Category: Crafts

Crafts, Uncategorized

Free Printable Valentine’s Cards for Kids (Boy and Girl Sets)

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on Free Printable Valentine’s Cards for Kids (Boy and Girl Sets)
Free Printable Valentine’s Cards for Kids (Boy and Girl Sets)

Valentine’s Day is exactly one week away! Does your child have Valentine’s cards to pass out in class yet?

These cards were created from Canva.com. One set is made for girls and one is for boys.

These may be for you if you:

  • Love freebies!
  • Don’t have time to run out to get cards
  • Want to make a goody bag or treat and it needs a cute tag

 

pinkVday     brunch

 

Step 1: Click on the PDF link at the bottom

Step 2: Print on stock paper if possible

Step 3: Cut along the dotted line or X’s

Step 4: Have your child sign “To” & “From”

 

Simple Right?

Here are the PDF links:

Girl’s Valentine’s Cards

Boy’s Valentine’s Cards

 

If you feel like creating your own free cards, check out Canva! These were so much fun to make!

Crafts

Free Printable Activities (For Early Learning)

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on Free Printable Activities (For Early Learning)
Free Printable Activities (For Early Learning)

Are you looking for some free printable activities to teach your child the alphabet? Who doesn’t love a good freebie?

Sometimes, you just need a good sit-down activity for your tot. Maybe you aren’t able to invest in other learning resources. And I totally understand! As a stay-at-home mom, we often times have to get creative or find deals.

Recently, I wrote about preschool readiness. I’m not a teacher or professional, but I am a Mom of 3 boys. And in this article, Pro’s and Con’s of sending kids to school are listed, along with various activities to encourage your kids now and through the school year!

Is My Child Ready For Preschool? (With Free Printable)

Here are 6 free printable activities for you!

 

Letter A Printable

Letter B Printable

Letter C Printable

 

 

Letter D Printable

Letter E Printable

Letter F Printable

 

Practice one letter activity per day with your 3 or 4-year-old. This can be a great way to encourage your child to focus on following instructions. The younger, your child is, the more of your help he or she will need.

Last year (our now 4 year-old) showed very little interest in structured activity. Through a whole year, learning activities were optional at home. Now, he is so excited for preschool!

There are other ways to incorporate early learning without sitting down. Actually, small children learn quickly when music and dance are incorporated! So if this type of activity isn’t right for you, there is hope!

 

If you’d like more free printable activities, subscribe to receive e-mails from Momma Bird Blog!

 

Crafts, Uncategorized

3 Simple Christmas Crafts

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on 3 Simple Christmas Crafts
3 Simple Christmas Crafts

Can you hardly believe it’s almost Christmas? A whole 11 days away! Are you able to spend the month with joy or has it been frustrating?

With an overwhelming to-do list, the ideal Christmas can seem impossible. How do we manage to get it all done? And after all of that, how can we enjoy the sentiments of the holiday?

So with that said, here are 3 Simple Christmas Crafts, that really don’t take much of your time. And to be honest, you probably have all of these materials at home. Enjoy some quality time with your kiddos making one or all of these!

#1 Construction paper and paper roll tree

This makes a kid friendly centerpiece or even a little nightstand decor for their room.

 

You need:

  • Paper rolls (paper towel, toilet paper, or even wrapping paper tubes to cut)
  • Green and yellow construction paper
  • Green and white crayons (or various colors)
  • Scissors
  • Tape

Step 1:

Using green crayon, draw the tree branches in the above pattern, then using your white crayon create your snowflakes or ornaments.

Step 2:

Wrap green paper in a cone shape and tape. Then cut off excess paper.

Step 3:

Trace star, cut, and tape on top of tree.

Step 4:

Place on paper roll. Small trees would do well on shorter tubes, and larger trees with larger tubes.

 

#2 Santa Ornament

If you have felt and ribbon scraps laying around, you probably have the rest of the materials needed for this one. I love this ornament the most! He’s a cute Santa if I do say so myself!

 

You need:

  • Cardboard sheet
  • Red felt
  • Tan or brown construction paper for face
  • Marker
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Tape
  • Glitter glue or substitute nail polish
  • Cotton balls
  • Ribbon

 

Step 1:

Draw tear drop shape on cardboard sheet. Here I used a graham cracker box that we happened to have. Then cut the shape out.

Step 2:

Trace construction paper on tear drop and cut for a face. Then trace top of tear drop onto red felt, creating a triangle hat shape. (Also while you have the red felt nearby, cut a small oval nose).

Step 3:

Tape your ribbon onto the tear drop cardboard before adding any pieces.

Step 4:

Glue Santa’s face and hat. Then lightly pull apart a piece of cotton ball to make 3 parts; a small fluff ball for the top of his hat, trim around his hat, and a giant beard. Bonus points if you are able to shape a mustache! Don’t forget to glue his nose!

Step 5:

Using your glitter glue or nail polish, create eyes, and rosy cheeks. And let dry before hanging!

 

#3 Baby Jesus Ornament

Little reminders of the reason for the season are important. This craft was actually inspired by a little foam sheet cutout ornament that the kids made from church last year. I happened to have burlap ribbon and when I saw it, immediately thought of the manger scene. The texture resembles straw or hay. Its just a reminder that Jesus humbly came into the world.

 

You need:

  • Cardboard sheet
  • Burlap ribbon
  • Ribbon for hanging
  • Felt
  • Tan or brown construction paper
  • Tape
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Marker
  • Glitter glue or nail polish

 

Step 1:

Cut cardboard, burlap ribbon, and construction paper all same size and rectangular shape.

Step 2:

Cut ribbon, and tape to cardboard. Overlap construction paper and burlap ribbon on to the front of the ornament.

Step 3:

Cut oval felt piece for swaddle. and construction paper into a circle for head. Glue these on top of the burlap ribbon.

Step 4:

Draw little “C” shapes for eyes to look like a sleeping baby Jesus. A little black dot for a mouth. And light pink glitter nail polish for rosy cheeks.

 

 

That’s all! What other ways will you fill your December with sentiment?

 

Crafts

Nativity Craft

by annahavens101 Comment on Nativity Craft
Nativity Craft

Earlier this week I listed 20 ways the whole family can Keep Christ in Christmas. One activity for younger kids was to “craft your own nativity scene.” So here is one super cute and easy way to make your own.

Do you have toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls? Great! Let’s get started!

You will need about 45 minutes to prep and create!

I know, I know, if you have multiple kids that’s nuts! But, think about it this way, if you can sit down with your kiddos and keep them busy, that is like gold! Or get some one-on-one time with one of your kids that likes to draw or color, because this project is perfect for them!

DSC_0096

You will also need:

  • At least 6 toilet paper tubes (Mary, baby Jesus, Joseph, and 3 Wise Men, extras for animals, shepherds, an angel…)
  • Box for your barn
  • White paper and construction paper
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Crayons or markers

Step 1: Cut the Paper for your paper rolls

DSC_0099

Lay your paper roll on the paper and lightly mark with extra length for overlapping ends. (Marking woodworkers style). Use a straight edge like another pencil to connect the markings. Cut. And done! That was easy!

Step 2: Sketch people for your kiddo to color

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I stopped what I was doing at one point to watch him color. Oh my gosh! He was so cute! He was making silly faces as he focused. (And yes, that is a Halloween pumpkin shirt!)

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I couldn’t help myself from a little coloring. But basically this is the idea of the drawing.

You could also use the construction paper to make little clothes. Even scrap fabric, stickers, felt, ribbon, glitter glue…. Go nuts!

Step 3: Glue

You’ll then want to take those pretty colorful drawings and glue them onto your paper roll.

Here I am using the regular glue. Although this is messy, I can’t handle how stick glue doesn’t bond well.

Step 4: Turn your box into a barn

While letting your people dry, just glue some construction paper onto your box. Then add your star. Our star is flat on top to keep from getting torn with play.

You could even add popsicle sticks inside to make separate animal stalls. You can even think about adding natural elements from outside to make it feel more real. Twigs, straw, small rocks…

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Step 5: Let Dry & Then Play!

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One of the best parts is you can store the whole thing just like this:

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This is also great for teaching bible school!!

And parents, here is your kid’s newest toy!

Great for playing at the table with while you’re cooking lunch/dinner. Goes well with teaching the nativity story!

 

 

 

 

 

Crafts

Thanksgiving Leaf Wreath

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on Thanksgiving Leaf Wreath
Thanksgiving Leaf Wreath

Can you believe it’s November 1st!? Where has 2017 gone?

To all my readers, here is something way more uplifting than the last post! This is an activity for the whole family. Everyone ages 3 and up are able to participate. The best part, this is super easy and it lasts all month long!

Pinterest is loaded with leaf activities this time of year. There are other versions out there similar to this. But, I put a little twist on this.

… How about a Thanksgiving leaf wreath, where you write what you are thankful for. It lasts November 1st-30th. Each member of the family writes one thing every day. And it just slips into the grapevine wreath or it can be displayed other ways.

So, here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Draw or trace various shapes of leaves onto a piece of construction paper.

leaf1

Step 2: Cut out the shapes in a stack of 3 or 4 sheets at once if possible. If your kids want to help, they can trace one of your easier leaf shapes and also cut them out.

leaf2leaf3

Step 3: Place in a little bag for easy daily access.

leaf5

Step 4: Display 1 of 3 ways:  1) slip leaves into wreath 2) clip leaves on to string (in banner fashion), or 3) tape leaves on to poster board (draw or paint a tree to attatch them to).

leaf7leaf6

Step 5: And don’t forget to write words of thanks each day. Challenge yourself and your family to always add a new reason to be thankful. If your kiddos are feeling really crafty, they can decorate with glitter and stickers. 

leaf4

Here are some questions to get you thinking about what your blessings are:

  1. Are there any struggles you’ve overcome? What did you gain?
  2. Have you gained any friendships or new family members?
  3. Do you have a community that supports you?
  4. Are all of your needs met in order to survive?
  5. What extra things do you have that others might not?
  6. Is your family healthy?
  7. Do you have any direct safety concerns?
  8. What makes you happy?
  9. Are you talented at anything?
  10. What are some blissful memories you have of your life?

 

The end goal of this is to help our families to be more positive, to see how blessed we are, and to encourage spiritual growth. Perhaps, when our wreath starts filling out, the colorful leaves will remind us to thank God. And all in time for the holidays.

Crafts

Spider Costume

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on Spider Costume
Spider Costume

Ever try to help your child decide something easy, only to have them pick the more round-about way?

We tried to convince our 3-year-old to pick the store-bought Spider-man costume. After all, he watched the 2012 The Amazing Spider-man (with Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield) for every day of like 6 months.

But nope. Our son just wants to be a spider. So I put my creative side to the test.

We started out purchasing this from the store. We spent about $13 for the hat, shirt, and pants, combined. We already own the Converse shoes and all other items.

spider.png

If you’d like to copy this look, you will need:

  • Black hat
  • Black shirt
  • Black pants
  • Black shoes
  • Suspenders
  • Pool noodle
  • Knife
  • Wire & wire cutters
  • Needle, thread, and scissors
  • Googly eyes
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Black and white face paint

 

It took me a long time to decide how to create the extra legs. I had thought about going back to the store for more shirts to cut up. Or sewing something extensive. Didn’t really feel either idea.

Then it hit me. Black socks!

Step 1:

In order to create a sturdy spider leg, use a pool noodle. To get all 4 spider legs from one piece, cut it in half it. After this, slice length wise, however long their arms are.

spider3

Just tuck the extra length back into itself in order to prevent cutting.

Step 2 (Optional):

You can even thread a bit of wire through the pool noodle and out of the sock opening. That will help you be able to bend the spider leg and create a more natural shape. And also, to give more structure.

spider8

(I spy a kitty in the picture!)

Step 3:

Then, with your child trying on the black shirt, black pants, and suspenders, adjust everything the way it will lay on them. Begin stitching the spider legs to the suspenders.

Then stitch a long string between the outer layers of the legs and onto the bottom of the sleeve. This will allow the legs to move when your kiddo moves.

Step 4:

Fashion your googly eyes to your black hat whichever way you prefer, using the hot glue gun. I am temporarily using white beads to show you how I plan to fasten the little googly eyes.

spider4

Step 5:

On the big night, paint your child’s face black, and or paint on some white fangs with black liner around them.

spider5

For the BIG REVEAL we have a BIG SPIDER!

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We would’ve added 6 gloves to the upper spider legs (not including his feet), but we had used gloves for trick-or-treat once before. It didn’t work so well for the candy grabbing. So unless it’s  pretty chilly night, maybe you want to leave the hands free.

I love the idea of the suspenders even more now. This way I can take trim the attachment string off and he can sit comfortably in his car seat on the way to and from. It wouldn’t be a lot of work (to string new on or even to knot tie each leg again).

Our 3-year-old giggled when he saw how cute he looked!

Would your kiddo like to dress up for trick-or-treat as a spider?

Now with all of the guesswork out of it, I hope you can use this idea to make your very own spider costume!

 

 

 

Crafts

Farmer Costume

by annahavens10Leave a Comment on Farmer Costume
Farmer Costume

Want a creative Halloween costume for a girl or boy?

Don’t want to spend a lot on a costume? Especially if it will only get 2 hours of life expectancy?

I have a simple idea for you. You may even have some of these items at home! If not, you can buy and reuse these pieces long after the Fall season.

To complete this look you will need a flannel, jean overalls, leather (or faux leather), and a cowboy hat (preferably straw hat or even a baseball cap).

Extra accents for that farmer look include a bit of cattail hanging out of the pockets. You may use a handkerchief to tuck in the back pocket. Even a tan or brown Carhartt-type of coat on the colder trick-or-treat nights.

farmer

We found the flannel, bibs, and boots at Walmart. Total cost was about $35. We already had the straw hat.

One must when getting them into costumes is to make sure you get a quick individual shot or group shot. Do this in plenty of daylight, using some colored trees as backgrounds. (And seriously, I mean quick!)

For a Halloween mini photo shoot, I recommend using a John Deere pedal tractor as a prop. Even some straw bails give that right look. But I definitely wouldn’t expect kiddos to carry around extras or to pedal a tractor all night for trick-or-treat.

 

farmer2

farmer3

Can you spot the cattail in his front pocket?

This is probably our last year deciding his costume. I imagine at age 3 he will tell us he wants to be a super hero or something. It’s kind of enjoyable to choose because it’s so easy! No sewing. No costume make-up. No real prep.

Although, the decision came easy to me for this year. Our little boy loves to sit on tractors and pretend to drive them. Since we live on a farm, this seemed even more fitting.

He’s a natural, right?

pumpkinpatch