Father’s Day is a great time for children to express their love and appreciation for their fathers and father figures by making crafts!
Here are five craft ideas tailored to different age groups at your daycare so every child can participate and create a memorable gift.
1. Infant: Handprint Art
Materials:
- Non-toxic, washable paint
- White cardstock or canvas
- Paintbrushes
- Baby wipes
Instructions:
- Prepare the Workspace: Cover the area with newspaper or a plastic sheet to protect surfaces from paint.
- Paint the Infant’s Hand: Using a paintbrush, gently apply a thin layer of non-toxic paint to the infant’s hand.
- Create the Print: Press the painted hand onto a piece of cardstock or canvas to create a handprint.
- Clean Up: Immediately clean the infant’s hand with baby wipes.
- Add Personal Touches: Once the paint is dry, write a message like “Happy Father’s Day!” and add the infant’s name and date.
Why It Works:
Handprint art is simple and safe for infants, creating a personal and heartwarming keepsake for fathers to cherish.
2. Toddler: Decorated Picture Frame
Materials:
- Wooden or foam picture frames
- Non-toxic paint or markers
- Stickers, glitter and other decorative items
- Glue
- A photo of the child
Instructions:
- Paint the Frame: Allow toddlers to paint or color the picture frame.
- Add Decorations: Once the paint is dry, let the children decorate the frame with stickers, glitter and other items.
- Insert the Photo: Place a photo of the toddler inside the frame.
- Finish: Add a handwritten note on the back of the frame with the child’s name and the date.
Why It Works:
This craft allows toddlers to exercise their creativity while providing fathers with a personalized gift that showcases their child’s artwork.
3. Older Toddler: “Super Dad” Cape
Materials:
- Felt fabric or an old T-shirt
- Fabric markers
- Velcro strips
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions:
- Cut the Cape: Cut a piece of felt fabric or an old T-shirt into the shape of a cape.
- Decorate: Provide older toddlers with fabric markers to draw designs and write messages like “Super Dad” on the cape.
- Attach Velcro: Glue or sew Velcro strips to the ends of the cape so it can be easily worn.
- Personalize: Help children add their names and the date to the cape.
Why It Works:
This craft is fun for older toddlers and results in a fun, wearable gift that fathers can proudly display.
4. Preschooler: DIY Mug
Materials:
- Plain white ceramic mugs
- Ceramic paint markers
- Oven (for setting the paint)
- Newspaper or plastic sheet
Instructions:
- Prepare the Workspace: Cover the area with newspaper or a plastic sheet to protect surfaces from paint.
- Design the Mug: Give preschoolers ceramic paint markers to draw their designs and write messages on the mug.
- Set the Paint: Once the designs are complete, bake the mugs in the oven according to the marker manufacturer’s instructions to set the paint.
- Cool Down: Allow the mugs to cool completely before handling.
Why It Works:
Preschoolers can practice their fine motor skills while creating a functional and personalized gift that fathers can use daily.
5. Coloring Sheet
We’ve got you covered here! Print out this fun coloring sheet so children can make sure their dads know who their hero is!
Made Dads Happy Every Day by Sharing Photos and Updates!
These crafts will surely bring a smile, and maybe even a tear, to moms on their special day. Including mothers in their children’s days will bring the same happiness year round!
The Procare child care mobile app allows families to be immersed in their children’s day-to-day activities – that includes tracking developmental milestones, sharing photos and videos as well as enabling two-way communication.
Teachers can send photos and videos to parents with one tap! Families can see their child’s activities that are shared from school and easily message staff. They also can send reports on daily activities for infants and toddlers, as well as record activities such as diaper changes, bottle feedings and naps.
Your center can record custom student activities and attach development skills like fine motor, social behavior, language and more as your younger learners prepare for their big preschool graduation!
The Procare child care mobile app gives you the ability to:
- Get information quickly via an app
- Take the hassle out of check-in/out
- Have a direct mass communication channel
- Keep parents engaged
- Go digital
- Empower your staff
- Collect tuition and payments effortlessly
It saves child care programs time and money by streamlining core administrative functions while raising the bar for the parent experience with professional communications, easy-to-access portals and the ability for real-time updates from the classroom.
Check out this on-demand webinar to learn more about the app and see for yourself what it can do!
