Hello everyone! In previous posts I have shared the importance of play in the development and strengthening of essential skills. Every month I come up with a series of arts and crafts targeting various skills that I want my kiddos to work on. Remember; there are so many ways to adapt each craft based on your child’s age and skill set!
*Note: Pictures shared with parental and child consent.
Materials Needed
- Construction paper
- Leaf templates (various shapes and sizes are fun)
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Watercolor paints
- Paint brush
- Cup of water
- Markers
- Picture of your cute kiddo (side profile, making a “blowing” face)
Skills Addressed
- Fine Motor (tracing, coloring/painting, scissor skills)
- Visual Motor (tracing, coloring/painting, scissor skills)
- Cognitive (following instructions, problem solving)
Instructions/Steps
Tips: If your child is older; show them a picture of your end product craft and ask them to identify the materials they would need and steps that they would use to accomplish the task. This works on executive functioning skills and problem solving. You could also have your child practice reading written instructions. OR, you could practice giving your child 1-2 step verbal instructions (i.e. “first this then we’ll do this.”) You can also easily adapt this to using markers, crayons, or colored pencils; or even real leaves and just glue them directly to the paper!
- Cut closely around your child’s face in their picture. Then glue their picture to the bottom left hand corner of your construction paper.
- Take your leaf templates and place them then trace them around your child’s picture as if they are “blowing them.” They can trace as many as they’d like; here’s where more variety is fun!
- Use your watercolor paints to color in the leaves and background if they so desire!
Simple as that; happy crafting mommies!
