Sydney’s File of Fun
Mrs. Talley 4th block
Craft Ideas
Valentine's Day Picture Holder
What you'll need
• Unfinished puzzle pieces (*Note: these can be found in
most craft stores. They are originally intended to be
turned into invitations and mailed out, so they are often
with the card making or cardstock materials. If you can’t
find them, you could use pieces from an old puzzle
instead.)
• Red, white and pink craft paint
• Paint brush
• Tongue depressors
• Glue
• Black marker
Valentine's Day Picture Holder
Continued
•
•
•
•
•
How to make your Picture Holder Craft
If using the unfinished puzzle, remove the center four
pieces. Snap apart the remaining pieces. Paint the pieces
red, pink or white.
While the pieces dry, assemble your tongue depressors
into a frame shape as shown in the photos. Glue them
together.
When the puzzle pieces are dry, assemble them back
together (roughly) and glue them down to the tongue
depressor frame as you go. This takes a good bit of glue.
When you get all the pieces assembled, use the marker
and write “I Love You To Pieces” along the bottom of
the frame.
Add in a photo of your child.
www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/valentines-day/picture-holder.asp
Paper Leprechaun Hat
What you'll need
•
•
•
•
•
Green, black, and yellow construction paper
Green poster board
Glue
Scissors
Tape
Paper Leprechaun Hat Continued
How to make your Paper Leprechaun Hat Craft
• Cut a head band out of the green poster board that is
slightly larger than the child's head.
• Cut a hat shape out of the green construction paper.
• Cut a 2 inch black strip. Glue onto the hat above the brim
and trim the edges to align with the slant of the hat.
• Cut a yellow square that is slightly taller than the black
strip. Cut the center out of the square leaving 1/4 of an
inch boarder. Glue on the middle of the black strip.
• Tape the hat to the headband (it works better than gluing
it).
• Tape or staple the head band so that it fits around the
child's head. Cut off any excess.
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/st-patricks-day/paper-leprechaun-hat.asp
Easter Egg Chick
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What you'll need
A 2 13/16" X 3 7/8" Styrofoam egg
Yellow craft paint
2 yellow pipe cleaners
1 red pipe cleaner
2 googly eyes
Orange construction paper
or craft foam
2 orange pompoms
Paint brush
Scissors
White glue
serrated knife
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/easter/easter-egg-chick.asp
Easter Egg Chick Continued
How to make your Easter Egg Chick Craft
•
Use a serrated knife to carve the very bottom off the Styrofoam egg so it will sit up.
•
Paint the egg yellow and let it dry. (tip: setting the egg on a Dixie cup is a great way to let the
egg dry)
•
Glue two googly eyes onto the egg.
•
Cut a small triangle out of the orange construction paper or foam and glue on as a beak.
•
Glue the two pompoms on the bottom of the egg as feet.
•
Cut the red pipe cleaner into three pieces. Bend each into a loop and stick the ends into the top
of the egg.
•
To make the wings, start by taking a yellow pipe cleaner and bending one end into a 2 inch loop.
Wrap to secure (see wing picture step1).
•
Next, wrap the remainder of the pipe cleaner around so that it makes a second layer inside the
first loop (see wing picture step 2).
•
Finally wrap the rest of the pipe cleaner around so that it makes a third and final layer inside the
second layer (see wing picture step 3).
•
Insert the finished wing (see wing picture 4) into the side of the egg.
•
Repeat these steps to make the wing for the other side of the egg.
Hand and Footprint Flower Craft
What you'll need
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue stick
Cup to trace around for
center circle
• Picture of child (optional)
• Pen
•
•
•
•
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/mothersday/handprint-footprint-flower.asp
Hand and Footprint Flower Craft
Continued
How to make your Hand and Footprint Flower Craft
•
Trace your child's feet onto green construction paper and cut them out.
•
Cut a 1" wide x 8" long strip of green construction paper to be the stem.
•
Trace your child's hands onto two different colors of construction paper. We used 6
hand prints total to get a nice full flower, but our 4 year old is tiny. If your child is
older or younger (or we should say has really big or really small hands) you may need to
change how many hand prints you use.
•
Glue the footprints to the bottom of the green strip to make the leaves.
•
Glue the hand prints to the top of the stem in alternating colors to make the flower.
•
Trace an appropriately sized cup on a piece of yellow construction paper. Cut this out
and glue in the center of your hand print flower to make the center.
•
Cut out a smaller circular picture of your child and glue it to the center of the yellow
circle.
•
On one "leaf" write the date. On the other "leaf" write:
"This little flower is special, you see,
because it is made from parts of me.
My hands and feet made each flower part,
to show I love you with all my heart."
Father’s Day Fishing Rod
What you'll need
Fishing Rod template
• Construction paper
• Cardboard (we used a flap of a diaper box)
• Fish and Fishing Pole template
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Tape
• Yarn
• Stickers, gems, etc.
• Markers, crayons, etc.
Father’s Day Fishing Rod
Continued
How to make your Fathers' Day Fishing Rod Card
•
Print our template and cut out the pieces. Trace the fishing pole template
onto cardboard and brown construction paper. We did it this way because the
box we used had printing on both sides. The paper is too weak on its own, so
we wrote our message on the brown paper and then glued it to the cardboard
so that it was sturdier. Cut out the fishing pole pieces.
•
•
Trace the fish template onto construction paper and cut them out.
Have your child decorate the fish.
•
Once the fish are dry, tape one side of a piece of yarn to the back of the fish
and the other side of the yarn piece to the back of the end of the fishing pole.
•
Write your message on the fishing pole. We went with "Our Gramps is a great
catch!".
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/fathers-day/fishing-rod-craft.asp
Food Ideas
Easter Basket Cookies
Ingredients
•
•
•
•
Murray Sugar Free® Sandwich cookies Vanilla Crème
Colorful Candies
Fruit Straws (or shoestring licorice)
Vanilla Frosting
http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/holidays-and-occasions/easter/easter-basket-fun-kidsnack.html
Easter Basket Cookies
Continued
Directions
1. Cut the shoestring licorice into eight equal sized
pieces for eight basket handle pieces. Set aside.
2. Gently cut the top of the cookies off. I found that a gentle
sawing motion worked well.
3. Dab a small amount of frosting onto one of the cut off top
pieces. Then “glue” the cut off piece to the bottom of the
cookie basket portion with frosting, so the cookie sits upright
on top of frosting.
4. Insert the ends of the licorice piece in between the sandwich
cookies as shown to create the Easter basket handles.
5. Spread frosting on top of the cookie between the straw
ends. Gently sprinkle colorful candies on top of frosting for the
“eggs” in the basket.
Valentine Heart Treats
Ingrediants
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Valentine sprinkles
Small red candies
Red and pink icing
Wax paper
Lollipop sticks
Rice Krispies Treats® See Recipe
Heart shaped cookie cutter-medium size
White chocolate-melted
Red chocolate candy melts-melted
Dark chocolate-melted
Valentine Heart Treats
Continued
Directions
1. Make your Rice Krispies Treats. See Recipe.
2. Once the Treats are cool, cut out heart
shapes, using the heart shaped cookie cutter.
3. Then have fun with these five ways to
decorate the Treats.
http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/holidays-and-occasions/valentines-day/valentine-hearttreats.html
Leprechaun Hats
Ingredients
1 Keebler® Deluxe
Grahams
1 Keebler® Fudge Sticks
1 green Kelloggs™ Fruit
Snacks
1 tsp Peanut Butter
Leprechaun Hats Continued
Directions
1. Smear peanut butter on the bottom of the Keebler Deluxe
Grahams.
2. Stick the Deluxe Graham to the edge of the Keebler Fudge
Sticks (as shown in the photo above).
3. For the shamrock, cut a green Kelloggs Fruit Snacks in thirds and
press pieces, sticky side down, onto the peanut butter.
4. Repeat for as many hats as you would like.These make fantastic
party snacks!
Flip Flops
Ingredients
• 4 ounces reduced-fat
cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup marshmallow creme
• Food coloring
• 48 Keebler® Town House
Toppers®Original
Crackers
• 8 to 10 large strawberries
Flips Flops Continued
Directions
1. In small bowl stir together cream cheese and marshmallow
crème. Tint with desired food coloring.
2. Spread scant teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in center of
each Keebler Town House Toppers Original cracker.
3. Lengthwise cut strawberries into thin slivers. Place two slivers
on top of each cracker forming the “top of the flip flops”.
http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/for-kids/flip-flops.html
Puppy Snack
• 1 Kellogg's® Pop-Tarts®Frosted Chocolate Fudge
Toaster Pastry
• 2 Keebler® Town House Toppers® Original
crackers
• 1 miniature marshmallow
• 2 chocolate chips
• 1 small piece of chocolate
• 1 red fruit flavored snack or jelly bean
• 1 snack pack of Keebler® Scooby Doo!™ Graham
Cracker Sticks Cinnamon
http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/for-kids/puppy-snack-slideshow.html
Directions
1. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to
cut a heart out of the PopTarts toaster pastry.
2. Cut the mini marshmallow in half.
3. Stick the chocolate chips into the
marshmallow halves and press into PopTarts toaster pastry.
4. Cut the top off of the piece of
chocolate and place cut side down for
the nose.
5. Place the Town House
Toppers crackers upside down for the
ears.
6. Cut the fruit flavored snack to look
like the tongue.
7. Open snack pack of ScoobyDoo! Graham Cracker Sticks and place
in dish.
Puppy Snack
Continued
Goldfish in the Pond Rice
Cakes
Ingredients
• 4 plain rice cakes
• 1/4 cup whipped cream
cheese
• 2 drops blue food
coloring
• Goldfish crackers for
decorating
Goldfish in the Pond Rice Cakes
Continued
Preparation
Put the whipped cream cheese into a small
bowl, and add two drops of food coloring.
Stir until it becomes the color of the sea.
Spread one tablespoon of cream cheese on
each rice cake.
Place the Goldfish crackers standing up in
the "pond."
Serves 4.
http://kidscooking.about.com/od/snacksdipsappetizers/r/GoldfishRicecak.htm
Indoor Games
What you'll need
Yellow fabric "tail“
Catch the Lion by the
Tail
How to play
• Kids sit in a circle on the floor. One party
goer, the lion, tucks a homemade tail (a
yellow piece of fabric with a knot in one
end) into his waistband.
•
The lion begins circling the group, touching
each child on the head and saying "Lion."
When he decides he wants some action, he
touches a player on the head and shouts
"Hyena!“
•
The lion then must dash around the circle
and take the hyena's spot before the hyena
can grab the lion's tail.
•
If his tail is snatched, he remains the lion; if
he sits where the hyena was without losing
his tail, the hyena becomes the new lion.
http://spoonful.com/family-fun/catchlion-tail
Find Your Heart-Mate
Supplies:
• Construction paper hearts
• Scissors
How To Play:
• Cut hearts in half either in
different angles, or with
decorative large cutting
scissors. Hand out the hearts
and have the children find
their heart-mate!
http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-searching-games.html
Protect Me
How to Play
Ask for two volunteers-one to be
the Tempted and the other the
Tempter-in a group of no more than
eight kids. The object of the game is
to protect the Tempted, who'll stand
in the center of the group's tight
circle. The Tempter tries to tag the
child in the center by reaching
through the circle. Kids in the circle
can maneuver to keep the Tempter
out, but they must stay locked arm-inarm. When the Tempted gets tagged,
new kids get to be the Tempted and
the Tempter.
http://childrensministry.com/articles/10-active-indoor-games
Chair Basketball
Preparation:
- Four orange squishy playground balls
- Four baskets
- Masking tape
How to Play Chair Basketball:
1. Place masking tape on the floor to split the room into two equal sides. Divide
everyone into two equally numbered teams. Arrange the chairs into three
equal, spaced rows (or as close to being equal as possible). Place a basket on
the corners of each side.
2. Ask for one volunteer from each team to be the “runner”. The Runners will
be able to get up from their chairs and pass the ball to their teammates- but
cannot pass to the opponent’s side. Runners cannot shoot the ball as well.
3. When you say “go”, each team tries to toss the ball into the basket. A basket
made from the third row is three points, second row is two points, and first
row is one point. The team with the most points after fifteen minutes wins the
game.
http://www.greatgroupgames.com/chair-basketball.htm
Might I Bite?
What you'll need
Paper, 1 piece per player
Pen
Tape
How to play
To get started: Write a type of animal on each
piece of paper. Place the papers in a bowl, then
have each person pick one and tape it to another
player's forehead without showing that player
what it says (you might want to cover your mirrors
to prevent peeking!).
To play: Each person asks the others yes-or-no
questions ("Do I have fur?" "Do I have horns?") in
an effort to figure out his animal. Keep playing
until everyone guesses his identity.
Our testers' twist: Try other themes, such as
cartoon characters, famous people, food, or
articles of clothing. Make certain to choose
characters or items that everyone will recognize
(Grandma might not know who Shrek is).
http://spoonful.com/familyfun/might-i-bite
Outdoor
Games
Balloon Stomp
Preparation:
- You’ll need to play in an area where everyone can easily run
around.
- At least 40 balloons* equally divided by three different colors
(you might want to have extra balloons, in case some become
popped before the actual game begins)
- Ribbon/Yarn, cut 1 1/2 feet long (one ribbon/yarn string for
every balloon)
- Trash bag (to pick up the balloon pieces after the game)
How to Play Balloon Stomp:
1. Split everyone into three equal teams and hand out the
balloons, one color per team. Each person needs two balloons.
2. Each person needs to blow up their balloon, knot the
balloon's end, and tie a balloon to their each of their
ankles/shoes using the ribbon/yarn.
3. Once everyone is done, explain the rules: When you say “go”,
the players must stomp and pop other teams’ balloons. The
players can only run within the set boundaries. The players
cannot use their hands. If both balloons have been popped,
the player must sit out of the boundaries and is out of the
game. The remaining team with at least one balloon intact wins
the game.
http://www.greatgroupga
mes.com/balloon-stompgame.htm
Red Light, Green Light
To play, one person is chosen to be the traffic cop.
All the players stand on the starting line and the
traffic cop has his back to the rest of the players.
When he says "green light," players try to run to the
finish line.
When the traffic cop says "red light," he turns
around and players have to stop in their tracks.
If the traffic cop catches a player moving, he sends
them back to the starting line.
First person to cross the finish line wins and becomes
the new traffic cop.
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/games/redlightgreenlight.html
The Blob
Preparation:
- You’ll need to play in an area where everyone can
easily run around
**Note: Before playing, let everyone know the
boundaries of the playing/running area. If anyone
exceeds those boundaries, they will be part of the
Blob.**
How to Play The Blob Game:
1. Pick three volunteers. Have the volunteers line up in
http://www.greatgroupgames.com/
the front and hold each other’s hands. These
the-blob.htm
volunteers will start off as the Blob and must hold
hands at all times.
2. The purpose of the game is to not be touched by
the Blob. If a person is touched by the Blob, the
person becomes part of the Blob and must hold hands
with a person on either end.
3. The Blob tries to tag everyone while running
together and holding hands. The last person standing
wins the game.
Land, Sea, Air
This game is for 5 or more people and should be played outside or in an open
area.
To play this game, you just need to draw a line on the ground.
Pick one person to be the caller.
The caller calls out the commands, "land," "sea," or "air."
If the caller says "land," everyone jumps behind the line.
If the caller says "sea," everyone jumps over the line.
If the caller says "air," everyone jumps up.
If land or sea is called twice in a row, the second time, you don't move.
If air is called twice in a row, jump up both times.
If you jump on the line or make a mistake, you're out.
The last person still jumping is the winner.
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/g
ames/landseaair.html
Simon Says Spin-Off
Come up with three words that have the same
first letters. For instance, blue, ball and boy.
When the leader calls out one of the words
everyone has to step to the right.
When she calls out another, everyone has to
step to the left, and another, everyone has to
stand still.
So blue everyone has to step to the right, ball
everyone has to step to the left, boy everyone
has to stay still.
If someone steps the wrong way, he or she's
out.
The last person left playing is the winner.
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/games/simonsaysspinoff.html
Bulletin Board
Ideas
http://www.myclassroomideas.com/?attachment_id=1902
http://www.myclassroomideas.com/tag/autumn/
http://tradingideas.orientaltrading.com/educators/k-6/be-environmental-friend-bulletin-board
Coloring
Pages
http://www.coloringkidz.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
http://www.coloringpages7.com