April Showers Bring Spring!

Budding Spring Tree

Start your Spring lessons with a happy Budding Spring Tree created with Q-tips or fingertips - whichever is handy! Then hang your trees on a bulletin board or around your classroom to enjoy.

April Fool's Hamburger
This snack will tickle the funny bones off your toddlers and preschoolers as they help you create "hamburgers" made from cookies and colored frosting!

Animal Matching
A simple game to create and play with little kids to teach them about different animals and the sounds they make. Use magazine images and supplies you already have on hand.

April Showers Umbrella
This craft project is easy to do and great for preschoolers learning about the weather or seasons. When it's all done you'll have a colorful umbrella to show off!

Butterflies!
This is a fun activity that's great for little hands still mastering their fine motor skills. Create this pretty butterfly with your little ones to display and enjoy.

Number Salad
This healthy and yummy fruit salad snack is fun to make and teaches little kids their numbers by mixing the counting in with the preparation. Yummy!

The weather and the outdoors are starting to show definite signs of Spring. Take advantage of the season change by trying more fun Spring activites from The Idea Box. Connect with us on Facebook for kid-inspired ideas and crafts!

Easter Crafts Part 2

Watercolor Easter Eggs

It's amazing what coffee filters, magic markers and water can do to create something special for Easter! Your kids will love this simple and easy craft, and you can use it as an object lesson. Or turn the coffee filter eggs into classroom decorations or pair with another craft project as an accent.

Easter Bags
I love this simple craft for creating Easter "bags." Using white lunch sacks, paints, stickers, etc your class can create their own "baskets" to fill with Easter grass and candy!

Easter Cupcakes
This is a fun snack activity that the kids can help decorate. You furnish the cupcakes and some fun toppings and let the kids get messy and create their own decorated Easter treats.

Easter Egg Fantasies
This is quite the art project for an older class (and I don't recommend it for small fingers). It involves actually cutting into uncooked eggs and emptying out the insides, then decorating the insides with small scenes.

Easter Egg Surprise
Essentially a paper mache project, this is a fun idea for creating a bit of mystery and a surprise. Again, I wouldn't attempt this with small children but it's definitely a fun idea!

Green Easter Basket
Talk about going green! This project takes it to the next level by planting and growing grass in your Easter baskets. I think it's such a fun idea and makes a great learning tool too.

No matter how you celebrate Easter, at home or in the classroom, enjoy the Spring weather, signs of new life and all that Easter symbolizes!

Visit The Idea Box to find many more crafty Easter ideas or connect with us on Facebook where I share daily inspiration and fun ideas I find out on the Internet!

Easter Crafts 1...

Easter Eggs

Are you ready for Easter? Do you have any Easter crafts or activities planned for your little chicks? Grab some paper towels and washable markers to create this simple and pretty Easter egg. Or try one of our other suggested Easter crafts!


Paper Plate Easter Baskets
Grab those paper plates and some ribbon to create simple Easter baskets to fill with a take home treat or something sweet!

Paper Plate Easter Hat
Pull out the paper plates and as many different kinds of embellishments as you can find. This craft reminds me of making a bride's practice bouquet from her shower gift ribbons.

Swirled Easter Eggs
With some clear plastic eggs and paint your class or home-school group can create some very pretty swirled Easter eggs to keep or share.

Easter Basket Cupcakes
Bake some cupcakes and add green frosting. Then set out some Easter candies (jelly beans, peeps, etc) and let the kids decorate. Don't forget the licorice handles!

Easter Egg Dance
This activity takes a bit of prep time before the dance actually begins. It works a lot like a cake walk, only with laminated Easter eggs on the floor to land on - have fun!


Visit The Idea Box for more Easter crafts and activities or other class ideas for Spring, May Day and Memorial Day. Connect with us on Facebook where we share even more craft ideas and inspiration!

Luck O' The Irish...

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you visited our St. Patrick's Day crafts & activities page? If you're lucky you will find all kinds of ideas and projects for your class, home-school or Sunday school to keep you and your little leprechauns busy! Here are a few good ones to get you started.

Bell Pepper Shamrock Prints
Using a bell pepper and some green paint, you can help your kids use your garden veggie to create pretty shamrocks on paper.

Paper Dot Rainbows
Using a hole punch and a whole lot of colored constructions paper, your little ones can create paper dot rainbows - they make great wall hangings!

Shake & Make Shamrocks
A salty alternative to using glitter, help your little ones create green "glitter" from salt to decorate they pretty paper shamrocks with.

St. Patrick's Day Crown
With some simple craft supplies, you and your class can create some pretty funky crowns in honor St. Patrick's Day or to use as lesson tools!

Pots of Gold
This craft is a nifty tool for teaching counting skills or creating a fun decorative object for St. Patrick's Day

Lucky Charms Sort
Another fun counting tool, this activity not only teaches little kids how to sort shapes and colors while counting, but it also makes a fun snack too!

Visit The Idea Box where we have tons of great holiday crafts, games and snack recipes. Connect with us on Facebook and join our community to receive inspiration and more great ideas for your classroom.

Leprechaun Love!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.


Leprechaun Gifts
This is a fun gift (and easy craft) for kids to make to share with someone special in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

Gold Stone
A fun way to decorate small stones and then hide them for kids to find either around the class, home or even in a sandbox.

Leprechaun Search
A fun game of hide the leprechaun gifts and letting kids seek them out by following festive clues you leave around the class or home.

Handy Shamrocks
A cute handprint craft to create a shamrock and share with parents or grandparents and perfect for March, St. Patrick's Day and good luck!

Leprechaun Treats
This is a fun edible craft that kids will enjoy creating and then eating at snack time. The ingredients are simple and you may already have them on hand.

Irish Soda Bread
Make a traditional Irish soda bread with your kids to enjoy at snack time or as part of a lesson about St. Patrick's Day, Ireland or even bread making. Enjoy!

Need more craft ideas for March or St. Patrick's Day? Visit The Idea Box where we have tons of great holiday crafts, games and snack recipes. Or connect with us on Facebook to join our community and get daily inspiration and even more great ideas for your classroom or homeschooling.

Shamrocks Rock!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Inspire your little ones at home or in the classroom to enjoy spring by creating some easy shamrock crafts.

Bakers Clay Shamrocks
With some pantry ingredients and craft paint you can help your little leprechauns create some festive clay shamrocks to display or share!

Filter Paper Shamrocks
Use coffee filters and food coloring to create pretty paper shamrocks that make adorable bulletin board or classroom decorations.

Clover Chain
Use real clovers or paper ones to form a clover chain and hang it around your class or home to celebrate St. Patty's special day!

Easy Shamrocks
Turn green paper hearts into a festive shamrock picture, perfect for a greeting card or to hang up and display.

Follow The Leprechaun
Get your creative juices flowing and use "Follow the Leader" game to make St. Patrick's Day a little luckier
for all your little leprechauns!

Visit The Idea Box for even more St. Patrick's day craft ideas, projects and snack recipes. Or connect with us on Facebook for more spring time inspiration!

Valentine's Day Kids Crafts Part 2

Cupcake Liner Lollipop Flowers

Yes, today is Valentine's Day. And if you find yourself stumped and looking for some quick, easy and fun crafts either for sharing or just for something to do - we have some fun crafts and activities waiting for you at The Idea Box.

Doily Hearts Sachets
Using paper heart doilies and yarn, you can make this super simple sachet to share with teachers, grandparents or friends.

Footprint Valentine
I love hand and foot print crafts and this one is super sweet! You need a little bit of white paint, red paper and of course sweet little feet to create a special Valentine!

Edible Valentines
Little kids always seem to enjoy making crafts they can eat later. Grab some graham crackers, frosting and conversation hearts and make some edible treats!

H-E-A-R-T
And if singing is your thing, try adapting the tune of "Bingo" by substituting the letters for "Heart" and see what fun you can have with your little valentines

Glitter Coffee Can Valentine Box

And if you are needing a last minute Valentine's Box - turn your coffee can into a simple container to hold all that love! Visit The Idea Box for more crafts and ideas just for kids or connect with us on Facebook for even more inspiration!