Baby & Toddler Christmas Tree Craft

This was such an easy and quick craft to make!  In fact we made it in the 10 minutes immediately before dinner to get my kid's minds off of screaming and whining for food.  And let me tell you, it might seem like a really bad idea to cover a child's entire hand with paint, but the awesomeness in this craft is that you control that hand!  Paint it up, stamp it down on the paper and immediately clean it off with your stash of baby wipes, and you're done!

Theme: Art/Music

Materials: Green paint, brush or sponge, paper, foam stickers to decorate, brown marker

How to:  Wash and dry your children's hands.  Brush or sponge green paint on one hand and stamp it on the page.  Stamp two more in the next row, and three in the next.  Wash your child's hands immediately and let the paint  dry on the paper.  Turn it around, color in a tree stump, and let your child go crazy decorating it with stickers!

Source: Chronicles of an Infant Bibliophile

Cardboard Tube Leaves

Our leaves haven't really started changing colors yet, but I thought this would be a fun art project to get us into the fall mood.

Cardboard Tube Leaves

Theme: Art/Music

Materials: Cardboard tube, paint (yellow, orange, red), paper, paper plate, paintbrush

How to:  Squeeze the cardboard tube slightly to create a more ovular leaf shape.  Have your child dip the tube in some paint that has been squeezed on the plate and 'stamp' on the paper.  If they are interested, you can also help them paint the veins inside the leaf with the paintbrush.

Source: Frugal Family Fun

Updated 10/8/11: I'm linking up to One Artsy Mama!

Tissue Paper Apple Tree

I liked this art project because not only was it something M was able to do mostly on her own, but it also actually looked like art!

Tissue Paper Apple Tree

Theme: Art/Music

Materials: red tissue paper, green & brown construction paper, glue, paintbrush

How to: Cut a tree out of the green and brown construction paper and glue to a blank piece of paper.  Cut the tissue paper into strips and place some glue in a bowl.  Have your child first roll the tissue paper into little 'apple' balls.  Then have them paint some glue on the apples using the paintbrush.  Finally, have them place the apples onto the tree.  Let dry before displaying.

Source:  Inspired by Lilly Cakes

Brush Stroke Painting

While M was painting this morning, I decided to have her practice a few common brushstrokes.  She did really well with the circles, lines and dots, but the waves and zig zags were a little bit out of her abilities.  She didn't seem to mind though!  Quick tip: empty egg containers make great paint holders!

Brush Stroke Painting

Theme: Art/Music

Materials: paint (I love the washable Crayola paint!), paintbrush, paper, newspaper to cover your table, painting apron or shirt

How to: Demonstrate each brushstroke to your child and have them practice it.  We practiced circles, lines, dots, waves and zig zags.  Use your imagination!

Apple Printing

After a spectacular fail with a literacy lesson yesterday, I decided to salvage the morning with some fun art. M had so much fun with this until her OCD kicked in at the end and she needed to get all the red paint off her fingers! I have no idea where this girl picked up her obsession with cleanliness; it certainly wasn't from her messy mama!

Apple Printing

Theme: Art/Music

Materials: Apple (sliced in half), red paint on a paper plate or container, paper

How to: Cover the cut side of the apple in paint and start printing on the paper!

Clean Fingerpainting

I am not a clean person by any means, but I have a little phobia about messy art products, especially in the hands of my daughter. In order to ease us softly into art, we would do a project that actually isn't messy.

Clean Fingerpainting

Theme: Art & Music

Materials: Wax Paper, finger paint, newspaper or something to cover your work surface (just in case)

How To: Put a few globs of different colors on top of a piece of wax paper and cover with a second piece. Have your child spread the paints around just as in regular fingerpainting. M loved watching yellow and blue mix to create green.

Source: The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman