Winter Snowman

December, 2016

Hi Nicholas and Lily!  I hope you enjoy reading your book, "Winter" by Gerda Miller.


Here is a winter craft for you to make!

Is it snowing outside?  If it is not snowing, do not worry!  You can still make a snowman inside!

Make a Snowman

1. First put down some wax paper so the glue does not get on the table.

2.  Next, take three cotton rounds and arrange them so they overlap.  See picture. Glue the cotton rounds together.

3.  Glue on two black pom-poms for eyes.  

4.  Choose some buttons for the mouth and body and glue them on.

5.  Don't forget the carrot nose!

6.  Your snowman needs arms.  Glue on two sticks.

7.  Brrrrr! Your snowman is cold.  Help it keep warm by giving it a hat and scarf!  

8.  Your snowman is complete!  

I hope you have fun making your snowman!

Love, 

Auntie Abby

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Hi Julia!

To begin your craft ask Mommy, Daddy, Grandma or Grandpa to read you the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

Next, sit at a table with your supplies in front of you.  You may want to wear an old shirt so you do not get paint on your good clothing. 

Pour some green and yellow paint onto a paper plate.  It is ok if they mix.  Take a sponge and dab the sponge in the green and yellow paint.  Scrape the sponge on the side of the plate to remove the excess paint.

Now dab the sponge onto the paper on the left side.  This is the rear-end of your caterpillar!  Move the sponge over and print another section of the caterpillar.  Make sure it is touching the first section that you printed.  For the next one, you might need more paint on the sponge so dab it into the paint again.  Repeat this until you have about seven sections on the paper.  Just make sure to leave room at the other end for the head. 

The next step is to give your caterpillar a head.  Eric Carle made his caterpillar's head red!  Pour some red paint onto another plate and dab the sponge into it.  Don't forget to scrape the sponge off.

Print the red paint on the paper where you would like the head to be.

Next, take the brown crayon and draw legs on your caterpillar.  Then you may draw antennas with the purple crayon. 

Your caterpillar needs eyes!  Fold the yellow piece of paper in half.  Draw an oval on the paper and cut it out while the paper is still folded so you will have two yellow eyes. 

 

Glue the eyes on the caterpillar.  Next, paint green eye balls on the yellow ovals.






The last step is to draw the caterpillar's fuzz.  Make little brown lines all along the caterpillar's back. 
You are finished!  Step back and take a look at your Very Hungry Caterpillar!

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Hi Cora!

To begin, ask Mommy, Daddy, Granny, Mimi or Bebah to read you the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.  

Start your craft by sitting at a table with your supplies in front of you.  Count out 21 clothespins.  

Color the clothespins green.  You may also choose to add a little yellow marker to the green to add some highlights.  Look at the picture in the book of the caterpillar.  Do you see some yellow on his body along with green?

Next, count two more clothespins.  Color them red.  

Now it is time to put together your caterpillar!  

Clip the two red clothespins to the string.  Next, clip the green clothespins onto the string following the red ones.  

He needs some eyes!

Cut out two yellow circles.  Color the inside of the circles green.  

Glue the eyes on the red clothespins.  

Now you have finished your very hungry caterpillar!  You can hang it up!  

Have fun making your craft!

Love,

Auntie Abby

The Dot

Hi Sethy!  

This project is inspired by the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.  Snuggle up with Mommy, Daddy, Granny, Mimi or Bebah and read the book.  Then create your own dot!  Did you know that there is a day of the year set aside to celebrate dots?  International Dot Day is September 15th and you can join The Dot Club by clicking on this link. 

Dot Sun Catchers

The first thing to do to start your craft is ask Mommy, Daddy, Granny, Mimi or Bebah to start up the grill!  Never touch the grill or oven without permission from an adult!  An alternative to using the grill is placing a toaster oven out doors and running an extension cord to it.  I would not recommend baking the beads indoors, as they put off toxic fumes.  

Sit at a table with the pie pan in front of you.  Place the cookie cutter inside the pie pan.  Choose the colors of beads that you would like your dot to be.  

You have two choices!  You can make a small dot by placing the beads inside the cookie cutter only, or you can make a larger dot with a small dot (hole) inside by placing the beads around the cookie cutter and none in the cookie cutter.  You decide because you are the artist!  

When you place the beads make sure they are standing upright with the opening facing up.  Fill up the space with as many beads as possible.  They should all be touching.  No elbow room!  

After you have arranged the beads in the pie pan ask Mommy, Daddy, Granny, Mimi or Bebah to carefully carry the pie pan to the grill and place it inside.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  

When the beads are finished baking, ask an adult to take them out of the grill and let them cool.  You can use a piece of fishing line to hang them up.  Check to see if there is a small hole that didn't fill in in between the beads and use it to put the fishing line through.  

Hang it up in the window and enjoy your dot sun catcher!

Love, 

Auntie Abby