Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Below we’ve outlined a fun and creative way to show your kids how to give thanks and gratitude this holiday season. We’ve named this craft, “Gratitude Pie”. We hope that making this pie will be a memorable and heartfelt activity everyone can enjoy.  At the end of this craft have the kids share what they are grateful for and why. While sharing, each child will have a chance to focus on communicating their ideas and thoughts. We hope you can carve out some time in your day to share some gratitude with your little ones!

Supplies:

• Paper plates
• Paint Brushes
• Construction paper (your choice of color)
• Bowl (for tracing)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Washable markers
• Push pins
• Brads

At the end of this craft your paper plate pie will reveal each thing you are thankful for! Let’s get stated.  

Pie Making:

1. Create your pie crust by painting a tan circle around the edge of your paper plate.
2. Take a sheet of construction paper, and use your bowl to trace a perfect circle. The circle represents the center of the pie (we used orange for a pumpkin pie).
3. Apply glue at the center of the plate and place down your circle “filling”.
4. Attach the “pie” plate to another plate. To do this, use a push pin to create a hole at the center of the plates.
5. Take your push pin out and push your brad through the hole. Now, your plate should be able to rotate.
6. Use your scissors to cut a piece of your pie. Only cut the top plate!
7. Across the top of the pie write, “I am thankful for…”
8. In the blank space where you previously cut a pie slice write what you are thankful for. Rotate the plate to list more things that you are thankful for.

Tips:

• The color of your construction paper determines the type of pie. In our Show Me How Episode we went with orange for pumpkin pie!
• Having your younger kids hold the marker and trace helps build fine motor skills.
• If your kids are too young to handle scissors you can help them cut.

This craft focuses on social and emotional learning. Ask the children what it means to have gratitude. While making the craft the kids can also practice reading and spelling as they list each thing they are grateful for.  We hope this holiday craft inspires joyful learning! It’s not required, but we strongly recommend real pie to be eaten during this activity.

Share With Us!

There is so much potential for memorable creations from these activities, we hope you will share some of them with us! Snap a photo of the fun your child had and post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #mothergooseclub.

Surprise a close friend or family member with a homemade friendship bracelet! This craft is perfect for celebrating Best Friends Day on June 8th, but can also be re-purposed year-around – there’s no such thing as too many friendship bracelets!

This activity is also great for encouraging family-time and sibling teamwork, and the finished product will be a stylish accessory. If you have materials left over at the end, make some more for your friends, family members, your favorite plush dolls, or even yourself!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• Colorful beads
• Colorful straws
• String
• Scissors

Step 1 – Start Decorating:

Cut a strand of string long enough to go around your friend’s wrist. Then start decorating. Cut off small strips of straw, and then start passing those and your beads through the string.

Alternate beads and straw to keep the bracelet colorful and decorative!

Step 2 – Finishing Touches:

Keep going until all of your string is filled up. And don’t forget to tie the ends together. If you have materials left over, make some more!

Share With Us!

We hope this craft inspires some fun gift-making in your household! Share your creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub!

Celebrate the dads in your life with a homemade (and comical!) gift. Get the whole family involved – not only will the end result make for a thoughtful Father’s Day gift, but the tracing, writing, folding and cutting involved in this activity are all terrific for creativity and fine motor skill development. Let’s get started!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• Construction paper
• Yarn
• 2 buttons
• Pencil
• Glue
• Scissors

Step 1 – Hand Cutout:

Trace your hand onto a fresh piece of construction paper, and then carefully cut it out. With your yarn, cut up around 30 short strands and then glue them onto your cutouts’ fingertips. This will be dad’s hair!

Parents should take the lead with the cutting, but empower your little ones to take the lead on the creative process. Perhaps they want to use a different color for the construction paper, or make dad’s hair extra long!

Step 2 – Fold:

Time to make dad’s shirt! Using another piece of construction paper, try following the folding steps above. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

Step 3 – Finishing Touches:

Using ours as a guide, draw and cut out a tie. Then cut out a pair of eyes – don’t forget to draw the mouth and nose too!

Now that all of your elements are created, glue everything together!

Share With Us!

We hope this craft makes for a memorable activity and gift for your family! Share your creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub.

Happy Father’s Day!

Gather the family and some simple household materials for this spoon family craft! Try recreating your family, or use your imaginations to create something silly and wild! Either way, this craft will put young imaginations to work, inspire some laughs, and the end result will be a memorable keepsake!

For some inspiration before getting started, check out our vast collection of “Finger Family” videos!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• 5 spoons
• Construction paper
• Yarn
• Googly eyes
• Black sharpie
• Scissors
• Glue

Step 1 – Cut:

Using your construction paper, cut out clothes for each family member – we’re making a daddy spoon, mommy spoon, brother spoon, sister spoon and baby spoon!

Step 2 – Decorate:

Once you’re done cutting, use your black sharpie to draw some designs on the clothes, and use your yarn to craft some hair. And don’t forget to add the googly eyes!

Glue everything together and let it all dry.

Share With Us!

It’s that simple! We’d love to see what your family comes up with! Share your creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub.

Egg carton flowers are a fun, tactile art activity to do with your child to celebrate Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or any springtime afternoon! These flowers make a great gift, cute decoration, and they never go bad!

Develop your child’s creativity, motor skills and hand eye coordination as you craft. You can even sneak in some counting – count the number of flowers and use egg cartons as an opportunity to learn the word “dozen”.

Materials and steps are outlined below, along with a helpful how-to video. We hope this fun flower craft inspires you and your family to create and give! Share your beautiful bouquets with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Materials:

• Acrylic paint
• Brushes
• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Water
• Bottom of egg carton
• Paper towels
• Pipe cleaners

Steps:

1. Paint the egg carton cups (your flower petals) and allow them to dry.
2. Poke a hole just large enough for a pipe cleaner to fit through in the bottom of each cup with scissors, then cut out each individual cup.
3. Loop the top of each pipe cleaner (stem) so flowers stay in place (wrap pipe cleaner around your finger twice and press in place).
4. Push cups up the pipe cleaner until they rest under the loop and cut for texture as desired!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it isn’t just a celebration of romantic love – it’s also the perfect occasion to celebrate love in all its forms with all the people we care about. Help your child practice expressing love this Valentine’s Day with a homemade, hand-crafted card! Share your finished creations with grandma and grandpa, classmates, the neighbors – whoever you and the kids want to show some love to!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• Construction paper
• Paint
• Red ribbon
• Green marker
• Glue
• Scissors

Step 1 – Make the Hearts:

Cut heart shapes out of your construction paper (vary the colors and sizes) and fold them in half. These will be the flowers.

Step 2 – Glue & Draw:

Glue your heart-shaped flowers onto the front of your card. Use your green marker to draw the flower stems so they come together in a bouquet.

Step 3 – Finishing Touches:

Tie and glue down your red ribbon, and use your supplies to create butterflies or other decorative elements. Let everything sit and dry, and then write a special note inside!

Share With Us!

We hope this card craft inspired you and your family to spread some love this Valentine’s Day! Share your thoughts and creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub. We love getting crafty and celebrating with Mother Goose Club families around the world!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

There are so many ways to exercise your creative and fine motor skills with this activity! Try out our three approaches below, or come up with your own ideas. Then share your finished masterpieces with us!

Materials:

All the materials you need for each approach are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• Construction Paper Hair: construction paper, marker, scissors and glue stick

• Paint Hair: construction paper, marker, paint and paintbrush, straw and water

• Macaroni Hair: construction paper, marker, macaroni and craft glue

Construction Paper Hair:

Step 1 – Draw the Head:

Draw a head. Copy our design or make your own!

Step 2 – Cut the Construction Paper:

Cut strips 1-inch wide in each color.

Step 3 – Fold the Construction Paper:

Accordion-fold each strip of paper.

Step 4 – Glue the Construction Paper:

Glue one end of each folded strip to the top of your head. Let it dry.

Paint Hair:

Step 1 – Draw the Head:

Draw a head. Copy our design or make your own!

Step 2 – Paint:

Add drops of paint to the hairline. Use a straw to blow the paint in different directions!

Step 3 – Play With Color:

Experiment with another color. Talk about how colors can mix to make new colors while your paint is drying!

Macaroni Hair:

Step 1 – Draw the Head:

Draw a head. Copy our design or make your own!

Step 2 – Glue the Macaroni:

Glue around the head where you want to add hair and attach macaroni. Let it dry.

Share With Us!

Let’s see those crazy hair masterpieces! Did you enjoy creating your own crazy hair art? Share your ideas and creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub!

Tree Centerpiece

After months of sticky, humid air, everyone’s ready for some cool weather and fun fall activities – jumping in leaves, apple picking and snuggling fireside in fluffy hoodies to name a few! On a day that’s a little too cool or wet to be outside, try this easy and fun leaf craft using simple household items. Crafts are a great way to bond, practice motor skills and decorate your home for the holidays!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Most everything can be found around the house or at your local store. Get creative, improvise and let us know what works for you!

• Colorful leaves, pine cones and chestnuts
• You can also cut out leaves from construction paper
• Paper towel roll
• Glue
• Tape
• Small cardboard box
• Brown paper bag

Step 1 – The Base:

Wrap your small cardboard box in a brown paper bag (like a present), and tape the ends securely.

Step 2 – The Tree:

Cut slits into one end of the paper towel roll to create branches – these should be a couple of inches long and curl out slightly. Cut four short slits into the other end, folding each flap out completely.

Step 3 – The Leaves:

Glue the tree to your small box using the short flaps you created in step 3. Once dry and secure, glue leaves onto the branches!

Step 3 – Decorate:

Decorate the base of your box with chestnuts, pine cones or other materials. Consider adding glitter to your leaves, or writing something or someone you’re thankful for on each one!

Leaf Wreath

When leaves change color and begin to fall, kids love to stomp and crunch leaf piles, kind of like dinosaurs! But stomping and crunching isn’t all that leaves are good for – you can also get creative with them. This colorful wreath craft is a great reason to explore the neighborhood and learn a bit more about the seasons, weather and local plants. You can also feature any plants that you find in your area as a celebration of your local vegetation. So, take advantage of the scenic fall weather and get crafty!

Materials:

All the materials you need are below. Just like the craft above, everything can be found around the house or at your local store.

• Colorful leaves, pine cones and acorns
• Paper plate
• Glue
• Scissors
• String

Step 1 – The Wreath:

Poke a hole in the center of your paper plate. With your scissors, start cutting from the center out to the edge of the plate, stopping when you’re about two inches from the outside edge.

Step 2 – String for Hanging:

Cut a piece of string that is about one and a half feet long. Fold the string in half and tie the doubled-up string to the paper plate ring. Make sure that the string is sturdy enough to hold the wreath – you’ll be adding some weight onto it later.

Step 3 – Decorate:

Use small dots of glue to attach leaves, acorns or pine cones to your wreath. We recommend covering the entire ring with materials in various shapes and colors. Allow the glue to dry completely, and then hang your wreath!

Share With Us!

What are your favorite fall crafts and activities? Did you enjoy these craft ideas? Share your thoughts and creations with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub! We love getting crafty and celebrating with Mother Goose Club families around the world!

For some inspiration, check out the fan creation below!

These fans took it a step further with their own Mother Goose Club-themed cakes!

You can do it too! Share your finished product with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #mothergooseclub! We love getting crafty and celebrating with Mother Goose Club families around the world!

Aside from being delicious and fun, DIY crafts like this one are terrific for developing problem-solving, fine motor skills, creativity, imagination, parent-child bonding and so much more. Allow your child to take the lead – don’t be afraid to get creative (and a little messy) with the process!

If you have ideas for other Mother Goose Club party supplies, let us know! We also have DIY costume instructions for dress-up occasions, and plush dolls, t-shirts and books that make for terrific gifts. Also check out our activities page and Pinterest for more crafty inspiration!