Rainbow Coaster DIY

Craft sticks are a great addition to any crafters supplies! There are so many fun ways you can use craft sticks to create! I made this easy set of coasters in just a few moments. These are great for tweens and teens to make! They are fun and functional and make a cool DIY you can gift to a friend or relative!

This project is super simple. I got literally everything I needed at Dollar Tree to make these. I love economical crafting! To make this DIY  go a little faster I bought the craft sticks that were pre dyed.

The pack conveniently contained all colors I needed for a rainbow effect. You will need 20 craft sticks to make this project, use 3 of each color!

Line up your craft sticks in the pattern of a rainbow.

Then use hot glue to attach 3 sticks running in the opposite direction for supports, just like a pallet would have.

Repeat and make another one.

Then you are going to place a craft stick on its side to give the coaster height.

Carefully glue the stick on the sides then add a line of glue to the top of both side sticks and place the other section on the top.

This project was featured in a video on facebook. I would love to have you check it out and give it a thumbs up!

You can find more easy DIY ideas here
Easy Pencil Pouches

Find more rainbow craft activities here

You can also find it on youtube. Subscribe for more fun projects for the family!

Easy DIY ipad Mini Stand

This easy diy ipad stand was made with only 3 supplies in just a few moments of time. It is a great tween or teen craft for a rainy day and provides a practical place to place your ipad for hands free viewing!

This was such a simple project! I needed someplace to place my ipad while cooking and
referring to a recipe, so I whipped this up in just about 3 minutes! I wasn't quite sure about how
sturdy it would be, but I was surprised by how sturdy it was, and how well it has held up over 2
weeks time.

Supplies

7 Jumbo Craft Sticks ( 5.86” x .72” )

Washi Tape

Hot Glue Gun

Directions



1) Apply washi tape to one side of 3 craft sticks.

2) Form a letter V with 2 of the washi tape covered craft sticks.

3) Secure the point where the sticks meet with hot glue.

4) Flip the craft sticks over so that you are working with the uncovered side of the sticks and your

point is now facing upwards.

5) Use an uncovered craft stick to attach a “leg” to the top, where the sticks meet.  To do this easily

give a generous dot of hot glue about ¼” below the top, immediately place your craft stick at a very

slight angle. Hold the craft stick in place for about 30 seconds, as the glue dries. This acts as your

base. Test it to make sure the base stands freely.

6) You have 3 remaining craft sticks that are not covered by washi tape; stack and glue these together.

7) Glue the final craft stick, with the washi tape on top of the stack you just made.

This will act as your ledge for holding your ipad.

8)You will glue these stacked sticks one inch from the bottom of the base.
Allow to dry for about a minute before using as an ipad or phone stand.

You can check out all of my easy DIY ideas here

Itsy Bitsy Spider Craft

If you spend a lot of time listening to preschool music like I do, you are going to LOVE this easy Itsy Bitsy Spider craft that I made with my kids. This was so easy to assemble and so much fun to make. This is suitable for preschoolers and my 8 year old enjoyed it too... even though that is a baby song.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider House

You will need one full sheet of colored paper 
one 4x6 inch square of paper in another color
one triangle in another color (to make a roof)
2 2x2 inch squares of paper that are the same color.
One 2x2 inch square of paper in another color
One 1x3 inch strip of black paper
One Straw
One spider ring
2 strips of tape
Glue Stick

First Glue your 4x6 inch square of paper onto the full sheet.

Then glue on the triangle for the roof, and the 2 squares of paper that are the same color for windows.

Next add your door and your chimney.

Tape your straw to the side of the house on the bottom.
Slide the spider ring onto the straw from the untaped top.
Tape the top of the straw.

You can sing the itsy bitsy spider song with your kids, and have them move the spider up the spout! How cute right?

We had a lot of fun with this super easy Itsy Bitsy Spider Craft. I love that with such simple supplies we were able to create something so entertaining. 

This is not the only craft we have that  makes use of straws . You can give used straws a hot water soak and reuse them too to help reduce waste!

You might also like

Straw Necklaces; bling made for kids, by kids.

Straw Flutes; hey, why not?

Story Time and a Jam Sandwich Craft

My kids are too stinking cute. I love their creativity and eagerness to dig into any project and give it their own unique touches. Several times a week Roo will ask to make a craft, similarly several times a week Harper will raid our craft closet and take off with anything she can reach... We now know they like to craft; if you add a good story into the mix it quickly turns from like to love.

A few weeks ago we checked out The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord. I thought this would be a fun book to check out, it also seemed like a good way to explain wasps to Harper and give Roo a reminder to avoid them!

I also hoped that a story about a giant jam sandwich and a cute craft would inspire my son to try something new. Something he has been adamant about not trying, jelly and jam!

                                                                  

In the story, 4000 wasps descend upon a town. They are quite a bother but the townspeople roll up their sleeves and get to work making one giant wasp trap jam sandwich!

The kids found the book entertaining. Roo was not sold on the idea of jam at all. He said "That's not good. That's sick." He was pretty determined that he wouldn't like jelly, nor jam. 

Up next we made Jam Sandwiches. My kids go CRAZY for paper food crafts. Like drop everything,  We are making a sandwich!? From paper?! Will there be glue sticks involved?

Getting ready, supplies needed

I cut 2 slices of bread shapes in off white paper

I cut 2 slightly larger slices of bread shapes in brown paper

I offered my kids red finger paint and paint brushes

Of course, glue sticks were needed.

Baby Wipes... You will want these!

Instructions

I gave each kid a brown slice of bread and a glue stick

They smeared glue around the brown paper and topped it with the off white paper

That was pretty satisfying to the kids. They really like to glue things!

They were thrilled to see the finger paint and paint brushes!

I told them to paint the jam on their toast. They agreed this was pretty great. Glue and paint after a story? It couldn't get much better!

This was a great activity for the kids. They always want to help me cook, so to create their own food craft was a hit. 

After the story and the craft, I made a peanut butter and jelly for Harper, Roo came in and watched me spreading the glob of jelly around. With a very serious face he told me "That is sick. Bleck. No jelly for me please. I will have honey."

I love that kid. He is definitely a guy who knows what he wants. 

You also might enjoy this Paper Cookie Craft idea for preschoolers.

3D Paper Tulip Craft

This easy craft is perfect for spring! Requiring simple supplies, this 3 d tulip craft comes together in a matter of moments to create a sweet craft for the kids!

This craft comes together super fast to create a cute 3 d project that is perfect for spring! These tulips are pretty in any color! So, feel free to use a different color than yellow if that is what you like!

We made these on a rainy day to get crafty and pass the time indoors. We shared these with special friends to brighten their day too! How fun right?!

You will need:

3 sheets of yellow paper

school glue

green pipe cleaner

scissors

To begin, fold 3 sheets of paper in half. 

Draw your tulip shape on half of the paper, then cut that

Glue on half on to a second half, then glue the third sheet.

Stick your pipe cleaner in the center of the flower and secure with extra glue.

I think a bouquet of these would be a fun way to add a touch of spring to your decor! Stick them in a jar or vase for flowers that won't wilt!

You might also like these crafts:
Toddler Tulip Art
10 Spring Flower Crafts

Shamrock Puppet

St. Patrick's Day is near and I have a really cute and easy shamrock puppet craft for you! 

This is such an easy craft for the little ones! It requires super simple supplies to create a cute way to spread the luck of the Irish!

You will need: 

One sheet of green paper

Glue

Scissors

A green kwik stick

Cut 4 green hearts out of the paper . 

Paint the stick green, it will dry in under 90 seconds if you use Kwik Sticks.

Glue all 4 hearts on to the stick, point in.

We also have a great 3D Shamrock Craft you might enjoy!

A is for Alligator Craft

Now that Harper is in preschool, our projects have become intentional. I want to make sure she is getting the support she needs to put all that she is learning to good use! We have been taking our time exploring the alphabet and having a lot of fun doing it too!

Today, I want to share a fun letter A craft with you that comes together in a matter of moments and takes a bite out of craft time and makes letter recognition a lot of fun for preschoolers!

This post includes partner links.

To make the A is for Alligator Craft you will need:

2 x 4" strips of green paper
1 x 2" strip of green paper
2 x 2" strips of white paper
1 googly eye
glue stick
scissors

Directions:

1. With the 2x 4" strips  and 1 x 2" strip of green paper form your letter A and glue it in place.
2. Cut teeth shapes in the 2 x 2" strips of white paper. 
3. Glue the teeth on the legs of the A.
4. Glue the googly eye on to the top of the letter A.

If you have a fun craft idea for the letter A I would love to hear about it in a comment!

Ribbon Tree Ornament Craft

I am so excited to decorate my trees this year! I have already been playing around with some cute handmade ornament ideas!

Today I have a really economical and adorable DIY ornament that I know you are going to want to make! It costs just about $2 to make a dozen of these! They come together so easily that making a dozen is no problem at all!

This post contains affiliate links or sponsored content.

These are cute for decorating a tree, or adding a little something to a wrapped gift!

To make these ribbon tree ornaments I used:

• A spool of ribbon I bought at Walmart for 97 cents
• Chunky Craft Sticks
• Glue
• Scissors
• Pencil

Directions:

• Begin by laying 4 craft sticks together, draw the outline of a tree on them.
• Cut the sticks to shape the tree.
• Cut the tiny top triangle from the scraps to avoid wasting a whole craft stick!
• Cut small bits of ribbon to cover the tree shapes. Glue them on and trim.

•  Now glue the ribbon covered craft sticks onto one more craft stick.

• After gluing all the sections on to the base craft stick, flip it over and add a small loop of ribbon so that you can hang it!

This is a fun project to do with the older kids, and these are really pretty lovely in their simplicity! I have a short video of the process to share with you. I would love it if you gave it a thumbs up!

I can't wait to hear what you have planned for holiday crafting!

You might also like these cute DIY Mickey Ornaments!

Green Button Tree Kid Made Ornaments

Making a handmade ornament with the kids can be a lot of fun for the holiday season! These button trees are so easy to make and adorable for gifting something handmade from the heart this Christmas. Everyone loves a kid made ornament to display on their tree! 

Last weekend I found a great deal on dyed craft sticks! 80 for $1. What a bargain! This inspired us to make a ton of fun craft stick ornaments to share this holiday season. I am going to be bringing them to you, so that you can make something cute with your kids to share with friends and family.

These kid made Christmas ornaments came together in just a few moments. We used hot glue for instant gratification, but you can use white or PVA glue if you have patience!

You will need:
4 craft sticks, I used green.
Buttons
4" of  thin ribbon
3" of thin ribbon
One small bell
Glue

 Make a triangle shape and glue it together.
With your remaining stick, cut it in half. This will be your tree base. Glue it on the bottom.

Glue buttons on to the tree in any pattern you prefer. We used blue and green for this ornament and loved the way it turned out!

Flip the tree over. Thread a small bell on the 4" section of thin ribbon. With the bell in the center, glue it on the tree so that it dangles to the middle section of the tree.

With the other 3" of thin ribbon make the loop for hanging from the tree!

Now your button tree ornament is finished. Hang it from your tree, attach it to a wrapped gift, or share with someone special!

This was a cute and fun project to make with Rolf. We love kid made ornaments and have several other variations of this to show you over the coming weeks. From my family to yours; Happy Holidays!

minions puppets

This super simple popsicle stick craft brings the fun of the minions to your craft time! These are great for book-markers or as the star of a dramatic play session!

There is nothing like a toy you make yourself! On a rainy day a little imagination can go a very long way. We made these DIY minions puppets on a whim and had so much fun playing with them! I know your kids will like them too! They came together in a few moments time and kept the kids entertained for at least an hour!  

To make this easy Minions Puppet Craft you will need:

craft sticks

Blue and Yellow Paint

Craft Eyes

Instructions:

Paint the bottom half of the craft sticks blue.

Paint the top half yellow.

Add an eye and here you have easy minions puppets!

If you have an idea for handmade puppets for toddlers and preschoolers I would love to hear about it in a comment. 

Easy Yoda Puppet

May the 4th is right around the corner and Star Wars fans will love this super easy and cute craft to add a little force fun to the special day!

                                        My son Rolf, is the biggest Star Wars fan ever.

He loves to play with Star Wars action figures after school! I wanted to add something fun to his daily Star Wars play and I made something cute and easy to delight him!

This is so easy, all you need are 2 ovals of green paper, a circle of green paper, a popsicle stick, 2 googly eyes and some glue.

Begin by gluing the oval ear shapes to the large circle of paper.

Next glue those onto the craft stick.

Add the eyes and draw on a smile.
There you have an easy Yoda craft puppet!

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Puppets

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Popsicle stick puppets come together easily with minimal supplies to create an invitation to engage in dramatic play for toddlers and preschoolers!

My 3 year old loves to play with puppets and I love to encourage dramatic play for her developing mind! We made these super simple little puppets which were the perfect size for her small hands. She loved including Thing 1 and Thing 2 in all of her pretend play!

These are so easy. All you need is:

2 Popscile Sticks

Red Paint or Markers

4 googly eyes

a small bit of blue paper

2 small rounds of white paper

a pen or marker

Glue

Instructions:

Paint or color  2/3 of the craft stick red

Cut the blue paper to look like 2 shocks of hair.

Glue the hair on each stick

Give the sticks 2 eyes

Write Thing 1 and Thing 2 on the circles of paper and glue it on the center and you have your easy and fun puppets!

These are perfect for an easy peasy play session or a fun way to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday.

Monster Hand-print Puppet

These hand print puppets are adorable and they will be a monstrous hit with your kids! They take the most basic of supplies and come together in a flash for a lot of fun for everyone!

We love to make puppets you guys. Harper and I can craft up a handful of puppets and she will spend the rest of the day, wrapped up in a world of her own dramatic creation! 

We decided that now was the perfect time to make a few easy peasy hand print monster puppets! These were fun because they ready to play with in a matter of moments and they were so cute!

Supplies

construction paper

pencil

scissors

squiggly eyes

craft stick

glue

marker

Trace a hand on construction paper.

Cut it out.

Glue on as many eyes as your child desires. We used 3.

Draw polka dots, hearts or whatever you like to give your monster a fun look.

Glue the craft stick on the back, leaving enough room for small hands to hold on to the stick.

There you have a fun handprint monster for Halloween dramatic play!

You might also like this hand print fish puppet idea.