I’ve teamed up with some creative moms to bring you this Back to School Crafts Collab! We hope this inspires you to create some things to get your child excited to go back to school this fall. Let us know which one you’ll be trying!
1. Jessie from WeEvents!
Animal Backpack Bling
Directions:
- Use a shopkins, hatchimal or any plastic animal that you having laying around. Screw a screw eye into the top of your animal. You can usually just use your fingers and push hard.
- Twist a pipe cleaner onto the top of the screw in the eye.
- Thread beads on pipe cleaner.
- Add clasp and twist pipe cleaner to close.
- Hang on backpack!
Wooden Backpack Bling
- Dollar tree often has wooden cut outs. If there isn’t a hole, drill a hole on the top of the animal. Or purchase from here: This is my fav place to get wood cuts outs.
- Decorate the wood shape with markers/kwik sticks/paint/glue/pompoms/stickers
- Twist pipe cleaner onto wooden shape.
- Thread beads on pipe cleaner.
- Twist a key chain ring or clasp on the end and twist to close.
2. Karimah from Crafting a Fun Life!
Paper Pencil Craft/Photo Prop
Supplies:
cardstock (yellow, black, pink & brown), aluminum foil, scissors, glue & alphabet
stickers.
Directions:
- First, cut out a large triangle from brown cardstock and a small triangle from black cardstock.
- Next, cut out a large rectangle from yellow cardstock.
- Now cut a small rectangle from pink cardstock and aluminum foil.
- To assemble the pencil, glue the brown triangle on the yellow rectangle and the black triangle on the brown triangle.
- Then glue the pink and foil rectangle on the other end of the yellow rectangle to create the eraser.
- Finally, add the grade level or back to school terms using stickers to the middle of the yellow rectangle.
3. Brenna from Raising Mini Moss!
Kissing Hand Keepsake
Easing back to school jitters can be tough – especially spending time away from mom & dad! The book “The Kissing Hand” does a great job of teaching a way to bring Mama’s kisses to school, reminding the little one they are always connected through love.
Directions:
- Trace your hands and cut out.
- Apply lipstick and kiss the palm of each other’s handprints.
- Fold down the fingers to form “I Love You” in American Sign Language.
- Have your child hang this in their locker or keep in their desk as a reminder of your love – and memories of a fun activity together!
4. Melissa from Storytime Mama
Family Photo & Note
Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney is a great book to read leading up to school. The story validates a child’s feelings of missing family while at school. At the end of the story Llama Llama learns he loves his Mama AND school too! Be honest with your child and discuss what you will do while they are at school so they are not wondering or feeling left out. For example, “Mama’s going to take you to school and then go to the grocery store to get eggs so we can bake when you get home.” Send your child to school with a family photo in their backpack that they can look at when they miss you.
Directions:
- Use contact paper and confetti to create a sparkly frame.
- Write a special note on the back.
- The contact paper will keep the photo protected from all the hugs, kisses, squishes, and hopefully
minimal tears.
Kissing Hand Keychain
My all time favorite book to read leading up to and on the first day back to school is The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M Leak. A sweet story about a little racoon apprehensive to leave his mother so she gives him a little kiss in the palm of his hands that will be with him all day! Parents and children can make their own kissing hand keychain for backpacks, purses, or briefcase for each other.
Directions:
- Make a handprint on shrinky dink plastic in your favorite color acrylic paint and painting a heart in the middle.
- Take turns painting each others hands.
- Let it dry.
- Cut around the handprint and hole punch before baking per the shrinky dink directions.
- After it’s cooled add a keychain and voila!
Whether your child is going back to school or you are going back to work this serves as a loving reminder and helps make the transitions easier.
5. Rosemary from Hopscotch City!
Canvas Pencil Pouch Craft
Materials:
- Pom poms
- Iron on letters
- Felt stickers
- Tacky Glue
Directions:
- Glue pieces onto the canvas bag in any arrangement you wish.
- Let dry.
- Enjoy!
You could also use fabric markers and stencils. Utilize what you have on-hand!
Have fun creating!