Fun Things: Play Dough

Play dough is a classic childhood toy everyone can have fun with, and it's so easy to make at home you'll never buy that stinky store variety again.

Basic ingredient ratios:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)
Food Coloring (liquid, powder, or unsweetened drink mix)
Scented oils
*Once all ingredients are accounted for, mix them all together in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stop mixing when the mixture has a play dough consistency. Let the homemade play dough cool down and then it is ready to be played with!


**Original from http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/

Making play dough was a great experience! I think I enjoyed it just as much if not more than the kids. It was inexpensive and definitely not time consuming. Once you have all the ingredients together and mixed together under a medium heat, it starts to form itself into play dough. The rest of the craft is just enjoying the fun of watching the kids play with the play dough and playing with them! :)

Mother's and Father's Day Mosaic

Overview: This was something that was done in an advanced high school art class. It was one of my favorite things I've ever done and was very time consuming but I adored it so much I had to share. Although this probably cannot be performed in an elementary level, it can be an inspiration for an easier/modified version.

Materials: 

1. Clay 
2. Glaze
3. Tiles
4. Glass
5. Mirror
6. Glass cutting tools
7. Grout
8. Hard board 
9. Picture
10. Scratch tool 
11. Paint 
12. Butterfly stencil
13. Letter stencils
14. Caulk/Caulk gun

Steps: 

1. Design tiles using the clay and glaze.
2. Cut the glass into the shapes desired. 
3. Caulk the tiles and picture onto the board. 
4. Grout the tiles. 
5. Paint the back of the board.

Turkey Headbands

Overview: This craft was done in a kindergarden classroom the day before Thanksgiving. It is easy and fun and all of the students loved their headbands!

Materials:

1. Sentence strip paper
2. A blank piece of paper with the pre designed feathers, gobble, and beak. 
3. Crayons
4. Stapler
5. Scissors

Steps: 

1. Direct the students to color the feathers, gobble, and beak. 
2. Have the students cut out the feathers, gobble, and beak. 
3. Staple the pieces onto the sentence strip. 
4. Size the strip for each student and staple it. 
5. Show off your cool new Turkey Headband. :) 

Pom Pom Caterpillars

Overview: This craft was done in a pre-k classroom. It is one that can be done with students in pre-k or kindergarden. The students learned about scenery and patterns while doing this craft. This is a craft that can be done during any time of the year with any season. It was fun and educational at the same time!

Materials: 

1. Thick popsicle stick
2. Pom Poms
3. Piece of paper 
4. Crayons 
5. Glue 
6. Tape 
7. Plastic Eyes

Steps:

1. Have the students draw a scenery on a piece of paper and leave room for the caterpillar to be placed on. 
2. Show the students the pom poms and have them pick a pattern that they want using two colors. 
3. Glue the pom poms onto the popsicle stick. 
4. Glue the eyes on the first pom pom. 
5. Tape the popsicle stick with the pom poms down on the paper. 

Gingerbread House

Overview: Building gingerbread houses at any age is always fun around the holidays! This can be done with any group of kids no matter what the age. All students and kids will have fun making (and eating) their own gingerbread houses. Although the houses acquire a lot of patience, especially with the little ones, it is definitely worth it. Now-a- days a lot of stores carry kits that come with everything you need to build a gingerbread house, but if you want to make a gingerbread the old fashion way, here is how to do it! 

Materials: 

1. Graham crackers
2. Piece of square cardboard
3. Vanilla icing
4. Empty orange juice or milk carton
5. Gum drops
6. Sprinkles
7. Hershey Kisses
8. Skittles 
9. Mints
10. Any other one of your favorite candies 

Steps:

1. Stick the carton onto the piece of cardboard using the icing. 
2. Cover the carton with icing. 
3. Stick the graham crackers on each side of the carton. (Use extra icing if needed)
4. Design your house using all the candies and icing to help stick them on. 
5. Enjoy! 

Thankful Leaves

Overview: This craft was done with a class of kindergartners. This craft is one that is obviously done around Thanksgiving time because of what it entails. All of the students were asked to think of something they were thankful for and it was put on their leaves. This is simple for the little ones and makes the students think about the things they are thankful for in life.

Materials:

1. Cut out paper leaf
2. Black sharpie 
3. String or yarn 
4. Crayons
5. Clothes pins

Steps: 

1. Color the leaf. 
2. Write down what the student is thankful for. 
3. Cut out the leaf. 
4. Use the string and clothes pins to put them all together and hang in the classroom. 

Design Your Own Turkey

Overview: This craft was done in a kindergarden classroom. This craft is obviously meant to be done during Thanksgiving time. The students all received a pre cutout and shaped turkey and they had the opportunity to take it home and work on it with their parents or siblings. All of the students got to use their own imaginations and creative side while working on their turkeys. All of the students AND parents agreed that this craft was a blast!

Materials: 

1. Turkey on a blank sheet of paper. 
2. Any type of crafty art accessory to help enhance the turkey. Ex: Pom poms, foam sheets, stickers, etc. 

Steps:

1. Receive the blank cut out turkey from the teacher. 
2. Use your imagination to create something awesome! 

Mother's Day Cards

Overview: This craft was done in a special education classroom with students ranging from first to third grade. Personally, I think it is a cute idea for all elementary students. It is a great keep sake and memory holder from the little ones on Mother's Day. 

Materials: 

1. A half a sheet of thick construction paper
2. A sheet of white paper
3. Paint
4. Stickers/ Stick on mini foam flowers
5. Glue
6. Shape scissors
7. A black sharpie

Steps:

1. Trace and cut out the students hand.
2. Paint the "hair"(fingers) the color of the student's mother's hair. 
3. Paint the eyes and lips on.
4. After the hand dries a little bit, glue it on the construction paper.
5. Add the eye lashes onto the eyes with the sharpie.
6. Stick a foam sticker on one of the fingers.
7. Stick a couple of stickers around the card.
8. Cut the edges with the designer scissors. 
9. Write "Happy Mother's Day" along with the date.
10. Have the students sign their names. 

Cinco De Mayo Panchos

Overview: This Craft was done on Cinco De Mayo for a kindergarden classroom. The class held a market/store party where all of the students brought in a little something to "Sell" at their make believe stand. All of the students dressed up in their mexican ponchos that were designed completely by them and at home.

Materials:

1. A cut out paper pancho. (Cut out a pancho shape from a big roll of white paper prior to craft with students)
2. Anything crafty that the students want to add. Ex: Printed pictures, pom pom, pipecleaners, etc
3. Crayons/Markers
4. Scissors 
5. Glue

Steps:

1. Cut out the panchos. (So that the students all have the shape.)
2. Find/ Buy anything that the student wants to design their pancho with.
3. Design the pancho using imagination and fun!

Earth Day - Learning Where You Come From On Earth

Overview: This craft was performed in a special education classroom with students ranging from first to third grade. It was used to help the students know the different continents and where they came from. Although it was used on earth day, this craft can be done at any time for a multicultural lesson. All the students were asked to take home a paper and have their parents write what nationality they were and where their family was originally started. The students were then asked to write a fact about their part of the earth with help from their parents. While the students learned a little bit about each country, they also had a blast finding where their hand belonged on the earth. 

Materials:

1. Paint
2. Construction Paper (Different Colors) 
3. Glue

Steps: 

1. Make the Earth by cutting it out from a big piece of rolled paper. 
2. Paint the earth with the continents. (Steps 1 and 2 are done by the teacher prior to the lesson.)
3. Have the students trace their hands.
4. Have the students cut out their traced hands. (Helping the students that need help with cutting.)
5. Make the students show you where their hand should be located on the earth. 
6. Glue down the paper hand. 

Popsicle Frogs

Overview:
This craft was done with a class that was learning about frogs. The class was a special education class with students ranging from first to third grade. After completing a lesson on frogs and reading several books about them, the class made the frogs as a fun/crafty way to remember the lesson.

Materials: 

1. Popsicle sticks 
2. Paint (Green, Red, and Black)
3. Glue 
4. Plastic eyes

Steps:

1. Glue the popsicle sticks together creating a frog like shape, like shown in the picture. (12 going horizontal, 2 on each side going vertical for legs, and then attach 2 extra horizontal to create the feet)
2. Paint the frogs. 
3. Glue on the plastic eyes. 

Paper Pumpkins

Overview: This craft was performed with Pre-K students. The class that participated in this craft was an inclusion Pre-K class and all of the students were able to do it. It is definitely easy and fun for the students. This is a great craft to do as October comes, it is perfect for fall and harvest time.

Materials: 

1. Large Brown Paper Bag
2. Orange and Brown Paint
3. Rubber band
4. Newspapers (Enough to fill the pumpkin)

Steps: 

1. The students should take their newspaper sheets and crumble them into paper balls. 
2. Have the students open up their brown paper bag and fill it with the newspaper balls. 
3. When the paper bag is filled enough help the students close the top with a rubber band. 
4. Paint the whole pumpkin with the orange paint; take the brown paint and draw on a face. 
5. Finish with painting the stem brown too. 
   

100 Day Bean Project

Overview: This craft was done in a special education classroom with students ranging from first to third grade. It was very easy and enjoyable for all the students. It allows the students to get creative and use their imagination a little bit. It was done on the 100th day of school and helped the students with counting (counting out 100 beans each) along with using their creative side.

Materials: 

1. One large piece of construction paper
2. 100 beans per student
3. Paint  and/or crayons
4. Glue 

Steps:  

1. Have the students count out one hundred beans.
2. Create a picture of any sort by gluing all of the 100 beans to the construction paper. (Students can also use paint and crayons to help enhance their picture)