Mudpies Projects

From the Heart: Valentine's Day Activities

Candy Filled Heart Pockets

    This is the kind of Valentine kids love to make (and receive!)--homemade, and filled with love and candy.  Smaller children may need a little help punching the holes and threading the yarn. 

What you will need:
red construction paper
clear contact paper or  laminate sheet
red or white yarn
paper punch
small candies to fill the heart
plastic sheet protector (available in office supply stores)

    Remove the protective paper from the back of the contact paper or laminate sheet, and lay it upon the red construction paper, smoothing out any wrinkles or folds.  Cut a biggish heart from this sandwich of paper and laminate.  Next trace it on the plastic sheet protector and cut the heart out.  Lay the plastic sheet heart over the construction paper heart.  Holding the hearts firmly (so they don’t slide around) use the paper punch to make holes around the edges. 
    Cut around 3 feet of yarn.  Line up the holes on the heart, and beginning at the top,  weave the yarn through the holes.  Leave some space at the top to fill the pocket with candy.  When the heart is filled, continue to weave the pocket closed and tie the yarn into a bow.


Stained Glass Cookie Hearts

     Each cookie is a feast for the eyes!  These also make great treats for your child’s class at school.

What you will need:
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
crushed hard red candy pieces (eg. suckers, Lifesavers)  Crush the candy with a hammer in a zipper type plastic bag.

     Cream the butter and sugar.  In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking powder together.  In another bowl, beat the milk, eggs, and vanilla together.  Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.  The dough should be easy to handle, if not chill for one hour.
     Give your child some dough and have her roll it into a skinny snake.   Bend the snake into a heart on a foil covered cookie sheet, and pinch the ends together.  Sprinkle a thin layer of the crushed candy into the enclosed space.  Be sure the ends of the cookie dough are sealed so the melted candy won't leak out.  Repeat this process with the rest of the dough. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes.  Allow to cool, and peel off the foil.

Gifts Kids Can Make

     Want to make the holidays more meaningful for your family?  Make your gifts.  It is a powerful move away from the overspending, the overindulgence of our culture during the holidays.  Most children are eager participants, and those who are more reluctant need a climate of acceptance in the home.  A climate that welcomes the drive and spill of creativity, and overlooks the mess.  Making gifts takes a few simple materials and the same amount of time you would spend at the mall.  What's stopping you?  Give it a try!  And have a wonderful Holiday Season!

 Wild West Bean Soup Fixin's

     Have you ever scooped up and run a thousand dried beans through your hands?  It is an indescribably pleasant feeling!  When they were toddlers my children's favorite rainy day activity was sorting, spooning, filling cups, and swooshing little hands into the big bowl of beans I kept in the cupboard.  Out of this, a project was born--a delicious gift as much fun to make as it is to give!

    You can make an event out of selecting the beans for your soup.  Our neighborhood grocery store carries a huge variety of dried beans in the bulk section.  Beans with exciting names like rattlesnake, Appaloosa, red runner, and turtle.  The type of bean does  not particularly affect the taste of the soup.  It is a heavenly recipe the whole family will enjoy on a cold winter evening with cornbread and grated cheese. 

 What you will need:

 1 pound of a variety of dried beans

a quart jar with a lid

ribbon

plastic wrap to make a small beribbonned pouch of the following spices:  1/2      teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground chili, 1 teaspoon garlic      granules, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, 1/2  teaspoon thyme, a few chili      pepper flakes (you can adjust the seasoning up or down to suit your taste.

     Have your child place the beans in the jar along with the packet of spices.  Place the lid on the jar.  Cut out the following recipe and paste it on a decorated card.  Paper punch a hole in the card and tie a ribbon holding the recipe around the lid.  Be sure to make this soup for your own family one day!

 

Wild West Bean Soup

 2 quarts water

2 T. vinegar

1/2  cup catsup

8 slices of bacon

1 onion diced

1 4.oz.  can diced chilies

1 T molasses

1 quart jar of beans

spice packet

 

     The night before making the soup, cover the beans with water and soak.  The next day pour them in a colander, drain, and rinse.  Place the beans in a big pot with the uncooked bacon cut into pieces and the 2 quarts of water.  Cover and cook at a simmer for around an hour and a half.  Add the remaining ingredients including the spice packet and simmer for another half hour.  You may need to add a little extra water if the soup is too thick.  Top with grated cheese or sour cream.  Chopped fresh tomatoes are heavenly as a garnish too.  Enjoy!

 

Marbelized Ball Ornaments

    These ornaments have the lush look of an expensive holiday decoration.  Best of all they are unbelievably easy to make! 

 What you will need:

 plain colored glass ball ornaments

plastic bucket

spray paint in a contrasting color from the ornament

 When using spray paint, work in the garage, outdoors, or in a well ventilated space . 

      Spread newspapers over your work area.  Fill the bucket two thirds with water and place on the newspapers.  Have your child spray a layer of paint onto the surface of the water and quickly swirl with a disposable stick (like a popsicle stick).  Then, holding the glass ball by the hanger, dip the ball into the bucket of painted water.  The paint will adhere to the ornament in a beautiful marbelized pattern.  Lay carefully on newspaper and allow to dry.

 Holiday Votive

     Who can resist the magic of a meal eaten by candlelight?  These votives are made with a special clay that sticks to glass.  Kids can use their imagination and sculpt the clay into a three dimensional object around the jar, or cut out stars or Christmas trees to let the candlelight glow through. 

 What you will need:    (for 3 baby food jar votives)

 1 cup of either green, white, or red crepe paper clippings (tear or cut crepe      paper into fine pieces, pack it into the cup somewhat firmly)

1 cup warm water

2/3 cup white flour (approximately)

3 clean baby food jars with the labels off

      Place the clippings into a bowl and cover with the warm water.  Let it set for several hours until the crepe paper is smooth and pliable (you can do this overnight).  The water breaks down the fibers of the crepe paper and makes an extraordinary clay when flour is added.

     Pour off all the water, and stir 1/2 cup of flour into the crepe paper.  When this is completely mixed, add the remaining flour if it seems too sticky.  Knead the dough on a floured counter top, adding flour as needed until the clay reaches the consistency of pie crust dough.  Divide into three pieces and have your child roll or flatten the clay with his hand into a longish rectangle that will circle the jar.  Press the clay onto the jar and smooth the seam with your fingers.  Use a butter knife (fingers work too!) to cut holiday shapes out around the jar for letting the light peek through (simple squares and circles also look great!).  My sons listened to none of my instructions and immediately created wonderful faces with big noses and bushy eyebrows.  So my advice to you--Let those imaginations go! 

 Cookie Cutter Napkin Holders

 

     It is all in the title!  These clever napkin holders are nothing more than painted and decorated cookie cutters.  Stars make fabulous holders because they can stand up at each place setting.  This is a project everyone loves!  Consider making heart holders for Valentine's day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's day, eggs for Easter, etc.

 What you will need:

 6 star cookie cutters (or any other holiday cutter that will hold a napkin      through it's center nicely)

red enamel spray paint

green acrylic paint

 

I admit it, I have a thing with spray paint ("environmentally safe" spray paint).  I love it and this project is so much easier by using it.  My kids love using spray paint as much as I do, but if you are reluctant to turn your child loose with a can, I recommend that you do the spraying of the cutters and your child can do the decorating. 

     Spread newspapers over the floor where you will be painting (outdoors or in a well ventilated place).  Spray paint the cutters completely, making sure to turn them over to spray the bottom side.  We applied several coats to ours, allowing each coat to dry before applying another.  When dry, use the green acrylic paint to decorate the cutters with lines, dots, curves or whatever the imagination comes up with!  If you are giving these as a gift, place a cloth napkin in each holder, and wrap it up!

 

 

Clay Pot Candles

     Candlemaking may sound like a troublesome project, but it is actually a simple proceedure that is always  worth the effort.  Particularly this one--the clay pots give these candles a lovely rustic look for the holiday table. 

 What you will need:

 small clay pots

corks to fit the drain hole of the clay pots (hardware stores have corks in a wide variety of sizes, bring your pots to insure a perfectly snug fit)

white cotton string or candle wick from craft supply store

1 box paraffin wax (available in the canning section of your grocery store)

large empty coffee can

small empty coffee can (push on the rim to make a slight dent for a pouring      spout for the melted wax)

crayons to color the wax (optional)

pencils, chopsticks, or bamboo skewers (to tie wick into place across the pot)

wire rack

raffia to tie around the pot (optional)

 

This project  requires adult supervision!

      Make a double boiler for melting the paraffin from the two coffee cans:   fill the large can with several inches of water, place the paraffin into the smaller can and set it into the water of the larger can.  Bring the water to a simmer and the wax will slowly melt.  In the meantime, thread the wick through the drain hole of the clay pot from the bottom up to the rim.  Tie the rim end of the wick to a pencil, chopstick, or skewer and lay the pencil across the top of the pot.  Pull the wick firmly down from the drain hole and fit the cork into the hole against the wick--this will hold the wick straight and taut from top to bottom. Got it?  Hold the pot up to a light and look inside.  Do you see any cracks around the cork?  If you do, the cork needs to be pushed further into the pot. 

     Spread newspapers on a counter and place the wire rack on the newspaper.  Place the prepared pots on the rack (the rack bars should accomodate the cork and keep the pot level). 

     When the wax has melted, stir in a crayon to color the wax if desired.  Then carefully pour the wax into the pots.  Interestingly, we found that some pots absorbed the oil from the wax and slightly darkened the outside of the pot, while some did not (we like the looks of both).  When the wax hardens pull the cork out or trim it off, then snip or untie the wick from the pencil.  For a final touch, tie the raffia around the candle.

Things That Fly

    Take advantage of spring breezes and make a kite!  Fling a parachute out the window!  Toss a glider!  You can buy high tech kites and airplanes that fly perfectly, but there is something glorious in creating your own flying device and launching it on a warm and windy afternoon.  The following projects are simple, but functional.  You may have to make minor adjustments to increase their airborne capabilities, but that is a part of the wondrous process of learning, of using your imagination, of using hands to inform the mind.  Make something that flies.

Uncle Jonathon's Easiest Kite Ever

    I have been trying out kite projects for years, looking for one that is simple, and truly flies. I made dozens but found they twisted instead of flew, or they were fussy or took too much time and special materials.  Then I found this kite project from the Big Wind Kite Factory in Moloka’i, Hawaii.  It is a gem.  Thank you Jonathon!

What you will need:
1 sheet of 8 1/2 x 11” typing paper
1 8” bamboo shish kabob stick
masking tape (or clear adhesive tape)
plastic shopping bag for the tail
ruler
string to fly with
paper punch (optional)

    Decorate the paper with paints, crayons, or felt tips.  Fold the paper in half to 8 1/2 x 5 1/2”.  Measure 1 1/2” from the fold at the top of the page and make a mark.   Next measure and make a mark 4” at the bottom of the page from the fold.  Using the ruler and pencil, draw a line to connect the two marks.  This is your fold line.  Fold the paper back along the line.  Then turn the paper over and fold the other side even with it.  Place a strip of tape along the fold lines to reinforce them.   Pick up the paper and hold it as if it were a paper airplane (the folded sides are your ‘wings’).  Then lay it down on its back and fold the flap (or keel) back and forth until it stands upright (otherwise it will act like a rudder and spin the kite in circles).  To make a support for your kite, place the bamboo skewer across the kite between the two widest points.  Trim if necessary, and  tape into place.  Punch a hole in the keel of your kite about one third down from the top (not too close to the edge or it might pull out!).  Lastly, make a tail by cutting a plastic shopping bag into a 1” wide spiral all around.  Tape into place at the bottom of the kite.  You will need 6 to 10 feet of tail, depending upon the wind conditions.  Tie kite string securely through the hole on the keel and fly her away!

Straw Glider

     It only takes three simple materials for a hot shot glider!

What you will need:
plastic straw
2 paper clips
1 piece 9x 12” construction paper

    This simple glider flies beautifully and is easy to put together.  Cut two strips down the length of the construction paper:  one 1 1/2” wide and the other 3/4” wide.  Insert the paper clips into the ends of the straw with the larger loop of the clip inside.  Try and align them as close as possible.  Fold the 3/4” strip in half and make a loop with it.  Place the loop into a paper clip.  Make a loop with the other strip and place it in the other paper clip. Adjust the paper clips so they are perfectly aligned.  You now have two loops on both ends of the straw. Hold the glider in the middle of the straw with the loops hanging down, small loop forward.  Give it a push!  If it doesn’t glide right, make the larger loop smaller by pulling the end of the strip from the inside. Keep adjusting until you get a good glide! 

Handmade Parachute

    This project has been around since man jumped from airplanes, but it never seems to lose its appeal!  This also makes a great party activity.

What you will need:
plastic shopping bag
string
paper punch
paper hole reinforcers (optional)
plastic figure or a nut or bolt to use as a weight

    Cut open the shopping bag and lay it flat.  Now cut a square from the bag (the dimensions are not critical--any medium sized square will work). Now make a hole in each corner of the square with the paper punch and reinforce with a paper ring if desired.  Cut 4 equal lengths of string approximately 12” long.  Tie each string to a corner.  Now tie on your weight.  Ready for launching?  Hold the parachute and weight together and throw it up into the air.  You can also launch it from a window, or a tree.

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Summertime Water Fun

     When the weather turns hot, turn on the water!  These activities turn sweaty boredom to cool fun.  Be safe!  Supervise small children while playing near the wading pool.

Handy Dandy Homemade Sprinkler

     Who would think that an old rubber glove and a hose could be so much fun?  Fill up your wading pool with this crazy sprinkler.

What you will need:
old rubber glove
1 fat rubber band
hose

     Cut a tiny (nail hole size) piece from each finger of the glove.  Attach the wrist of the glove securely to a hose with the rubber band.  Turn on the water and watch the fun! 

Homemade Icebergs

     Make these up the night before your water activities and discover why icebergs are so invisibly dangerous to boats. Supply a few toy boats in the wading pool to demonstrate what happened to the Titanic.

What you will need:
plastic bags with a twist tie top (try different sizes for this project)
water
wading pool

     Fill the bags two thirds full of water.  Twist the tie on and place the bags in the freezer.  When completely frozen, remove the icebergs from the plastic bags and measure each one from top to bottom.  Estimate how much of the iceberg will remain above the water when placed in the pool.  Then place the icebergs one at a time into the water filled wading pool.  Interesting isn't it?

Water Slide

This is a homemade version of the commercial water slide.  With safety rules (one person at a time, for example) and adult supervision, it is a very fun way to spend a hot afternoon.  Place your water slide on a flat piece of lawn away from any stationary objects a child could slide into.  Talk to the kids about rules beforehand, and then enjoy yourselves!

What you will need:
A long piece of plastic tarp (at least 20 feet long)
hose

     Find a safe flat place to lay the tarp.  Now for the slippery part:  wet the tarp down completely with the hose.  Take a few running steps on the lawn then  slide belly down across the tarp.  Wet the tarp down after each child, or keep a small stream of water from the hose running onto the plastic. 

Paddle Boat

     Let me just call this the Danno boat.  My son was an expert boat builder when he was younger and he swiftly put together this boat in a few minutes for entertainment that lasted all afternoon.

What you will need:
Styrofoam tray
rubber band cut into a strip
duct tape (your child should have her own roll of this versatile stuff)

     Cut one end of the Styrofoam tray into a pointed bow, leaving the other end square.  Next, cut out a small rectangle from the middle of the square end of the boat to make space for your paddle (leaving a little extra room for the paddle to turn freely). Cut a paddle from the extra Styrofoam, sized to fit loosely into the rectangle space.  To make grooves for the rubber band to fit into, notch each outside edge an inch or so up from the end.  Lay the paddle piece into the space and then place the rubber over the stern of the boat and across the paddle, fitting it into the notches.  Affix a small piece of tape over the rubber band across the paddle.  Wind up the paddle on the boat and release the vessel on the water. 
    What happens?  The boat is propelled across the water with the stored energy in the twisted rubber band.  You can reverse the direction your boat, by reversing the twist of the rubber band. 

Earth Day Projects

    Reduce.  Reuse.  Recycle.  Three simple concepts to live more lightly upon the earth.  The following projects honor Earth Day, a day set aside for us all to think about this planet we call home.  They use recycled materials to make something fun, or offer ideas for making the earth a more beautiful place to live.  We are never too old or too young to consider our environment and make changes.  Sometimes it begins with just one day. 

Tee Shirt Pillows

    What do you do with outgrown tee shirts hanging around the house? Make a special keepsake out of that old Little League shirt!  Not only are they easy to make, but each charming pillow is individualized to your child. 

What you will need:
old tee shirts
needle and thread (a sewing machine makes the job easier)
stuffing for the pillow

    To make your pillow, turn the tee shirt inside out and sew the bottom, neck and one arm closed.  If your child is old enough, this is a simple exercise for learning how to run a sewing machine, or to use a needle and thread (you may have to do this part for younger children).  Turn the tee shirt right side out and push the stuffing through the remaining arm hole.  Sew the arm closed.

Recycled Rubber Stamps

    Use old tire tubes to make these stamps.  You can often get the leaky ones free at tire stores.

What you will need:
pieces of rubber inner tube from a bike or car
a small block of wood
rubber cement
stamp pad or felt tip pens

     Cut a piece of inner tube the size of your block of wood.  Draw something simple on the inner tube piece, then carefully cut the drawing out.  Brush rubber cement on the inside of the cut out design (the smooth rubber side must face out), and on the block of wood.  Wait a few seconds, then press firmly together.   After the glue sets, rub the design with a felt tip pen or use a stamp pad and stamp away!

Make Your Own Super ball

    What makes a ball bounce?  Save your rubber bands and find out with the construction of your own super ball.   Afterwards, use the super ball as a unique way to store rubber bands! 

What you will need:
1 jack (from the game of jacks)
rubber bands

    Making a bouncy ball is easy!  Simply loop, wrap, and twist the rubber bands around the jack until it is completely covered.  Continue adding rubber bands until you have a ball the desired size.  This is a good eye/hand coordination project for young children, and it can be a slow process.  Allow your child time for finding the best method to wrap the rubber bands around the jack.

Make the World More Beautiful

    One of our all time favorite books is Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney.  It is a luminous book about contributing to the world, and after much thought and many adventures, Miss Rumphius does this by scattering lupine seeds along the roadsides.  It becomes a simple gift of glorious color to everyone each spring and lives on long past Miss Rumphius’ life.   Your family can offer the same gift to your community by scattering wild flower seeds along the roads that lead to your home.  We save foxglove seeds every autumn from our garden, and spread them in the spring along the margins of our neighborhood.  Your child will be reminded of her contribution as the flowers burst into color over the summer. 
* * * * * *
    Spend an afternoon picking up litter with your child.  Wear rubber gloves and bring along  2 heavy duty garbage bags.  Use one for garbage, and one for recyclable goods like aluminum cans and bottles.  You may  be surprised at the items found along the roads!  One year we discovered a perfectly good hammer, and a Barbie doll! 

* * * * * *
    Start a compost.  It can be as simple as a small pile in the corner of your yard.  Begin with a layer of dirt mixed with yard waste.  Save fruit and vegetable peelings in a small plastic bucket under the sink.  Empty the bucket of organic waste into the dirt mixture and mix  together with a shovel.  Add worms (available at many nurseries or perhaps from a friend who has a compost pile).  Add another layer of dirt to cap the new mix.  In a short time, and with surprising little muss or fuss,  you will have a pile of rich dark soil to add to your  garden.  In the end, you will be doubly blessed with your compost project:   plants will grow healthy and vigorous with the addition of compost, and you will reduce the amount of garbage your household generates. 

More 10 Minute Field Trips

If you can give your children one gift, let it be enthusiasm.
—Bruce Barton

     Enthusiasm is born in our children when passion develops.  Passion begins to develop when we allow them hands-on exploration of ideas without an adult’s supervision, particularly at the early stages of interest.  Many children today are afraid to express interest in new things because their parents are quick to leap on it and sign them up for a team, a workshop, a class, or a lesson.  In other words the child’s native curiosity is hijacked and shaped by someone else who can tell her how to do it better.  Kids are wired to explore the world around them and it is important that we allow it--with all its bumps and lurches.  When a child independently masters a new skill or even if he wants simply to fool around with it for a while, it cultivates the very resources parents seek :  perseverance, motivation,  and confidence.
     The following ‘field trips’ take place at your home, the seedbed of a child’s imagination.  They are simple ways to invite a child to ask questions and explore more on their own, while you step back and watch an idea catch fire.

Underwater Volcano

     Most kids will try any project with the word volcano in it!  This project is a fascinating visual of how temperature affects water density .

What you will need:
a small and narrow glass jar (a clean and empty spice jar works great)
a large glass jar (the bigger the better!  We used a gallon jar, but a large peanut butter or pickle jar works too)
few drops of red food coloring
string and rubber band to make a handle for the small jar

     Place the rubber band snugly around the neck of the small jar.  Tie the ends of the string onto the rubber band to make a handle.  Fill the large jar with cold water. Fill the small jar with hot water and add a few drops of the red food coloring.   Carefully lower the small jar into the large jar by the handle. 
     What happens?  The hot water rises in a spectacular cloud of red to the surface of the cold water.  Why?  Because hot water is lighter than cold water and rises to the top of the jar.  As the hot water cools, the red cloud will disperse evenly into the water.

Winter Stargazing

     The constellation Orion the Hunter is one of the brightest constellations in the winter sky in the Northern Hemisphere.  The 7  supergiant stars that shape Orion are much larger and more brilliant than the sun, and the constellation dominates the southern sky on a clear winter night.  Orion is a hunter by profession and he is well armed with a shield, a club, and a sword that hangs from his belt.  Look for two bright stars at his shoulders, three at his belt in a row, and two at his knees.  If you look closely you can see the dimmer stars that make his upright arm holding the club, and the shield in his left hand.  Winter is an excellent time to learn constellations.  Cold air is usually drier than warm air and less moisture means clearer skies to view the constellations.  It is also the season when the earth, in its orbit around the sun, faces the richest region of stars in our galaxy.  An excellent resource book to help you identify constellations is H. A. Rey’s The Stars:  A New Way to See Them.

Taste of the World

     This project may take more than 10 minutes, but the benefits are delicious and long lasting!  Food is an excellent way to learn about a country new to your child.  Have her pick a country she is interested in and go to the library  for  cookbooks from the region, and an age appropriate book for more information on the country.  You can also research recipes on the internet.   The key  for a meaningful experience is to give each step to your child:  from choosing the country and the recipes, to shopping with you for the ingredients and doing as many  steps of the recipe as practical. 

See a Sound Wave

     Even though sound waves are invisible, this project illustrates the concept that sound is a physical vibration moving through the air.

What you will need:
plastic grocery bag
round can (a large tomato or juice tin for eg.)
strong rubber band
wooden spoon
cookie sheet
colored sugar crystals

     Make a drum by cutting a circular piece from the grocery bag big enough to overlap several inches around the can.  Secure the plastic piece into place with the rubber band, then stretch it taut by pulling the plastic down from the rubber band.  Sprinkle the sugar crystals on the plastic drum.  To create your sound wave, hold the cookie sheet close to the drum and bang the surface with the wooden spoon.
     What happens?  The sugar crystals dance up and down with each bang of the spoon on the cookie sheet.  The sound of the wooden spoon hitting the metal of the cookie sheet sends a vibration into the air and onto the plastic skin of the drum, disturbing the sugar crystals with its momentum. 

Kids in the Kitchen

     The kitchen is one of the last great learning labs left to kids.  It is a place where good smells entice, colors vibrate, and hands-on work is encouraged.  Take a slow afternoon and add one of these simple recipes for you and your child to make together.  You will create a memory that lingers long past the last washed counter or dried dish!

Lizzy's Crazy Cake

     I have baked many chocolate cakes in my time--fancy ones with exotic ingredients, lush ones with complicated steps, but none has equal to the ease and simplicity (and downright deliciousness!) of Lizzy's crazy cake.  It takes only a few minutes to put together. 

What you will need:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups cold water

     Putting the cake together is as easy!  Place all the dry ingredients in a 9 x 13 pan and stir it all up with clean hands until well mixed.  Make three holes in the dry mixture and place the oil in one hole, the vanilla and vinegar in the second hole and the water in the third hole.  Stir everything together with a fork or whisk.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until the center springs back after touching it lightly with your finger.  Frost with your favorite icing when cool. 

Cookie Paint

    You can use the following sugar cookie recipe for this glossy and colorful ‘paint,’ or use the recipe on your own favorite sugar cookie dough.

What you will need:
4 egg yolks
4 colors of liquid or paste food coloring
cotton swabs or clean paint brushes
colored sugar crystals or sprinkles (optional)

     Place the egg yolks in four separate small bowls.  Add several drops of food coloring into one yolk and stir with a fork.  Use the same procedure with the remaining yolks, making different colors of paint with the food coloring. 
Place cut out cookie dough shapes on a baking sheet.  Using the swabs or paint brushes, dip into the paint and spread it thickly over the cookie dough.  Sprinkle with sugar crystals if desired and bake as directed.

A Very Special Sugar Cookie

     What makes this recipe so special?  It is a perfect recipe for kids:  easy to make, no fuss, and delicious.

What you will need:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3/4 cup butter or margarine
can cookie cutter:  clean and empty tin can with the top and bottom taken out.  File or press down sharp edges

     Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Next, beat in the eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract.  Stir the flour mixture in by thirds until everything ismixed together.  For an easier clean-up, dampen a counter or tabletop with a wet cloth and lay out 2 strips of wax paper.  Roll out the dough on the wax paper.  Cut out the dough with the can cookie cutter and lift carefully with a spatula onto a baking sheet.   Paint with the cookie paint then bake at 375 degrees until light brown (around 9 minutes).

Pet Snacks

     Make your pet a homemade treat!  Both dogs and cats seem to enjoy these snacks.

What you will need:
1/2 cup bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2  teaspoon salt
1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup dried milk
1 small can tuna fish in oil

     Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Add the tuna (do not drain) and yeast to the dry mixture and stir together with a large spoon or mix the dough with hands.  If the dough seems too dry, add a little water; too sticky, add more flour.  Roll the dough out to 1/4" thick.  Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough, and place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Last Minute Halloween Costumes

      The best costumes are those that a child can put together himself, and the following ideas are simple and remarkably easy to assemble.  For a safe evening of trick-or-treating, buy reflective tape at the hardware store and run a few strips on the back of all costumes. 

Firefighter

What you will need:
yellow rain slicker
rubber boots
plastic firefighter hat
short length of hose to hold over the shoulder or a piece of vacuum cleaner hose

Fortune Teller

What you will need:
long flowing skirt (thrift shops are a good place to shop if you don't have one)
blouse
shawl
hoop earrings
scarf tied around the head
sash to tie around the waist
Apply bountiful make-up and lipstick for an exotic look

Rock Star

What you will need:
black pants
black jacket
black shirt
sunglasses
fedora type hat
gold chains around the neck
black boots
toy guitar
long wig (we buy all our wigs inexpensively at thrift shops and wash them in the washing machine before wearing them.) 

Hunter

What you will need:
Go to a thrift shop for:
hunter hat in camouflage or bright orange
camouflage clothing (available at army/navy surplus stores)
vest
boots

    Our sons enjoyed adding to this costume by making a bullet belt.  They laid empty ballpoint pen caps on a strip of duct tape long enough to go around their waist.  Lay another strip of duct tape over the caps to finish.  To their eye, this made a fine bullet belt when taped around their waists.

Skeleton

What you will need:

thick black tights or cotton leggings
black long sleeved shirt
black nylon stocking
strips of reflective tape (available at the hardware store)
skeleton mask (optional)

     Lay the strips of reflective tape in a skeleton pattern on the shirt and the leggings.  To finish the costume, pull the black nylon over your child's head, and estimate where and the size holes you will need to cut for his or her nose, eyes, and mouth.  If desired, your child can wear a skeleton mask to complete the look.

Ogre

What you will need:
holey jeans
big shoes stuffed with rags
torn shirt
rope belt
bath towel and string for a hump back
old knit ski cap
make up:  liquid make-up, corn syrup, cotton balls, eyebrow pencil, small paintbrush

     Put on the pants and shoes (you can also use mismatched shoes if big shoes seem to awkward to walk in.)  For a hump back, first put on a warm long sleeved shirt, then take the towel and fold it into quarters the long way, then fold in half.  Place the folded towel over the shirt, onto the shoulders, and use the string to wrap a harness around it to hold into place (over the towel, across the chest, crossed at the waist then around.)  Place the old shirt over the hump. 
     Put on the hat, and get ready for the fun part--the making of a  hideous face.  Dab the corn syrup wherever you want lumps--the side of the nose and lower chin are good spots, try to avoid near the mouth or the lumps will come off when your child talks.  Pull apart the cotton balls and place wisps of cotton over the corn syrup.  Water down the make up and paint on over the cotton until it is dampened, then use full strength makeup and paint it on over the rest of the face.  You should have a pretty impressive lumpy look. 
     Use the eyebrow pencil to draw a scar across the cheek (draw lots of dots on either side of a line for stitches.)  Outline around the eyes and smudge.  Have your child carry a big stick or plastic baseball bat as a prop. 

Dress for Mess Birthday Party

      There is exuberant, wondrous fun in a good old-fashioned mess.   Squishing toes in warm mud, big drippy paintings, stained fingers,  and cookies decorated with edible art are the stuff of a well-lived childhood.  Yet kids today just don’t have the same opportunities to get wet, dirty, and stained the way their parents did growing up.  Their lives have more structure, more coaches and teachers showing them the right and wrong way, the tidy and efficient way to do things.  Our children’s lives are more sanitized and neater with classes and workshops.  Change this for one day with a Dress for Mess Birthday Party. 
    It isn’t as bad as it sounds.  The party is held outdoors.  You will ask a couple of adults or teens for help.   It is relatively inexpensive.  Most of all the kids will have such a blast, it will be remembered as one of the all time best birthdays ever.
      Let’s start at the beginning.  A good rule of thumb for the number of guests for a birthday party is to invite your child’s age.  For example, a 4 year old should have around 4 guests.  If you have help during the party, that number can expand.  The keys to a good birthday party are to have plenty of activities (you can always skip one if time runs short), involve your child in the planning as much as possible, and keep things simple.  For invitations have your child decorate blank pre-stamped post cards from the post office with stamps and felt tips.  Write “Dress for Mess Birthday Party!”  at the top.   Add the need for a swimsuit.  For decorations cover a picnic table with butcher paper and have stamps, stamp pads, felt tips, and bingo markers for the kids to use to draw on the paper while waiting for the other guests to arrive. 
     There are several activities here that you can pick and choose from.   Two hours is plenty of time for a good party.   Select the ones that appeal to your child and that fit within the time frame.  You want the kids  to linger over an activity if they want to.  It is a good idea to have the projects open for kids to roam between them if desired. 
     For party favors give each child a small bag of art supplies (blank note pad, stamps, stamp pads, felt tips, water colors, bingo markers, glitter, etc).  End the party with the water slide—a joyous way to bring the festivities to a close.  Most of all, relax, have fun, and remember that all messes can get cleaned up.  You are making memories and that is a priceless gift indeed.

                    Impasto Paintings

     Impasto is a thick layer of paint that you design through--like finger-paint without fingers! 

What you will need:
1/2-cup liquid starch (or 1/2 cup powdered laundry starch for a thicker paint—(available in the detergent section of your grocer)
1/2-cup liquid tempera paint
construction paper
items to trace through the paint:  combs, feathers, cotton swabs, paintbrush, jar lids, pencil, etc.
sponge paintbrush (available at the hardware store.  Buy several!  You'll     find many uses for them!)

     Whisk the paint and starch together until well mixed.   Liquid starch will make a thinner paint; if you are using powdered starch the paint should be as thick as frosting.   Select a contrasting color of construction paper and spread the paint completely over the paper with the sponge paintbrush.  You can also wedge the paint on the paper with a narrow paint scraper to make an interesting patterned texture.  Next, trace your items through the paint while wet.  Make a design, write a poem, draw a picture!

                        Gelatin Finger Paint

What you will need:
small boxes of fruit flavored gelatin
spray bottle filled with water
finger paint paper or butcher paper

     Tape the paper to the table.  Spray water onto the paper and sprinkle the dry gelatin onto the paper.  Begin to paint!  Spray more water onto the paper as the gelatin absorbs it.  This is an incredibly tactile project that moves kids through the sensory experiences of dry and gritty to slimy and then to sticky. 

                        Treasure String Game

       Follow the string to a prize at the end!  Make the path simpler for younger kids, and more complicated for older.

What you will need:
ball of string, yarn or twine per player
small prize per player  (a certificate for a favor, a small toy, a flashlight  for night tag, etc.)
paper and felt tip to make a nametag per player

     Begin by tying the prize to one end of the string.  Place the prize in a hiding place in the yard then unroll the ball of string as you walk around bushes or trees, under tables, around chairs, etc.  to the place you will start the game.  Tie a nametag to the end of the string.  Repeat the process for each player.
     When you are ready to start, give everyone their nametag with the string attached and have them roll up the string as they go along to their treasure on the end.  Save the string and recycle it for another use.

                                Oobleck

     Is it a liquid?  Is it a solid?  Children's imaginations will blossom with Oobleck--a wondrous recipe that uncovers all kinds of possibilities.   Place the Oobleck in  a large  bowl, 4 kids per bowl.  This activity is open-ended.  Some kids will want to play with it for a long time, and some kids will be finished in a few minutes. 

What you will need:
2 boxes of cornstarch
3 cups cold water
2 tablespoons food coloring
plastic dishpan or bowl

     Have your child mix the cornstarch, water and food coloring in the container with her hands until it is smooth.  Now try this:  squeeze the Oobleck in your fist.  Now open up your hand.  Draw a finger down the center of the solution.  Pound on the Oobleck, now feel it gently with your palm. 
     What happens?  If you touch Oobleck gently it acts like a liquid and is soft and yielding.  When you squeeze it or pound it quickly, it is hard and crumbly.  Cornstarch is ground up into such fine particles that the molecules line up like little plates.  When you pound it, the plates are rigid.  When you move it slowly, the plates slide around and act like a liquid. 

                                Cookie Paint

     Buy or make plain sugar cookies for the kids to paint, the bigger the better!

What you will need:
6 egg yolks
6 colors of food coloring (paste food coloring gives a richer color to the paint over liquid)
cotton swabs or clean paint brushes
colored sugar crystals or sprinkles

    Place each egg yolk in a small bowl.  Add several drops of food coloring into each bowl and stir with a fork.  Add more food coloring if necessary for a rich color.   Use the paint brushes to paint the cookies.

                                Water Slide

     End the party with this slip and slide.  An easy way for kids to clean up and have fun at the same time!  Place the water slide on a flat piece of lawn away from any stationary objects a child could slide into.  Talk to the kids about rules beforehand (one person at a time for example).

What you will need:
A long piece of plastic tarp (at least 20 feet long)
hose

     Find a safe flat place to lay the tarp.  Now for the slippery part:  wet the tarp down completely with the hose.  Take a few running steps on the lawn and slide belly down across the tarp.  Wet the tarp down after each child, or keep a small stream of water from the hose running onto the plastic.

Hands-On Earth Day Activities

     Most of us are familiar with the green concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle, but did you know the most powerful of these for the environment is reuse?  Any time we reuse an object we save energy, fuel in transportation costs, resources, and money.  We are no longer a consumer, but a contributor to the health of our environment. 
     The following projects and activities are new ways of using old objects.  While you participate with your child, talk about other items in the home that can be made into art, used for play, or that have not outgrown their usefulness. 
     Our children will inherit the ecological gifts and disasters of today.  Hands-0n activities and meaningful conversation help to empower your child with concrete ways of making a difference.  For in the end, everything we do, or not do, will make a difference.

Rocket Ball

      Look for old tennis balls with your kids in the bushes and margins near tennis courts, particularly high school courts.  This can turn up more than you will know what to do with, and makes a fun treasure hunt!

What you will need:
old nylons or panty hose
old tennis balls

     Place a tennis ball in the toe of the nylon.  Knot the nylon below the ball and into the toe securely.  If you are using panty hose, cut the leg from the briefs.  Twirl the rocket ball over your head in the air or toss against a wall.

Film Canister Projects

     There are fewer film canisters in homes today with the advent of digital photography, but they are still out there and piling up wherever film is developed.  The developers are happy to give them away and you will have a stash for the following projects!  Place the kits in your child’s backpack.

Survival Kit:  You and your child can custom fill the canister with survival ‘essentials’.  Some ideas are:  a bandaid, a chocolate kiss, a bouillon cube, a packet of sugar, coins for a phone call, safety pins, needle and thread, a piece of duct tape wrapped around cut down straw, small compass, or an antiseptic wipe

Aromatherapy:  Our sense of smell is one way to add emotional strength to our lives.  For a quick lift during the day, fill a canister with Epsom salts, and add several drops of a favorite essential oil, replace the lid and shake.  Here is a brief list of oils and their uses:  Orange—invites calm, lavender—relieves anxiety, rose--encourages happiness,  peppermint—fights fatigue.

Coin Carrier for Lunch Money:  Have your child decorate a canister with permanent markers and write his name on it.  Place school lunch money inside.

Sand Scoopers

     Save plastic soda bottles of all sizes for your sand tools.  They work fantastic at the beach for sandcastles!

What you will need:
plastic soda bottles in a variety of sizes
plastic gallon jug
scissors
puffy paints

     Cut the plastic bottles in half, both sides will make interesting sand shapes.  Decorate with the puffy paints.  Cut the top off the gallon jug for a large squarish mold for your sand, or make a scooper by cutting out the front section of the jug, leaving the handle.

Portable Greenhouse

     This activity will jump start seeds for the garden, and demonstrate how a greenhouse accelerates growth with the increased warmth and moisture.

What you will need:
2-liter plastic soda bottle
scissors
soil
seeds (bean, zinnia, sunflower, and radish work well)

     Cut the bottle in half.  Now cut 1 1/2 inch strips up the top section of the bottle so it will fit over the bottom half of the bottle.  Fill the bottom half with the planting soil and dampen the soil with water.  Plant the seeds in the soil, place the top lid over it, and set in a sunny window.  The seeds will sprout quickly!  When the seeds develop enough, harden the plants off by placing outdoors during the day, bringing the greenhouse in at night for several days.  Then transplant to the garden.