Miss Dawn's Notebook
Fun For Kids
Bottle Music Bowling
Game Bubbles Buckets Center
Cards Crayon Art Doughs Dyed Macaroni Easy
Printing Flower Pots Flower
Pounding Galaxy in a Jar Homemade Rubber
Stamps Luminaries Paints Pasta Angels Patterns Recycled
Crayons Sidewalk Chalk >Stenciling
Toddler
Tie-Dye Turtles Under the Sea
Poster Window Stickers
Materials: several plastic bottles, water, food coloring
Fill plastic soda bottles with different amounts of water.
Add food coloring. Have children tap with their hands or
spoons. Compare differences in tone.
Materials: 2 liter or 20 oz plastic bottles, ball, optional:
stickers, tissue paper, fabric, easter grass, confetti
Use 2 liter or 20 oz plastic bottles. them with stickers,
or fill them using tissue paper, shiny fabric, easter grass,
confetti... Include an appropriate sized ball
Bubble Blower
Materials: 35 mm film canister, small piece of
plastic canvas, scissors, 30" plastic lanyard, 1 pony bead, 2 oz.
bubbles, hot glue gun
Cut a piece of plastic canvas as follows: 5 holes wide and 12
holes long. Be sure to keep plastic mesh intact on both sides.
Counting down six holes, cut in from each side, one hole, making a
paddle shape that is 3 holes wide at one end and 5 holes wide at the
other. This is the bubble wand. Punch a small hole in the lid of the
film canister. Thread one end of the lanyard through this hole from
outside inward. Thread the lanyard through the center of the 3 hole
end of the plastic bubble wand. Bring the lanyard back up through
the same hole in the lid of the canister. Draw both ends even and
place the pony bead over both lanyard threads. Hot glue the pony
bead to the top of the canister lid and also glue the bubble wand to
the inside of the lid. Fill the canister with bubbles, replace the
lid on the bottom and tie the ends of the lanyard together to form a
necklace.
Monster Bubbles
Materials: 6 cups water, ¾ cup corn syrup, 2 cups dishwashing
liquid
Mix together. Let set 4 hours.
Materials: plastic, paper, or styrofoam cup, hole punch, wire or
string, optional: paint, ribbons, pom poms, sequins, glitter
Take the cup and using a hole punch, punch two holes in the top
of the cup, but across from each other. Using wire or string,
fashion a handle and tie it to the holes.
Paint the bucket in colors desired (note: if using styro cups,
you'll have to use kraft paint or the cups may melt). Embellish with
ribbons, pom poms, sequins, etc. and fill with a favorite candy, or
with small toys.
Materials: bristol board, markers, photo, contact paper,
velcro
Bristol board can be cut and the children can color it.
Add their photo and cover with contact paper. Add velcro to
the back and attach to child's activity center or toy box.
Some printing shops offer free bristol board.
Materials: newspaper, wax paper, crayon shavings, iron
Place newspaper on table. Cover with sheet of wax paper. Use
grater or pencil sharpener to make crayon shavings. Cover with
newspaper and heat with hot iron about 5 to 8 seconds. When wax
paper is dry and cool, let children cut into shapes.
Doughs
Cornstarch Clay
Materials: 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups salt, 1 1/3 cups cold
water
Put salt and 2/3 cup water in pan and bring to a boil. Mix
cornstarch with 2/3 cup water and mix well. Blend 2 mixtures
together and knead into clay. The dough has to be heated as it is
combined to set. Makes about 3 cups. This clay can be air dried and
then painted. Store unused clay in airtight container in the
fridge.
Edible Fun Dough
Materials: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup honey, 2 cups powdered milk
(use just the powder)
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Add more powdered milk to make
a more workable dough if needed.
Fun Dough
Materials: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon
cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons oil, optional: food coloring
If desired add food coloring to water, then mix all the
ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat stirring often
until mixture forms a thick dough. Remove from heat and cool. Knead
until smooth. Keep in airtight container in fridge.
Kool-Aid Play Dough
Materials: 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 package
unsweetened Kool-Aid, 1/4 cup salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1
cup water
Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar, and Kool-Aid in a medium pot.
Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes. When
mixture forms a ball in pot, remove. Knead until smooth. Put in a
plastic bag and refrigerate.
Play Dough
Materials: 1 cup flour, 1 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons cream of
tartar, 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 cup salt, optional: food coloring
Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium
heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth.
Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled.
Gak
Materials: 1 cup white glue, 1 cup liquid starch, food
coloring
Put glue and coloring in plastic container. Add starch a little
at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until mixture holds
together like putty. Test with your fingers: if too sticky, add more
starch in small amounts until mass is smooth and rubbery. Have fun
pulling, stretching, bouncing and taking transfers off of the Sunday
comics, etc. Store in a plastic bag or airtight container.
Goop
Materials: corn starch, water, food coloring
Put some cornstarch into a bowl. Add just enough water to make it
pasty. Add food coloring
Silly Putty
Materials: 1/2 cup liquid starch, 1/2 cup glue
Mix starch and glue together until it feels like silly putty.
Store in airtight container in the fridge.
Materials: macaroni or rice, alcohol, rubber stamp ink, plastic
bag, rubber gloves
To get a deep color when you dye rice or macaroni, use alcohol
and a few drops of rubber stamp ink. You can buy re-ink
bottles at craft stores or rubber stamp catalogs. Don't forget
to use rubber gloves.
Materials: chalk dust or water
Beginning is easier for small hands if you dip their finger in
water or chalk dust and write on a chalk board.
Materials: 35mm film containers, clay, toothpicks, spanish moss,
dyed eggshells, sequins, glitter
Form small flowers from the
clay using toothpicks for stems. Let dry. Embellish the film
container with sequins, glitter, dyed eggshells. Put some clay in
the bottom of the film container with some spanish moss on top and
stick the ends of the toothpicks in the clay (looks better with
green toothpicks).
Materials: flower heads and other plants, cardstock, pillow
cases, hammer, waxed paper
To make stationery, get some card-stock (I buy it by the sheet at
my local copier place) a hammer, some waxed-paper,
leaves/flowers/weeds/etc, On a smooth hard surface (I use an old
piece of "countertop stuff" on the concrete patio out back) arrange
a piece of card-stock, a combination of leaves/flowers (try to avoid
the really "juicy" ones) and top with another piece of card stock.
Lay down a piece of waxed paper on top and proceed to bang the whole
pile with the hammer. The pressure from the hammer releases the
juices inside the plant material and these juices stain and color
the cardstock. You'll have to experiment to see which combinations
and leaves work best, but you can get some wonderful leaf/flower
impressions on the cards and it makes very good stationery. I have
the best luck with stationery using fall leaves that are turning
color. The patterns are gorgeous with the different colors, and the
leaves are getting dryer so they don't soak through the paper. You
have to hit them longer to "juice" the leaves, but they really are
pretty. 8.5x11 cardstock cut in half folds nicely to make cards, and
most big business supply stores will sell envelopes that are the
perfect size (ask for "invitation envelopes").
You can also make decorated pillowcases by pounding the
leaves/flowers. Pre-wash (don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets)
the fabric. Arrange on a firm surface, one piece of fabric "correct"
side up, some flowers/leaves, and a second piece of fabric "correct"
side down. Proceed to hit all over the surface with the hammer.
You'll be able to see the pattern take shape because the plant
juices will soak into the fabric. Let the fabric dry and heat-set
using an iron or toss it into the dryer for a while on "hot". Some
brightly colored flowers will tend to fade after washing/drying.
You'll have to experiment.
Galaxy in a Jar
Materials: Baby food jars, or other tall, skinny jars (such as
for olives) with lids, karo syrup, seed beads (about a dozen per
small jar), star-shaped foil confetti, tacky glue, blue or black
acrylic paint, paint brushes, optional: stickers
Give each child a dozen beads and a dozen or so stars. These
numbers will vary with the size of jar and confetti used. Fill jars
half full with karo syrup. Have child add beads & confetti. Fill
jar the rest of the way with syrup. Squeeze about 1/2" bead of glue
along inner threads of lid. Screw lid in place tightly. Set upright
to dry. Paint lid. Set off to side to dry. When dry, you can add
stickers to jar if you'd like. This should dry at least an hour
before inverting it. Although it may leak the first time it is
inverted, the syrup will then seal the jar tightly.
Homemade Rubber
Stamps
Materials: glue, foam shapes, wood blocks
Glue foam shapes from craft stores onto wood blocks. You
can also use foam sheets and cut out your own shape. Clean off
the stamps with baby wipes.
Materials: coffee can, water, crayon or pencil, nail, hammer,
votive candle,
Take a coffee can and fill it with water and place in the freezer
until frozen. Take a crayon or pencil and draw a design on the
outside of the coffee can. Take a large thick nail and hammer in the
design with nail holes an inch or so apart. Dump the ice out. Spray
or brush paint the can. Attach a handle if desired, and insert a
votive candle.
Finger Paint 1
Materials: 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 cups boiling water, 1 cup cold
water, 1 package unflavored gelatin, food coloring or poster
paint
In saucepan, mix cornstarch with 3/4 cup cold water to a smooth
paste. Soak gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Set aside. Pour boiling
water slowly over cornstarch mixture, stirring. Cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and clears. Remove.
Stir in gelatin. Cool and divide into separate small screw top jars.
Add color. Refrigerate to store. Paint is transparent, strong and
durable with high gloss finish. May be used on dry or wet
paper.
Finger Paint 2
Materials: 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 cups cold water, food
coloring
Mix ingredients in saucepan. Boil until mixture thickens. Cool,
pour into containers.
Marbleized Finger Painting
Materials: finger paints, large plastic tub
Pour an amount of paint in different colors and swirl around a
bit in the bottom of the tub. Have the child lay a piece of paper
onto the paint and smunch it in a bit with his/her hands. Lift
carefully out and allow to dry. Use the marbleized paper for gift
wrap, or as a background for the child’s artwork - perhaps as a
mat/frame.
A similar option is to place the paper in the bottom
of the tub first. Add a few blobs of different colored paint. Drop
in three or four marbles. Have children swirl tub around so that
marbles move paint around in interesting designs. Lift out carefully
and let dry.
Materials: pasta (bow ties, large shells, small shells…), glue,
tinsel chenille sticks, optional: paint
Glue pasta together into an angel shape. Paint if desired.
Embellish with tinsel chenille sticks for the halo, paint a face on,
add wool hair...
If you want to color the pasta in different colors mix food
coloring and rubbing alcohol in equal parts and place in a plastic
ziplock bag. Put your pasta pieces in and shake. Place on a
non-stick baking sheet and bake at a low temp until dry enough to
work with.
Patterns
Instead of costly posterboard, use cereal boxes to make
patterns. Just open the top and bottom and cut down the side
for a flat surface.
Mix small crayon leftover pieces in small muffin tins.
Cook at 200 degrees until melted. To remove allow them to
cool. Place them in the freezer and they'll pop out
easily.
Materials: plaster of paris, powdererd tempera, toilet paper
tubes, rubber bands, plastic wrap
Mix plaster of paris according to the directions and use powdered
tempera for colors. Pour into empty toilet paper tubes that have one
end sealed with a rubber band and plastic wrap. You can also use
cookie molds, etc. sprayed with Pam for interesting shapes.
Materials: paper mache box, acrylic paints, stencils
Have kids paint the box a base color. When dry have them do the
stencilling.
Materials: two coffee cans, rope
Poke a hole on each side of the can and and poke the rope through
the holes and tie inside the can. They hold on to the rope and put
their feet on top of the can and walk their legs off.
Materials: coffee can with lid, permanent markers, eyedropper,
rubbing alcohol, t-shirt, paper towels
Take a can with a tight plastic lid (coffee can for example) and
cut the top off of the lid, leaving only the rim. Snap the lid over
a spot on your shirt - only one layer, i.e., put the can inside the
shirt. Then make tiny dots in various colors on the enclosed circle
of t-shirt fabric - toward the center rather than out at the edge.
Carefully and slowly drop alcohol from the eyedropper on to the
center spot of the circle. Keep dropping the alcohol in the center
spot. It will spread out in a circular pattern and carry the colors
of ink with it. Use a paper towel on the back of circle when you
have moved to a new spot so that the wet area doesn't bleed onto the
clean fabric. The results are beautiful and, despite my complicated
directions, the project is an easy one with a minimal amount of
mess.
To set the colors, dry in a dryer on hot for 20 minutes. Then
wash in the machine on cold, dry on warm, and it is ready to be
worn. To minimize fading wash in cold water.
Materials: empty walnut shells, felt, glue
Cut a piece of felt that is shaped like a turtle (ie. head, two
front legs, and two rear legs and a tail) and glue half of shell
onto the felt. Along the same theme, different animals could be put
together using different nuts.
Materials:
Place white contact paper on a table sticky side up. Place
sea life paper cut-outs on. Cover with blue plastic
wrap.
Window Stickers
Materials: wax paper, dimensional paint (most fabric paints will
work), hand-drawn or reproduced patterns, about 2 - 3" long
toothpicks
Tape pattern down to table. Cut square of wax paper a little
larger than pattern. Tape down over pattern. Using dimensional
paint, outline pattern. Fill in with more paint. If desired, smooth
surface with a toothpick held sideways. Can also clean up slips
using a toothpick. Let dry at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, gently
lift image off wax paper. You can reuse the pattern, but don't reuse
the wax paper. If some of the wax paper sticks to image, gently
scrape away with fingernail. To hang on windows: Clean windows,
dampen lightly with water and press the image onto the window.
Sticking power is affected by the temperature.
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