4 Our Kids

Spring is here!

Its finally springtime! With the arrival of warmer weather and after a winter of being stuck inside, the kids are probably clamouring to go out and play. But with the springtime sun and flowers and warmth, comes rain and mud and a list of other things you may not want your children to get caught in.. What is there to do when the outside world is nasty and the kids are inside and bored?

How about some easy and fun crafts?

Bakeable Clay

Its fun, its easy, its inexpensive and as opposed to playing with plastecine or play-doh, when the kids have finished making their creations they can keep them! Great fun for kids and adults alike.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 tsp powered alum
1 1/2 cups water
Food Coloring

Extras:

Acrylic Paint
Paintbrushes
Google Eyes
Ribbons/Pipe Cleaners

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Extra water can be added with hands, if too dry. Color by dividing and adding food coloring to each portion. Roll or mold as desired. Once molded or rolled, bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 30 minutes in 250 degree oven. Turn and bake another 1 1/2 hour. Remove and cool. When done, sand lightly and paint.

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Do-It-Yourself Finger Paints

These finger paints are just right for aspiring artists! Use soap and water for clean-up. Be aware that the food coloring could stain fabrics and furniture.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
4 cups water
food colorings
saucepan
whisk
heat-resistant bowls
paper or other surface

1. In saucepan, whisk one cup flour with one cup of water. Mix until smooth.
2. Whisk the remaining water into the mixture.
3. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until mixture bubbles and thickens.
4. Reduce heat and continue cooking/stirring for another minute or two.
5. Remove the 'gravy' from heat and distribute into heat-resistant bowls for individual coloring.
6. Add color to each bowl, as desired, and allow to cool before use.
7. Have fun painting!

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Giant Bubbles

Nothing is more fun on a clear day than blowing bubbles! Here is a quick and easy recipe that will help you and your kids create large, strong bubbles for hours of fun.

Ingredients:

3 cups Water
2 cups Dish Soap
1/2 cup light corn syrup
glycerin if desired (available at drug stores)

Gently mix, trying to avoid muaking bubbles on the surface. The less bubbles on the surface, the stronger the bubbles will be.

Different sized circular objects (even 6-pack plastic rings) make for great bubble fun.

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Goopy Slime

Its one of the easiest recipes out there for quick amusement! With Goopy Slime if you go to take a bit out of its container, it seems solid, but let it sit in your hand for a few seconds and it will goop all over! *warning* Its fun, but watch out: Its messy!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
Food Coloring

Boil 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch while stirring. After that is mixed well, add food coloring and stir. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Make sure they play with it on a plastic covered surface.

For an even easier recipe, all you need is cornstarch and a little water. Put a cup or so of cornstarch in a disposable container and add just enough water to make the cornstarch gooey. No cooking required for this version of the Goopy Slime!

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Scratch-n-Sniff Watercolours

Kids of all ages love to scratch n' sniff! Something about not knowing exactly what smell you'll find next is something that seems to appeal of everyone. Here's a great way for the kids to make their own scratch-n-sniff stickers, pictures and posters!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. unsweetened powdered drink mix
1 Tbsp. warm water
small bowl
sticker paper, cardstock, construction paper

Mix water and powdered drink mix in small bowl. Repeat this step several times using different flavors of drink mix to create different colors of paint.

Paint and let dry overnight before scratching and sniffing.

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Mister Lawnhead

Here's an activity that's fun to start and is even more fun as time passes! Make your own Lawnheaded-creature and see its green 'hair' start to grow! And when Mister Lawnhead's 'hair' grows too long? Your kids can have fun giving him a haircut! No catchy jingles required.

What's Needed:

Grass seed
Old pantyhose
Potting soil
Yogurt containers

Extras:

Google Eyes
Acrylic Paints
Bows
Glue Gun
Pipe Cleaners

Put about 2/3 tablespoons of grass seeds into the feet of old pantyhose. Put about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of potting soil on top of that. Then tie a knot in the end to keep it from falling out.

Paint Mr. or Mrs. Grasshead's face. Fill the yogurt cup about 3/4 full with water. Then put the Head onto a yogurt cup.

Make sure to leave a long enough "tail" on the pantyhose so that it reaches the water. Also make sure to keep water in the cup so that the grass will grow.

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Window Clingies

Tired of hanging art only on the fridge? Would your kids like to broaden their art horizons? Why not let them doodle on windows! With these little window clingies, they can show the world what they can do with only a little glue and some colouring.

What's Needed:

Regular white paper glue bottles (one for each colour you want)
Food Colouring
clear film (transparency sheets work well, Saran-wrap less so as it tends to stick)
Patterns (colouring books, printouts, cards, art)

Mix a few drops of food coloring to the white glue bottle and mix well.
Put the chosen design under the clear film and trace over it with a continuous bead of glue and fill in. If you'd like, have the kids draw out their designs beforehand if they know what they'd like to do.
Let dry for at least 12 hours. Peel the clngies off the film and place on any glass surface.
Store between sheets of plastic wrap in a cool place.

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