(If you will be doing these crafts with young children, it might be a good idea to read a book or two about Groundhog Day before making crafts.  Letting them see what a groundhog looks like and where it lives will be a helpful start.)

Now all you need to do is choose the craft that is best for you and your family!

1)  Shadow puppets – Target age, three to eight

Needed:

Blank wall space

Large flashlight

Construction paper

Popsicle sticks

A) Start by cutting out shapes in the construction paper – you can make animal shapes, clothing, or anything your imagination desires. You can even use the groundhog from the craft below.

B) Attach your cutouts to popsicle sticks.

C) Place your large flashlight on a table so that the beam shines against your wall space.

D) Make sure the room is dark,so close the curtains or blinds, and turn off the lights.

E) Make a shadow puppet show – use the popsicle sticks to move your figures around, and watch your shadows come to life.

2)  Make a groundhog – Target age, two to five

Needed:

Brown construction paper and other assorted colors

Tissue paper in dark colors

Glue stick

Wrapping paper tube or long stick

A) Cut out a large egg shaped piece from the construction paper – this will be the groundhog’s body.

B) Cut out small triangles for the ears and nose in a darker color.

C) Cut out a small tail from the brown paper.

D) Cut out many small squares from brown, black, gray and white tissue paper.

E) Glue the tail to the oval of a  large body.

F) Have your child layer the tissue paper on top of each other so it looks like a groundhog, and use a glue stick to secure.

G) Glue on eyes and nose.

Additionally: You can attach your groundhog to the end of a wrapping paper tube or a long stick to act out when the groundhog sees its shadow. Use your groundhog as a shadow puppet for the first activity to see what happens when he sees his shadow.

3) Groundhog burrow – Target age, four to five

Needed:

Shoebox

Old fabric, tissue paper, washcloths – anything you have around the house which might act as groundhog bedding

Paper towel tubes or other left over cardboard tubes

Assorted stones, sticks, leaves etc.

You can make a burrow for your groundhog. Fill your shoebox with old washcloths, leftover fabric, or tissue paper. Talk about how this is where the groundhog might sleep. You can decorate it with sticks, rocks, or just cover it with the fabric or paper.

Talk about how groundhogs sometimes dig quite deep; you can make your own tunneling system so they can go deeper. You can simulate this by attaching cardboard tubes to your burrow and building a tunneling system.

Instead of dreading the cold outside or another hour spent in front of a screen, why not give this craft a try?  Not only will building it keep the kids entertained, they will be able to use their winter wonderland to amuse themselves for a long time after the building is done.

Goal

Build your own winter wonderland town.

Supplies

Boxes – you can use empty food boxes, old christmas boxes, but try to find some that are all of similar shape/size

Construction paper, tissue paper, cardboard, and/or colored paperboard

Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils

Cotton balls

Glue

Glitter, ribbon, beads, other decorative goodies

Instructions

1. Take dark construction paper and lay it on an flat surface where you will display your winter wonderland town. You can tape or glue the paper together if you wish. This will be the ground.

2. Select a box and decide what kind of building it will be – a house, a post office, a library, a store. Trim the box, if needed, to an appropriate size (cut off the bottom if box is too tall).

3. Take a piece of construction paper and size it to the box. Lay it on the box, and cut out the paper so that it matches the size of the box.

4. Draw the front of the building on the piece of construction paper, and then glue the paper to the front of the box. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all sides and the top of the box. You can use different materials to help decorate your building.

5. When the building is complete, place it on the ground.

6. Continue to make different buildings with the different boxes – ideally different family members make different buildings, and you can save some buildings for next year’s wonderland.

7. When you have several buildings in your town, you can draw roads on your construction paper. If you have green tissue paper, you can add bushes or trees as well.

8. Let it snow! Stretch out your cotton balls so they are nice and fluffy. Add snow to your town by spreading it out over the ground and buildings. Attach your cotton balls with just a touch of glue stick.

9. If your town feels a little empty, you can always add some figurines – like Lego or Playmobile people. You can even throw in some Matchbox cars or other vehicles that have the right scale.

10. You can enjoy looking at your Winter Wonderland, or let the kids play with it!

1) An Inspirational Board is a great craft with older kids, or a way to inspire yourself. Print an inspirational quote from Dr. King in a nice font. Place it on a large piece of poster board or cork. Now go through magazines or websites you find inspirational. Choose pictures which inspire you and remind you of the quote. Try ‘I have a dream’ theme, or ‘hatred paralyzes life, love releases it.’

You can choose a wide variety of artwork. You can make the theme your own personal dreams or a testament to the love in your life. You can use inspirational images from history and blend them with your chosen artwork, or you can mix in more quotes.

Hang your scrapbook-style artwork in a place where it can continue to inspire you.

2) A Historical Timeline is a great craft to do with older kids. Create a timeline in paper or poster board for the entire history of the United States. You can begin with 1776 or another date if you prefer. Now research online with your kids to find significant moments in black history. Make sure to include Martin Luther King’s march on Washington and the assassination, but try to see what your children find and place these events along your timeline. This can be a great way to make learning about history fun and start a great dialogue on black history.

3) Coloring Pages are for younger kids, and a great way to learn about Martin Luther King. Find some good coloring sheets online and fill them in together. It is also a good opportunity to discuss King’s history while having fun coloring. To make it a little more interesting you can use watercolors instead of crayons.

4) Peace Sign Mosaics work for even the littlest ones.  One of Dr. King’s main messages was the importance of peace, so what a great way to commemorate this by making peace sign mosaics. Cut up colored tissue paper into one inch squares. Print out a paper peace sign. Use a glue stick to apply glue on a section of the peace sign and stick a variety of colored tissue paper to the glue. Continue to add mosaic pieces until the peace sign is completely colored. If you like, you can cut out your peace sign and glue a magnet on the back. Looks great on the fridge!

In addition, snowmen make great decorations for the entire winter.  Instead of the house feeling empty when all of the Christmas decorations are put away, the snowmen can stay on display.  Keep your window ledges, banisters, mirrors and more filled with seasonal cheer for the entire winter.  Even though the tree and stockings will be down, your children will have their own artwork to share until the snow is gone!

You Will Need:

White construction paper

Cardboard

Scissors

Three different-sized circle templates

Glue

Hole puncher

Ribbon of any color

Optional Materials for Decorating:

Cotton Balls

Crayons

A circular picture of your child’s face

Branches for arms

Orange and black construction paper

Options for Saving the Snowman:

Laminate Paper

Plastic Storage bags

1. Draw your snowman on the cardboard. Use the circle templates if you are having trouble drawing the circles. Make sure to over lap them in a snowman shape. You can also use a cookie cutter for the right shape. If you want a hat, don’t forget to draw that in as well.

2. Cut out the cardboard snowman.

3. Trace this snowman twice on the white construction paper.

4. Cut out both of the paper snowmen.

5. Glue the white snowmen to the cardboard cut-out one side at a time.

6. Let the glue completely dry.

7. At this point, let your child decorate both sides of the snowman.

8. If you intend to add branch arms, glue those on first and allow them to completely dry before you continue decorating.

9. Add texture by gluing on the cotton balls by the snowmen. If you do both sides, let one side dry before covering the second side.

10. Glue your child’s face onto the snowman for a personal touch, or let your child decorate the face of the snowman as they please.

11. Make a hole in the hat or the top of the snowman.

12. String the ribbon through the hole and tie a knot.

13. Hang on the Christmas tree.

14. Save your ornaments by placing them in a plastic storage bag. If they aren’t covered in cotton balls, you can also laminate the snowman.

Snowman ornaments are fairly easy to make. Your child will get a kick out of looking at them on the Christmas tree.

Not only are these place mats a unique family touch to any Thanksgiving family dinner, they are able to made by crafters of almost any age.  From the beginning scribbles of a toddler to the artistic flair of a teen, each one becomes a conversation piece that your children will be proud to show off.

You will need:

Two sheets of laminate paper for each place mat

One piece of construction paper that matches your table colors for each place mat

Autumn leaves

Coloring materials

Glue

Safety scissors

1. Go on a nature hunt for the perfect autumn leaves. Pick out ones that aren’t too brittle to work with. It should be noted that they are an optional item and not necessary to completing the project, but your kids will get a kick out of using the leaves that they picked out.

2. Have your children decorate a piece of construction paper with a Thanksgiving theme. They can draw turkeys, write their names, write or draw what they are thankful for, or anything that they believe represents Thanksgiving. Remember not to make the pile of decorations too high, otherwise the laminate paper won’t seal the art project properly.

3. Glue the leaves in place, and allow all of the glue to dry. If necessary, place an object on top of the paper to keep the leaves flat.

4. Place the construction paper between two sheets of laminate paper to make the place mat waterproof and protect against spills. Ensure the sides are lined up and sealed correctly. If necessary, trim the edges of the construction paper to make certain that it fits. You may want to do this step yourself.

5. Decorate your Thanksgiving table with the creative place mats.

When your project is complete, you can attach your spider to a pole with string to give it some movement.

You Will Need:

Black and red construction paper

White chalk

Scissors or safety scissors

Black pipe cleaners

Glue or tape

Use the white chalk to draw an outline of the spider’s body on black construction paper. A spider’s body looks like a fat oval. Try not to make it too skinny, otherwise you won’t have a proper base for the pipe cleaners to adhere to.

Cut out the body of the spider. Make certain that younger kids use their safety scissors for this step.

Then draw a round shorter circle for the head of the spider. Cut out the head.

Attach the head of the spider to the body with glue or tape. If you use glue, wait for it to dry before attaching anything else.

Depending on the length of the pipe cleaners, you may want to cut them in half before forming the legs.

Form the legs with the pipe cleaners by bending them twice. Bend the first pipe cleaner in the middle until it is almost at a ninety degree angle. You can adjust this bend later on for more support, or to make it a little more realistic.

The second bend should occur on the end that attaches to the legs. This bend should be made in such a way that the pipe cleaner lies flat against the spider’s body.

Attach the eight legs with glue or tape. Allow the glue to dry before attempting to pick up your spider.

Use the red construction paper to make eyes. You can also cut out some tiny triangles for some spider fangs. Allow all the glue to dry before placing it in its location.

This is a great project for kids to tackle.

To make a paper lantern for Halloween, you’ll need to gather some paper lunch bags. Most stores carry brown, but you may be able to find other colors like white or even orange or black. You’ll also need scissors, sand, and a way to light your lantern. The best choice is a flame-less LED light powered by batteries. This will ensure that your lantern does not catch fire; however, if you’ll be around to keep an eye on things, a tea-light candle can be used.

You can leave your bags blank or decorate them. Stencils of Halloween objects such as witches, moons, ghosts, or pumpkins can be used to add some spooky designs to the bags. Just trace the designs on with a pencil, then cut them out carefully so that light will shine through. You can also cut designs out along the top of the bag to give it a decorative border. A zig-zag or wavy border will work.

Once you’ve decorated a bag to your liking, fill the bottom with about two inches of sand. Place your candle or light snugly in the sand so it won’t tip over.

Once you’ve gotten all the paper lanterns that you need, place them around your home or yard. Light the candles with a long lighter or turn on the battery-powered candles. Once the party or trick-o-treating is over, remember to blow out the candles or turn off the lights.

You will need:

Orange construction paper

Safety sissors

Pen or marker

An electric candle (if you want light)

Cardboard box or poster board

Glue

Sharp adult scissors

Directions:

Start by drawing the outline of a pumpkin on the orange construction paper.  Next, cut it out. The pumpkin shape doesn’t have to be perfect. Real pumpkins aren’t perfect. If you want to light your pumpkin up, you will need to make the two sides about the same size.

Let your child draw the face with a marker. It doesn’t need to be two eyes and a mouth. Let them be creative on this part. Your child may need help cutting out the inner eyes and mouth. If you intend on lighting it up, just make sure the openings are large enough to show the light.

Your basic pumpkin is finished at this point. To give your pumpkin an additional shine, take your basic pumpkin and glue it to the side of a cardboard box or to a piece of poster board. This will give it extra stability.

Use the adult scissors to cut out the eyes, mouth, and whatever else your pumpkin face has. Don’t let your child use these scissors.

If you have used a cardboard box, have your child decorate the areas around the pumpkin’s face. Then place the electric candle inside.

If you have used poster board, cut around the pumpkin’s face. Save the extra pieces of poster board to make supports. Make a couple of flaps to glue to the back. Try to mount them on either side of the pumpkin face.  Allow them to dry. Once they are dried, stand your pumpkin up. Place your electric candle behind the face in the center.

Please do not use regular candles or lights that produce a lot of heat to light up the pumpkin. The pumpkins are made out of flammable material, and they can catch fire if the flame gets too close.

For this project you’ll need lots of acorns, so get a few bags, and hit the local parks to fill them up. You’ll also need some ribbon, a hot glue gun, and a craft wreath that you can find at most craft stores for a few dollars.

Once you have your supplies together, wash your acorns, and set them out to dry. You’ll then need to bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This will make sure you don’t have any critters living in your wreath.

Let the acorns cool completely, then transfer them to a bowl, and set up an area where you can glue them to the wreath.

Gluing can be done any way you like. If you want a very put together look, draw diagonal lines all around the wreath so it will appear as though the accorns are wrapped around it. You can then glue the acorns onto the drawn lines, one by one. There is no need to glue any on the back of the wreath, just put enough so it appears as though they are wrapped.

Once the acorns are all glued onto the wreath, set it aside to let the glue dry completely.

If you’d like a different color than brown, you can spray paint the wreath. Just set it on some newspapers outside, and spray according to the instructions on the can. Otherwise, brown looks perfect for a wreath, especially in the fall.

The finishing touch will be a ribbon wrapped around the top so the wreath can be hung on a wall. If you don’t have any ribbon, just use some extra fabric cut into strips. Braid the strips, wrap around the top of the wreath, and tie into a neat bow to finish your project.

What You Need:

Paper or construction paper

Art supplies

Glue (optional)

Ribbon (optional)

Hole Puncher (optional)

Staples (optional)

(There are actually several ways to attach the pages together to form a book. You can pick a way depending on what you have on hand).

The first way is with glue. Simply fold the pages in half, and then glue down the crease. Allow the glue to dry before flipping the pages. Do not cut the pages, because it will not give you an adequate surface for the glue to stick to.

You can also use a stapler. Fold the pages in half, and put the staple line down the middle; however, this is not the best method for pages that flip freely. For best results, the pages should be all the same size.

The final method is to use a hole puncher and ribbon. Line up the inside of your pages. It doesn’t matter if the pages are cut for this method. Punch a hole in the pages, and then use the ribbon to tie them together.

The cover can be made out of a hard material, such as a notebook cover or a cheap plastic cover. You can also make it out of a different color of construction paper, and glue another piece to the back to make it a little more durable. Don’t forget that the cover is on top.

Once you have put the pages together, let creativity be unleashed. Let your child have free reign with the crayons, stickers, and whatever else you have on hand. It will keep them busy for quite a while, as they have lots of pages to tell their particular story.