Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids

Today, I’m sharing Pileated Woodpecker facts for kids.  The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest member of the woodpecker family.  Its name comes from the Latin word Pileatus, meaning capped.  The Pileated Woodpecker prefers wooded areas with large, mature trees.  These woodpeckers create large holes in dead trees for nests. The holes are so large, they would snap a small tree. 

I have created a Pileated Woodpecker fact sheet, word search puzzle, fill in the blank, and added a few coloring pages and connect the dot worksheet for a little for the younger kids. Also, the worksheets make a great homeschool unit or an extra educational activity for kids to learn about the Pileated Woodpecker.  

 

 

pileated woodpecker facts for kids

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids: 

  • Males have a red cheek stripe, females have black stripes. 
  • Pileated Woodpeckers eat carpenter ants, beetles, fruits, nuts and will visit suet feeders.
  • They pull bark off trees to find ants.
  • Nests are large holes bored into large tree trunks. 
  • Females lay  2 – 5 white eggs.  Both the male and female keep the eggs warm.  However, the male keeps them warm at night.
  • Eggs hatch in 2 weeks. 
  • Babies stay with parents for 30 days. 

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker facts for kids

 

 

 

  • Pileated Woodpeckers drum to help establish boundaries and to scare away rivals.  They also drum when digging for food and building their nest. 
  • They stay in their territory year round. 
  • Their claws a large so they can grip trees. 
  • Nesting areas have several entrances so it can be large enough to house up to five off-spring. 
  • Females pick their mates based on the best nesting area.  
  • Pileated Woodpeckers only use wood chips for nesting material.
  • Nests are not reused the next breeding season.

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids

 

Finally, you can attract the Pileated Woodpecker to your backyard with a Pileated Woodpecker suet feeder.  Since the Pileated Woodpecker is a large bird, they need a large feeder.  They love suet.  So, make my homemade Crunchy Apple Raisin Suet Cake to keep this beauty coming back. Download the Pileated Woodpecker Worksheets and enjoy.  

 

Check out my other bird facts for kids before you: 

Bald Eagle Facts

Interesting Facts About Blue Jay for Kids 

Kids Bird Identification Tips

Facts About Baby Blue Jays

 

Duke Ellington Black History

Today, I’m sharing kids educational resources on Duke Ellington Black HistoryEllington was born, Edward Kennedy Ellington.  Duke Ellington became known as one of the greatest jazz pianist, composers, and bandleaders of all times.  I’ve put together a fact sheet, multiply choice worksheet, matching worksheet, word search puzzle, and coloring sheet for a Black History unit.  

 

So, Duke Ellington was born in Washington, DC on April 29, 1899.  Both his mother and father, James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy Ellington, were pianists.  Furthermore, they stayed with his material grandparents at 2129 Ida Place. Duke’s father, James Edward Ellington created blue prints for the United States Navy.  He also worked as a butler, driver, caretaker and handyman for a prominent Washington, D.C. doctor.  He worked as a part time butler during the Warren G. Harding era.

Elegant, well-mannered and a dapper dresser earned Ellington the nick name “Duke” by a childhood friend. The nickname stuck for the remainder of his life.  

 

Duke Ellington Black History
Duke Ellington Black History:  
  • Duke began playing the piano at age 7. Ragtime, church and classical music were influencers in Duke’s love of music. 
  • Also, he also loved baseball and sold peanuts at the Washington Senators baseball games.
  • In 1914, Ellington worked as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Cafe.  During that time, he wrote a composition called Soda Fountain RagSoda Fountain Rag is also known as the Poodle Dog Rag.  
  • Also, being a musician was a great way to get dates.  So, Duke started listening and imitating ragtime pianists.  A music teacher from Dunbar High School gave Ellington private harmony lessons. Additionally, he learned to read music and worked to improve his technique.
  • Duke formed the group, The Duke Serenaders.  He earned 75 cents from his first performance.  The band thrived, and as a result he performed throughout Washington, DC and Virginia.  He preferred playing for embassy and private parties.  
  • At age 19, Duke married his high school sweetheart Edna Thompson.  They had a son named Mercer Kennedy Ellington. 
  • Ellington moved to New York in 1923.  In 1924, he became the leader of his big band and began recording. 

 

 

Duke Ellington Black History

 

 

 

  • Duke Ellington played regularly at the Cotton Club in Harlem, NY in 1927.  He performed there for 5 years.  All Cotton Club performances were broadcast almost nightly.  By 1930, Duke Ellington and his band were famous. 
  • President Richard Nixon invited Duke Ellington to the White House for his 70th birthday.  He was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  • One of Duke Ellington’s favorite places to eat was Ben’s Chili Bowl when he was in the Washington, DC area. 
  • Duke Ellington was a genius of instrument combinations.  His music made him stand out among other composers of his time.  Ellington ranked with composers such as a George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. 
  • The piano was Duke’s favorite instrument. 
  • Duke wrote more than one thousand compositions.  His work became a standard in jazz music.
  • Duke Ellington won 12 Grammy Awards.  Additionally, he received the Life Time Achievement Award in 1966.
  • Additionally, Duke Ellington was a Freemason.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. 
  • In 1976, Stevie Wonder wrote the song “Sir Duke” as a tribute to Duke Ellington. 
  • Duke Ellington led his band from 1923 – 1974, 50 years. The Duke Ellington Orchestra is still in existence today.
  • The Duke Ellington School of the Arts was established in Washington, DC in 1974. 
  • In 1986, a Commemorative stamp was issued with Duke Ellington’s image. 
  • Duke Ellington’s son, Mercer Kennedy Ellington, managed the Duke Ellington Orchestra after his dad’s death.  
  • New York City May, Michael Bloomberg, declared April 29, 2009 Duke Ellington Day. 
  • Finally, Duke Ellington’s granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington, is carrying on his name.  

 

 

 

Duke Ellington Black History

Sadly, Duke Ellington died on May 24, 1974 as a result of pneumonia and lung cancer.  He is entombed in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY.  Ellington’s last words were, “Music is how I live, why I live and how I will be remembered.”  More than 12,000 people attended his memorial service.  I hope you enjoyed my Duke Ellington Black History.  You can download the worksheets here. 

Check out Duke Ellington’s song It Don’t Mean a Thing, one of greatest hits.  

Garden Bug Activities for Kids

Today, I’m sharing gardening tips on garden bug activities for kids.  Kids love to explore and go on nature hunts.  First, it’s a great way to introduce them to nature and the garden.  Gardening with kids can be fun, if we make activities fun and creative.  Kids get bored easily, so keeping their attention on a particular activity can be challenging.  Fortunately, I have the solution on how to get them interested in the garden.

 

kids printables

 

 

 

So, a fun activity is to have kids go on a nature hunt in search of garden bugs.  Print our garden bug nature hunt activity and let the fun begin.  The activity lists gardens bugs, which include the lady bug, bumble bee, caterpillar and more.  Grab a clipboard and pencil and send them on their way.

 

 

garden bug activities

 

 

Also, we included a garden bug word search puzzle.  The puzzle includes names of common garden bugs that kids can find in their backyard garden.  Some of the bugs included a grasshopper, ladybug, beetle and more.  Our list of bugs can be found in most gardens across the country.  As a result, it’s a great way for them to become familiar with these garden bugs.

 

 

 

garden bug activity

 

Next, learning about garden bugs can be a great science project lesson for kids as well.  They can learn about our list of bugs and their benefits.  For example, garden bugs act as pollinators for our flower, vegetable and fruit plants.  Without pollinators carrying nectar to flowers on our plants and trees, we would be unable to produce beautiful flowers and delicious produce.

 

 


 

Furthermore, there are approximately 20 – 30 million insects on the planet.  That’s a lot of garden bug activities for kids.   Some are good and some are bad.  Here’s a few bad garden bugs that can do damage to your garden.  Turn these bugs into a science lesson and have the kids research these bad bugs.

  • Mealy Bug
  • Cabbage Worm
  • Green Lacewing
  • Japanese Beetle
  • Cucumber Beetle

 

Last, download the Garden Bug Activities.  Additionally, the activities includes a butterfly coloring page and a list of bad garden bugs.

 

Battling Boredom: How to Keep Your Kids Entertained

 

how to keep your kids entertained

Every parent will need to find ways to keep their children entertained.  Unfortunately, kids can grow bored quickly with the same routine each day.  Especially, when they are young.  So, you might also want to provide your kids with healthier activities.  Healthy activities are better than spending all their time on a smartphone, tablet or TV.

Thankfully, there are some superb activities for kids.  Check out our tips on how to keep your kids entertained:

A Trip to the Movies

One activity that’s bound to make your children smile is a trip to the movies.  Let them snack on popcorn as they immerse themselves into an animated movie.  We’re sure mom and dad will probably love it too!

Organize a Play Date

Add play dates to your list of how to keep your kids entertained.  If you want to entertain your child while strengthening their friendships, organize a play date.  Contact one of their friend’s mothers about the best day for your kids to get together.  Building friendships is important.  So is laughing, talking, and playing.

You could even take turns hosting a play date.  This option will give each parent time to relax or catch up on chores.  Additionally, you can enjoy a little downtime yourself while the kids play.

Watch Live Entertainment

Allow your kids to enter a whole new world by booking tickets to a live entertainment show.  For example, Disney on Ice or a concert for their favorite singer or band.  Check your local listings for kid-friendly shows being held in your area.  You may be able to find the perfect event for your little one in your town or city at Ticket Sales.

Bake Cakes or Cookies

Baking delicious cookies or cakes is the ultimate activity for a rainy day.  And, a great way on how to keep your kids entertained.  The kids will be excited to try the treats  fresh from the oven.  And, they’ll also have fun learning how to make cookie dough or cake batter.

Turn it into an educational experience.  They will learn to listen, follow instructions and master the art of patience. You can also help them to unleash their creative side by experimenting with multi-colored icing, sprinkles, and cookie cutters.  Most importantly, the activity could help them develop a passion for baking or cooking.

Build a Fort

Next, the moment your children start complaining they are bored, you should encourage them to build a fort.  Their bedroom is the perfect place.  They will need to gather blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheets so that they can create a cozy, private space.

They will have fun building the fort with you.  And, they will also enjoy their unique hangout once it’s done.  It’s a great way to keep them occupied until bedtime.

Enjoy a Day at the Beach

Last, if the sun is shining, grab the kids,  beach towels, sunscreen and make your way to a local beach. Your children will love building sun castles and splashing in the water.  We suggest that also pack a picnic for the whole family.  The kids will love it.

How to Get Your Kids Away from the TV and Active

getting kids active

 

The last school bell has rung and summer is here.  Kids could spend the entire summer watching TV or on a mobile device. However, watchful parents ensure kids are getting outside, exercising, and staying away from digital screens. Here’s to an active summer and the joys of movement.  Check out our tips on getting kids active:  

Get a Job

Depending on their age, help kids get a full or part-time job for the summer. Does working at a local pool, taking breaks to swim and being in the sun, sound so bad?  Fortunately, younger kids can work limited hours at bagel shops, lemonade stands, etc.

 Read That Book Series

Some kids are assigned books to read for summer. I ’s usually long, something the child does not want to read and is reserved for the last week of summer. As a result, take the pressure away.  As a result, add a few exciting and fun selections. Take your child to the bookstore and have them select the first book out of a series.  If they like it, they’re likely to continue reading the series.

Volunteer Your Time

Kids have a lot of time on their hands in the summer. So much that they can hold a part-time job and still have a lot of free time. It would be altruistic and look great on college applications if they devoted time toward volunteering at a local YMCA, food shelter, local business, etc. Ask around town or do a Google search to find volunteer opportunities in your area.

Get in Shape

Exercise is healthy, and with child obesity a serious issue, it’s encouraged that kids find an athletic hobby such as biking, skating, jogging, etc. The mild temperature and the sunshine make it easy to engage in an activity or sport. Inquire about sports their friends play or take kids to the sporting goods store and see if any equipment piques their interest. Getting kids active is a parental responsibility.  

See the State

Some kids attend great schools and live in peaceful and safe neighborhoods.  But, some kids don’t even know what it’s like in other parts of their state. Schedule time to take your child on some road trips. While having a destination in mind like a museum is enriching, the experience of seeing other places and people can be enough. Use this weather app to choose the best days to take road trips.

Help at the House

Kids grow to be adults and later moms and dads. So as adults , take care of things around the house such as laundry, cutting the grass, making minor repairs, taking care of the pets and so on. The summer is a good time to increase a number of things a child does around the home so they can lend a hand. Perhaps a minor money incentive or reward could inspire them to do even more!

We hope you enjoyed the tips on getting kids active. Get creative, and demonstrate that being active is not boring and most importantly it’s healthy.

Get Your Kids Involved in Creating Clean Air

creating clean air

 

 

Kids usually don’t want much to do with cleaning the house. They’d rather be outside playing, and who can blame them? But the lessons they learn in childhood last a lifetime.  So, teaching children lessons in house cleaning can include the importance of creating clean air in the home.  You can teach them this lesson through different tasks.

For example, turning a chore into a fun activity can help eliminate the perceived boredom that comes with cleaning. Here are a few activities to teach kids about creating clean air in the home and keeping it clean:

Changing the Air Filters

Air filters are easy to change. Most are located in a safe and accessible spot.  This makes it safe in getting teens involved in removing and replacing them. They’re also a perfect teaching tool to show just how dirty the air filters can get.  Dirt caught in the filters is dirt that doesn’t make it into the rest of the home.  Change filters regularly.

While you may not want your children actually doing the task on their own, you can write the date of installation on the filter.  Additionally, mark the replacement date on the calendar. When the due date arrives, the kids can remind you to change the filter.  Furthermore, they can accompany you to see how much dirt was collected. It’s a simple, yet important task that gets everyone in on the action.

Turn off the Lights

Lights by themselves don’t do much in the way of generating pollution. It’s at the power generation level where the pollution occurs. The act of turning on a light bulb creates a power demand from the power plant. That demand requires fuel to generate the electricity. Encourage the kids to turn off the light when they leave a room for any length of time. It’s a great way to instill the idea of keeping the air clean without nagging. When kids are shown that their lack of action has a greater consequence to their world, they’re more likely to turn out the lights.

Energy producers are turning more and more to renewable sources instead of burning coal and wood. But this doesn’t change the need to turn out the lights. The less energy needed from any source, the better.

Open Windows at Night in Warm Weather

Air conditioning during the warmer months helps keep the home comfortable, but it also traps dust and other air pollutants inside.  Open windows at night and use fans to circulate the air. Air is cooler at night and helps the home exhaust the heat. If the AC gets turned on during the day, it won’t work as hard to cool down the home because the internal temperature is already low.

These are some of the ways you can get your family to participate in tasks that keep the air clean in the home and atmosphere. Teaching kids to become energy and pollutant aware when they’re young helps them turn into responsible adults.

We hope that you found our tips on creating clean air beneficial, and you will implement a few ideas.

 

 

Preschool Valentine’s Day Activities

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on Preschool Valentine’s Day Activities.  There will be more candy, roses, teddy bears, kisses, and cards received than you can count. Valentine’s Day has become big business.  Don’t get me wrong, I love receiving roses, teddy bears and all the other gifts received on February 14.  However, a quiet day/evening at home with a glass of wine is the perfect gift for me.

 

 

preschool valentine's activities

 

 

However, lets not forget about the kids.  Because Valentine’s Day isn’t just for adults.  Even though it was many years ago, I loved Valentine’s Day when I was in school.  I remember making Valentine’s boxes for cards and bringing treats for the class party.  Nothing has changed.  Now, I make treats for my grandchildren and their classmates.  Kids love receiving lunch box notes, candy hearts, cards and doing Valentine’s Day Activities.  You can also plan a school party, play games, watch movies at home, and just have fun with them.  As a result, I developed these Preschool Valentine’s Day Activities sheets for your little one.

 

 

preschool valentine's day activities

 

 

 

So, the Preschool Valentine’s kids printables  are fun, bright, and educational. These activities are perfect for homeschooling moms or moms who want to give kids additional homework or fun activities.

 

 

preschool valentine's day activities

 

 

Preschool Valentine’s Day Activities Include:

  • Coloring page
  • Spot the difference
  • Tracing
  • Connect the Hearts

 

Print these activities, prepare a Valentine’s Day snack and let them have enjoy the day.

 

 

preschool valentine's day activities

 

Isn’t Valentine’s Day Bear adorable.  He would make the perfect companion for a cupcake treat made by you and the kids.  So, grab a box of crayons and start coloring with our preschooler.  It will make a great memory.  Finally, I’m sure your preschooler or kindergartener would love these activities.  We have a coloring page, match, tracing, spot the difference and a draw a line activities.  Download the activities here.

 

preschool valentine's day activities

16 Mom Approved Kid’s Beach Crafts

Summer is in full swing and families are heading to the beach. So, when we go to the beach there are days that we don’t head out. For example, we stay inside and enjoy a day or 2 of crafts and movies with the children.  Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on kid’s beach crafts. These crafts are fun and easy to make, and can help keep the kids busy at home too.
beach crafts for kids
beach crafts for kids

 

Here’s my roundup selections. Click on the link to check out the blog and instructions on how to make these adorable crafts or use the images as inspiration and create your own version:


1.  Dr. Seuss Crafts (Mrs. Thompson’s Treasures)  First, kids love these little snack fish.  I’m sure they will be willing to share a few for adorable sea crafts.

2.  Fish Hands (Mom To Two Plush Lil Divas)  Second, kids love getting messy.  The exception is my granddaughter.  Nothing on her hands please.  But, these colorful little hand fish are adorable.

3.  Grandma’s Sea of Love (Flickr Photo) Cute hand and foot print craft.

4.  Shells and Shimmer (A List Maker’s Life)  Next, use the sea shells gathered on your family vacation to make a picture frame to house some memories.

5.  Fish Bowl (Walking By The Way)  This hand print fish bowl is so cute and easy to make.  Capture those little hand prints while you can.

6.  Cupcake Liner Fish (Buggy and Buddy)  Find some colorful cupcake liners and make a few colorful fish.

7.  Celery Stamping Fish (Crafty Morning)  So, celery makes a healthy snack and beautiful crafts.  Cut up a few pieces for the kids to make this fun and colorful craft.

8.  Bucket & Shovel (Learn Create Love)  Additionally, what kid doesn’t want a bucket and shovel on their beach trip.  Make this bucket and shovel craft, and they can enjoy it year round.

9.  Cupcake Liner Fish (I Heart Crafty Things)  Another fun craft using cupcake liners and construction paper.  Easy, colorful and fun.

10. Paper Lemonade (Pitter Patter Art) Now, this craft is one of my favorites.  A refreshing cup of lemonade is loved by everyone.

11.  Paper Plate Whale (In The Play Room)  This is a fun craft for a little boy.  Any dollar store will have these paper plates.

12. Egg Carton Ocean (The Imagination Tree)  Another great craft.  So, starting saving those egg cartons.

13. Paper Plate Shark (Almost Unschoolers)  He’s a scary looking little fellow.  But, any little boy would love to make him.

14. Beach In A Jar (Country Chic Cottage)  Put those mason jars to use.  A favorite beach picture, a little sand and few shells will bring this craft to life.

15. Bears At The Beach Snack (The Chickabug Blog) Making crafts will work up an appetite.  Serve this yummy snack.

16. Under The Sea (Daisy Cottage Designs) Can’t get your kids to eat beans?  Maybe you can get them to create this craft with the beans.

Using sea shells that you have gathered from a family trip is always fun to add to any kid’s beach crafts.  Furthermore, you can use them for your crafts too.  They will help create great memories either way  Also, these crafts are easy to make and the materials are budget friendly.  Making these kid’s beach crafts easy for mom to approve.

Also, paper plates, beans, cupcake lines, straws, construction and glue are normally craft items that most parents have around.  Check out your craft stash so you can determine what is needed.  I recommend purchasing a cheap plastic container from the dollar store. Place the items needed in the container before you hit the road.  I also place the items that we have finished in the container on our trip home.  This helps keep them safe.

Last, we hope that you enjoyed our round up of kid’s beach crafts. Pick out a few ideas for your beach trip.  If you’re not heading to the beach, have a little beach fun at home.  Finally, I had a hard time selecting a favorite.  But, I do love number 15 – Bears At the Beach Snack. What a great beach snack idea.   What’s your favorite?  Leave us a comment.

You may also like 9 Tried and True Beach Foods.
  

18 Mother’s Day Crafts

18 Mother’s Day Craft Ideas For Kids

It is hard to believe that Mother’s Day is around the corner.  First, I’ve been searching for a few kid’s Mothers Day crafts to make with my grandchildren.  I think kid’s Mother’s Day crafts are the perfect gift for their mother and their other grandmother.   Fortunately, I found quite a few adorable Mother’s Day crafts that would be perfect gifts for this special occasion.

I always try to find a variety of craft ideas to offer the kids.  I never know what will inspire them.  One day they love markers and crayons, the next day it could be finger paints.  So, I look for projects that require materials that I have on hand or that I can purchase from the Dollar store.  You how much I love that store.

Anyway, I wanted to share my roundup of kid’s Mother’s Day crafts with you.  I hope that you will be inspired to make a few gifts with your children or grandchildren:

1.  Picture Flower Pot – The Daily CrazinessSo creative!  First, who would think to add pictures to a flower pot.  I love the thought of creating the flower pot as shown, and than placing a pot of tulips inside of it.  Also, the pot of tulips can be planted in the yard on or after Mother’s Day.  Furthermore, the pot can be used in the summer for herbs.  Mom and/or grandma can place it in the kitchen window.

2.  Button Bouquet –  PinterestSorry,  but I was unable to locate the craft on the site referenced. It seems pretty simple to make, so bring out that jar of buttons, make a pretty bow and a few stem.  Finally, start gluing. I think the kids will have fun placing the buttons to make the bouquet.

3.  Heart House  –  Crafty Morning Great way to show mom how much you appreciate the home she has made for you.   A few craft sticks, buttons, cut out heart, some glue and you’re good to go.

4.  Hand Print Flower – Nifty MomSimple enough to make with a toddler, finger paints and some card stock.

5.  Teacup –  Mr. Printables.  It’s actually an invitation for to a tea party.  But it was so adorable I thought it could be adapted as a Mother’s Day gift.  What’s better than a tea party invitation from your son or daughter.

6.  Hand Print Vase –  Love Bugs and Post Cards.  Also, this could be a fun project.  Coming up with reasons why the kids love mom or grandma and tracing little hands can be a great way to start a Saturday.

7.  Watering Can Mother’s Day Card –  Crafty Morning.  This project is at the top of my list. I will be changing the blue hearts with water drops. This blogger has several other Mother’s Day projects on her site, so be sure to check them out.

8.   Mother’s Day Coupons –  Penny Pinching Mom. I love this idea. You print the coupons, color them, and than give them to mom. The coupons are for 1 breakfast in bed and 2 loads of folded laundry. How cute is that.

9.   Mom Deserves A Hand – Happy Home Fairy The card is a free printable. Head to Bath & Body and let the kids pick out their favorite scent for mom. Clever idea.

10.  Bottle Cap Flower –   Crafty Morning This is an easy craft to make in little time.  You will need to collect beer bottle caps, stock card, glue and a Sharpie. I saw this card on another site with a twist, the word MOM had been added to the top 3 caps for a personal touch.

11.  Love You Bunches   – Crafty Morning Next, this craft is perfect for toddlers. It requires finger paints, stock card, and the joy of sticking your thumb in the paint. I would suggest making dots on the stock card and using the dots as a guide for the shape.

12.  Folding Craft Stick Flowers –  Danielle’s Place  I loved the idea of the gift folding and being wrapped with a simple ribbon. My initial thought was to put a magnet on the back and stick it on the refrigerator after grandma or mom opens it or hang it with a pretty ribbon. Be creative.

13.  Fingerprint Flowers – Crafty Morning  Fortunately, we found a few crafts for adorable for little fingers,  And you don’t need a lot of materials to complete the project.  If you don’t have scrapbook paper, stock card or construction paper should work.

14.  Picture Monogram –  BHG   Mother’s Day crafts allow us to get creative.  So, creativity will help make this a great gift.  You can use either M for mom, G for Grandma or Gigi, or N for Nana.

15.  Lion Card –  Crafty Morning  This little card will be easy to make with a fork, marker, a piece of stock card.  And you can get the eyes from your local craft store.  I actually found a bag of eyes at the Dollar Tree for a buck.

16.  Love You To Pieces –  Clip Zine.   If you’re like me, there’s always a puzzle laying around with missing pieces?  Recycle it and make this adorable gift for mom or grandma.

17.  Hand Print Towel –  This Simple HomeCute!  This is a great idea for Mother’s Day, Christmas or a birthday present.

18.  Hand Print Bouquet –  Simply Sweet Teaching  Last, but not least.  I love the idea of using hand and foot prints in children’s art.  Also, hand and foot prints can be framed.  Furthermore, the prints can created on a background other than black. I do love adding the year to the print though.

Finally, we hope that you will think our kid’s Mother’s Day crafts will make great gifts too.   They’re actually quite inspirational.  Pick out one or two and start crafting with the kids.  Please leave me a comment and let me know your favorites.

9 Paper Plate Craft Ideas For Kids

Today,  I’m sharing ideas for paper plate crafts for kids.  April showers bring may flowers. They also bring the children inside.  With that comes boredom, fights, and too much free time.  My grandchildren love to do crafts and I love paper plate crafts.  So, I decided to do a round up of paper plate crafts that I thought kids would find interesting.   This paper plate roundup focus more on paper plate crafts for boys.  I have found that there a tons of crafts and other projects for girls, but not much for boys.

 

 

paper plate crafts

 

Furthermore, I think we forget that little boys need and want to work on their creativity too.  However, this roundup does have a few crafts that girls may be interested in.  There are many girls who love Spider Man, pirates and police car too.  Also, I love the simplicity of most of the crafts.  Paper plates, paint, numbers etc.  Most of the items if not all can be purchased from the Dollar Store.

 

 Let’s check out the paper plate craft ideas for kids roundup:

 

1.  Giraffe –  First, I found this giraffe on Zayit and Ziva.  I love the little spots on this guy. Looks like a fun craft to make with kids of any age.

2.  Pirates – Ships Ahoy!  I found these pirates on How Wee Learn. This would be a great craft to make at a Pirates birthday party.

3.  Clock – I found this clock idea at Storytime Kate. I loved this idea. It’s a great way to start teaching my grandson how to tell time.

4.  Owl – I found this little guy on Crafts by Amanda. This looks easy enough for a toddler to work on also with assistance.

5.  Police Car – I found this police car on Terrific Preschool Years. I love this idea. It’s a great time to have a conversation with your child about the police and their importance.

6.   Saw – Sixth, I found this saw idea on Easy Preschool Craft. This is a perfect idea for Father’s Day.

7.  Sun – I found this ray of sunshine on About.com.  I think this would be a great craft to make with my granddaughter. The little hand prints for the rays are perfect.

8.  Spider Man – I found this Spider Man plate on In the Playroom.  This is a great craft idea for all the little guys who love Superheroes.

9.  Paper Plate Goose – I found this swan on Making Learning Fun. This is a great site for craft ideas for kids of all ages.

Last, I hope you like my paper plate craft ideas, and find something to make for a rainy day. Which is your favorite?

You may also like: Kid’s Garden Crafts Roundup