Quick, Fun, & Simple Preschool Crafts
One of the best parts about
preschool is when children get to make a craft to take home with
them. Not only is it a new toy to add to their collection or a
new piece of art for the fridge, but it will also serve to remind the
child of the fun times had at school.
However, craft time
isn’t all just about having fun though, as certain crafts are
equally fun and educational. Use these preschool crafts to teach
children about colors, numbers, animals and manual dexterity
skills.
Puppet Parade
Children love preschool
crafts like making and playing with puppets because it gives them a
chance to play pretend. There are number of different options
when it comes to puppet making. Simple finger puppets can be made
by cutting animal or person shapes out of thick paper with two
finger-sized holes near the bottom of the puppet for the children to
insert their fingers. The possibilities for puppet play are
endless! You can even incorporate your puppets into fun pre
school games.
Paper bags are also excellent
for puppet making, since the flap lends itself well to the creation of
a puppet. Children can easily make a puppet in the shape of a
frog, dog, bear, or cat by simply adding eyes and arms to an
upside-down paper bag. For animals with pointy noses like cats
and panda bears, fold the corners of the bottom flap down and secure
them with a piece or tape or dab of glue.
This ladybug puppet is a
great way to teach children about numbers. The supplies needed
are two paper plates per child, scissors, a stapler, red and black
paint (markers or crayons work as well), glue, black construction
paper, and pipe cleaners.
First have the children paint
their paper plates red and decorate one side with black spots.
Assign a specific number of spots to each child for added number
practice. Don’t forget to put eyes on one side! On
the same side as the eyes, use the hole punch to make two small holes
about an inch apart just above the eyes. In the meantime, cut two
large rounded “E” shapes out of the black construction
paper for the ladybug’s legs.
After the paint on the plates
has dried, staple the plates together with the red sides facing out,
leaving the bottom of the plates unstapled. Thread a pipe cleaner
through the holes in the top for antennae.
Rabbit Mask
Children also love making
preschool crafts that they can wear home. This simple rabbit mask
is constructed from paper plates and construction paper. First,
color the inside of one of the paper plates pink, either with paint or
by gluing a circle of construction paper. Cut this paper plate in
half for the ears.
Take another paper plate and
cut out a wedge equal to approximately one quarter of the plate.
Staple the ears to the top of the plate. Cut out holes halfway
down for the eyes and on either side of the mask for the elastic to
hold it in place. Tie the elastic in the holes. Children
are now free to decorate their rabbits with noses and whiskers.
Looking for more preschool crafts? Sign up for our free e-newsletter below: |
