Canada Day

DIY Canada Day Footprint and Handprint Shirts for Babies and Kids

Do you attend a party on Canada Day?  Every July 1st, our kids get new tshirts to wear to our annual fireworks event.  We usually hit the mall and find a store that has the best prices on a shirt for this ONE day each year.... seems crazy to buy a shirt for one day, right?

 

So, this year, we decided to make them instead! 

 

make your own Canada Day tshirt

 

make your own Canada Day onesie for baby

Materials:

plain white tshirt or baby onesie (found at craft stores or discount stores)

red fabric paint

 

Directions:

1.  Paint your hands with red paint.  Painting baby's feet might be the easiest!

 

2.  Put a piece of cardboard side the shirt, between the front and the back so that paint doesn't transfer. 

 

3.  Put the handprint in the centre of the shirt.

 

4.  Create the Canadian Flag by painting red rectangles on either side of the print.

 

5.  Let it dry, then wear it to your own Canada Day festivities or create your own July 1st party with these fun crafts and decoration for kids of all ages.

 

Thanks for the great photos, momstown Edmonton!

Posted by momstown team on 05/16/2013 - 20:11
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Canada Day Deely-Bopper Headband

Today we had a pre Canada Day get-together at the park. In order to get everyone in the spirit, I made these fun Canada Day Deely-Bopper headbands this morning before our playdate. You can easily make a pair for yourself with just a few minutes, and a few easy to find items.

 

 

Here's what you need to make your own Canada Day Deely-Bopper Headband:

  • a white or red headband
  • red or white craft foam
  • two red or white pipe-cleaners
  • glue (ideally a glue gun)
  • scissors
  • a dowel, skewer, pencil, or pen to wind the pipecleaners around

 

1. Draw or trace four maple leaf shapes onto a sheet of red or white craft foam (I drew one stencil by hand on a piece of paper, cut it out, and traced it onto the foam, but you could use a cookie cutter, an image you have found online, or even a real maple leaf as your template)

 

2. Cut out maple leaf shapes.  Glue a pipecleaner towards the bottom centre of one maple leaf.  Repeat with a second maple leaf and pipe-cleaner.  I used heavy duty craft glue to make it child friendly, but a glue gun would be quicker.

 

 

Glue third and fourth maple leaves on top of the first and second.  Each pipe-cleaner should now be sandwiched between two foam maple leaves.

 

3. Once glue has dried, wrap each pipe-cleaner multiple times around a dowel.  Leave approximately 10 cms at the end of each pipe-cleaner unwrapped.

 

 

4. Pull pipe-cleaners off the dowels, keeping the corkscrew shape intact.  Wrap the untwisted portion of one pipecleaner a few times around the headband.  Make sure the end of the pipe-cleaner is on top of the headband, so that it doesn't poke or scratch the wearer's head.  If desired, secure pipecleaner to headband with a dab of glue.

 

 

Repeat with second pipe-cleaner.

 

 

5. Show off your patriotic pride!

 

 

Posted by momstown Teach on 06/28/2012 - 23:13
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Canada Day Crafts for Kids: Windsock Canada Flag

Canada is turning 145 this year, and that is certainly a cause for celebration. We have been busy preparing for the party, and today we made flag windsocks.  They are great decorations inside the house right now, and on Canada Day itself we will hang them outside to wave in the wind.  They are also a lot of fun to run around with!

 

 

Here is what you will need to create your own Toilet Paper Tube Flag Windsock:

  • a paper tube (we used toilet paper rolls, but paper towel rolls would also work)
  • red and white construction paper
  • red and white crepe paper
  • red paint or marker (or a red maple leaf sticker)
  • glue and or tape
  • scissors
  • ribbon (optional)

1. Cut a piece of white paper so that it is the same length as you paper tube.  Wrap the paper around the tube to measure how much you need to cover it. Trim to fit. Wrap the white paper around the tube, and secure it with either glue or clear tape.

 

2. Cut two strips of red construction paper.  Wrap one strip around the bottom end of the tube, and secure with tape or glue.  Repeat with the second red paper strip.

 

 

3. Use red paint to paint a simple maple leaf in the centre of the white paper.  If you prefer, you could make a few fingerprints in a maple leaf shape, or apply a maple leaf sticker instead.

 

 

4. Cut a few strips of red and white crepe paper.  Cut each strip lengthwise into two or three long, thin pieces.  Apply glue to inside of one edge of the roll, and glue strips of construction paper in place. 

 

 

5. Wind together remaining strips of red and white crepe paper.  Use tape to attach to the inside edges of the top of the windsock, creating a loop to hang it with.  Alternately, use a length of red or white ribbon instead.

 

Posted by momstown Teach on 06/26/2012 - 14:30
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A Porcupine in a Pine tree - A Canadian 12 Days of Christmas

momstown loves books with Canadian content - and this awesome twist on the classic '12 days of Christmas' is a hit with all ages!

Our partners at Scholastic Canada introduced us to this book hot off the presses, in time for the holiday season. Porcupine in a Pine Tree is a Canadian 12 days of Christmas story, written by Helene Becker.

porcupine in a pine tree

From the first page, you will be delighted with the clever and Canadian twists on the classic song. We have two caribou, three beaver tails, four calling moose, and my personal favourite...

porcupine in a pine tree

Five Stanley Cups!

 

I read this to my four year-old and although I'm not sure he remembers the 'original' 12 days of Christmas song, he LOVED this one. We sang it about four times as we read it over and over. The illustrations are by Werner Zimmerman and they are perfect - whimsical and entertaining.

 

I won't give it away - you'll have to read it yourself to find out how Canadian all 12 days of Christmas are!

 

If you're a momstown member, you'll be reading this at your December kids' book club and have a chance to win your own copy!

Posted by Teacher Mom on 11/16/2011 - 21:11
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Canada Day mini flag

canada day mini flag

Lauren's hiding behind her very own waving flag she made for Canada Day! Try this fun momstown craft with your family or with a playgroup.

 

canada day mini flag

What you need:

  • White paper
  • Red bingo dabber
  • Straw, chopstick or twig (to use for flag handle)

First outline the maple leaf and the red bands with the dabber. You'll probably need to take artistic license on that maple leaf! Then have kids dab the colours to fill the bands in.

 

canada day mini flag

Fold one side of the flag over the stick and glue to secure.

 

canada day mini flag

 

Little ones can get in on the fun too!

 

canada day mini flag

Megan's turned out great! Dabbers are easy to use and a great craft tool.

It's fun to dress up your house and yourself for Canada Day - try our window-size flag craft or make Canadiana necklaces!

Posted by momstown mama on 06/23/2011 - 20:28
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Canada Day Flag Banner

Canada Day flag

 

Would you believe my kids made the flag in our window for Canada Day? Your kids can too, with this fun and easy family craft from momstown. Works great for a playgroup activity too!

 

canada day flag

What you need:

  • Red marker
  • Red bingo dabber
  • Mural paper (white)

I used a Canada flag we had handy to help me draw out the maple leaf (harder than it looks!) or print this template to help you. Use the red marker to draw the lines along both sides, and then kids can dab inside the lines to fill in the leaf and the red bands.

 

Canada flag craft

Andrew got serious about getting those red bands filled in!

 

Display proudly in your house - a window works well - the kids love seeing it from the street. You can make Canada Day necklaces and mini-flags too!

Posted by momstown mama on 06/23/2011 - 20:18
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