Kids love puppets. These little dolls are often an integral part of play and make-believe; they help a child develop an imagination and offer him a chance to do role-playing, which helps a child forge his own identity by allowing him to try on different roles. To make these little puppets in the classroom, you'll need poster board, markers and bits of cloth for clothing. Trace the outline of a person for the kids and leave two holes in the bottom of the puppet where the legs should be. Have the kids draw faces on the puppet and design clothes for it from scrap cloth or construction paper. Once the glue is dry, the kids can perform puppet shows with one another using their little finger puppets. (See Resources for instructions.)
Making tie-dyed T-shirts is an activity that most kids seem to enjoy. This craft project is suitable for an end-of-the-school-year or summer camp project, because these are times where scheduling is a bit looser, allowing for a more time-consuming craft like this one. Gather white T-shirts in various sizes and place plastic garbage sacks down where you and your group will be working. Set up dye stations with different colors of T-shirt dye. Fill portions of the T-shirts with marbles or coins and then tie those portions off with rubber bands. Have the kids dip the tied-off portions of their T-shirts in the dye baths. Once the dying portion of this project is completed, remove the rubber bands and wring the shirts out. Place them in a bag overnight and then out to dry. This activity is appropriate for older school-age kids from about fifth or sixth grade and up. (See Resources for instructions.)
If you plan on having a unit about growing plants in your classroom, you can incorporate this theme into your art projects as well. To do this craft, have your kids bring buttons from home. It may be that you need to have them begin bringing buttons several weeks before you plan on doing the craft in your class. Pick up some green florist's wire. Once you've gotten all the necessary supplies, have the kids string the buttons onto pieces of florist's wire with the largest buttons on the bottom and two smaller buttons on top. Once that part is done, have them twist the florist's wire around the bottom of the big button to keep it securely in place. They can make several button flowers. These little button flowers make pretty additions to the plants they're growing for their botany unit. They just need to stick them into the plant's soil. (See Resources for instructions.)