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CLAY ORNAMENTS |
4 c.
all-purpose flour
1 c. saltk
1 1/2 c. cold water
Christmas cookie cutters
Shellac
Ribbons for hangers
Mix flour and salt together. Slowly add water while
stirring with a fork until soft dough forms. Turn
out on lightly floured surface and knead until
smooth, adding a small amount of water or flour, if
needed. Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch
thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place ornaments
1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Punch
"hanging holes" with a drinking straw. Bake in a
preheated 300 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.
Baking time will vary with size of ornaments. When
completely cool, you may paint ornaments with Tempra
paints or leave natural. Coat with shellac. Note:
Dough will keep indefinitely if stored in an
airtight container in the refrigerator. |
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FUNNY PUTTY |
1/4 c.
Elmer's glue
2 tsp. Sta-Flo liquid starch
Combine glue and starch; mix well and allow to dry
slightly until workable. Store in airtight
containers. |
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SOAP PAINT |
1 c.
powdered detergent
4 tbsp. liquid starch
1 tbsp. powdered Tempra
Beat detergent and starch with mixer until peaks
form. Add Tempra and mix well. Apply with hands,
brushes or sticks. |
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BUBBLE RECIPE |
2 c. Dawn
dishwashing detergent
6 c. water
Almost 1 c. Karo light corn syrup
Combine, shake, let settle 4 hours. Store covered in
refrigerator to extend suds shelf life. Allow to
warm before using. Costs about $1.50 per gallon.
Bubble Tips: 1. If foam develops scrape off with a
stiff card. 2. Keep suds clean from dirt and grass.
3. Bubbles are best on humid days. 4. Protect suds
from direct sun. |
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BUBBLES |
1 c. Joy or
Dawn dishwashing liquid
3-4 tbsp. glycerin (from Pharmacy)
10 c. clean cold water, up to 50%
more on dry days
Measure 10 cups water into a clean 2-5 gallon
bucket. Add dishwashing liquid and glycerin and stir
gently to avoid froth. A lot of bubbles for a lot of
kids, you may wish to use 1/4 of recipe.
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SILLY PUTTY |
2 parts Elmer's
glue
1 part liquid starch
Put glue into mixing bowl. Add starch while mixing
until it forms a ball. |
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PLAY DOUGH (No -
Cooking) |
| 1 c. flour 1/2
c. salt 2 tbsp. oil 1 tsp. alum Add small amount of
water until consistency of bread dough, no more
water than 1/2 cup. |
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PEANUT BUTTER PLAY
DOUGH - Edible |
18 oz. peanut
butter
6 tbsp. honey
Nonfat dry milk
Mix ingredients with enough nonfat dry milk to form
into a workable dough. Can be decorated with raisins
and then eaten! |
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BEST PLAY
DOUGH EVER! |
2
c. flour
1 c. salt
4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. water
Food coloring (optional)
Extract (optional)
Mix all ingredients in bowl. Dump into
electric skillet. Cook over low heat until
it just begins to look dry (not completely).
Take out of skillet. When cool enough to
touch, knead until smooth and pliable.
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SALT & FLOUR
CLAY - BREAD DOUGH |
2
c. flour
1 c. salt
1 c. water
Mix flour and salt together. Slowly add
water and stir until it forms a soft dough,
all of the water may not be needed. If too
gooey, more flour may be added. Roll out on
a flat surface to make bread dough cookie
ornaments. May be painted with food coloring
while still moist. Can be air dried (about 2
days) or baked 1-2 hours at 200-250 degrees.
Baked ornaments are less fragile than those
which have been air-dried. |
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COFFEE GROUND
DOUGH |
2 c.
used coffee grounds
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. salt
Add enough water to moisten. Has a very
different feel and look. Not good for
finished products. |
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SCENTED
CINNAMON CUTOUTS |
Place
these anywhere, they are like potpourri. 10
tbsp. hot applesauce
5 oz. cinnamon
I've used other spices too (ginger,
allspice, etc.), or combined them. Mix
together, if dry add more sauce. If wet, add
more spice. Makes a great non-sticky dough.
Very workable. Sprinkle work area with spice
and rolling pin. Roll dough 1/4" thick. Cut
into desired shapes. Holiday shapes, houses,
ginger people, apples, bears, hearts, etc.
For Ornaments: Cut out with a straw a little
hole on top. Place cut outs on a screen. Let
dry 6 to 7 days. Almost feels like
driftwood. Paint if you wish. Be creative.
Example: Ginger people. I use white
dimentional paint, looks like icing. Glue
ribbon to them, hang them up in a favorite
spot. Glue magnets on back. Personalize
ornaments. Use mini cutters, make gift tags. |
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SAND
SCULPTURE CLAY |
2 c.
sand
1 c. water
1 c. cornstarch
Mix in pot over low heat until thickened.
Let cool and mold into shapes. Decorate with
shells. Dry. Can be painted. |
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FACE PAINT |
1 tsp.
cornstarch
1/2 tsp. water
1/2 tsp. cold cream
2 drops food coloring of your choice
Mix all ingredients in small plastic mixing
bowl. Make sure it is mixed well. |
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FEED THE
BIRDS - SUET SEED CAKES |
2 lbs. beef suet
1/2 lb. sunflower seeds
1 c. millet
1 c. cracked corn
1 c. crushed peanuts (ground)
Grind suet. Place in large pot and cook
slowly over low heat until smoothly melted.
Let cool to a semi liquid state. Stir in
nuts. Spread into shallow rectangle foil
molds. If using paper cups tie string to
pencil and place other end in mixture to
harden. This will then enable it to be hung
from a tree, or place molded mixture into a
netting, like a suet bag when cakes are
solid only. Needs no refrigeration. Keeps
well in a dark, cool place, such as a corner
of the cellar. |
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FINGER PAINT |
1 tbsp. unflavored
gelatin (1 env.)
Cold water
1/2 c. cornstarch
4 tbsp. dishwashing liquid
Food coloring
Stir gelatin into 1/3 cup cold
water. Set aside. In a saucepan stir
cornstarch into 2 1/2 cups cold
water until dissolve. Bring to a
simmer and stir until fully
thickened. Remove from heat and
blend in gelatin mixture. Add
dishwashing liquid. Cool and add
food coloring as desired. Store in
Tupperware at room temperature.
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STICKERS |
8 tbsp. vinegar
4 packets of unflavored gelatin
Reduce heat to low and stir until
gelatin is dissolved. 1 tbsp.
peppermint extract
Makes 1/2 cup of glue. Brush on the
back of stickers-to-be (can be used
on heavy wrapping paper, magazine
pages, greeting cards, and so on).
Let dry. Trim, lick and stick. Store
in airtight jar. If it solidifies,
warm in pan of hot water.
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CARD
HOLDER |
Lg. poster
board (green)
Sm. poster board (yellow)
Lg. colored clothespins or paper
clips
Glue
Ribbon
Scissors
Heavy tape
Hole punch
Cut green triangle and star out of
poster board. Glue on star and paper
clips. Let dry. Punch hole through
poster board where star and tree
meet. Loop ribbon through hole and
tie a knot. Hang on a hook or attach
to refrigerator with heavy tape.
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WRAPPING PAPER |
Brown bag
Paper
Scissors
Sponges
Non-toxic paint
Shallow container
Cut sponges into a variety of
shapes. Pour paint into shallow
container. Dip sponges in paint and
decorate paper bag or paper.
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SANTA
BROWN BAG |
1 brown bag
White yarn
Scissors
Cotton ball
Red felt
Black marker or crayon
Glue
Ruler
1. Cut the red felt out in a
triangle for the hat. Large circle
for the nose and a small circle for
the mouth. 2. Glue shapes to bag. 3.
Draw eyes on bag with marker or
crayon. 4. Use ruler to measure 3
inch lengths of yarn for the beard,
cut. Then glue to bag Glue cotton
ball to top of the hat. 5. Beard on
bottom of bag. Fill bag with
goodies. |
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JINGLE BELL |
1 paper cup
Glue
Ribbon
Bells
Little candy (pieces)
Poke hole in middle of the bottom of
the paper cup. Spread glue with
fingers on outside of cup. Hold cup
and roll in candy, let dry. Loop
ribbon through hole and tie a knot
inside. Attach bells to end of
ribbon. |
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FARMHAND PUPPETS |
Felt
Old glove
Glue
Cut 5 felt circles. Place an old
glove palm side up. Glue felt circle
to each finger tip. Cut felt pieces
to make animals faces. Glue them to
felt circles. Let glue dry. Then put
your hand inside glove and make your
own puppet play. |
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HUMMER KAZOO |
Sm. comb
Wax paper
Fold a piece of wax paper over a
comb. Press the wax paper and comb
against your lips and hum a song.
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TIN-CAN STILTS |
2 lg. coffee
cans
Plastic clothesline or rope
Have grown up punch two
holes near the unopened end
of each can. Thread plastic
clothesline through the
holes and tie the ends
together. Pull on strings as
you walk on your tin can
stilts. |
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FUN FANS |
Cardboard
Crayons or magic markers
Scissors
Transparent tape
Typing or notebook paper
Place your barefoot or hand
on piece of cardboard and
trace. Cut out shape and
color both sides. Roll a
sheet of paper into a tight
tube to make a handle. Tape
tube closed, tape one end to
the fan. Your ready to keep
cool. |
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BUG BOOKMARK |
Cardboard
Crayon
Glue
Paper (2 colors)
Ruler
Scissors
On the cardboard, draw a
rectangle, as wide as your
ruler and half as long. Draw
around rim of a glass to
make a circle at the top of
the rectangle. Circle will
be the bug. Draw smaller
circle on colored paper. Cut
out circle. Glue on top of
large circle. Cut half
circle for head. Decorate
the bug. Cut out bookmark.
Place in favorite book.
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TOOTHPICK AND PEA
CONSTRUCTIONS |
Peas
Toothpicks
Soak dried peas in water or
use canned peas. Then stick
toothpicks into peas. Set
the construction aside until
peas dry. As peas dry, they
will shrink and make your
constructions sturdy.
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CHRISTMAS SPONGE ART |
White paper
Scissors
Dry sponge
Ballpoint pen
Water colors (red & green)
Draw a yuletide motif on
white paper. Then, with your
parents help, cut out and
place on a dry sponge (one
with tiny holes in the
sponge are the best). Then
trace the pattern with your
ballpoint pen and cut out
the shape (again, with your
parents help). Then, dip in
paint, squeeze excess paint
out and blot onto either
plain white or solid colored
wrapping paper. You can
stamp each sponge several
times before re-dipping in
the paint. This even dresses
up plain newspaper wrapping!
Great for any time of the
year! |
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SOAP CRAYONS |
One ice cube
tray
Liquid food color
2 tbsp. hot water for each
crayon
1 c. soap flakes
Small bowl
Spoon
For each color, put two
tablespoons of hot water and
one cup of soap flakes into
a bowl. Add as many drops of
food color to the mixture as
you wish. Stir the soap
mixture until it thickens.
This takes time, so be
patient! Press spoonfuls of
the first color of soap into
the sections of the ice
tray. Mix enough soap in
other colors to fill the ice
tray, following the above
directions again. Let the
soap crayons dry for one or
two days. Gently bang the
ice tray to loosen the
crayons. Pack them in a box
for gift-giving. Great for
birthday presents or
holidays. |
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JOURNALS |
1 spiral
notebook
Pencil
Crayons
Lots of Imagination!
Have children write everyday
in the journals. Tell about
days activities. They can
draw pictures or paste in
pictures and brochures of
places they visit. Improves
writing skills and
expressive language. Great
summer activity.
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SNOW PAINTING |
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Save squirt
bottles and make colored
water using food coloring
and water. Bundle up and go
outside and create colored
snow. |
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GIANT CHALK
STICK |
2 tbsp.
powdered Tempra paint
1/2 c. water
1 sm. waxed paper cup
3 tbsp. plaster of Paris
Mix paint and water together in the cup.
Slowly add plaster of Paris, stirring until
creamy. Let set until hard (about 1 hour);
peel off cup. Can be used indoors or out.
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