Rain Art - quick and easy!

It doesn't rain very often in Vegas, but when it does I try to take advantage of it! We spent our morning splashing in small mud puddles and digging for worms in our "garden" so it was time to head indoors for a craft.

We colored the paper with washable markers:
Then put them outside to watch the rain distort the drawings. Of course being Vegas the rain wasn't the type I'm used to being from Seattle! I ended up giving them water bottles to help the process along.

Create Paper Lanterns

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with an easy craft with your kids!

Use regular construction paper. Let your child decorate the lantern with stickers, glitter glue, crayons, and pens. When using loose glitter, I put a cookie sheet under the sheet then let them spread washable glue over the paper with popsicle sticks. I let them pour their own glitter then we shake it out while still on the cookie sheet after its dried. I still have a never ending supply of rainbow glitter in my carpet, but I'm sure this helps!

Since my girls LOVE glitter and glitter glue we had to let our paper dry for 24 hours. Fold the paper length wise in half. If your kids are ready to use safety scissors then let them cut slits in the paper. I sit with them, never leave a child unattended with scissors, to make sure they're keeping on track. I like their projects to look like a kid made them so there are several diagonal cuts here and there.

The girls had a blast and we have them on our fireplace mantel. Enjoy!

Handprint Tulips

Handprint Flowers

These are super easy and fun to do! All 3 of my daughters were able to fit their hands on the paper - doubt that will happen next year!

TOILET PAPER ROLL BINOCULARS

This is a super easy craft and the kids go buggy over it! I've been collecting toilet paper rolls since December - needless to say, we have a ton. So its time to start working with them. BeBe and Gigi had finished putting on and taking off most of their princess dresses so it was time to sit down to a craft.

Today we are working on The Letter B so I thought it'd be fun to go on a Bug Safari!

Supplies:

• 2 toilet paper rolls (or one paper towel roll cut in half)
• Crayons, markers, glitter, stickers, jewels - whatever your little one likes to decorate with
• Hole Punch
• Yarn
• Tape

Set up your little one with the 2 rolls and let them decorate! *If using glitter I suggest placing a baking sheet underneath to help the containment of glitter...which I'm positive I'll have glitter in my carpet for many, many years regardless!

Once they are satisfied with their artwork, tape the rolls together. Punch a hole into the outside of the tubes and tie your yarn to make a necklace.

Now the fun starts, hide several plastic bugs in your home or backyard and have them find them! Definitely count how many your hiding - I've found lizards in my playroom in odd places weeks after this game.

Crepe Paper Wind Sock

Supplies Needed:

• Construction paper - size depends on what size you want your wind sock
• *You can use foam sheets or printer paper depending on how durable you'd like your wind sock to be.
• Crepe paper cut into 12" or longer lengths - as many colors as you'd like
• Scissors
• Stapler or tape
• Hole Punch
• Yarn
• Materials for decorating (foam stickers, glitter glue, gems, markers, etc...)

Instructions:

Have your child(ren) decorate the paper with the materials you collected for decorating. When your little one is finished decorating have them choose their crepe paper colors or sequence as you roll the sheet lengthwise into a cylinder. Using the tape or stapler, secure it to hold the cylendar shape.

Punch 4 holes of equal distance apart from the top, near the edge. Tie a piece of yarn to each hole. Join the pieces of yarn in the middle and tie a knot. This will be a great handle as your little one runs about to see the crepe flowing behind them. Once thier finished they can help you find a great place to hang it.

On the opposit end, staple or tape the crepe paper to the bottom. When using tape, I let my 3 year olds put the crepe paper on then I tape it down.

This can also be done with toilet paper rolls!

Once your windsock is blowing in the wind, this is a great time discuss weather and wind with your little explorer.