Loads of Fun for Little Ones!
Hello to all, my name is Sara & I am so excited to be making my debut as a guest blogger for Mom4Life. (Thank you Heather for the wonderful opportunity!) Just a quick introduction…I am a happily married stay-at-home mother of two fabulous little ladies. My oldest daughter is quickly approaching age 3 & my youngest turned one just after the New Year. They are so much fun & keep me busy from day to day. Being home with them each day gives me great delight & I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Before my children arrived, I spent many years working as an elementary school teacher. During that time, I taught a little bit of everything including kindergarten, 1st & 3rd grades. Although I did decide that staying at home was best for my family, the teacher in me still strongly exists. I truly enjoy all aspects of the classroom, although many of my fondest memories are the times I spent creating crafty art projects with my students. Arts & craft time allows children time to release their inner creativity & personalities. It is such an important piece in their development & almost always brings out smiles! With this in mind, I began creating fun projects with my oldest daughter when she was about a year old. A few weeks ago, after countless crafting sessions I decided to start an arts & crafts blog for little ones & so the beginning of s.b.creatively! I’ll be checking in every now & then to share some fun activities here as a guest blogger on Mom4Life. In the mean time, visit my site for other fun ideas & activities throughout each week. Visit here… s.b.creatively & feel free to follow.
With that said, here is a fun activity that could be done over the next few days while talking about Daylight Savings Time with your children. We decided to make a simple & cute clock using a paper plate. My oldest daughter (M1) has been very curious about numbers lately so I knew she’d get into this one
Here’s how we did it…
Supplies Needed- *Paper Plate, *Colored Construction Paper, *Yarn or Ribbon, *Scissors, *Black Marker, *Glue & *Masking or Scotch Tape
To Begin- 1. Cut out 12 different 1 ½ inch squares using the construction paper. (We used colored patterned paper scraps that we had here at home.) While you’re cutting, go ahead & cut out the two time hands. One long & one short. **Note: Because my daughter is a bit too young to cut squares on her own, I did all the cutting for this project. Depending on the age of your child, you may want to have them cut out the squares themselves. Also depending on age, your child may be able to write the numbers in Step 2 by themselves. The project can be as independent or parental assisted as you wish!
2. Using the black marker write the numbers 1-12 on the small squares & in the correct places around the clock. The numbers on the clock will be used as a guide for where to place the coordinating squares. (Seen in picture #1)
3. Let your child create the clock by matching the numbers on the squares to the number on the clock. We did this one at a time to allow time to talk about which numbers she saw to practice number recognition. M1 then glued them onto the plate as she found the matching numbers. (Picture #2)
4. Once all the numbers are glued on & in place, create a small hole in the center of the plate using the tip of a scissors. Also create a small hole in the end of the hour & minute hand.
5. Create a thick knot at the end of the ribbon/yarn by knotting it repeatedly. Once it’s thick enough that it won’t slip through the holes you’ve created, go ahead & string it through the hour hand, minute hand & center of the clock. (Picture #3) Pull it tight & fasten the string to the back of the plate with a piece of tape.
6. You’re done! A fun clock that can be used to practice number recognition & telling time with your little ones. Don’t forget to change your clocks this weekend!
Sara