April showers may bring May flowers, but they can also bring boring days stuck inside. If the wet and windy weather of spring has you and your preschoolers trapped in the house and looking for something to do here are a few fun ideas to keep you in a sunny mood.
Melted Snowman Magnet
- white tempera paint
- green cardstock
- various paper scraps
- scissors
- small magnet
- super glue
This a fun project sure to bring giggles. Using the scraps of paper cut out items for your snowman. An orange triangle for a carrot nose, black circles for eyes, long brown strips for arms, a scarf and mittens, whatever your imagination brings. Drop a blob of the white paint onto the green cardstock, any size that you choose. Then one by one drop the snowman’s accessories that you cut out onto the paint blob. When the paint dries you can glue the magnet to the back of the cardstock and have a melted snowman to keep all year long.
Happy Frogs
- paper plates
- green and red paint, crayons, or markers
- small green pom-poms
- small wiggle eyes
- glue
This hoppy, happy project idea will keep little ones entertained for hours afterwards. Take a paper plate and color or paint one side red, the other side green. When done fold the plate in half so that the red is touching and the green is on the outside. Glue the pom-poms onto the top of the paper plate, followed by gluing the wiggle eyes onto the pom-poms. Once dry you have a funny frog to croak around the house.
Oatmeal Tub Drums
- a clean, empty oatmeal tub
- paper
- glue
- string
- paint, crayons, or markers
- stickers, glitter, or any decorations
This is another fun craft idea that can be used again and again afterwards for hours of fun. Let the kids decorate the paper however they want. While they decorate the paper, poke a hole in the bottom of the oatmeal tub, and another in the lid. Pull the string through both holes and tie to make a loop running through. When they kids are through decorating the paper glue it around the oatmeal tub. Now you have a fun drum that they can carry and wear anywhere. Experiment using different things for drumsticks and see what different sounds you can make.
Pretty Kite
- wax paper
- newspaper
- old crayons
- an iron
- vegetable peeler (to shred the crayons)
- scissors
- construction paper
- glue
- ribbon
- bows
This simple craft is not only entertaining, but can also be hung up to bring a little sunshine into your home. Lay the newspaper down on your table or counter to protect it while your iron. Between two sheets of wax paper have the kids sprinkle shaving from the crayons. Let them try mixing colors, or see if the can make patterns with the shavings. Once they have covered the bottom sheet of wax paper, place the other sheet on top. Keeping the iron set on low, carefully iron over the wax paper to melt the crayon shavings. Wait until the wax paper has cooled, then cut the sheets into a diamond shape. Use the construction around the edges and to create the crossed sticks inside. Attach the ribbon and bows to create a tail for your kite. Once finished you can hang it in a window and watch how the sunshine sparkles through your kite.
- paper
- craft sticks
- glue
- paint, crayons, markers
- egg carton
- green play dough
- scissors
Here is a fun way to bring a little Spring into your house. Cut flower shapes out of the paper and let the kids paint or color on them. Also paint or color the craft sticks green. When done glue the flowers onto the craft sticks to make your pretty flowers. Press small amounts of green play dough into the cups of an egg carton and press the flowers into the play dough. Now you have a pretty flower garden to enjoy anytime.
