Busy Mommy Media » Autumn Arts and Crafts

Preschool Art – Paper Bag Pumpkin

Rachel — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:06:56 +0000

Preschoolers will love making this paper bag pumpkin as a special Halloween craft activity.This is my favorite activity to do with preschoolers for a fun Halloween project. It is so easy that even a toddler can do it with some supervision.

This Halloween art project makes a wonderful holiday decoration for preschoolers desks at school or at home as a centerpiece for a festive meal.

What You Need

Brown Paper Bag
Orange Paint
Black Construction Paper
Green Pipe Cleaners
Safety Scissors
Scotch Tape
A Pencil
Newspaper

What To Do

Give each preschooler a brown paper bag and some pieces of newspaper. Have preschoolers use safety scissors to cut the newspaper into strips. Preschoolers can tear the pieces of newspaper if they prefer. Crumple up the newspaper strips and fill the paper bag about half way. Tie the bag shut just above the newspaper filling by twisting a green pipe cleaner around it. Show preschoolers how to wrap the ends of the pipe cleaner around a pencil to curl them. You can add additional pipe cleaners to create more pumpkin vines if you want.

Have preschoolers paint the bottom section of the pumpkin orange. While the pain is dry, have preschoolers cut triangles out of black construction paper. Allow preschoolers to be creative. If they want to experiment with different shapes or formations let them.

When the paint is dry, use scotch tape to attach the black triangles to one side of the pumpkin to create a jack-o-lantern face. You can use glue if you want but tape works best because of the curve of the pumpkin and the paint underneath.

Preschoolers will have an adorable paper pumpkin to get them in the spirit of Halloween.

Corn Painting – Simple Thanksgiving Tablecloth for Kids

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:37:47 +0000

Preschoolers can use corn on the cob to create a unique Thanksgiving tablecloth. This easy food art activity for preschoolers requires very few materials and can create a wonderful Thanksgiving tablecloth for the preschool classroom or provide a fun activity at home while the Thanksgiving dinner is being prepared.

What You Need

A plain white paper table cloth
Husked Corn on the Cob
Corn Holders
Paper Plates
Non-toxic paint in a variety of fall colors

What To Do

Step 1: Setup

Purchase a plain white paper table cloth that fits the table in your preschool classroom. Lay the tablecloth flat on the table, making sure that nothing in the area will be damaged by paint spills. Newspaper or an old sheet can be laid beneath the table for added protection.

Fill several paper plates with a variety of colors of non-toxic paint. Autumn colors such as, red, orange, yellow, and brown help create a festive atmosphere.

Insert corn holders in both ends of several pieces of husked corn on the cob to make their easier to hold on to.

Step 2: Paint

Roll the corn on the cob in the paint and then stamp the corn on the table cloth to create a fun pattern. It may be easier to use a paintbrush to coat the corn on the cob before stamping it on the table cloth.

Be creative and use the corn to decorate the paper table cloth any way that you want. Roll the corn on the paper table cloth, drag it across the paper, or stamp it to create shapes or pictures.

Step 3: Make Corn Flowers

Cut the corn on the cob in half and dip the end into the paint. Stamp the end of the corn on the cob on the paper table cloth to create fun flower-like shapes.

Allow the paint to dry for several hours before touching it. When the paint has dried, use markers to draw stems on the flowers or add additional decorations.

Enjoy your festive homemade tablecloth as part of your Thanksgiving feast. The kids in the family will love being able to contribute to the meal and cleanup is a breeze with a disposable tablecloth.

Thanksgiving Indian Headdress Craft

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:36:05 +0000

Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday the fun way by letting preschoolers dress up with this easy craft. Preschoolers will enjoy practicing their small motor skills by making this simple Indian headdress.

Preschoolers can wear this as part of a First Thanksgiving pretend play activity or as part of a simple presentation for parents.

What You Need

Brown Construction Paper
Safety Scissors
Tape
Colored Feathers
Markers and Crayons

What to Do

Adult Preparation – Cut the brown construction paper into two inch strips and tape two of them together to make a head band long enough to go around each preschoolers head.

Preschooler Participation – Have preschoolers decorate their Indian headdress with markers and crayons any way they’d like. When they have finished decorating the headdress, help preschoolers form it into a circle and tape it wherever it fits comfortably around their head. Tape the inside and the outside of the headdress to create stability.

Help preschoolers use tape to attach colored feathers to the inside of the headdress. Tape holds the feathers better than glue but it may be difficult for preschoolers to remove from the tape dispenser. You can avoid a lot of frustration by giving each preschooler a small piece of tape as they are ready for it.

When the feathers have been attached to the headdress, your preschoolers will have a fun prop to use in a pretend play center or to enjoy at home.

Thanksgiving Indian Vest Craft

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:32:08 +0000

Add some extra fun to a preschool Thanksgiving theme by making crafts that preschoolers can wear. This simple preschool craft recycles extra grocery bags and gives preschoolers a fun Thanksgiving costume to help them celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Make a Preschool Indian Headdress to complete this fun costume.

What You Need

Paper Grocery Bags
Finger Paint, Several Colors
Scissors
Paper Plates

What To Do

Adult Preparation – Open up a paper grocery bag and turn it so that the side without a logo if facing you. Cut up the center of the front side up the bag and continue through the top to cut a hole big enough to fit a preschoolers head. Cut small arm holes on either side of the paper bag by carefully punching scissors through the paper and cutting a circle. This will give you a vest that preschoolers can wear.

Preschooler Participation – Fill several paper plates with different colors of finger paints. Finger paint is thick enough that it will easily show up on the dark paper. Let preschoolers finger paint their paper bag vest.

Allow the paint to dry for several hours. When the paint is dry, help each preschooler use safety scissors to cut a fringe around the bottom edge of their vest. Preschoolers can wear their Indian vest with an Indian headdress and lunch sack moccasins as part of a festive Thanksgiving pretend play activity.

Lunch Sack Moccasins – Use yarn to tie paper lunch sacks to preschoolers feet to create matching moccasins to add to their Indian costume. This footwear makes a fun crunching sound as preschoolers walk.

Noodle Necklace – Color large noodles by mixing food coloring and rubbing alcohol. Let preschoolers thread a piece of yarn with the noodles when they are dry to make an easy necklace to add to their costume.

Preschool Art – Popcorn on the Cob

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:27:20 +0000

Thanksgiving is a celebration of gratitude and food is a central part of the festivities. Preschoolers will enjoy making this simple preschool craft as part of a preschool Thanksgiving theme.

Use this simple corn craft as part of an exciting preschool bulletin board in your preschool classroom or as a fun Fall family activity.

What You Need

Green Paper
Yellow Paper
Safety Scissors
Popcorn
Glue
Paper Plates

What To Do

Adult Preparation – Fill a paper plate with craft glue. Create a template by turning a piece of construction paper on it’s side and tracing one side of a paper plate vertically on the paper. Position the paper plate to form a point at the top of the template and trace the line down the paper. Cut out the corn husk shape with a flat line across the bottom.

Use the template to create green corn husks and yellow pieces of corn. Each preschooler will need two green pieces and one yellow piece.

Preschooler Participation – Have each preschooler glue the green corn husks to the yellow piece of corn. Talk about how dried corn kernels are heated to make popcorn. Have preschoolers dip the popcorn in the glue and place it on the yellow piece of corn. Let preschoolers fill the yellow corn with pieces of popcorn.

Create a festive Thanksgiving bulletin board with this easy popcorn on the cob craft or as part of a preschool Thanksgiving theme.

Halloween Art – Ghost Feet

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:15:15 +0000

This easy Halloween craft is perfect for even the youngest preschoolers. With a little help from mom, this easy ghost craft can create some scary Halloween fun.

Preschool Craft Supplies Needed

Black Paper
White Paint
A Paintbrush
Paper Towels (to wipe paint off feet)
A Paper Plate (to pour paint on)
Cute Preschool Feet

Preschool Craft Directions

Sit your preschooler down on the floor outside or inside on a few sheets of newspaper to prevent paint from getting on the floor. Carefully help your preschooler paint the bottom of his foot. Older preschoolers may be able to do this step on their own. Toddlers may need more parental help.

Help your preschooler to carefully stamp his painted foot down on the piece of black paper. Try to push the foot directly down and do not move it once it is on the paper to get the clearest results.

Let the footprint dry for several hours. When the paper is dry, have your preschooler create a scary ghost face using black paint.

Preschool or Daycare Halloween Bulletin Board Idea

Preschool teachers and daycare providers can use this easy halloween craft to create a fun and festive halloween bulletin board in the preschool classroom or daycare center. Arrange the Ghost Feet pictures on the bulletin board. Write each child’s name clearly on the paper using white paint or crayon. At the top of the bulletin board, use fun letters to say “Meet Our Little Ghosts”

Preschool Art – Pumpkin Painting

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:59:51 +0000

Preschoolers love to participate in Halloween themed activities but carving pumpkins is often too difficult for them to master and it can be dangerous giving a preschooler even a dull knife to use.

Painting pumpkins is a wonderful alternative to the traditional pumpkin carving and it allows preschoolers to use their imagination in a safe pumpkin decorating activity.

What You Need

Small pumpkins that are easy for preschoolers to hold
Non-toxic paint
Paintbrushes
Paint Smocks
Newspaper
Paper Plates

What To Do

Let each preschooler pick out a small pumpkin. This activity would be a wonderful follow up to a pumpkin patch field trip but you can also purchase a selection of small pumpkins for preschoolers to choose from. Pumpkin stems can be prickly. If you have an especially prickly pumpkin stem you may want to rub it with a piece of sand paper so preschoolers will not get tiny thorns in their fingers as they handle the pumpkin.

Spread newspaper on the floor, making sure to have lots of overlapping pieces to prevent paint from leaking onto the floor. If it is nice outside you can spread newspaper outside on a cement patio or the grass and give preschoolers a chance to get some fresh fall air at the same time.

Fill several paper plates with a variety of colors of non-toxic paint. Let each preschooler paint their pumpkins any way that they want to. You may want to test your paint before doing this activity. Some paint flakes off of a pumpkin when it dries. If the type of paint that you have does not work well, try mixing a very small amount of water into the paint to thin it out.

When the pumpkins have dried you can use them to decorate your preschool classroom or send them home for your preschoolers to enjoy with their families.

Variation

When the painted pumpkins have dried, you can have preschoolers add some additional decorations to their pumpkins by gluing on a variety of extra craft supplies. Plastic google eyes make a fun addition to the painted pumpkins as do sequins, glitter, and foam shapes.

Preschool Autumn Hand Tree

Rachel — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:06:15 +0000

Preschoolers are fascinated by the changing colors of fall leaves. This simple preschool art activity will let preschoolers create their own autumn tree. Preschoolers will strengthen their small motor skills as they trace their hand and practice using safety scissors.

What You Need

Colored Construction Paper (yellow, brown, green, red, orange and a background color of your choice)
Safety Scissors
Glue

What To Do

Talk to preschoolers about the changes that happen in autumn. Ask preschoolers what type of clothing they wear in the fall. Ask the preschoolers what kinds of activities they do in the fall. Talk to preschoolers about what happens to the trees in the fall. Tell them that the leaves start to change colors and then they fall off the tree.

Help each preschooler trace their hand on a variety of different colors of paper. Let them choose from a variety of fall colors, such as yellow, brown, orange, and red, and explain to them that these are the colors that the leaves on the trees turn in the fall.

After they have traced their hands on a variety of different colored paper, let each preschooler cut out the hands they have traced using a pair of safety scissors. Preschoolers may need help if they become frustrated trying to cut around the fingers.

Trace a simple tree trunk on a piece of brown paper and either cut it out for each preschooler or help each preschooler cut out their own tree trunk. Have the preschoolers glue their tree trunk to another piece of paper. Have preschoolers glue their colored handprints to the top of their tree trunk to create colored leaves.