Arts & Crafts for Toddlers & Preschoolers
Toddlers and preschoolers can build their imagination and creativity skills when participating in hands-on crafts. Art and craft projects give young children a chance to highlight their artistic abilities. With a wide assortment of craft supplies and a few craft ideas, you have everything you need to keep toddlers and preschoolers busy with craft projects at home or in the classroom.
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Animal Crafts
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For an easy animal craft, print pictures of animal from the Internet and have the children color the pictures. The children can attach cotton balls to the body of any animal that has fur. Another idea is to give the toddlers a variety of craft pompoms, chenille stems and googly eyes to make pompom animal crafts. Stuffed animal kits are also available online, and you can help each child make her own stuffed animal. They can stuff, dress and name the stuffed animals once they are complete.
Glue Crafts
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The preschoolers can use bottles of glue to create a few crafts. For a simple craft, have the children make a design using the glue on wax paper. Allow the glue to dry overnight and have the child peel the design from the wax paper. Poke a hole through the design and attach a string to make a necklace, bracelet or anklet. For another glue craft, have the children make swirl designs all over a sheet of paper and sprinkle the design with salt. Using a paint dropper the children will drop food coloring mixed with water onto the glue. The color will travel around the swirls of glue.
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Keepsake Crafts
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Prepare keepsake crafts for the children they can display in their room for family and friends. Use plaster of Paris, which is available at most craft stores, to make an imprint of the preschooler's hand or foot. After the plaster dries, use paint pens to write the child's name and date on the craft. The children can also create a memory box using a shoebox. Fill the box with drawings, crafts and pictures of the child from the current year. Write the current year and name on the outside of the box. Parents can keep the boxes for years to come.
Birdfeeder Crafts
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Most preschoolers will enjoy making birdfeeders and watching the birds come to get the goodies. For an easy birdfeeder, give each child a piece of stale bread or bagel. He will use a plastic spoon to cover the stale bread or bagel with peanut butter and then roll in birdseed. String a piece of twine around the bread or through the hole on the bagel and hang it up outside by a window. Other birdfeeder ideas include covering a pine cone or large soft pretzel in peanut butter and covering that with birdseed. You can also help the children string dried fruit and popcorn on fishing line to hang outdoors.
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References
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