A lot of times I will walk into the kitchen and find mine surrounded by pipe cleaners, glue sticks, colored paper bits, and pom-poms as they use their imaginations.  

Open-ended craft time like that is important.

But my kids also love it when I suggest a kids craft.

So when my daughter found the coffee filters and started coloring them, I knew it was the perfect time to make a new coffee filter suncatcher.    She adored this flower suncatcher craft, and I know your kids will, too!

Affiliate links have been provided below.  See my full disclosure policy here. 

This simple spring craft has become one of our favorite spring rainbow crafts.

I hope your kids enjoy it, too.  You may also enjoy these flower crafts. 

Coffee Filter Suncatcher 

Materials Needed:

• Coffee Filters
• Washable Markers
• Squirt Bottle
• Paper Towels
• Black Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Double Sided Tape

To make your own coffee filter sun catcher, use your washable markers to color your coffee filter.   We discovered that wide markers work best.

Also, for the best results you want to make sure there is color on almost the whole filter.

Once the filter is completely colored, place it on several paper towels.  The paper towels will reduce the mess.

Use a squirt bottle to spray the filter.  (My son loves this one that looks like a squirt gun.) Almost immediately you will see the colors start to spread.

Once each filter has been sprayed, allow them to dry completely.

Flower Suncatcher Craft

To make the frame for a flower suncatcher, fold a piece of black construction paper in half.  Cut the shape of half a tulip from the paper.  Be sure your flower shape isn’t bigger than the coffee filters you used!

Then cut the same shape out again, leaving 1/4 inch or so of paper around the edge.

When you unfold the paper you have the outline of a tulip.

Once the coffee filters are dry, use very small pieces of double-sided tape to stick them to your paper tulip shapes.  We tried using glue sticks to do this, but we found the tape worked better.

Use scissors to carefully trip off the excess coffee filter from your tulip craft. 

Then hang them in a sunny window to enjoy.

I think my favorite is this tie-dyed coffee filter suncatcher.  I love the bright splotches of color and how they mix together.

These colorful  coffee filter suncatchers look beautiful hanging in the windows, which is why this flower suncatcher craft is one of our favorite kids spring crafts so far.

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• Kids’ Tissue Paper Flower Craft
• Simple Seashell Art Activity 
• 20 Watermelon Crafts & Activities 
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Originally published May 6, 2018.

The post Beautiful Tulip Suncatcher Craft for Spring first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

March is the perfect time to decorate the house with some fun St. Patrick’s Day crafts.  And when it comes to St. Patty’s crafts, you just can’t beat shamrocks and colorful rainbow crafts for kids.  

We had fun putting the two ideas together and make suncatchers.  

Each rainbow shamrock suncatcher is a colorful touch of spring hanging in the window.

During the winter we had fun making these tie-dyed snowflakes.    They inspired this simple craft.  

Making this colorful rainbow suncatcher is easy enough for a toddler and fun for older kids as well.

Shamrock Suncatcher

Affiliate ad links have been provided below.   See my full disclosure for more details. 

Materials Needed:

• White Disposable Coffee Filters
• Washable Markers
• Spray Bottle
• Construction Paper
• Glue Stick

Directions: 

Start by having your child use washable markers to color their coffee filters.   You will need one coffee filter for each suncatcher.  

For a bit of extra fun, we suggest using these scented markers.

 Encourage your child to fill in all the white space.   The more they decorate it, the more vivid the colors will be on their suncatcher. 

To make a rainbow shamrock suncatcher, have them color the coffee filter in a rainbow pattern.    

Once they are decorated, spread the coffee filters out on paper towels.  The paper towels will help lessen the mess during the next step.  

Have your child spray their design with water using their spray bottle.  (My son loves this sprayer.)

Watch the colors begin to swirl together.

Allow the coffee filters to dry completely.  This is the perfect time to start planning that Leprechaun trap! 

Rainbow Shamrock Suncatcher

To make the frame for your shamrock suncatcher, fold a piece of construction paper in half.  Then fold it in half again.

Cut a heart from the folded paper, using the inner corner of the paper as the heart’s point and leaving the sides intact.  

This will create a shamrock shaped hole in the paper.

It’s important that the heart you cut is a little smaller than 1/4 of the size of your coffee filter.  

Sit the solid clover shape down. 

Then cut around the shamrock shape  in your folded paper again to make the frame.  We made ours approximately 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick.

Use a glue stick or clear tape to attach the clover frame onto one of the tie-dyed coffee filters.

Use scissors to trim off the extra coffee filter.  

Then hang your rainbow catchers on your window with clear tape.  If desired, tape the solid construction paper shamrocks to the window, too.

The rainbow shamrock suncatcher looks beautiful in the windows.   With the temperatures warming up, it’s the perfect St. Patrick’s Day craft to add a touch of spring.

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You may also like:

• Simple Egg Drop STEM Activity
• 20 Adorable Sheep and Lamb Crafts for Spring
• How to Build a Wind Meter

Originally published February 24, 2017.

The post Make a Beautiful Rainbow Shamrock Suncatcher first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Rather than just pitch them in the recyclables, we’ve been trying to use them in a few recycled crafts for kids.

This Water Bottle Suncatcher is so simple to make and it looks beautiful hanging outside in the garden.

We love crafting with recyclables.   They offer so many possibilities, and you can’t beat the price when it comes to using recyclables for kids crafts.

When it comes to recycled water bottle crafts, this one has become one of our favorites to do each spring.

It makes a fun backyard camp craft idea!

If you are looking for a fun way for kids to carry their own water bottles this summer, check out this idea for a duct tape water bottle holder.

Water Bottle Suncatcher

Materials Needed:

• Water Bottles
• Permanent Markers
• Scissors
• String or Wire (to hang them)

To make your plastic bottle suncatcher, start with a clean, dry water bottle.

We decided to craft outside so permanent marker didn’t get on the kitchen table.  You may want to put a protective cloth down if you are crafting at a good table.

I gave the kids a selection of permanent markers and told them to color the entire bottle.  

The more you color the water bottle, the prettier your suncatcher will be.

Once the coloring is completed, carefully trim the bottom off the bottle.  (This step is best done by an adult.)

Next you will make a cut on the bottom edge and then start cutting around the bottle in a spiral.  Our spirals were about 1 inch thick.

Plastic Bottle Suncatcher

When you are finished, tie your hanger around the bottle’s neck and check out your creation!

The kids were fascinated by the rainbow shadows this recycled craft made on the ground.

Your water bottle suncatcher will look beautiful hanging outside. 

You may want to make several to hang from the trees or in the garden.

You may also like:

• Water Bottle Crafts for Kids
• How to Make a Beach-Themed Fairy House for the Garden 
• Recycled Parts Water Wall for Fun Outdoor Play
• Make a Colorful Water Bottle Fish
• DIY Calm Down Bottles
• Kids Crafts — Our complete collection of craft ideas

Don’t miss out on awesome kids crafts!   Subscribe to our twice monthly newsletter.

Originally published July 5, 2014. 

The post Beautiful Recycled Water Bottle Suncatcher first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

With St. Patrick’s Day in March, it is the perfect time for all things green and rainbow.  Think: 4-leaf clovers, shamrocks, and rainbows with pots of gold.

When it comes to kids crafts, these shamrock suncatchers for St. Patrick’s Day look pretty in the window.

You may also want to check out these colorful rainbow crafts.

These fun sun catchers would be fun to make with your child this March.

You’re child will also like building a Leprechaun trap.  It’s the perfect STEM activity this time of year.

Shamrock Suncatchers

Rainbow Shamrock  — If your child can use a marker, then they can create these beautiful suncatchers.  Getting to spray water while crafting makes it even more fun!

St. Patrick’s Day Window Decoration —  Shredded paper, glitter, and giggles…Clear contact paper makes this a super simple craft for toddlers and preschoolers.  

Suncatcher with Real Clovers — This fun St. Patrick’s Day craft uses real clovers and sequins to make a unique decoration.

Paper Plate Suncatcher —  Paper plates are perfect when crafting with little ones.  This simple sun catcher would be perfect for crafting with several little ones.

Stained Glass Shamrock — The black paper used in this craft makes the color pop and gives it the feeling of stained glass.

Crayon & Wax Paper Clovers — Use those broken crayons to create these pretty clover sun catchers.  You could even string them together to make a mobile.

Tissue Paper Shamrock Sun Catcher —  The patchwork look of ripped up tissue paper gives this craft a fun look.

Coffee Filter Shamrock — These are simple to make and look pretty in the window.

Rainbow Colored Tissue Paper Shamrock — This St. Patrick’s Day suncatcher turns out so beautiful!  And I love that it’s simple enough for toddlers and preschoolers to do alongside older siblings.

These colorful shamrock suncatchers are perfect to make with kids this March.

You’ll also like:

• Adorable Sheep Crafts
• 20 Beautiful Flower Crafts 
• How to Make a Rubber Band Boat

The post Colorful Shamrock Suncatcher Crafts for Kids first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

But intricate designs can be hard for kids to cut out of folded paper.  Coffee filters are so much thinner, they make it easier to cut out those beautiful designs.

This colorful coffee filter snowflake suncatcher craft combines 2 classic crafts:   coffee filter suncatchers and cut snowflakes. 

Coffee filter suncatchers are so easy to make.  And this snowflake twist is perfect for winter.

If you like this colorful idea, you will also want to check out our relief painting snowflakes.

Coffee Filter Snowflake Suncatcher Craft

Affiliate links are provided below.  See my full disclosure policy for more details.

Materials Needed:

• Coffee Filters
• Washable Markers
• Scissors
• Spray Bottle
• Paper Towels

To begin, flatten the coffee filters and decorate them with the washable markers.

Your child may want to just use a couple colors to add splashes of color to their finished snowflake, or they may choose to cover the entire surface for a more vibrant coffee filter suncatcher.

Once the filters are colored, spread them out on paper towels.

Then use the spray bottle to generously spray each one.  The paper towels will help contain the mess.   (My son loves using his squirt gun sprayer from this Qixels set.)

The water will cause the colors to quickly spread and blend together.  This was one of my son’s favorite parts of this craft.

After spraying them, let the coffee filters dry completely.

Once they are dry, fold the coffee filters in half.  Then fold them in half again, and one more time.  Use scissors to cut out your snowflakes.

I love how the coffee filter suncatcher my daughter colored in a rainbow pattern turned out.  It reminds me of a classic tie-dye shirt.

These tie-dyed coffee filter snowflake suncatchers look beautiful hanging in our sunny kitchen window.

More Kids Snowflake Crafts:

• Sparkly Craft Stick Snowflakes
• Recycled Cardboard and Yarn Snowflakes from Creative Jewish Mom
• Cinnamon Sugar Snowflakes from Happy Hooligans

The post Tie-Dyed Snowflake Craft first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.