For Mother's Day, I bought some little clay pots, on the top rim I wrote Thumbs up to a #1 Mom!
Then each child came to the back table, wrote their name on the bottom and dipped their thumbs in paint and made thumb prints all over the pot. The next day they planted a marigold in the pot.
For Father's Day, I used the poem Footprints and made Calendar for the dads. If you go to Http://www.Printfree.com
you will find calendars to print off. So I ran the poem off on a 9 x 12 piece of construction paper. Each child put their footprints on each side of the poem. (I didn't like using paint, so I used these large round ink pads instead.) Then I glued the poem and footprints on the top of an 12 X 18 piece of construction paper. Then the kids made foot prints around the edges of the bottom of the paper using their hand and finger. Have them make a fist, then they put the pinky side of their hand in the ink, when they place it on the paper it looks like a footprint, then they make five toe prints with their finger. I got this from Trading Spaces on TLC. When they are done, I laminated them, but you don't have too. Then I stapled the calendar on the bottom. I started my calendar with June, because it was for Father's Day.
I don't know who wrote this poem, but here it is.
Footprints
"Walk a little slower daddy,"
said a child so small.
"I'm following in your footsteps
and I don't want to fall."
Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see:
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.
Someday when I'm all grown up,
You're what I want to be:
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.
And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you.
Craft for the Month of March and April
Easter baskets- I make these every year. I got the idea from another teacher a long time ago. I think it might have came from The MailBox Magazine too. But the Mailbox magazine doesn't glue cotton on the rabbit. I have each child bring in an empty plastic milk gallon jug. Then I cut the top half off, leaving the corner with the handle on. Then each child cuts out pink and white ears out of construction paper and black whiskers and a pink nose. I staple the ears on, one to each side of the handle. Then they glue cotton around the rest of the milk container. Then I just make the eyes for them. I staple on half oval shape black, white, black eyes. Then I staple on the whiskers. When they are all done, I put green Easter grass in them. I also have them make rabbit ears for them self. It is a real cute picture and screen saver of the class with their bunny ears and their bunny Easter basket.
February
100th Day of School 100 Dalmations for the 100th day of school. I run off 100 dalmations and divide them equally. I have each kid color spots on the dalmations. Then I put them up on a bullitin board with black construction paper. I also use white border and I draw black spots all over the border. I cut out letters that say 100th day of school and I put that in the middle of the board.
Also I have each kid bring 100 edible items to school in a ziploc bag. (Cereal, red hots, chocolate chips, etc.) Then I get my 100 boards out. Depending on the amount of kids, have them put so many items on the hundreds board. Then have them pass their bag to the right. Continue to place food on the hundreds board and pass bags to the right. When they are done they can eat their 100 assorted food or put it back in a ziploc bag for later. This was great for me. I have only 10 kids, so they placed 10 items of food from each bag, and then passed the bag to the right, until each kid had their 100's board completely full. When they were finished they could eat some and put the rest in their ziploc bag for later.
Presidents Day- We make little log cabins out of little milk cartons, frosting, and pretzels. I have them save their milk carton from lunch. Then I rinse out the carton and glue it to a small paper plate. They frost the milk container, then they stick the pretzels on it. After they are done, I give them a small picture of Abe Lincoln to color, and they tape Abe standing next to the log cabin.
I also had them draw George Washington and Abe Lincoln. I got that idea from http://geocities.com/Heartland/Hollow/1213/pics24.html#pres_day
Make sure you scroll to the middle of her page to find the cute pictures of the presidents.
January
The Stuffed Penguin Either buy small black paper bags or paint brown bags. It is a lot easier to use black bags. Then on a half sheet of white construction paper, trace an oval for each kid. On an half sheet of orange paper, trace web feet and a small diamond shape for the beak. Then have the kids cut out the pieces. Have them put the left over paper inside the bag. Fold the top of the bag over and staple the top. Then have them glue the stomach and the beak to the bag. I use white hole reinforcements for the eyes. Then they glue the web feet on to the bottom of the bag. I put fake snow on a table and place the penguins on the table.
Cowboy Snowmen are fun to make. We made these to hang up next to our farm unit, and the kids got so carried away, that you can't even tell that the snowmen are snowmen. They added hats, bandanas, vests, pants, boots, chaps, etc.
Stick Horses- During Christmas time, I had the parents save wrapping paper tubes. I then made two horses heads and staped them together, leaving the bottom open. The kids colored the horses and added yarn for the mane. Then I stuck the tube in the horses head and stapled the rest of the bottom of the head. I added a few pieces of tape to secure the head. Then we went to the lunch room and had barrel races with our stick horses. I used three great big garbage cans for the kids to race around. I used a timer and timed each one. They had a blast.
December
I make large poaster board Christmas trees for each child, then I have each child bring home the tree so the whole family can decorate it. Then I hang these trees on a bullitin board. Each one is different and it is a great activity for parent involvement. I have some come back with nuts, beads, popcorn, glitter, stickers, lightbulbs, tinsel, bows, ribbons, garlands, etc.
November
I have the kids make pilgrim hats and Indian headbands. Then we invite their families to eat Thanksgiving lunch in the school caferteria. The children wear the pilgrim hats, and the parents wear the Indian headbands and we have a feast. The the kids go up and sing three songs to the parents. It is real cute. We also make turkey apples. We take an apple and put coffee stirrers in the apple. Then they put fruit loops on each stirrer and a gumdrop at the end. Then they tape a head on to the front coffee stirrer.
