{Toddler Activity} Tree Inspired

As I mentioned on Friday I started a craft learning schedule with Lucas last week.  I pick a theme or a word that I want to introduce and center crafts for the week around it.  So I scoured pinterest, and the general internet world (I actually found some great mommy bloggers who are devoted to teaching posts, and toddler crafts), and planed the week ahead.  For the first week we did three crafts, and I worked them around the days we don't have outside activities scheduled already.  Last week was also pretty cold around these parts so it was great to already have something planned.  I pre-prepared all the crafts in zip lock bags and then placed them in a basket in our mud room, so that way it was simply setting up his space, and saved time. 

Craft 1 - Finger painting Tree



This was really simple, and I have been wanting to introduce Lucas to actual paint since he seemed really into the bath tub ones I have.  This was a lot more successful than I even anticipated it would be for Lucas, he really loved feeling the paint on his hands, and we experimented with our fingers, and our whole hand on the paper.  When he was done painting, he looked at me, put his hands in the air, and said all done (I'm not going to lie makes me pretty proud). 

Craft 2 - Glue Leaves on Large Tree

We went on a discovery nature walk earlier in the day, looking at the different trees in the neighbourhood (we live in a typical suburban area, so the tree options are pretty standard, and not all that grandiose, but a 13 month old doesn't know the difference lol).  We collected leaves, which Lucas really loved, when he saw me picking them up, he kind of got what I was doing then started collecting them and bringing them to me as well.  Once at home, I have placed the "tree" on the patio door for easier access to the little guy, pre glued the whole upper area, and just let him discover.  I placed the first leaf on the tree so he could see that it would stick, and then he would put them up and tear them down.  Again another pretty successful craft, he enjoyed crunching the leaves as well.

Funny enough fitting with the season of the year, once Lucas had all the leaves glued on the tree, he started taking them off, leaving the tree bare.  But his dancing around in the leaves on the floor was worth the mess!

Craft 3 - Decorate the Christmas Tree

First of all this would have been so much easier if I had contact paper, but I didn't so I used double sided tape from my scrap booking supplies, so the tree could only really be decorated in certain areas.  I hung the tree on his easel, so that I could place the pompoms (bought at the dollar store for a steal) on the bottom ledge.  Besides the fact that Lucas would get a little frustrated cause he would try to place the pompoms in areas that were not sticky, he really loved this craft, so much so that I kept it up the rest of the week, and once in a while he would gravitate to it on his own.  I found this great for his fine motor skills since some of the pompoms are pretty small.  Even though he at times tried to eat the pompoms (note to self maybe he should have had a snack before doing this craft that involved round colourful balls that look like candy!), he would look at me and clap his hands whenever he was able to get a ball on the tree!

Hope this inspire some crafting time with your minis.  These were pretty all low maintenance, and gave me enough time to do some things in the kitchen while he was occupied, or motivation to "teach" Lucas about new things, and words.