Head Start on Valentine’s Day Projects!

It’s never too early to get a jump-start on the most heartfelt holiday of the year. Here is a super cute idea, easy and always stress-free because it takes no time at all for your kiddos’ Valentine’s Day at school! Snip candy hearts for an entire class in a snap.

What You’ll Need:

• Candy Dots (you can find at local drug store, candy store or even grocery store)
• Colored construction paper (you can find at a craft store, local drug store or Staples)
• Glue stick
• Scalloping scissors (you can find at an arts and crafts store like Michael’s)

How to:

1. Cut a heart from a strip of candy dots, and glue it to a piece of construction paper.
2. With scalloping scissors, cut construction paper to create a border around the heart.

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
AT WWW.LETOP-USA.COM

 

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Magnetic Lunch Chart – Not just for Back-to-School, but Summer School too!

With summer school now and back-to-school in August – every day can be difficult to whip up a tasty bag lunch that your child will want and not feel sick of. A kid may be more likely to eat her lunch if she or he helps choose the menu. When your child uses this magnetic chart to map out her meals for the week, it saves time and helps make grocery shopping easier.

Print the attached magnetic lunch chart (Courtesy of Martha Stewart) on a full size magnet sheet. Then glue colored construction paper to another magnetic sheet. Cut the colored magnetic paper into rectangles. Together, come up with a variety of sandwiches, fruits, healthy snacks, and desserts; then print the names of the meals out onto the mini rectangles and let your child put them on the refrigerator to choose for each day!

Click on photo for larger version

Items Needed:

• magnetic sheets
• colored construction paper
• scissors
• sharpie marker

Check out the Le Top’s pre-fall back-to-school clothes and our sale on Le Top spring/summer collections.

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Organize Your Stuff and Reuse Those Old Containers

Do you have any old coffee cans or empty jars lying around the house? Do also you have a million little small toys, crayons, pens, stickers, or magnetic letters just waiting to be organized? Here is a quick project that helps tidy up the house and reuse those fabulous containers.

WHAT YOU MAY NEED:

• Coffee Can or Other Empty Containers
• Glue – Tape
• Construction Paper – Assorted Colors
• Pens – Paint – Crayons

HOW:
Make sure that all containers (that can be) are washed and dried thoroughly. Decide which sizes are good for the variety of objects you need to organize. Most of my containers at home are the same size, but they were perfect for the area I chose to store everything giving my daughter easy access to them. To differentiate the containers, draw pictures or decorate them with whatever is inside. 

This was a fun project for me and my daughter to do. Plus, now she can easily find her favorite toys and supplies and knows where they go when they’re not it use.

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Here Kitty-Kitty!

 This black cat won’t bring you bad luck and he’s a fun project for Halloween.

Things You’ll Need:

• Paper plate (small and large size)
• Black crayon/Black wide pen
• Construction paper (black, green and pink)
• White Pen or white out
• Scissors
• Glue
• Ribbon (any color)
• Hole puncher

 How You Make It:

1. Color two black paper plates – one small and one larger size. Crayons are easier to use, but you can also color the paper plate with markers or colored pencils.
2. Cut out two small ovals from green construction paper for the cat’s eyes. Draw a black dot in the middle of each oval with your crayon. Glue the eyes near the top of the small paper plate.
3. Cut out two triangles from some black construction paper. Glue them to the top of your small paper plate for the cat’s ears. The ears should be apart, so put one on each side of the plate. Add two smaller triangles using pink construction paper to create the center of the ear (see image).
4. Cut out a small triangle from some pink construction paper. Glue it to the middle of the small paper plate for the cat’s nose.
   
5. Cut out a long black tail out of black construction paper (make it as long or squiggly as you would like). Glue to the side of the larger black paper plate.
6. Cut out two small “kitty” feet with small black construction paper circles; you can also add curves to the circle as “toes” (see image) – use a white pen or glue to draw lines for toes.
7. Glue the small and larger black paper plates together (i.e. connected the head to the body). Wait at least ten minutes for the glue to dry. For faster results you can use a stapler to connect the two plates.
   
8. Tie a bow with 1.5 feet of ribbon.
9. Glue the ribbon to the “neck” of the cat where the two plates are connected.
10. Wait for the glue to dry and you are done.
11. Using a hole puncher, poke one hole at the top of the cat’s head and string a ½ foot of ribbon through the hole. Tie the ribbon in a knot to hang the cat on your front door or any door inside the house.

MEOW! NOW THAT IS A CUTE HALLOWEEN KITTY!

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Give Thanks for Napkin Rings!!!

Preparing for that perfect Thanksgiving meal? Include your little ones by making one-of-a-kind napkin rings for a truly special touch.  These ‘mini-masterpieces’ can be used for years to come or shared with guests as the reminder of a memorable day.

source: bhg.com

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• Paper towel tubes
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Construction paper
• Craft glue
• Craft supplies (markers, paint, paintbrush, ribbon, beads, feathers, etc.)

Measure and cut the tubes so each ring measures 2 inches in length. Be sure to make enough so everyone coming to dinner has a napkin ring. Cut the same number of 2-inch-wide colored paper strips. Glue the paper strips to the tubes.Now decide how you want to decorate your napkin rings. You could make each different or create a variety of looks. Use markers, paint, ribbon, beads, and feathers to decorate the rings. Here is a great chance to be really creative and fanciful.

DECORATING IDEAS:

source: familyfun.go.com

• Draw a turkey, autumn leaves, pumpkins, pilgrims, Native American headdresses or something fanciful on construction paper, then cut it out and glue it to the ring.
• Draw pictures of each family member to create their own personalized napkin ring or use a photo of each person attending and use it as the face of a turkey, pumpkin or pilgrim that you have glued to the ring.
• Leave a space on your design for names and you’ve turned it into a place card.  

 

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