Cute Chic

Try this cute chic for some spring time art.  Just cut out an oval (have the kids draw one and then cut it out, if they are capable) and cut it in 2 pieces using a zig zag pattern.  Cut out a chic shaped head from yellow paper.  Then put a hinge on the side and have the kids decorate as they like.

Bubble wrap bee hives

Try this to make bee hives: paint bubble wrap with yellow paint.  Draw a picture of a hive on white paper and push the bubble wrap onto the hive to paint it.  Next, put an index finger into black paint and push it onto the yellow hive to make bees.  So easy and cute and great for finger isolation (index finger only in black paint) and sensory. For an added challenge, once the hive is dry, have the child cut it out.

St. Patrick's Day craft

Here's a cute St. Patrick's Day craft idea.  The older kids can cut out the strips of paper for the arms and legs, draw and cut out the hearts for the body and draw and cut out the hat.  Younger kids can to do the gluing and have them fold the paper strips for the legs and arms.

Having trouble cutting?

How can I strengthen my child's hands and teach two handed coordination?

• warm-up prior to cutting with playdough or an exercise ball
• work on targeting pincer strength and the open-shut motion needed for cutting by using tongs or children's chopsticks, he can sort pieces of cereal into bowls while you're cooking dinner
• play with things that require both hands, like nuts and bolts, stretching rubber bands around an upside-down cup, wind-up toys, kaleidoscopes, stringing beads, lacing cards (make your own by punching holes in index cards and using a shoelace)

How should I approach cutting?

• try cutting snips off a thin strip of paper first, then cutting across wider strips
• then try cutting lines, curves, and shapes, reminding them to turn the paper with the opposite hand
• provide a verbal cue of "op-en, shut, them" to pace your child
• make a special box of random items like tin foil, wax paper, string, anything that's fun to cut
• draw thick marker lines around pictures in those toy catalogs that will be coming out soon

My child is really having trouble, what kinds of adaptive scissors are out there?

Pocketful of Therapy carries a wide range of products and many types of adaptive scissors.  There are loop scissors for a child with a gross grasp, but little dexterity, self-opening scissors, tiny scissors, and even ones with extra holes for adult fingers to slide in behind the child's to help them learn to cut.  Adaptive Products carries adaptive scissors, including table top mounted ones and ones that are battery operated.  They also carry a range of workbooks with specific cutting activities.  Happy cutting!

Pocketful of Therapy - Scissors for Children
Achievement Products - Adaptive Scissors

Make an Ocean

Make an ocean!  Have your child paint a couple of pieces of paper and staple them together to make an ocean.  Then have your child draw fish and crabs and other ocean creatures.  Color or paint them, cut them out  and glue them on the water.  He/she will have his/her own ocean to hang up in his/her room.  Be creative and make all kinds of sea life.  You could look at ocean books to give your child some ideas.

Make books come to life

Kids love to hear stories, and most parents read books to their kids often.  So, have your books come to life.  Here, we read the story "Rainbow Fish" and then did a craft related to the book.  Older kids can cut out their fish and then cut out their fish "scales".  Younger kids can either rip the scales or simply glue them on the fish.  Find some really shiny scales (we used tin foil) to put on the fish.  If really ambitious, your child can make many rainbow fish to hang from his/her ceiling. 

Mother Day Craft

Mother's day is right around the corner, but there is still time to make her feel loved. Here's a cute mother's day craft.  Take some cute fabric and trace your child's hand.  Cut out the hand and place in a cute picture frame.  Use some more of the fabric to make a bow hanger.  An older child should trace and cut out their hand by themselves.

Mother's Day Craft

Ok dads, here is an easy, but cute, Mother's day craft for you to do with your kids (teachers, too).  All you need is a small flower pot, straws, construction paper, fake grass and pictures of your kids.  Have the older kids cut out the "petals".  They can do them all one color, or make them colorful, using lots of different color paper.  Glue everything together and mom has a cute flower pot for at home or on her desk at work.  If you are feeling especially industrious, have your kids paint the flower pot different colors.  Have fun- and don't wait- Mother's day is coming up soon!

In like a lion, out like a lamb

Here's a cute craft for March.  Make Lions and Lambs out of paper plates!  All you need are paper plates, glue and construction paper.  Have the children that can snip the plate to make a lion's mane.  Older children can even cut out the lamb's legs and face. 

For those children who just don't have the finger strength to open scissors, try self-release scissors.  Here is one example of this type of scissors.  The idea is that the child squeezes the scissors to snip, and the scissors pop back open so the child does not have to open the scissors.  He can then continue squeezing to cut, thereby learning the other aspects of cutting, such as scissor progression and hand placement. There are many different types of these scissors and some are not very expensive (I have seen them at the Dollar Store).  After strengthening the child's fingers, transition to regular children's scissors (if able).

Snowman door

I know it's March, but it's still winter, and we have a snow storm coming this week, so I thought I provide a cute door decoration.  Make a door snowman.  Line the door (or window, or wall) with white paper.  If your child is able, have him/her draw circles for the eyes, mouth and buttons and cut them out.  Have him/her draw and cut out rectangles for the scarf, and a triangle for the nose. A rectangle and a square make up the hat.  Once the shapes are all cut out, have your child glue them into place to make a cute snowman.

Here's an easy snowman.  Just use 2 different sized paper plates and a circle (have your child draw and cut out) and glue them together.  Use buttons for the mouth (or anything else) and pompoms for the buttons.  Or, have your child draw all of this one.  Your child can braid 3 pieces of yarn together to make a scarf and he/she has a cute little snowman.

Paper Snowflakes

Here's an oldie, but goodie: paper snowflakes.  Show your child how to fold the paper by folding it in half at least 2 times (remember the more times you fold it, the more difficult it will be to snip) and allow him/her to fold his/her own paper.  Then help your child to snip designs in the paper.  Your child can hang these snowflakes around the house to make a winter wonderland!

Hand print Reindeer

Here's a cute idea for a holiday craft.  Trace your child's hand (or have them trace their own) then have your child, if able, cut it out.  Next, have your child draw a heart and a circle and cut them out.  Glue on the parts and have your child draw, or glue on, the eyes and mouth and they have a cute reindeer!

Thanksgiving head band

Here's a cute idea for the kids to make and wear for Thanksgiving (or any time).  It's a turkey head band.  Cut a paper plate in half for the turkey's body and have your kids color the feathers.  Cut out, or let your kids cut out,  a yellow circle for the head and a half circle for the body.  Cut out the eyes and a triangle nose.  Take 2 strips of orange paper and fold them accordian style and glue everything together.  Glue the turkey onto a band of paper fit to the child's head.

Hand Turkey

 

Here's an idea to do for Thanksgiving: use an outline of your child's hand to make a turkey.  Trace your child's hand on a brown piece of paper (or have your child trace their own hand, if they are able).  Have your child do at least some of the cutting to make their turkey. Then, decorate the "turkey".  We used crumbled pieces of tissue paper to make ours colorful, but you could use colored feathers, or simply color or paint the feathers.  Either draw or glue on an eye, and your child has their own turkey!

Let's go fishing

Make an aquarium in your child's room.  Take a paper plate, cut out a triangle for the tail and have your child color, or paint, his fish!  The older child should do his/her own cutting and gluing, including opening/closing the glue.  The younger child can do the gluing, and attempt to do the cutting, with close supervision.  Glue the fish on a blue piece of paper, add some "seaweed" and you have an aquarium.  Add as many fish as your child wants.

Egg carton School Bus

For back to school, have your child make a school bus made from an egg carton.  Simply have your child color or paint the carton yellow.  (A cardboard carton works best)  For the older child, have him/her look through magazines and have him/her cut out pictures of children and glue them on the inside of the carton so that the faces are seen through the holes of the carton.  For younger children, simply have them glue the children in place.  Cut circles from black construction paper (again, the older child can cut these) and glue for wheels.  Another idea for wheels- use bottle caps and paint them black.  Then write "school" on the carton, and your child has his/her very own school bus.

Here is a cute craft idea to do with the kids this summer.  Cut a paper plate in half and paint it into a watermelon.  You can use just paint to make the watermelon, or, you can use actual watermelon seeds.  To do this, make sure the red paint is pretty thick and the kids can put the seeds right onto the paint- no glue needed.  Once the paint dries, the seeds will stay on the paper!

Flowers made from melted crayons

This is a cute craft that kids love to create.  Items needed are: crayon shavings (I use scissors to scrape off pieces of crayon), wax paper, an iron, a green pipe cleaner and paper.   Have your child draw a large flower on a piece of paper (or you can draw it if the child is not yet able).  Then, if able, have your child cut out the flower shape (or you cut it out).  Next, have your child sprinkle some of the crayon shavings on the paper.  Cover the paper and crayon with the wax paper and roll the heated iron over the paper until the crayon has melted. Have your child poke the pipe cleaner through the center of the flower (once it is cool) and bend it to make a stem.   Your child can make a few of these to make a bouquet!