Can you tell me about a pre-school craft that involves monsters?

Question

This craft is for pre-K and K. It really should have no more than 5 or 6 pieces - and it should be able to be done in just one class session (which allows us about 20 minutes). The kids don't come regularly - so we can't have prep activities or drying time.

I'm teaching them about bravery/courage - and I thought a monster would be a great craft.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Well, you can use paper bags for the face and body and just let the children make their own body or face and glue it on. My other idea is to make a monster mask out of papar plates and glue on a popsicile stick.

Answer 2

making masks

Answer 3

Well, if it is hands on they you may want to mabey have them first make a monster out of a sock (like a sock pupett) and then you could say stories of some kind...like semi-scary ones  and lay out scenarios and ask them what they would do and how they would solve it and them walk them through how to go abouts overcomeing the fear of the scory situation and be brave. Ex. If they were to hear scary noises or see a shadow of a scary thing, if they had a flash light next to there bed then they would shine it around and seee that there is nothing there.

Im sorry if this doesnt help...it might give you ideas?

Answer 4

I understand you wanting to teach about bravery but we stay away from monster themes - we used to do "The Monster Under My Bed" thinking it would help with nightmares (the monster turns out to be a kitten) - and it caused nightmares.  We sure didn't want that!  so, we just don't do monsters anymore  - children's imaginations are very vivid and I don't like contributing to nightmares!!

Answer 5

My suggestion would be to read a story such as Mercer Meyer's There's Something in My Attic, which is about a monster that turns out to be kind of cute, and a brave kid who knows it's there and tries to capture it.  After you read the story, give the children each an empty toilet tissue tube and an assortment of materials such as paper, markers, yarn, pipe cleaners, feathers, etc. and encourage them to make their own monster.  It's open ended and allows them to make their monster any way they think it should look.

Answer 6

I did a week long lesson on monsters last year with my 3 and 4 year olds.  The two favorite books were Where the Wild Things Are and Go Away Big Green Monster.  The most creative art project and most enjoyable was giving the children 3 colors of home made playdoh and letting them design their own monster.  Our small group lasted 30 minutes and longer for some children.  Every monster was different.  We then took pictures of each child with their monster and made our own book about monsters.    There is a series of Huggly books about monsters who live under a child's bed.  The monsters are cute and more afraid of humans than the reverse.

Answer 7

legos, popsticle sticks???

Answer 8

I would read the book Where the Wild Things Are by Mercer Mayer to the kids, then have each student fold a piece of colored paper into 3rds (hamburger style) Have each student write their name on the back of the paper and draw a monster head on the first 3rd of the paper. Have each student fold the paper so the middle 3rd is on the front and you can not see the head of the monster, and pass the paper to the next student. Each student will draw the body of the monster on the paper they have. Each student should fold the paper so the bottom 3rd of the paper is showing,  and pass it to the next student who draws the legs of the monster. You can return them to the original artist and they can name the monster. I've done this with 4-9 year olds and they all loved it. The little ones will need more help with the folding.

Answer 9

I do this thing called squish art with paint and construction paper.

1. Take a large piece of construction paper and fold it in half.

2. Take selected paint colors (I use about 3 that will blend well together like green, blue and white) drop blobs on one half of the paper.

3. Close paper like a book and allow students to squish the paint around on the paper using a variety of tools.  Make sure that the paint makes it into the crease of the paper so it looks like one big paint mess.

4. Open it up and see what they have created.  You can even have them add glitter while the paint is wet. Monster Masks!  After they dry, cut eye holes and staple a craft stick on.  You can use them in a scarry monster game now!

Answer 10

Any type of puppet craft, from sock puppets to craft stick and paper plates. Also you could use brown  markers and have a mud monster to go along with a story your children could describe to you.

Answer 11

A quick and easy way to make monsters with that age group is to do a hand print in paint on construction paper, as it dries read a monster story.. The Mercer Mayer one or whichever one you have available (the paint will dry quickly).  Have the kids decorate their handprint monster with feathers, pipecleaners, markers, jiggly eyes, glitter, etc. They can take their monsters home and hang them over their bed, in the closet or wherever else they need a little extra courage.