how to help kids do kindergarten craft activities independently

One of my favorite stations in Kinder and first grade is our creation station.  Let’s chat about what that station is, what our routine looks like AND, most importantly, how you can try these kindergarten craft activities for FREE! 🙂

 

What Is A Creation Station?

Creation Station is just what it sounds like… a center where kids get to create!  But it ties in to literacy because kids make or draw their creation and then they write about it.

I do two types of creation stations: How to Draw and Craftivities.

The kindergarten craft activities are just that…crafts that kids make, and then they write about what they made.

The How To Draw Stations give kids step by step drawings for them to recreate.  And then they can write about what they drew here, too.  These are much like directed drawings or any how to draw kids book you can get.

What I love about both of these types of creation stations is that they teach kids to pay attention to and follow step-by-step directions independently.  And when they finish, they can visually check their creations to see if they match the teacher examples given!

Craftivity Creation Station Routines

At this version of creation station, I have kindergarten craft activities that students can make on their own.  Before the first station rotations for the week (usually on Monday), I quickly have my pieces ready to show kids how to glue and assemble.  I may verbally tell them what needs to be colored and cut.  But most of the coloring and cutting is done before hand to save time.

I do glue it with them though because I have found it really helps them see it better and understand what gets glued on top or bottom! 🙂

However, as the year progresses, I don’t need to do as much modeling. I spend less time creating it in front of them–in fact, by the end of the year, I’m just posting the craft at that station and counting on them to independently see the steps I did to make the creation.

Once we’ve quickly gone over the kindergarten craft activities, we go over the writing part.  Sometimes I give kids a sentence stem like, “My **** has a ________.”  Other times I just leave it blank and tell them to free write about it. Even though we have a writing station, this is another time for kids to practice their “quick write” skills about a craft they are proud of!

Then, I post my example creation on the wall by the station for them to refer to.  As the kids finish their creation, they bring it to me to check and then hang up!

How To Draw Station Routines

At the How To Draw station, I post the step by step pictures on how to draw the picture.

I go over this quickly just like the crafts.  I usually draw all or most of the steps, but after the first few weeks of school when they know my coloring expectations, I don’t model how to color anymore.

Again for the writing part, at the beginning of the year, I give them a sentence stem. But usually by the second semester they are ready for more independence, so I leave it blank and have the kids free write about their drawing.

I post my example on the wall by the station and I absolutely love posting them all on the wall around that station as a collage of their directed drawings.  It’s the cutest!

Want to try this How to Draw Creation Station for FREE? Get the shark directed drawing here for FREE or find the bundle of Creation Stations HERE!