Toddlers Craft: Butterfly Baggie

Butterfly Baggie

from Busy Bee Kids Craft

This butterfly Baggie is just that - a butterfly made from a regular zip-lock baggie! If you can crumple paper, you can do this craft, perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!

Here's what you'll need...• Zip-lock baggie
• Construction paper
• Pipe cleaner
• Scissors


Here's how you make it...1. Cut the top off the baggie that sticks up above the zipper.


2. Cut construction paper into squares, crumple them and place them inside the baggie. Fill the baggie about ⅔ full.

3. Squeeze out the air in the baggie and seal it tight. Gather it in the middle and wrap and twist a pipe cleaner around the center. Twirl the ends to make the butterfly's antennas. There are other ways to do this craft. You can slide flat pieces of paper inside the baggie, fold the baggie accordion-style and secure with a pipe cleaner. You can also use a clothespin for the center rather than a pipe cleaner.

Hand Print Craft

Hand Print Craft – Keepsake Box



To make this handprint keepsake box…


You will need:
Soft molding clay (I use Crayola’s Modeling Magic clay)
Paints – watercolor or craft acrylics work great
Hot glue
Clear acrylic keepsake box frame
Photo
Thick cardstock or cardboard for backing


How to make it:
First make your handprint by taking some of the molding clay, kneed and flatten to about 1/2″ – 1/4″ thick. Gently press your child’s hand into the clay so that it creates an impression of their hand. Carefully remove their hand so as not to damage the resulting handprint. Let dry or bake as directed. If you have purchased a hand molding kit, follow the directions included in the kit to make the handprint.


As the hand print is drying, prepare the cardboard backing. with whatever paper or extras you’d like included behind the handprint. Most keepsake box frames have cardboard in them, you can use this to cover or paint as your backing as well.


After the hand print is dried and set, have your preschooler paint the handprint as they’d like. Let dry.


Once the paint dries, carefully hot glue the handprint on to the cardboard backing that fits into the box frame.


Include any other embellishments, photos, etc. to complete the framed creation.


Carefully attach frame as directed.


Source: Project For Preschoolers

Step by Step Guide in Making Sand Casts

Sand Casts

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Submitted by Karen Hunady from Crafts For All Seasons...

Sand casts is a wonderful tradition to start with your children, especially if you visit beaches every year. It will be fun to see how much they have grown year after year. Because It is easy and fun to make, you can also do this craft in your backyard sandbox. It can be framed, used as paper weights, a décor for your wall.

Materials

• Sand (at the beach or in the sandbox)
• Plaster of Paris
• Pail
• Shovel or other mixing tool
• Your child's hands and feet

 Instructions

1. Begin the sand casts by "fluffing" up the sand a little. Use a sand rake or sand shovel to rough it up. You don't want the sand to be too packed down or you will not get a deep mold. Next, place your child's hands and feet deep into the sand. Tell them to push down hard. For a small child, it helps if you push down each little finger and toe deeper into the sand. Then, help your child off and take a look at the molds. You want the molds to be deep enough to hold plaster. Re-do them if necessary.

2. Next, mix up the Plaster of Paris in the sand bucket with some water (water from the lake or ocean is just fine). Read the package instructions, it is usually 1 part plaster to 2 parts water. Mix it up using a sand shovel or stick. You want the consistency to be like a thick gravy, but thinner than pudding. Make sure to get all the lumps out. Then gently pour the plaster mixture into the molds. If you make a thinner plaster mix, the mix will have no problem filling in the little toes and fingers, but you can also use a small stick to help guide the plaster mix throughout the mold if necessary. If desired, you can add a small cord or a hook to the back of the mold for a wall hanging.

3. Now you wait for them to dry. Do not be too anxious! It takes a least 30 minutes. It is best to do this activity soon after arriving at the beach, then you can remove the molds later in the day when you are ready to leave. Carefully remove the molds and rinse them off really well in the water. Mark the back of each mold with a permanent black marker with the child's name, age, and vacation spot, if you like.

Source: FreeCraftUnlimited