Materials: wood scraps, plastic hooks, paint
Directions: Let children decorate the wood with paints or markers. Attach hooks with sticky backs. Use for hanging scarves, belts, necklaces, etc.
COUPON BOOK
Materials: paper, markers, pens, construction paper, ribbon
Directions: Each child will need 3 sheets of paper. Cut the paper into fourths lengthwise to make 12 pages. On each page, children write (or dictate) a different job they could do for their parents, such as set the table, give a back rub, clean their room, etc. Make a cover from construction paper. Hole punch in the upper left hand corner and tie with a ribbon.
SILHOUETTE
Materials: overhead projector, black construction paper, white paper
Directions: Tape black construction paper to the wall. Have one child at a time sit on a stool about 1 foot from the paper. Shine the light on the child’s head and trace around her shadow. Cut the silhouette out of the black paper and glue it to a white sheet of paper.
PET ROCK
Materials: rocks or stones (about the size of a fist), markers, felt, wiggly eyes, yarn, glue
Directions: Go on a rock hunt and let each child find a special rock. Have children wash their rocks and set them aside to dry. Decorate the rocks with wiggly eyes, markers, yarn hair, etc. Glue a piece of felt on the bottom to make a paper weight.
Adaptation: Let children name their rocks and write stories about how to care for them.
HANDPRINT
Materials: plaster of paris or hardening clay, spray paint, ribbon
Directions: Prepare plaster of paris according to directions and quickly pour it into a shallow plastic lid or plastic dish that is slightly larger than the child’s hand. Have the child place her hand in the mixture and hold it for a few minutes to make a print. (Write her name and date with a toothpick. Punch a hole for hanging with a straw.) Dry. Remove from mold. Spray paint and attach a piece of ribbon for hanging.
NAPKIN RINGS
Materials: paper towel rolls, stickers, yarn, lace, fabric, buttons
Directions: Cut the cardboard roll into 1 ¼ ” sections. Decorate with stickers, yarn, fabric, lace, etc.
Adaptation: Insert holiday napkins.
Cut wrapping paper into 2 ½” x 6” rectangles. Spread glue on the back side of the wrapping paper and then wrap it around the cardboard roll. Tuck in the top and bottom to make your napkin ring.
PICTURE FRAME
Materials: cardboard, puzzle pieces, glue, photograph
Directions: Cut cardboard into 4” x 8” picture frames. Let children glue puzzle pieces around the edges. Tape a photo to the back.
Adaptations: Add a magnetic strip to the back so it can be hung on the refrigerator.
Decorate with buttons for mom and say “Cute as a button!”
Decorate with golf tees for dad.
