Creating Crabs

This post is brought to you by the letter C.  :) 

We are on Alphabet Island having adventures studying island life including crabs!

Mother Goose Time came up with this little crab craft for Crab Day, and it doubles as a musical shaker!  I love it when crafts have a dual purpose.

Mother Goose Time sent us a little cardboard container with a lid, a strip of eye stickers, red glitter sand (I love this stuff), and a red piece of cardstock which I cut out 6 strips and 2 claws.

All I had to do was provide a paintbrush and paint, 

which is modge podge mixed with a little red acrylic paint

(Thanks Stacy at Things to Share and Remember for that great idea!)

It did not take Sweet Pea long to get after painting! I was so proud of how focused she was and how she tried to cover the entire surface of her container.  Most of the time she ends up painting her hands and making prints, but she really worked at just placing paint on the cardboard tub and the lid.

TIP:  Give things in steps one at a time to help keep kids from being overwhelmed.

When I placed the tray in front of Sweet Pea, I only had the container, lid, paint, and paintbrush on it.  .  Once she was done, I took away the paint and paintbrush and replaced it with a teaspoon and the glitter sand.  I also placed the red tub in a container to catch the glitter sand.  Using the teaspoon, Sweet Pea scooped and poured the glitter sand on the red glue surface and it stuck like a charm.

I helped by holding it so she could pour the glittery sand on the sides of her container.

After it dried outside, which didn't take long, I added a bit of rice into the container and hot-glued the lid shut.  No one wants to clean rice off the floor. 

Been there done that.

Sweet Pea folded the red cardstock strips in half, and I hot glued them and the claws onto the container... all he needed now was eyes.

Why have 2 eyes when you can have 12?

Sweet Pea was so proud of her craft she took it to her grandparents to show off later that afternoon. 

I love that she is becoming proud of her creations and I absolutely love watching her create.