| ACTIVITIES: ARTS & CRAFTS |
| FISH TANK |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
 Three sheets of
cardboard or construction paper: blue, light blue, and
green
Stickers with fish and/or other sea life
Glue and scissors |
| What to Do |
Prepare the fish tank "setting" in advance
(older children can make it
 themselves): use a light blue sheet
of cardboard as your base, and glue blue and green cutouts on
top of it to create water, seaweeds, or any other objects
appropriate for a fish tankGive your child a sheet of stickers
with fish, corals, etc., and ask them to place them
wherever they'd like. Try not to interfere, and let the
child's imagination do all the work.
You can frame the finished masterpiece and hang it on a wall. This
will boost your child's confidence, and show them that you
appreciate their talent and creativity. |
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| PUFFY PAINTING |
| Age: 5+ |
The paint used for this activity will puff up when you cook it in the microwave!
Caution: Adult supervision required |
| What You Need |
|
1 tablespoon of self-rising flour
1 tablespoon of salt
Food coloring (3-4 colors)
Small containers
Thick paper or cardboard |
| What to Do |
|
Mix all the ingredients and add water until you get a smooth paste (use one container for each color)
Let your child use these paints to paint something on the cardboard
Microwave the painting for about 10 seconds or until the paint is dry
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| MY BOOK |
| Age: Preschool+ |
|
Many preschoolers like to talk and have a lot to say. Although most can't yet write words themselves, they enjoy dictating stories for others to write for them. |
| What You Need |
 Paper
Paper punch
Safety scissors
Pencil, pen, crayons
Yarn or staples
Glue
|
| What to Do |
|
Make a booklet of five or six pages. Your child can help punch holes close to one edge and thread yarn through the holes to keep the pages together. You can also staple the pages together.
On the outside cover of the booklet, print your child's name. Explain that this is going to be a book about him
or her.
Let your child talk about what they will draw on each page. As
they talk, print on the page what he or she says. Here are some examples:
Other people in my family
My favorite toys
My favorite books
My friends
My pet
My neighborhood
My home (or My bedroom)
After each or all the stories have been documented, have your
child draw pictures on each page, add stickers, etc.
Encourage them to read the new book to family members and visitors.
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| FLANNEL TRAIN PUZZLE |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
 A
large piece of cardboard or foam board
One yard of green flannel
4-5 small pieces of felt (can be found at craft stores)
Duct tape and scissors |
| What to Do |
|
Make a flannel board by wrapping a foam board or cardboard with
flannel and securing it with a duct tape in the back
Cut out several felt shapes: one large rectangle, one small
rectangle, one square, one triangle, and two circles (making each
piece a different color will encourage color differentiation)
Assemble a train engine with your child, and then let them build
a train on their own
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| OOBLECK |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| Oobleck is a fictional form of green precipitation
invented by children's author Dr. Seuss in the book Bartholomew and
the Oobleck. The word has since been used to describe a weird
substance - it is liquid yet solid. This very messy activity is sure
to fascinate anyone! |
| What You Need |
|
1 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
5 to 7 drops food coloring(optional) |
| What to Do |
|
Mix water and food coloring together. Slowly add
cornstarch. Do not stir. Let the mixture stand for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pick a handful of the oobleck up and squeeze it until it forms a
hard ball. Open your hand and the oobleck will turn from a solid
back into a liquid. If it gets too dry after awhile, just add a bit
more water.
Note that oobleck contains no preservatives and is
therefore perishable. |
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| PAINTING WITH WATER |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
|
A large brush
A bucket filled with water |
| What to Do |
| This is a fun outdoor activity. Let your child pretend to "paint" the walls of the house, sidewalk, fence, etc. |
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| THE HAPPY EARTH DAY |
| Age: Big Kids |
| This is an 11-page coloring book from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) full of tips for making the Earth a better place |
 Click on the picture on the left to open the activity sheet. It will open in a new window.
Note:
 This document is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the file. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, you may download a free copy from the Adobe Web site. |
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