Toddlers' craft activities

I love making crafts.  With the help of a related craft activity, teaching lessons can be fun and would help them remember the new concepts that are introduced to them.

I'd love to share some of the crafts we did in our homeschooling.  The main objective of this craft is to teach my son how to use the scissors, glue objects and review the shapes and colors that we learned.

I know not some but most of us worries of letting our toddlers use the scissors.  I remember JC when he was around 2y/o he saw the scissors at the table he played with it without my knowledge.  I was able to discover that he did use the scissors because I saw his shirt and shorts with cuts and some of his hairs were short.  At that moment we were careful not to place the scissors or any sharp objects within his reach.  Now, I want him to be responsible using scissors and its time to teach him how to properly use it because he is already 4y/o.

CRAFT 1: Mosaic
Materials Needed: a sheet of colored paper, a sheet of white paper, glue and scissors

The first thing I do is assist JC how to properly put his fingers in the handle.  He cut the sheet of white paper in any size and shape.  We have a container to put the strips of paper.  While cutting the strips I am asking him of the shapes that he was able to produce.  We glue them in the colored sheet of paper.  I asked my son of what design he would love to make.  I just used the glue bottle to make the outline and filled the design with glue and instructed him to put the pieces of paper on where the glue is.

Options:  If you think your child is still young to use the scissors, simply teach to tear the paper to be used for mosaic.  Scratch papers, old magazines and newspaper can also be used.  For enhancement, you can use markers to put highlights in your artwork.

CRAFT 2: Fish
Materials: board paper, marker, stapler and crayons

I prepared the board paper and draw a circle shape which is about 6 inches in diameter.  I cut the circle and then draw a triangle that will look like Pacman's open mouth (just see the photo).  I asked JC to cut the triangle.  The triangle will serve as the tail of the fish and draw a circle that will serve as the eye then colored it with his crayon.  I simply use a stapler to attach the tail of the fish.

Options:  You can put string into your fish so the children can easily play with it or hang it.  In this craft I used an old paper bag I used its handle to serve the the string of the fish.  (I used stapler to place the string.)

CRAFT 3:  Puppet
Materials: Paper cup, straw, coffee stirrer, colored marker, paper

I outlined a circle using the cup as my guide in a piece of colored paper.  I let my son cut the circle to practice his cutting skill.  Afterwards I instructed him to put square eyes using his blue marker, triangle nose with his green marker and a rectangle mouth using the red marker.  I staple the yellow circle in the straw.  Then punch the bottom of the paper cup to make a hole enough for the straw to be inserted.  The coffee stirrer served as the hands of the puppet.

My children loved playing with their puppet.  They can change the directions of the face because we use bendable straws.  Originally the body and hands of the puppet should be a fuzzy wire.  I make use of the materials that are available in our house in replacement.

I am hoping you too will like the craft ideas I shared.  Enjoy crafting with your child.