Once a week, I go over to see my granddaughters, ages 4 and 9, to do arts and crafts. A fun time to spend with the granddaughters who just love the artistic side of life. The best day of the week. We needed some fun and refreshing projects to do so I began scouting around the Internet for ideas. Since Easter is around the corner, thought it would fun to make some new decorations for this year. I plugged popsicle sticks and clothes pins into Google and came up with quite a few wonderful projects I think they will like.

Paper Cup Lambs

Paper cup lamb is simple and easy, No actual written instructions but simple enough to follow along with the pictures.

Supplies

Paper cup
Four clothes pins
Cotton balls
Black construction paper
Googly eyes
Black marker
Glue

Paper Plate Birdies

Supplies

Two paper plates
Construction paper
Pipe cleaners or toothpicks
Paints
Googly eyes
Glue

Paper plate birdies for spring. Two plates will make three birds. First, you will need to cut the plates in half. Half a plate makes one bird body. One of the halves will be cut into six wedge-shaped sections (piece of pie) to make the wings.

Paint the three bird bodies whatever color suits your fancy. Set aside to dry.

Taking the wing sections you can either color with markers, crayons or paint. Another idea would be to take a fancy piece of scrapbook paper. Past the paper to the wing and cut off the excess. Should you have any crafting feathers, paste them to the wings for an entirely different look.

When the bodies are thoroughly dry with the flat edge upwards and the rounded edge downwards, paint a small orange beak onto one of the upper corners depending on which way you want the bird to face. Apply one google as well.

Add two small legs to the middle of the rounded area below. Use two short sections of orange or brown pipe cleaner or paint a couple toothpicks orange or brown for the legs. Glue into place.

In the instructions they use paper fasteners for the wings which makes them mobile but loose and floppy. I opt for gluing the wing so as the bird will always look in flight.

You now have your flock of spring birdies!

Paper Plate Peek-A-Boo Chick

Supplies

Crafting foam board
Construction paper
Googly eyes
Paper fasteners
Various decorations for the egg, i.e. silk flowers, paper flowers, glitter, whatever you might have on hand.
Glue

Print out the above template and trace onto the foam board. You can purchase foam board at the Dollar Store. I used all white foam board and simply painted the chick portion yellow. Carefully cut out the pieces with scissors.

Fasten the top of the egg to the bottom of the egg with a brass paper fastener. Allow enough looseness so the egg can open and close. Glue the Chick portion onto the back of the bottom piece of egg.

Paint the beak portion of foam orange. Glue to face along with two googly eyes.

All that is left to do is decorate the outside of the egg using any type of embellishments you have on hand or simply paint your designs.

Chain Reaction Popsicle Sticks

In my wanders I came across this article. Just could not pass it up because it was just plain awesome! I can just see my granddaughters pulling this one off. Have to buy the larger popsicle sticks for this event. Not only is a good teaching tool in physical scientific phenomenon but in behavioral science as well. You can get some good conversations going with this one and have fun in the process. Education made easy.

Get your own Chain Reactions going!

Build a Chain Reaction with Popsicle or Craft Sticks

Easter Bonnets For All

Get creative and pull out any and all supplies you have. It’s time to bedeck your head with your new Easter Bonnet! Just have a look at what these creative kids of every age did to celebrate in the Easter Parade. There are just to many ways to make a bonnet. So, get the family together and celebrate with some fun mixing and matching whatever supplies you have on hand. I bet you can come up with some fantastical fashions!

“Each moment of the year has its own beauty”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Enjoy and have fun. Whatever the season is, there is something to craft. It is such an easy and fun way to have a family get together. Enjoy life and simplify…create something.