink. "Bob-o-bo-lee!
Men call me a frivolous bird;
But you are pictured from sea to sea
As wondrously wise, I've heard."

Then the bobolink laughed and laughed again,
Till his feathers shook with mirth.
"Such curious, comical creatures are men!
They're the funniest things on earth!

The Elephant Poem

The Elephant

The Elephant is very large,
And I am very small;
Though he looks down on you and me,
He is not proud at all.
You'd think a beast as big as he
Would want a monstrous chunk
Of anything to eat, but he
Eats peanuts with his trunk.
Yes, Nature is most wonderful!
Small things are vain and naughty,
When big ones love a peanut and 
Are too big to be haughty.

Lincoln Poem

 

Lincoln
I Thought I heard his voice to-day
Speak kind and low
To every one;

I thought I heard him gently say,

"With malice toward none."

I thought I heard his voice to-day

Speak kind and low

To great and small;

I thought I heard him gently say,

"With clarity for all."

This was his maxim, I am told,

His law of life,

His golden rule,

For warring states and nations bold,

Also for home and school.

by Frances Higgins.

Fire Flies

Fire Flies

by Grace Wilson Copeland

I like to chase the fire flies,

Chase them to and fro;

I like to watch them dart about,

Their little lamps aglow.

 

In the evening's twilight dim

I follow them about;

I often think I have one caught,

And then his light goes out.

 

I cannot tell just where he is

Until he winks, you see,

Then far away I see his light,

He's played a joke on me.

Turkey Patterns for The Teacher's Classroom

        Teachers and students sometimes may need a little help drawing Thanksgiving turkeys for their murals, art projects or any crafts they would like to include a friendly turkey in. Here are three restored for your imaginations!

One large turkey pattern for classroom decorations.

Two large gobblers for your classroom farmyard...