5 Spring Crafts and Games

Kids can give each of these fanciful finger puppets a unique set of wings. Trace our butterfly template, below, onto a paper plate or piece of card stock and cut it out. Fold the shape in half, then cut two snips into the fold to form a finger loop. Use tacky glue to attach leaves, petals, twigs, and grass.

Take the game of Xs and Os outside -- and into the air -- with this supersize version.

On a flat surface, adhere strips of duct tape to a shower curtain liner, as shown. Use more tape to make Xs on four flying disks or heavyweight plastic plates. You'll need four more disks or plates for Os.

To play, set up a throw line, then follow the rules of tic-tac-toe. If your disk lands off the board, in an already-claimed square, or centered on a line, throw it again. For a more challenging game (or for a parent who's playing with a kid), nix the second chance for errant tosses. Use rocks to hold down the board on a windy day.

Our no-sew felt target offers two ways to play, with a colorful bull's-eye on one side and a baseball pitcher's practice strike zone on the other.

Here's how to give metal cans a mod (and musical!) makeover. Remove the lid and label from four or five empty cans, then wash and dry them. Choose cans that will nest together as a set, as shown. Use a hammer and nail to poke a hole in the bottom of each. Paint the outsides with white primer and let it dry, then cover with one or two coats of colored acrylic paint. Beginning with the largest, stack the cans. Measure a length of heavyweight string (we used cotton) equal to the height of the cans, plus 3 feet. Knot a wooden ring onto one end of the string. Thread the other end up through the hole in the smallest can. Decide how low you want the can to hang, slide it up the string, tie a big knot, and slide the can down again until it rests on the knot. Add the other cans in the same way, making sure they overlap slightly so they'll chime. From the excess string, form a hanging loop (ours is 10 inches long) above the largest can.