Free Printable Father's Day Greeting Cards for Preschoolers and Dad Themed Craft Activities

At your wits end to know what to get dad for Father's Day? Make him something, using these free printable Father's Day greeting cards and dad themed crafts. Good for all ages, even preschoolers! Dad will love your creativity and thoughtfulness.  Free Printable Father's Day Greeting Cards and Craft Activities

Inexpensive Father's Day Photo Frame Crafts from Recycled Materials

Need a cheap (as in cost, not quality) gift for Father's Day? How about a free one? Even better, right? So make photo frame crafts from recycled materials. Personalize with special pictures of you and dad. Here are simple photo frame crafts made by decoration plain picture frames. Collect plain wood, plastic or metal frames. Watch clearance sales, garage sales, rummage sales, even junk piles for photo frames to refurbish. Now read on Easy, Inexpensive, Green Mother's Day / Father's Day Photo Frame Crafts

. 

Hands-On, Open-Ended Creative Kids' Art Activities

Kids need art like plants need sun. In fact, art imitates childhood, when it grows organically and isn't manufactured. I had a sad childhood experience with formula art. A teacher publicly criticized my piece for not fitting the mold.
Admittedly, I didn't follow directions. She specifically said start drawing in the middle of the page. And I drew a boat along the bottom. I completely forgot, being caught up in the joy of creating. And it killed my confidence. Here's how not to let that happen with kids. Art Imitates Childhood: Hands-On, Creative Kids' Art Activities

Cheap, Recycled Gift Craft for Kids--Decoupage Vases

I empathize with moms of little ones--too cold to play outside for long. How about a cheap, chilly day craft for housebound kids? Most everything you need comes from your recycle bin. It's an easy retro crafting technique called decoupage or Mod Page.  Cheap, Recycled Gift Craft for Children

Preschool Animal Alphabet Snacks From A-Z Homemade, Healthy

Teachers, want to make ABCs fun? Here are healthy animal alphabet-themed snacks from A-Z. Use Alpha-Bits cereal, letter pretzels, cookies for letter shape. Make character sandwiches using any spread and leave open face. Use pretzels or matchstick carrots for whiskers. For eyes, use Cheerios, spray cheese, raisins, olives, banana or kiwi slices. Make ears, nose and mouth from apple bits, pimentos, pepper pieces, triangle chips or crackers. Use pretzel sticks for legs. For cookie creations, use candy or fruit to make faces.  Preschool Animal Alphabet Themed Snacks From A-Z

Recycled Craft for Kids

Here's a favorite craft that I used decades ago, made with recycled materials.  Pet baby tornado. With a name like that, can you see why it so intrigues kids? Give each child a glass jar with lid or have them bring from home. Have them wash at school and teach life skills of dishwashing. When clean, fill jar almost to top with water (leave a little room) and add a drop of dish soap.  Pet Tornado Craft for Kids

Repurpose Summer Toys for Indoor Preschool Learning Play

 I homeschooled four kids in a single-wide old mobile home. So I know about space-saving as well as money saving. A favorite way to do both is by repurposing. We made outdoor toys do double duty in winter with indoor uses. For example, their Little Tikes Sand Turtle was filled with Lake Michigan beach sand and enjoyed all summer. Then in winter, I cleaned it out, bleach and sanitized and brought it indoors. Repurpose Summer Toys for Indoor Preschool Play

Recycle Bin Crafts for Bored Kids: Homemade Hats

Got stuck-at-home-itis? can’t Got rainy-day, can't go out to play bored kids? Maybe someone is sick, or the whole family has head lice (been there done that)? Maybe the car is down or little ones are lonely with siblings at school? If so, you need teacher mama's boredom first aid kit. I’m your go-to gal for cheap, easy, parent friendly fun. '
Cause you know I'm short on artistic skill!

For every craft you can imagine, your recycle bin is your best bud. Today's craft from trash: homemade hats. And ahem, with Halloween fast-approaching, why not start thinking costumes? This design was developed by our oldest daughter at 20 months old. We kept her blocks and toys sorted in those old 5 pound peanut butter pails.  Recycle Bin Crafts for Bored Kids: Homemade Hats - News - Bubblews

Free Printable Labor Day, American History Coloring Pages

Labor Day, celebrated the first Monday is September, in the US remembers the contributions of organized labor, unions and workers. Here are free printable coloring pages to celebrate: occupations, careers and worker coloring pages. Labor Day is also the last picnic holiday before school starts, so if you are organizing a Labor Day BBQ, picnic, or party, you will want these free printable coloring pages for the children at your party. Teachers, start your school year off right with a social studies unit that explores community helpers, workers, occupations and careers. These coloring pages make excellent activities for that a unit on Labor Day.  Free Printable Labor Day Coloring Pages

Free Printable Preschool Board Games, Learning Activities

I'm a certified special needs teacher for CI (cognitively impaired) students. I always write interactive lesson plans. Hands-on activities, like games, make content relevant, approachable and understandable for both general and special education students. Preschool kids particularly need multi-sensory learning activities. Happily, there are many free printable preschool games available online. Free Printable Preschool Board Games, Learning Activities

Preschool Arts and Crafts Party, Cheap, Recycled

Winter is finally getting serious in our area. Kids are loving the big snow drifts! But below-zero wind chills force some parents to keep kids in the house. Schools cancel recess if it's too cold. Excess times indoors makes for restless, irritable children. Looking for cheap, indoor activities for bored, winterbound kids? How about a crafts-travaganza party?  Activities for Bored, Winterbound Kids: Arts and Crafts Party

Free Printable Valentine Crafts for Preschool Kids

 With Valentines Day coming up soon, my email box overfloweth with nifty crafts, treats and card ideas to celebrate. Alas, many are also costly. As a penny-pinching teacher and homeschool mom of four, I don't spend big. Here are free printable preschool valentine crafts, lesson plans, learning activities and games, for my fellow fru-gals and guys.  Read more

Free Printable Despicable Me Minions Halloween Costume Guide

Steve Carell's new cartoon Despicable Me with the cute little yellow Twinkie-shaped minions is a huge hit. I predict that we will see lots of little yellow minions this Halloween. Want to make a Despicable Me minion Halloween costume? Here's how.

Examine the picture (left) to see what a Despicable Me minion looks like. Each one looks a little different, but they have the same elements. There are several options to create the yellow capsule shaped body of the Despicable Me minion. Most are cheap or free using recycled materials. Most options are no sew. Read on for free printable minions costume guide

Free Printable Preschool Games, Hands-on Activities, Lesson Plans

Hands-on preschool games and activities help build developmental skills in early childhood. There's no need to spend money on lessons for preschoolers. You can find free printable games and interactive educational materials online. Many preschool printables are also cut and paste crafts that kids can make themselves. Here are free printable alphabet activities, reading and letter games, math worksheets and shapes lessons. Perfect for bored preschoolers whose siblings have gone back to school. Free Printable Preschool Games, Hands-on Activities, Lesson Plans

Free Printable Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar Crafts

Eric Carle is a beloved childrens' illustrator and author of dozens of books about insects and animals. Here are free printable cut and paste crafts, games, activities, lessons, puzzles and coloring pages from Eric Carle's best known book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. In the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a little caterpillar eats his way through different foods each day of the week. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is used in preschool and kindergarten classrooms teach and explore caterpillars and butterflies, sequencing and days of the week.  Free Printable Eric Carle Activities from The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Rediscover the Barney bag for green, cheap kids' craft fun

Barney the bouncy purple dinosaur celebrates his 20th anniversary this year. In 1992, PBS adopted the character into the series Barney & Friends. Over the years, the children's show and its outgoing host have gotten mixed reviews; people either love or despise it. I was early in my mom career with a 3-year-old, 2-year-old and infant when the show aired. My children didn't watch much television and when they did, Barney wasn't their first choice. We did pick up one idea that has become a family tradition: the Barney Bag. Looking for green, inexpensive, easy, creative crafts for anywhere-anytime fun? Why not revisit the Barney Bag? Here's a Q-and-A to get started. Read more at Rediscover the Barney bag for green, cheap kids' craft fun

Free Printable Snowflake Patterns and Winter Craft Activities

Free Printable Snowflake Patterns and Winter Craft Activities As the winter holidays wind to a close and the New Year approaches, kids will be going back to school. Now is the time that winter can get long. Why not celebrate the season with free printable winter crafts? Here are free printable templates and patterns for snowflakes, snowmen crafts and winter-themed activities. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten and lower elementary age children. I've included tips to make recycled crafts, in keeping with the "green" concept of this blog. Click here for winter fun!

Free Printable Paper Chain Crafts--Christmas Countdown Craft

Free Printable Paper Chain Crafts--Christmas Countdown Activities  Remember the fun of the Christmas holidays in school? I hope you have as many fond memories as I have. One of my favorite things to do was to make paper chains (okay, so I was born before cable TV and video games). Here is a Christmas craft that keeps kids busy, productive plus practices many different skills from tracing, measuring, cutting, writing, reading and inventing. This is great for a family bonding activity, winter holiday boredom-buster or preschool child occupier. Using one sheet of red and one of green colored construction paper. Measure and mark off each half inch along the length of both edges of both papers Cut strips. Read on

Free Printable Fathers Day Greeting Cards and Craft Activities

Free Printable Fathers Day Greeting Cards and Craft Activities When Father's Day rolls around, it's sometimes hard to know what to get dad, isn't it? Children may find themselves with little cash to buy something. Here are free printable Father's Day crafts and greeting cards that you can make at home. Dad will love your creativity and thoughtfulness. Read more

Free Printable Cut and Paste Preschool Themes, Crafts, Lessons and Activities

Looking for free printable preschool and elementary cut and paste paper crafts for holidays, patriotic celebrations, religious themes, school themes, math activities, social studies and science crafts and lesson plans? Check out Making Learning Fun.free printable preschool crafts