Well, hello there, summer. To be honest, I was looking forward to the end of classes. This means I can get back to my regular programming, the home program that is, and not worry about being late for class or what food to prepare for baon. I have more time to do chores and keep our house clean. Still, I don’t intend to waste the summer period.
Apart from preparing my eldest daughter for big school, I am also preparing my youngest daughter for preschool this incoming school year. She gets easily grossed with the thought of holding glue, play-doh, and paint, and I want her to be able to overcome that. 
Check out these simple but fun crafts we did for the past week:
Spell-Your-Name Activity
What you need: Cardboard, colored paper, and glue
How to do it: 
- Tear the colored paper into small pieces.
- Write the name of your child in the cardboard. This will serve as an outline or guide.
- Let your child trace his/her name using the glue.
- Stick torn colored paper. You can also use stickers, adhesives, or mounting tape cut into small pieces, which you can buy in National Bookstore.
Benefits: Aside from familiarizing your child of his/her name, the act of tracing the name using glue and sticking the torn paper help in improving your child’s fine motor skills.
Crumpled Paper Painting
What you need: Crumpled sheets of paper and paint (we just use watercolor since it dries faster)
How to do it: 
- Crumple the paper and turn it into a ball.
- Paint the outside of the ball. At this point, let your child choose any color s/he wants.
- Let it dry for a few seconds, unfold, and then crumple it again by turning it into a ball.
- Paint the outside of the ball using a different color.
Benefits: This activity can be a good way to teach your child about colors. At the same time, it enhances their creativity and teaches them the concept of “abstract art.”
Leaf Rubbing
This is one of my favorite things to do when I was younger. I remember getting leaves from my lola’s plants and coloring them. Since the husband is into “farming” these days, I decided to introduce this activity to my kids and thankfully, they had fun doing it.
What you need: Leaves (lots of them!), paper for coloring, and crayons
How to do it: 
- Gather leaves with the kids. You can get it from your backyard, at the village park, or from your neighbor’s plants (just make sure to ask permission).
- Place one leaf at a time under the paper. In our case, we just used my kids’ sketchpad. In case you want added effects, you can also try parchment paper, wax paper, or tracing paper, although you have to be extra careful when rubbing the leaf.
- Rub the leaf using your child’s choice of color. Let your child be amazed when they see the outline of the leaf right before their eyes.
Benefits: What I like most is the bonding activity that we had while gathering leaves. I made it like a game where I asked my girls to get small, medium, and large leaves, and they were giddy and excited to get some. Take this opportunity to introduce the parts of a leaf for added information.
What about you, mommas? Do you love making crafts with your kids? Share them below!
Ayi is a stay-at-home mom of two. When her kids are in their best state, she keeps up with chores, work, and ensuring that her sanity is intact. Join her as she navigates through this rollercoaster ride called motherhood.
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