Foil Play Food Cupcakes Kids Craft: Project #15 of 300 Crafts for Kids in 2011

KIDS CRAFTS PROJECT #15: Foil Play Food Cupcakes Valentine Craft

Crafts for all abilities!
for Ages 3 Years and Up

Looks great presented in a gift box too!

♥ A Perfect Valentine's Day Gift for Any Member of the Family ♥

Supplies Needed:

• Aluminum Foil
• White Glue
• White Colored Sand or Glitter
• Red Poster Paint (must be tempera/poster paint to stay on the foil)
• Foam paint brush
• Red Pom Pom 
• Newspaper (to keep work area neat)

Time Needed:
About 15 Minutes plus drying time

What To Do:

1. Tear off about 1 foot (12 inches) of aluminum foil.
2. Paint it red with poster paint (tempera paint)
   

   

   We used a foam brush on the foil to keep it from tearing the foil.

   
   

   

   I found out that tempera paint is poster paint! We used Melissa & Doug's poster paint.

   
   

   

   We started out only planning to paint foil for fun so
   we had many different colors and designs

   

   We even painted one with cotton balls to see what would happen!
3. Let dry completely (as much as several hours)
4. Tear off about 2 feet of aluminum foil.
5. Squish it into a ball.
6. Rub the bottom of the foil ball on a hard surface with a good amount of pressure - back and forth about ten times to make the bottom flat. Alternatively, you can bang it on a solid surface a few times but be careful not to flatten the top too much!
7. Tear off another 4-6 inches of foil and fold into a 3 or 4 inch square.
   
   
8. Center over the top of the foil ball and wrap over it. This is to smooth out the "cupcake" a little.
   
   
   
   
9. Set aside.
10. Take the red foil that you painted and put it face down on your work surface. Place the cupcake on the center of it.
11. (ADULT ONLY) Gently pull up the sides and put a crease on one side of the red foil when it reaches 1 inch below the top of the cupcake. Do the same for the other 3 sides. You'll have 4 creases made (top, bottom, side a, side b). This is to judge the size of the circle you have to make. 
12. Find an round object about the size of the markings you've created (coffee can?) and trace a circle on the foil. Cut out the circle.
    HINT: Better too big than too small!
    HINT: You can just attempt to cut the circle out on your own. To make it round after you've cut it, fold it in half and trim the edges. Then fold it in half in the other direction and trim the edges. 
13. Place the cupcake in the center of your circle (red side should be down). Use one finger to bring up one portion of the circle to meet the cupcake and fold that piece sideways against the cupcake to keep the cupcake holder upright. Keep doing that all the way around until the red circle has become the cupcake holder.
    HINT: You are trying to imitate the creased folds on a cupcake holder.
    

    

    Cupcake centered on foil circle. Red side of foil circle is facing down.

    

    Showing how to bring up and crimp the foil circle around the cupcake.
    As you can see this example used blue painted foil.

    

    The finished cupcake holder around the cupcake (shown in blue).

14. Pour your white glitter or white sand onto a piece of paper, onto a paper plate, or into a small bowl.
15. Apply white glue to the top part of the cupcake. Use a little less than you might think you need because it will drip. Use your finger to spread the glue where you want it. 
16. Dip the glued portion into the glitter or sand, spinning slowly to cover the entire area that had glue on it.
17. Apply a little white glue to the red pom pom and place on top of cupcake.
18. If you can see the glue oozing out take a small amount of the glitter and sprinkle it over the glue.
    HINT: Any glitter that gets on the pom pom can be gently dusted off.
19. Let dry completely and ENJOY!
    

    

    My daughter made this one! She made a tiny ball of foil that she
    put glue on and rolled in the red sand for the cherry!

    

    Here are 3 we made!

    

    Give 1 or More for a Perfect Valentine's Day Gift!
    A lovely kids craft

• OPTIONAL IDEAS:
  
  • Cut up some little bits of colored paper and use as "sprinkles" on top of the glitter or sand!
  •  Make it look like a chocolate cupcake by using brown glitter or sand. Then, when dry add glue to the very top only and apply the white frosting (glitter).
  • Make it chocolate frosted by gluing the entire part that sticks out of the cupcake holder and dipping it into brown glitter or sand.

For Older Children: An older child can further enjoy this project by making 4 cupcakes and creating or decorating a box to put them in!

For Children with Special Needs: Assist your child as much as needed - but allow it to be his project.  Art projects are great for fine motor exercise, and using creativity.

If your child enjoys sensory stimulation, let him have some fun with the tin foil. It makes a great sound, can be crumpled and then smoothed out, and is shiny. Give him a few extra pieces to just explore and play with.

If you child has a limited attention span, have all supplies ready before having him begin the project.

This opportunity for hands-on learning with no wrong choices is ideal to foster self esteem as well. Let him be proud of his very own creation!

Why We Love Crafts for Kids: Art develops creative thinking, provides means of communication and self expression, increases self understanding, strengthens self concepts and confidence, serves as an emotional release, provides decision-making opportunities, develops appreciation for the individuality of others, aids physical coordination, develops work habits and a sense of responsibility, heightens aesthetic awareness and sensitivity, and generates joy!

Associated Educational Activities:

READ!

And now a word from our friend, SeeryUsMama

A book near and dear to my heart, "The Valentine Bears" by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Jan Brett - two extremely talented author/illustrators!  It always brings a smile to my face and warms my heart to read this book about Mrs. Bear and her special Valentine's plans for Mr. Bear.  They are just the sweetest bear couple!   My husband and I were married on Valentine's Day and we love re-reading this book to the kids!  Especially perfect over cake or even better, cupcakes! Much tastier than the dried bugs Mr. Bear adores! 

• Using a cookie cutter, make some heart shaped cheese bites.
  
  
• Using a sandwich cutter, show your child how to make a sandwich using heart shaped bread.
  
  
• Play hearts hide n seek. First you show your child 5-7 red hearts made from paper. Make them about 7 inches so he'll be able to find them. Tell him to close his eyes and count to 20 while you hide them in a specific room. Let him find them! He could get a hug or kiss for every one he finds! Then, reverse this game and let him hide them and you look for them :) Expect kisses and hugs too!

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Related Links:

3oo Crafts for Kids
Valentine's Day

Cupcakes Play Food Toys 

Kids Crafts: Crafts for Preschoolers

Kids Art Supplies

Holidays
Books for Preschoolers

Valentine's Day Gifts for Kids: Toys with Hearts

Valentine's Day Gifts for Kids: Toys with Flowers

Valentine's Day Gifts for Kids: Giant Stuffed Animals