crafts for kids

[Yvonne Belisle]

* DRIED APPLE DOLLS *

Ingredients:
1 Cup Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Salt
Fresh Apples, medium to large size
Whole cloves (good for eyes, teeth and facial expressions)

Directions:
Peel the apples, trimming away bruises, and submerge in the salt- lemon juice
mixture to help preserve them. After a few seconds, remove from the liquid and
pat dry. Insert a wooden stick, skewer, or pencil firmly into the core for a
"handle". Carve faces using a spoon or table knife and add cloves as eyes,
teeth, ears, etc. Keep in mind that theapples will shrink to less than 1/2 their
original size so the features should be a bit exaggerated when carving. The
heads can be propped upright by inserting the "handle" into a pot of sand or a
block of Styrofoam. Allow the apple heads to dry by placing in a full size oven
with the door slightly open for 4-5 hours
at 200 degrees, then leave them to dry in the open air for a few days. Or simply
let them air dry for several days, checking periodically to be sure mold does
not develop. If you live in a humid climate, the oven drying is a better choice.
The apples will remain a bit soft even when they are completely dry. When dry,
tie or glue fabric, trinkets or decorations onto the "handle" to create a doll
or hand puppet.


* HAND and FEET REINDEER *

Brown construction paper
Tan construction paper
White paper or wiggle eyes
Black or red construction paper or a black or red pom-pom
Glue or tape
Crayon or marker

How To Make It:

Trace two hands on the tan construction paper. Trace one foot (with a shoe on)
on the brown construction paper. Cut out the shapes, and arrange as illustrated
- with the two hand shapes making the antlers on the deer, glue or tape into
place. Turn the project over to the back and write the child's name and date.
Draw and cut out eyes and a nose (or use wiggle eyes, and a pom-pom for the
nose). Glue on the eyes and nose.

Tip:
You can make the decoration using craft foam or felt.

[mol]

;)

Those are cute.

[Laiste]

that's cool!:cool: My son will love making those!:D

[Lavender]

:lol: Those makes great crafts at Samhain! You wouldn't believe the monsters & scary creatures you can make with those apple heads. :D

[seawitch]

yeah those apple heads are so much fun. my daughter and i make them every year in the fall.
this is great i needed some new ideas.
got a touch of cabin fever.:ack:

[Yvonne Belisle]

there are lots and lots of craft ideas for kids in here and in arts and crafts. There are even some cool ones in the green room. The threads on summer vacation have a wide variety of ideas in them as well. Check them all out and add to them with ideas of your own it is almost summer again and I will be resticking them to the top of the forum then to see what new things we have come up with.

[Echohawk]

Those sound like really cute ideas!

by the ways. . . has anyone ever tried giving a kid a new roll of heavy-duty (or normal) tin foil, scissors, construction paper, markers, a glue stick, crayons, a stapler (maybe), tape. . . a few other crafty things, and then just let them go at it?

You'd be amazed at what they can make. We've spent hours and hours making swords, hats, shields, toys, boats, and random things out of tin foil. You can race the boats in the gutter, wear the hats, renact old battles with the swords and shields, play train-conductor with the hats. . . lots of things.

And the best toy is. . . . a cardboard box! When I was little, my parents used to give me a box and a knife, and I'd cut playhouses and trains and spaceships and caves. . . ahh, those days. ::chuckles:: just watch the kids when they're using the knife.

[Yvonne Belisle]

2 parts Elmers' Glue-All
1 part liquid starch
Gradually pour starch into glue and mix. If mixture is sticky, add more starch. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Note: This silly putty can be cut with scissors or be pulled or twisted.

[Yvonne Belisle]

Instant Paints
Mix a few drops of food coloring to a small amount of liquid starch

[Dancin Girl]

Another great project is paper plate dream catchers. Use any size plate... or if you want it to last longer, use something like a cool whip lid- though if you use the cool whip lid, it takes a little more muscle to puch the holes in it!!

Supplies:
Paper plates or lids
yarn
beads, feathers, bells, other decorations. Make sure the beads have large enough holes for children to easily string them on the yarn.

Anyway, cut out a circle inside so you end up with a ring, then use a paper punch to punch holes all around the ring. Tie a long piece of yarn to the first hole and then let the kids string and weave their own patterns. Younger children will need some help and guidance on the sewing idea and creating a web affect. I've done it with children as young as three and they loved it! Once they're done, the feathers, bells and such can be attatched to longer hanging yarn and make sure to add a loop at the top to hang it over their bed with! Also, read some stories about Native American culture... one called 'The Dream Catcher' is excellent!

[Flar's Freyja]

I received this link for making cute stuff out of paper cups in a newsletter:

http://chj.scjbrands.com/family/index.asp

[Yvonne Belisle]

Bump