Memorial Day Craft Ideas!

 Memorial Day Craft Ideas!

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and your kids can join in the celebration with these patriotic crafts designed just for them! These fun activities are a hands-on way to begin a discussion on the importance of Memorial Day and why we celebrate the men and women who have served in our armed forces.

Hanging Star Streamers

Great to use as door hangers and window decorations, your kids can proudly display these at home or at school.

What You Need:
Popsicle Sticks (Red and Blue or paint your own)
Ribbon (Red, White, and/or Blue in the pattern of your choosing)
Scissors
Tissue Paper (Red and Blue, cut into small strips)
Glue (glue pen preferred for young children)
Embellishments (buttons, sequins, stickers, glitter, pom-poms, etc.)

1.Glue your popsicle sticks together in the shape of a star. You will need five sticks per star. Start by making an upside down "V" with two of the sticks. At each end point of this upside down "V," glue the end point of an additional stick so that these next two overlapping sticks form an "X" shape over the top of the upside down "V." Finally, glue a horizontal stick across the top two end points on the "X." Make sure all of your popsicle sticks are attached to each other by their end points. To add stability, put a bit of glue in the extra places where the popsicle sticks overlap.

2.Cut your tissue paper into strips of your desired length and glue them to the back of your star so that they hang down from different points.

3.To make your hanger, cut a small loop of ribbon, and glue both ends of the ribbon to the top point of the star.

4.Once the glue has dried on your streamers and ribbon, glue your embellishments on the front of your star. Let the star dry, and display wherever you wish!

Star Bubble Wands

What You Need:
Small Star Cookie Cutter
Pipe Cleaners (Red, White, and Blue colors)
Craft Beads (Red, White, Clear, and/or Blue colors)
Bubble Solution
Small Dish

1.Wrap a pipe cleaner around the star cookie cutter, making sure to fit it tightly into all the grooves. Leave a little excess cleaner at the end to close off the star. The remaining length of pipe cleaner is your wand handle.

2.String the handle with beads. Then bend the end of the handle and roll it into a ball to hold the beads in place.

3.If your star has lost a bit of its shape at this point, simply place it around the cookie cutter again and re-tighten its shape.

4.Now pour your bubble solution into a dish, and use your star wand as you would any other bubble wand! 

Make these wands in any color or shape for all kinds of occasions!

Dot-Painted American Flag

A spin on traditional flag painting, this quick and easy craft utilizes pom-poms instead of paintbrushes.

What You Need:
Clothespins
Plain White Index Cards (use 5" x 8" for larger flags)
Small Pom-Poms
Acrylic Paint (Red, White, and Blue colors)

1.You will need three clothespins. Each clothespin will clamp onto a pom-pom. Make sure enough of the pom-pom is exposed to properly dip it into the paint. Use each pom-pom to dip into a different paint color.

2.Dot the top left corner of your index card with blue paint to make a solid square.

3.Using your red paint, dot evenly spaced horizontal lines stretching from one end of the card to the other. Do this from the top to the bottom of the card.

4.Once your blue paint has dried, make several rows (however many you can fit) of evenly spaced white dots on top of your blue square.

5.Now you have an American flag! Glue it onto a popsicle stick, and display it proudly!

Canvas Silhouette

 

what you'll need:

·         blank canvas

·         two colors of  acrylic  paint

·         one full sheet label

·         foam paintbrush and or foam paint roller

·         profile photo of your subject

Here are the steps:

1. Paint the canvas. (This is the color that you want the actual silhouette to be Ex: White in photo)

2. Print the photo on the label sheet

3. Cut out the silhouette.

4. When the canvas is dry, stick the photo label on the canvas. (Make sure the edges stick really well, so your silhouette is well defined.)

5. Paint over top of label with the second color. (The color you want framing the silhouette ex: blue in photo)

6. Remove the label

7. Wait for the canvas to dry. Touch up any blobby areas with a fine-tipped brush.

 

Rainbow Name Activity

Your children will have so much fun working on name recognition with this drip painting rainbow name activity this spring! The vibrant rainbow colors will have your children recognizing the letters in their name in no time!

 

MATERIALS needed FOR RAINBOW NAME ACTIVITY:

·                 Paint

·                 Dropper

·                 Heavy Card Stock

·                 Recycled Cereal Cardboard

·                 Scissors

 

Skills Used:

·         Using the dropper is also working on the same muscles needed for handwriting.

·         Letter Recognition

Directions:

Step 1: Find the perfect location for this hands on project. Face it we all know this project is going to be messy and fun. Outdoors is best but if you plan to do this indoors ...you can lay out newspaper on the desks.

Step 2: Discuss with your children the letters of their names, have the children draw the letters of their names on the recycled cardboard. Be sure to make the first letter uppercase and the following letters lowercase. This is of great importance for kindergarten readiness. 

Step 3: Cut out the letters of each child's name and have them lay them out onto the white card stock in the correct order. Add more sheets of card stock for longer names.

Tip: if they need help putting their name in the correct order you can write their names out for them on a separate piece of paper and have them match it up with yours.

Step 4: Take the dropper and add the colors of the rainbow. Make the colors by adding a few drops of the paint into a small cup of water.

Tip: if you paint from the top down you will create the rainbow effect!

One by one use the colors to drop on the paper. The higher the you hold the dropper the smaller the drop. You might want to have the kids test it out on another sheet of card stock before you start... so they can get used to the technique of dropping paint. 

Tip: Make sure the children go around the edge of the letters so they stand out more. you can have them go around the letters with a cotton swab to make more of an outline of each letter.

Step 5: Once the paint is dry have the children remove the letters from their paper. Now its time to display their piece of art n the classroom or have them frame it and take it home.