Materials

• Craft tray or table cloth
• Clay board (*optional)
• Air dry clay
• Rolling pin
• Yarn
• BBQ skewer (have an adult cut the sharp tip off) or thin dowel
• Yarn
• Tape
• Old knife
• Paper roll (s)

We always find a smock helpful too:

Directions

• Don your smock.  Knead and roll out your clay to an even thickness.  We went with a thickness of an 1/4 inch or a little less than a centimetre.  We rolled it into a rectangular shape.

• Cut your rectangular piece into long strips about 2 inches in width/ 5 centimetres, using your knife carefully.

• Wrap it around your paper roll to assure that your strip is the right size (overlapping one side over the other as seen in the photographs).  Cut off any excess.

• Use your BBQ skewer or thin dowel to make holes in your strips.  We went with holes on the edges, but you could decide your own placement.

• Then wrap it around the tube (s) and then overlap one side over the other, gently compressing the pieces together.  We made 4 rings for a gift, but go with how many you would like for your table.

• Allow to dry according to the product directions.

• Once dry, gently slip the rings off the tube.  Allow the inside of the rings to dry throughly as well.

• Cut your yarn into manageable strips (we go with the length of our children’s arm).  Knot one end and then wrap a small piece of tape on the other (like the end of a lace- in fact young children could use a lace!).

• Lace your yarn through the holes in your napkin rings making whatever designs you like.  Be sure to start inside the ring to hide your knot.  Once finished, knot the end and trim off any excess.  Repeat with all your rings.

• Roll your napkins and gently insert them into your rings.

• Add your rings to your fall table!

Purpose

• Getting involved in celebrations.
• Developing one’s fine motor skills (kneading, rolling, lacing etc.)

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray or table cloth to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and a knife with care and adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.

Materials

• Watercolour paper
• Sticks
• Glue gun
• Pencil/eraser
• Pastels
• Watercolour paints
• Craft tray

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go on a nature walk, collecting fallen branches and observing the fall foliage.

• Have an adult glue your branches onto watercolour paper.  You can set this out for an invitation to create.

• Don your smock.

• Our kids went with drawing leaves lightly in pencil.  They then traced their work with pastels, painting over it with diluted watercolour paints and then adding a bit of concentrated watercolour.  You can put out any materials that you may like.  Our children wanted to draw many of the beautiful leaves that they have seen, but your child might transform the branches into something new!

• With this type of work, we always find it helpful to let the painting dry prior to adding the background to prevent “bleeding”.

• Allow to dry and enjoy!

• Or get a bigger branch!

Purpose

• Getting out into nature.
• Observing seasonal changes.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.

Part 1: The Blood Moon

Part 2:  Drawing at Dusk

Materials

• Clip board
• Paper pencil/eraser
• Book light, flash light, or battery operated night light

Directions

• Go out with an adult observe the setting sun and/or the moon.  Look at all the silhouettes of buildings, trees etc..  You may want to take photos to help you with your future drawing.  Sketch out what you see.

Part 3:  Charcoal Trees

Materials

• Watercolour paint
• Brush
• Charcoal (or conte or similar material)
• Fixative spray (to be used by an adult in a well ventilated area)

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Don your smock.  Paint your moon.  We used diluted watercolour and then added a few drops of concentrated colour to one side and then tilted our paper to allow it to travel, creating a bit of dimension.  Allow to dry overnight.  We started out with a small version and then expanded to a bigger collaborative piece.

• With your charcoal draw replicate your dusk or moonlight scene.  If you child is right-handed start on the left side to prevent smudging.  Or vice-versa.

• Have an adult spray your work with fixative spray in a well ventilated space.  We suggest outside.  Allow to dry and hang up your work.

• Here is a larger, collaborative version.  (We stuffed the moon with a grocery bag and glue gunned the edges.)

Purpose

• Getting out into nature.
• Exploring different lighting to draw with.
• Experimenting with different materials to create with.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to go outside at dusk/in the night with an adult and to exercise caution.
• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision. (If you are doing the larger version)
• Fixative spray should be used by an adult in a well ventilated area.  Follow the product directions and store out of children’s reach.