Children in kindergarten are learning to read and write. You can reinforce what they're learning with fun and simple hanging letter crafts. Purchase a few packs of letter stencils and let the children trace a few letters onto pages of construction paper. Encourage them to form simple words like "cat," "dog" or "hat." Help them cut out the letters and use a hole punch to create one or two holes in the tops of the letters. Run pieces of string through the holes and tie the string ends into a knot. Hang the letters or words from the classroom ceiling or encourage students to tape them to their ceilings at home.
Teach children about bees and their important role in pollinating flowers. Explain how without bees we wouldn't have fruits and vegetables to enjoy, as bees are responsible for the growing process of so many plants. Reinforce what you've studied together with a hanging bee hive and bees craft. Print off copies of a bee hive template from your classroom computer or draw one yourself and make photocopies. Include several bees to cut out, as well. Help children cut out the pieces and glue them together, laying a piece of yellow string in between the bee pieces before pressing them shut to make them two-sided. Punch three holes in the bottom of the hive and run the yellow string pieces through the holes. Tie a small knot in the string to keep the bees attached to the hive.
Hanging snowflakes are a beautiful and simple paper craft which you can use to teach kindergarteners about the unique intricacy in each snowflake. Use the craft as way to help children appreciate the seasons as they change around them. Make snowflakes by giving children pre-cut circles of card stock paper. Help the children fold the circles into quadrants and cut different shapes out of them. Give each child a few circles and encourage them to create snowflakes that look different from each other. When the circles are unfolded, they will each be unique. Run string through one of the holes on each snowflake and hang them from the ceiling.
Use a template or draw your own stars onto pieces of white construction paper. Cut the stars out and cut slits down two of the opposing points so that you can fit the stars together into a three-dimensional finished shape. Drizzle glue and different colors of glitter on the stars or use paint, crayons or markers to color them. This is a simple activity you can perform with kindergarteners in celebration of Christmas. Or, you can pair this craft with a lesson on the solar system and stars. Use different colors (red, white and blue or red and green or yellow) to emphasize different holidays. Attach yarn to the top and hang the stars up.