Simple Spider Craft for 2-year-olds

SPIDER CRAFT


Materials

• black construction paper, white glue, googly eyes, clear plastic tape, black yarn

Procedure (per child)

1. Cut one circle out of black construction paper for spider's body. (Use an upside down bowl as an outline to give you a perfect circle.)
2. Cut six little rectangles out of the black construction paper for spider's legs. (They should be as long as the diameter of the circle, and about 1 or 2 cm wide.)
3. Place a line of white glue diagonally upward near the edge of the circle. Demonstrate to the child how to stick the leg (rectangle) on. Verbalize it for the child: "Stick the leg on the glue." Have the child "push down" with his fingers to glue the leg onto the body.
4. Follow the same process, sticking one leg on at a time. (Using a clock analogy, place the legs at 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 o'clock). Reduce assistance as you go along.  For example, for the second or third leg, have the child try placing the leg over the glue. Remind them to "push down".
5. As soon as all six legs are stuck on, take the spider away from the child. Tell the child the glue needs to dry. Wipe off excess glue with a tissue.
6. When the glue has dried, turn the spider over and place two small globs of glue near the top of the circle. Give the child one googly eye at a time and ask him to "stick the eye on the glue". 
7. Tell the child the glue needs to dry. 
8. When the glue has dried, cut a piece of black yarn, about 8 inches long. Tape one end to the middle of the spider (on the eyes side).
9. Holding the spider by the other end of the yarn, show the child how to dangle the spider. 
10. Hand it over to your child for play!

*Note: You can make the main activity time for the craft for the initial part of gluing the legs on. Then you can get the child to glue the eyes on during meal time, since it takes such a short amount of time.