It wasn’t until he had to use the restroom that I realized my mistake.

He couldn’t undo the fastener.

Mom fail.

You see, my son just doesn’t have those fine motor skills yet.

Fine motor skills are something lots of kids need help with.  This week we did a simple Thanksgiving craft to help strengthen those fine motor skills.

This preschool Turkey craft is perfect for working on fine motor skills.

Turkey Craft

Materials Needed:

• Paper Plate
• Craft Glue
• Paintbrush
• Pen or Pencil
• Variety of Dried Beans, Pasta, or Colored Rice

A variety of dried beans, split peas, pasta, and even rice (we used rainbow rice) will give your child plenty of choices and colors to craft with.    A paper plate makes a nice palette to display all the dried beans, etc.

Keep in mind that spills can happen.   You will want to wait to sweep the floor until after craft time.

If you really want to keep the mess down, have children sit on a plastic tablecloth on the floor for this Thanksgiving craft.  You can easily pick up the cloth afterwards and shake the mess into the trash.

Use a pen or pencil to trace each child’s hand on the center of a paper plate.  Paper plates are stronger than regular paper, which tends to be too flimsy for the weight of all the dried beans once the craft dries.

Use paintbrushes to apply craft glue inside the hand print.  You will need a thick layer to keep beans in place.

Have your child choose from the dried beans and pasta to decorate their hand print turkey.

Picking up each bean and placing it onto the hand print is great for building those fine motor skills.    Those fine motor skills are important when it comes to hand writing, buttoning clothes, and turning pages in a book.

Once your child is finished decorating their turkey, they can add a googly eye and use markers to add a beak, waddle, and legs.

Be sure to let it dry completely before hanging it up to display.

I have been trying to incorporate more fine motor skills activities, like this preschool turkey craft, into our day.  After all, I won’t always be there to help unfasten those stubborn buttons on a pair of blue jeans.

Other posts you might like:

• Paper Cup Turkey
• Thanksgiving Sensory Play Small World 
• Wigwam Craft for Kids 

Updated post.  Originally published November 17, 2015.  

The post A Turkey Craft That Improves Fine Motor Skills first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is one of the most popular children’s Christmas songs.  With Rudy and Santa’s other helpers, its no wonder that reindeer crafts are popular this time of year.

From simple shape inspired reindeer crafts for preschoolers, to reindeer STEM challenges, and cute homemade reindeer ornaments, there is a little something for everyone in this collection.

Kids Reindeer Crafts

Reindeer Picture Frame  from The Educators’ Spin on It

Handprint Reindeer Sweatshirt from There’s Just One Mommy

Paper Plate Reindeer from Crafty Morning

Simple Shape Reindeer Craft from There’s Just One Mommy

Egg Carton Reindeer from Crafty Morning

Shape Reindeer Stack from Housing a Forest

Reindeer Mason Jar Craft from Raising Little Superheroes

Triangle Reindeer from There’s Just One Mommy

Footprint Reindeer Christmas Card from Emma Owl

Hand and Footprint Reindeer Craft from There’s Just One Mommy

Reindeer Cupcake Liner Craft from Love + Marriage and a Baby Carriage

Make a Fast-Flying Rudolph: STEM Challenge from JDaniel4’s Mom

Flying Reindeer STEM Challenge from The Educators’ Spin on It

Reindeer Ornaments

Cardboard Tube Reindeer Ornament  from Happy Hooligans

Reindeer Clothespin Ornament from Glued to My Crafts

Craft Stick Reindeer from Gift of Curiosity

Walnut Reindeer Ornament from Red Ted Art

Yarn Wrapped Reindeer Craft from I Heart Crafty Things

Pine Cone Reindeer Ornament from Fireflies and Mud Pies

Cork Reindeer Ornament from Red Ted Art

Craft Stick Reindeer Ornament from Happy Hooligans

No matter which one you choose, these reindeer crafts will be just as popular as that most famous reindeer’s song.

You may also like:

• 25 Homemade Ornaments Kids Can Make
• Go on a Candy Cane Hunt!
• Melting Snowman STEM Activity 

The post 20+ Adorable Reindeer Crafts first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

It was then, as the kids were putting the finishing touches on our craft that my youngest excitedly said, “And then we get to make his reindeer, right?”

I hadn’t really planned on a second craft, but one look in his eyes and I knew we had to make a reindeer.

This Simple Shape Reindeer Craft takes almost no planning and makes a cute decoration!

We made this reindeer after our shape Santa craft.  They are perfect to do together or separately.

Shape Reindeer Craft

Materials Needed:

• Construction Paper
• Glue
• Googly Eyes
• Markers

For very young toddlers you may want to cut out the pieces first.

For preschoolers I recommend drawing the pieces on the construction paper and letting them cut out the pieces themselves.

Older kids can help use a ruler to measure and draw the shapes before cutting them out.

Pieces Needed for Reindeer Craft:

• 5 1/2 inch square (Head)
• 6 x 8 inch rectangle (Body)
• 5 x 1 inch rectangles (4 of these for the Legs)
• Small triangle (Tail)
• 1 inch circle (Nose)
• 1 hand print (Antlers)

Once all the pieces are ready, let your kids glue them into place.

With toddlers and young preschoolers you can talk about the shapes they are using to make their reindeer.  “Look, his head is a square.  Can you see any other squares in the room?”

Both of my crafters chose to give the reindeer a red nose (like Rudolph!), but your child might choose a black, brown, or even blue nose.

I intended the reindeer’s face to be the profile, so we only needed one eye, but younger kids may not understand this.  Let them put on two eyes if they wish.  The important part of crafting with kids isn’t the result, but the crafting process itself!  

This simple shape reindeer craft looks super cute hanging on the bedroom doors.

You may also like:

• Jingle Bell Bracelets  — Fill your home with the happy sound of jingle bells this holiday with this simple Christmas craft.
• Triangle Reindeer — Perfect for preschoolers.  Work on shape recognition and create a reindeer to decorate the door.
• Handprint Reindeer Sweatshirt — These sweatshirts are so cute, you may be tempted to wear them long after the holidays are over.

The post Simple Shape Reindeer Craft first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Looking for inspiration for this year’s Father’s Day card?   Here are 15 homemade Father’s Day cards the kids can make.  Each one will make Dad feel treasured.

Here’s a simple Hand Print Heart that makes a cute card idea.

How about giving Dad a high five for Father’s Day?

Give Dad a monster hug with this cute card!

What about a Striped Tie Father’s Day Card?

Maybe Dad is your child’s Shining Star?

Little ones love to color!  Show off their art work with this Sticker Resist card idea.

I love hand print crafts, and this “Daddy and Me craft” is adorable for a Father’s Day card.

Does Daddy like fishing?  Then this “I’m hooked on Daddy” craft would be perfect for a card!

This superhero card is super cute for your little one’s biggest hero.

Join the Minion revolution with this “You’re one in a Minion” card idea!

Make your own Super Dad Card with this free printable.

Here are some other cute printable cards for Dad that the kids can color.

Or, instead of your typical card, how about a Father’s Day Book using this free printable.

I also love this Father’s Day questionnaire — so fun to see what the kids think!

And for those men who didn’t have to be the daddy, but who hold a special place in your child’s heart, a very special stepdads printable to let them know just how important they are.

***

You may also like:

• 15 Awesome Homemade Gifts for Kids
• Homemade Teacher’s Cards
• How to Make Homemade Marbled Paper
• 2 Simple Homemade Cat Toys the Kids Can Make

The post 15 Homemade Father’s Day Cards first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Looking for a homemade Mother’s Day gift the kids can make?  (Yes, it’s okay to sit down with the kids and help them make you a gift.  They will treasure that time crafting with you just as much as you treasure the gift!)

Here are 20 Mother’s Day Crafts for kids that make beautiful gifts.  And don’t forget, grandmas like gifts on Mother’s Day, too!

Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts and Cards:

This Thumb Print Necklace is sure to be a treasured keepsake as the kids get older.

Mom deserves a little time alone to relax!  These Homemade Bath Salts are perfect for a good soak in the tub.

After a long day, these Lavender Rosemary Bath Fizzies will be the perfect way to unwind.

Even little ones can help make this Magnetic Photo Frame, perfect for displaying those cute pictures on the fridge!

Kids will love having their artwork displayed with these Sandpaper Printed Towels.

How about a classic popsicle stick craft?  Popsicle Stick Coasters are simple gifts kids can make.

Kids will have fun creating a beautiful Bookmark Using Sharpies.

Here is a unique Mother’s Day Tea Cup Card, with some cute Mother’s Day poems to go with it.

This simple Hand Print Flower Pot Card will make the perfect keepsake.

And this Footprint Mother’s Day Card reminds us just how important mothers are.

Flower-Themed Mother’s Day Crafts:

Do you garden?  I love the look of this Drip Painted Flower Pot!

These Finger Print Painted Flower Pots look adorable when placed in a small group.

This Footprint Butterfly Flowerpot is sure to be a treasured gift for moms.  (I bet Grandma would love one, too!)

Kids can create this Mother’s Day Fairy Garden and add a touch of whimsy to the garden.

Whether you do a few flowers and make a card, or make it large enough to frame, this Baby Footprint Garden is just adorable!

What about something a little different from your typical flower idea?  This M.O.M. Herb Container Garden will bring fresh herbs throughout the summer.

Instead of giving mom flowers that will die in a week, here’s a sweet Cup-cake Liner Flower Bouquet the kids can make.

Like recycled crafts?  Kids can create their very own Cardboard Tube Flower Bouquet.

Kids too little to really craft?  Even young toddlers can make this cute Cup-cake Flower Magnet.

Finally, although it’s not really a craft, these Keepsake Questions for Mother’s Day are something moms will enjoy reading and looking back on over the years.

There is nothing quite like a homemade Mother’s Day gift.  The child-made cards and adorable handprint crafts are things that will be treasured for years.

You might also enjoy:

• 20 Beautiful Flower Crafts
• Gorgeous Flower Petal Suncatcher 
• 15 Homemade Father’s Day Cards
• Homemade Gifts Kids Will Love 

The post 20 Mother’s Day Crafts first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Homemade cards and gifts for teachers are always popular for these occasions.

This is the last week of the church school program my kids attended this year, and so we’ve been busy making some adorable handprint homemade teacher appreciation cards.

Cards from students, especially homemade cards, are one of the mementos teachers tend to keep year after year.  (I still have all of mine from my years in the classroom.)

Love gifts that are homemade?  Check out these homemade gifts for kids. 

Homemade Teacher Appreciation Cards

Our favorite card was a bouquet of hand print flowers.

Use a paintbrush to thoroughly coat your child’s hand in green paint to make the flower stems for the card.

Have them use a different color paint to create the flowers.  Just paint one finger and have them make petals with their fingerprint.  For a touch of sparkle you can add a bit of glitter to the wet paint.

A simple construction paper flower pot finishes the card.

Add the words “Thanks for helping me grow!” to the flower pot to complete your homemade teacher card.  (It would also make a cute homemade Mother’s Day card.)

Homemade Teacher Card

Need a second handprint teacher card and want to do something a little different?

This time turn your child’s handprint sideways.  Add a googly eye and use a permanent marker to make a few details and you have a cute hand print fish.

Write “Thanks for making school cool” or a similar phrase at the bottom and you’re done!

These  homemade teacher appreciation cards are sure to make your child’s teacher smile.

You will also like:

• Great Graduation Gift Ideas 
• Adorable Mother’s Day Crafts
• 15 Father’s Day Cards Kids Can Make
• Awesome Camp Crafts for Kids

The post Hand Print Teacher Appreciation Cards first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.