Popsicle Stick Boxes for Easter and St. Patrick's Day

Last week I received a box of goodies from Oriental Trading company.  And you know what craft items excited me the most?  The popsicle sticks.  I love popsicle stick crafts.   Some of my favorite crafting memories were making popsicle stick boxes in summer camp.  Today I'm sharing popsicle stick boxes that we made for Easter, St. Patrick's Day.... and Pokemon Day! (Ok, I made the last  holiday up. We're just seriously crazy about Pokemon right now.)

Lift-the-Flap Valentine Chocolates Card

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with your loved ones.  Today I'm sharing a Valentines's Craft that my son and I made this year for my husband.  It's a lift-the-flap Valentine's Day Box of Chocolate Card.  You lift the flap to reveal secret messages from the ones you love.

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Origami Ladybug Valentines (with free printable)

If you love easy origami projects for kids, then you're going to swoon over today's Valentine's day craft.   I've seen so many cute bug-in-jar themed Valentine's cards floating around the internet.  So I figured I'd add my own flare with these adorable origami ladybug valentines.  (Free bug jar printable included below!)

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.  For my full disclosure policy, click here

3D "I Love You" Hand Craft (And our Favorite Books about Love)

It's already February and I haven't yet put up any Valentine's Day Crafts this year.  Oof! What kind of kid crafter am I?

I've just been so caught up in what's happening in our country and world that I haven't fully had the heart or energy to embrace doilies, flowers, chocolate, hearts.... basically anything Valentine's yet.  But today I'm turning a new leaf.  Here's my first Valentine's day craft of the season... these 3D "I Love You" Hands.

(They're not quite hearts and flowers and pun-ny sayings.. but it's a start, right?)

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your the grocery money.  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

DIY Wooden Block Dolls

We've had a box of wooden blocks gathering dust in our closet for a couple of weeks now.  Recently I tried breathing life into them with this fun craft.  We made our own Wooden block dolls!  Armed with stickers and Sharpies, we transformed plain jane blocks into cute characters.  Aren't they adorable?  I love how they're full of personality and charm.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Plastic Spoon New Year Crowns

What?  New Year's craft already?  Sorry to pull you out of your cozy Christmas hidey-hole... but if you're looking for a New Year's craft then I've got you covered.  New Year's crowns are really easy for kids of all ages to make!  Grab some pipe cleaners and whip up these sparkly pipe cleaner crowns.  Or, you can make these easy paper number New Year's Crowns.  Today I'm sharing something a bit more unexpected.... have you ever seen a crown made from plastic spoons?

This post contains affiliate links.  For my full disclosure policy, click here.  Thank you for your support!

Colorful and Glittery Skull Craft

In the midst of what is going on in our country, I almost feel hesitant to keep posting this week.  How can I write posts about crafts, Sharpie markers, and glitter when there is so much misunderstanding, hurt, and turmoil going on?

But you know what?  This blog is my happy place. And being creative and making things with my son makes me happy.  So I'm going to keep making and posting... even while we try to wrap my mind around everything that's going on.

That being said- this Halloween/ Dia De Los Muertos Craft is from awhile back.  We're keeping  the skulls up until Thanksgiving... so I figure I could still post about them here too.

This post contains affiliate links.  I make a small bit of money on any purchases made through the links.  Thank you for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Amazing 3D Paper Christmas Star Ornaments

What?  Thanksgiving isn't even here and we're already talking about Christmas Crafts?  Ok, you've got me.  I'm jumping the gun with this super neat folded Christmas star ornament.  But, I had to share because this week we'll be launching our new STEAM KIDS Christmas books.  Woot woot!  I'll be sharing more about those books later on this week.  Today I'm giving you a sneak peak of one of cool projects included.  These 3D paper stars are super fun to color in and such a neat way to craft this holiday season!

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

40+ Projects that combine STEM with Art!

Seems like everyone's talking about the importance of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) these days. And hey, I get it.  We live in a highly technological world that's rapidly advancing in all sorts of new ways.   We want our kids to be be creative and adaptive problem solvers.

But maybe you're like me and you deeply love arts and crafts.  They're your jam.  And maybe you're unsure how to dive into all this STEAM goodness.  Hey, I get that too.  Hopefully today's post will help.  In this post I sharing over 40 ideas for arts and craft projects that also happen to incorporate STEM ideas.  Yup.  Here are some of my favorite artsy crafty posts...which also happen to have a little STEAM-y oomph to them!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for the support! For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Easy Origami Yoda Tutorial

So... I folded this origami pikachu with my son.  And after folding it together, it suddenly dawned on me.  If I just tweaked the ears to my original directions, I could make a Yoda instead.  (What?  Love it when those "aha!" moments hit.)  If  you're a Star Wars lover (or raising some little Star Wars lovers), definitely check today's post out.  Tada!  I'm sharing my easy instructions for folding an origami Yoda!

How to Fold Origami Yoda (The Super Easy Way)

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Easy Origami Pikachu Tutorial

We've gotten hooked onto Pokemon Go.  I kept holding off on the app, but once my husband showed my son.... he fell in love with the little critters, especially Pikachu.  Pikachu was always my favorite too, so it was neat to share that with him.  We recently made this super easy origami pikachu together.  (Oh yes! Another paper folding craft!)  It was such a fun kids craft that I'm sharing the step-by-step folding directions over here!  

How to Fold an Origami Pikachu

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, please click here.

(And yes.  These instructions are so easy that even an almost 5 year old can make it!)

Sparkly Sand Castle Art

Hello everyone!   How has your summer been so far?  Visited the beach yet?  Well... today's craft is a beach-inspired one. Today we're sharing a fun sand castle summer craft.  All you need is some sand and some glue and tada!  You've got an easy breezy summer art project perfect for kids for all ages!

Let's Make Some Sparkly Sand Art

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for the grocery money!  For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Cheap, Easy, and Creative Super Hero Party Ideas

A couple of weeks ago my son graduated from preschool.  I didn't think I would get emotional... but I did.  I felt kinda sad-happy realizing that he wasn't a baby anymore.  Oh boy, I'm starting to feel a bit emotional right now.  Yeesh... must.. toughen.. up.... Ahem.  Anyway, back to introducing today's post...

Our preschool celebrated with a super hero themed graduation party.  All the moms and dads came together to plan a really fun day for the kids. I was so impressed by everyone's creativity.  I just had to share the super hero-themed activities and crafts here because I know a ton of you probably have super hero loving kids at home too.

So put on your super hero capes and get ready for some...

Cheap, Easy, and Creative Super Hero Party Ideas!

This post contains affiliate links.  This means I make a teeny tiny bit of money from any purchases made through the Amazon links below.   Thank you for your support! For my full disclosure, click here.

30+ Awesomely Unique and Fun Paper Plate Crafts for Kids!

It's no secret that I LOVE paper plate crafts!   Wanna make my heart sing?  Hand me a bunch of blank paper plates.  Seriously.  No joke. (Ok- Crafter confessional here- I've even snuck interesting paper plates out of parties before to craft with... shhhh... )

If you follow me on Instagram you'll see that I'm this week's #kidscrafts101 judge! Yup!  Every week there's a fun challenge to craft with a different material.  This week's theme is... drum roll please... paper plates! I know all of you and your kids have such creative ideas, so I'd love to see your ideas on IG!  (Just use the #kidscrafts101 so I can see your great ideas!)

And in honor of this week's theme, I thought I'd also share my absolute favorite paper plate crafts!

30+ Super Fun and Unique Paper Plate Crafts for Kids!

This post contains affiliate links.  This means I make a teeny tiny bit of money from any purchases made through the Amazon links below.   Thank you for your support! For my full disclosure, click here.

Button Collages

Ever get in a funk with your art ideas?  Lack of sleep, a teething baby, and a sporadically sore back have made it such an effort to pull out the art and craft supplies. So instead of more structured art projects, we've been going the more open-ended  process art activity route.  (Basically I just throw a couple of art supplies on the table and then see what we end up with.)  Recently I pulled out a bunch of old thrifted buttons and gave the challenge to "create art with buttons."  Here's what we came up with!

Invitation to Create with Buttons

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support! For my full disclosure policy, click here.

Uber Cute Origami Mermaid

Looking for the cutest origami summer craft ever?  I recently signed my son up for swimming lessons and realized... oof! Summer is right around the corner!  That means that it's time for... summer crafts!  Woo hoo!  And what better way to inspire some summer crafting.. then this uber cute origami mermaid?    Yup.  Put this craft on your summer-to-do list!  It's a must for all mermaid-loving kiddos!

How to Fold an Origami Mermaid!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Hand Print Franz Marc Expressionist Art with Kids

Hi friends!  Today's art activity is a super easy one that involves looking at colors, emotions, animals, and making hand prints.  It's such a great activity to do with kids of all ages!  Today we're inspired by German Expressionist Franz Marc's Blue Horse Paintings.

Hand Print Expressionist Art with Kids!

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support! For my full disclosure policy, click here.

How to Fold Origami Ice Cream Cones

Ice cream and origami.  Two of my current favorite things in life.  Today I'm sharing a super cute and easy origami and paper craft- origami ice cream cones!  These little guys are super sweet and easy to make.

So let's get making!

How to fold Origami Ice Cream Cones

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!  For my full disclosure, click here.

Shiny Art Necklaces

These shiny aluminum art necklaces contain everything that I love about kids craft all rolled into a single craft.  They allow kids to freely create art without worrying about making things "right" or "perfect."  They're super easy to make. (My preschooler didn't need help at all!) And they use everyday materials.  (Fancy-shmancy materials aren't needed!)  Annnd... the resulting craft looks pretty smashing, wouldn't you say?

Shiny Aluminum Art Necklaces

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!  For my full dislcosure policy, click here

Are you ready to make yourself some shiny aluminum necklaces? (Hmm.. now that I'm thinking of it, they kind of look like cloisonne beads, don't you think?)  Let's create!

Modern Art with Kids- Lichtenstein Dot Art

Lately I've wanted to expose my preschooler to different types of art.   But with a new baby at home, our creative and crafty times have been hard to come by.  So I was really excited when my older son and I had the chance to make some art the other morning.  We looked at Lichtenstein's Stepping Out, talked about what we saw in the artwork, and then made some of our own inspired modern pop art!

Modern Art With Kids- Lichtenstein Dot Art

This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!  For my full policy, click here.