Making crafts in the classroom is one of my favorite kindergarten activities. However, don’t think that just because we are crafting, we aren’t learning. It’s easy to incorporate a fun craft into our students’ learning. I like to integrate a writing activity with a craft project for my young children. For example, this Back to School Crafts set comes with 47 writing options. This set is a great way to integrate writing crafts into your students’ daily routine or morning work session.
I have found that some of my favorite crafting themes go perfectly with a variety of writing prompts. Even better, you can address every type of writing with writing prompts and crafts!
Informational Writing
There are so many prompt options when using crafts for informational writing. For example, kindergarteners can write facts that they have learned, explain how to do something, or share what they have learned.
They are usually very interested in zoo animals and soak up facts they learn, like what animals eat, where they live, and their habits. So, as you teach holidays and nonfiction topics throughout the year, it makes sense that you would add craft and writing activities to a variety of topics.
Put the crafts and writing activities together, and voilà, you also have a cute bulletin board that your students helped create! What a fun way to learn about historical figures and holidays!
Writing Stories
Another way you can integrate writing with crafts is by using the crafts as focal points for narrative stories that your students are writing. For example, your students could write a story where a bug was the main character. A cute bug craft could help complete the piece!
You could also have students focus on creating the craft first. For example, students could create and personalize a butterfly craft. Then, they can look at the craft they made for inspiration about what their butterfly might do or say as a character in a story they write. Your students will love doing a fun activity that reflects a character in a story they came up with on their own.
How-to Writing
It is also simple to incorporate crafts into your how-to writing lessons in kindergarten. There are so many fun activities that your students are somewhat familiar with. One example of a familiar activity is building a snowman. Even younger kids who have not made a snowman before probably know that you have to roll up the balls of snow, assemble them, and add decorations to them. So, after writing a simple how-to piece about building a snowman, students could add a cute snowman craft to their writing.
Another example could be how to make a scarecrow. It’s a simple writing task that teaches children to write out step instructions. In addition, how-to writing forces students to use their critical thinking skills and research to explain how to do something. Using these skills at an early age develops vital literacy and comprehension skills they will need for higher education.
Opinion Writing
Opinion writing is the perfect addition to the school season. For example, teaching opinion writing at a young age helps students express their feelings and emotions. In addition, learning how to express your feelings through writing is essential for young kids who may not verbally explain their feelings.
The perfect way to implement opinion writing is with a simple craft. For example, I’ve seen many opinion writing crafts that use animals, crayons, and holiday skill sheets where students write their opinion based on the writing prompts provided.
I love these types of craft templates because they’re low-prep, easy to use, and require very few craft supplies. All you need is a printable worksheet and maybe some markers or crayons for coloring, and you’re set!
Student also learn steps when putting together crafts.
Final Thoughts on How to Integrate Writing and Crafts
When making crafts in your kindergarten classroom, it can be a lot of fun to see how you can incorporate different content areas into your crafts. I especially love integrating writing and crafts because you can address any kindergarten writing type and pair it with simple and cute crafts. Doing so brings more purpose and meaning to the crafts for our students and makes the writing process so much fun!
Make sure you check out this set that includes crafts and hundreds of writing pages for the entire year. It’s easy to find ways to tie these activities to learning objectives. Click here to see more.
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