sunday kids' craft & teacher gift: magnetic handprint wreath

My blogbirthversaryday giveaway bash has begun.  Check out the first giveaway: a set of rosette ribbon bookmarks from Belle Rose Designs.

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Well, I dropped the ball with my classroom holiday party craft auditions.  I had planned to show you two more crafts that we practiced at home, but as you may have guessed, the pre-Christmas to-do list got in the way of posting.  And it's silly to post tutorials of Christmas crafts now, so I'll have to put those into the vault until next year . . . or change them into Valentine party crafts some how . . . hmmmm . . . that's got me thinking.

But I wanted to show you the winning craft that we used for the party . . . drum roll please . . .

Jingle Bells

The party was the last day of school before winter break, so the kids were CRAZY!  It was an hour and twenty minutes of fun chaos that included:
~making reindeer food
~a gift exchange musical-chairs style
~making jingle bells
~making a super secret wreath for the teacher
~decorating cupcakes
~eating cupcakes
~cleaning up

The kids had a blast making their ornaments.  We divided them into two groups.  Mrs. S. took eleven of the kids and did the gift exchange musical-chairs style.  While I worked with the other eleven on the jingle bells . . . and the wreath.  Then we switched groups.  We were super top-secret about the wreath, and I was soooo proud of the kids for not telling.  While they were decorating their bells, I went from kid to kid and did the handprints. 

Here's the final product:

This wreath would make a great gift any time of year.  And if you can't get the handprints of all the kids, you could just use your child's handprint all the way around the wreath.

Here's what you need:
~a round pizza pan
~a length of ribbon for hanging
~a felt circle cut to fit the back of the pizza pan
~magnetic letters
~craft foam cut into smallish rectangles big enough for a child's handprint
~paint
~paint brush
~sharpie
~hot glue gun

Here's what you do:
1)  Use hot glue gun to affix ribbon to back of pizza pan.  Cover with felt circle using hot glue. (I did this step at home.)

2)  Paint child's hand and press onto precut craft foam rectangles.  Let dry.  Write child's name on front side of handprint.  Cut out.  (I also wrote each child's name on the back of the foam before we did their handprints.  This helped me keep track of the little rectangles in the midst of the chaos.)

3)  Use hot glue to place the hands around the rim of the pizza pan like a wreath.

4)  Put magnetic letters on to spell whatever you want.

5)  I also hot glued a poem about handprints onto the back of the wreath.  The last line is my favorite:

These children, your students are reaching big goals

because of the handprint that you’ve left on their souls.

Done!

If you are a homeroom parent, this would be a great activity to do with the kids at an upcoming 100th Day Party or the last day of school.

Craft on!


Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you participate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!


Weekend - Somewhat Simple Holiday Party, a little lovely, Craft Envy, Under the Table and Dreaming, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision to Remember, 504 Main - Tickled Pink, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, I heart naptime


Monday - Keeping it Simple, Craft-O-Maniac, The Girl Creative, The Trendy Treehouse, CRAFT, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Tools Are For Women,  It's So Very Cheri, Skip to My Lou, Sew Can Do, Polly Want a Crafter


Tuesday - All Thingz Related, Sugar Bee, New Nostalgia, Creative Itch, Lucky Star Lane, Hope Studios, These Creative Juices, My Delicious Ambiguity, Today's Creative Blog-Get Your Craft On!,


Wednesday - It's So Very Cheri, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blue Cricket Design, Trendy Treehouse, Tea Rose Home, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, Night Owl Crafting


Thursday -  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Life As Lori, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, The Train to Crazy, PonyTails and FishScales


Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic, Momma's Kinda Crafty