More Summer items to make

Here are some more crafts you can do with children during the summer months.  Keeping them from not bored is a very good thing.

Rain Stick

                                       

This instrumental craft might not summon the rain, but the natural seeds inside the tube sound like a real thunderstorm when your child turns it from end to end.

Materials:  Card stock or scrapbook paper, box board or heavyweight card stock, empty paper towel roll, scissors, tape, rice or popcorn seed, decorative paper, ruler, different colors of ribbon, and rubber band

Directions:

Cut a piece of decorative card stock or scrapbook paper 1/2 inch wider than the circumference of an empty paper towel roll and 1 inch taller than the roll. Then, measure across the inside of the paper towel roll to get the diameter. Cut a piece of box board or heavyweight card stock 1/4 inch narrower than the diameter of the roll. Accordion-fold the box board and stuff it inside the roll.

Next, tape one side of the roll closed. Have your child scoop rice and popcorn seeds into the tube; tape the other end closed. And then, adhere the decorative paper to the outside of the roll, folding the paper over the ends. Adhere two circles of the same decorative paper to cover the ends of the roll. To finish, have your child choose pretty ribbons to tie on to an elastic band. Place the band around the tube and you're ready to play.

Twig Raft 

                        

Create a playtime raft that really floats with just a few natural twigs from your own backyard.

Materials:  Twigs, jute or hemp cord, felt, single whole puncher, and scissors.

Directions:

Have your kids search your backyard for twigs. Use outdoor trimmers to cut the twigs to the same size. Using jute or hemp cord, weave the ends of the twigs on both sides to tie them together. Attach a twig in an upright position for the mast. Cut a sail from colorful felt. Fold the felt in half, punch a hole in the middle, and slide it over the mast.

Shell Creatures

 

Made with real seashells, these imaginative characters have loads of personality. Your kids will adore coming up with fun storyline for these little guys to act out.

Materials:  Seashells, craft glue, google eyes, and pom-poms

Directions:

Hunt for seashells on your next trip to the beach, or purchase them at a crafts store. Use glue to assemble the shells into creative creatures, adding google eyes and pom-poms as desired. Choose a fun name for each creature, and then let the adventures begin!

Rock Mushrooms

 

Let your child decorate your garden, potted plants, or windowsill with easy-to-make rock mushrooms that won't wilt in the summer sun.

Materials:  smooth rocks, craft paint, and craft glue

Directions:

Search your backyard or a neighborhood park for smooth rocks, choosing ones with flat surfaces so the mushrooms can stand upright. Have your child paint some rocks red (for the tops) and some white (for the stems). Add white dots to the red tops using paint or stickers. Glue the pieces together with liquid glue.

Into the Wind 

 

Listen to the tinkling sounds of buttons, bells, and bottle caps with this outdoor chime.

Materials: Bottle caps, outdoor craft paint (optional), paintbrush (optional), fishing line, scissors, bells, tacky glue, buttons, 4"-tall flowerpot (plastic or ceramic) with a hole in the bottom, hot-glue gun

Directions: 

Paint bottle caps in the colors of your choice. Let dry. (Skip this step if buying colored bottle caps.)

Cut seven 18" pieces of fishing line. Tie a bell to the end of each strand.

Put a dot of tacky glue on bottle cap, set the fishing line in the glue (starting about an inch above the bell), and sandwich it with a button. Repeat five or six times per strand, about 12" up the piece of fishing line. Let dry.

Feed the ends of all strands through the holes of a large button (it must be bigger than the pot's drainage hole) and secure with a knot about 4 1/2" above the top bottle cap. Feed the strands up through the drainage hole.

So that the strands don't cluster in the middle, hot-glue fishing line to the inside edge of the pot, evenly spaced around the circumference.

Tie another piece of fishing line in a tight knot to the top to hang.

Again, some of these ideas came from newsletter mentioned before. I would love to see pictures of your finished projects.

Share your ideas on this or anything here on the blog either here or e-mail me at stipple@verizon.net  I look forward to hearing from you!

Sandi