Crowns & Tiaras (Preschool-Grade 4)
Fold pieces of construction paper in half lengthwise and cut along the seam so that you have two pieces around 4 1/4 inches thick. Glue the two pieces together to make one longer one. Allow it a few minutes to dry, then wrap the strip around the child’s head at forehead height and glue it in place so that you have a crown shape that fits the child’s head. Once again, allow it a few minutes to dry.

Give kids scissors, glue, glitter, sequins, beads and paint, and have them create their crowns or tiaras by cutting a zig zag or wavy shape around the top and then decorating the outside of the crown with the other items.

Royal Robes (All Ages)
Each child will need a piece of fabric around 18 inches by 24-36 inches (depending on the size of your kids) to create their own king or queen’s robe. Provide them with fabric glue, glitter, sequins, and if you’d like, some fabric paint (ideally the thicker squeeze kind), and have kids decorate their royal robe. Be sure to wear full-body smocks to protect their clothing if you’re working with anything that might stain.

With older age groups (those that can be trusted with sowing needles), you can alternatively have them embroider their robe instead and sew plastic beads, cloth pieces or patches onto it.

Once they are finished and the robes are dry, use a safety pin to clip it around their neck, allowing them to wear it around like royalty.

Swords & Shields (Art)
Pre-K-Grade 3
Collect large cardboard boxes for a few weeks prior to this activity. (You can go ahead and flatten them out.) Use a round trash can lid, large round bowl, or other large round object to trace a round shield shape on the cardboard. Cut it out with a box cutter. Cut another 2 inch by 6 inch piece of cardboard strip. Bend it slightly in the middle and glue each end onto the back of the shield in the middle to create a handle for kids to hold it by. Next trace the shape of a sword. Make it no longer than 10 or 12 inches, not just for safety reasons but because the longer you make it, the more flimsy the cardboard will be, and the easier it will collapse when kids use it. (Our dagger outline coloring page works well for a stencil.)

Once you’ve accumulated 1 sword and 1 shield for each child, have them paint their shield using tempera paint. Then have them do the same with the sword, painting the blade gray and the handle whatever color they’d like. Finally, give them glue, sequins, glitter, and plastic beads, and have them decorate the crossbar of the sword so that it looks like jewels. Once everything is dry, let them use the props to play knights in shining armor!

Castle Pictures (All Ages)
Give kids paper and markers, crayons, or colored pencils, and have them draw their own pictures of castles, complete with flags, spires, and watchtowers. You might provide a few pictures of real castles for inspiration.