You can take the children on a nature walk and have them collect items from outside in small bags, such as leaves, small flowers, pebbles, shells, sand and twigs. While the children collect their nature items, tell them what they will be doing with them to pique their interests. Then give each child a heavy piece of construction paper and have her create rubbings of the leaves with crayons or chalk. Help them glue other items to the paper to make a collage. This project teaches about texture and shape and requires several different skills to create. Most pre-school children who engage in this kind of project are very focused and entertained by it.
Another fun activity is to have the children create beach pictures. Have on hand a large pack of heavy colored papers that are easily ripped. Help the kids tear pieces of different colors to represent the different parts of the beach scene. For example, tear blue pieces of construction paper to create the waves that are glued to a plain background sheet. Use a glue stick to spread a thin layer of adhesive on the lower part of the picture and sprinkle sand on the glue. Shake the excess sand from the picture and let it dry. Use other colors of paper to add things you might find at the beach: fish, people, beach balls, clouds in the sky, the sun, birds--ideas are simple and endless.
Allowing kids to create cards for holidays, birthdays or to say thank you lets them use their creativity and creates teaching moments. Have the children color, glue and paste pictures or paper, as well as use foam stickers to create the words. Write down a short message from them, and then have them sign their own names inside the card. After doing this activity once at pre-school or at home, and because the supplies for this project are often on hand at home, your kids may start to create them on their own when they are in the mood for arts and crafts.
Create picture frame magnets or ornaments by taking frozen concentrated juice lids and wrapping them in contact paper or construction paper. Have the children design a very small paper that is close to the size of the lid. They can decorate with small stickers, embellishments and coloring. Help them after they are done with their designs by cutting their pictures in a small circle and mount to the decorated lid. For ornaments, hot glue a hook or ribbon to the top of the lid. Remember to keep the hot glue away from little hands. For a refrigerator magnet, use adhesive magnets and mount to the back of the lid. These make great Christmas or Grandparents Day gifts and the kids will be proud to see them hanging up around the house.
Children can create a helping hands t-shirt to be worn during craft or clean-up time while at school or at home. This craft is messy and close adult supervision is required. You will need several different colors of fabric paint and plenty of warm soapy water, as well as plain white t-shirts. Set out small trays of each color of paint. Have the children dip their hands in the paint and place them on the t-shirt, which should be smooth and tight. Help the children clean their hand, and let them dip their hands again, using different colors of paint, to add variety. When they are finished, use a permanent fabric marker to write their names on the front or back of the t-shirt. Follow any instructions on the paint in order to set it completely to the fabric. Make sure to let it dry completely out of reach of the kids to keep the kids and everything else clean.