1) SANTA ROCK PUZZLE

Materials

• Rocks
• Pencil
• Paint Pens
• Scissors
• Twine
• Glue gun/ glue sticks
• Sock
• Beads
• Acrylic paint
• Sticky tack
• Paint Brushes

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go out with an adult for a nature walk, collecting rocks.  As you collect your rocks, lay them out to see if they work for creating Santa’s body.

• Don your smock.  Paint your rocks.  Allow them to dry overnight.

• We used paint pens to add details.

• You could also glue on details using beads, etc.  Experiment with where you want to place your items by using sticky tack.  We glued on a fuzzy sock for Santa’s hat.  (Perfect for those single ones that everyone always seems to have!)

• Make your hat by tying off the end of your sock and trimming it.

• Allow to dry and play with your Santa!

• If you are using the puzzle in your classroom, we have a sign you can print out:  santa

Pin this idea for later:

2) MEMORAH

Materials

• Rocks
• Sticks
• Acrylic paint
• Brushes
• Container
• Watercolour paint
• Water

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go on walk with an adult, collecting 9 rocks that you think look like flames and 9 sticks (with the one you will use for the centre shamash a bit taller.  This candle lights the others.)

• Don your smock.

• Paint your flames with your acrylic paints.  (You could use paint pens too.)  You may have to do a few coats to get an even coat.

• We put the sticks in a watercolour wash bath.  (Water enough to cover the sticks with a bit of paint).  The longer you let them soak the more vibrant the colours.  (Ours had the bark removed so it was pretty quick!) .

• We put them on a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath to dry.

• Once dry, enjoying lighting your play menorah for the 8 days of Hanukkah!

3) TURKEY

Directions

Find the full tutorial for this project, including tips here:

https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/PAINTED-ROCK-TURKEY-CRAFT-FOR-PLAY

(*This where we learned about rock puzzles- check out their giraffe and flamingo!)

4) Have you seen our ROCK CHRISTMAS TREE?

http://make-it-your-own.com/painted-rock-christmas-tree/

Purpose

• Getting out into nature to source materials.
• Playing and manipulating objects to create an image.
• Recognizing some of the symbols of various holidays.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

• Wooden tree (You could alternatively use cardboard or felt)
• Acrylic paint
• Corrugated paper (We recycled coffee sleeves instead)
• Pencil
• Tape
• Glue gun/glue sticks
• Paintbrushes
• Rocks
• Scissors

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go outside with an adult and collect rocks in the shape that you want to make your Christmas ornaments.  Wash your rocks and allow then to dry overnight.  This removes any dust and allows the paint to better adhere.

• Have an adult cut a scrap piece of wood into a isosceles triangle.  You could also use cardboard or felt and alter the shape of the tree as you like. We left our wood with a natural finish, but if you wanted you could make it green!

• Don your smock.  Paint your coffee filters in a colour of your choice.  You could use a thicker type of paper such as cardstock if you would like a less textured look.  Allow them to drew overnight.

• Paint your rocks.  Keep in mind that these baubles are quite simple- you certainly could “make them your own” with elaborate designs and or different shapes etc. (If you do this a go, please give us a tag on Instagram so we can see it!)  One trick for the painting is to create an outline and then paint inside of it.  This creates a dam of sorts, particularly if you allow the edge to start drying slightly/getting tacky which may prevent your paint from spilling over!  Depending on the colours of paint you use and the porousness of the rock, you may need to apply a few coats, allowing them to dry in between.  All your painted rocks to dry overnight.

• Cut some ornament caps out of your painted sleeves and add a loop of twine for your hanger with your glue.

• Glue your caps onto your rock ornaments.

• For our star, we taped the back of several sleeves together, sketched our shape, cut it out and then glued it to a rock as well.

• Now for the best part- decorate your tree and play away!  What new rock baubles will you add each year?!

*IF YOU MAKE YOUR OWN ROCK TREE, WE’D LOVE TO SHARE IT! (With a link back to you.) 

PLEASE SEND US A PHOTO! *

Pin this idea for later:

Purpose

• Getting out into nature.
• Painting on different surfaces.
• Recognizing symbols of various celebrations.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

Materials

Book

• Canadians can purchase the book here:

Chapters/Indigo:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-girl-who-thought-in/9781943147304-item.html?ikwsec=Books&ikwidx=1

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/Girl-Who-Thought-Pictures-Grandin/dp/1943147302/

• Americans can purchase the book here:

Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Thought-Pictures-Scientists/dp/1943147302/

*Disclaimer:  I received a copy of the book for review as I love so many books from: http://www.theinnovationpress.com/.  This is not a sponsored post and nor do we use affiliate links.*

Frame

• Large paper doilies
• Thicker paint (We used acrylic)
• Paper
• Painter’s Tape or Sticky tack
• Scissors
• Sponge

OR 

• Print and enlarge this pre-made frame on the photocopier: circle frame

Portrait

*You could use any materials that you have for this: scrapbook paper, fabric, chenille stems, beads, buttons etc.  It is a perfect time to put out a buffet of materials that you might have leftover from other project*

•  Fabric, felt or paper in various skin tones
• Beads
• Scissors
• Painter’s tape
• Glue gun/ glue (You could also use craft or fabric glue if you like)
• Paper
• Pencil/ eraser

Writing 

• Printable: unique

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

Frame 

• We used an 11 x 17 piece of paper which is double letter size to create our frame on.  Alternatively, you can also blow-up the printable frame on a colour photocopier.

• Cut two large dollies- one in half and the other in quarters.  Put a tape donut on the back and position the two halves at either end and the quarters on the gaps on each side.

• With a dry sponge, apply your acrylic paint over the doily.  To get clean lines, try to go directly up and down, rather than moving the sponge side to side, getting paint under the doily.  We carefully pull the doily off when the paint is wet- and voila!  You have created your frame!

Person

• Put your paper on your table or desk and have an adult or friend, gently trace the outline.

• Cut it out.

• Tape it onto your felt, fabric or paper and cut out your profile.  We taped it to the top of the sheet of felt as we realized that we forgot to do the neck!

• To get the accurate sizing for hair etc. use each piece that you make to layer to create for the next one.  (E.g., Lay the face over the hair etc.)

• Add on clothing and details on the pieces.

• Extend the project by printing the writing template.

Pin the idea for later:

Purpose

• Learning about people who have had an impact on society.
• Learning about diversity.
• Working with different materials.
• Learning about different perspectives and angles.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and glue gun with care and direct adult supervision.
• Beads and other small objects can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.

*Click on the links below for the directions, from left to right, top to bottom:

1) Flying witch: https://iheartcraftythings.com/playful-paper-plate-halloween-craft.html

2) Black cat: https://www.firefliesandmudpies.com/paper-bobble-head-black-cat/

3) Cardboard zombies:  https://www.artycraftykids.com/halloween/cardboard-zombie-halloween-craft/

4) Handprint spiders: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/spider-handprint/

5) Friendly ghost pals: https://buggyandbuddy.com/ghost-craft/

6) Clay handprint Halloween keepsakes: https://buggyandbuddy.com/ghost-craft/

7) Pumpkin patch maze: https://buggyandbuddy.com/pumpkin-patch-paper-plate-marble-maze/

8) Day of the Dead paper plate project: https://boxofideas.uk/day-of-the-dead-skulls-easy-halloween-alternative-craft-for-kids-using-paper-plates/

9) Spooky eyeballs: https://www.danyabanya.com/diy-spooky-eyeballs/

10) Sugar Skulls: https://www.brainybeginningsnetwork.com/sugar-skulls

11) Pumpkin salt painting: https://rhythmsofplay.com/halloween-pumpkin-salt…/

12) Painted pumpkin rocks: https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/painted-jack-o-lantern-pumpkin-rocks/

13) Flying bats:  http://kidscraftroom.com/paper-plate-bat-puppet-craft/

14) Paper craft spiders: https://www.redtedart.com/paper-spider-craft/

15) Pumpkin spinning tops: https://buggyandbuddy.com/halloween-science-spinning-tops/

16) 19 Trick-or-Treat Bags: http://make-it-your-own.com/12-diy-trick-or-treat-bag-ideas/

17) Climbing spider: http://twitchetts.com/2017/09/climbing-construction-paper-spiders.html/

18) Painted rock sugar skulls: https://colormadehappy.com/2017/09/sugar-skull-rocks-using-puffy-paint/

19) Halloween doodle books: https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/DIY-MINI-HALLOWEEN-DOODLE-BOOKS-WITH-FREE-PRINTABLES

20) Nature spider webs:  https://mothernatured.com/nature-crafts-for-kids/stick-spider-web/

21) Paper sugar skulls: http://creatingcreatives.com/a-sweet-day-of-the-dead-craft-paper-sugar-skulls/

Materials

• Rocks
• Water
• Dish soap
• Brush
• Drying rack
• Paint pens (We used POSCA)
• Fine, permanent markers (We used micron)
• Scissors
• Large brown bag

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go out for a walk with an adult and collect rocks that you think represent the shapes of the harvest vegetables.

• Wash the dust off your rocks.  (This allows the paint to adhere better.)  Allow your rocks to dry overnight.  Popping them on a cooling rack allows the underside to dry as well.

• Don your smock.  Follow the directions on your paint pens.  (The majority of brands instruct you to shake them before use and detail how to get the paint into the nib).  Outline the shape of the vegetable you want to paint and then colour it in.  The outline creates almost a dam of sorts, preventing the paint from escaping.  The brand that we used had excellent flow, so this wasn’t an issue.

• Once your general shape is completely dry, add details, reflective highlights etc. with other colours and follow this with your thin permanent marker.

• We experimented with a few different techniques to explore with the paints which might help you to create shapes to work with.  We applied the paint to the bubbles on bubble wrap and punched holes in an office label, applying to a rock and painting in the holes to create kernels on the cobs of corn.  We used strips of the labels to create ribs on the pumpkins. See what you can come up with!

• Now to create the cornucopia:  Remove the handles from your bag and open the bottom of it carefully.  On the one end, roll the bag down and on the other end twist it together.  You may need a little bit of help from an adult for this.  Once you are done, enjoy putting your harvest vegetables inside and playing with them!

• If you give this project a try, please tag us!  We love to see how you “made it your own”!

Pin this idea for later:

Looking for tips on rock painting supplies, elaborate ideas? 

Here are a few of our favourite sites and a young girl using rock painting to help change homelessness! 

Color Made Happy: https://colormadehappy.com/2017/07/best-painting-rocks-supplies-guide/

Adventure in a Box: https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/magical-halloween-silhouette-painted-rocks/

Alia’s Rainbow Rock Project: http://www.rainbowrockproject.com/

Purpose

• Creating with nature.
• Recognizing common elements of various seasons and celebrations.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.

Materials

• Cardboard
• Coffee cup sleeves
• Paint
• Items to create texture (Sponges, scrap fabric, paper towel etc.)
• Glue gun/ glue sticks
• Containers for your paint
• Good scissors

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go out into your neighbourhood and look at the various shapes of leaves.  Nature is always a beautiful inspiration point, isn’t it!?  Using these ideas, draw out your leaves.

• Have an adult assist your to cut out your leaves.  I learned from Handy with Scissors (http://www.handywithscissors.com/) that IKEA cardboard is often thinner and more manageable to cut.  A most fabulous tip!

• Don your smock.  Paint your leaves using brushes, scrap fabric or crunched up paper towel.  We started by dipping some burlap scraps into our paint and then a “happy accident” occurred with one of the paint containers tipping over and my daughter wiping it up with paper towel, creating a look that she rather liked so she used the paper towel to smear/ wipe the paint over the cardboard with her younger brother.  We then took a bit of gold paint to create some highlights on the leaves, allowing that to dry overnight.

• Now it is time to create your veins for your leaves.  The interior of coffee sleeves are corrugated and add further interest to your leaves.  We cut them up and glued them on the leaves to create veins.  (And who doesn’t like a good re-imagine/ re-use!?)

• As always, this is just a starting point- how could you “make this your own”, adding a unique-to-you twist!?

Pin this idea for later:

Purpose

• Using nature as inspiration.
• Creating the appearance of texture with different tools.
• Re-using materials.
• Recognizing the changing of the seasons and what is associated with each one. (E.g. falling leaves.)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and a glue gun with care and direct adult supervision.

See the full directions and tips here: 

https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/GLUE-AND-CHALK-PASTEL-FALL-LEAF-ART-GARLAND

Materials

• Small cloth bags (you can purchase these at dollar or craft stores inexpensively)
• Cardboard
• Paper
• Felt
• Tape
• Fabric glue/white glue
• Good scissors
• Pencil/eraser
• Popsicle stick (for the glue)
• Ruler and tracing material (e.g., a bottle cap) to make shapes

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Think about ideas for your bag that might correspond to your costume.  For example a mermaid might like a fish bag or an astronaut one that is space-y.  Sketch out your ideas on your paper, cutting them out and playing with them on your bag to see if they achieve the vision you intended.

• Make a tape donut and place your paper patterns on your felt (this is a great time to use up scraps), cutting out your pieces and checking to make sure that they work together on your bag.  This planning process allows you experiment and alter your ideas before adding the permanence of glued-on elements.

• Don your smock.  Slide your cardboard piece into your bag so as to prevent gluing the bag shut!

• Glue on your components and allow your bag to dry overnight.

• Slide out your cardboard the next morning and enjoy using your bag for trick-or-treating!

• You could also use your bags in your classroom to enhance your dramatic play or for little birthday bags!

Pin this idea for later:

Purpose

• Recognizing symbols that are often associated with various holidays and celebrations.
• Cutting and working with different materials.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.