Back-to-School Crafts And Activities for Kids

Fun crafts to Prepare for the First Day of School

New! My Pocket Buddy

This is a great craft for children who are apprehensive about starting school.

My Pocket Buddy
Written by Carolyn Warvel

When I reach into my pocket I find a little stone.
I put it there to remind me that I am not alone.
When I am scared or frightened I can always know,
That God is always with me no matter where I go,
Just like my little buddy, an ordinary stone.

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What you will need: Small river rocks, googly eyes, markers, and paper,

What to do:

1. Print out the poem pattern and cut the poems apart. (Printing Problems?)
2. Have your children pick out a rock they would like to use and glue googly eyes on them.
3. They may also want to draw on hair and other face features.
4. Have them read the poem and place it in their pockets with their pocket buddy.

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*Note: It is illegal to copy this poem without the author's permission and publish on another web site, blog, etc. even if you include the author's name. You may link to this craft by using this link: http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/backtoschoolcrafts.html#pocketrock

New! Horned Owl Lunch Money Change Purse Back-to-School Craft

Go to the Bird Craft Page for directions to this craft.

New! Monster Tabletop Garbage Bags

Teachers, children will love helping to clean up with these charming monster bags! Place them on your student's tables and tell them to feed the monsters with their paper scraps. Children will be much more interested in keeping their space clean, and you will probably find a lot less mess on the floor at the end of the day. When the "monster" is full it can be emptied into a larger garbage bag and used again.

You can prepare these ahead of time, or have each group of children at a table help design one for their table. You can also make these tabletop garbage containers out of recycled materials such as oatmeal canisters and milk jugs. See directions to make these below this craft.

What you will need: 1. Colorful lunch bags (I used 8 1/2" x 4 3/4" bags from Michael's Craft Store. You can find bags that are a little larger at Amazon.com.) 2. White fun foam or construction paper for the teeth. 3. Pompom balls in different colors and shapes. 4. Glue, scissors, paper glue and/or hot melt glue, black and other colors of construction paper. 5. Other supplies you might use: googly eyes, feathers, feather boas, and buttons.

What to do:

1. To form the mouth cut a one-inch slit down the two front corners on the top of the bag and fold down the flap to the inside of the bag. (See diagram) Glue or tape down the flap.

2. Fold down both sides from the bottom of the slits to the top of the back corners and then glue the flaps down on the inside. (See diagram on the left.)

3. Glue a piece of black construction paper to the inside back of the bag so that the mouth looks dark inside. This will also help the teeth to show up better.

4. The two monsters on the right side of the picture have feather boas and feathers glued to the top, back of the bag to make the monster's head. The monster on the left just has two pompoms glued on the back, top of the bag for eyes. The horns were made from rolled up fun foam. The tail was made out of rolled up red felt with a pompom glued to the end.

5. The teeth were made from white fun foam. The hands and feet were just drawn on construction paper with a black Sharpie and then cut out, and glued to the bag. The tongue was made from pink paper.

6. When you have finished your monster glue a sign that reads, "Feed Me!" to the Monster's hands. (Feed Me Pattern) (Printing Problems?)

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*We would love to see your Monster garbage bags. Send us pictures (jpegs please) of your creations and we will publish them here.

New! Oatmeal Box Monster Tabletop Garbage Can Craft

This monster tabletop garbage can is sturdier than the paper bag monsters above. If you use fun foam instead of construction paper for the feet and arms, it will last even longer.

What you will need:

Empty oatmeal canister, white and green fun foam, matching acrylic paint, construction paper, pompoms, googly eyes, glue, black Sharpie, computer paper, yarn and scissors.

What to do:

1. Cover the oatmeal canister with fun foam or construction paper.

2. Paint the lid with matching acrylic paint. When the lid is dry glue the lid to the canister at the back so that it leaves a crack in the front for the mouth.

3. Draw monster hands and feet on construction paper or fun foam with a black Sharpie, cut them out, and glue them to the canister.

4. Cut triangle shapes from white fun foam and glue them to the inside rim of the lid and top of the canister as shown in the picture.

5. Glue pompoms to the top of the lid and then glue googly eyes to the pompoms.

6. Print out the "Feed me!" sign pattern, cut out a sign and glue yarn onto the top corner. Hang the sign on the monster. (Printing Problems?)

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*We would love to see your tabletop garbage cans. Send us pictures (jpegs please) of your creations and we will publish them here.

New! Toadly Awesome Milk Jug Tabletop Garbage Container Craft

What you will need: Green tissue paper, green acrylic paint, or green spray paint, fun foam, low temp. glue gun, computer paper, white glue, scissors with sharp point or knife, duck tape and a paint brush.

How to make this toady awesome craft!

1. Wash and dry the plastic milk jug. Cut a line from side to side at the top of the jug about one inch below where the jug starts to form the top of the jug as shown in the picture.

2. Cut a one-inch section from the handle so that the top of the jug can be bent back and the mouth opened. Tape the remaining handle together so that the mouth stays open.

3. You can add color different ways. Small pieces of crepe paper were glued to give this toad color. Add a small amount of water to white glue and paint it on the jug. Stick small pieces of crepe on top of the glue. Add more glue and over lap the pieces until the whole jug is covered. You may also want to add some to the inside of the jug. The belly of the toad is also made with crepe paper.

4. Cut arms, legs, and a lily pad from green fun foam and glue them to the jug.

5. The eyes where made with white fun foam and green googly eyes. The tongue was cut from red fun foam.

6. Print out the "Feed me!" sign pattern, cut out a sign and glue it to the frog's hands. (Printing Problems?)

Designed by Corrin Burner, age 10.

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New! Milk Jug Monster Tabletop Garbage Can

What you will need: Tissue paper, acrylic paint, or spray paint, fun foam, low temp. glue gun, computer paper, white glue, scissors with sharp point or knife, duck tape, a paint brush and other items to decorate your milk jug.

How to make this toady awesome craft!

1. Wash and dry the plastic milk jug. Cut a line from side to side at the top of the jug about one inch below where the jug starts to form the top of the jug as shown in the picture.

2. Cut a one-inch section from the handle so that the top of the jug can be bent back and the mouth opened. Tape the remaining handle together so that the mouth stays open.

3. You can add color different ways. Small pieces of crepe paper were glued to give this monster color. Add a small amount of water to white glue and paint it on the jug. Stick small pieces of crepe on top of the glue. Add more glue and overlap the pieces until the whole jug is covered. You may also want to add some to the inside of the jug.

4. Cut arms and legs from fun foam or construction paper and glue them to the jug.

5. The eyes where made with white foam and lots of googly eyes. The teeth were cut from white fun foam.

6. Print out the "Feed me!" sign pattern, cut out a sign, and glue to the jug. (Printing Problems?)

©2010, Digital by Design, Inc. -See Copyright Information

*We would love to see your milk jug tabletop garbage cans. Send us pictures (jpegs please) of your creations and we will publish them here.

Other Milk Jug Creatures

See Duck Crafts

Milk Jug Bat See the Fall Crafts page.

Milk Jug Spider See the Fall Crafts page.

 

New! Duct Tape Pencil Holder Craft for Kids

What you will need: aluminum can, piece of fun foam, Shurtape AF 912 aluminum duct tape (You can find this tape at a Lowe's or other home improvement store in the heating and air conditioning section. It costs about $7.00 for 120 yards. It is not Duck tape.), black acrylic paint, paper towels, and utensils to engrave the tape. I used a ballpoint pen, the end of a paintbrush, and the tines of a fork to make this design.

What to do:

1. Measure the circumference of your can and cut the tape just a little bit longer. I used two pieces of tape, one on the top and one on the bottom of the can.

2. Lay the tape on top of the piece of fun foam. Do not take the backing off the tape. You don't want it to stick to the fun foam. The fun foam just gives you a soft surface to work on so that the utensils can indent the tape.

3. Press your utensils into the tape to make shapes and designs. You can work from the back or the front of the tape. If you press into the back of the tape, the designs will be raised. If you press into the front of the tape, the designs will be indented.

4. When you are done with your design paint the entire surface of the tape with black acrylic paint. Let it dry for a few minutes, but not completely. Wipe the paint off the surface of the tape with a folded, damp paper towel. Press lightly so that you don't remove all the paint. You want the paint to remain in the indented areas so that the design shows up better.

5. Let the tape dry thoroughly and then remove the backing and stick it to the can.

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New! Duct Tape Bookmark Back-to-School Craft for Kids

What you will need: Craft foam pieces, Shurtape AF 912 aluminum duct tape (You can find this tape at a Lowe's or other home improvement store in the heating and air conditioning section. It costs about $7.00 for 120 yards. It is not Duck tape.), card board, and utensils to engrave the tape such as a ballpoint pen, the end of a paintbrush, and the tines of a fork.

What to do:

1. Cut a five-inch length of the duct tape and place it on the craft foam sheet. The soft surface of the foam will make it easier to engrave the tape.

2. Write your name down the length of the tape with a ball point pen or other blunt object, and add some fun shapes around the name.

3. To make the design outline each of the shapes many times until they connect and overlap.

4. You can add color by using dry erase markers and permanent markers.

5. When you are finished with your design remove the tape backing and stick it to a piece of cardboard cut to the same size or a little smaller.

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New! Duct Tape Name Plate Craft for Your Bedroom Door or Notebook

What you will need: Fun foam pieces, Shurtape AF 912 aluminum duct tape (You can find this tape at a Lowe's or other home improvement store in the heating and air conditioning section. It costs about $7.00 for 120 yards. It is not Duck tape.), card board, and utensils to engrave the tape such as a ballpoint pen, the end of a paintbrush, and the tines of a fork.

What to do:

1. Cut a 6-inch length of the duct tape and place it on the craft foam sheet. The soft surface of the foam will make it easier to engrave the tape. Do not remove the back of the tape.

2. Write your name across the length of the tape using fancy letters with a ball point pen or other blunt object, and add some fun shapes around the name. You can also use rubber stamp letters with permanent ink to write the name.

3. To make the design outline each letter of the name many times until they connect with the shapes then include the shape and keep outlining until you have filled the whole surface with the pattern.

5. When you are finished with your design remove the tape backing and stick it to a piece of cardboard cut to the same size or a little smaller than the tape.

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New! Duct Tape Name Tag

What you will need: Fun foam pieces, Shurtape AF 912 aluminum duct tape (You can find this tape at a Lowe's or other home improvement store in the heating and air conditioning section. It costs about $7.00 for 120 yards. It is not Duck tape.), blank metal dog tag (found at craft stores), and utensils to engrave the tape such as a ballpoint pen, the end of a paintbrush, and the tines of a fork.

What to do:

1. Place the dog tag on the duct tape and trace around the edge of the tag. Cut out the shape a little farther out than the trace line and place it on the craft foam sheet. The soft surface of the foam will make it easier to engrave the tape. Do not remove the back of the tape.

2. Engrave the tape with a ball pointpen or other blunt object and add some fun shapes or designs. You can also use rubber stamp letters with permanent ink to write the name and then engrave the letters.

3. When you are finished with your design remove the tape backing and stick it to the dog tag.

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Back-to-School Shrink Art Tags

What you will need: Shrink Art Plastic paper, colored pencils, and scissors. What to do: 1. Draw a picture of what you would like to use for you tag on a piece of paper or print out a picture. Pick a picture that is about three times bigger than you would like your tags to end up being because they will shrink a lot.

2. Tape the picture onto the back of a Shrinky Dink sheet, the shiny side.

3. Use the picture to copy the picture onto the Shrinky Dink paper (dull side) starting with your lightest colors, then outline the picture with a black colored pencil.

4. Cut the tags out and punch a hole in the tag. You will have to punch more than once to make the hole big enough if you have a regular-sized hole punch.

5. Place the tags on the shiny side of parchment paper or waxed paper and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake them for 3 minutes in a 250 degree oven or until they have shrunk to about two inches long. The directions on the Shrinky Dink web site say to use a 325 degree oven but 250 seems to work just as well. It takes a little longer to shrink them, but they don't curl up and deform as much. It probably depends on how accurate your oven temperature is.

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Back-to-School Shrink Art Tags

What you will need: Shrink Art Plastic paper, colored pencils, and scissors. What to do: 1. Draw a picture of what you would like to use for you tag on a piece of paper or print out a picture. Pick a picture that is about three times bigger than you would like your tags to end up being because they will shrink a lot. 2. Tape the picture onto the back of a Shrinky Dink sheet, the shiny side. 3. Use the picture to copy the picture onto the Shrinky Dink paper (dull side) starting with your lightest colors, then outline the picture with a black colored pencil.

4. Cut the tags out and punch a hole in the tag. You will have to punch more than once to make the hole big enough if you have a regular-sized hole punch.

5. Place the tags on the shiny side of parchment paper or waxed paper and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake them for 3 minutes in a 250 degree oven or until they have shrunk to about two inches long. The directions on the Shrinky Dink web site say to use a 325 degree oven but 250 seems to work just as well. It takes a little longer to shrink them, but they don't curl up and deform as much. It probably depends on how accurate your oven temperature is.

©2007, Digital by Design, Inc. - See Copyright

Bookworm Pencil Topper Back-to-school Craft for Kids

What you will need: Pencil, Chenille Stems (pipe cleaners) googly eyes, and hot melt glue gun.

What to do:

1. Start by rolling one end of the Chenille stem into a ball. Glue it so that it doesn't come uncurled.

2. Starting towards the middle of the pencil wind the Chenille stem around the pencil until you reach the head. Glue the Chenille stem to the pencil.

3. To finish glue on two tiny goodly eyes.

 

Teddy Bear Gets Ready for School Craft for Kids

Help your child prepare for school with pretend play. As you prepare these crafts and activities talk to your child about going to school. Kindergarten children probably already know a lot about school from television, but it is a good idea to find out what your child is expecting and if he or she has any fears relating to going to school. Your child may feel better about school by play-acting the first day of school with their stuffed animals.

Teddy Bear Backpack Craft - Follow the directions below but use this smaller pattern and a smaller gift bag (8 1/2" x 4 3/4" - found at party stores and craft stores). Cut the top off the bag to make it 6" high. Cut 1" strips of paper for the straps - (Pattern). Need help printing?

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Learning to Read and Write Through Play

Your child may also enjoy printing his or her ABCs in the "I Can Write My ABCs" Itty Bitty book for Teddy. (Pattern 1, Pattern 2, and Pattern 3) For printing assembly directions go to the Book Printing Page.

A fun way for your child to learn is by pretending to be a teacher and teaching his or her stuffed animals or dolls to read.

(When Danielle was learning to read, she would pretend to be a teacher. If she got stuck on a word, she would whisper to me and ask what the word was. I would then whisper the word to her, and she would continue reading to her bear like she knew the word. She thought she was teaching her bear to read, but she was really the one learning to read.)

You can find even more Itty Bitty Books on the Printable Book Page.

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Paper Bag Backpack Back to School Craft for Kids

What you will need: Bright colors of card stock (heavy paper), brown paper lunch bags, glue, computer printer paper, crayons or colored pencils, and scissors.

What to do: 1. Print out the backpack patterns at 125% onto card stock and cut them out. (Front pattern and Back pattern). (Printing Problems?)

2. Print out the school supplies pattern at 125% on to printer paper. (Pattern 1 and Pattern 2) (Printing Problems?)

3. Cut your lunch bag so it is 7 12" high. Glue the back pattern to the back of the lunch bag and fold over the flap. Glue the rest of the patterns to the bag as shown in the picture. Glue only the sides and bottom of the front pocket to the bag so that pencil and other things can be placed in the pocket.

You can use these little backpacks and supplies for many things.

1. As a welcome back container. Write "Welcome Back on the outside of the backpack". Have the children place letters to their parents, information about their new class, etc. in their backpacks to take home with them.

2. Have your children write their new vocabulary words on the front or back of each of the school supply pictures and take them home in their mini backpacks.

3. Any review materials can be carried in the backpack. For example, addition and subtraction review cards, spelling word lists, etc.

4. The school supply pictures can be cut apart and glued onto the back of pieces of construction paper. Make two copies of each item for each child so they can play a concentration game with them.

This craft also goes along with a Bible lesson, "Back to School with a Leap". The lesson is presented using a popular children's book "Froggy Goes to School". In the story Froggy has a dream that he forgot to get dressed for school and went to school in his underwear. Most children can identify with Froggy's uneasiness about starting school; and this book will help them deal with their fears with a little humor. The Bible lesson points out that Froggy forgot to do something else very important; he forgot to pray. Through this lesson your children will learn that we need to be prepared for school so that we will be successful; not only do we need the right clothes and supplies, but we need to prepare our hearts and minds.

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Froggy Goes to School Paper Doll Back to School Craft for Kids

This activity goes with the book "Froggy Goes to School" by Jonathan London. Children color the frog and then pick the clothes outline that best matches what they are wearing on their first day of school, color the patterns, cut them out, and then glue them onto the frog picture. The pattern for this activity is available to members only on the Educational Reading Crafts and Activities Page.

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Leap into Learning! Bulletin Board Display
Back to School Poster

ABC, I Believe Lessons

Twenty-six Bible Lessons
for home school, each
based on a different animal.

Free Sample
Lessons
from
The Resource Room

Free Sample Lessons from
The Resource Room

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Scaredy Cat
Daniel in the Lion's Den