Craft this fun creation with your kids!

Try sharing a cool and creative craft idea with your little learners. That way, they’ll be busy having fun while you get a crafty keepsake to help commemorate the day that you spent together! After all, what mom wouldn’t love receiving a few fabulous photo flowers from their kids, right? Thankfully JumpStart has a ton of crafts and activities for you to get you and your kids started!

- What You’ll Need -

Glue
Photos
(Try using ones on you and your kids)
A pair of scissors
Pipe cleaners
Scotch tape
A few sheets of construction paper
(Colors of your choice)

- What To Do -

1. Take your photos and cut them into smaller sized circles. When figuring out the exact size you want to work with, keep in mind that these pictures will be acting as the center of the flower(s) so they’ll need to be the smallest of your paper cut outs. We’ve gone ahead and used images of some of our favorite JumpStart characters as an example!
2. Grab your construction paper and cut out a small template in the shape of some flower petals. Use this template to repeat the shape using different colors of construction paper. By mixing and matching colors and shapes, your kids can create some pretty spectacular flowers.
3. If you want, you can layer the petals with a larger flower cut outs to create fun color combinations or patterns. To do this simply glue you small flower to a second piece of construction paper and them cut around the outline leaving about ¼ inch of space between the two edges.
4. Once you’ve created the petal pattern that you like, glue the photos you cut out earlier to the center of your paper flowers.
5. To finish them off, attach a small pipe cleaner to the back of your flowers using a little bit of scotch tape. This will act as the stem of your flowers.

Once you finish, you can display your flowers in a variety of ways! Stick them in a small flower pot, hang them, or affix them to a card! There are truly an endless amount of possibilities when it comes to these crafty creations. Try them out with your family and let us know what you think of these cool Mother’s Day gifts!

Humpty Dumpty Bunny
This time of year there are always a few extra eggs around for decorating, so why not try this fun springtime craft with your kids.

The Easter Bunny’s Message
Are your kids as skilled at cracking codes as they are at cracking eggs? Then have them try their hand at this secret message. The bunny left a helpful key just for your kids to use, so help get them started with this printable worksheet!

Let us know how you and your family are celebrating today! Do you have any favorite spring time holiday traditions?

Now that you know how we’ll be surprising our JumpStart friends this time of year, let us know how you and your kids will be celebrating! Perhaps your kids and their Jumpeez will take you through the February Funzones, like the Box of Chocolate Maze or the Heart’s Lane swan ride. Be sure to check it out before the season starts to change!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED for One Flower:
1 pair of Scissors
2 sheets of construction paper (or patterned cardstock, any color)
1 glue stick or bottle of crafting glue
Clear tape
1 Lollipop

1. Take one piece of construction paper and cut out 4 medium sized heart shaped pieces. Repeat with the second piece of construction paper, but make these 4 hearts a little smaller. At the end of this, you should have a total of 8 hearts (4 small and 4 medium)
2. Layer and glue 1 small heart to each of the 4 medium sized cutouts, creating 4 “double hearts.”
3. Position two double hearts with the pointed ends together, overlapping about a ¼”. Glue hearts together on the undersides of the paper. Repeat until you create a full circular flower shape.
4. Once you have the “flower petals” together, snip the pointed tip of the arranged hearts to create a hole in the middle that is small enough to fit your lollipop’s stick.
5. Place your lollipop through the center hole and secure it on the underside of the flower with a piece of clear tape. Simply wrap half the tape around the stick and have the other half adhere to the flower.
6. Enjoy and share with your kids and their friends!

With who will you and your kids are sharing this fabulous February treat? Frankie and the rest of the gang would love to hear all about your festive plans, so let us know!

Like your family’s favorite recipes that are bookmarked in the recipe box to use over and over at every year’s Thanksgiving meal, JumpStart has bookmarked a few of our favorite Thanksgiving crafts from last year for you and your children to enjoy once more.

For a gobbling-good centerpiece, have your children make a Pine Cone Turkey!

Learn how to make this Turkey-rific Centerpiece!

While waiting for the turkey to be carved, you can also have your children make a Native American Vest to reenact the first Thanksgiving meal!

Get in the holiday spirit with this Thanksgiving Attire

What fun Thanksgiving crafts does your family make this time of year?

Learn how to make a Giving Thanks Tree

Learn how to make a Punk Punk Pinata!

Once you’ve completed part 1 and have a nice, crispy paper mache balloon, you’ll be ready to finish up your masterpiece! Read on for the instructions on how to turn that balloon into an official Punk Punk pinata. 

1. When you are sure your 3 layers of paper mache are completely dry, pop the balloon using a needle or pair of scissors. Parents: This step should be handled by you.
2. Using a pencil, sketch designs for your Punk Punk’s eyes. Need some ideas? Try copying the eye shapes on the sketches below.
   

   Step 2 - a few "eye"deas!

    

3. Use the brown paint cover the entire Punk Punk except it’s eyes.
4. Use the black and white paint to add detail to the eyes…like this!
   

   Step 4

    

5. Allow the paint to dry completely. Add another layer of paint if the newsprint is still visible.
6. Use your brown construction paper and cut out some spikes for your Punk Punk’s crazy hairdo. We opted for wave shaped pieces, but Punk Punks are known for their unruly fur, so feel free to be creative!
7. Fold approximately 1/2 inch down along the bottom edge of each fur piece and cut 1-3 short slits. These slits will help you bend the paper around the curves of the balloon when you attach them.
   

   Step 7

    

8. Use your glue to attach each piece of fur to the Punk Punk.
   

   Step 8

    

9. Cut out some nice wide feet from your construction paper and paint on some white toenails.
   

   Step 9

    

10. Your Punk Punk is almost complete! If you’d rather not use your Punk Punk as a pinata, simply attach the feet to the body with glue and you’ll be all done. If you would like to use your Punk Punk as a pinata…head on to step 11.
11. Take your wire hanger and gently unravel it until you have a straight piece of wire. Next, bend the wire in the middle and gently shape to match the shape of the balloon, with an extra loop at the top for hanging. This wire will be inserted into the pinata for extra support. Parents: This step should be handled by you.
12. Gently poke a hole in the top of the pinata and slide the wire through. You should end up with a loop poking out from the top of the Punk Punk.
    

    Step 12

     

13. Peek inside the pinata and make sure that the wire is touching the inner walls. If not, use some masking tape to secure it in place. Parents: Make sure there are no sharp ends on the wire. Cover the ends with masking tape if need be. 
    

    Step 13

     

14. Now it’s time to load up the pinata with candy or other small treats!
15. Using extra construction paper wadded up into balls, create a stopper for the hole at the bottom of the pinata.
    

    Step 15

     

16. Attach the feet with glue.
17. Use string to hang the pinata and enjoy your fiesta!

In honor of the festivities at JumpStart.com, we though we’d share a fun and simple craft with you. Read on to learn how to create your own pinata modeled after the funny furry critters know as Punk Punks at JumpStart.com! When you’ve finished, you’ll be able to fill this crafty critter up with candy or small treats and have a fiesta of your own!

Learn how to make a Punk Punk Pinata!

What You’ll Need:

• 2 containers of liquid glue
• Newspaper
• 1 balloon
• Brown construction paper
• Brown, black and white paint
• 2 wire coat hangers
• Water
• Paper bowl
• Disposable plastic spoon
• String or ribbon

What to do:

Today, we’ll get your pinata started by paper macheing a balloon to create your Punk Punk’s body!

1. First, let’s get your dry materials ready.  Cut your newspaper into strips approximately 2 inches wide and inflate your balloon.
2. Things are about to get messy, so we recommend getting everyone into aprons and covering your table top to protect it.
3. In your bowl, create a paste mixture by combining 1 part water with 2 parts glue. Stir until the mixture is consistent.
4. Take 1 strip of newspaper at a time and dip it into the paste mixture until it is coated.
5. Squeeze the excess liquid off with your fingers and gently wrap the strip around the balloon.
   

   Step 5

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have completely covered the balloon (except a small circle around the knotted end) with strips of paper.
7. Tie your string around the knotted end of the balloon and find a spot where you can hang your balloon to dry undisturbed. Beware – your balloon may drip so make sure to place something underneath it to protect your floors.
8. Allow your balloon to dry completely.
9. Repeat steps 4-8 until you have covered your balloon with 3 separate layers of paper.

We’ll be back on Thursday with the steps for finishing up your Punk Punk pinata! Stay tuned!

We’ll teach you how to make these cute critters for the top of your pencil!

Here’s what you need:

• Red and black construction paper (one piece each)
• Small black pom-poms
• Scrap black pipe cleaner
• Tacky glue and scissors
• Black permanent marker
• One small brass fastener (optional)
• Wooden pencil (optional)

Here’s what to do:

1. Cut a circle that measures 3 inches in diameter out of the black construction paper.

2. Cut a circle out of the red construction paper that is just a little bit bigger than the black circle (maybe 3.2 inches in diameter).

3. Cut the red circle in half.

Step 3

4. Cut a small circle, about 1 inch in diameter, out of the black paper

5. If you want the wings to be able to flap, read this step. If not, follow step 6. Place the corner of one red semicircle over a corner of the other, and place this over the larger black circle. Once they are aligned, push the brass fastener through all three levels and flatten the ends against the back of the black circle. Color the top of the brass fastener black with the permanent marker. Younger children will need some help with this step.

Step 5

6. Follow this step if you don’t mind the wings being fixed. Glue the two halves of the red circle onto the larger black circle so that the corner of one semicircle is overlapping the other but some black is showing between the two semicircles. See the photograph after step 5 to get an idea.

7. Glue the pom-poms onto the red wings of the ladybug.

8. Glue the small black circle to the back of ladybug, leaving a little showing to form the head.

Step 8

9. Use two small scraps of black pipe cleaner for antennae by gluing them to the back of the ladybug’s head.

10. If you’d like to turn your ladybug into a pencil topper, simply glue or tape the top of the pencil to the back of the ladybug.

When you’re all finished, your ladybug should look something like this:

Done!

Beautiful Butterfly

Here’s what you need:

• A wooden pencil
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Markers, craft foam, and other decorative materials
• Pom-poms
• Glue

Here’s what to do:

1. Fold the sheet of construction paper in half. Draw the outline of half of a butterfly, with the fold down the middle of the butterfly. This will ensure that your butterfly is symmetrical.

Step 1

2. Cut out the half outline you just drew, keeping the fold in the construction paper intact.

Step 2

3. Unfold the butterfly and decorate it with markers, craft foam and anything else you can think of.

Step 3

4. Glue the pencil onto the front of the butterfly, right down the middle.

Step 4

5. Glue pom-poms to the pencil to form the body of the butterfly.

Step 5

Here’s what our finished pencil toppers look like:

Done!

What other spring pencil topper ideas can you think of?

Our first leprechaun craft is great for older kids, so they can have their own leprechaun cup to place coins in, as if the leprechaun is protecting his pot of gold!  The second, simple craft places a pot-of-gold at the end of a rainbow as a door handle decoration and is probably best for your younger children, but even older ones might find it fun!

The Crafty Leprechaun

The Crafty Leprechaun

What You’ll Need:

• 12. oz paper cup (like those used for coffee)
• 2 Green and 2 orange pipe cleaners
• Green, peach, yellow, and black construction paper (one small sheet each)
• Green paint
• One pair of googly eyes
• A black pen, black marker, and red marker (or pen)
• Glue

Here’s what do do:

1. Paint the paper cup green and let it dry.
2. Cut out a circle from the peach construction paper. Make sure it’s big enough to hide the cup’s rim when looking at it straight on.
3. Cut out a hat from the green construction paper and make sure the brim is a little bit wider than the peach circle that will create the head.
4. Use a black marker to make a band on the hat, but leave room in the middle for a buckle!
5. Cut out 3 small squares from the yellow construction paper and then cut out their middles for the hat’s and shoes’ buckles!
6. Glue a buckle onto the center of the hat and then glue the hat onto the top third of the peach circle.
7. Glue the googly eyes a little under the brim of the hat.
8. Draw a nose in black pen and a mouth in red marker (or pen) and then set the face aside.
9. Coil an entire orange pipe cleaner around a pencil or pen and slip it off.
10. Glue the ends of the coil onto the peach circle, making a beard.
11. Cut two small, straight pieces from another orange pipe cleaner and glue these above the googly eyes for eyebrows.
12. Glue the head onto the cup to cover near a third of the cup in length.
13. Take one green pipe cleaner and make a small loop at one end (secure it by wrapping a small part around).  Make a loop in the pipe cleaner right next to the one you just made and twist it so it stays in place. It should now resemble a flower stem with leaves. Take the straight edge and make a third loop that meets the other two in the center, making a clover shape!
14. Repeat the previous step again for the other hand.
15. Attach one on each side of the cup using tape or glue.
16. Cut out two small shoe-shaped pieces from the black paper and glue one yellow buckle to each shoe before gluing them to the bottom of the cup.

The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

What You’ll Need

• Paper plate
• Scissors
• 1 sheet of yellow and 1 sheet of green construction paper
• Black marker
• Markers for each color of the rainbow
• Gold and green glitter (optional)
• Glue or tape

Here’s what to do

1. Cut a half-circle into the bottom of the plate.
2. Cut out two pie-shaped pieces on the edge of the plate where the half-circle’s corners line up.
3. Have your child color a rainbow that follows the arch of the half-circle
4. Color the rest of the plate with black marker and be sure to color in a pot rim at the corners of the half-circle
5. Take the yellow construction paper and cut out a shape that resembles a pile of coins, making it as long as the diameter of the half-circle.
6. Run a clear glue stick over the “pile of coins” and sprinkle gold glitter over the construction paper to make it look real!
7. Glue or tape this to the back of the paper plate with the glittery side facing frontward
8. Cut out the shape of a shamrock from the green construction paper and glue it to the center of the pot. Optionally glue green glitter to it.
9. Hang it on any door knob in the house!

Have fun making these crafts with your children! They are a pot-of-fun!

Share These Great St. Patrick’s Day Crafts with Friends!