Bird's nest

This idea came home from school. I wish I had the exact recipe!

The nest is made of crushed shredded wheat and melted marshmallows. The eggs are candy covered chocolate eggs. And the Peep is a terrific finishing touch!

Angry Chicken has a yummy looking recipe for making chocolate nests!

Firefighter's hat

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• a sheet of yellow or red construction paper approx 29cm x 20.5cm (11.5"x 8"), with an ovalish hole cut in it approximating 16cm x 18cm (6.25"x 7") (this will vary depending on the size of your child's head), this will from the brim of the hat
  
• a piece of the same colour construction paper that's about 10cm x 10cm (4" x 4") which can be cut into the shape of the front of a firefighter's hat (the first photo above shows the whole design cut out of a single piece of paper)
• gold or silver wrapping paper about 6cm 7cm (2.25" x 2.75") cut into the shape of a firefighter's crest
  
• glue
• things with which to decorate the hat (stickers, paper scraps, tissue paper, sparkles etc)
  

Instructions:

• have child glue crest on "front of hat"
  
• have child glue decorations on hat
• if the "front of hat" is a separate piece, glue or tape to the brim, fold upwards at a 90 degree angle (see second photo above)
  
• enjoy your hat!

(This craft can also serve as a reminder to work on your Family Fire Escape Plan.)

Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Is your little one itching to get at the sidewalk chalk even though the weather isn't co-operating? Get them to "paint" with their chalk inside!

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• sidewalk chalk
• sturdy paper (finger paint paper is good)
• container to hold water
  

Instructions:

• have child dip chalk in water until very wet
• child can then "paint" with the chalk on the paper
  

Coffee Filter Flower

This was created at our local Ontario Early Years Centre.

Materials:

• coffee filter
• things with which to decorate flower (bingo daubers, stickers, glue and glitter, crayons etc)
• pipe cleaner
  

Instructions:

• spread coffee filter flat (one big circle) have child decorate coffee filter
• adult to scrunch coffee filter in the centre and wrap pipe cleaner stem around center
  

Dinosaur landscape

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• large sheet of paper
• construction paper (blue, purple, green) cut like dinosaur silhouettes
  
• orange construction paper cut as fish
  
• black construction paper cut as a volcano
• tissue paper squares (shades of blue, orange, red, yellow)
• corn flakes
  
• glue
  

Instructions:

• have child glue dinosaurs and volcano to paper (fish near the bottom)
• have child scrunch blue tissue paper and glue near fish for water
• have child scrunch orange, red, yellow tissue paper and glue along volcano for lava
• glue crushed corn flakes to bottom of page for texture
  

Easter egg ideas

Random ideas:

• use rubber bands to create "voids" when dying the eggs
• use crayons or wax candles to draw designs that reveal themselves when the egg is dyed
• dye half an egg at a time
• use paint brushes or cotton swabs to apply dye in lieu of soaking the egg in the dye
  

Easter basket

This was created at our local Ontario Early Years Centre.

Materials:

• small paper plate (shown is 15cm / 6" in diameter)
• "Easter grass" (decorative straw)
• white glue
  
• easter coloured construction paper cut into egg shapes, approximately 6.5cm x 9cm (2.5" x 3.5")
• markers, felt shapes, crayons, sparkles etc for decorating the paper eggs
  
• strip of coloured construction paper for the handle (approx 2.5cm x 18cm / 1" x 7")
• stapler
  

Instructions:

• glue the "Easter grass" to the top of the plate
• decorate paper eggs as desired
• glue decorated paper eggs on top of easter grass
• staple handle across the plate (fold the edge of the handle under the outer edge of the plate and staple) -- be sure that the staple is completely folded and there are no sharp edges to cut little hands
• enjoy your Easter basket!