KIDS' MATTERS

Creating NEW LIFE Craft

They didn't want to watch cartoons.

They didn't want to play with playdoh.

They didn't want to read books.

Puzzles, blocks, dolls...all, "boring".

Haylee suggested we make a craft.

Crafting is a favorite thing to do at grama's.  Unfortunately for me, my brain was empty.  So I went to a craft idea website and showed Haylee some things we could do.  She nixed the catepillar made of a separated egg-carton.  I turned her attention to lunch as I searched for something else I could make with items I had around the house.  An interesting butterfly wand, made of a popsicle stick, pipecleaner and a coffee filter, flitted before my eyes.  However, it called for "adult supervised hot-gluing".  I wasn't in the mood for glue-guns.  So, I waddled out to the kitchen to see what I had in my craft cupboard.

On the kitchen counter lay some push-pin style clothes pins the girls had played with the day before.  My brain raced into overdrive.  "Perfect."  I took out some coffee filters, folded one in half and pushed it between the slots with the folded edge first, then flayed edges to follow.  Then I took another filter, folded it and pushed it onto the clothespin with the folded edge going in first.  This created the sweetest little base for our butterfly.  I cut a pipe-cleaner and twisted it around the neck of the pin, then folded the tips of the pipecleaner to look like antenna nobs.  "Wella!"  A white butterfly.

I showed it to Kinsey and Haylee.  Haylee loved it--with one exception.  She wanted to color the coffee filter with markers and spray it with water to create another effect.  I'm all for creativity, so I said, "Sure, have at it."  I figured the longer she worked on her wings, the happier she'd be making the craft.  I also utitlized that time to begin writing this post.  (If you're doing this craft with a child with short attention span, simply omit the marker coloring and make it a white butterfly).

 

 
 

There's just something about creating stuff.  I use the opportunity to ask how they "feel" when they make something.  They always say, "It feels gooooood."  So then I ask them how they think God feels when He created the whole wide world with all the butterflies, and flowers, and sky, and sun, and stars, and moon.  They get all excited and say, "He musta felt reeeeally good."

I think they're right.

To accomplish within a given time-frame, such as with school children or Sunday School classes, you can use colored tissue paper cut in circles.  Or, make the circles one day (let them sit in their cocoons), and finish the project on another day.  This gives you a great opportunity to explain the process of metamorphosis.  You could put their clothespin, colored coffee filters, and the antenna inside a paper bag with their names on it.  The next day (or following Sunday), you could take them out of their cocoons and finish creating new life.

OPTIONAL IDEAS:

Hook a wire ornament hanger to the neck and hang it on their bedroom curtains.

Attach string and hang from ceiling fan to make a mobile.  Or just make a mobile with an entire classes' collection of butterflies.

Or use pushpins and push your creations into the ceiling.  Add to the art collage as you make other things with wings that God created to fly.

Attach to stiff wire and stick in a potted plant as if the butterfly is in search of nectar.

Take pictures of children making their butterflies and then holding their finished creations.  Then have the older child write a story to go along with the photos and put it in a life-journal book.  Include scripture passage with it. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

They'll really appreciate the memory book when they're grown and working with their children and grandchildren.  Ah yes, my friends.  There is a method to this blogging Grama's madness.  Someday my grandchildren will have these memories to look back on for their children.  Neat legacy building, don't you think?

Stay tuned to see what we make next at Grama's House of Creative Crafts. I've got a great idea blowing in the wind for next time.  Leave a comment and I'll be sure and send you the link when I put it up.

MORE CRAFT FUN WE'VE DONE:

MOMMY MAGNETS

HEART POCKETS

FOR SUPER IDEAS AND CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES WITH CHILDREN VISIT:

Tony Kummer's MINISTRY to CHILDREN WEBSITE

POCKET HEARTS FILLED WITH....

Well, actually...you can fill those pockets with lovenotes, scripture, or little task-promises for mommy on Mother's Day.  So many things could go in your heart pockets.

I am signed up for Tony Kummer's newsletter with his MINISTRY TO CHILDREN blogsite.  Over a year ago I watched a video he linked to showing how to make a Heart-pocket for a Sunday School project.  Well, I don't have a children's Sunday School class to teach.  But I have two very eager project-loving granddaughters who flat-out love it when I sit and make something--anything--with them.  So....when one winter evening our electricity went out due to an ice-storm, I ended up spending Thursday with the girls.  They didn't have electricity either.  But, they did have a fireplace to keep us toasty warm.  The next day, while their mother did office-work for her hubby's construction business (and later ran errands), Haylee, Kinsey and I made heart-pockets.  They turned out really cute and we had a blast making them.  We did a few extra things with ours that the video didn't show, but to see a great step-by-step instructional presentation, just go HERE.   MORE PHOTOS OF OUR CREATIONS BELOW:

 

Kinsey learns to punch holes.  We used the cutouts to decorate her pocket.  Kinsey pats her hearts on hearts to make them stick good with the glue stick she just used.

We stuck magnetic strip to the back of the heart pockets and put them on the fridge.  Now, we will write Bible verses on hearts and stick them inside the pockets.

SUCH FUN when you don't have electricity.  Don't forget to check out Tony's site above.

ANOTHER PROJECT YOU MIGHT LIKE:

MOTHER'S DAY MAGNETS. 

MOMMY MAGNETS 4 Mother's Day in 4 Easy Steps

So I had the girls over and we made "mommy" magnets.  Below are photos of materials needed and step by step assembly by none other than Miss Haylee and Miss Kinsey.  They were very diligent in following directions and it was one of the simplest crafts I ever put together for them.

I used plastic bottle caps.  Stuck a round magnet on the back.  Filled the cap with Elmer's glue.  Then added the inside decorations.  *DRIED* rice, beans, split peas.

I had all the items laid out on the table before I brought in the girls.  Then I sat down in front of them and guided them through each step.  Have a damp washcloth handy to wipe those sticky fingers.

STEP 1) Remove the paper sticker off the self-stick magnet.

STEP 2) Push the sticky side of magnet onto the topside (outer side) of the bottle cap.

"Haylee; did you know that God makes beans, and peas and rice?"  (A time to teach about God's provision.)

STEP 3) Squeeze Elmer's glue into the center of the inside of the bottle cap about half-full.

 
STEP 4) Generously drop your beans, rice, and peas into the cap and press down.  Haylee got creative and added a few grains of rice to her beans and peas.  I always let them individualize their creations.  Whatever they choose to do within the bounds of the tiny space in front of them, I say "Go for it!"

"Why beans and rice, Grama?"

"Because we're making magnets for the kitchen.  And Mommy cooks with beans, and rice and peas."

"That's a good idea!"  Whew!  I'm sure glad it was a good idea.  If not, Haylee might have taken her magnets apart and began sticking in fresh daisies.

Hope you enjoy this little craft.  It's great for Sunday School craft.  It took all of 10 minutes for us to put these together.  These are great for Mother's Day or even Mommy's birthday.  Actually, they're good for anyone's day as a cute gift for Christmas.  Use the imagination and let your heart go crazy for others.

One bit of advice:  Have a little plastic plate beneath the space where they actually assemble their magnets.  I usually do this.  Duh, didn't this time and you can see the clean-up I had all over the table and onto the floor.  Not bad, just had to sweep.  But could be avoided with plates or trays under their bottle caps.  selahV   

[CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR AN ENLARGEMENT]

[Check out the rest of my KIDS' MATTERS Blog for Insights and Hindsights and a few other ideas.]