Summer is here and it's time to enjoy all things watermelon! We made this fun craft with a paper plate as the base and added a collage element.

Start with:

• Paper Plate
• Cardboard
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Glue
• Black Beans

Create it!

Step 1: Cut the textured portion off of a paper plate. Paint it green and allow it to dry.

Step 2: Paint cardboard red. Allow it to dry and cut it into smaller pieces.

Step 3: Cut the remainder of the paper plate in half. To one half, glue the red painted pieces of cardboard.

Step 4: Trim the edges off the cardboard.

Step 5: Glue the green portion of the paper plate around the bottom edge of the half paper plate to create the rind.

Step 6: Glue black bean "seeds"  to the watermelon.

These would be a fun activity for a watermelon themed party this summer! 

Penguins are so interesting and there are so many different varieties! We made this recycled materials penguin craft from cardboard. With just a few materials, add this fun craft to any penguin unit study!

Start with:

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Large Bowl (for tracing circles)
• Smaller Bowl (for tracing circles)
• Pencil
• White and Black Cardstock

Create it!

Step 1: Using black cardboard or painted black cardboard, trace one large circle and two smaller circles. Cut them out.

Step 2: Cut one of the smaller circles in half. Set aside.

Step 3: Glue the whole small circle to the top of the larger circle to create the penguin's head. Glue a half circle on either side of the larger circle to create the penguin's wings.

Step 4: Cut two circles for eyes and glue to the penguin's face. Cut a triangle for the penguin's beak. Paint and allow it to dry to before gluing to the penguin's face.

Step 5: From cardboard, cut a bow tie. Paint the bowtie and once dry, glue it to the penguin's neck.

Step 6: For the penguin's belly, cut a half circle of cardboard. Paint it white and allow it to dry. Once dry, glue to the penguin's belly.

Step 7: Cut a pair of cardboard feet. Paint them orange and once dry, glue under the penguin's belly.

We added a bow tie to our penguin, but there are so many ways to accessorize and make each one unique!

Cara Cara, Navel, Clementines - oranges are so delicious and such lovely shades of orange. We used the shape of an orange slice to make this fun cardboard crown!

Start with:

• Cardboard
• Paint
• Paintbrushes
• Scissors
• Glue or Glue Gun (recommended for adult use)
• Bowl
• Pencil
• Stapler, optional

Create it!

Step 1: Cut a band of cardboard and secure with glue or stapler to create the band of the crown. We used a lightweight cardboard like from a cereal box but a heavier cardboard would work well too!

Step 2: Trace a few circles with a bowl on cardboard. Cut out the circles and then cut each circle in half to create the shape of orange slices.

Step 3: Paint each of the half circles a medium orange and allow to dry.

Step 4: Paint the outer edge of the circle a darker orange for the peel. Allow the paint to dry before moving on to step 5.

Step 5: Using white paint, divide the orange piece into segments and add a white border between the peel and the lighter orange.

 

Step 6: Once dry, add some accent yellow stripes on each side of each white segment line. Allow this paint to dry.

Step 7: Glue the orange slices to the cardboard band to create the crown.

The colors in this project are so fun and this is a wonderful way to reuse those lightweight food cardboard boxes and turn them into something new!

This night sky constellation craft is such a fun one for learning more about constellations, stars and the night sky. With just a few materials, this craft would make such a fun addition to a night sky unit study or just an afternoon of making!

Start with:

• Cardboard
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Paper Fasteners
• Yarn
• Pen or Pencil

Create it!

Step 1: Cut cardboard into squares.

Step 2: With pen, draw dots for each of the stars in the constellation. We looked in a book but looking online would also provide the needed information.

Step 3: Carefully (or have an adult do this step) poke paper fastener through each of the dots. Remove the paper fasteners for next step.

Step 4: Paint the cardboard and allow it to dry.

Step 5: Place the paper fasteners through the holes again and secure loosely.

Step 6: Tie a piece of yarn to a paper fastener at one end of the constellation.

Step 7: Wrap the yarn around the paper fasteners to form the constellation lines.

Step 8: Tie a knot at the end of the constellation.

 

Step 9: Trim the yarn at each end, if you'd like.

 

If you have an early learner working on spelling add some letters to spell out each constellation!