[Nfb-krafters-korner] Summer Fun with Kids

[Henrietta Brewer]

It is time for more ideas that can be shared with the kids.  Today I 
have a paint idea. This is a messy one but my absolute favorite 
finished project.  Also dirrections t make some fire starters. They 
would be great for camp fires and as gifts in the fall for family 
with fireplaces.  Do you remember ivory soap boats?

bubble painting

Materials

small bowls
straws
bubbles or dish soap
food coloring, poster paint or coolaid
Paper, heavier paper like card stock works well but any type wil work

Dirrections

Fill each little custard cup or bowl about three fourths full of 
bubbles or dish soap.  Add some color. I like to use the plain old 
fashion coolaid. The kind with no sweetener or sugar.

Give each child a straw. This is not recomended for children who 
can't remember to blow into the paint and not suck it up.  As you 
blow bubbles into the paint mixture the bubbles will flow over the 
top of the bowl. When that happens take your straaw out of the bowl 
and gently set your paper on the bubbles.

It is amazing. You will have bubble prints on your paper. I like to 
do several colors on the same paper.

We have used these for Mother's Day gift several times in my daycare. 
One year we framed them with wooden frames and once we glued lace 
around the cardboard as a trim.  They are wonderful to gaze at or to 
use as a back drop for a photo.

Corn cob or dryer lint fire starters.

Materials

corn cobs after the corn has been removed
old wax candles
dryer lint collected over time
non-foam egg cartons for the dryer lint
a flat box for the cobs

dirrections.

Fill the egg carton holes with packed dryer lint. Pour melted wax 
over the lint and let harden. Cut the container apart to make fire starters

Dry corn cobs on low heat in the oven, by hanging by string or laying 
out in the sun on screen.  After the cobs are thoroughly dry pour 
melted wax over them after putting them in the box. Let dry and you 
are ready to give a natural gift or use while camping.

Ivory soap boats.

Ivory soap is not as easy to find as it was when we were kids but it 
is still available. I find it in dollar stores.  Small children can 
decorate their boat with tooth picks and bits of paper or tape cut to 
make sails.  Older children can carve on their soap to design a sleek 
vessel that will move quickly through the water.  The shavings can be 
melted into water and used for hand soap.

Use a small wading pool, the sink or bath tub to run your boat 
races.  Let children work on how to make their boats move through the 
water.  They can make waves with their hands or even an old fashioned 
egg beater.  What other things will work? What about a large plastic 
spoon? Which things work best?

Plastic knives work fine for carving fresh soap.

Well, August begins before I write again. Here is my big block party plan.

materials

large paper grocery bags
newspaper
masking tape

Dirrections

Have children scrunch up sheets of newspaper and fill the grocery 
bags.  Tape each bag shut.  The more blocks you can make, the more 
fun the whole neighborhood will have.

These blocks are as much fun to build with as they were to 
make.  This always turned out to be an exciting day at my house.

We built walls, then houses, then we tried to stack them as high as 
we could. At the end of play the boys found themselves playing 
football with the blocks and making walkways to try and walk across.

Yes, getting rid of these blocks can be a problem. I encouraged 
anyone who camps to take some for fires.  The project is worth the mess.

Enjoy your little ones.



Henrietta
~I wish you enough~