This is a craft that all ages can enjoy. You can use Dot Paints or in our case, my 5-year-old used his fingers, to make a great keepsake.

1. Use a pencil to draw a U-shape on the black paper from one edge of the paper to the other. 
2. Take the scissors and cut along the line and you have your lucky pot.
3. Glue the pot to your white piece of paper with the flat part up.
4. Pour the first color of paint onto your plate or palette. Dip a finger in, lightly dab on a paper towel before applying to the white paper. (Or if you use Dot Paints, then just dab dots on the paper). You can go in an arc like a rainbow, a zig-zag, a straight line or whatever your child's preference is.
5. Repeat with the next color and so on until you have used all your colors.
6. Take glittery paint or glitter glue and spread along the top of your pot to make it shiny.

Materials:

• Cone-shaped treat bags
• Hot chocolate mix
• Mini marshmallows
• A coffee mug
• Tape or rubber band
• Ribbon
• Gift tag
• Plastic Gift bag or gift basket (optional)
• Chocolates or other treats to put in mug

This is a great "craft" and holiday gift for your child's teacher, a neighbor or family.

We found two coffee mugs for $5 at Marshall's and the cone-shaped gift bags for the hot chocolate (with a snowflake design) came from Michael's. This is a great craft gift to do with your child. My 9-year-old enjoyed putting these together.

1. Scoop the hot chocolate into the cone shaped treat bag a little less than 2/3 from the top.
2. Sprinkle mini marshmallows on top.
3. Tightly twist the top of the bag and use a rubber band or twist tie to close it. If you're working more than a day in advance, I'd recommend the rubber band or even taping the top to ensure freshness.
4. Take a ribbon and tie around the top to look pretty and put in a mug. Add some chocolates or other treats.
5. For a little more holiday cheer, you can put the mug and hot chocolate in a plastic gift bag (as seen above) and then tie a ribbon and gift tag to it.

Materials needed:

• Green cupcake liner
• Cupcake liner (we used yellow but any color will do)
• Construction paper
• Piece of white paper
• Glue
• Paint - two colors or more
• Markers
• Scissors

This idea came from North Branch Preschool and is a great craft to help toddlers and preschoolers with their fine motor skills.

1. Fold your construction paper in half to make a card.
2. Cut out white paper in an oval or egg shape.
3. Take green cupcake liner and cut in half. Glue two pieces at bottom of white paper.
4. Draw a stem from the green liner.
5. Glue the other cupcake liner to the top of the stem to complete your flower.
6. Have your child dip his or her finger in paint and apply to the paper to make eggs. We chose pink and purple but any colors will do.
7. Use markers to make leaves or a sun, if you wish.
8. Glue entire piece to the front of your card.
9. Have your child write or decorate the inside of the card as desire.

An easy craft for kids of all ages to make for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or any other special occasion.

Materials Needed:

• Piece of construction paper or card stock. Color is up to you
• Buttons of various colors
• Glue
• Other embellishments such as packing peanuts, stickers or whatever else you think of 
• Scissors
• Pencil

1. Draw a heart shape on your piece of paper or card stock.
2. Cut out your heart.
3. Use glue to attach buttons and other embellishments in pattern of your choice.

This is a great craft for kids of all ages and fairly quick to complete.

Materials Needed:

• White paper
• Paper for heart templates
• Pencils
• Paint (colors optional)
• Scissors

1. Take a piece of paper and fold it in half and then draw half a heart. 
2. Cut out the heart and unfold it. Place it on your piece of white paper.
3. Take a pencil and dip the eraser end into your paint and dab it on your white paper around the edge of your heart. Continue until you have "stamped" around the entire heart. Adults may need to help younger ones stamp and hold the template in place. 
4. Remove your paper and you should see a heart shape stamped in paint.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the next size heart. I'd recommend starting with largest to smallest heart.
6. Let paint dry. You can keep it plain as we did or decorate further or write a special Valentine's Day message.

A very elegant looking Valentine's Day craft that is still very easy to make.

Materials Needed:

• At least 2 doilies of differing sizes (you could do 3 or 4 to make a bigger card with more layers)
• Two to three sheets of colored or print paper (number depends on how many doilies you use)
• Glue
• Pencil
• Markers or crayons
• Stickers and or paint
• Scissors

1. Place small doily on one piece of paper and trace the doily shape. Cut out the tracing and then glue it to the back of the small doily. Repeat this step for the next doily. You can use solid or pattern paper as your background.
2. Once all doilies have been glued to their paper backgrounds, then glue the smallest doily to the next biggest doily and so on for a layered effect.
3. Decorate the front as desired. We used a foam heart sticker and then dipped a pencil's eraser in some pink paint and "stamped it in an outline.
4. Write your message on the back and/or decorate the back as well.

I Only Have Eyes for You

Here is a very easy and cute craft that even the youngest child can do, with a little help. And there are several variations you can choose.

Materials Needed:

• Large piece of colored paper
  
• Smaller piece of colored or patterned paper
  
• Glue
• Paint
• Marker or pen
• Scissors
• Scallop scissors (optional)
• Googly eyes
• Small sponge (optional)
• Paintbrush
• Cup or plate for paint

1. Dip your child's hand in paint. I actually find using a sponge and blotting it on your child's thumb is easiest.
2. Pres thumb to smaller piece of paper. If you want a small monster, then it will take one or two thumbprints. A larger monster (as seen above) will take several prints or you can use the sponge.
3. Take a paintbrush or use finger to paint the arms and legs.
4. Let the paint dry a little and then use glue to apply the googly eyes. The number of eyes is up to your little artist.
5. If you want, use scallop scissors to cut a border around the paper. Then glue it to your larger sheet. 
6. Use marker or pen to write your special Valentine's message or you can write something for any other occasion. 
You can make your monster as small or large as you choose and you can design a fancier card as well. See below:

Supplies Needed:

• Piece of paper
• Blue paint
• Desired paint color for fish
• Googly eye, eye sticker or black marker
• Glue (if using googly eye)
• Other color paint or crayons
• Paper plate and sponge (optional)

A wonderful Father's Day craft for all ages. My son's preschool did this craft. I couldn't find the exact template so I made one with a different font for the words. You can download it here.

1. Print the template on white paper.
2. Let your child color the fishing pole in crayon, if desired.
3. I like to use a paper plate and cheap sponge (can get a pack at the dollar store) for making handprints. I find it makes it a lot easier. So if you use my method, pour some paint on a paper plate. Take the sponge and blot it on the paint. Wipe off any globs. Then dab your child's hand with the sponge.
4. Have your child place their painted hand on the paper. You might need to help them.
5. I would let the handprint dry and then let your child finger paint the blue along the bottom for the ocean.
6. When the fish is dry you can glue on a googly eye, draw one or use an "eye" sticker.

Here are alternatives for this craft that you can do as well:

• I'm Hooked on Daddy - You can easily use a black marker to draw the line and fish hook and write (or have your child write) "I'm hooked on Daddy.
• I'm Hooked on Daddy (no paint) - very similar to the other one except you use construction paper for the handprint
• Hooked on Papa - This one uses a footprint for the fishing pole and the handprint for the fish

Supplies Needed:

• Black construction paper
• Colored paper - orange, red and whatever color preferred
• Piece of white paper
• Colored star stickers
• Self-Adhesive gems or other stickers
• Small photo of child's face
• Pencil
• Glue stick
• Tape
• Scissors
• White crayon

This is a great Father's Day craft that kids of all ages will enjoy. Younger kids will need more assistance but they can do it. This craft was inspired by the rocket craft from All Kids Network. 

1. Print out the template from All Kids Network and cut out (or have your child cut) the rocket ship and moon. I would have an adult cut the circle in the rocket to accommodate the photo.
2. Trace your child's hand (older kids can do this themselves) - one hand on orange paper and one hand on red paper. Then cut them out.
3. If you don't already have a photo on hand, then print one out.
4. Cut the photo to the proper size and tape it in position to the back of the rocket. 
5. Have your child position the hands the way they want to look like flames. You may want to cut off the thumb at least, if not the thumb and pinky, to make it look right. 
You can tape the flames to the back of the rocket and then glue the whole thing to the paper but it seemed unwieldy for my younger child. We found it easiest to position the rocket and flames where you want and then glue the flames in place on the paper and then glue the rocket. 
6. Have your child write a message. In my 3 1/2-year old son's case, we shortened the message from "I Love you to the moon and back" to "I (heart) you" with a heart sticker because he can't write very well - see picture below.
7. Glue the moon. Place the star stickers where desired.
8. Decorate the rocket. My kids both chose self-adhesive gems but you can use any kind of foam or regular stickers or even draw a design. With my preschool-age son, we used the larger gems because they were easier for him to handle and place on the rocket all by himself. My elementary-school daughter had the dexterity to use the tiny gems.

Supplies Needed:

• Paint of desired color
• Green marker
• White paper 
• Paper plate and sponge (optional)

This is one of the easiest crafts we've ever done and makes a wonderful keepsake. I find using a sponge and paper plate for handprints is easiest but you don't have to do it that way.

1. Pour some paint on a paper plate and then dab the paint with a sponge (I get them at the dollar store).
2. Wipe off globs so you have an even covering on the sponge. Then blot the sponge on your child's hand. Or flip the sponge over on the plate (where there is no paint) and have your child place their hand on the sponge.
3. Have your child place their painted hand on the paper. (For younger children, you will need to guide them).
4. Then use the marker to draw a stem and, if desired, leaves.
5. Let dry. Then you have the perfect gift.