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I’m always on the lookout for fun and educational activities to do with my little one. This week, we focused on the letter J, and I came up with six easy and fun crafts we could do together while working on some of those important early development skills. I can’t wait to share them with you!
1. J is for Jelly Bean Sensory Bin
Ah, jelly beans—who can resist?! I added a small bag to our sensory bin along with some fake grass, wooden tools, bowls, and cupcake liners that matched the jelly bean colors. My daughter practiced her hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while using tongs to sort the jelly beans into the corresponding liners.
Materials Needed:
- Jelly beans
- Fake grass
- Wooden tools or tongs
- Bowls
- Cupcake liners in matching colors
Steps to Complete:
- Fill the sensory bin with fake grass and jelly beans.
- Place bowls and cupcake liners around the bin.
- Invite your child to use the tongs to sort the jelly beans by color.
Overall, I’d rate this activity an 8/10! It was fantastic—until I made the rookie mistake of sneaking a jelly bean. From that moment on, it turned into a jelly bean free-for-all, lol!
2. Letter J is for Jewelry
For this activity, we dug out some kid-friendly beads and string to create bracelets. It was a fun way for my daughter to work on her color recognition and fine motor skills. Plus, she has proudly worn her bracelet all week!
Materials Needed:
- Kid-friendly beads
- String or pipe cleaners
- Scissors (optional)
Steps to Complete:
- Cut a piece of string to your desired bracelet length.
- Let your child pick out beads and string them onto the string or pipe cleaner.
- Tie off the ends and admire your new jewelry!
This craft was a hit, and I loved watching her creativity unfold. If you’re working with younger kids or boys who may be less into beads, use pipe cleaners and circle cereals instead—this way, you can avoid any choking hazards and enjoy a small snack when you’re finished.
3. Letter J is for Jigsaw Puzzle
We created our very own jigsaw puzzle using a free printable I made! After coloring the design, I cut it into pieces, and we worked together to put the puzzle back together.
Materials Needed:
- Printable jigsaw puzzle (click the picture below to download and print)
- Crayons or markers
- Glue
- Colored paper (optional)
Steps to Complete:
- Print and color the jigsaw puzzle template.
- Cut out the pieces.
- Assemble the pieces, gluing them to colored paper if desired.
This cutting was a bit ambitious for my two-year-old, and I might have made things a tad chaotic, but I can definitely see older kids enjoying this a lot more!
4. Letter J is for Jellyfish
We dove into a simple yet fun craft! We painted a paper plate (a bowl would have worked too!) and decorated it with eyes, ribbons, and crepe paper streamers to create our very own jellyfish.
Materials Needed:
- Paper plates (or bowls)
- Paint
- Wiggle eyes
- Ribbons or crepe paper streamers
- Glue
Steps to Complete:
- Paint the paper plate and let it dry.
- Glue on wiggle eyes.
- Cut ribbons or crepe paper streamers and attach them to the bottom of the plate.
My daughter absolutely loved this craft and was so proud of her jellyfish.
5. Letter J is for Jack o’ Lantern
Getting creative with this Halloween-themed activity made our crafting session extra fun! We painted a paper plate orange, and then I let my little one practice her scissor skills by cutting out scraps from black paper, which we made into Jack o lantern faces.
Materials Needed:
- Paper plate
- Orange paint
- Black construction paper
- Glue
- Scissors
Steps to Complete:
- Paint the paper plate orange and allow it to dry.
- Let your child cut out shapes for the jack-o’-lantern faces from black paper.
- Glue the faces onto the plate and add a stem made from crepe paper.
This was another straightforward yet enjoyable craft, and seeing her use the scissors made her feel accomplished!
6. Letter J is for Jam Toast
Ah, this was a delicious craft! We headed to the kitchen to make some jam toast together. I showed my daughter how to use the toaster and let her spread jam over the toasted bread.
Materials Needed:
- Bread
- Jam
- Butter knife (child-friendly)
- Toaster
Steps to Complete:
- Begin by explaining to your child what you’re going to make (jam toast) and show them the bread.
- Let them place the bread in the toaster and encourage them to push down the lever.
- While the toast is cooking, talk about what colors we see in the jam and bread.
- Once the toast is ready (make sure to take it out for safety and make sure it’s not too hot!), give them the butter knife and the jam to spread on top.
- Encourage them to enjoy their creation!
This kitchen adventure was certainly one of our highlights! Watching my daughter pride doing something knew that clearly felt like a big person task was fun, and she devoured her snack with a big smile. I loved how it provided a mix of practical skills and fun!
You may also be interested in:
- List of 50+ Foods That Start With Letter J
- List of 50+ Objects That Start With Letter J
- Letter J is for Jellyfish
- Letter J Tracing Worksheets (Free Printable) Mermaid Themed
- Letter J "Do A Dot" Worksheets (Free Printable) Mermaid Themed
- Letter J Tracing Worksheets (Free Printable) Dinosaur Themed
- Letter J Tracing Worksheets (Free Printable) Halloween Themed
- Letter J "Do A Dot" Worksheets (Free Printable) Halloween Themed
- Letter J Coloring Worksheet (Free Printable) Halloween Themed
- Letter J Color By Letter & Coloring Worksheet (Free Printable) Valentine Themed
- Letters A-Z Resource Page