screen free week: clothespin airplanes craft

Today marks the first day of Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood's SCREEN-FREE WEEK.
"On April 29 - May 5, people around the country (and world!) will turn OFF TV, video and mobile games, and other screens they use for entertainment, and turn ON the world around them!"

At Naiya's Waldorf school (where many families are already screen-free all year) I'm once again helping to organize some little activities and offerings in the Early Childhood classes to coincide with this national week of recognition.  I thought I'd share our goings on here each day as we offer up crafts, storytelling suggestions, play ideas and more.

(this is last year's hallway display but this year's is basically the same :)

Today in the hall under our display we're offering little kits to make...

     Clothespin Airplanes

          We will build a plane and soar 

          Over woodland, sea and shore 

          Over woodland, sea and shore

          And fly back to you once more

Simple crafts are a great alternative to screen time and offer a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to learn something new and create something together.

This super simple clothespin and popsicle stick airplane can be made by parents or children and then decorated in myriad colors and patterns with crayons, paint, colored pencils, pens or even strips of tape. Try personalizing each plane with a child’s name or attaching a magnet to the bottom and use it as a handy refrigerator magnet clip!

In addition to a clothespin, two large and one small popsicle stick, you will need some kind of glue. Craft glue, white glue or even hot glue all work fine.

There’s not much to it really. About a half an inch behind the nose (the clipping end of the clothespin) glue one of the larger popsicle sticks to the top of the pin then glue the other directly underneath it on the opposite side.

Glue the tail piece about a quarter inch from the tail end of the clip and you’ve got yourself an airplane!

After your plane has dried, decorate or embellish in any way you choose.








For lots of other craft ideas for you and your children check out the many ideas under the "crafty craft" label.  Enjoy!