Books and Giggles
Kids crafts
Inside: The Mitten activities to go with the picture book by Jan Brett. Includes crafts, printable resources, games and more for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students. Raise your hand if you love Jan Brett! Her now-classic version of The Mitten is a favorite classroom read aloud every winter. This cozy picture book is perfect for…
Inside: 25 pumpkin crafts for preschoolers, categorized by type of material used. I love that look of utmost concentration preschoolers get when they’re busy crafting. They’re working those fine motor muscles so hard! And as little scientists, they’re fascinated with the results. All they need to get started is a little bit of inspiration, plus…
Inside: This apple tree craft is easy enough for preschoolers to do in the fall or when they’re learning about Johnny Appleseed. I’ve been posting seasonal crafts in this space for five years now, and somehow never created our own apple craft! I even wrote a huge roundup of apple crafts but didn’t have my…
These cute Halloween puppets are a fun way to support oral language development and story retelling. You can have the children paint the craft stick bases, and then help them add the unique features to each puppet. If you’re looking for Halloween craft ideas that are inexpensive and have some play value, these craft stick…
We’re kicking off the fall season with an apple theme! In my dreams, the mornings now are crisp, and the apples are ripe. In reality, cooler weather is a long time coming here in Texas. It’s a good thing we can break out some new apple crafts and pretend! Apple Crafts You can pretend (or…
Inside: 10 Back to School bulletin boards based on picture books, perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and primary grades. If you’re reading this in the middle of getting your classroom ready, and meet-the-teacher is two days away, and you’re already SO stressed out — stop and take a deep breath. I’ve got 10 different back to…
Inside: This summer name activity blends name recognition practice, fine motor skills, and science into one fun craft perfect for a sunny summer day. I could feel the sun baking my sunscreen-less arms, burning on a farmer’s tan. My mom was visiting from out of town, and we’d driven down to our Texas coast for…
Inside: This Easter preschool activity includes a free printable that gives children a chance to practice letter recognition My whole classroom was quiet recently while my little preschool Sunday school class painted with watercolors. Each child created and investigated the colors with the utmost concentration at his or her own level of development. I had…
Inside: how to make a popsicle stick unicorn craft with kids (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) I’m super excited about this cute unicorn craft I…
Inside: a paper Christmas tree craft inspired by the story North Pole Ninjas. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) I lay half awake Saturday morning, listening…
I’m SO excited to share this adorable mini eraser Christmas tree with you! I think it would look super cute in a school office or on a teacher’s desk. Mini Eraser Christmas Tree Mini-erasers. ::swoon:: When I bought this little $3 tree at Target recently, I couldn’t resist also picking up a couple new bags of…
Today I’m sharing another fun Christmas tree craft with you. Just like the cupcake liner Christmas tree craft for kids that I shared recently, this craft is simple enough for preschoolers, but older kids can enjoy it too by adding more detailed decorations. Bump Up the Learning You can also make this Christmas tree craft educational:…
This easy Christmas tree craft for kids is perfect for class parties. It’s also a great choice for a simple craft station at a children’s holiday event. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by…
Inside: An easy turkey puppet craft for kids just right for inspiring Thanksgiving pretend play. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) We created this cute little…
Inside: An easy bat craft preschool children can make, plus a book recommendation to go with it. (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) I have to admit, I…
Inside: DIY Halloween treat bags the kids will love to help decorate! (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) How many eyes do monsters have? Let your little…
Inside: A birds nest craft preschool book activity for The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman. This craft also can be made independently by older kids. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by…
This interactive paper plate rocket is more than just a craft – kids can count down to blastoff, and then pretend their rocket is soaring into space! When I was a teenager my family took a vacation in Florida a few hours north of Cape Canaveral. NASA had a planned space shuttle launch while we…
This beautiful Earth craft is a lot of fun to make! Use it for Earth Day, or change the paint colors to create a solar system craft. I love the swirly colors and magical process of making this paper plate earth craft. I love the smell of tempera paint too – which is a good…
Today I’m sharing a quick, no-prep butterfly activity for preschoolers. Just grab your dot markers and go! The azaleas are showing their colors here, and the spring sunshine is calling us outside. We’ve been seeing lots of butterflies around. Every year we do a few butterfly activities in the spring. A few years back, we…
Here’s a Harriet Tubman craft inspired by a new biography for lower elementary aged kids. It’s just right for Black History Month / African American History Month, and all year long as well. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a…
This DIY trivet hot plate is a practical yet sentimental gift for kids to make. And, of course, it’s inspired by a book! (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising…
This kids’ table turkey craft is fun for all ages and can liven up a Thanksgiving feast. The weather here has just turned crisp and cool again, and we’re thinking about Thanksgiving. This year we’re departing from tradition and heading down to the beach for the day. We’ll feast on restaurant seafood and then, if the weather is mild,…
These “Peace on Earth” ornaments are fun and educational to make at Christmas or really any time of year. They can go along with a new book that I think you’ll love. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means…