Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cold water and stir until mixture is thick. Remove from heat. Divide into four or five portions (in muffin tins or cups). Add a drop or two of food coloring to each portion and a pinch of soap flakes or soap. Stir and let cool. Store in airtight container.
Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly until ball forms. Cool and knead until smooth.
Layer the margarine, cheese and pinapple on the bread slices. Bake at 350 until cheese melts.
Blue and Little Yellow: A Story for Pippo and Ann and Other Children by Leo Lionni
Cut lemons if half and let dry slightly. Provide a pan of yellow paint for the children to dip the lemons in. Let them make lemon prints on white paper or other painting surface.
Color uncooked rice with yellow food coloring for a change in the sand table. Add dried corn kernels or yellow craft feathers for variety.
Thanks again to Cynde for the wonderful activities, songs and treats about the color Yellow.
Coming Soon!
Winter Holidays
The following Christmas Activities come from Kara at kara777@columbus.rr.com (Kara). Send her an email.
Hand Wreath
Trace around both child’s hands on green construction paper. Cut out several hands. Cut out the center of a paper plate and glue the green hands around the rim of the plate. Draw or glue on a bow.
Christmas trees
Cut out a Christmas tree shape from green construction paper. Have the child use one finger to put “bulbs” on their tree. Use a star sticker for the top.
Wrapping paper
Use cookie cutters or sponges to print on butcher paper to make wrapping paper.
Here's a cute recyclable wreath.
It's also a great way to work on counting. Using 1 pipe cleaner, "string" about 10-12 packing peanuts. The wreaths may then be painted green, or if you are lucky, you can find the ones that are already green.
These make cute tree ornaments!
Bells
Use little plastic cups (plain). Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup. Paint school glue all over the cup. Next put the cup in a Ziploc bag filled with glitter. Close the bag and shake. Insert a yellow pipe cleaner into the hole. Curve the part sticking out the top of the bell into a hook to hang, and shape the part of the pipe cleaner that’s in the bell into a clapper.
Candy Canes
For toddlers, cut out candy canes and have them marble paint with different paints to create their own candy canes.
Santa Hat
Supplies:
Red Construction Paper
Glue
Cotton Balls
Cut out a large triangle out of red construction paper. Glue on the cotton balls to make a white ball on one of the triangle tips, and glue cotton balls along the bottom edge to form the brim.
Thanks again to Kara for those great ideas! Dont forget to send her an email.
The following Hanukkah ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care
Playdough Menorah
Supplies:
Playdough
Birthday candles
Large candles
Roll out piece of playdough and press to form base. Place large candle in center and four small candles on each side of large.
Wrapping Paper
Supplies:
Blue paint
Large pieces of white paper
Plastic margarine lids
Small Hanukkah cookies cutters (or basic shapes)
Pour small amount of paint into margarine lids. Dip a cookie cutter into paint, stamp on paper, and then let paint dry.
Candle puppets
Supplies:
Toilet paper rolls
Popsicle sticks
Foil
Glue
Scissors
Markers
Yellow construction paper
Cover toilet paper roll with foil. Cut a flame shape out of paper and draw a face on it. Glue flame on end of the popsicle stick. Insert stick in roll, hold roll with one hand, make flame dance with other.
Tasty Menorahs
Supplies:
Bread
Cream cheese or butter
Carrot sticks
Pretzel sticks
Raisins
Spread bread with cream cheese or butter, arrange 8 pretzels as candles and carrot stick as large candle in center. Use raisins as flames at ends of carrot and pretzel sticks.
Drediels
Supplies:
Pencils
Glue
Paint and paintbrushes
Small milk cartons or boxes
Fold tops of milk cartons down to make boxes. Mix a little glue with paint and let children paint boxes. Poke pencil through box from top downward so point is on bottom.
Poem: (for dreidel)
I have a little dreidel,I made it out of clay.And when it's dry and ready,A dreidel game I'll play.
The following Christmas ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care
Pretzel Wreath
Supplies:
Little Pretzels
Glue
Ribbon
Glue pretzels together so they form a circle -like a wreath. Glue a second layer on top of that making sure the pretzels on this layer meet in the center of a pretzel on the bottom layer. Hang with a ribbon.
Christmas Puppets
Supplies:
Little Paper Bags
Glue
Crayons
Construction Paper
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Get creative and make all sorts of Christmas characters. Make Santa Claus; make eyes, ears, ect, and then use cotton balls, felt, ect for the hair and beard. Don't forget the hat and red nose - like a cherry. You can also make rudolph, Mrs. Claus, elves......
Candy Cane Reindeer
Supplies:
Candy Cane
Glue
Brown Pipe Cleaners
Small Wiggle eyes
Small Red Pom Pom
Thin Ribbon - optional
Small Bell - optional
Bring pipe cleaner under curve (neck) of candy cane and then twist to tighten into a V shape. Bend into a Z shape to look like antlers. Glue on two small wiggle eyes and the small pom pom for a nose. String the bell through the ribbon and attach it to the candy cane. You may need to use a hot glue gun - with adult help.
Shredded Wheat Wreath
Supplies:
Cool Whip Type Lids
Shredded Wheat
Glue
Green Food Color
Red Hots
Crumble up shredded wheat and mix with enough glue and green food coloring to coat. Put it onto the cool whip lid and shape it to look like a wreath. Press in the red hots for the berries and let dry overnight.
Wreath
Supplies:
Paper Plate or Cereal Box, ect
Glue
Crayons
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
If you are using cardboard, cut it into a circle about the size of a paper plate. Cut the center out of the paper plate or cardboard to make a wreath shape. Use various craft supplies to decorate.
Reindeer Magnet
Supplies:
Small Dog Biscuit
Hot Glue - adults only
Small wiggle eyes
Small Red Pom Pom
Brown Chenile - cut into 2 - 2-3 inch strips
Magnet Strip
Work on the dog biscuit vertically. Hot glue the red pom pom onto the bottom -where the dog biscuit indents- for the nose. Hot glue the wiggle eyes into the middle of the biscuit. Bend the chenile into antlers and hot glue them to the top, back of the biscuit. Glue the magnet onto the back.
Christmas Card Holder
Supplies:
Gallon Milk Jug
Brown Paper - can use paper grocery bags
Glue
Crayons
Large Red Pom Pom - optional
Take the gallon milk jug and cut off the top section, just below the handle. Cover with brown paper. Trace the childs hand on another piece of brown paper, cut them out, and glue on as antlers. Draw eyes and mouth, and attach the big red pom pom for the nose.
Christmas Reindeer Craft
Supplies:
Large Craft Stick - or popsicle stick
Pipe Cleaner
Glue or Hot Glue Gun
Markers
Wiggle Eyes
Small Red Pom Pom
Thin Red Ribbon or a magnetic Strip
Make a reindeer by shaping the pipe cleaner into a V shave and glueing it to the top, back of the stick; glue on wiggle eyes and nose, and draw a mouth. You can make this a gift tag by writing To: and From: on it; you can use the ribbon and make it an ornament; or you can make it a magnet.
Christmas Trees
Supplies:
Green Construction Paper
Glue
Red Paint
Misc. Collage Materials
Cut out Christmas tree shapes. Decorate the Christmas tree: you can dip a finger in in red paint and make fingerprint ornaments, you can use various collage materials, such as glitter, buttons, fabric scraps, to decorate as desired. You can also make wreaths.
Pasta Christmas Wreaths
Supplies:
Small Paper Plates
A Variety of Different Shaped Pasta
Craft Glue
Silver or Gold Spray Paint
Tinsel Bow
Cut center out of the paper plate. Glue pasta noodles around the outer ring Try to completely cover the paper plate. Let glue dry and then spray paint the desired color. Embelish with a bow of tinsel.
Egg Carton Tree
Supplies:
Two Egg Cartons
Large Piece of Paper
Glue
Paint
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Cup the egg cartons so you have one row of 6 cups, one row of 5 cups, and so on to 1 cup. Paint the outside of the egg cup green. When the paint is dry, glue them on a large sheet of paper as follows: Glue the 6 cup row on the bottom of the paper, just above that glue the 5 cup row, and so on until you have used all the cups. It should look like a triangle when you are done. Decorate with misc. craft items.
Styrofoam Ball Ornament
Supplies:
Styrofoam Ball - about 2 and a half inches
Glue
Paper Clips
Paint
Misc Craft Items - glitter, jewels, ribbons, ect.
Put some glue on one end of a paper clip and push it into the ball, this will be the hanger. Paint and decorate as desired.
Triangle Reindeer
Supplies:
Popsicle Sticks
wiggle eyes
Glue
Red Pom Pom
Put 3 popsicle sticks together to make a triangle. With the point facing down, the top stick should be placed lower to make antlers, glue together. Glue red pom pom on the point for a nose, and glue the eyes on the sticks about half way up from the point.
Glue Ornaments
Supplies:
Glue
Glitter
Paper
Wax Paper
Tape
Draw a Christmas shape -such as a bell- onto the paper; tape the paper onto the table. Lay wax paper over the design, and tape it to the table. Trace design with glue, you will want it to be kind of thick. Sprinkle glitter over glue. Allow to dry over night and then peel off of wax paper.
Pipecleaner Ornaments
Supplies:
Pipe Cleaners
Tri-cornered beads
Ribbon - optional
Thread the beads onto a pipecleaner so they nest together. You can bend to shape a candy cane, a wreath, a star, ect. You can also punch holes in ribbon and weave it onto the pipecleaner, between each bead.
Christmas Necklace
Supplies:
Cling Wrap
Christmas Candy - about the size of a quarter
Curling Ribbon
Cut 2-3 feet of cling wrap and lay flat on table. Starting on one end, place candy in the center of the cling wrap. Do this the whole leghth of the cling wrap, leaving 2-3 inches between each candy. Fold the cling wrap over a few times -the long way- to seal the candy. Tie a piece of curling ribbon around the cling wrap in between each piece if candy. Tie the ends together to make a necklace.
Days Till Christmas Bell
Supplies:
Paper Bowl
Paint
Construction Paper
Glue
Pipe Cleaner
Misc. Craft Supplies - optional
Turn the bowl upside down and paint, allow it to dry. Cut stripd of paper to make a paper chain for however many days there are left until Christmas; reserve on strip to attach chain to the bowl. Place dried bowl upside down on the table and poke a small hole in the center bottom. Bring two ends of a pipecleaner together; stick ends down through the hole in the bowl until half of the pipecleaner is through. To keep the pipe cleaner in place, twist it on each side of the bottom of the bowl, and put some glue on it. Add the paper chain to the top of the bell, and tear off on chain link each day until Christmas. You can also use misc. supplies to decorate the bell.
Gingerbread Man
Supplies:
Paper Grocery Bag
Glue
Crayons
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Cut a gingerbread man shape out of the grocery bag. Color or decorate as desired.
Jigsaw Ornament
Supplies:
Popsicle Sticks
Glue
Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces
Child's Picture
Light Weight Cardboard
Ribbon
Glue popsicle sticks together to form a triangle. Glue the puzzle pieces onto the triangle to make a frame. Glue the picture behind the frame, and then glue the cardboard behind the picture. Add a ribbon for hanging.
Reindeer
Supplies:
Paper Grocery Bag
Glue
Crayons
Red Pom-pom
Ribbon
Trace childs shoe and both hands onto the paper bag. Cut them out. The shoe is the reindeers head, and glue on the hands to be the antlers. Glue on the pom-pom and ribbon, and decorate as desired.
Plaster Ornaments
Supplies:
Faster Plaster
Christmas Candy Molds
Paint or Markers
Use the Faster Plaster and Christmas candy molds to make ornaments. Decorate them with paint or markers. Attach a hanger, pin backs, or magnets to the plaster mold.
Christmas Placemats
Supplies:
Paper
Used Christmas Cards
Glue
Crayons, Markers, or Paint
Clear Contact Paper
Cut the pictures from cards. Draw a picture on a piece of paper and this was the back. Then glue on the card pictures. Cover both sides with contact paper.
Glitter Bells
Supplies:
Cereal Box, etc
Glue
Glitter
Ribbon or Yarn
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Cut bell shapes out of light weight cardboard. Put the glitter in a plastic sandwich bag. Paint the bell shape with glue, put it in the bag with the glitter and shake until it is coated. Make as many as you want. Let the bells dry. Poke a hole in the top and tie bells together, letting each one hang down about 5-6 inches. You can also decorate with misc. craft items.
Christmas Tree
Supplies:
Green Tagboard - the bigger the better
Paint
Shaped Sponges
Cut out a big green tree out of giant tagboard and sponge paint ornaments on it.
Christmas Ornaments
Supplies:
Wax Paper
Glue
Glitter
Yarn - various colors
Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue and lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue and add glitter. Hang to dry.
Christmas Stockings
Supplies:
Construction Paper
Glue
Cotton Balls
Old Toy Catalogs, magazines, ect.
Trace a picture of a stocking on construction paper and cut. Use cotton balls to trim the stocking on the top. Use catalogs and cut out pictures of what you want for Christmas, and glue to the stocking.
Christmas Trees
Supplies:
Construction Paper
Glue
Colored Cellophane
Crayons
Cut out trees made of construction paper. Punch out holes in the tree. Have children glue colored pieces of colored celophane or construction paper to the back to cover the holes. This makes it look like lights on the tree. Turn over and decorate the tree with whatever they wish (crayons, construction paper bits, etc).
Drum Ornament
Supplies:
Toilet Paper Rolls
Red and White Contact Paper, Felt, or Paint
Glue
Gold Metallic Yarn
Toothpicks
Cut the roll in thirds. Cover with red paper, felt, Contac, or even paint or markers, just so it is covered. Glue 2 circles of white felt, paper or fabric just big enough to go over each end and glue around the edge about 1/8". Using gold metallic yarn (like the plastic canvas stuff), anchor one end to the top edge of the covered roll, then glue to the other edge going down and at an angle, then angle back up to the top and continue around in the fashion. Glue a couple of round toothpicks to the top, add a string for hanging.
Ice Cream Cone Christmas Trees
Supplies:
Ice Crean Cones - Sugar Cones
Green Frosting
Misc Candy Items
Take a sugar cone, turn it upside down and slather with thick, green frosting and stick *whatever* on to decorate it. VERY EASY!
Pine Cone Christmas Tree
Supplies:
Pine Cones
Green Paint
Glue
Misc Craft Items - such as Yarn, beads, ect.
Cover the work area with newspaper and paint the pine cone green. When the paint is dry, glue on yarn, beads, ect for the decorations.
Handprint Christmas Tree
Supplies:
Green, Red, and Yellow Construction Paper
Crayons, Pencils, or Markers
Glue
Cut ten handprints on green paper, a yellow star, and ten red hearts smallenough to fit on the hand print. Start gluing one handprint at the topof the page and with the fingers pointing down. This is the top of yourtree. Use the rest of the handprints fanning out to make a Christmastree. In the star write I love....then in each heart let the kids pickspecial people...mommmy, daddy, friends, grands, pets, dolls, etc. Glue star on the top and a heart on each hand.
Christmas Cards
Supplies:
OLD Calendars -can also use old Greeting Cards
Construction Paper
Glue
Crayons or Markers
Simply fold a piece of construction paper in half lengthwise for the card and cut out appropriate picture from one of the calendar months to glue on cover of card. If kids can't spell Merry Christmas on their own, write it out for them on seperate piece of paper and have them try to duplicate the phrase in their own handwriting on the inside of the card.
Christmas Tree Mobile
Supplies:
Green Construction Paper
Glue
Tape
Crayons
Yarn
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Cut a large Christmas tree shape -triangle- out of green construction paper. Cut the triangle into one inch wide strips. Lay down the strips in the order you cut them out, with the strips laying about an inch apart. Tape a long piece of yarn onto the back of the strips. Use a srap of brown construction paper to cut out a pot and tape it below the tree; cut off any excess yarn hanging below the pot. Decorate the tree as desired.
Thanks again, Tracy, for the wonderful Christmas and Hannukah crafts and ideas. Dont forget to visit her website at Lil Treasures Child Care
New Years
Coming Soon!
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