Kids Crafts

Halloween Party Game Ideas

2007-10-16T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a few Halloween party game ideas for you to chew on and plant the (pumpkin) seed to make up your own games...

Pass the Pumpkins
Similar to musical chairs, simply have your young goblins sit in a circle and pass small pumpkins or gourds while scary Halloween music is playing. When the music stops, the child without a pumpkin is out. Keep playing until there's a winner. Reward them with Halloween treats...

Build a Scarecrow
Form two teams and have a variety of thrift clothes, old pillowcases for heads, and magic markers and newspapers. Give the teams a 20-minute time limit to make their scariest (funniest, silliest. etc...) scarecrows. Have the scarecrows judged by a non-participant and have prizes ready. Once they are complete, you can put them outside to help decorate your yard.

Halloween Candy Hunt
Just like an Easter egg hunt: Buy plastic eggs and paint them in Halloween colors. Put candy inside the eggs and hide them. The prize can be the candy inside or some of the eggs can contain notification of winning a small prize or party favor.

Halloween Corners Game (Good for ages 3 - 8)
Stick up large Halloween-themed posters or pictures (ie witch, bat, ghost and black cat) in the four corners of a room. Play some scary Halloween music and when it stops, have each child run to a corner (if you have small numbers you can limit the number of children in each corner). Then, the person running the music - without looking - calls out one corner (the cat corner, the witch corner, etc...) The kids in that corner are out. The last person left is the winner.

Stay tuned for more fun Halloween games coming up...
Until then,
BusyMOM

Halloween Graveyard Hunt

2007-10-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

16 more days until Halloween!!!!

Having a party or just a little gathering before the kiddos go out and trick or treat?
If you have the time and motivation, do this for your goblins and ghouls.

Decorate your backyard to resemble a scary graveyard or just add lots of scary things.

You can add cut out black felt bats, plastic spiders, fake web, fake tombstone, jack o lanterns and even scary music.

Hide prizes and treats amongst the plants and decorations and let the kids go on a graveyard hunt.

For older kids you can even have a disguised adult or two hiding around a spooky corner -- but please don’t do this with younger children as it can really traumatize them.

Courtesy of the Let's Celebrate Halloween book.

until later...
BusyMOM

A Twist on Bobbing for Apples

2007-10-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Hasn't everybody bobbed for apples at least once in their life? Well, here's a new twist - courtesy of the Let's Celebrate Halloween book. Try it. Get messy. Have fun...

Make this traditional game a little scarier by filling the bobbing tub
with milk and adding red food coloring.

Add enough coloring until the milk resembles a bright red color.

Then add the apples and let the kids take turns bobbing for apples.

This game can get messy, so it’s best played outside if possible.

Enjoy! And for some yummy Halloween goodies to go along with all that hard work bobbing, visit this Halloween Snacks page or the Halloween Treats page for some great ideas.

That's all for now...
BusyMOM

Pick Their Brains - A Halloween Cook-Off

2007-10-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

Well, Halloween is just full of the most ghoulish things.

Kids love this. Try this out if you are having a few little goblins over on this spooky night...

Cook a large pot of different shaped pasta such as spirals or macaroni
drain and cool completely.

Place cooled pasta in a large plastic bowl and add a few olives.
Add some wrapped candies or treats like mini fun-sized chocolate bars.

Cover the bowl with material that you’ve cut into a decorative shape
like a pumpkin or monsters head.

You can even use a scary cloth mask that will go over the bowl or a
decorated plastic bag.

You basically need to cover the bowl with something decorative and
head shaped that has a slit in the back.

The kids should not be able to see the contents of the bowl.

Sit the kids in a circle and let them take turns digging into the bowl to
find the candies.

They won’t be able to see into the bowl and the squiggly texture of the
pasta along with the olives will feel like “brains.”

Courtesy of the Let's Celebrate Halloween book.

And for some yummy Halloween goodies to go along with all that thinking, visit this Halloween Snacks page or the Halloween Treats page for some great ideas.

Over and out until next time...
BusyMOM

Scary Story Time

2007-10-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

Story time at Halloween... here are a few ideas...

Kids love a good scary story. Set the scene by lowering the lights and perhaps lighting a few candles (always supervise children around candles).

You can also play some low spooky music in the background. Take turns telling scary stories appropriate to the age group of children.

For younger children you can read a suitable scary and not make the scene too intense for them.

Make this time special by serving a Halloween punch or witch’s milk (warm milk sprinkled with a little chocolate and cinnamon).

Courtesy of the Let's Celebrate Halloween book.

Until next time...
BusyMOM

Mummy Wrap

2007-10-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

We had a blast with this game at a Halloween party that we attended. The kids thought it was a hoot wrapping up the parents. Or play the game with teams of kids. Read more below...

Buy a handful of party wrap rolls (preferably in Halloween colors and decoration, but you can even use toilet paper).

Split the kids up into teams of two. One child will be the “mummy” and the other is in charge of wrapping up the child like a mummy.

When you start playing the music, the teams can start wrapping up the mummy. Try to play some fun and Halloween songs like “Monster Mash.”

When you turn the music off, the kids need to stop. The team whose mummy is more “mummified” (or wrapped) wins.

Courtesy of the Let's Celebrate Halloween book.

Until next time...
BusyMOM

Pin the Big Ol' Wart on the Witch

2007-10-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

Halloween's just around the corner...

Do you need a new game for the party you might decide to throw this year? Here's a fun one for all ages from the Let's Celebrate Halloween book:

Using black felt material (available from crafts and art supply stores)
cut out a witch’s outline. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as most kids
won’t mind, but remember to include the pointy hat and nose!

Stick the cut out up on the wall or on a large pegboard. Decorate the
witch with plastic spiders and fake web.

Then cut out large shaped warts (yuck) from a green felt material and
either stick a thumbtack onto the end of each one or some strong tape
for younger children.

Use a plan dark colored rag as a blind fold and let the children take
turns sticking the wart on the witch’s nose.

Enjoy! And for some yummy Halloween goodies, visit this Halloween Snacks page or the Halloween Treats page for some great ideas.

Until next time....
BusyMOM

Creepy Crafts

2007-10-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for Halloween? Well this might help you out... I found this great little website that Ben & Jerry put out - just for the spooky holiday. This page is all about fun and creepy crafts you can do for everybody's favorite time of year...

Here's a preview...

Make your own Halloween decorations. Print out these craft pages, color them, cut them out and fasten them together to make your own Ben & Jerry's Halloween decorations. Stick them in your office, your classroom, your car, put them everywhere. Stuff you'll need:

Computer and printer - that sort of goes without saying
Scissors
Paper fasteners - available at office supply shops or department stores
Hole punch
Crayons, colored pencils or markers
Optional - glue stick or white glue or paste, light cardboard

Check out Creepy Crafts and make your kiddo crow with delight...

Until next time...
BusyMOM

Masterpiece Bookmarks

2007-04-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you want to keep every piece of artwork that your child has ever created. But that would take a warehouse to keep it all. So, I found a great way to preserve at least part of the great masterpieces my child makes.

Bookmarks! Not willing to part with everything, you can cut up pieces of the artwork in the shape of bookmarks and preserve it with contact paper or get it laminated.

Here's what you'll need:
- clear, self-adhesive contact paper
- old artwork
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil

Here's what you'll do:
- Measure and mark the back of the artwork into bookmark sizes (a good size is 1.5 by 5 inches long.)
- Cut out the bookmarks.
- Cut out 2 rectangles of the contact paper thaqt are 1/4 to 1/2 inch longer and wider than your bookmarks.
- Remove the backing from one of the pieces of contact paper and center the bookmark on the sticky side.
- Remove the backing from the other piece of contact paper and very carefully line up with the bottom piece of the contact paper and lay over the artwork. This makes a clear sandwich of the artwork and protects and strengthens it.
- Use a pencil or ruler to rub out any air bubbles.
- If the sides are uneven, simply trim them a little.

Voilá! Not only do you have a useful bookmark but it holds memories of you child's artwork for a long, long time.

Paper University

2007-04-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

For a variety of ideas on what you can do with paper, learn about paper and how it's made, visit this great website that the Tappi organization has made available to kids, parents and teachers.

Here's what you'll find:

- interesting facts about paper, recycling and the environment
- science activities using paper
- interactive games about paper
- links and resources about paper for students and teachers
- arts and crafts projects using (that's right!) paper!

Check it out at Paper University - a really fun website and very informative.

Cool Paper Airplane Facts

2007-04-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

I bet you didn't know there were so many things that people have done with paper airplanes in the past. Here's just a few of them...

The Smallest Paper Airplane
The smallest origami paper model of a Crane Bird was folded under a microscope using tweezers by Mr. Naito from Japan and was made from a piece of paper 2.9 mm square. It is displayed on top of a sewing needle. Wow! That’s small – only problem is, it didn’t fly!

Upside Down Paper Airplane Flying
Any kind of paper aircraft that is trimmed to fly on earth will, when thrown inside a spacecraft, fly up and not down, as would normally be expected. This is because there is no gravity in the spacecraft, but there is lift created by the wings, as they fly in the atmosphere inside the spacecraft.

Fly on Forever
In space where there is no atmosphere, if a paper aircraft were thrown it would not fly at all; it would float away in a straight line. With no gravity to pull it down, it would possibly fly on forever until it hit an object.

Most Expensive – One of NASA’s
One of the most expensive and lightest paper aircraft ever flown, was the paper aircraft thrown inside one of NASA’s space shuttles, during a routine space flight. The fuel alone used to carry it into space makes that paper aircraft one of the most expensive. It was the lightest because of the lack of gravity in space.

To read more interesting paper airplane facts, click here.

Thanks to Andy Chipling for these cool paper airplane facts.

Paper Bead Necklace

2007-04-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a great project that you can do with old scraps of colorful paper. Making these beads comes from Victorian times. The ladies back then would get together and sip tea and cut out triangles from old scraps of wallpaper and make beautiful colorful beads. They would string them and use the strings of paper beads in doorways to separate rooms.

You can make the same beads and use them to make necklaces, bracelets or garlands. Here's how you do it.

What you'll need:
- scraps of magazine pictures, wallpaper or colored paper
- ruler
- scissors
- pencil
- glue
- drinking straws
- heavy thread or yarn

Read these instructions first before you begin:

With scissors, cut long triangles from the scraps of paper that you've collected. Make them about 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long. It's easier if you draw out a template first.

Cover one side of your triangle with glue making sure you put it on the side that's less colorful. You want the colorful side to be on the outside.

Place the glued side of the bottom of the triangle on a straw and roll it up (see the illustrations below.)

Once the triangle is completely rolled around your straw, cut the straw on both sides of the newly formed paper bead.

You can make different shapes and sizes of beads. Simply make your triangles smaller or larger. Look at the different shapes you can use too (see below.)

Let all your beautiful beads dry and then string them together with yarn or thread, knotting the thread together.

You won't believe how gorgeous these beads turn out and it's fun to make them too.

This project was adapted from Papercrafts Around the World, by Phyllis and Noel Fiarotta (Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York)

Easter Egg Games

2007-04-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

With Easter just around the corner, here are a couple of games you can play with kids to enhance the classic Easter Egg Hunt.

Egg Rolling:
To have an egg roll, you'll need a hill or barring that, an incline of some kind. Egg Rolling is really another name for Egg Race. The eggs are rolled down the hill using only your hands when the egg occasionally gets caught on some obstacle. The first person with their egg to reach the bottom of the hill is the winner.

Steep hills make for hilarious races, but then remember, you have to climb back up! Great exercise for you and the kids!

Egg Bowling:
Color some hard-boiled eggs, but leave just one of them white and uncolored. Now it looks like an odd shaped Bacci Ball. Go outside to a flat grassy area, and put the white "Bacci Ball" in the center of the area. Next, have your players roll their eggs toward the white one. The person who gets their egg closest to the white egg without touching it or moving it is the winner.

Treats for winners can be small bags of jelly beans, chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, etc...

Have a Happy Easter!

Fun and Funny Kids' Concoctions

2007-04-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Watch your kids' eyes get wide with delight and surprise as they watch what happens when they add certain ingredients together (with your supervision, of course!) Here are a couple of little projects to get started:

Invisible Messages

What you'll need:
- light colored construction paper or office paper
- crayons; same color as chosen paper
- watercolor paints
- sponge or paintbrush
- water

What to do:
Have your child draw a picture or write a message with the crayon that's the same color as the paper (example: green crayon on same or similar green-colored paper.) Once the drawing or message is completed, simply have your child brush a different color of watercolor paint over the paper to reveal the "secret" message or picture.

Magic Wishing Potion

What you'll need:
- tall glass (like a pilsner if you have one)
- bowl
- 1 Tbsp baking soda
- food coloring
- white vinegar

What to do:
Put the glass inside the bowl. This will keep the spills going all over your table. Then, put the baking soda and few drops of food coloring into the glass. Have your child close his eyes, make a silent wish and then have him slowly add the vinegar. Watch as the liquid starts to bubble up and spill over like a magic wishing well.

For more great ideas for fun and funny concoctions, visit the DIY Network website.

The ABCs of My MOM Book

2007-04-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a great activity for a classroom project or for some kind of organized group like Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. Have your group make a book all about MOM. You can also do this for Dads, too. It can be made for a gift for birthdays, Mother's/Father's Day, Christmas, or just because you love your Mom or Dad!

What you'll need:
- a blank notebook
- crayons, markers and/or colored pencils
- scissors
- magazine clippings, newspaper clipping or photos
- glue

What to do:
Decorate the outside of the blank notebook with cut out letters of the alphabet. The letters can be drawn, painted, or cut from pictures or magazines. Make sure you put the title on the cover too. It can be something like, "The ABCs Book of Mom," or "All About My Mom - From A-Z," etc...

Next, pick one attribute about your Mom starting with a letter in the alphabet. For example on the "C" page, the attribute or quality could be "Cook" and then put in pictures that show cooking or photos of your mom cooking,while writing a short sentence like, "My Mom is the BEST cook!"

Make the book with as much as the alphabet that you can and wrap up to give to her for a present.

Chase 'n Race Paper Airplane Game

2007-03-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

If you love paper airplanes like I do, you'll love this fun paper airplane game. It's easy to do and everyone has a great time.

Chase ’N Race Game

Have a quantity of good paper airplane paper available. You can use plain ol' copy paper or very thin construction paper. You can also make it more of a project by having crayons and markers on hand to color the paper first before you fold your paper airplane. Kids love this!

Give a hand to each child in folding the paper airplane. A good idea is to practice the folds a head of time so you are completely familiar and comfortable making the paper airplanes.

A good place to go for easy to make and free downloadable paper airplane directions is the Easy Paper Airplanes website.

Once all the paper airplanes have been folded, take the kids outside and play the Chase 'n Race game. Here’s how to set it up:

Make a starting and a finish line on a grassy area if possible. To make it super fun, have the space between the start and finish around the length of a soccer field, but if you don’t have that much space, just make it as long as possible.
Get all your pilots lined up at the start line with planes in hand.
The beginning of the race is started by someone (who isn't racing) yelling, “Wheels up!” (or “Go!”), Then, each pilot throws his/her paper airplane as far and as straight as he can toward the finish line.
Each pilot then runs after their own plane, picking it up, and then throwing it toward the finish line.

Two Rules Only!

No running with the plane in hand. If a pilot runs while the plane is still in his hand, he has to go back to the start line and start over.
The first person that throws their paper airplane over the finish line and crosses it himself is the winner!

Tip: One of the best planes to make for this game is the ProFlier paper airplane. It’s a good, straight-flying plane.

A good prize for the winner is a Super Dooper fast stunt plane called the Karate Kid. You can learn how to make both of these fantastic paper airplanes by signing up for my free e-newsletter here or filling out the form below. Make it ahead of time with cool colored paper of your choice and write Chase ’N Race First Place on it. Make some and practice with it.

Read the fantastic flying tips on this Web site on how to make the Karate Kid do unbelievable stunts with just a flick of the wrist. Then show your first-place pilot how to fly it and turn it into a mini event that will be sure to make him or her feel special.

For more paper airplane games go to the Paper Airplane Games page.

Painting with Tissue Paper

2007-03-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Painting with Tissue Paper is so much fun - kids and parents will both love this project. It's easy and the results are ALWAYS beautiful. Some of the most beautiful designs I've seen have come from 6 year olds!

What You'll Need:
- Heavy white card stock or paper
- Scissors
- Spritz water bottle
- Non-coated tissue paper (your choice of colors)
- Ink stamps (optional)
- Colored card stock (optional)
- Glue (optional)

What to Do:
To paint with tissue paper, tear the tissue paper pieces into ragged strips or chunks and position them on the card stock or heavy paper in an intersecting design. Basically, arrange the paper in a pattern that pleases you - like you are making a collage.

Next, spritz the tissue paper with water. Watch the magic of the tissue paper colors running onto your card stock. The colors will merge into beautiful combinations, creating something similar to a tie-dye effect. Then, allow your newly created painting to dry completely.

If you want to get really fancy, take your favorite ink stamps and stamp images on top of the tissue paper-dyed card stock. Then mount your artwork to colored pieces of card stock to frame it.

How to Use:
Now you have a wide selection of choices on how to use your new painting.
1. Cut it up to make a card you can send to a friend or family member.
2. Attach to other pre-made blank cards with glue and write important messages inside.
3. Frame it and hang it on your favorite art wall.
4. Cut up into different shapes and make a collage with your beautiful new colors.
5. Use for your favorite scrapbooking project.

There are hundreds of uses for your newly created art. Use your creativity and go wild! It's fun!

Perfect Paper Luminaries

2007-03-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here's another great project that you use a plain ol' brown paper lunch bag. Well, here's another one.

And you can find paper lunch bags in all kinds of different colors now, which makes making this paper luminary even more fun to make.

What you'll need:
- Lunch bags
- Flower and leaf punches
- 2 sheets of colorful, contrasting paper (scrapbooking paper works great for this)
- Decorative-edged scissors
- Glue
- Votive candle in holder
- Sand

What to do:
1. With the bag still folded, carefully punch two flowers in the center front of the bag - punching through to the back as well.

2. Cut rectangles from the decorative papers to fit inside the back side of the shape you just punched. Do this for all punched areas.

3. Cut two strips of the colored paper with the decorative-edged scissors to fit the front side of the bag. You can do one wide and one narrow. Place the narrow one closer to the top and place the wider one at the bottom.

4. Glue the strips in place smoothing out any air bubbles with your fingertips as you go along.

5. Punch out four leaf shapes from colored paper and glue in place under your flower punched holes.

6. Fill the bottom of the bag with about an inch or two of sand. Place the votive in its holder into the center of the bag and anchor with the sand so it sits in there firmly and securely.

BIG NOTE: This goes without saying, but as a reminder, never leave the burning candles unattended - particularly in a paper luminary.

Enjoy the art you've created. Everyone else that sees it will too.

Indoor Rainbows

2007-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Rainbows are loved by everyone of every age. Teach your kiddos how to make one of their own. This is an easy project to pull out of a hat for either a rainy day or a solution for a bored kid.

What you'll need:
- 1 paper plate
- Paper streamers or wide ribbon in bright colors*
- crayons or colored markers
- Scissors
- White craft glue
- Piece of ribbon for hanging

*red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple

What to Do:
1. Have kiddos color the outer portion of a paper plate. and then cut a large circle out of the center of the paper plate. All that should be left is the newly colored rim of the plate.

2. Cut 1 streamer or ribbon of each color to about 18 inches long.

3. Glue each streamer to the bottom half of your paper circle.

4. Make a small hole at the top of the paper circle and thread a thin piece of ribbon through it. Then, you'll tie a loop in the ribbon and hang up the your rainbow.

Here are some helpful hints...

If you use a pencil to make your circle on the paper plate, press down firmly. This will make an indent and will make it easier to cut out the circle.

Another thing you can do with the streamers and ribbon is to cut them twice the length, and then drape them through the circle and glue right at the center. This gives you double the amount of streamers and enables you to display the rainbow from either side. Great for hanging up in the center of a room instead of a flat wall space.

Paper plates are great, but if you prefer, use a foam plate for a nice smooth outer edge - colored markers work better than crayons on this kind of surface.

Irish Neck Tie

2007-03-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

This St. Patrick's Day tie is quick to make and a lot of fun to wear! In fact, you probably won't get it off your kids even after St. Patty's because they are so fun and silly.

What You'll Need:
- Light green fun foam (most of a sheet)
- Dark green fun foam
- White fun foam
- Permanent black marker
- Hot glue or foam glue
- Scissors
- Pencil
- 18 inches green yarn

What to Do:
1. Download the template and copy onto light green fun foam. Cut out the pieces.

2. Cut out several shamrocks from the dark green and white fun foam. They can be any size or shape you want, as long as they will fit on the tie. The actual tie is the larger piece in the template below.

3. Assemble the tie before decorating...

The rectangle in the template will be the knot of the tie.

Sandwich the narrow end of the tie between the two short ends of the rectangle. To do this, you will have to fold the rectangle in half and fit the narrow end of the tie into the fold. Do not push the tie all the way into the fold, only push it in about an inch or so. This will create a loop of foam that the tie hangs out of. Glue it in place.

4. Thread the yarn through the loop in the foam and tie the two ends together. This is how the child will be able to wear the tie -- like a necklace.

5. Glue the shamrocks from step 2 onto your tie. Use a permanent black marker to write the words "Kiss Me!" on the tie and to add any other details you want.

That's it. Put your tie on and have a ball being silly!

NOTE: The reason that I've included this as a little kid craft is that you can easily do this craft with paper instead of fun foam. It won't be as durable, but younger children can do most of it without any help.

Courtesy of Free Kid Crafts.

Shamrock Hats

2007-03-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Are you having a St. Patty's Day party? Want to make your kiddos feel useful? Have them make this fun and easy St. Patrick's Day paper craft that will keep them busy and make them happy that they are "helping" you!

What you'll need:
- Green construction paper
- 2 Green chenille stems (pipe cleaners)
- Tape
- Glue
- Stapler
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Heart shape cookie cutters or similar

Easy to do...
1. Have the kids trace around the heart shapes 4 times while lining up the sides of the hearts together to form a ring of hearts. And then cut out the connected hearts (now your shamrock)as a single piece.

2. Repeat number 1 3 more times so you end up with a total of 4 shamrocks.

3. Make some small snipped cuts between the hearts - but not all the way through - to show the petals of the shamrocks.

4. Cut out 2 strips of green construction paper that are about 1 1/2 inches wide.

5. Tape one end together and try on your child's head. Cut and tape it to fit.

6. Staple one pipe cleaner to the outside of the green paper ring.

7. Staple the other pipe cleaner to the opposite side of the green paper ring. (Note: Use wire cutters and cut the stem in half to make shorter wiggling shamrocks if desired.)
8. Glue 2 shamrocks to the opposite end of each of the pipe cleaners. Let them dry and place on your kids' heads...

Paperbag Puffer Fish

2007-03-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

There's more to the little brown paper lunch bag than meets the eye! This colorful project is a fun one to do on a rainy day. �

Kids love to color. Here's a fantastic project that will keep them entertained and will result in a beautiful fish!

What you'll need:
- paper lunch bag *
- rubber band
- old newspaper
- magic markers
- construction paper�

* if you can find white paper bags, use those because the color shows up so much better. But, if you can't find them then, no worries - the plain ol' brown kind works just fine.

What to do:
First, stuff the paper bag until it's half full with crumpled up newspaper. Wind the rubber band around the the middle of the bag and fan out the remainder like a fish tail.

With the markers, have the kids make eyes and a mouth and then color a design of their choice for the body. Cut out some fins from construction paper and glue on to the body.

Several of these Puffer Fish can be strung with fishing wire and hung up to be admired.

Ordinary Bottle to Beautiful Vase

2007-02-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

Did you know you can turn an ordinary bottle into a beautiful vase? And you can do it with just a few household and art supplies on hand.

Who said bottles couldn't be made into works of art? And guess what? (as my son likes to say all the time.) This is a wonderful project whether you are 5 or 92.

What you'll need:
- bottles or other glass containers that could be used as a vase
- colored tissue paper
- scissors
- photos or pictures from magazines*
- small paint brush
- glue or Mod Podge (found in craft stores)

* if you decided to use photos, you'll first need to copy them on a color copier. Otherwise, the photos would be too stiff to be flexible enough to bend around the bottle shape. The glue would also make the photo finish smear. So, copying is the best way to use your personal photos.What to do:
First, cut or tear the tissue into little pieces. Mix your glue or Mod Podge with water. Usually, 2 parts glue to one part water works well. Then, brush a think layer of the mixture onto the bottle or glass container. Attach the tissue paper and photos to the bottle. Cover the entire bottle. Even without photos, the bottle looks beautiful using only tissue paper.

Once the bottle has dried, brush over the tissue paper and photo collage with another layer of the glue mixture to seal it. Let it dry and if necessary, brush a final layer onto the bottle. Before using the vase, make sure it is completely dry.

Voila! You now have a beautiful and useful piece of art!

Musical Notes Collage Cards

2007-02-13T10:17:00.000-08:00

Making musical notes cards is a way of showing your love and thoughtfulness for those special in your life.You can create a beautiful series of collaged note cards just by beginning with a piece of sheet music.

What you'll need:
- Blank note cards
- Old sheet music
- Crackle-finish varnish
- Gold and silver paint for paper
- Paintbrushes
- Handmade or textured papers
- Fresh leaves
- White craft glue
- Netting or other widely-woven fabric
- Pieces of paper doilies

What to do:
First, paint the sheet music with a coat of crackle varnish. Make sure you follow the directions for the crackle paint. Then, follow this by painting a coat of gold paint over it.

After the paper dries, tear it into small and randomly-sized pieces. Then, tear the handmade or textured papers into small pieces as well.

Next, prepare the leaves you collected by diluting a small amount of white craft glue with some water. You'll then paint the front and the back of the leaves with the glue mixture and then allow them to dry.

Here's the fun part, start arranging all the items you've collected and painted in layers on top of your blank card. When you are satisfied with the arrangement, simply paste them down in the order you created and add some gold and silver paint to the background. Beautiful!

You can use these cards for any occasion - Valentine's Day, Birthday, or any special memory you'd like to share with someone.

Paper Airplane Contest

2007-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Like to fly paper airplanes? Well, get out your best flying paper, folding techniques and throwing arm!

Uncle Dean from the Online Paper Airplane Museum in Tampa Bay, Florida is holding the first annual paper airplane contest at the Tampa Bay Library. Participants from 1 - 99+ are welcome.

So, if you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by and join in the fun.

All kinds of races and games, prizes and fun times are planned for this March 24th event.

Get all the details at www.uncledean.net. And while you are visiting this site, check out over 800 different paper airplane designs that you can download for free!

Fun with Recycled Mail

2006-11-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

It's been WAY too long since I've posted to Kids Crafts blog, but it's been a busy time. I've collected alot of fun projects for the kids in your life, so stay tuned and I promise to be better about adding new ideas on a regular basis.

Using up all the junk mail in a creative way is good for both parents and kids. You can actually find a purpose for the pounds of junk mail we all get every day and at the same time, show your children there are better ways to re-use paper than just throwing it out.

Collect all your used envelopes or junk mail that you would normally tend to throw out. With your child, glue down the flaps of already opened mail and wait until it's dry. If you haven't opened the envelopes yet, then carefully open the envelopes, remove what's inside and glue the flaps back down.

Now, you have an abundance of scatch paper for making drawings, creating lists, making collages, painting, or using in construction paper projects.

You can show you child how to soak off the stamps and save them for a stamp collection.

Use your imagination and think of other ways to use your recycled mail. Even envelopes with windows in them offer themselves up as an interesting challenge to creativity.

Arm you child with pens, paints, crayons or any other kind of drawing instruments and watch them create! It's fun for your kiddos and a great way to teach the benefits of recycling and how it impacts our environment.

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Want to learn more about making great paper airplanes? Check out the Easy Paper Airplanes website and download 10 Easy to Make Paper Airplane Designs today!
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Bug Safari

2006-08-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun thing to do when the weather's great and you want to take a nature walk... go on a bug safari! Fill your backpack with a few snacks and a couple of jars with lids.

As you walk, look for insects like ants, spiders, worms and beetles. Look under rocks and old logs. You'll be surprised at what you'll find!

Gently capture the bugs...

with tweezers, fingers, or gloves and place them in the jars you brought with you and take them back to your picnic area and observe them while you eat.

Watch out for bugs and insects that sting.
Make sure you help your child understand which bugs or insects will sting and which will not. Many times, a child will not grow to fear insects - especially stinging ones if they are taught to admire them in their individual beauty and industry. Bugs are fascinating to children.

The joy of being outside with your child is watching him or her experience the wonder of discovery. Children love to find things and watch movement and what better way to engage them in the process of observation than to go on a bug hunt. It's fun, it's educational, and your child will begin to appreciate the beauty and symmetry of nature.

It's good exercise too!

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Want to learn more about making great paper airplanes? Check out the Easy Paper Airplanes website and download 10 Easy to Make Paper Airplane Designs today!
________________________________________

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Labor Day Party Games

2006-08-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over and Labor Day is just around the corner. Alas, all good things must come to an end, or so they tell us.

Why not make the end of summer one to remember for you, your friends and family? Why not have a party to say farewell to lazy day activities and welcome in the fall season?

Here are some great tips for having a fun at your Labor Day Party. Try out some of these games. Most of them are for kids, but even adults like playing them sometimes!

* Have a water balloon fight. Not only cools everyone off, but kids and adults can both enjoy it!

* Guess how many candies are in a jar. Winner is the person who guesses closest to the actual amount. You can have a prize for the winner and another prize for the person who is the farthest off from the amount of M&Ms.

* Have bubble gum available and have a bubble-blowing contest.

* Have a stomp rocket or water balloon challenge - highest, farthest, slowest, etc...

* Have a paper airplane contest.

* Have a 3-legged race.

* If you have a pool, play Marco-Polo.

* Get a net for your pool, stretch it across the width and play water polo.
Play limbo. How low can you go?

* Play "keep away" with anything that you can throw (providing it's not something that would hurt you) like a plastic water bottle or a water balloon.

* If you are near a large enough area, play "Pickle". Everyone loves pickle!

* Another field-type game would be "Kick the Can" - an old favorite of mine from childhood.

If you think back, there are so many childhood games that can be taken out, dusted off and played with great delight. Think back to your own childhood, I'm sure the games you grew up with will come to light.

In the event that it's raining (oh no!) Get cozy with a bunch of fun and easy appetizers and play card games. There are two many to list here, but we all know a few. Cards bring people together and create a lively atmosphere - particularly if it's a competitive group.

Want to be the brain of the group? Read up on how Labor Day got started and impress your friends with your historical knowledge.

Have a great Labor Day celebration!

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More One-liner Projects

2006-08-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

Every so often, I like to post a quick list of projects you can do within a moment's notice. It's simple. Print these out and have them handy for that inevitable time when your little one comes to you and says, "Mom, I'm bored. What can I do?" Have fun with these. Kids really seem to enjoy them and there's an educational value attatched as well without them even knowing it!

These fun, one-liner projects came home from school with my 2nd-going-on-3rd grader...

Spread peanut butter on a large round cracker. Add raisins to make a face. Yummy!

Keep track of the fruits and vegetables you eat in one day. How many kinds did you eat?

Imagine that you have just discovered a new planet. Draw what you might see there.

Listen to music and clap out the rhythm

Write as many addition facts as you can in one minute.

Tape a ruler on a narrow jar. See how much rain falls in the jar.

What can you pack a raw egg in so that it will not break when it's dropped? Test your idea.

Weigh yourself. What is the difference between your weight and a family member's?

Trace around your foot. Make a picture out of the shape.

Ask someone to draw a wiggly line. Make a picture out of it.

Fnish this sentence with two words that rhyme: I'ts fun to see a ... (Example: ball fall.)

How many water faucets do you have inside and outside your home?

Pretend that you are a book character. Write a newspaper ad for an item you have lost.

Make a wanted poster for a book you'd like to read.

Estimate how long you can stand on one foot. Try it.

Write words from the letters that go with these numbers on your phone: 9-8-3-2.

Read an article in a newspaper or magazine. Tell someone about it.

Draw a map showing the route ou take to go from home to school.

Put an object in a lunch bag. Your family may only ask yes-and-no questions to guess what it is.

Ask someone to give you three-step directions. Follow the directions.

On a paper plate, glue on magazine pictures to make a nutritious meal for your family.

Plant some flower seeds in a place that needs to be made more beautiful.

Put an ice cube in a plastic cup, a can, and foam cup. Which ice cube lasts the longest?

Look around with a magnifying glass for 15 mintues. What interesting things did you see?

Read a book outdoors.

Have Fun!

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Bug Snacks - No Not for You! For the Bugs!

2006-07-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

Kids' Crafts

It's Summertime. There are bugs and more bugs and lots more bugs. They are tiny little beings that are easily squashed, overlooked, or swatted away in irritation. However, it's not a bad idea to teach your children the important role they play in our life here on Earth.

Yes, we don't like annoying, buzzy bugs, and some children are afraid of bugs. But here's an idea that will not only help to spark an interest in why bugs were created, but also may lessen the fear a child may have of the little creatures.

Talk to your child about the important role they play in keeping the Earth healthy. Help him or her understand that protecting and feeding a bug is beneficial to everyone. Bugs like to eat organic garbage. So, next time you eat an apple, instead of throwing the core away, show your child how you can place it somewhere in your garden or a corner of your yard. Have your child check the apple core everyday. Pretty soon it will be gone! Bugs eat mostly at night, so have her come out first thing in the morning to check the progress.

Not only will your child look forward to getting up, but it's fun for her to see the action of the tiny bugs as they devour the core.

It's a great lesson in Nature and why every creature definitely has a place and purpose in this world.
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Are you interested in showing you child how to make fun appetizers? There's a lot of joy in teaching your child to cook. Why not start out with fun food? Check out my Web site Easy Appetizer Recipes for lots of great ideas and recipes and another fun way to spend time with your child!
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Play Tag! Everyone loves it!

2006-07-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Kids Crafts

Kids have the most incredible way of entertaining themselves. Even in this day and age when there are so many options for entertainment. What I love is to see what happens when a child finds him or herself in a situation where there are no toys, no TV, no video games. For instance, my family and another family went on a picnic recently. The day was beautiful, we were outside away from most distractions and EVERYONE forgot a frisbee, ball, bat, etc...

So we played Tag. All of us. Kids and adults.

It was fun, exhilerating and exhausting! But the point is, fun can be had without anything at all but your imagination.

Here are a couple of great games of Tag you can introduce to your children. Play with them until you can't. The kids love it and it's great exercise.

Carry Tag
You'll need a ball or some kind of object like a hat or shoe. One person is chosen to be "IT". Everyone else passes the object around to each other. The person holding the object is the person "IT" will try to tag. So, you will want to get rid of the object (which always has to be in plain sight) to the next closest person in order to be "Safe".

If you are carrying the object and need to get rid of it, all you need to do is touch the person closest to you with the object. That person MUST take the object at that time. If a person is tagged by "IT" while carrying the object, then the tagged person becomes "IT" and must give the object to the former "IT".

The new "IT" must count to 3 to give the former "IT" a chance to run away and get rid of the object.

Any player who drops the object automatically becomes "IT".

Another favorite is Flashlight Tag.
You'll need a flashlight and play this game at twilight.

Make sure the playing area doesn't have a lot of holes or rocks that the players could trip over. The person chosen to be "IT" takes the flashlight and tries to tag the other players with the flashlight beam. Players are eliminated when "IT" tags you with the light. This goes on until there is only one remaining player.

The squeals of laughter and giggled protests you'll hear are like music to your ear.
Enjoy!

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Are you interested in showing you child how to make paper airplanes? Check out my Web site Easy Paper Airplanes and my blog too. Lots of great info and another fun way to spend time with your child!
_______________________________________________________

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Fun with Action Words Activity

2006-07-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Kids Crafts

This is a fun activity to do with young children. It serves a few really wonderful purposes: 1) good bonding time with your child, 2) it has educational value, 3) and it gets you both MOVING!

All you need is your imagination and/or a dictionary, a little music and some time in your day...

First, come up with a list of action words like:

Leap
Slide
Run
Crawl
Fall
Stretch
Spin
Reach
Turn

Explain what each word means to your child - if they don't know - and show them the action associated with it. Then, put on some music and try out your words together in motion.

Call out each word to your child and the action together a few times. To make it a little more challenging, put a number in front of the action word the next time you call it out, like: "3 turns" and then perform the action together.

To take it up another level, you and your kiddo can make up dances using two or three of the words in a row, for instance, turn, run, and slide. Watch and see how much fun your little one will have (and you will too!)

For variations on the theme, you can vary the directions and levels by doing the action words backwards or sideways, lower to the ground or stretching up higher in the air.

Have fun with it!
_______________________________________________________

Are you interested in showing you child how to make paper airplanes? Check out my Web site Easy Paper Airplanes and my blog too. Lots of great info and another fun way to spend time with your child!
_______________________________________________________

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Origami Instructions - Getting Started

2006-06-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

Kids Crafts

I found this article and thought it was worth reprinting here at Kids Crafts blog. Enjoy!

Origami Instructions - Getting Started
By Andre McFayden

The birthplace of origami is still a mystery. Paper was developed in China in the first century A.D., and Buddhist monks brought it to Japan by the sixth century A.D. However there are not many written records from that time, so it is not known whether origami first began in China or Japan. However, no one will argue that Japan developed origami to a high art form. The word origami is Japanese: oru means "to fold", and kami means "paper".

Many grownups remember making origami items as a child. It was often a case of watching as another youngster showed how to make a paper airplane or something similar. After a while, we develop a set of origami instructions in our head, for making several airplanes, boats, animals, water balloons and other toys.

As it turns out, there are only so many ways to fold paper. Developing a "language" of folding helps simplify passing on origami teachings. Terms like "mountain fold" and "valley fold" are used over and over again. Basic fold patterns such as "square base" and "bird base" can be used as starting points for many different origami pieces. From the basic building blocks, an effectively infinite number of origami items can be made.

Special origami kits are available. These contain squares of paper, often colored on one side only. This helps to enhance the three dimensional effect of the item being folded. The paper is also very thin, allowing it to be folded many times. Origami items can also be made from scrap paper, such as standard printer paper. This is often best for paper airplanes, due to its weight and size: larger airplanes (of a given design) generally fly better. True origami is made from one piece of paper without using scissors, glue or decorative items such as markers. However, remember that the goal is to have fun, so use what you like.

The effect of origami as kids is to teach us creativity, patience and following a process. As grownups, paper folding is a great stress reliever and an effective way to bond further with our kids. Whether you'd like to make a simple paper boat or fold an elephant out of a dollar bill, origami is a fun, simple and inexpensive hobby. So get a piece of paper and start folding!

If you'd like to know more about origami, including how to fold specific items, visit our site at www.origami-instructions.com.

This article may be reprinted if proper credit is given and all links left intact. Copyright©2005 Origami-Instructions.com

Andre is a contributor to
Origami-Instructions.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_McFayden

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Want to learn more about making great paper airplanes? Check out the Easy Paper Airplanes website and download 10 Easy to Make Paper Airplane Designs today!
________________________________________

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Watery Chalk

2006-04-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Kids Crafts

You have a creative child. Or you want to encourage your child's natural inclination to want to be creative. This simple project can open up your kiddo's eyes to what can be done with a little chalk, some paper and with adult supervision, a little liquid starch. The end result is satisfying for both you and your child and something you'll want to keep for a long time.

What you'll need:

Colored chalk
White drawing paper
Liquid starch
Paintbrush

What to do:
There are two ways to do this project:

Draw a picture on the paper with the chalk, then with the paintbrush, brush liquid starch over it.
Or, dip the paper into the liquid starch first and then draw on the wet paper. Either way, the pictures end up beautiful.

Have fun and watch your child's delight grow by creating something beautiful.

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Want a neat way to spend valuable time with your kiddo? Check out my Web site Easy Paper Airplanes and my blog too, for free instructions and loads of fun making paper airplanes. Lots of great info and yet, another fun way to spend time with your child!
_______________________________________________________

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One-liner projects

2006-04-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Kids Crafts

Here are some "one-liner" projects you can pull out of your hat in a moment's notice. These came home from school with my 2nd-grader. They are fun projects that will keep your kiddo's imagination active and has an educational twist without them really being aware of it!

Fold a sheet of paper in half. Fold it in half again. How many times can you keep folding it?
List at least five ways to use a paper clip.
Write how you could make toast without electricity.
Describe a special talent that you have.
Write a poem about spring.
List four words that have at least three vowels. (Examples are Beautiful or Surprise)
Add up the digits in your telephone number. Include your area code.
The word NAP read backwards is PAN. Write 2 or 3 more words like that.
Add up the ages of everyone in your family.
How many chairs are in your home? Write a math fact to show how many legs they have in all.
With your family, brainstorm ways to make household chores easier to do.
Draw a picture using only straight lines.
Look at your skin with magnifying glass. Do some parts look smoother than others?
Write at least four different ways you could serve potatoes.
Watch the weather report on TV. Write three facts you learned.
When do you think traffic is the busiest on your street? How could you find out?
Draw a picture using only curved lines. Do you have a Sketch Set
Plan a birthday party for your favorite book character.
Fill a jar with small items. Estimate the number of items. Count to check.
Make up a recipe or a delicious salad. Include your favorite fruits or vegetables.
Make a list of all the things you know of that are always green.
List ten nouns. Can you use all ten nouns in only two sentences?
For 15 minutes, pretend you cannot speak. Instead, communicate without words.
Dress up as the main character of a book you've read. Tell your family about yourself. Check out my favorite Kid's Books.

Have fun!

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Quickie Projects

2006-03-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

Sometimes you just need a quick little project to pull out of your hat and keep your child busy. I've done a little research and come up with a few very simple ideas that you can keep handy to pull up at a moment's notice. Either print this blog entry out or just bookmark it. Either way, you will have a quick and easy way of having an answer to that age old weary query, "Mom, I'm bored, what should I do?"

I'll be posting little Quickie Project lists from time to time, so don't forget to check back here.

Bookmarks
What you need:

Hole punch
Old birthday or holiday cards
Crochet thread or scrap yarn

What to do:

Cut a picture from the cover of a greeting card the size of a bookmark.
Punch a hole in the bottom center of the cut out picture.
Cut several lengths of thread or yarn and make a tassel through the hole in the bottom of the card.

Peanut Pals
What you need:

Some peanuts still in the shell
Fine point markers
Scraps of yarn
Pipe cleaners
water paints
glue, scissors

What to do:

Color the shells with water paints and let dry.
Glue some small scraps of yarn on the top of the thinnest end of the peanuts for hair.
With markers, draw a face on the peanuts head.
Cut the pipe cleaner into small pieces for arms and legs.
Glue the arms and legs unto the peanuts and let them dry completely. Shape the arms and legs any way you like.

Rainy Day Puzzles
What you'll need:

Old animal or flower greeting cards
Glue
Decoupage Glaze
Scissors
Envelope

What to do:

Glue the front and back of the greeting cards together.
Cover the front and back with decoupage glaze, let dry.
When completely dry, cut the cards into several pieces. You now have puzzles.
Use the envelope to store the pieces for the next rainy day.

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Mixed Up Beach Towel

2006-03-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

I know it's not quite time for the beach, but you can never start too early for getting ready! Here's a really fun project to do with your child while you are waiting for the weather to get warmer. Make your own fun and crazy beach towel.

What you'll need:

Adult permission
1 White beach towel
Acrylic paints (pick colors you like)
Craft sponges: In a variety of shapes (animals, flowers, hearts, stars, whichever you like
Old plastic fly swatter
Old newspapers (for the mess).

What to do:

Cover the work area or floor with newspapers
Place your towel completely opened onto the newspaper. If you are using a new towel, be sure to wash it first so it won't be stiff.
Dip your sponges into the paint (not too much paint) and sponge them onto your towel in different places.
Dip the fly swatter into the paint and pat it on some newspaper to clear the paint out of the holes. Pat the fly swatter onto the areas of your towel that do not have a shape on them.
If you are allowed, you may place your hand and feet prints on the towel too.
Let it dry completely.
Help clean up the mess.
Ask your Mom if she would sew a pocket on one end of the towel by folding it over and stitching up the sides and then two or three seams evenly spaced across. That's so you can put all your beach goodies somewhere safe!

This is a really fun (and messy) project, but if you have the room, the patience and the time to do it with your child, you will end up having as much fun as he or she will. And, you'll end up with a beautiful and useful piece of art! Move over Picaso!

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Irish Carnations

2006-03-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

From our friends at Kid Crafts magazine.

Keeping with the St. Patrick's Day theme, here's another fun and creative way to make something with your kids for the green holiday. This is a really good experiment for children to learn about how plants absorb nutrients and food. Of course, you can make the carnations just about any color you want, but making them "Irish" carnations gives you a good excuse to play with flowers in the off season.

What you'll need:

White carnations (avoid the fancy ones)
Green food color
Water
Teaspoon sugar
Scissors
Container (to hold flowers)

What to do:

Create the dye solution. Combine one ounce of food coloring with one pint of warm water and one teaspoon of sugar. Mix well and make sure the sugar is dissolved.
Cut the tip of each carnation stem with the scissors. Having a fresh cut will ensure that the carnation can absorb the water.
Put the fresh cut stems into the dye solution so that is covers about three inches of the stem.
Set the carnations up out of the way so they won't be knocked down and wait for them to change color. It may take up to 24 hours for the colors to become vivid.

What Happened?
The age of your child or group of children will determine how much you can discuss this experiment with them. Some kids will just be happy and excited to see the colors change. Others will want to know exactly how it happened.

I'm sure you already know how it works, but just in case, here's the scoop. Most plants absorb or "drink" water and nutrients from the ground through their roots. The water travels up the stem of the plant into the leaves and flowers. The plant uses the water and nutrients to make food.

Obviously, when a flower is cut it no longer has it's roots. It still absorbs water through it's stem, however. When you put the food coloring into the water, the flower "drinks" up the dye along with the water, which changes the color of the carnation's flowers. By the way, RIT dye works really well to give a more brilliant color than food coloring.

Do you like this craft? Try out these Little Kid Crafts Books. I've found wonderful ideas and helpful solutions for those rainy days and long weekends. I highly recommend it! Click the books below to find out more.

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Green on Green

2006-03-13T20:12:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

Since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd post a few appropriate crafts over the next few days to celebrate the green holiday. This craft is great fun for the little kids and a creative pleasure for the bigger kids.

What you need:

Green Construction Paper
Green crayons or you can use oil pastels
White tempera paint
Paintbrushes
Water and a few water containers
Cover a work area with plastic or newspaper
Paint shirts or smocks for the little ones is a good idea

What to do:

Draw a picture or any kind of design on green construction paper using green crayon -- a bit tricky because its sometimes hard to see what it is you are drawing. If you can't draw an image with detail, just do some simple and fun designs.
Press hard with the crayon to make it nice and thick.
After your picture is drawn, brush some white tempera paint lightlty over the paper.
Voila! It's magic... now you'll see cool lines appearing out of nowhere!
Have the child sign the picture and then display it.

This fun craft comes from my friends at Free Kid Crafts

Happy St. Patty's Day!

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Keeping Little Kids Busy

2006-03-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

I Know How To Keep Little Kids Busy

Anyone who has young children knows that the single most difficult challenge is how to keep them entertained.

It's the very thing that can make the difference between a happy child who is enjoyable to be around and a child who is constantly looking for trouble.

But, this simple objective seems to be much easier said than done.

If you are unable to keep your child entertained, you're likely to find that they have colored their bedroom walls, stuck a peanut butter sandwich into the VCR, or cut their own bangs when you weren't looking.

For some, entertaining their child means parking them in front of the T.V. to watch Sesame Street. Others haul their child to class after class, at great expense or spend hours each day at the park endlessly pushing a swing.

I've personally discovered that there is an easy way to keep young children entertained.

Not only does it keep them entertained, but it accomplishes a variety of other things as well:

- Builds positive self image
- Encourages self-discipline
- Rewards hard work and diligence
- Promotes eye-hand coordination
- Cultivates a love of learning
- Fosters cooperation with others
- Encourages their imagination

Are you ready for the magic bullet?

Here it is: Do crafts with your child!

I know what you're saying -- That's all well and good for kids. As parents, we want the best for our children and will do whatever it takes to give them the best life we can, but do we have to do kid crafts?!?

Okay, that's what I used to think. Doing kid crafts, especially toddlers and preschoolers seemed like such a pain in the neck. I used to think that it was too messy, hard to organize, and really not worth the effort until they got a little older. Then a friend of mine got me to try it a couple of times and I found out that doing these types of activities really made my job as a parent soooo much easier!

~ The kids argued less among themselves and with me
~ Discipline became easier and less necessary
~ They played together better, even developed their own little games
~ I didn't have to constantly entertain them anymore
~ My oldest started helping me more with the younger ones and even wanted to help in the housework
~ They all became easier to handle when we went out

You get the picture. The point is that kid crafts really made a big difference in our daily lives! Now we do a project of some kind nearly every day and everyone is happier!

The only problem is finding age-appropriate crafts.

I searched through a ton of free websites and bought a few child crafting books, only to be disappointed. Most of the resources I found were just too old for my children.

That's when I came across "Little Kid Crafts For All Seasons," and I absolutely love it!

Not only is this craft book full of unique ideas, the author, Chris Yates, has even put in a lot of extra ideas to make each craft more or less challenging, depending on the skills of your child.

This is more than just a kid's crafting book, it's really a guide on how to craft with your child, create learning opportunities, and create your own projects to do with your child as they grow.

Chris really wants you to get the most mileage out of every craft project she writes about.

I guess you can tell that I like Little Kid Crafts For All Seasons - actually I think it's one of the best books on the market for crafting with younger children. That's why I feel so comfortable recommending it to you.

The best part about this book is that you can gain instant access to it. It's the first kid's crafting book that I've ever seen available in an e-book.

If you craft with your toddler or preschooler, or you want to, don't waste your time looking through free web sites. Don't waste your money on craft books that will leave you disappointed.

Check out Little Kid Crafts For All Seasons Now!

Here's to your crafting future!

Oh, and one more thing...

Chris has packaged Little Kid Crafts For All Seasons with Little Kid Paper Plate Crafts -- making it an outstanding value for anyone who crafts with their kids!

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Crafting Tools Glossary

2006-03-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

Have you ever wondered about some of the tools that crafters use and what they are talking about when speaking crafter-nese? Here's a quick little crafting tools glossary of terms that might clear up some of the confusion.

Abrasives:

Adhesives:

Awl:

Bevel:

Blending Stump:

Bone:

Bow Saw:

Brad Point Bit:

Brayer:

Brush:

Burnisher:

Calipers: metal instruments used in measuring, inside and outside measurements use different calipers

Chisel: metal tools used to create decorative work in wood or create edges.

Circular Saw: hand held power tool with round or circle blade, rough to detail cuts

Clamps: work holding device; C-clamps, bar, pipe, hand-screw, band, web, and specialty

Coping Saw: hand held saw with thin cutting blade that is anchored across a metal bridge, fine cutting

Drill: portable tool that can be hand held or placed in a press, used to bore holes, but anything is possible with the variety of bits available today.

Files: hardened steel with rows of finely spaced cutting teeth for smoothing, trimming and sharpening

Hammer: hard or soft head with handle to pound smooth or insert one item into another, over 30 varieties for specific tasks. Include the mallet which is a rubber headed tool

Kiln: like an oven used in ceramic to heat or fire work

Lathe: tool that allows carving or decoration of wood with a spinning or turning motion while wood is clamped to machine.

Loom: frame used to weave materials or hold materials in place.

Miter Box: guide created to give accurate cutting of angle

Needle: instrument with eye which can be threaded with thin materials, point is sharp or blunted

Mold: used to cast or shape mediums or materials

Palette Knife: shaped like a pie cutter, used to transfer medium, smooth medium, or texture medium

Plane: used to smooth or flatten wood, hand held or power

Radial Arm Saw: power saw with round blades used where the material is stationary and the saw moves to cut

Ribs: smooth hand size wood pieces with edges in different degrees of texture used to shape clays or other modeling mediums

Rifflers: files with very small heads and large hand grips for detail work

Router: portable power tool with changeable bits for variety of tasks from cutting to edging

Ruler: also referred to in soft form as a tape, measurements in inches and meters

Sabre Saw: hand held power tool which only one end of straight blade is attached to saw

Smoldering Iron: heating tool used to melt metals or transfer metal to a surface

Square: wood and metal tool used to make correct corners, edges, and cuts

Staple Gun: hand or power tool that shoots staples or nails into material

Stylus: metal rounded tip used to create perfect, consistent dots

Table Saw: Stationary saw with a round blade use where material is moved to cut.

Tack Cloth: very sticky cloth or fabric used to remove fine particles or dust from wood, metal, ceramic, etc.

Tjanting: holds wax to use in applying lines of wax to materials as in batik

Trim Tool: used to smooth or cut materials, wires of different shapes, thickness, and widths are clamped to a hand held handle

Wheel: table with flat top that rotates or spins

We learn something new everyday, don't we? This glossary is from our friends, www.CreateForLess.com

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Encourage Your Children

2006-03-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

By Kirsty Lushmay

The moment you first give a toddler a crayon and a piece of paper, you're giving that child a step up to a world of creativity, learning, entertainment and accomplishment. It's the world of Arts & Crafts. A small phrase for such an important part of a child's development.

Children are interested in Arts & Crafts from an early age. Toddlers love to scribble on pieces of paper with chunky crayons. Later, when they understand not to eat it, playdo is a fascinating medium. They can squish it, use plastic tools on it, blend the colors together, and press out shapes from it. Everything get in a mess - play dough gets mashed into clothes, hair, shoes, the floor...but of course that's part of the fun for pre-schoolers. The messier the better! And what could be messier than paint?

Give a small child a pot of thick paint, scrap paper and a chunky paintbrush, and they're happy. If you can't bear to have paint on everything, take it outdoors. Using playdough and painting materials, kids are learning about form and substance, improving their motor skills and enhancing their imaginations. As they grow, there will be more and more crafts to choose from, and, thanks to the diverse range of crafts for kids, there's something for everyone, whether 2 or 12 years old.

If you join in, you'll be giving your kids happy memories to store away. So, encourage your kids to express themselves with arts and crafts. Never force them - it has to be an enjoyable pursuit. Similarly, don't ever disparage your child's work of art. Don't be discouraged if your child lacks interest - just explore different options. Be imaginative. Do crafts outdoors as well as in. Use different materials or seasonal themes.

In this age of mindless TV watching and video games, the ability to something creative is an amazing skill for a child to have. You'll be so glad you encouraged them.

About the Author: Kirsty Lushmay is a work-from-home mother.

Source: www.isnare.com

Discover an amazing 365 Crafts for Kids by clicking HERE!

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Easy Paper Airplanes

2006-03-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

Do you ever find yourself right in the middle of making dinner or cleaning out the garage when your precious little one comes to you and says, “I’m bored. What can I do?”

It’s happened to all of us…

And this is coming from the kid that usually has a room full of toys, loads of games, and books galore.

I know because that kid is mine! I may list off several things he could do right off the top of my head and I’d often get a big sigh or a long look with a response such as, “I’ve already done that, Mom!”

Being the busy Mom that I am, I decided one day after just such a conversation with my son, that I would sit down with him and make a paper airplane – just like my Dad did with me when I was that age. Guess what?

I couldn’t remember how to make one!

So, I hopped on the Internet and did a search on how to make a paper airplane. I came up with LOTS of websites, but none that had clear, step-by-step instructions. Most of the websites were hard to maneuver around in, difficult to find the information I needed, and less than motivating to stay with it. I’m busy! I don’t have time to waste trying to figure out a Web site, let alone a paper airplane!

It was so frustrating!

But now, my interest was peaked. I wanted to remember how to build a paper airplane. The next step for me was to see what I could find out at the Library.

Only to be disappointed again!

Yes, there are books out there about how to make a paper airplane. PLENTY of books. But I found that in a few of the books, the illustrations were unclear and the directions too complicated. Or the book was put together in such a disorderly manner that I closed the covers immediately. Maybe those simple, easy to follow instructions were in that book, but I didn’t have time to try to figure out where!

Okay, then I decided it was time to check out what the bookstore had to offer. Not that I was interested in spending a lot of money, but to see what else was available.

Guess what I found? Of course, more paper airplane books. And some beautiful books, written by best-selling authors who have done extensive testing and flying of their paper airplanes. But some of these books, as nice as they looked, were very expensive, PLUS, some had perforated pages where you could tear out the page, follow the fold marks and presto, you had an instant paper airplane.

But what fun is that?

All the work is done for you. Not that I want to work hard at folding paper airplanes. But I remember how completely awesome it was to watch my Dad transform a simple, plain piece of paper into a cool, paper airplane. It was pure magic! And I was ecstatic.

So, pre-made paper airplanes were out as far as I was concerned.

By this time, I had spent many hours traveling around, looking for the perfect, easy to follow instructions for making simple paper airplanes. And it wasn’t out there.

As I said earlier, my interest was peaked and discovering where to find the perfect paper airplane instructions proved to be a challenge I couldn’t refuse!

That old saying, “If you can’t find it, make it yourself!”, was never truer. My search for the perfect directions for paper airplanes led me back home.

See, I’m a graphic designer by trade, so why not use my skills and put together the perfect book about how to make paper airplanes? And that’s exactly what I did.

I designed my own book that is simple to understand, has 10 really fun and easy to make paper airplane designs in it, and is easily distributed to other friends, family and people like me!

Thus, Fun and Easy Paper Airplanes (That Really do Fly!) was born!

Check out this great ebook and if you are in a big hurry, just click to download free paper airplane instructions.

Happy Flying!

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Color Your Name

2006-03-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

I love all kinds of crafts, but one of my favorite things to work on with kids are crayons, colored pencils, magic markers and paper. Here's a good example of an easy craft project and it ends up being useful too!

Kids usually like crafts with their name involved! Here is a simple and fun way to personalise their backpacks or purses. It will also help them to find it and identify it quickly and easily.

For this Kid Craft you will need the following:
- Card (white or light colored)
- Coloring pencils, pens or crayons

- Hole punch
- Key ring attachment or ribbon

Make an outline
First you will need to draw an outline of your child's name onto the card (older kids can do this themselves). Make the letters large and chunky to give them plenty of room to color it in.

Another way to make the outline is use Microsoft Word on your computer (or if you are familiar with Adobe Illustrator - use that program). Choose from suitable Kids Fonts (some good choices are Comic Sans, Arial Black, or Cooper Black ) and type in the name in big letters. Then, if you are using Word, select the name, choose "format" and then "font". Select the "outline" box. This is a fantastic way of making your letters and has a lot of potential for children learning to form letters and numbers.

Get the kids to color in the letters
Give your crafting kids some coloring pens or crayons and let them color in their names. You can suggest to older kids to create a pattern in each letter. Although I don't always believe in always staying within the lines, it might be a good idea for the little ones to concentrate on their skill at coloring inside the letters.

Cut out the name
When the kids have finished coloring, have them cut out the name and leave a small border all around. There should also be about an inch before the first letter (this is where you need to punch a hole). You can also write address and contact details on the back of the name.
Laminate
You can either cold laminate (you can buy laminating sheets from an office supply company or stationery shop) or take the tag to be laminated in a machine. The latter option is more permanent! When the laminating is done, re-punch the hole and use a key ring or ribbon to attach the tag to the purse or backpack.

Gift Tip: Children love to be creative when they have the tools. Why not give your child a Colored Pencil Gift Set? They love all the pretty colors and will enjoy making pictures that you can proudly display.

Discover an amazing 365 Crafts for Kids by clicking Here!

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Fun stuff for you and your kids!

2006-03-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Kids Crafts

Welcome to the first posting of The KID CRAFTS SPOT! This blog was created to give you the best and most fun crafts to do with your kids, and a place to find ideas on those days when the brain just won't come up with anything else!

Take it from me, BusyMOM - when I got tired of trying to come up with yet ANOTHER idea for a restless kiddo, I just had to find a resource that was easy for me to have ready-to-do activities for my kids.

Yes, there are a lot of craft sites out there for kids, but it seemed like I was spending more time looking for the right sites and less time actually coming up with age-appropriate activities, games, and craft projects that I thought my kiddo would like to do.

Let's face it. Life is busy whether you are a mom or not. And if children are in the picture, well, life is ALWAYS busy! So, my idea was to have a plenitful resource of lots of ideas, easy-to-do projects, games, activities, ideas for parties, and more for kids from Toddlers to Teenagers. Check back in to find the answer to that age-old question, "Mom, I'm bored... what can I do?

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