Check out the full tutorial (and loads of summer fun!) on:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/PHOTOGRAPHY-WITH-KIDS–MAKE-A-CLOSE-UP-PHOTO-BOOK

This activity was featured on:

http://www.ohcreativeday.com/kids-crafts-school-holidays/

(Check out Shannon’s site for all sorts of simple and fun activities to do over the summer holidays with your kids!)

Materials

• Squeegee
• Thicker paint (acrylic, tempra)
• Kraft paper
• Tape
• Table cloth or drop sheet

We always find a smock helpful too:

Directions

• Place a table cloth or drop sheet on your work surface.  Roll out your paper and tape the ends down.  We always find it helpful to go the opposite way of the roll.  If your roll is particularly “curly”, tape the roll under the edge of the table.
• Don your smock.
• Add drips and stripes of paint to your paper.  We found that starting with the darker colours and then adding the light after (on top of the other paint) allowed them to retain more of their brightness.
• Pull your squeegee through your paint.  Experiment with different directions, lifting the squeegee etc.
• If you want to add another dimension, apply stickers first to form a resist and paint over them, pulling the stickers off in a few hours once your paper is dry.

• Use your paper for collages, wrapping packages to go in the mail, and as gift wrap!

Purpose

• Exploring different painting tools.
• Mixing colours (The formation of secondary colours)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft table cloth or drop to protect your clothing and surfaces.

This activity was featured on:

http://www.ohcreativeday.com/arts-crafts-eric-carle/

(If you love Children’s literature, be sure to check out Shannon’s many ideas!)

Materials

• Cardboard (depending on your child’s age and cutting abilities this could be from shipping boxes, cereal boxes etc.)
• Sticks
• Yarn
• Glue gun
• Scissors
• Paint
• Paintbrushes

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go for a nature walk with an adult, collecting sticks and observing flowers to get ideas.  Our daughter was attracted to the colours of the flowers below and wanted to make bright blooms.

• Cut your cardboard into manageable pieces.

• Sketch out your leaves, flower centres and petals.  Our daughter was frustrated in the fact she wanted to draw her leaves so that they came out from the stem and made a point at the end so I suggested that she put dots at those points and see if that helped in achieving the look she wanted.  Sometimes making a guide helps to suggest parameters for sketching out an item.

• Carefully cut out your pieces.

• Don your smock.  Paint your pieces, focusing on the base colour.  Depending on the paint type, you may require more than one coat.  We used foam brushes for this part of the project.  Allow to dry overnight.  Then paint on your details.  Allow to dry overnight.

• Wrap your sticks in yarn if you like.  Start by tying a knot at one end and then wrapping over the knot.  You might find it easier to wrap around the stick, holding the ball of yarn or you might turn the stick itself.  Push the wrapped yarn down to the end that you started, if you want a fuller look.  Knot the end and cut off the excess.

• Glue the pieces of your flower together and then glue the stick stem onto flower.  Be sure to hold it in place until the glue sets.  As my daughter said, “The glue gun is good for this kind of project as it dries fast!”.  Glue your leaves onto the stem.

• Hang your giant flower in your room and play underneath it (pretending to be a small bug of course!) or create a garden in your classroom!

Purpose

• Re-imagining items.
• Getting out into nature to source materials and observe the changes that occur during spring.
• Taking an item and altering its scale.  This could be a segway to seeing something from a different perspective (E.g., How do flowers appear to ants.)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and a glue gun with care and direct, adult supervision.

This activity was featured on:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/NATURE-SPRAY-PAINTING-WITH-KIDS

Check them out for all sorts of Fall inspired crafts!

Materials

• Watercolour paper
• Watercolour paints (we used a few colours, but one of them seemed to have migrated out of the photo…)
• Fine mist spray bottle(s)
• Funnel
• Craft tray
• Items to make the negative image (Plants, shells or household items that can lie flat)
• Water (*Optional if you want to dilute your paint)

We always find a smock helpful!

Directions

• Don your smock.

• Lay your paper in your craft tray.  Lie your items on top .  For this first one we used clippings from our hedge.

• Using your funnel, put approximately a few tablespoons of water into your spray bottle.  Add drops of watercolour paint until you get your desired colour.  If you want stronger colours, skip the water.  You could also use several spray bottles, one for each colour.

• Spray over your items, being careful not to move them.

• Add other colours into your spray bottle (this is a perfect time to learn about primary and secondary colours) and spray your page throughly.

• Allow to dry overnight and then carefully remove your items, revealing the negative image that they created!

Purpose

• Learning about positive and negative space
• Developing one’s motor skills (using a funnel, compressing a spray bottle button etc.)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• DO NOT use a spray bottle that once contained chemicals (cleaners etc.) for safety reasons.

Check out the full project details in the link bellow (scroll down past the header!):

http://bkids.typepad.com/bookhoucraftprojects/2015/08/project-202-nature-inspired-flower-wristlets.html

This project was featured on:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/10-ARTISTIC-FATHER—-S-DAY-GIFTS-KIDS-CAN-MAKE

Check them out for other artistic Father’s Day gifts you can make!

Materials

• Canvas board
• Painter’s tape
• Pencil/eraser
• Acrylic paints
• Brushes
• Thin permanent markers

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Don your smock.

• Using your painter’s tape, make a border around your canvas folding your tape so half is on the front and half is on the back (we used a bit of a thicker version).

• Add a bit more painter’s tape at the bottom to make the white portion where you would hold your polaroid as it set.

• Rub over your painter’s tape to make sure it has fully adhered at all points.

• Sketch out your portrait of you and your dad or anyone special to you in the white space.

• We then painted our backgrounds.

• Carefully paint your people.  If you paint over your pencil lines, don’t worry- you can go over them with a thin permanent marker after the paint has dried.  We decided to do work on the paintings a bit every day after school (before Dad was home from work!).  We found this to be quite helpful as we could do a few colours at a time and let them dry, preventing them from mixing.  Acrylics were quite forgiving.  We could use layers of different colours to make any corrections and trace over the lines again.  We hope you can see this process below.  (If you happen to have any bleeding when you remove your tape you can also fix it with white acrylic!)

• Once done, trace over all your lines again (ours showed though the paint, making it easy to go over) with a thin, permanent marker.

• Carefully remove your tape, revealing your polaroid-esque image!

• Write a special note on the back of your painting, (including the date) for Dad to keep!

Purpose

• Experimenting with sketching
• Using tape to create negative spaces

Safety Notes

• Wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and work surfaces.

Check out our kite project and all sorts of other goodies on:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/KID-MADE-DECORATIVE-DRIFTWOOD-KITE

This activity was featured on The Crafty Crow- an amazing collection of creativity!

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2015/05/stitched-plastic-lid-necklaces.html

Materials

• Colourful plastic lids (we used ones from Playdoh)
• Drill or hammer/nails (For adult use or depending on your age and abilities, with direct supervision and safety gear)
• Embroidery floss
• Needle
• Beads
• Scissors (Whoops!  We accidentally forgot to include them in the supply photo! Our apologies.)

Directions

• Have an adult drill holes into your lids for you.  For the weaving we went with a hole in the centre and those around the perimeter. (Make sure to make an odd number of perimeter holes.)  For the other lids we did a hole in the centre, some around the perimeter and then we tried other spots as well.  We found that with our choice of lids and drill we were able to drill over a small carpet sample, quickly and effectively making the holes.  Be sure to exercise caution around power tools and wear safety gear.

• Knot your embroidery floss and sew through your holes creating designs.

• Younger children can do something a bit more abstract.

• For the circle weaving we started off in the centre and made an odd number spokes going out to the holes on the perimeter.  We then chose a different colour and went up through the middle and then went over and under the spokes.  With the next round we made sure to do the opposite from the last round (so if the floss went under, then next time around it goes over etc.).  When we wanted to switch colours we tied a knot to the next colour choice and continued one, tucking the knot under the previous round of floss and hiding it with the next.  To finish the edges we sewed around the perimeter holes going up and down.

• If you have two existing holes in your design near the opposite edges (so a left and right) use this to lace on your beads with your embroidery floss to form a necklace.  If not, have an adult drill two more holes for you.

• Lace your necklace and enjoy!

• Take a contemplation break and admire your siblings’ work!

Purpose

• Re-using/re-imagining
• Developing fine motor skills (lacing, sewing, circle weaving etc.)

Safety Notes

• Exercise care and use scissors and a needle with adult supervision.
• Based on your age and abilities, a drill is recommended for adult use or with direct adult supervision and teaching.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things in their mouths.
• Embroidery floss, cord etc. can be a strangulation hazard therefore, do not use it for play, but rather for its intended use.  Be sure to remove your necklace for play (e.g., on the playground etc.) or use a child-safe release clasp.

This activity was featured on:

http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/DIY-UPCYCLED-BEADED-JEANS-NECKLACE-FOR-KIDS

Check them out for a wonderful collection of engaging, beautiful and fun activities!

Materials

• Old pair of jeans (we used an adult size)
• Fabric scissors
• Embroidery floss
• Needle
• Sewing materials (we used a sewing machine, but you could sew it by hand)

Beads

• Wooden beads
• Acrylic paint
• Floral foam
• BBQ skewers
• Pony beads
• Paint brush or brushes

OR

Purchase pre-painted wooden beads!

We also find these items helpful:

Directions

• Don your smock and cover your workspace with a table cloth or set out your craft trays.

Painting your Beads

• Have an adult cut the sharp points off of the BBQ skewers.

• Put a pony bead at the bottom of your skewer.  This will hold your beads in place and prevent them from sliding down when you paint them.

• “String” your beads onto your skewer.

• Insert your skewer into your craft foam.

• Don your smock.

• Paint your beads.  We find it helpful to hold the skewer with one hand at the top while you paint with the other.

• Paint as many colours as you would like for your necklace.

• Allow to dry overnight.

Jean Portion

•  Cut off one leg of your jean and cut off one side of the leg as shown below.

•  Cut off the cuff.

•  Cut off the seams.

• We made a headband which was the width of the leg (as shown).  For the necklace we went with approximately a width of approximately 2.5 inches/ a little over 6 centimetres which when sewn was approximately 1 inch/2.5 centimetres, using the foot of out sewing machine as our guide. (This a simple activity for learning how to sew a line!)

•  Fold the jean in half with the good side facing inward.

• Get goofy with your scraps!

•  Sew the jean together, along the cut side, using the foot of your sewing machine as a guide.  This will form a tube of material.  Be sure to use a needle in your machine suitable for jean.

• Turn your tube inside out.  We found a piece of dowel handy for this process! (To gently push the end through.)

• Tuck in and sew the ends.

• Get a long length of embroidery floss.  Tie a knot in it about 1/3 into the embroidery floss.  Fold your jean with the end facing backward (so it will be hidden on the necklace when you wear it.)  Go through the fold until you reach your knot.  Our daughter is learning to sew so we did this together.

• Put a bead on snuggly to hold the fold in place.  We like to go back through the end of the bead again so a bit of the floss appears on the bead.

• Fold the jean again.  We alternated between one and two folds between each bead.

(The one below will be a headband!)

• Make a secure knot at the end, leaving your excess thread on for the next step.

• For the ends we took an additional piece of embroidery floss and tied it to the end threads (making the knot in the middle of your additional piece) so we had three pieces to braid.  We put the braid through the bead to hide the knot (as seen).

• Here is our finished project!

Purpose

• Re-cycling materials, making them into other useful products.
• Developing one’s fine motor skills (lacing beads, sewing, painting etc.)

Safety Notes

• Use scissors and a needle with care & supervision.
• Yarn, cord, floss etc. can be a strangulation hazard therefore it should be used with adult supervision and for the intended purpose.
• Be sure to wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Beads can be a choking hazard and therefore should be kept out of the reach of children 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things in their mouths.

This activity was featured on The Crafty Crow’s collection of Handmade Mother’s Day Gifts- check them out for ideas to do with your kids or students!

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2015/05/sweet-handmade-gift-ideas-for-mothers-day.html

Materials

• Paper rolls
• Felt
• Embroidery floss
• Needle
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Craft tray
• Beads
• Smock
• Scissors
• Paper
• Pencil/eraser
• Fabric glue

Directions

• We first cut the paper rolls in half and painted each of them.  We did two coats on the outside and one on the interior.  You could also cover your rolls in felt or fabric.  Be sure to wear your smock and use your craft tray to protect your clothing and work surfaces.  Allow to dry in between each coat.

• For the flowers we cut out hearts and then snipped off the bottom to make a simple petal shape.  We did a few sizes.  You can sew on a few details if you like.  We made between 6-8 per flower, but add as many as you like to make your flowers to your desired fullness.  This is only one flower idea- we’d love to see what you come up with!

• We then cut out a circle to form a base.  Glue your petals onto your circle and then cover the centre with another circle to make the flower centre.  Allow to dry overnight.

• We then sewed on a bead or beads to add a bit of embellishment. (You could glue them on as well.)

• Glue your flowers onto your napkin rings and allow to dry overnight.

• Slip a napkin inside and use them for brunch!

Purpose

• Learning to sew
• Developing one’s fine motor skills (cutting, gluing, working with beads)
• Recognizing symbols of various seasons

Safety Notes

• Use scissors and a needle with care & supervision.
• Embroidery floss can be a strangulation hazard therefore it should be used with adult supervision and for the intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard and should be kept out of reach from those ages 0-3 years or those that tend to put things into their mouths.
• We recommend using a craft tray and a smock to protect your clothing and surfaces from glue and paint.