Coffee filters are inexpensive and readily available at many retail stores. Children can easily create colorful butterflies by coloring coffee filters with ordinary food dye. Fill paper cups with water, add a couple of drops of food color and children can make decorations on the filters. Gather the coffee filter in the middle and secure with a clothespin. A chenille stem wrapped at the top of the clothespin completes the butterfly.
Foam board can be purchased at most craft stores and supercenters. Give each child a piece of foam board and provide tempera paints for the children to paint flowers, bugs, plants and other objects. After the paint has dried, an adult can cut the foam board into puzzle shapes with a craft knife. The children can then put their own custom puzzle together. Placing the individual puzzle pieces in a zip lock bag ensures pieces won't get lost or mixed-up.
Have children participate in a science project by growing seeds in cotton. Explain where the food they eat comes from. Give each child a paper cup and cotton balls. Have them place a few cotton balls at the bottom of the paper cup. Give each child a seed to plant in the cotton. Add water to the cotton ball and place the cups on a sunny windowsill. Cups can be covered with plastic wrap to speed up the growing process. Children can decorate craft sticks to place inside their paper cups. Writing children's names on the plant sticks or cups helps them identify their own seedling. Seedlings can be taken home and transplanted.
Children often enjoy participating in edible projects. Set celery, peanut butter and raisins on plates. Children can add peanut butter to the celery logs with plastic knives and top the peanut butter with the raisin ants. Discuss where the celery, peanut butter and raisins come from. Show children grapes and explain how they become raisins. Describe how peanuts are crushed and blended to make peanut butter. Children with peanut allergies can spread cream cheese on their celery.