A Successful Nursery Project

I've been struggling a bit trying to fulfill my church calling as a nursery worker. It's a big nursery and our ward want a lot of projects accomplished with the kids. They want the kids to have a creative singing time, read a story, have a lesson, have a snack, have a coloring project, and then also do a craft. The craft has seriously been stressing me out. I have struggled with finding a craft that can be done in church clothes with 10 or sometimes more kids 18 months-3 years. I dare not bring anything messy because I fear the repercutions. I tried making shakers with beans in them and it was too hard for most of the kids. Foam stickers are too hard for them to peel themselves and trying to help each kid with every step of a project is tedious for both me and the kids. Thankfully this Sunday I stumbled across the best project ever. I drew a quick picture of a lamb on a paper and photocopied it. Then I put bowls of elmers glue (washable) on the tables and let them stick fuzzy balls and cotton balls in the glue and stick it on their paper. I was shocked with how delighted they were. It was simple enough to dip and stick and all of the kids could do it without help (except for trying to block the youngest from sticking them in their mouths) and they got really into it. The fuzzy balls are big enough that their fingers didn't get too covered in goo. Their papers were soaked and covered and we had to practically pry them away from the craft tables for their parents to come pick them up.

I read about another project that Red Fish and I plan to try this week and I'm really excited about it. It's a glueless collage. you get a piece of contact paper and secure it to the table. Supply the kids with pieces of colored paper, feathers, or whatever and let them stick stuff all over the contact sheet. When they are done just put another piece of contact paper on top to secure their collage. You can outline it in colored electrical tape if you want to make it framed but I probably won't do that for all of the nursery kids. I think if they loved the fuzzy balls they will love having a variety of stuff to stick on a paper.

I guess the real blessing of this calling is it's forcing me to get creative and hopefully it will help me think of some good toddler projects for Red Fish and I to try. Anyone have any brilliant toddler art projects they want to share with me?