Salt Dough Ornaments

What you'll need:
1c Flour

1/2c Salt

1/2(+) Water

** optional: smell stuff (cinnamon, ginger, ect)

Cookie Cutters

Paint

Ribbon

Glitter

Markers

What to do:

Mix the flour, salt and water until dough forms (add water in small amounts until desired consistancy).

Knead until dough it smooth and elasticcy

Roll out until 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters (or get creative and cut out free-hand)

Poke a hole into each shape (a plastic straw works well for this)

Bake about 2 hours at 250f
Once cooled decorate as you like - to keep your ornament longer, make sure you spray with a varnish or something after it's been 'prettied'.

Snowman

We needed a good little craft project today to distract us from the -40something (with windchill) weather today.

What You'll Need:

• cotton balls
• glue
• construction paper
• **optional: glitter, slickers, markers, googley eyes

What 'Cha Do:

• Draw a snowman outline to guide your little person.
• Glue cotton balls into outline
• glue eyes, nose (orange triangle), hat (black rectangle with a little brim) on top of cotton balls
• decorate as you like with stickers or snowflakes or glitter

Handprint Wreath

My little booger and me are getting into the holiday spirit! Today we made this super cute handprint wreath.

What You'll Need:

• green construction paper
• two small paper plates
• glue
• **optional: green paint, glitter, bows, stars, stickers, picture of child**

What To Do:

• Cut center out of one paper plate - you can paint the plates if you like (I didn't) - glue plates together (face to face) - I stapled some yarn in between the plates for a hanger
• For little hands: take construction paper and fold into quarters (I folded and cut 4 pieces of paper, I think 5 would have been perfect)
• Trace and cut out hands
• Glue hands, slightly overlapped, around the plate with the middle cut out and decorate as you like.

We used star foam stickers to cover up any little bits of plate that were showing through. I think this would like really cute with the childs picture in the middle too.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We had our first big snowfall this last week. My son was so excited to get out in the white stuff to feel it, taste it, run and jump in it. He quickly discovered that Mommy was was right about keeping gloves on in -15 weather. He also got a big kick out of having a snotcicle. The cold weather (and a cold/flu that doesn't really want to leave our house) has had us couped up a lot more than usual. On top of our regular colouring, playdough molding, and general mess making - yesterday we started making SNOWFLAKES! My little guy is way too young for scissors (I'm not sure if he'll really ever be coordinated enough for me to feel comfortable letting him use scissors on his own), so I put him in charge. He would point to the spot he'd want me to cut and he'd help me carefully unfold our unique creations. We also just had to wear our elf hats for this wintery wonderland!

1. Start with a square piece of white paper (thinner paper works best).
2. fold paper in half to form a triangle
3. fold triangle in half again
4. now fold into thirds 
5. cut 'legs' off to make it a triangle again
6. cut out shapes on all three sides to make your unique snow flake (if you cut one corner off in a shape then it will define the arms from the middle of your snowflake) 

Decorate with glitter, glue together to form a snowflake wreath, hang from string, tape to windows - how you display your pretty snowflakes is up to you! Since no two snowflakes are the same, you can use it as a lesson for 'being yourself' or ' it's ok to be different'. More winter and holiday crafts to come soon! We're off to make some more snowflakes! ;)

Picasso's in the Park

This isn't something I put on myself (thanks Momstown!) - but it is a super great idea for a birthday party, playdate, reunion or anything where a whole bunch of lil' artists will be.

• line up a couple of picnic tables and cover in paper (roll from Ikea goes for about $5)
• put kids in an old shirt of moms or dads or a smock
• pour kid appropriate paint onto paper plates and put around table
• let the munchkins have at 'er! You can give them sponges, chunky stamps, brushes or just use fingers
• clean up with wet wipes and voila! FUN!

Paint Paint Paint!

One of our favorite crafty-time activities is painting. T is always so proud of his artwork that he will show anyone and everyone who walks by it!

What you need:

1. age appropriate paint (we use Crayola washable, non-toxic paints, but most finger paint is non-toxic and safe for little ones - just double check the label)
2. roll of paper ( we picked one up at Ikea for $5 and it's lasted for over a year and a half and still going strong)
3. **optional (but helpful): paper plates, paint brushes, sponges, stamps, water, paper towels and/or wet wipes

• Pull out your paper and tape to edges of the table - this gives little ones a HUGE work space and you don't have to worry about your table getting painted - altnertatively: lay down newspaper and tape down paper
• Squirt small amounts of paint either on paper plates or right onto your paper (if it's thicker paper)
• Let your little ones creativity flow - give them paint brushes, let them use their fingers and hands (even feet if you're brave), chunky stamps are great for little fingers, sponges give different textures.
• Washable finger paints easily wipe up with just a wet wipe or a damp cloth (although, if your child is anything like mine, having a bath or shower ready to go is helpful.

BEST home made play dough

I made this dough over 6 months ago and it's STILL good!

What you need:

1. 1 Cup all purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup salt
3. 2 tablespoons Cream of Tartar (not to be mistaken for tartar sauce - this can be found in the baking aisle usually near the baking soda)
4. 1 tablespoon vegitable oil
5. 1 cup water
6. *Optional: food colouring, nice smelling essential oils, spices and/or glitter

What to do:

1. Mix first 4 ingredients into a pan
2. add water and mix well
3. cook on stove over medium heat for 3-5 minutes (you will begin to wonder if it'll ever firm up just before it actually forms into dough)
4. once dough has formed, knead for 5 minutes (you can split up add food colouring halfway through kneading)

**Tips**

• if you want to make a big batch of a single colour - add the food colouring to the water before cooking on the stove
• you can add essential oils (replace veg oil) or even sugar free drink mix (jello mix too) to make dough smelly - add spices, like cinnamon or ginger, for a sublte smell
• Store in a ziplock bag or airtight container

Halloweeny Fun

I don't know about you, but it's not very often I can find ANY activity that holds my two year olds attention for more than a couple of minutes. These easy Halloween activities are quick and only a little preparation, they are great for pulling out when you need a quiet minute!

What You'll Need:

1. Construction paper in halloweeny colours
2. scissors and glue stick
3. **optional: stickers, glitter, markers/crayons

Handprint Ghosts:

• pre-cut construction paper into small circles, smiles, pumpkins, triangles (anything really) for eyes, jackolanterns, ect
• Trace childs hand on white construction paper - cut out
• Help child glue hand (fingers down) onto paper for the ghosty - glue on eyes, mouths, or anything else to complete the scene - glow in the dark star stickers might be a nice touch!

Easy-Peasy Jack-o-Lanterns

• Pre-cut orange construction paper into pumpkin shapes, green paper into handles/leaves, and black paper into an assortment of shapes to decorate your pumpkin (triangles, smiles, circles, squares, swirls, anything!)
• help child glue shapes onto pumpkins to create their very own Jack-o-lantern
• ** this one is great for a more independant toddler craft as long as they are good with a glue stick**