Make an easy Hawaiian Lai

Children age 4 and Up:

An easy project! Cut a length of yarn to hang loosely around your neck; make sure you cut it a little longer than you want it so you have room to tie the ends of the yarn together. Cut the straws into 1 inch long pieces. Cut many colorful flower shapes out of construction paper (you can use the graphics above to trace if you like!). Use a hole puncher and put holes in the center of all your flowers.
Now that you have all your pieces prepared, you can start making your lei! Tie a small piece of straw onto the end of your piece of yarn. Start stringing your flowers and straw pieces onto the yarn. Alternate between flowers and straws. Once you get the design you want and the yarn piece is full, tie the two ends of the yarn together and wear your lei with pride!

Younger Children:

You can use String or String Licorice and have fun stringing fruit loops and cheerios. Then just tie a knot and enjoy eating it.

Ahoy There Mates!

We are having so much fun in our Creatures at the Ocean Summer Adventure. Last week we sang a song about a crab, made little scuttling crabs with our hands and then crawled on all fours sideways--well not everyone crawled sideways, but that is the way a crab walks. Kindermusik is all about letting your child lead you as you find new ways to experience the same activity. Crawling is a great way to stimulate both sides of the brain and connect the mind and body. I found a great picture of a crab and some other stunning pictures of ocean creatures. Enjoy!!!

Paper Plate Crab Craft

DLTK's Crafts for Kids Paper Plate Crab Craft

This is a simple paper plate craft that's suitable for young children to make.
My daughter usually loves painting paper plates, but this time she decided to use a children's marker and spray it with a spritz bottle so the color ran a little bit.

If you don't have a paper plate, trace a regular plate on a piece of cardboard (old cereal box) or use a margarine container lid.

MATERIALS:

• 
  paper plate or alternate (we used snack size in this picture, but dinner size would work too)


• 
  pipecleaners or two twist tie's twisted together - 9 of these. If using snack size, cut pipecleaners in half


• 
  1 inch(ish) pieces of drinking straw


• 
  hole punch


• 
  markers or paint
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

• punch 8 holes around the edge of the plate


• 
  thread pipecleaners/twistties through these holes and twist to secure.


• 
  Put three pieces of straw on each of the pipecleaners. (represents real leg segments)
  bend legs to shape/make look like he's walking


• 
  punch two more holes, close together in the "front" and put 1 pipecleaner through with ends sticking up. Twist to secure and add beads to the end to decorate (if desired)


• 
  color or paint

This is just one of the many creatures we are exploring in our Summer Adventure. In Kindermusik we believe that children this age learn best when playing with someone they are emotionally involved with such as a parent or caregiver. Let the child lead as you explore this activity together. Don't worry about the crab turning out just like the instructions.

Benefits of this activity:

• Positive, loving parent-child interaction


• Creativity


• Developing fine-motor skills