DLTK's Holiday Crafts for Kids
Easy Toddler Crafts for Thanksgiving
If you're a new mom entering the world of crafting with your toddler, I'm here for you! Crafting with toddlers isn't difficult, we just need to be honest about the complexity of instructions they're able to follow and what you're going to end up with as a finished project.
Forget perfection! This season is about joy, mess, and milestones. A year ago, your little one could barely get a Cheerio in their mouths. Today? They’re creating keepsakes grandma will treasure.
Paper Plate Pumpkin:
I like paper plates as the base as the kids stay “on the plate” a bit more than they do on paper, but you can use circles cut from used cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect) if you'd prefer something a bit more recycled.
- Supplies: Paper plate, washable non-toxic fingerpaint, sponge or fat-handled brush, optional green leaf or stem.
- Pro Tip: Raincoats make great crafting clothes.
- Reality Check: Clothes, hair, noses, and maybe the dog will get paint on them.
- Why I Love It: Paper plates help toddlers stay “on the plate” better than flat paper.
Provide some options for applying the paint. This is when we find out if our child likes the mucky mess on their fingers or if they prefer to use a brush or a sponge to apply. I recommend providing a couple of large brushes with different fat handles and a sponge. The sponge (just a basic kitchen sponge) will be easier for little hands to hold and smack into the paint and then onto the plate. The brushes require more fine motor skills which not all toddlers will be ready for.
When the project is dry, you can add a simple green leaf or a stem to make it look a little more pumpkiny but that's up to you.
Sneaky Tip: Model Behaviour -- Show, don't tell!
We all love to watch an expert at work and toddlers are no exception. Watching an older sibling, mommy or daddy make the craft at the same time will make your child eager to participate and give it a try on their own.
Daddy has always been my favourite victim, er role model. In our household, if daddy was playing it must be fun!
Of course, daddy is actually grandpa these days but he's still the best.
Reality Check: Love their Reality Not your Fantasy
Every mom has been there -- reading a magazine or watching a curated social media fantasy of mini works of art supposedly created by 2 year olds. There's nothing wrong with a website providing a model of how something should look in a perfect world, but it's important to be realistic about what real kids will really make. Don't be disappointed... be amazed. This tiny human who couldn't even walk a year ago can now make a lovely mess with fingerpaint -- and some of it might even end up on the paper!
Handprints and Footprints are your Friends:
- Supplies: paper, non-toxic washable paint, construction paper or cardstock, googly eyes
- Footprint turkeys? Easy and adorable.
- Handprint crafts? Harder, so don’t force it. If your toddler isn’t ready, wait a year.
- Crafting should be fun, not a battle.
Footprint crafts are easier than handprint crafts. You can pretty much do footprint crafts with a baby, but the embellishments like the tail feathers, googly eyes and beak are typically added by an older sibling or an adult.
Handprint crafts are more of a proper craft as the toddler has to follow some basic instructions. And that happens when it happens so try not to be impatient if your child isn't there yet. Footprint turkeys are adorable... it's ok if handprint turkeys need to wait a year!
If you can easily instruct your child to hold their hand still in a certain shape for you to trace, great... if you can easily instruct them to stamp their hand into paint and then onto paper that's great too (and is harder for most children than tracing) but if you can't easily instruct them on the process then don't force it and don't be frustrated.
This isn't just a turkey as you can plainly see.
I made it with my foot which is a part of me.
It comes with lots of love especially to say,
I hope you have a very, Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Last (Best) Resort!
Quick materials list: paper, crayons, glue and a leaf
Go outside and collect a pretty leaf. Crush it into a thousand pieces, then collect a new pretty leaf.
Kaitlyn found the leaf, Daddy scribbled, Mommy glued. Done.
If your child is in the mood, let them scribble and glue themselves.
Have fun you guys!
Leanne
