CREEPY CRAWLING SPIDER CRAFT

By Barbara A. Samfield, MA-CCC/SLP

• Talking about the spider using descriptive terms such as “spooky” or “creepy”
  
• Naming the parts of the spider and counting the legs
  
• Cueing the rhythm of cutting and folding by saying “cut” with each scissor cut  and “fold it” with each paper leg fold
  
• Using “ing” action words to describe the spider and what it is doing,  such as walking, jumping, hopping, and dancing
  
• Modeling complete sentences such as, “the spider is walking” or “the spider is dancing”
• Adding a twist to the sentence for humor, which builds imagination, such as saying, “the spider is walking to the moon,” or “the spider is walking to the moon to buy pizza!”
  
• Acting out and reciting the nursery rhyme “Itsy Bitsy Spider” using the paper spider
  
• Prolonging the “s” sounds in “s-s-s-s-spider” and “s-s-s-s-spooky” to help encourage use of the “s” sound while making exaggerated or funny faces

Teach children to have a “little bit scary” fun by surprising their parents or siblings as they say, “Watch out! It’s a spider!”  But no need to fear, as this activity is eerily simple. Just follow the step by step instructions below to creepy crawling fun!

Step 1.  Using printable outline, cut out stencil, place on black paper, guide child in tracing and cutting out spider shape.

Free Printable Stencil

Step 2. Using hole puncher, fold spider in half and punch a hole in the middle of the spider about 1/2 inch from the fold.

Step 3. Cut 8 strips of 1 inch wide (spider legs) from construction paper (cut lengthwise), then fold all spider legs like accordions.

Step 4. Glue spider legs to bottom side of spider body.

Step 5. Thread string through hole and tie off leaving a 1-2 feet string. Make a loop at the end of the string.

Step 6. Add googly eyes to your spider or use the hole puncher to make two holes.

Free Printable Stencil and Instructions

Barbara Samfield is the owner and clinical director of the Speech & Language Center at Stone Oak, a private practice of speech-language pathologists serving the greater San Antonio area since 1998.  For more information, visit www.stoneoakspeech.com

or call 210.495.9944.