Advent/Christmas Craft #3

Paper Bag Manger Scene



What you will need:
Brown paper grocery bags
Paint or markers
Construction Paper
Scissors

Directions:
1. With Paper bag folded flat, cut in half
2. Open the bag and cut an opening to create the stable.
3. Using Construction paper, copy patterns from the following links to create your manger scene. Use as many of the patterns as you want to include in your project. Links:

http://www.fcpeace.com/friends/images/Paquete%202003%20Files/Paquete%20Diciembre%2003/18%20-%20Figures%20for%20the%20Paper%20Bag%20Manger%20Scene.jpg

http://www.fcpeace.com/friends/images/Paquete%202003%20Files/Paquete%20Diciembre%2003/17%20-%20%20Paper%20Bag%20Manger%20Scene.jpg 

TIP: I DID NOT COPY THE PATTERNS...I COPIED THE PICTURES AND LET THE STUDENTS COLOR THEM AND THEN GLUE THEM ON CONSTRUCTION PAPER AND I LET THEM CUT THEM OUT. IT WAS MUCH EASIER!

4. Color patterns appropriately.

5. Cut pattern and fold on dotted Lines. Stand the paper and animals up in and around the stable.

6. Use Star pattern and glue on the back outside wall of the stable; use glitter or glitter crayons to color the star.

Variations to the is project: Listed are just some of the ways to elaborate on this project:

1. Sequins on the wisemen

2. Cotton balls on the sheep

3. Cloth on the people

4. Yarn on the manger

5. Color stable

My Class really enjoyed this activity. The Director at my parish also thought it was a great idea and she grabbed a few of them for her own grandchildern.

Please if you have any questions or comments or would like to post to the blog, please feel free to contact me via email, my blog, or facebook.

God Bless,

Kelly

ALL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY KELLY GRIFFITH. C/O2013

 

Advent/Christmas Craft #2

Homemade Christmas Cards

One thing that I will always remember as a child is when I would make homemade cards for my parents, they would just love them. So during the special holidays, I make sure my Sunday school kids make homemade cards for someone special.

The reason I say someone special is because of children might not have parents or they are divorced. they could live with their grandparents or be very close to one of their siblings.

What you will need:
White Cardstock paper- folded in half

Markers/crayons

Stamps

Stickers,

Quote or saying for the inside of the card.

Directions:
1. Take the white cardstock paper and fold it half.

2. I teach 4 and 5 year olds and so I have always have two options for them. The first option is they can write out Merry Christmas on the front of the card OR they can color and then glue on Merry Christmas on the front of the card. I make sure to make copies for those who are still having trouble writing.

3. Once they have written or glued on Merry Christmas, let them decorate the front of the card, it doesn't matter what they do. It is their card and they are  free to do what they like. I usually have stamps, stickers, and other things they can glue on (hearts, Christmas Trees, etc).

4. Open  the card and again make sure you have to options for them. The majority of the children decided to glue in the inside because the saying was too much to write for them. So you might just want to make copies instead of trying to have them. This is what I had them glue or write. May the Spirit of Christmas bring you peace, The Gladness of Christmas give you Hope, The Warmth of Christmas grant you Love! Merry Christmas! And then I make sure they write Love, and their name. No matter what.

5. Once they have that written they are able to decorate the inside of the card however they would like.

When the parents came and picked up their children they really enjoyed seeing what the children made them.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me via Facebook, on my blog, or email.

God Bless,

Kelly.

ALL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN  BY KELLY GRIFFITH C/O2013
 

My Favorite Time of the Year! Advent/Christmas Craft #1

 Thumbprint Lights

What you will need:

Washable Finger Paints- I used Crayola and they were awesome!

White Cardstock Paper

A quote about light and/or Jesus

Black Permanent Marker

Colored paper

Paperplates

Glue

Newspaper

Smock or an Old t-shirt

Wet towels for clean up

Directions: Prep before class or Craft Time)

2. Take the White Cardstock paper and the pernament Marker and make a line with loops in different places- See pictures if confused on what to do.

2. Type out a quote about Jesus or light. I used lyrics from a song "This Little Light of Mine" Print on a different colored paper and cut them out. You can either glued them on yourself or you can have the children do it. I believe I did it because we had a lot of crafts that day.

3. Take the colored  paper and the white card stock and Glue the white card stock onto the colored paper. I would keep with one color to ensure you will not have anyone complaining that they didn't receive the color they wanted. I picked blue because it was what was handy. It also happens to be my favorite color.


Directions:(During Class or the Craft time)

1. Before I would begin with this project- I would grab a bunch of newspaper and lay them all over the table, even though you are using washable paints doesn't mean you want to be cleaning up paint all over the table.

2. Take the paper plates and I would only have two children at the table at a time. Take two paper plates and start putting a little bit of paint on them. Make it look like a Painters Canvas. You can use as many colors as you want...doesn't matter. I did do this during Advent so you could have them use just Christmas Colors or let them go to town with the colors. One thing you must tell the children is to NOT mix the paints on the paperplate.

3. Put a smock or an old T-shirt on the children and show them what they will be making. Show your example and then show them how to do it. Take your thumb and place it in one of the colors on the Painters Canvas and then take your thumb (make sure the tip of the thumb is point away from the loop) and press down and make a thumbprint on each of the loops you have created. Ask the children if they would like to change colors; if they do (Which they Will) take the wet wipe and clean their thumb and have them decide on another color). Repeat until all the loops have fingerprints on them.

4. Once they are done- make sure to clean their hands with a wet wipe and have them glue on the quote, song, etc to the paper. And set it aside for it to dry. The Washable paint dries very quickly.

Once the parents got to the classroom to pick up their children and saw what they did...the absolutely LOVED it!!! A few of them told me they were going to frame it.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me on Pinterest, Facebook or via email.

God Bless,

Kelly

ALL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY KELLY GRIFFITH C/O2013

Thankful Turkey- Thanksgiving Lesson

This is another project I do every year! For some reason the children love making these goofy turkeys. I could not explain it if I tried.

What you will need:
4 different color paper- I used fall colors because thanksgiving is in the Fall. (Green, yellow, Red, orange)

Posterboard

Plain White paper

Yellow Paper

Something circular (small and big size)- I used a cereal bowl and a coffee cup.


Markers/Crayons

Glue

Scissors

Directions:
1. For several of my projects I usually trace and then keep the pattern, for this project...I designed it myself and kept the pattern for future classes. I usually put 5 feathers on each turkey...so depending on how many feathers you want you might be cutting for a while.Trace the feathers onto the colored paper and start cutting away. Once completed set aside.

2. take your circular item- big one first and start tracing those- the big item will be the body of the turkey. Once you have traced them cut them out and set aside. then, Take the small circular item- this one will be for the head of the turkey. Trace them and cut them out and set aside. Make small triangles out of yellow paper- these will be the beak of the Turkey.

3. Take 5 feathers- one of each color and then have the children take one extra one of their favorite color out of the 5 colors. Write one thing they are thankful for on each of the feathers. Then have the children color the head and body of the turkey. And draw a face on the turkey.

4. Now to ensemble the turkey. Glue the body first, then the head, and then all the feathers-carefully lift the body/head to place the feathers behind them). Then glue on the beak and draw legs onto the turkey.

5. On the bottom of the paper write in Marker- I AM THANKFUL FOR...

As always if you have any questions please let me know.

God bless,

Kelly

All photos take by Kelly Griffith c/o2013

Marble Paint Leaves- Thanksgiving Lesson

 This is probably one of my favorite crafts I do with the children because they LOVE IT! I did this when I was a child and it is still fun to do when you are an adult.

What you will need:
~Leaf pattern- I have had my pattern for several years and not sure where I got it from, but I have found a bunch of different type of leaves that you could use. Here is the link; http://www.craftjr.com/leaf-template-printables/


~5 baby jars or small jars with lids

~Shoe Box- doesn't need to have the lid

~Paint- Washable Paint- the following colors- Brown, yellow, green, orange, and red

~Poster Board

~5 Marbles

~Whole Punch

~Ribbon (Your favorite color)

Directions:
1. Take your template and trace the leaves on poster board. Once you have traced the leaves cut them out and put them to the side.

2. Take the Baby Jars and the paint and put a different color paint in each of the jars about 1 or 2 tablespoons in the jar. Once you have have placed the paint in the jars, put a marble in each of them.

3. Take a leaf you have cut out and place it in the shoe box. Take a spoon and remove the marble from the Baby Jar and place it in the shoe box. Pick up the shoe box with your hands and start to tilt it back and forth, making sure the marble (with the paint on it) is rolling over the leaf.

4. Once you have used all the colors that you want...carefully remove the leaf from the shoe box and place on a paper plate to dry. When it is fully try whole punch the stem of the leaf and place ribbion in the hole and and tie a knot and hang it up in your room for decorations for the Fall.

*Make sure the marbles are separated in their correct color..you do not want them getting placed in the work color.
 

All photos taken by Kelly Griffith c/o2013

Thankful Tree- Thanksgiving Lesson

 I do this craft EVERY YEAR! The kids seems to enjoy it and it is easy enough for them to remember what they are thankful for.

Here is what you need:
~Brown Colored Paper
~Yellow, Red, and Orange Colored paper cut into little squares or what ever shape you want.
~Black Marker
~Glue

Directions:
1. Take the brown colored paper and black marker and make a big tree...like I have stated in previous posts I am not the best drawer, so I draw what I know.

2. Once you have your trees completes, cut squares or other shapes from the yellow, organge, and red colored pieces of paper.  Keep them separate, it will make your life a lot easier if you put each color in a different ziploc bag.

3. Write with the black Marker in the left hand side of the Brown paper "Thankful Tree" and I am Thankful and then on the right hand side of the paper right "For" If you can fit all of it on the Left hand side, that is great too.

4. Take cut up pieces of paper and write what you are thankful for! Once you have completed that glue the pieces all over the tree. And the children have their Thankful Tree!

If you have any questions please let me know.

All photos taken by Kelly Griffith. c/o2013

Thankful Book- Thanksgiving Lesson

When a big holiday is coming up, I usually spend the entire month on that holiday. So, in November we learn about Thanksgiving every week. You might be wondering why. Well, I believe that some things the children need to learn weekly and one of those lessons is being Thankful and giving back to those they love.

For the first week, the children made Thankful Books. And when I taught this lesson I also had the 3rd and 4th graders and I thought that is this was great for them to give back and help the little children with their thankful book.

Please excuse my drawings; I believe I have a very creative mind, but I CANNOT draw to save my soul.

Here is what you need:

~Any kind of paper (cut in half)
~Stapler
~Crayons/Markers

Directions:
1. Take the paper and cut each paper in half. For the children I used colored paper, that way their Thankful Book was full of color and not just plain white paper.

2. Take 5 or 6 half pieces of paper and staple them together. 

3. Here is what each page or suggestions should say about:
Front Page: Should say; My Thankful Book By: Child's Name
1st Page: I am Thankful for my family
2nd Page: I am Thankful for my Friends
3rd page: I am Thankful for...(Ask the children what they are thankful for).
4th page: I am Thankful for God

On Each page have the children draw a little picture of what they are thankful for.

And then we present them to the class while they are eating snack. 

If you have any questions please let me know.

All photos taken by Kelly Griffith c/o2013