Supplies:

• Old magazines, newspapers, or photos
• Color pencils, markers, crayons, watercolor paints
• Kraftykid black and white blue jay picture.

Instructions:

1. Have children go through old magazines and newspapers to find a black and white picture that they like.
2. Transform the picture by coloring it in with chalk, color pencils, markers, crayons, or watercolor paints.
3. Let dry. 
4. Try using photos of your kids, or use our Kraftykid black and white blue jay picture.

Note:  You can use these to make greeting cards.

These are fun gifts for your children to make to bring home for the parents or to give as gifts.  My children have made and brought these home different times of the year and I LOVE receiving them.  Have the children make thumbprint designs on some cardstock and then draw pictures around their thumbprint designs.  When you collect a few different styles, fold the drawings into cards, wrap with cellophane paper, and tie with a decorative ribbon.  They will be so proud!

Materials:

• Washable ink pads in different colors.
• Cardstock
• Pens, crayons, markers, ect. to decorate

Instructions:

1. Press the child’s thumb into the desired color of ink.
2. Press firmly onto the cardstock.
3. Use the Thumbprint Idea Samples for inspiration or make up your own.
4. Decorate around the thumbprint using markers.
5. Flowers and chicks are especially easy choices.
6. Fold the pictures into notecards by folding in half horizontally or vertically.
7. Make around five different styles and wrap with clear cellophane and tie with a ribbon.
8. Add artist information along the back.  Have your children write their name and the date.  Include a thumbprint if desired.

Have children give them away as gifts.

Sometimes it’s the simple things that turn out to be the best and this art project fits the bill.  Swirl paints look like magic when you make them and are sure to amaze your kids.  Try framing them or mounting them on a black background to make them really ‘pop” or create a set of unique notecards.  We got a little carried away and even tye dyed a shirt.  So much fun!

Supplies:

• Styrofoam plate
• Shaving cream
• Food coloring
• Pencil or stick
• Card stock

Instructions:

• Fill a styrofoam plate with shaving cream and smooth t top.
• Add 4-6 drops of food coloring around the edges.
• Use a pointed stick or old pencil to swirl the food coloring through the shaving cream. This will create the marbelized pattern for your paper.
• Press your paper gently on top.
• Wipe the excess shaving cream off your paper using a blotting motion (don’t wipe or you will smear the print).
• Then just print again.
• If the swirls get muddled, use the stick to re-swirl them. If they get really messed up, rinse off the plate and start again. 

Handprint Keepsake Craft Project

Handprint and thumbprint crafts are some of my favorites because they become real keepsake crafts for the family or are great ‘giveaway’ gifts to relatives. You’ve got to love a craft that combines both!

Supplies:

• Construction paper or card stock
• Tan construction paper
• Scissors
• Acrylic or poster paint in green, brown, orange, yellow, tan and red
• White craft glue

Instructions:

1. Line work surface with newspaper and place white construction paper in the center.
2. Start by showing the child where you want to place his/her arm on the paper, you will be painting the bottom of the forearm, palm and all fingers.
3. Use brown paint to cover bottom of forearm, palm and all fingers, use a generous amount.
4. Help child carefully lay their arm and fingers down on the paper, fingers extended. Hand should go in the center of the paper to allow room for the leaves. Gently press down and roll each finger, palm and arm onto the paper. Lift arm straight up into the air.
5. Wash paint off arm and hand and dry completely.
6. Place a small amount of each color paint into a paper plate and let children dip their finger into the paint and then onto the paper to create a variety of leaves in different colors.  The fingers on the paper are the branches so have the children use their fingerprints to surround the branches.
7. Glue the picture onto the orange paper and hang.

Make a Rainbow Painting with Sponges

This is such an easy craft and makes such a dramatic effect that it will look like magic to toddlers, and maybe you too!. This also makes a really easy face painting idea to put a rainbow on the cheek, ankle or wrist and you don’t even need to be artistic to do a great job. Just load up a sponge with the face paints in the color of the rainbow and drag. It’s really just that simple!

Supplies:

• kraftykid rainbow borders
• Sponge
• Variety of primary paint colors found in the rainbow (tempera or face paints)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Crayons or markers if desired

Instructions:

1. Print the kraftykid rainbow borders template.
2. Load the sponge up with paint in the colors of the rainbow (in rainbow color order if desired). See figure below and continue steps.

1. Press onto a piece of white paper and help your child drag and pull the sponge across the paper to create a rainbow effect in an arch pattern.
2. If using for face painting, simply drag the sponge across the desired area (cheek, wrist, arm, or ankle). Make sure to use special face paint.
3. Cut out the desired border and glue to the bottom of the paper. 

Have your child draw pictures using crayons or markers inside the painting if desired. 

Supplies:

• 1 package of red Jell-o
• Water
• Construction Paper or Finger painting paper
• Paintbrush
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Mix the jello with a small amount of water until you have a thick consistency that will be easy for your toddler to spread.
2. Cut out a heart shape from a piece of construction paper or finger painting paper.
3. Let your toddler paint the heart with the jello and allow to dry.

Your toddler will be so proud of their art work.  Make sure you let them smell how fragrant it is too.

Kids just love this Halloween spider craft. It’s fun to see themselves as a hanging spider. This is a perfect Halloween school craft. We made them in my son’s classroom and hung them in the hallway with spider webs. They loved it!

Supplies Needed (for one spider):

• One Styrofoam egg shaped or round ball
• Black paint
• 8 Black pipe cleaners
• Handful of beads
• Small picture of your child’s face
• One eye screw
• 2 feet of fishing line or clear plastic string

Instructions:

1. Paint the styrofoam egg or ball black and allow to dry 24 hoursInsert the eye screw into the top of the ball or egg.
2. Insert 4 pipe cleaners into each side of the egg, attach beads, and bend legs into place to resemble spider legs.
3. Attach the photo of your child’s head onto the front of the egg or ball with some two-sided tape
4. Attach 2 feet of fishing line to the eye screw and hang in desired place.

Here’s a really easy and really cute craft project for Halloween. It also doubles as a treat holder for Halloween goodies or as a Halloween table decoration.   What fun your trick or treater will have filling them up.  I think a matching bride is in order, don’t you?

Supplies:

• Cleaned and empty juice box
• Green and black construction paper
• Green paint (optional)
• Glue
• Googley eyes or Krafty kid monster facial feature template
• Pinking Shears or Decorative Scissors
• Black sharpie
• Paper hole puncher
• 2 bolts and 2 nuts
• Cord

Instructions:

1. Clean and dry juice box.
2. Cut off the top.
3. Print the Krafty kid monster facial feature template.
4. Cut green construction paper using the juice box as the template and apply plenty of glue and paste. 
5. Crease the paper along the edges of the box and smooth in place.
6. Cut a rectangle from the black construction paper to fit on the top of the box.
7. Use the decorative scissors or fringe the top with scissors.
8. Glue in place for Frankenstein’s hair.
9. Apply a layer of green paint over the green construction paper (if desired) for added depth and let dry.
10. Use one of the eyes from the template or googley eyes and glue in place.
11. Use one of noses from the template and glue on Frankenstein’s face or make your own.
12. Use a sharpie to draw a mouth and to make a scar.
13. Use a hole punch and make a hole along the side of the box.
14. Insert the bolts and use nut to keep in place.
15.  Use a hole punch and make two punches closer to the top two sides of the box.
16. Insert string and tie in place.

My sons have been pegged the Mismatch Twins at school because they have been wearing different socks all year long.  Some battles with six year old twin boys just aren’t worth fighting and matching socks has been one of them.

We solved the problem this summer by going to Target and  buying big bulk bags of white socks.  We bought a tie-dye kit and tie-dyed our little hearts out.  We did three big bags of socks, three men’s t-shirts (they make great over-sized pool and beach coverups for boys or girls), and white beach hats and we still had tie-dye left over!

Check out our before and afters:  Click here for Krafty Kid’s complete line of tie-dye kits and supplies.