Mudpies Projects

Handmade Gifts for the Holidays

                    The memory erases what is unnecessary.
                                --Maurice Baring

      Ask your child what they got during the holidays last year, and the odds are he will not remember; she will have forgotten.  In the end most of the stuff in our lives, even the stuff we think is very important, falls aside and accumulates behind the walls of memory.  Instead we remember a sudden snowfall, or a power outage.  We remember the smells and tastes of the holidays, the music and the anticipation, because they play a starring role in the season.  They are more necessary to tradition and ritual, to making memories, than expensive gifts, and we respond to it at a deep and human level.  Some people call the urge to spend too much during the holiday season affluenza, a virus of consumption that leaves us weak and feverish from spending more time and money than we can afford.  There is a simple antidote.  Spend time on relationships and on experiences. One way to make the season more meaningful is to create gifts and holiday decorations with your family.  The memories made together will outlast the costly store bought decorations and the gifts purchased then crossed off the list.  Making time for a handmade holiday will take no longer than drinking a cup of coffee, or watching a TV show.  It is one of the most meaningful ways to celebrate the season. 

                    Edible Gingerbread Forest

     Several of these make a sweet forest scene by themselves, or good additions beside a gingerbread house.

What you will need:
sugar ice cream cones
ready made frosting tinted green with food coloring
red hot candies, silver balls, holiday sprinkles, etc.
wax paper

     Place the cone upside down on a piece of wax paper.  Cover the cone with green frosting and press on the red hots and holiday sprinkles while the frosting is wet. 

                    Magnetic Photo Frame

      Make several of these frames to fill with family photos and cluster on the refrigerator.  They make great gifts for grandparents!

What you will need:
plastic lid from a gallon of milk or metal bottle caps
scissors
glue
lightweight cardboard
magnetic adhesive dots (available at hardware stores)
family photos

     Trace the cap on the piece of lightweight cardboard.  Cut the circle from the cardboard slightly smaller than the outline, so the circle just fits inside the cap.  Use this circle to place over the photo you wish to put inside the cap, trace around it and cut the photo out.  Place a drop of glue on the back of the photo and press the photo inside the cap.  Add a magnetic dot to the back.

                    Dazzling Hand Drawn Ornaments

     These gorgeous ornaments have multiple uses: decorate the tree with them, use small ones as gift tags, or set one at each place on the holiday table.

What you will need:
metallic ink pens in silver or gold
glass ball ornaments (any color)
ribbon (1” wire edged ribbon in silver or gold looks fabulous)
small towel
your imagination

     Place the ornament on the towel to stabilize it as you draw. With the cap on, shake the pen several times, then press the tip on a piece of scrap paper until the ink begins to flow.  Ready to paint?  Write names and dates, or draw shapes or scenes upon the ornament.  Decorate one side of the ornament and allow the ink to dry before turning it over to decorate the other side.  For the final touch, tie the ribbon through the hanger loop. 

                    Treasure Soap

      You can either buy glycerin soap at candle making supply stores or use Neutrogena soap bought from the store.  This is an easy project kids love to make!

What you will need:
glycerin soap (available at soap supply or most candle making supply stores) or  a couple of bars of Neutrogena soap
paper cups or microwavable containers
knife to cut soap
molds for the soap (available at the candle making store or you can experiment and   use small gelatin molds, sea shells,  ice cube trays, etc.)
small toys or figures to place inside the soap
optional: glitter confetti, herbs, tinsel, small piece of pine etc.

     Cut the glycerin soap into ice cube size chunks, and place it in the paper cup or container.  Place in the microwave and melt it for 10 to 20 seconds.  That’s all it takes! Place the small figure, toy, herbs or desired item in the mold.  Pour the melted glycerin into the mold.  Allow to cool until firm then remove the soap from the mold.  If the soap sticks to the mold, place it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

                    Burlap Bowls

   Any absorbent cloth can be used to create these beautiful bowls, but we especially like the rough-hewn look of burlap.  When dry fill them with potpourri, home cooked goodies, or a small collection of treasures such as shells from the beach, or special rocks found on a walk. 

What you will need:
burlap, lace doilies, or any other type of absorbent cloth material
all purpose white glue
water
large zipper-type plastic bags
bowls in assorted sizes to use as a form
holiday cookies or treats
newspapers

     Spread the newspapers over your work area and place the bowls you will be using as forms upside down upon the paper.  Cut dinner plate sized circles from the burlap or material.  Experiment with different size circles for a variety of bowls.  Don't worry if your child's circle of burlap has unraveling edges, this lends a different look with a beauty of its own.
     To stiffen the cloth, pour one part glue and enough water to slightly thin it into the plastic bag.  Zip the bag closed and squeeze the mixture through the bag to mix thoroughly. Next, place the burlap circle into the plastic bag and seal.  Have your child coat the circle entirely with the glue by squeezing the sealed bag.  Wring out the excess glue from the circle and you are ready to place it over a bowl.  Allow the burlap to dry overnight and pull it from the form.  Voila!  A beautiful bowl!  Place the goodies in the bowl and you have a wonderful gift.

Rub-A-Dub Tub Activities

     One reason we bathe our children at the end of a day, besides clean bodies and washed faces, is the simple fact that a warm bath in the evening can restore a tattered mood, even out the edges of a hectic day, and allow a child to relax.  It is a place where the rules are different; where energy is contained in a small space, and the mind uncoils. The following activities add to the pleasure of bath time with quirky fun and solid science.  Why wait for the evening?  A bath any time of the day will work its magic.

                                                       

                                              Fishy Wishes

     This simple activity is a hit with toddlers.  It is also a great way to work on eye-hand coordination while having fun!

What you will need:
colorful sponges
small aquarium fish net (available at pet stores)
small plastic container
scissors
newspapers
puffy fabric paints

     Spread the newspapers on your workspace.  Cut small fish or shapes from the sponges and decorate them with the paint.  Allow to dry.  At bath time place the fish in the tub and have your child ‘catch’ them with the net and place them in the plastic container.

                                                 Tub Paint

     This paint is soap that cleans your child while she creates!  It will rinse off tile and plastic enclosures with warm water.

What you will need:
1 cup mild soap flakes (available in the detergent section of your grocer) or    1 cup grated Ivory soap bar
5 tablespoons water
food coloring
zipper type sandwich bags

     Place the soap flakes in a bowl.  Add the water and then a few drops of food coloring.  Beat the mixture together with an electric beater until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream.  Make a few batches of different colored soap paint and place in plastic bags and seal.  When ready to use, snip the corner of the bag and squeeze the paint out, or you can place it in plastic containers and finger paint with it. 

                                   Water Pressure Experiment

     This hands-on experiment demonstrates how pressure increases the deeper you go into bodies of water. 

What you will need:
plastic soda pop bottle (liter size)
masking tape
nail
water
food coloring

     Punch a line of holes down the plastic container with the nail, then tape each hole closed with a small piece of masking tape.  Fill with water, add a drop of food coloring, and ask your child which hole she thinks the water will spurt out of with the most force.  The answer may surprise her!  Then remove the pieces of tape one at a time in any order. 
     What happens? The weight of water pressing down (whether it is in the ocean or a cup) increases the water pressure, and makes the bottom hole spurt out the furthest. 

                                               Water Wheel

     Water wheels are one of the ways energy can be harnessed.  Water has been used for thousands of years to drive machines for helping people with a wide variety of tasks, from transportation to food preparation. Examine this energy close up in the tub!

What you will need:
empty thread spool
1 note card or light weight cardboard
glue
pencil, skewer, or knitting needle

     Cut 4 pieces from the note card each about 1 1/2 inches by 1 inch.  Fold the rectangle in half and glue one half of the blade on to the spool. Glue the other 3 rectangles evenly spaced around the spool.  Allow the glue to dry completely.  Run the pencil or skewer through the center of the spool and when in the tub, hold it under running water.
     What happens?  The force of the water moves the spool.  This energy can be harnessed to mechanically move machine parts for turning grindstones, for example, or for making other machinery work.

                                                Bath Play

     One of our kids’ favorite bath activities when they were young was ‘shaving’. I gave them a small can of shaving cream and a popsicle stick to use as a ‘razor’ in the bathtub.  You can also use the shaving cream as white body paint—it has a wonderful velvety texture.

Balloon Submarine

What you will need:
oblong balloon
twist tie wire (from a bread bag for example)
half of a straight drinking straw

     Fill the balloon with cold water from the sink and hold it closed.  Next take the piece of straw and slip it into the opening of the balloon.  Use the twist tie to tie it in place around the balloon opening.  Hold the water in the balloon with your finger on top of the straw, then place it in the tub and release your finger.
     What happens?  The balloon moves underwater.  The submarine is propelled by the reaction between the water inside the balloon moving out into the water outside the balloon. 

Quick and Easy Halloween Costumes

     Kids love to dress up for Halloween, especially if they are involved in creating the costume themselves.  Here are five ideas for simple costumes that take only minutes to make. 

                                Jelly Fish

What you will need:
umbrella
bubble wrap
fat colorful ribbons or crepe paper
tulle netting (optional)
sweat pants and sweat shirt
self-adhesive reflective tape
tape and stapler

     Open the umbrella and staple and tape the bubble wrap over the outside of it, covering it completely.  Next, have your child hold the umbrella and measure from the edge to your child’s knee.  Cut lengths of ribbon, bubble wrap or crepe paper (or use all three) to the knee-length (cut random lengths as well) and staple the strips all around the edges of the umbrella, making sure you leave a narrow section with fewer antennae ribbons so your child can see out to walk.  Lay a strip of reflective tape around the umbrella for safety if you plan to trick-or-treat.  If desired, you can have a more finished look by stapling a strip of tulle around the edge of the umbrella.  When ready to dress, wear the sweat pants and sweat shirt and hold the umbrella for an instant jellyfish!

                                Tic Tac Toe Costume

What you will need: 
black sweatshirt
black sweat pants
white first aid tape
Self-adhesive reflective tape

     Have your child lay strips of the white tape on the front and back of the sweatshirt in a tic tac toe pattern.  Place in  x’s and o’s on the grid.  Run a length of reflective tape down the outside of the sweat pants for safety while trick or treating.

                                Angler

What you will need:
yellow rain slicker
sou’wester hat or rain hat
fishing net or small fish net from the pet store
fishing rod or one made with a stick and string
rubber boots

     This is a great costume if you live in a rainy climate!  Wear all the clothes and boots carry the fish net.

                                Secret Service Agent

What you will need:
old 2-piece suit
white shirt and tie
wire ear piece (we used an old cell phone head piece)
sunglasses

     Put on the clothes, add the sunglasses, and slick back hair with gel. 

                                        Gypsy

What you will need:
ruffled blouse
full skirt
shawl or use a large scarf as one
headscarf
strands of necklaces, bracelets

     Put on the clothes, add the jewelry, curl her hair, and put on the scarf!
A little eye make-up is fun too.

Outdoor Boredom Busters

     Summer is the glorious time of year that kids can claim some unstructured playtime as their own.  These open hours for running and climbing, throwing and stooping do more than keep them occupied.  Unstructured play encourages social development, reduces the inclination to obesity, enhances focus and resiliency, and best of all, brings happy little human beings into the house at the end of the day.  Remember the summer days of your own childhood?  To jump-start the play,  offer the following ideas, then step back and watch childhood in splendid action. 

                Backyard Safari Hunt

     Pre-schoolers love this simple activity!  The goal is to get children into the complete hide-and-find process themselves.  Suggest creating a zoo or compound for the animals once they are found, using the timeless materials, sticks and mud, for enclosures.  Don’t worry about the mess.  Remember skin is washable!

What you will need:
wide variety of small plastic animals
small nets used to catch tropical fish (optional)

     Inspect the animals with your child before hiding them.  Ask questions:  Where do tigers like to hide?  What do horses eat?  What do monkeys climb?  Hide the animals throughout the yard or a local park, using the observations you made with your child as clues for hiding places.  Then turn the kids loose on their own safari hunt.

                No Partner?  Solo Swing!

     This practice device is a good one for learning to bat effectively, or practice tennis skills without a partner.

What you will need:
old tennis ball
clothes line rope
heavy string
duct tape
bat or tennis racket

     String the clothes line between two trees or posts spaced far enough apart that a swinging bat or racket will not hit them from the midline, tying the ends two or three feet above your child’s head.  Next, tie the string around the tennis ball as tightly as possible from several different directions, leaving one end several feet long.  Use the duct tape to tape the string into place, then tie the other end in the middle of the rope.  Adjust the ball height to your child’s swing.  Ready?   Swing away!

                    Get Set!  Go!
                Stopwatch Activities

     Do you want to get the kids outside?  Never underestimate the power of the words: “On your mark. . .”   especially when coupled with a stopwatch in hand.  Like a dare or an energetic invitation, it is hard to resist the siren call to race or jump or throw.   This is a highly informal activity for all ages and requires nothing more than a simple stopwatch (the less bells and whistles, the better) and a challenge.  How long does it take you to race across the yard?  How many times can you jump in one minute?  How fast can you tie a shoe?  Climb a tree?  Hold your breath underwater?  How many bounces can you do with that ball in 30 seconds?  If at all possible, once the challenge is offered, pass the stopwatch to another child, and keep adults out of it as much as possible. 

                Three Legged Soccer

     This game is a blast for a gang of kids.  It also makes a good intergenerational activity for summer nights or family reunions.  Even those who are ace soccer players will find that skills are not as important as cooperation.

What you will need:
at least 12 people
old nylons or scarves
soccer ball

     Set up the field for a regular game of soccer.  You may want to shorten the field depending upon how many people are playing.  Pick a partner, stand side by side and use the nylons or old scarves to tie your center legs together at the ankle and the upper thigh.  An option is to use duct tape to secure the legs together more firmly (do not tape bare skin!).  Divide the sets of people onto two teams.  Play soccer with the regular rules.

Party Projects for a Birthday Bash

      Children’s birthday parties have grown increasingly more elaborate over the years.  We’ve gone from easy games and birthday cakes to food caterers, hired clowns, and rented ponies.  The question is, do the kids have any more fun at the expensive parties than at the simple ones?   
      One of our own family’s best birthday parties was at a local swimming pool.   I threw twenty dollars worth of change into the shallow end, and the kids spent the next hour diving for pennies and dimes, feeling sleek and rich.  That was our son’s idea.  He organized the whole affair from diving for coins to eating frog cupcakes.  And that is the key to a successful party:  involving your child from start to finish. 
      When kids create their own celebration, there is more appreciation, and less conflict. It is often more simple and geared to a child-size version of fun and not an adult’s, and isn’t that what birthday parties are supposed to be about? The following party activities are a few of our favorites.  Offer them as suggestions to your child and be open to variations.   Because just like life, adventure and meaning is often in the detours we take.

             

  Rainbow Pasta Invitations

     This technicolored pasta makes a radiant invitation!  Use paste food coloring for deeper and more variety of colors.

What you will need:
1 cup dried alphabet pasta
1 1/2 cups rubbing alcohol
3 teaspoons liquid food coloring (or 1/2 teaspoon paste food coloring)
cardstock paper to make the invitations
envelopes
glue
felt tips

     The first step is to dye the pasta a rich color.  Do this by stirring the food coloring into the rubbing alcohol.  Add the alphabet pasta and soak in the solution for several hours.  Drain the solution and place the pasta on several layers of paper towel to dry.
     While the pasta is drying, cut cards from the paper slightly smaller than the envelopes.  When the pasta is dry, glue the invited person’s name to the top of the card with the colored letters. Add the who, what, when, where, with the felt tips.

                  

Treasure Ball Party Favors

     Treasure balls are as much fun to make as they are  to unroll!  Make one for each guest.

What you will need:
approximately 20 feet of crepe paper
clear tape
tiny treasures:  coins, chocolate kisses, small erasures, stickers, barrettes,    package of seeds (folded into a narrow rectangle), rings, bubble gum, marbles, tiny candy bars,  small action figures,  jelly beans, fish lures, dice, magnets, sticks of gum, etc.

     Lay the crepe paper out.  Next, tape the treasures 12 to 18 inches apart along the length of it.  When you are finished, roll up the crepe paper, treasures and all, into a ball.  Tape the loose end securely to the ball (note:  small children LOVE to cover the entire ball with lots and lots and lots of tape!).  Decorate the ball with stickers if desired. 

                Obstacle Course

      Obstacle courses, by their very nature, invite a child’s mind and body to work together in one big energetic push.  It also is one of those rare games where it is as much fun to watch as it is to participate!

What you will need:
various items to create stations:  large cardboard boxes, ladder, old tires (available for free at most tire stores), jump rope, chairs, a box of old clothes, an old mattress, hula hoops, balls, sticks for a slalom course, wheelbarrow, chalk, bucket, piece of rope, marble and coffee can, 2x6’ boards (any length), broomstick, stop watch

     For a successful obstacle course, create stations that are age appropriate for the party.  Here are several ideas for stations, but feel free to adapt and add your own!  Organize the stations throughout the yard.  It helps to number them so it is clear which order to do them in.  You can time the obstacle course with the stopwatch if desired. 

Here are the stations in no particular order:
~~Place a broomstick between 2 chairs to create a jump
~~Remove shoes and pick up a marble with toes and place it in a coffee can
~~Pile old tires up for a climb, or lay out 2 wide and 3 long to run through one foot in each tire on either side
~~crawl through a large box opened at both ends
~~Lay a ladder on the ground and holding one foot, hop through the rungs
~~Jump rope 10 times without missing
~~Somersault down an old mattress or sleeping bag pad
~~Lay 8 sticks in a zig zag pattern and run, slalom like, through them
~~Run around a tree or shrub 3 times
~~Crawl under a row of chairs
~~Rest yourself backwards flat on your feet and hands, tummy to the sky, then lift and make a table with your tummy.  Place a tennis ball on your belly button and crawl like this  without dropping the ball
~~Put on some old dress up clothes over your own clothes and race to the next station where you will take them off
~~Hula hoop 8 times
~~Set several hula-hoops within hopping distance of each other.  Hop from inside one hoop to the next
~~Climb a tree (if available)
~~Run down 2x6 boards laid end to end without your feet touching the ground

                Frog Cupcakes

     We have made dozens of batches of frog cupcakes over the years. They are easy to make and  kids love them!  Make these ahead with your child, or decorate them with the party guests.

What you will need:
1 chocolate cake mix baked according to the directions into cupcakes
large marshmallows and small chocolate chips for the eyes
strawberry (or any red colored flavor) Fruit Roll-Up for the tongue
favorite recipe for frosting tinted green with food coloring

      Frost the cupcakes with the green frosting.  To make a mouth, use a small sharp knife and cut a wedge from each cupcake from side to side to make a wide smile.  Slice a marshmallow into three round slices (scissors work best) and press 2 of the slices on the cupcake for eyes.  Place a chocolate chip in the center of each marshmallow round.  Using the scissors, cut a tongue from the Fruit Roll-up and place inside the mouth.  That’s it!  Aren’t they clever?

Why Celebrate Earth Day?

    We celebrate Earth Day because the landscape helps to shape who we are; because there are no wrong movements a child can make outdoors, few things to break and nothing but space to fling a body into. We celebrate Earth Day because seeds grow into the plants that feed us, and we need to protect the ground that feeds them. We celebrate Earth Day because the fleeting colors of flowers and sky and water are more deep and astounding than anything reproduced on film or paper. We celebrate Earth Day because the outdoors is where we are most alert, where most childhood memories are made. We celebrate Earth Day because the earth is the home that holds our lives and everything in it, and it needs our watchful consideration as never before.
     Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd with your community and teach your children how to care for this wondrous planet we call home. One simple thing you can begin to do as a family is to recycle everything you can: batteries, tin cans, plastic bags, paper bags, newspapers, plastic water bottles.  Small changes in a household can make a big difference in the amount of landfill waste we produce. The following projects and activities also celebrate Earth Day by reusing items normally discarded, an important concept in an age of disposable everything. Read on!  Your family can create art, get some exercise in a cardboard tunnel, make a gift, and spread the message on paper bags in your community that kids not only care about the environment, they are doing something about it.

Earth Day Groceries Project

     Mark Ahiness, a teacher from Arbor Heights Elementary School in Seattle, Washington started the Earth Day Groceries Project in 1994 with his classroom in order to raise environmental awareness with his students.  Over 10,000 children from across the United States and Canada participated that first year and the Project continues to grow.  For more information visit the website:  www.earthdaybags.org

What you will need:
paper bags from the grocery store (your local store will give them to you
      particularly when you explain what they are to be used for)
paints, felt tips markers, bingo markers, stickers, etc  to decorate the bags

     Decorate the bags using an environmental theme.  Earth awareness, animals, litter, plants, conservation, and recycling are just a few ideas.  Be creative!  Next, deliver the bags back to the store to be used on Earth Day, spreading the message your child has come up with.  For the final step, report the number of bags you delivered to the store to the website www.earthdaytbags.org

Litter Critters and Creations

     Words cannot do justice to this activity.  Kids love the open ended, no -instructions nature of it and they fall into the rich territory of imagination to create  their whimsical thing-a-ma-jigs and critters.  To do this project, simply place all the materials on a table with a glue gun and different kinds of tape.  I also highly recommend something called a hot wire for cutting pieces of Styrofoam (a fun activity in itself!).  It is a simple tool composed of a wire that warms just enough to melt through the Styrofoam and make a clean cut.  It is nearly impossible to get burned using it, it is very inexpensive, and kids can spend all afternoon doing nothing but cutting out weird shapes for puzzles, or creations.  Some children will need a gentle nudge or idea to jump-start their projects:  helicopters, UFO’s, spyware, and robots for example.  It is also best for an adult to take apart disposable cameras—they are a gold mine of parts—and throw away the plastic with sharp edges.  The following list is flexible.  You may have junk sitting in a drawer or ideas of your own to use!

What you will need:
disposable cameras taken apart
pipe cleaners, wire, string
egg cartons, Styrofoam trays, plastic food containers
empty soft drink cans, plastic bottles, caps and tops
aluminum foil, wrapping paper, empty film canisters
popsicle sticks, paper tubes, bendable drinking straws
nuts, bolts, screws, nails, corks
googly eyes, pom-poms

Cardboard Tunnel Adventure

       This project was a wildly successful activity at a local fundraiser carnival.  It can be yours in your own backyard!  Flatten and recycle the boxes after the tunnel is no longer used.   

What you will need:
25 to 50 cardboard boxes (collect these from a variety of places: appliance
stores, grocery stores and office supply stores for example)
wide masking tape or duct tape

     Open the boxes at both ends to form a tunnel. Tape the flaps to the next opened box. Continue joining boxes until a long tunnel is achieved. If you have a particularly long tunnel, cut small skylights to allow light in. Snake your tunnel, or make it into a circle! You can also make the tunnel a maze by creating dead ends, or side rooms. Use a stopwatch to time a crawl through the tunnel if desired.

Concentration

      Every family has a pile of marginal photographs that don't quite make it into the photo album. Recycle them with this new twist on an old game! Or print out digital photos of your child.

What you will need:
10 photographs cut in half

     The object of this game is to match the two halves of a photograph. It's not as easy as you think! Place the 20 photo halves face down before the players.   Take turns flipping over two halves. If a player finds a match she removes them and goes again until she fails to find another matching pair. Make the game easier for younger children by limiting the number of photo halves.

Sand Frame

     This is a splendid frame for photos taken at the beach or on vacation.  We like the more textured look of the acrylic, but you can also use white glue if desired.

What you will need:
picture frame (recycle an old one from home or buy them at thrift shops or garage
         sales
siliconized acrylic (available in easy to use tubes at the hardware store) or white   
        glue
sand

      Place the newspapers in your work area. Remove the back and the glass from the frame.  Coat the frame with the acrylic. Then, while the acrylic is still wet, heavily sprinkle the sand over it until the frame is covered. Shake off the extra sand and allow to dry.  Clean the glass, place your photo in the frame and replace the back.

Have a Heart: Homemade Valentine Cards

     Make Valentine’s Day special this year with these easy handmade cards.  By setting aside a little time for your family to make them in, you will be giving the gift of love and imagination.  And that is a precious thing in this hurried world of ours. 

                              It’s Me! 
                    Valentine Photo Card

    Let’s start out with a super easy and fun one.  Your local photo store will have the holiday-size photo paper and envelopes for these, or you can make either regular or color copies of your photograph.

What you will need:
large piece of  white butcher paper (you can also use white or colored foam core board)
felt tip pens or tempera paint
scissors
camera and film

    Cut a large heart (18”x24” for example) from the butcher paper or foam core.  Decorate the edges of the heart with the paint or felt tips, then write ‘Happy Valentine’s Day!  From (your child’s name)’ in the center.  You can also leave the center of the heart blank to write a personalized message on the photo with a fine line permanent pen.  Next, have your child hold the heart in front of her and take several photos.  Choose the best photo and have your local film developer make photo cards (just like the holiday cards) from it.  Grandparents love these cards!

                   Spangled Salt Paint Cards

This paint has a beautiful texture, adding a dimension of glitz and sparkle to your Valentines.  Save this recipe for painting projects on rainy days.

What you will need:
2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon liquid starch (available in the laundry section of your grocer)
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon red liquid tempera paint
saucer
paint brush
blank cards or white construction paper

Mix the starch, water and paint together in a saucer.  Stir in the salt and you are ready to paint your hearts on the blank cards.  You can swap the red paint for white and use red paper for your cards if desired.

                        Heart Print Card

    Most print shops have blank cards with envelopes available inexpensively.  You can also make your own card with watercolor weight paper or construction paper folded to card size.

What you will need:
empty film canister
sponge
red ink pad or red tempera paint
hot glue gun or regular glue
scissors
blank note cards or white construction paper cut and folded to card size

    Cut a heart from the sponge small enough to fit on top of the film canister.   Glue the heart onto the canister.  Press the sponge onto the ink pad or lightly rub red paint on the heart.  Print on the front of the blank card and allow to dry.

                          Melt Art Cards

    Although making these cards require a warming tray (they were big in the 70’s!), it is well worth tracking one down in a thrift shop.  This is a glorious art activity by itself.

What you will need:
warming tray (you can buy them used at thrift shops or new in kitchen shops)
peeled crayons
aluminum foil
white paper or blank cards

    Cover the warming tray with the foil and turn onto  low.  Place the card or paper onto the tray when it has heated up and use the crayons to draw on the card or paper.  The crayon melts into thick rich colors creating a beautiful card!

15 Minute Field Trips

‘Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.’
--Confucius

     Some of the most robust learning opportunities for children begin with hands-on experiences.  Take field trips for example—adults remember them from the blur of their school years because they actively involved multiple senses, and this alone leaves a strong impression on the mind.  Field trips are not only the province of schools; you can have a field trip of your own in the kitchen or backyard!  Lifting rocks to observe the thriving underground insect life, making handmade cheese, exploring the world blindfolded, are simple ways to develop learning from a passive to an active experience.  If you have more time, consider expanding from the ideas listed here to your community by visiting museums (take sketch pads to draw your own version of the art), factories (learn how local widgets are made), local artists at work, farms, and zoos.  In the meantime, the following fifteen-minute field trips will use both the hands and the mind to build a multi-layered world of learning with lasting impact.

                    Make Your Own Cheese

     Renditions of this cheese recipe have been around for hundreds of years.   It is made with an enzyme called rennet, which is available in tablet form at many grocery stores.

What you will need:
1 quart of milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 rennet tablet (called Junket at your grocer)
cheesecloth or muslin
wooden spoon and bowl

     Warm the milk to body temperature either in a microwave oven or in a saucepan on the stove.  Crush the Junket tablet and add a little cold water.  Mix this into the warm milk and stir.  The rennet will begin to immediately bond with the protein in the milk and create thick curds and whey (remember Little Miss Muffet?). 
     Allow the mixture to set in a warm place for around fifteen minutes, then slice then thickened mixture with a butter knife into 2-inch squares.  Stir in the salt. 
     Now you are ready to drain the cheese.  Hold the cheesecloth or muslin across a bowl and have your child pour the cheese into the cloth.  Gather the corners together and tie the bag to a wooden spoon.  Lay the spoon across the bowl for the cheese to drain into, squeezing the bag occasionally.  You can also lay the cheese and cheesecloth in a colander and place in a big bowl to catch drips.  Left in a cool place, your cheese will be ready to eat within 12 hours.  It will keep two to three days in the refrigerator.

                    Rubbings in the City

     City streets are good places to capture the art in manhole covers, building plaques, and tree grates. Keep your eyes open on your walk, any raised  design or interesting texture works well.  You can also make rubbings of leaves and textures from the backyard.

What you will need:
butcher paper (the meat department in your local store or a butcher will    have some to sell or give away) or freezer paper
cray pas oil pastels with the paper cover removed (charcoal and crayons work too)
small whisk type broom

     Take a walk downtown in your city or town and keep a sharp eye out for interesting textures, plaques, or manhole covers.  When you find one, use the whiskbroom to brush small rocks and debris from it.  Next, lay the paper waxed side down over the texture or manhole cover, and with the cray pas or crayon held long side down, rub it over the paper until the design appears.  Make a portfolio of different designs from  other cities.  You can also make rubbings in cemeteries of relatives or ancestors.

                    Blind in the Backyard

     It is amazing how visually dependent we are and yet this activity demonstrates how our other senses can jump to the rescue and inform us about our environment when we ask them to.   It is also a good activity for building trust. 

What you will need:
rope approximately 15 to 20 feet ( a long jump rope works well)
blindfolds for the number of participants (putting duct tape over the lenses of old ski goggles works great too)

     Space people evenly along the rope and blindfold them (younger kids may want to close their eyes instead of being blindfolded).  The leader is not blindfolded.  Each person holds the rope with one or both hands, then the leader slowly pulls the rope and leads everyone around, over, and through various obstacles, calling out instructions such as “step up,”  or “duck under,” when necessary.  Take turns being the leader.

Nancy Blakey is the author of The Mudpies Activity Books.  Her latest book is Go Outside!  Interested in more projects?  Visit her web site at nancyblakey.com

Handmade Gifts for the Holidays

            Pressed Tin Ornaments

     If I had to pick one project to do with my family this holiday season, it would be this one.  For the crowd in our house making these handsome ornaments—from a three year old to a couple of teenagers—it was pure joy!

What you will need:
disposable aluminum cookie sheet (available
short knitting needle or pencil with a blunt end
cookie cutters
scissors
pile of newspaper

     Cut the rims off the cookie sheet for a flat piece to work with.  Place the pad of newspapers on the table.  Next, trace a cookie cutter lightly onto the foil with a pen and cut the shape out.  Lay the shape on the pad of newspapers.  Now for the fun part!  Using the knitting needle or pencil, press a design or series of patterns onto the foil.  Press hard! You want a firm hand to make clear lines, but take care not to pierce through the foil completely.  Let your imagination go!  Fill the ornament with scrolls, circles, triangles, stars, squiggles and lines.  Use a paper punch to make a hole near the top of the ornament and thread a piece of ribbon or wire through.  Isn't it a beauty?  Print on a name--they also make unique gift tags that can double as an ornament.

         The Sweetest Ornament on Earth

     This ornament is so simple and so wonderful there is no excuse for not making them.  Your kids will love them!

What you will need:
hard white candies with flowers and designs in the center
cookie sheet
cooking oil spray
narrow ribbon
nut pick or sharp object

     Spray the cookie sheet lightly with a cooking spray.  Lay the candies on the sheet several inches apart (they will melt and expand in the oven).  Bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes or until they have expanded and bloomed!  Remove from the oven and when they have cooled for a moment make a hole for stringing the ribbon through by using a nut pick or the tip of a sharp knife.  Thread the ribbon through for a hanger.

                        Sachet Stones

     This versatile modeling compound is easy to work with, and holds the spices firmly when dry.  The stones make a lovely gift  to scent drawers and rooms.

What you will need:
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups cold water
essential or perfume oil
Whole cloves, and/or whole allspice, anise stars, or coriander

     Have your child mix the soda and cornstarch together with her hands in a medium sized saucepan.  Add the cold water and a healthy dose of essential oil (the amount is up to you, anywhere from a few drops to a 1/2 teaspoon is fine) then stir everything together until smooth.   Set the pan on the stove over medium heat and stir constantly until the moment the mixture gathers together, then remove from the heat (the mixture will thicken into lumps first and then mass together very quickly)--if you overcook this dough, it will be too crumbly to work with.
     When the dough cools, knead it until smooth and pliable.  Give each gift maker a piece of dough to make the stones from and for the final touch, press in the whole spices.  Allow to dry overnight if the stones are small.  Larger stones may take longer.  When fully dry, keep them sealed in a plastic bag until time to give.

             Glass Gem Refrigerator Magnets

     I love this project!  It is a charming gift and also the best kind of creative activity where both the process and the end result are rich and satisfying!

What you will need:
clear glass gems (also called flat glass marbles or floral glass gems)
small family portraits photocopied—photographic paper tends to be
          too thick.  You can also cut words, images, numbers, letters,
          pictures from magazines)
Elmer’s glue
scissors
adhesive backed magnetic tape (available at hardware stores)

     Wash and dry the glass gems to remove any residue.  Cut the portraits from the photocopied paper, sized to fit the glass gem.  Place a drop of glue to the flat back of the glass gem and spread it around with your finger, removing excess glue as you spread.  Press the image onto the glue firmly.  Cut a piece of magnet the size of your glass gem and remove the backing.  Press into place.  Make your entire family with individual portraits for your gift!

Brilliant Box Costumes for Halloween

                                                   

                                         Lego Brick  

     Here’s a great costume for those budding engineers who love playing with Legos!

What you will need: 
cardboard box big enough for your child to fit inside—preferably one that is rectangular and opened
       at the narrower end
newspapers
hot glue gun (use cool melt glue gun if your child will be doing the gluing)
red spray paint
elastic
red plastic Solo cups
red sweat suit
old pair of tennis shoes
stapler

     Cut a hole big enough for your child’s head to fit through at the opposite end of the opening of the box (the opened end will be for her legs to walk in the costume), and cut holes for her arms on the sides.  Spread out the newspapers and spray paint the box and the old pair of tennis shoes.  Allow to dry, then glue the cups onto the box at regularly spaced intervals (if your child is helping with this let her glue them on any way she wants to!!!).  Make a Lego hat by stapling one end of a length of elastic to a cup.  Place it on your child’s head and size the elastic to fit under her chin.  Cut the elastic and staple the other side.  When ready to wear the costume, put on the red sweat suit, the red tennis shoes, and the hat.  Place the box over her head.

                                     Stroller Race Car       

     Your toddler may not be able to help make this costume, but his siblings will have fun with it!

What you will need:
reflective tape
large stick on numbers (or cut them from construction paper)
2 flashlights
duct tape
aluminum foil
cardboard tube from a paper towel roll
plastic Frisbee
helmet or baseball cap
2 red bicycle lights for taillights (optional)
paper and felt tips to make a personalized license plate or bumper sticker     

     Run pieces of reflective tape across the sides of the stroller. Then tape the cut out numbers on the sides.  Wrap the cardboard tube in the foil and tape to the bottom rear of the stroller for a tailpipe.  Duct tape the 2 flashlights to the front of the stroller as headlights. If you have the bicycle lights, clip them to the back of the stroller and set them to flash when ready to roll.  Make a personalized license plate or bumper sticker from lightweight cardboard or paper and tape onto the back.  Place the helmet on your toddler, hand him the Frisbee to use as a steering wheel and you are set!

                                         X-Ray Machine     

     This is a very quick and easy costume.  Buy the skeleton decoration at a variety store.

What you will need:
rectangular shaped cardboard box (opening at the narrower end) big enough for your child to fit into newspapers
paper skeleton decoration
glue
black spray paint
black sweat suit
black stocking cap
reflective tape
gallon jug lids and/or red plastic checker game pieces     

     Cut a hole big enough for your child’s head to fit through at the opposite end of the opening in the box (the opened end will be for her legs to walk in the costume), and cut holes for her arms on the sides.  Spread the newspapers and spray paint the box black.   Cut the legs off the skeleton and glue the upper torso to the front of the box when it is dry.  Glue on the jug caps and checkers as knobs for the machine (or use your imagination for different kinds of knobs).  Make a sign with the words:  CAUTION! X-RAY IN USE! and tape it to the box.  Run strips of reflective tape in the back of the box.  When ready to put on the costume, have your child wear the sweat suit and stocking cap.

                                  Birthday Present     

     Each child is a gift with this easy costume!

What you will need:
cardboard box big enough for your child to fit into
wrapping paper
transparent tape
fat ribbon
large bow
reflective tape     

    Cut a hole big enough for your child’s head to fit through at the opposite end of the opening in the box (the opened end will be for her legs to walk in the costume), and cut holes for her arms on the sides.  Next, completely wrap the box in the gift-wrap using the transparent tape.  Run lengths of the fat ribbon around the gift and place the bow in the front of the box where the ribbon crosses.  Run strips of reflective tape in the back of the gift.  Wear a color coordinated sweat suit and shoes when ready to trick or treat.

                                       Popcorn Box     

     This is a good one for youngsters to help with—from the painting of stripes to the cutting out of popcorn, Be flexible with the directions and allow your child his own way of creating it.

What you will need:
rectangular shaped cardboard box (opening at the narrower end) big enough for your child to fit into white spray paint
white or red sweat suit
newspapers
black and red tempera paint
glue and scissors
yellow and red construction paper       

     Cut a hole big enough for your child’s head to fit through at the opposite end of the opening in the box (the opened end will be for his legs to walk in the costume), and cut holes for his arms on the sides.  Spread the newspapers and spray paint the box white.  Paint red stripes down the box when dry.  Then paint the word POPCORN on the front and back of the box with the black paint (you can also write it with a big black marker if desired).  Cut enough big popcorn-shaped pieces from the yellow construction paper to go around the upper edge of the box. Careful!  You do not want the popcorn so big that it blocks the vision!  Glue onto and around the upper edge.  Cut strips from the red paper to go around the bottom of the popcorn to look like the top of the box.  When ready, put on the sweat suit and place on the box.