| Get Crafty! | | | | Fresh as a Daisy |
| One of the best parts of a preschooler's day is arts | | | | Next, here's a craft that requires paper plates, |
| and crafts time. Preschool crafts allow children an | | | | construction paper, paint and glue. Children will be |
| opportunity to express their individuality and creativity | | | | creating daisies using the paper plates as the centers. |
| as well as teaching discipline, basic color theory, and | | | | To begin, have the children paint the paper plates |
| fine motor skills. Since the possibilities are nearly | | | | yellow. Next, have them trace the petals onto pieces |
| endless where preschool craft are concerned, | | | | of construction paper. Each child will need between 8 |
| especially when approaching a topic as broad as the | | | | and 12 petals to complete their flower. After all the |
| alphabet, here are a few simple ideas for the letters D | | | | petals are cut out, glue or staple them to the edges of |
| and E. | | | | the paper plate. |
| When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth... | | | | Hatching Eggs and Fancy Elephants |
| Children are fascinated by the idea of gigantic, hulking | | | | This craft, called "What's in an Egg" has children use |
| beasts called dinosaurs roaming the earth before | | | | their imaginations to decide what they wish could hatch |
| humans even existed. This provides a wealth of | | | | out of an egg. Once they've come up with a good |
| crafting possibilities, such as this Dinosaur Travel Book. | | | | idea, they are to draw a picture of it on a piece of |
| Each child is given the task of creating at least 3 | | | | construction paper. Try to keep the drawings fairly |
| pictures of where they would go and what they would | | | | small as they'll be placed into plastic eggs. Children can |
| do if they were a dinosaur. Encourage children to | | | | go around the room and show others what hatches |
| depict many different kinds of dinosaurs, and show | | | | out of their eggs. |
| them pictures of dinosaurs to help get the creative | | | | Children love dressing up and wearing masks, so why |
| juices flowing. | | | | not let them create their own? Here's a quick and |
| Children may use whatever artistic means are at their | | | | easy way to create elephant masks using only |
| disposal, from crayons to markers to finger paint. After | | | | construction paper, toilet paper tubes, and paper plates. |
| their pictures are completed, punch three holes in the | | | | To begin, children will paint their paper plates gray and |
| side of each picture and join the pictures with string to | | | | cut them in half to make the ears. Next, cut the |
| form a book. | | | | construction paper in half and staple it together, forming |
| Since fossils are the only clue as to how the dinosaurs | | | | a band that will fit on a child's forehead. Now, staple |
| lived, try this craft called Dinosaur Skeletons. This craft | | | | the ears to the side of the band. Finally, to make the |
| requires construction paper, dried pasta, popsicles | | | | truck, paint the toilet paper tubes gray, cut them in half, |
| sticks, and glue. Give each child a piece of construction | | | | and staple them to the top of the band to resemble |
| paper and a selection of pasta and popsicle sticks to | | | | the elephant's trunk. |
| recreate their dinosaur skeleton. Once they are | | | | These preschool crafts provide a stepping stone for |
| satisfied with the skeleton, they can glue it to the | | | | you to use to spark your imagination in teaching any of |
| construction paper and decorate it with markers or | | | | the letters of the alphabet or teaching theme units. |
| crayons. | | | | |