Nature Bugs

Disney's family fun site has the cutest idea for how to make bugs out of leaves, twigs, pebbles, and glue to hold them together.  They have several ideas of bugs you can make.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/rock-bugs-674280/

Tin Punched Lantern

Gem fatale has a unique idea for how to make a tin punched lantern out of an empty can. The trick to the punching is filling the can with water and then freezing it. They recommend using a nail and hammer to punch the holes.

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://gemfatale.blogspot.com/2011/05/tuesday-tip-tin-lanterns.html

Kimberly stony makes intricate flower ones and uses a pushpin to punch her holes.

Get the instructions here:
http://kimberlystoney.blogspot.com/2013/05/tea-candle-covers.html 

Kids craft room paints the cans and adds a beaded handle.

Get the instructions here:
http://kidscraftroom.com/homemade-gifts-tin-can-lanterns/

Rainbow Sun Catcher

Dilly dali art has a make your own rainbow suncatcher craft made out of gelatin. She has a recipe to make sheets of gelatin plastic using just gelatin, water and food coloring. From there she shows you how to cut them and connect them with thread and beads. It's pretty neat.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.dillydaliart.com/2012/03/gelatin-plastic-rainbows-two-ways.html

Dragon Fly Popsicle Craft

Umm abdul basir has a cute idea for how to make a firefly craft using popsicle sticks, paint and cellophane.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://ummabdulbasir.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/dragonfly-craft/

Easy preschool craft has a similar craft using just popsicle sticks and glitter glue.

Get the instructions here:
http://easypreschoolcraft.blogspot.com/2012/06/easy-dragonfly-bug-craft.html

Handmade charlotte adds wood beads, tissue paper and twine to make a very elegant version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/diy-wooden-spoon-bugs/

Parents makes a magnetic version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/simple-wood-crafts/?page=9#page=9

Crafty morning uses pasta.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.craftymorning.com/easy-noodle-dragonfly-craft-for-kids/

Using Spices to Paint

The children's art group has a great sensory craft mixing spices and glue and water to make scented and colorful paint. Kids will love the colors and textures and scents.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://thechildrensartgroup.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/children-art-group-spice-painting.html

Paper Plate Dream Catcher

Raising sparks shares how turn a paper plate into a dream catcher using beads, feathers and string.  

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://raisingsparks.com/craft-activities/paper-plate-crafts-for-kids/

Leaf Shadow Art

Rock a bye butterfly has a cute idea of how to make colorful leaf shadows using leafs and oil based crayons.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.rockabyebutterfly.com/2011/09/fall.html

Button Art Roundup

One great way for kids to decorate a picture is by using buttons.  You'll need to add the outline and the glue but they can add the buttons to make a really neat picture.

Here are some great examples:

Button Letters

Button Trees

Good for ages 5 and up

Craftulate makes fish, flowers, hearts and butterflies.

Get the instructions here:
http://craftulate.com/2014/07/button-art.html

Bath Time Submarine Printable

Mr. printables has some really cute and colorful templates your kids can embellish to create their very own bathtub submarines. Each template has spaces to add animals and pictures. After they add their own touch to them simply place them within a clear plastic bottle for lots of bathtime fun.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://www.mrprintables.com/homemade-toys-bottle-submarine.html

Paint With a Fly Swatter

The imagination tree has a fun way to play with paint -- using a fly swatter. Kids will have fun swatting the paper. They suggest making fly swatter flowers, but we guess kids will just love swatting the paper in general.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://www.theimaginationtree.com/2012/03/fly-swatter-flower-paintings.html

Fairy Feather Wand

Craft project ideas has a great tutorial for little girls -- creating a feather wand. All you need are some popsicle sticks, paint, feathers and glue and bing you'll have a wand.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://www.craftprojectideas.com/index.php/how-to/material-of-the-month/wood-dowels-february-2012/780-feather-wand

Rubber Band Bracelets

C fabbri designs has the most adorable idea for making a bracelet using rubber bands, jump rings and pretty beads.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://cfabbridesigns.com/miscellaneous/jewelry/rubber-band-girl-bracelets/

Craftabilities shows how to make those super trendy rubber band bracelets without a loom.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.craftibilities.blogspot.com/2013/01/rubber-band-bracelets-make-without-loom.html

Pipe Cleaner Bouquet

Easy preschool craft shows you how to make flowers out of pipe cleaners. They also include instructions in case you want plant them in rice.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://easypreschoolcraft.blogspot.com/search/label/spring

Alphabet Coloring Pages

Daily coloring pages has the most intricate animal alphabet printouts. They're a little too complex for abcderians but older kids will love them.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the template here:

http://dailycoloringpages.com/alphabet-letters-to-print/challenging-animal-alphabet-letters-to-print/

Reading with kids has some really neat color by number printables.  Each letter is completely different from puzzle pieces to triangles.  They also have color by letter coloring pages as well.

Get the template here:
http://www.reading-with-kids.com/color-by-number-coloring-pages.html

Mr. printables has the more classic alphabet coloring pages with a cute object to represent each letter.

Get the template here:
http://www.mrprintables.com/alphabet-coloring-pages.html

Education.com has 26 animal alphabet pages.

Get the template here:
http://www.education.com/slideshow/color-animal-alphabet 

Educational coloring pages hosts Sesame Street pages.

Get the templates here:
http://www.educationalcoloringpages.com/sesame.html

Play at home mom llc has a different alphabet exercise using stickers instead of crayons the kids place labels into the dots of letter templates to exercise fine motor skills.

Get the templates here:
http://www.playathomemomllc.com/2012/06/letters-in-different-light.html

Milk Carton Bird Feeder

Lake shore learning has a great way to upcycle an empty food carton by turning it into a bird feeder. Simply paint the feeder, cut out a hole, add some bird seed and string and hang. They're feeders are inspired by autumn, but you could easily do this for any season.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/general_content/free_resources/crafts/ffbirdfeeder.jsp

Rhythm of the home uses colorful tissue paper for her version.  Unfortunately the page is no longer available.

We made that cuts a hole though the front and the back and sticks it in the window so kids can see the birds inside.

Get the instructions here:
http://we-made-that.com/homemade-window-bird-feeder/

Ballerina Paper Dolls

The vintage moth has shared a template of ballet paper dolls. There's even a male for all of them to dance with.

There's more added from the designer in the comments below.  Definitely a fascinating site to visit.

Get the template here:

http://thevintagemoth.blogspot.com/2011/09/vintage-paper-dolls-ballet-dancers.html

I should be mopping the floor has a ballerina paper doll as well with many different outfits to dress her in.

Get the template here:
http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/07/free-paperdoll-printables.html

Printable paper dolls has a few versions of a ballerina to play with.

Get the template here:
http://www.printablepaperdolls.net/category/ballerina

How to Make a Paper Mache Bowl

 

Paper mache is a fun way for kids to make a functional gift.  Here are several really cute examples.

Bread and buttons has a really great idea on how to use paper marche techniques with fabric strips creating a fun colorful bowl.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://breadandbuttons.typepad.com/blog/2011/02/process-vs-product-cast-your-vote.html

 

Carolyn's homework uses pre-cut circles to give her version a unique look.  

Get the instructions here:

http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/2013/03/inkling-paper-mache-confetti-bowl.html

Kix cereal paints theirs in vibrant jewel tones.

Get the instructions here:

http://www.kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-paper-mache-super-bowls-craft/ 

Molly moo crafts creates a beautiful texture using egg cartons.

Get the instructions here:

http://mollymoocrafts.com/papier-mache-bowls/

The pink doormat paints her version black and gold.

Get the instructions here:

http://thepinkdoormat.blogspot.com/2013/02/paper-mache-bowls.html

Crayon Colored Lanterns

Stylist has a fun way to make lanterns using crayons to decorate paper brown bags. You'll need to help with the melting part. They recommend using an iron to melt the colors.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.stylelist.com/2012/02/23/craft-of-the-day-crayon-lanterns_n_1296588.html

Artful kids uses paper bags with handles.

Get the instructions here:
http://artful-kids.com/blog/2012/02/06/childrens-art-lanterns/

Easy to Make Lacing Cards

Lacing cards are a great fine motor activity for the preschool set and super easy to make.  Find some ideas with these tutorials. 

Tot school shows how to make some easy lacing cards your preschooler will love and provides several templates. They can even help with the punching if their little hands are strong enough.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://totschool.shannons.org/?p=3422

Teal and lime suggests punching holds into premade card stock shapes.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.tealandlime.com/2011/12/diy-lacing-cards-kids-gift/

Kpmattingly uses cookie cutters as stencils to create the lacing cards.  

Get the instructions here:

http://kpmattingly.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/homemade-lacing-cards/

Painted Boxes

Pysselbolaget has a great idea for how to reuse face cream jars using only spray paint and affixing small figurines to the top.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions (in Swedish) here:
http://pysselbolaget.se/2012/02/21/lyxig-smaforvaring/

Make Your own Foil Necklace

Make and takes has a cute way to make a foil pendant out of aluminum foil, sharpie markers and yarn.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.makeandtakes.com/foil-pendant-craft-for-kids

How to Make a Woven Rug

Flax and twine has a great tutorial on how to weave a rug using a hula hoop as a base and colorful yarn.

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.flaxandtwine.com/2012/02/woven-finger-knitting-hula-hoop-rug-diy.html

Lindsay and andrew uses vibrant t-shirts and add a fun fringe,

Get the instructions here:
http://lindsayandandrew.blogspot.com/2011/07/t-shirt-rug.html

Make Your Own Paperweight

Little blue boo shows you how you can make a unique paper weight out of beads, buttons or anything small and plastic. The main ingredient is clear plastic resin and a simple round circle mold.

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.lilblueboo.com/2012/03/cast-resin-paperweights-coasters-a-tutorial.html

Alpha mom dresses up rocks with fabric including a fabric initial.

Get the instructions here:
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/diy-paperweights-are-easy-to-make-holiday-gifts/