Having your kids home from school on Presidents’ Day may not sound like a ton of fun for busy parents, but with a few holiday-themed projects to keep them busy, the third Monday in February can be an exciting time.
Rather than use Lincoln Logs to build a replica of Abe’s cherished cabin, spice up the construction by using pretzels. All you need is a paper plate, a small, empty milk carton, some vanilla frosting, a bunch of three-inch pretzel rods, some green gum drops, and a butter knife. To make the edible cabin, spread generous amounts of the white frosting over the milk carton’s exterior. Be sure to spread the frosting evenly so you don’t have random clumps. Next, place the pretzel logs on the frosting to cover the entire carton. You can leave spaces for windows and a door if you wish. Then, spread some frosting on the middle of the paper plate and carefully center the cabin on it. Finally, use the gum drops to make trees and hold them in place using the frosting as glue.
Another Presidents’ Day craft that is especially easy for toddlers to make is a handprint cherry tree. For this project you’ll need brown construction paper, a red crayon or marker, green finger paint, and scissors. Start by having your child place his hand on the brown construction paper. You will need to have him spread out his fingers while you trace his hand and arm for the tree. Next, place some paint on his fingers and palm and carefully stamp it on top of the brown finger branches. Repeat this process until you get enough leaves on the tree. When the paint dries, cut-out the tree and have your child use a red crayon or marker to add cherries to the tree. Depending on how many children you have, you could make an entire grove of handmade cherry trees.