School Holiday Event - craft ideas needed!

[kristenk]

I'm coordinating DD's school's holiday breakfast. I'm trying to come up with a craft that the kids can make during the event. I have $100 at the very most for the craft and we're guessing that we'll have 150-200 kids there. The school runs through 5th grade, but we usually have a lot of younger siblings attend, so I'm looking for something that's preschooler-friendly, too. If all goes well, an adult or two will be staffing the craft table to help. We'll be in the school cafeteria, so temporary messes can be cleaned up, but things that might lead to permanent damage should be avoided at all costs.

Anyone have any ideas? I know that they purchased crafts from Oriental Trading in years past. I think I'd rather go with something that I can have them make with craft supplies I can get from Michael's/MJ Designs so I can return any extra and get my money back! I might change my mind if Oriental Trading would be cheaper...

[Momit]

I love doing decoupaged styrofoam balls. We usually use Holiday theme napkins but you could have some other patterns too. And maybe foam crafts from Michaels for the younger ones.

Here are the instructions:
http://www.craftjr.com/decoupaged-christmas-ornament-craft-for-kids/

[egoldber]

How long do you have for the event? How many of the 150-200 kids plus siblings will be raking together all at once? How much space do you have?

[kristenk]

How long do you have for the event? How many of the 150-200 kids plus siblings will be raking together all at once? How much space do you have?

The event is 2 hours total. Activities include breakfast, holiday shop set up in the gym where kids can go purchase presents, letters to Santa, and photos with Santa. We will probably also have a table set up where kids can do a seek & find page from a winter activity book.

A lot of the activities are Santa/Christmas-related, so I'd really like to have a straight-up winter-themed craft.

The breakfast, photos, letters, activity pages and crafts will be in the cafeteria. We'll use the normal cafeteria tables for everything. I think that usually 10 kids sit at a table. I'm guessing that we'll have 2-3 tables set aside for the craft.

People tend to come in at a fairly steady pace from 8-9:30. It usually takes about 45 minutes to do everything (excluding craft).

[kristenk]

I love doing decoupaged styrofoam balls. We usually use Holiday theme napkins but you could have some other patterns too. And maybe foam crafts from Michaels for the younger ones.

Here are the instructions:
http://www.craftjr.com/decoupaged-christmas-ornament-craft-for-kids/

Thanks! The only thing I worry about is drying time. It would be best if the kids could leave the school with their craft completed. With this one, I worry that we'd have to try to find space at school to let them dry and then try to make sure that each kid gets the correct craft. Or am I overestimating how wet these can get?!

[StantonHyde]

Why not do a service project?? For DS's class, we started this last year and will continue this year. We ask for donations of sample size shampoo, body soap, hand santizer, lotion, hand warmers, etc. Then we stuff those into a pair of wool (or heavy hiking) socks. (I just found a bunch at Costco that were a great price) We give these to the homeless outreach program in the city. They are extremely well received and it is easy for the kids to do. In the season of "getting" for kids, it is a good idea to give.

[kristenk]

Why not do a service project??

There's also a toy drive with the event. Forgot to list that!

ETA: And the school is currently conducting a food drive for the local food pantry.

[egoldber]

What about something like these:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741628312/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741767204/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741780456/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741780453/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741715059/

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741614432/ (without the snow globe part, that seems like an unnecessary complication ;) )

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/205195326741629288/

[Momit]

Thanks! The only thing I worry about is drying time. It would be best if the kids could leave the school with their craft completed. With this one, I worry that we'd have to try to find space at school to let them dry and then try to make sure that each kid gets the correct craft. Or am I overestimating how wet these can get?!

The ones who did it at the beginning of the event should be ok, but the ones done at the end will probably still be wet.

How would they keep whatever craft they do from getting mixed up? Each kid carries it around as they visit all the other stations? or will they all be left somewhere to pick up at the end?

[Tondi G]

maybe popsicle stick snowflakes? The kids can paint them, or use glitter/glitter glue to decorate.

Or popsicle stick reindeer. You need brown paint, googlie eyes, small red pompoms.

http://www.earthskids.com/art_scheduled_pages/popsicle-reindeer2.jpg

[kristenk]

I really like the first snowman craft that egoldber posted:

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fa/3d/8b/fa3d8be09fe7fe1ceecf42c447725fee.jpg

What do you guys think? I could bring in pre-painted popsicle sticks, buttons, pre-cut strips of felt in various colors, black squares of felt that could be cut into the shape of a hat, craft glue for the hat and buttons, orange felt that could be trimmed for noses, and markers. I think that leaving the loop off the top would be fine. One less thing to glue!

Any other items that would be cute (and cheap) to use to accessory/decorate the snowman?

ETA: Maybe we could do two crafts? This one with popsicle sticks and then something else with pipe cleaners? Any good pipe cleaner craft ideas?

[kristenk]

How would they keep whatever craft they do from getting mixed up? Each kid carries it around as they visit all the other stations? or will they all be left somewhere to pick up at the end?

I have no idea! This is my first year coordinating this event and I'm just hoping to bring back the craft element. I know that we didn't have a craft the last several years and I really think it would be a great addition to the event. I just not to get the logistics figured out and try to keep everything as simple as possible!

If the kids put their name and teacher's name on the craft, we could put everything away in the workroom and then deliver the crafts to the classrooms the week following the event. The only complication would be siblings who aren't in school yet. Not sure how to mark those so they get sent home with the correct kid.

[egoldber]

I would have them write their last name and an abbreviation for the teacher/class. So Billy Smith in Mrs. Lee's 2nd grade would write: Smith 2L That's what the schools here do for art projects. They could do the same for the siblings as well and just send home/pick up multiples for some kids.

I have only helped out witb grade wide crafts but they need to be simple and easy. Helping second graders make Thanksgiving placemats was one of the more excruciating hours of my life. Followed closely by helping 200 first graders making "gingerbread" houses out of milk cartons and graham crackers. :ROTFLMAO:

[kristenk]

I have only helped out witb grade wide crafts but they need to be simple and easy. Helping second graders make Thanksgiving placemats was one of the more excruciating hours of my life. Followed closely by helping 200 first graders making "gingerbread" houses out of milk cartons and graham crackers. :ROTFLMAO:

Do you think that the way I have it outlined would be simple enough?
Supplies:
craft/tacky/what? glue
pre-painted popsicle stick
pre-cut strips of felt in different colors - to be TIED around the stick for a scarf
buttons - to be glued on
square of black felt - to be cut down slightly (so a square with a side equal to the length of the brim) into whatever hat shape they want and then glued on the stick
orange felt (some pre-cut into triangles and some small pieces to be cut in different shapes if kids prefer?) - to be glued on
black marker (what kind? Sharpie? Washable?) or maybe googly eyes (i already have a lot of them leftover from a different craft)

Anything to add or any way to simplify?

[PZMommy]

The snowman you posted are super cute, and I think would be easy enough provided everything was pre cut and pre painted. As a teacher I am often doing a craft activity with all of my students (kinder age) by myself. It can seriously take nearly all day to finish what I think will be a simple project! Being prepared by having everything ready in advance will be key for doing it on such a large scale.

[happymom]

Hmm if I were you I would probably have the kids make something they could wear. That way the kids don't have to carry their craft when they're finished. How about some kind of necklace? Or hat? It also adds to the festive atmosphere when you have kids walking around wearing a homemade hat etc. Someone mentioned beading a necklace- that's nice especially because it doesn't involve glue. I'm trying to think of a creative winter necklace you could make...

[egoldber]

I was also thinking about something you could wear, although I'm not sure how boy friendly that is?

Oriental Trading has a winter pony bead assortment: http://www.orientaltrading.com/winter-pony-bead-assortment-mm-a2-48_7431.flt

And add these: http://www.orientaltrading.com/snowflake-beads-mm-a2-48_6880.fltr?prodCatId=90000+1322

You could use pipe cleaners instead of string and that makes them faster and less slippery to string: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/81698180710903745/

[kristenk]

I'm open to all wearable ideas! I just need to keep costs down. It's so much easier to string pony beads on pipe cleaners, but I wonder if a pipe cleaner bracelet would be special enough? Do I have to worry about the little ones with all of the pony beads?

Another idea involving pony beads and pipe cleaners would be something like this but using multi-colored pony beads (b/c I already have some on hand that I could use and I imagine the plain beads are less expensive than the crystal beads):

http://static.spoonful.com/sites/default/files/styles/square_420x420/public/crafts/sparkling-ice-crystals-winter-craft-photo-420-FF0109SNOWA01.jpg?itok=4jS5fxOe


Would kids like a pipe cleaner bracelet more than a random snowflake ornament?

[egoldber]

Well, not everyone has a tree. :) But everyone can wear a winter bracelet.

[kristenk]

Well, not everyone has a tree. :) But everyone can wear a winter bracelet.

Very true! I was thinking that the snowflake could be hung in a window, though.

Bracelets take fewer supplies, too….

[happymom]

If you're concerned about the choking hazard of the pony beads, would you consider doing an edible necklace/bracelet like fruit loops or something? Or is that too young/not really a craft/not really winter? Also, lanyard is good for lacing necklaces as well.