My Tool Bag Craft

This week, Mrs. D. had a theme of "Construction Site." Naturally, my little man was very excited by the books she read. Also, in case you can't tell, he enjoyed using many of the foam vehicle stickers that she provided! I can't think of a better craft for her to have created than this fun tool bag, which is just the right size for little hands.

Materials:

• brown bag (lunch size or smaller)
• scissors
• stapler
• printable tools template
• crayons
• self-adhesive foam stickers (optional)
• "Tools" label made on computer (optional)
• glue stick (optional, for adhering "Tools" label)

Directions:

1. Print off as many tools templates as desired. You can use either plain white paper or card stock for this. If doing this project with young children, you will need to first cut out the tools. If older kids are making the craft, they may be able to cut them out for themselves.
2. This step is optional. If you would like a label that reads "Tools" for the front of your bag, you will need to make it on your computer. Mrs. D. added clip art of a hammer and screwdriver. You can fit several per page. After printing them out, cut around the edges, and adhere to the bag using a glue stick. (Another option would be to print these on self-adhesive labels if you are planning to make lots and want to save time by skipping the cutting and gluing.)
3. Cut a one-inch wide strip off the top of a brown paper bag. Do not discard this piece because it will become the bag's strap! (Another option would be to cut a one-inch wide strip of brown paper.)
4. Tuck the strip inside the bag and staple each end to make the strap. You should have one staple on either side of the bag.
5. Have your child color the tools and decorate the bag as desired. Slip the tools into the bag and he is now ready for some creative play.

Pizza Time Craft!

Who doesn't love pizza? I know I do, and I am especially in love with this fun pizza craft that my little dude made at the library this morning during Mrs. D's class. It's a deliciously clever re-purpose of a paper grocery sack and it goes perfectly with this week's theme of "Pizza Time!" Here's how you and your child can enjoy making a guilt-free treat at home.

{Clever and Calorie-Free Pizza!}

Materials:

• brown paper grocery sack
• scissors
• colored paper (red, yellow, green, black, gray)
• brown (or red) craft foam (or paper, if you don't have foam)
• hold punch
• glue stick

Directions:

1. Cut a large triangle from the side of an empty brown grocery sack. Flip it over so that the plain brown inside is on top and curl the end up slightly to make the "crust."

2. Cut a slightly smaller triangle from red paper to make the "sauce." Bonus points for making the edge that goes by the crust wavy -- nice, but not necessary if you are craft-impaired.

3. Cut several "toppings" from colored paper or craft foam. (These do NOT need to look perfect! They might get covered over, anyway, so don't sweat it.) Some items that Mrs. D. offered included:

• yellow strips for "cheese"
• narrow green triangles for "peppers"
• black circle with hole-punched centers for "olives"
• brown/red foam circles for "pepperoni"
• gray "mushrooms" (semi-circles with a rectangular "stems")

4. Give your child a glue stick and let him add "sauce," "cheese," and "toppings" to his slice of pizza. There is no wrong way to do this and you'll be interested to see what your little one will create. 

Paper Bag Monkey Puppet

The theme of this week's A to Z with Mrs. D. is 5 Little Monkeys. Who doesn't enjoy the finger play that goes along with that story? I know I do, but my heart has really been stolen by this adorable monkey puppet! I love his quirky grin and the way that it looks like he is about to give me a big hug -- so like my own little monkey, the creator of the puppet.

Materials:

• brown lunch bag
• scissors
• glue stick
• construction paper (brown, tan, black)
• crayons
• stapler

Directions:

1. Cut all pieces including:

• large brown oval for tummy
• smaller brown oval for mouth
• 2 brown half circles for ears
• 2 tan "mittens" for paws
• 2 long brown rectangles for arms
• 1 narrow brown strip for tail
• tan heart -- with the tip cut off to make a flat edge on the bottom -- for the face
• 2 black circle for eyes (can also use a hole punch or two googly eyes)
• small black oval for nose (or a larger circle punch, button, or pom pom, if your prefer)

2. Set a brown lunch sack on the table so that the flat bottom is facing up. This will be the monkey's head. The open end of the bag will be pointing down.

3. Have your child use a glue stick to assemble the monkey. Start with the oval for the belly and the "heart" for the face and then add the other brown oval for the mouth. Next, adhere the nose, ears, eyes, and arms. Younger kids may need some help with this. Tip: Make sure that no glue gets stuck in between the flat part of the bag and the and the head because then it will be difficult to use the puppet.

4. Curl the narrow brown paper strip around your finger and then staple it to the back side of the puppet, near the bottom, to make the monkey's tail.

5. Let your child use crayons to add a mouth and other details like fur. The puppet is now ready to be played with!

Drawn to Reading!

If you read my personal blog, you might know that my little dude is not all that into crafts (unlike his big sissy and his mama). One place, though, where he is sure to get into making a craft project is at the library with Mrs. D! This week he made this fun dump truck that actually moves. So cool, right? This went along with the week's topic of -- you guessed it -- trucks, a fan favorite of all four-year-old boys. Naturally, he had a lot to say during the read-alouds.

The more exciting thing to me, however, is what's inside the cab of the truck... Take a look at his very first drawing of a person! It's a portrait of yours truly. He made sure to tell me that I have no hair. Your guess is as good as mine, but the point is that our library offers a wonderful program for preschool age children. It has inspired my little guy to do crafts and begin drawing, which is definitely a step toward literacy. (And just in case you are wondering, I am not bald, even though being the mama of a little boy can make me want to tear my hair out at times.)