DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Friendship Crafts

Hello, wonderful friends!

I'm Leanne, the loving mom behind DLTK's Crafts for Kids, and I am so thrilled to welcome you to our Friendship Crafts section. These projects are crafted with love and teach our children the beautiful value of friendship and the joy it brings into our lives.

Each activity is designed to foster creativity, stimulate imagination, and impart a lesson about friendship, all while your children have a blast! Our crafts are easy to follow and are perfect for spending quality time with your children. There are sections for Friendship Crafts for Preschoolers, Friendship Crafts for Kindergarteners and Children's Book Recommendations with Friendship Themes. For older children (and my personal favourite) there are also a number of Friendship Bracelet designs.

So come on, let's create something beautiful and share the joy of crafting and friendship with our little ones. After all, a friend may be waiting behind a craft you've yet to create!

Friendship Bracelets:

• Beaded Bracelet
• Friendship Bracelets
• Diagonal-Style
• Knotted-Style Friendship Bracelet
• Knotted-Style Video Tutorial
• Rope-Style
• Twisted Style Video Tutorial

"Make New Friends" pin

Song:  Make New Friends

Rainbow Fish Section

Shoelace Keychain

	Story: Finley and Milo Story:  Pippin the Porcupine Story:  A Story of Friendship

Celebrating Friendship: Craft Ideas for Preschoolers

Friendship is a valuable concept that children begin to understand at a young age. It's about empathy, respect, sharing, and love, creating bonds that can last a lifetime. Encouraging preschoolers to celebrate friendship through craft-making not only enhances their creativity but also instills in them the essence of friendship. So let's embark on this artistic journey to celebrate friendship, crafting unique keepsakes your preschoolers can share with their little pals.

Handprint Friendship Tree

A handprint friendship tree is a great way to represent unity and friendship visually. The handprints serve as leaves on the tree, symbolizing how each friend contributes to the group's growth, just like leaves on a tree.

Materials:

• Construction paper (green, brown, and multiple other colors)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Marker

Instructions:

1. Trace your preschooler’s hand on various colors of construction paper and cut them out.
2. Cut a tree trunk from brown paper.
3. Glue the handprints to the top of the trunk, layering them to look like tree leaves.
4. On each handprint, write the name of a friend.
5. Allow the tree to dry completely before displaying.
6. Alternatively, you can do this with a group of preschoolers with each one contributing a handprint to the tree!

Painted Friendship Rocks

Friendship rocks are a perfect craft for preschoolers. They are simple to make and can be customized to each friend's favorite colors or designs.

Materials:

• Smooth rocks
• Washable paints
• Paintbrushes
• Clear sealant spray (to be used by an adult)

Instructions:

1. Have your preschooler choose a rock for each friend.
2. Let them paint each rock with their designs or in the friends' favorite colors.
3. Once the paint has dried, an adult can apply a clear sealant spray to make the rock design long-lasting.

Friendship Chain

Creating a friendship chain provides a visual representation of how friends are linked together.

Materials:

• Colorful construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue or stapler

Instructions:

1. Cut strips of construction paper in various colors.
2. Write the name of each friend on separate paper strips.
3. Form a loop with one strip and secure it with glue or a stapler.
4. Thread the next strip through the first loop and secure it, creating a chain.
5. Continue this process until all friends are included in the chain.

Photo of a Friend Picture Frames

Homemade picture frames are a great way for preschoolers to showcase their favorite moments with friends.

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Glue
• Paints
• Decorations (sequins, stickers, buttons, etc.)
• Photo of a friend

Instructions:

1. To cut out the front of your picture frame, you need to cut a piece of cardboard slightly larger than your preschooler’s photo.
2. Next, you need to cut out the window in the picture frame that your preschooler’s photo will be displayed in. Draw a rectangle slightly smaller than your child’s photo and cut it out. Cutting this inner rectangle is easiest if you use an X-acto knife. I recommend doing part one and two ahead of time -- these steps should be done by an adult.
3. Let your preschooler paint and decorate the frame as they wish. Colored macaroni makes a nice addition if you glue it on with school glue.
4. Once dry, attach a photo of them with a friend inside the frame.

Kindergarten Friendship Crafts

Here are three more craft ideas suitable for kindergartners who have a bit more fine motor skill and can handle slightly more complex projects:

Friendship Bookmarks

Create personalized bookmarks that friends can use in their favorite books.

Materials:

• Thin cardboard
• Scraps of paper
• Markers or crayons
• Scissors
• Hole puncher
• Ribbon or yarn

Instructions:

1. Cut a strip of thin cardboard to the desired size of the bookmark.
2. Tear scraps of paper into smaller pieces or take the opportunity to let your kindergartener practice with scissors.
3. Let your child decorate the bookmark with markers or crayons and by gluing on scraps of paper in pretty patterns. They can write their friend's name, draw pictures, or decorate with stickers.
4. Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark and thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through it to finish the bookmark.

Beaded Friendship Keychains

Simple and fun to make, these keychains are a vibrant token of friendship.

Materials:

• Pony beads
• Lanyard string or yarn
• Key rings

Instructions:

1. Cut a length of lanyard string or yarn and thread it through the key ring, securing with a knot.
2. Have your child thread their chosen beads onto the string in a pattern or design they like.
3. Once they have added as many beads as they wish, tie off the end with a secure knot, making sure the beads are snug.

Friendship Flower Pot

Decorating a flower pot provides a fun and creative project, and the end result is a beautiful gift that friends can cherish as they watch their plants grow.

Materials:

• Small terracotta pots
• Acrylic paint and brushes
• Clear acrylic sealer (optional)
• Potting soil and seeds

Instructions:

1. Start with a clean, dry terracotta pot. Have your kindergartener paint the outside of the pot with acrylic paints. They can use their friend's favorite colors, create patterns or draw pictures - whatever they think their friend will like.
2. Let the paint dry completely. If you want the design to be more durable, you can spray the pot with a clear acrylic sealer at this stage (adults only for this step, and make sure to do it in a well-ventilated area).
3. Once the pot is dry, fill it with potting soil and plant the seeds. You can choose flowers, herbs, or even small vegetables.
4. When the plant starts to sprout, it's ready to give to a friend! The receiver will love watching their plant grow in the pot their friend decorated for them.

This project encourages creativity and also introduces basic gardening skills. It's a lovely way to show a friend that your child cares.

Children's Book Recommendations:

Here are five wonderful picture books that introduce the concept of friendship to preschool children:

1. "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister: This book tells the story of a beautiful fish who learns to make friends by sharing his most prized possessions.
2. "Stick and Stone" by Beth Ferry: Stick and Stone are lonely until a chance encounter leads them on an adventure and they discover that friendship is truly a priceless gift.
3. "Frog and Toad Are Friends" by Arnold Lobel: This is a classic easy-to-read book that shares the adventures of the affable Frog and the grumpy Toad. Their relationship showcases the ups and downs of true friendship.
4. "Should I Share My Ice Cream?" by Mo Willems: Part of the Elephant & Piggie series, this book handles the issue of sharing with humor and fun, perfect for preschoolers learning about friendship.
5. "Making Friends Is an Art" by Julia Cook: This book takes a creative approach to teach kids how to make friends. It explores the topic through the perspective of Brown, the least used pencil in the box, who learns that in order to have good friends, he needs to be a good friend first.

Remember, reading together not only helps your child develop their language skills, it also presents opportunities to discuss the themes in the books and relate them to their own experiences.