January (week 2) - Thank you cards

Our first art and craft session at toddler group in 2013 was to make some Thank you cards.

Finished product - Thank you card

To make these cards you will need:
 - A5 cards (can be bought or make your own by cutting A4 card in to two equal parts and then fold in half)
 - A5 envelopes (bought)
 - Glue
 - Paint
 - Glitter
 - Sharpie pen
 - Thank you message (cut out of A4 paper). Make sure this is written with perminant marker to stop any smudging / running when it is painted

Thank you card prep kit

Steps to make your Thank you card:
1/ Use Sharpie pen to write the full message on the inside of the card (inside)
2/ Use paint to do some hand or feet imprints on the card (front, back and inside)
3/ Paint or glitter the Thank you message
4/ Apply a smear of glue to different parts of the card and sprinkle glitter (front and back)
5/ Glue thank you message to front of card
6/ Leave to dry

 Here is an array of some of the other cards made at toddler group today:

Some of the Thank you cards created by our craft toddlers

A hand print to sign the Thank you card

Arts and crafts schedule (Jan - Mar)

Being organised and planning some months in advance is a good tip. I have created a 3 month schedule which means that I can plan ahead and buy in the supplies that we need with minimal stress.

Here is a draft schedule from Jan to March. Over the next weeks I will document the craft creations that our toddlers make during the art and craft sessions at our toddler group.

Toddler craft ideas for January:
7th jan - thank you cards
14th jan -  spoon heads (wooden spoons)
21st jan - bird watch (potato paining)
28th jan - news paper fish


Toddler craft ideas for February:
4th feb - Chinese new year
11th feb - Shrove Tuesday - pancake day OR valentines day cards
18th feb - painted snakes
25th feb - Purim (Jewish festival) OR Fair Trade Fortnight

Toddler craft ideas for March:
4th mar - Mothering sunday (10th March)
11th mar - comic relief (red nose day) OR St Patrick's Day (17th March)
18th mar -  Holi (27th March) Hindu celebration
25th mar - Easter Sunday (painted eggs)

other ideas:
pirate hats
door signs
potatoe painting spring scene
paper monsters
blow painted monsters

Crafty inspiration

These are the places that I have looked for inspiration for out toddler arts and crafts:

For a calendar of events through each month, check out:
http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/r/resourcecalendar/january.asp?strReferringChannel=resources&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-671956-64

Blogs:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/

Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/thinkliz/toddler-crafts/
http://pinterest.com/akstrauss/crafts-for-toddlers/