All crafts and ideas listed here were at one time posted on our "Craft Board" and have since been removed and retired to our archives. If you have a craft or idea that you would like to share, or a question on a craft, please post it on our Craft Board
Posted by Joan on April 05, 1999 at 13:03:54:Have the kids bring a recyclable paper carton, like a milk carton,or a juice carton (frozen juice containers would work)
At the park have them pick up bits of nature, like sticks, pine cones, leaves, etc.
have each kid place a small candle (like the emergency plain white candles you can get in the store, or hannukah candles) into the can, fill in around it on all sides with their nature bits
Then an adult fills the can to near the top of the candle with melted paraffin wax (in the canning section of the grocery store)
let sit fora while to cool and harden, maybe place in a cooler with sime ice for the drive home
When all cool peel the carton from around the candle, the bits of nature will be peeking through the wax here and there making a 'nature candle'Just remind the kids to burn them under close supervision as the leaves and sticks etc can be flamable and may flame up when the candle is burning.
This is also a great idea for all those beach shells your kids collect or little rocks they gather in parks, and they wont catch fire later :)
Posted by Joan on April 05, 1999 at 13:16:02:
Have the kids collect pinecones, then slather them with peanut butter and roll in pie pans filled with bird seed. If you have several pans, with different types of seeds they can be creative and decorate the pinecones with the different colors of seed mixtures. Also, adding peanuts of corn kernels will entertain the squirrels. when your done you can hang them or balance them in trees and bushes and leave a treat for the animals that won't need cleaning up later.
BE CAREFUL for kids with allergies to nuts.
Posted by foofee on April 05, 1999 at 21:30:39:
Gather nature items and place them on a layer of sand in a shoebox. Mix up plaster of paris and gently pour over the sand. After it hardens, turn it out carefully and brush the sand away. The nature items are held by the dried plaster and it makes a great doorstop or paperweight. If you want something small, use smaller boxes.
Posted by Fantasia on April 12, 1999 at 19:01:57:
Here's a real easy and realatively inexpensive outdoor craft:
you will need 1 white pillowcase for each child
a hammer or other pounding tool (this can be shared between a few kids)
a smooth surface (a picnic table or even a small piece of plywood works fine)
a lot of waxed paperhave the kids gather leaves and flowers and other living plant things (even stems work for this one)
have them lay out the flowers and other items they have collected on top of their pillowcase.
cover the display with waxed paper
the child then pounds the flowers into the pillowcase. this will leave a colorful impression on the fabric.wash in cold water with mild soap as needed ...... air dry and cool iron.
this works for table runners and also dresser scarves.
Posted by carolmana on April 21, 1999 at 09:11:12:
Chalk
Sidewalk Chalk I
3/4 cup Warm Water
Toilet Tissue Tubes
1-1/2 cups Plaster of Paris
2-3 tbsp Powdered Tempra Paints
Container for MixingCover one end of tissue tube with duct tape. Place a loosely rolled piece of wax paper into the tube to create a liner to keep
the plaster from sticking to the tube.Pour water into mixing container then sprinkle plaster; a little at a time, into the water until plaster no longer dissolves
(approx.1-1/2 cups). Stir thoroughly. Mix in 2-3 tbsp. tempra paint.Place tubes sealed end down on a flat surface. Pour plaster mix in. Tap side of tube to release air bubbles. Let dry 1-2 days,
pull off mold and have fun drawing!
 
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