Ribbon Painting - Easter Eggs

Warning ribbon painting is messy but so much fun I would recommend using washable paint for this activity. These Easter eggs turn out so cute and each one is unique! I think they would make great little note cards to send out to friends and family.

You will need
White card
Paint
Ribbon or String
Pen
Scissors
Hole Punch
Ribbon (for decoration)

To Make
1 .Cut ribbon or string into lengths suitable for painting with
2 .Dip the ribbon into the paint
3 .Drag, jiggle, dab and twirl the ribbon across the card
4 .Let Dry
5 .Cut the artwork into egg shapes
6 .Punch a hole in the top of the egg - Neevah loved this step
7 .Thread a ribbon through the hole and tie a little bow - I did this step as it was a bit fiddly for Neevah
8 .Write a cute little message on the back or maybe use them to decorate your childs bedroom door

Neevah has decided to give one to Grandma, one to Nanna and one to Ali her favourite Kindy Teacher.

Playdough Echidna

A huge thank you to Squiggle Mum for inspiring this fun idea .....

Playdough Recipe
2 cups of plain flour
2 tbs Cream of Tartar
2 tbs Cooking Oil
1 cup Salt
2 cups of Water
Food Colouring

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan (except food colouring) stir over medium heat for 3 - 5 mins or until the mixture congeals. Once cool add food colouring.

You will need
Playdough
Dried Spaghetti
Wiggly Eyes or Buttons

To Make
1. Break the spaghetti into halves or thirds
2. Fashion the playdough into an Echnida shape
3. Add spikes
4. Add eyes
5. Time to play or Pull it apart and start all over again

This Echidna is swimming (the bubble wrap is a river)

If you don't like the idea of using spaghetti you could try sticks or toothpicks. This would also be a fun idea for making hedgehogs.

Ten Little Fingers

Originally this activity was going to be 10 little fingers and 10 little toes but Neevah is not feeling the best today so we kept it simple and concentrated on the fingers.

You will need
Paper White & Coloured
Pen
Scissors
Glue
Marker Pen

To Make
1. Cut the coloured paper into small squares and then number them 1 - 10
2. Trace around both of your childs hands - I always let Neevah trace around her own hands first and then I have a turn
3. Line up the coloured squares from 1 - 10 and count them
4. Glue the coloured squares above each finger in order
5. Count the fingers
In all honesty I am pleased we stuck to just the fingers as by the end she was starting to lose interest in counting

We're Going on a Bear Hunt - A Big Dark Forest

Neevah has rediscovered her love for the book We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and retells the story almost daily. Last year we brought the story to life with Neevah acting it out she enjoyed this so much she included it in her Top Ten Activities for 2010 ..... this time we picked her favourite part of the story A Big Dark Forest!

You Will Need
Light Card (we used green)
Craft Sticks
Paint / Crayons / Markers
Sticky Tape
A Box
Scissors
Small Toys

To Make
1. From the light card cut lots of different tree shapes

2. Decorate the trees

Neevah painted some of the trees

on others she drew fruit and flowers

3. Tape craft sticks to the back of the tree shapes
4. Make small slits in the top of the box just big enough for the craft stick
5. Push the trees into the slits in the box

6. Time to play

Uh-uh! A forest! A big dark forest.

We can't go over it. We can't go under it.
Oh no!
We've got to go through it!

Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip!

We Play - Scrap Paper Necklace

I love this idea! it is so simple, it easily keeps the kids occupied and Neevah was so proud of her necklace. I must admit I stole this idea from the Kindy that Neevah attends it was so cute to see all the kids wearing their necklaces at pickup time and showing them off to Mum & Dad.

You will need
Scrap Paper/Cupcake Cases/Paper Doilies etc
Scissors
Hole Punch
Ribbon

To Make
1. Cut up your scrap paper into pieces suitable for threading - cupcake cases & paper doilies are a fun addition as well
2. Punch holes in each piece of scrap paper - make sure you let your child help Neevah loved this step!
3. On the end of the ribbon tie one piece of scrap paper or light card - this stops the threaded items falling off the other end of the ribbon as they are threading and is a great place to write the childs name if you are doing this as a group
4. Let them thread as many items as the like onto the ribbon
5. Tie the ribbon ends together to make a necklace
6. Time to wear the necklace or give it to a friend

A crazy face is the perfect way to show off a new necklace

The necklace Neevah made at Kindy

Don't forget to stop by Childhood 101 We Play where you can find lots of other great play ideas....