BY: THE MILITARY RESPITE CARE PROGRAM TEAM
Arts & Crafts Activities for Children of All Abilities
Arts and crafts can be a fantastic way for children of all abilities to develop fine motor skills while having fun. Here are two delightful activities that you can easily do at home with your child.
Ice Scream Squishies
Materials:
Paper (any color)
Colors (pens/markers/crayons/color pencils)
Clear duct tape
Cotton balls
Scissors
Instructions:
- Draw the Shapes: An adult draws two outlines of an ice cream cone or popsicle shape on a piece of paper, approximately 3 inches by 4 inches in size.
- Color the Shapes: Let your child color the inside of each drawn shape. Encourage them to add faces or other fun details.
- Cut Out the Shapes: The adult carefully cuts out the shapes.
- Cover with Tape: Use clear tape to cover the entire surface of both shapes, ensuring everything is fully covered.
- Trim the Edges: Cut around both shapes again, leaving a small edge around the perimeter.
- Seal the Edges: Apply tape to 3/4 of the edges of each shape, leaving a 1-inch opening.
- Stuff with Cotton Balls: Help your child stuff cotton balls into the opening until the shape is puffed up and squishy.
- Seal the Opening: Close the 1-inch gap with tape, completing your fun and tactile ice cream squishy!
Hand Print Craft
Materials:
Paper (any color)
Colors (pens/markers/crayons/color pencils)
Glue
Cotton balls
Scissors
Instructions:
- Trace Handprints: With an adult’s help, trace your child’s handprint twice on a piece of paper.
- Draw Additional Shapes: The adult draws a pot plant and an ice cream cone on the paper.
- Color the Shapes: Let your child color the pot plant, ice cream cone, and handprints. This helps improve their fine motor skills and creativity.
- Cut Out the Handprints: The adult carefully cuts out the traced handprints.
- Create a Cactus: Glue the bottom of the handprints to the pot plant, making it look like a cactus. Work together with your child for this step.
- Make an Ice Cream Cone: Turn the handprints upside down and glue the edges of the tops to the cone, creating an ice cream cone effect.
- Add Cotton Balls: Glue cotton balls to the top of the ice cream cone for a fluffy, realistic touch.
- Final Touches: Let your child color any remaining parts of the pot plant and cone, adding any final details they like.
About Military Respite Care Program YMCA Childcare Resource Service
The Y partners with Child Care Aware® of America and the U.S. Navy to provide Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Respite Care to eligible families. Together, we have established a quality respite child care program for families with children (birth through 18 years) who have special needs and are enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program. Learn more.