Thursday, July 2, 2009

Fourth of July Crafts

Independence Day Crafts for Nannies and Au Pairs to do With Their Charges


There are many great web sites that list Fourth of July crafts, activites, games, and printables to do with children. We like Kaboose.com.

Click here to see link to kaboose.com:


Uncle Sam Hat Treat Holders
By Amanda Formaro
What you'll need:
Styrofoam cup
Red and blue felt
Red paint
Paintbrush
Silver chenille stem
Scissors
White craft glue
Black marker


How to make it:

  1. Place cup, open end down, on top of the red felt and trace with a marker.

  2. Cut around the traced circle leaving a ¾” border around it.

  3. Fold the circle and cut a slit in the center of the circle to allow your scissors to get in. Cut out the inside circle, leaving about a ¼” border around the inside of the trace line. Set felt circle aside.

  4. Paint red stripes all the way around the outside of the cup, stripes should run up and down. Let dry completely.

  5. Cut a strip of blue felt about 1.5” wide. It should be long enough to wrap around the brim of the cup.

  6. Glue felt strip around the outside of the top of the cup.

  7. Lay red felt circle on to work surface, black trace line should be facing up.
    Line the lip of the cup with white glue and press down onto black trace line. Let dry.

  8. Turn cup over and place on work surface.

  9. Use silver chenille to bend into star shapes, trim where needed. Glue onto the blue hat band.

  10. When everything is dry, fill with treats.

Tips:
To make our treat cups sturdier, especially if using outside, glue a heavy washer to the bottom of the cup.

You can add handles to your cup by twisting to chenille stems together and poking through the sides of the cup and running over the top. This step should be done before adding the blue brim.

You may also use white paper or plastic cups for this project.

What do you do with your charges for the Fourth of July?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Amanda said...

Glad you enjoyed the craft! It was fun to make :)

Michelle said...

I like kaboose also but really have been liking familyeducation web site too. I just love when crafts and games can help kids learn and have fun at the same time.

I just want to make it clear that all the nanny friends I know love your newsletter. I appreciate that you don't just include crafts and cookie recipes. No noe else has been publishing about cultural differences between nannies and employers.

Although I love your newsletter because of the articles I really appreciate the fourth of july crafts you have included in previous July issues other years. This July issue didn't have crafts but it did have so so so many clever games and ideas to keep kids learning this summer and while traveling.

I look forward to getting your newsletter in the mail each month. Thanks keep on posting !!!

Anonymous said...

I don't work on the fourth of july. I have tomorrow off too. I am sorry for those who have to work on the fourth but I think the activities on the kaboose and familyeducation websites as listed previously are good options. In the past I made fun jello molds for the fourth of july and def. go to the fireworks with the kids and parents you work for if you can.
Kellyanne
8 yrs nanny experience

Anonymous said...

The project I do each year was in this Best Nanny newsletter. You take paper towel cardboard rolls and cover them with contstruction paper (red white blue) then staple long strips of red white blue crepe paper at different lengths on inside the tube. Add a string and you have a wind chime (without the music). Very pretty. Kids love it, very patriotic.

Allison T.
Morristown NJ

Anonymous said...

The project I do each year was in this Best Nanny newsletter. You take paper towel cardboard rolls and cover them with contstruction paper (red white blue) then staple long strips of red white blue crepe paper at different lengths on inside the tube. Add a string and you have a wind chime (without the music). Very pretty. Kids love it, very patriotic.

Allison T.
Morristown NJ

Anonymous said...

I often just print out a bunch of word games, coloring pages, and printables from academic childen's web sites and make a fun book for the kids to do for every holiday!
The kids love it. I do not know if the parents care, but I like encouraging them to learn while having fun.
Genelisa Maine