Thursday, December 12, 2013

Co-schooling: Toilet paper roll mummy craft

If your kiddos attend public school, I highly recommend volunteering in their classroom if you can.

It's not something I ever thought about doing before my son started school. But now I know I will do it every year. Not just provide a snack or plates for a party, but being there in person.

I know it's difficult if you work outside the home like I do, but I just treat it like a vacation day. I put it on my calendar and take that day off.

I have to admit, the reason I decided to do it was because both at the beginning of 1st grade and 2nd grade, at the parent information night, NO ONE had signed up to lead a craft or game on holidays. All the snacks were taken. All the drinks and cups and plates. But not one name for a craft or game.

Shoot, I thought. I could do that.

I LOVE it. Last year, I led the Valentine's Day heart shaped pipe cleaner glasses. This year it was toilet paper roll mummies for Halloween.

Here's what it does for me: 
  • Shows my kiddo in a tangible way I think what he does at school is important. 
  • Shows his teacher I'm committed and involved and that I support her (helps when I expect  her to support me back). 
  • Allows me to know his classmates and them to know me. 
  • Makes me step outside of my comfort zone and do something new. 
  • Extra time with my kiddo! 
  • Makes the teacher and I part of the same team in a very real way. This team mentality is important on both ends. 
  • I get to see his classroom environment. My kiddo's class did a "brain break" to the Dinosaur Stomp and to Book Chicka Boom. It was absolutely freaking hilarious!  
  • I get an idea of what his teacher has to do day in and day out, and it makes me appreciate her more. 
  • A day off of work! Bonus!
I got the idea for the toilet paper roll mummy from this site, but I changed it up quite a bit. For one, the self-stick gauze was WAY too expensive to provide for 18 kids plus they're older and better able to handle regular gauze. Plus I felt it needed more variety.

Materials:
  • Several rolls of 2-inch gauze, the cheapie kind, cut in strips long enough to wrap several times around a toilet paper roll.
  • One toilet paper roll per student. 
  • Assorted googly eyes. I chose ones in different colors and sizes from Dollar Tree so the kids could mix it up. 
  • Tape of some kind. I used gauze tape actually. 
  • Construction paper circles cut to fit the bottom of the tp roll. 
  • Construction paper mouths, pre-cut, or the kids could cut them.
  • Construction paper arms, pre-cut, or the kids could cut them. 
  • Glue. 
  • Candy.
Steps:
  1. Tape the circle on the bottom, tape well so candy doesn't fall through. 
  2. Tape one end of the gauze at the bottom. 
  3. Wrap gauze around to the top, overlapping it some each time around. 
  4. Tape gauze at the top. 
  5. Glue on eyes, arms and mouths. 
  6. Fill with candy. 
We all had a blast! I loved going around and helping and encouraging individual kids. It's amazing when 18 pairs of eyes are on you. And when I pulled out the container of eyes - BAM! - I was swarmed by kids! Wowza!

The best part though was seeing how each kid put their unique touch on their mummy. Take a look.
My kiddo's cyclops with his favorite color, orange.
Hahahaha! Sad cyclops! This kid was so proud of it!
Hugging mummies! Girls made these, of course :)
Look, this girl had her purple-armed mummy put its hand on its hip.
Green eye and arm on one side, blue eye and arm on other side. Color-coordinated mummy. Oh, there's the hand-on-hip mummy in the background, hahahaha. I loved that.
These best buddies made theirs exactly the same!
That back one is the happiest, most colorful mummy I've ever seen.

27 comments:

  1. What a great idea to have the parents so involved. And I love your craft, I must remember that!

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    1. Thanks Heather! It really helps me understand what his classroom life is like and get to know his classmates and teacher better.

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  2. Ok, those are ridiculously cute! I have been looking for craft ideas for the weekend, too, because supposedly we're getting a foot of snow. I am totally adding these to the list of things I want to make with the kids.

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    1. Thank you! Isn't it cute how they can all put their own little spin on it. If you make them, let me know how it turns out :)

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  3. It is great when parents help at the school! Love the mummies, how incredibly adorable. My kids would enjoy that!

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  4. These are too cute! Yes, I agree that parents should partake in more classroom/school activities. I actually help out when I can but will be doing more once my youngest starts kindergarten next year.

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    1. It's hard sometimes when you work, but I just put it on my schedule and make sure I do it. I'm self-employed though, but hopefully a person could do that in another job too.

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  5. This looks so simple yet great fun to engage with the kids :) What a great idea you put together there! Congrats! :)

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    1. Thank you very much for stopping by! Yes, engaging with kids is such a blast! They are so funny!

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  6. This is such a cute idea! I love that you recycle toilet paper rolls for a craft project. This is certainly something I would do with my grandchildren.

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    1. I love the idea of recycling as well. My kiddo has self-appointed himself to recycle all the tp rolls in the house :)

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  7. Oh, those are so cute!!! And you can make each one a little different, too!

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  8. Those are too cute! What a great idea. I plan on doing a bit more crafty stuff in 2014 so will have to get some ideas. I love this one. :)

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    1. Thanks, Amanda. Crafts are fun! I'm not near as good as I should be either, which is why I do this. Brady usually wants to build inventions anyway, ha!

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  9. I remember and somewhat miss these holiday happenings in school. My youngest is a senior so those days are gone forever! Hopped over from Friday Family Link Up!

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  10. These are super cute. I also want to be very involved when my kids are in school. I think you made the right decision! I love crafts!

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    1. Thanks, Jill. I enjoy it way more than I ever imagined I would. If anyone else had signed up, I might not have, so I'm glad they didn't!

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  11. Those are so cute! I love how the gauze works so well to cover up that it's a toilet paper roll.

    I'm lucky to have a job that gives me 8 hours of volunteer time each year. They count a child's school event towards that.

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    1. If you're just doing it with one or two kids, I'll bet the self-stick gauze would work better. But it is pricy for a whole classroom! That is really awesome about your job. I have never heard of a job that did that.

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  12. How wonderful that you take the time to volunteer in your child's classroom. I'm sure the kids--and the teacher--love it!

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    1. Thank you, Nancy. I have to tell you I love it just as much! :)

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  13. Ha - they are so cute!! I love it. I'm going to remember that for next year.
    Being a stay at home mom I do get the chance to volunteer at my kid's school and it is great! Especially when they have movie outings. Which, thanks to an expired police check (schools up here must have one for you to work in the school) - I will miss out on this week. bummer. I better get it updated in the new year so I don't miss out again.

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    1. Thanks Rory! I'll have to post it again around Halloween. I just couldn't get it together in time for that this year! Volunteering is so fun. Hope you got your check updated!

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  14. Helping out in your kids' classroom is so great! Teachers love parent involvement (well, most of the time ;-) ). Those mummies look so cute. What a great craft!

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! LOL, I imagine there is some unpleasant parent involvement at times too :) I'm very outspoken with my kiddo's teachers, but I want and expect the same from them. I think of us as being on a team because this boy can pose interesting challenges for us. Thanks for stopping by!

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