Findings In the Fall!

September is a great time of year to go outside and collect a few crafty items for fall and winter projects.  Take the kids on a walk to collect leaves, pinecones, and any other interesting objects of nature that can be dried or stored for future use.  Get a jump on the fall craft projects with these ideas:  

Fall Leaf Butterfly Picture:

Supplies:  Fall leaves – 2 small long & thin leaves, 1 big long & thin leaf, 4 big round or oval leaves, 1 small round leaf, construction paper, glue, googly eyes, glitter glue, or tiny leaves for decorating.

 Directions:  Dry the leaves by layering between newsprint and placing a heavy object on top.  Let dry for about a week, or until they’re dry but not brittle.  To assemble butterfly:  use 1 long thin leaf as the body, 1 small round leaf for face, 2 long thin leaves as antennae, 4 big round/oval leaves as top and bottom portions of wings.  Add googly eyes or dots of glitter glue to face, and decorate wings with glitter glue or smaller leaves.   

Tip:  Don’t stop at butterflies.  Depending on the leaves in your area, you may be able to find shapes to create elephants (large round ear shaped leaves), bunnies (thin long leaves), or any other creature that sparks your child’s interest.  Layering maple leaves in a fan shape, behind a long thin leaf, would make an excellent peacock!

Sparkly Pinecones:

Supplies: Pinecones, 2 paper plates, white glue, sparkles, string

Directions:  Thin white glue by mixing with equal part water.  Place glue in first paper plate, and sparkles in second paper plate.  Roll clean, dry pinecones in glue plate, then roll in sparkle plate.  Set aside to dry.  Tie string around the top to create pinecone ornament for fall decorations, or place in bowl for a sparkly display!

Note: if you prefer, use a re-sealable bag for sparkles.  Roll pinecone in glue, then place in sparkle bag.  Seal bag and shake, shake, shake! 

 

Inspired by Nature – Claude Monet

In a time when the most sought-after paintings were based on realism and academic style, Claude Monet chose to depict scenes from nature, in an impressionist manner.  He was inspired by his environment – poppies, haystacks, and of course, water lilies.

 

Kids in the Kitchen – Swedish Chocolate Cookies

This is a no-bake recipe that is perfect for little helping hands!

 

3 ¼ cups oats
1 ¼ cups sugar
6 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter or margarine
Flaked coconut

Mix dry ingredients (except coconut) together.  Add butter and vanilla and mix until even consistency.  (you could even use your hands for this!)  With your hands, roll dough into 3 cm balls.  Roll balls in flaked coconut.  Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Five Minute Fun – Magnet Fishing Rod

Turn a stick into a fishing rod by adding a length of string at one end.  To give your fishing rod some weight and to turn it into a game, place a magnet at the end of the string: Using two pieces of self-adhesive magnet, sandwich the free end of the string between adhesive sides of magnets, sticking them together and adhering to string.  Find some household items that are magnetic, and some that aren’t, and put them into a ‘pond’ for your child to go fishing!