This craft works for a wonderful fall or Thanksgiving decoration and not only is it fun for kids, but there’s learning for kindergarten readiness too. Thank you to Happy Hooligans for the inspiration.
First, we used a stiff piece of paper and traced around a pie plate to make the outside circle. Little hands can do the tracing, but grownup hands need to hold the plate from sliding around. Find another circle for the middle that leaves a fairly wide band and trace again. Cut around the outside circle. Make a hole in the center part to cut out the inner circle. The paper we had was too thick for Big Sister’s hands to cut; it was almost too thick for me. Cutting out the inner circle was quite tricky.
Using orange, red, yellow, and brown tissue paper, cut out a few squares, about 3 inches or so, of each color. This uses surprisingly few. If the glue at your house gets all over everywhere, a grownup can squeeze a thick line all around the circle. Kids can just pinch the tissue paper in the middle to make it all wrinkly and stick it on the line of glue all around. If any spot looks bare, add a little more glue and more squished paper. Add a ribbon to hang, maybe staple so it stays attached.
Crafts like this are suitable for both toddlers and preschoolers. Kids learn to do several steps in order and to figure out a sequence. They can’t glue until the wreath is traced and cut out. As they pick colors they are learning to make choices and to match the names of colors. There’s lots of talking, explaining, and practice asking questions. Best of all, are the good feelings when kids see that they have completed a project and it’s decorating the home! Is this doable at your place?