recycling crafts

Crafty Ideas April 2009

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Greening Our Planet

Think twice about your recycling materials before you toss them in the bin this month.  April 22nd is earth day, and it’s the perfect time to integrate your cast offs and waste into kid’s craft projects.  It’s also a great time to get outdoors and let the kids help with early season planting in containers or on the ground!  

Recycling Stamp Art:

Turn your recycling into stamps for a unique painting.  Bubble wrap (bubble side down), milk jug or jar lids, cans (no sharp edges) toilet paper rolls, and egg cups are just a few examples.

Supplies: recycling stampers – we like milk jug lids and bubble wrap (cut into manageable pieces), tempura paints, paper, cookie sheet or plate.  Collage materials such as magazine clippings, sparkles, candy wrappers, etc.

Directions:  Spread some paint into cookie sheet or plate. Lay bubble wrap in cookie sheet, bubble side down.  Carefully pick bubble wrap up and place on your paper.  Gently press down and remove.  Repeat with other stamps – use the end of a can or toilet roll to make different sized circles.  Add shiny candy wrappers or magazine clippings with a small dab of glue.  Let dry.   

Did you try this craft?  Send us your comments and photos!

Eggshell Mosaics:

Supplies: Egg shells (rinsed and dried), cardboard or construction paper, food colouring, glue

Directions: If your egg shells are coloured from Easter, separate them into piles according to colour.  If the shells are not vibrant enough, add food colouring and water to a bowl and submerge shells for approximately 5 minutes.  Dry and crush shells.  Draw a design on your paper.  Working in sections, fill the design in with glue and cover with eggshells.  Continue filling picture in with coloured egg shells.  Let dry.

Did you try this craft?  Send us your comments and photos!

In Hops the Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny tradition hopped all the way to North America from Germany.  18th century German settlers to North America brought the Easter Bunny with them.  The Easter Bunny, in turn, brought gifts of chocolate, candy, and Easter eggs – a tradition that continues today.  Make the Easter bunny tradition uniquely yours by surprising the kids with the same unique item each year – our bunny brings a packet of vegetable seeds to each child, for planting in the spring.  

 

Kitchen with Kids – Cheese Omelette

  • Eggs (1 to 2 per person)
    •  Milk
    •  Salt and pepper
    •  Grated cheddar cheese

Crack eggs into a container that can be closed with an airtight lid.  Tip:  Hold your child’s hands and crack the eggs together.  Wash hands thoroughly.  Add 1 tablespoon of milk for each egg.  Shake a couple of sprinkles of salt into the bowl, and grind some pepper – count the turns of the grind as you go.  Seal container and shake it shake it shake it!  Heat an oiled pan on medium low, and carefully pour egg mixture into pan, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.  As eggs begin to solidify, sprinkle grated cheese on top.  Let cheese melt, remove from heat, and serve.

Simple Science- Musical Glasses

Using several glass containers or cups, fill each with a different amount of water.  Let the kids tap the edges of the containers with the end of a wooden spoon or pencil.  Which container makes the lowest sound?  Which is the highest?  Vibrations are made when the glass is hit; this creates sound waves which travel through the water.  The more water, the slower the vibration, the deeper (lower) the tone.

Tip:  for young children, help them control the strength of their ‘tap’ by gently guiding their arm.

Five Minute Fun – Start some Seeds

Fill the cups of an egg carton with dirt or planting medium.  Push 1 large seed or sprinkle several small seeds into soil.  Moisten with a few drops of water.   Cover with a clear plastic bag or casserole.  Place in a bright location, but not in direct sunlight.  Seeds should sprout in 7 to 10 days.  Try beans, basil, or even grass seed

Planning a Party This Month?  – Get Crafty and Go Green!

View our “Green Birthdays” video for tips and suggestions on how to make your child’s birthday party more environmentally responsible!

Win a Three Month Kids Craft Club subscription!

Tell us what you think about the Kids Craft Club and you’ll be entered in a draw for a three month Kids Craft Club subscription (or 3 month extension to your current subscription)!  If you subscribe now or in the past, click here.  If you’ve never tried the club, click here.  Tell us what you think about the Kids Craft Club!

What are You Doing This Weekend?

If you’re in Vancouver this weekend and have young kids, then you’ll want to check out the Baby and Toddler Fair at the Roundhouse Community Centre!  It’s this Saturday from 10am – 4pm.  Be sure to stop by our table at the show!

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Craft Ideas by Craft Caravan – January 2009

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Let it Snow…

The great outdoors may be covered in a blanket of snow, but it’s not likely that the kids will follow suit and curl up under a blanket at home.  They’re busy as ever, so pull out the craft supplies and start creating!
If you’re looking for snowy day activities, or if you’re still in Christmas clean-up mode, here are a couple craft ideas to fit the bill:   

Cotton Ball Snowman:

Supplies: Construction paper, cotton balls, glue, pencil, googly eyes, red yarn, wide ribbon, buttons, black paper

Directions:  Draw snowman shape on construction paper.  Make snowman hat out of black paper, and glue to top of snowman head.  Spread glue into each snowman circle, and cover circles with cotton balls.  Dab glue onto googly eyes and add to snowman.  Make snowman smile from red yarn, and glue on other accessories:  ribbon scarf, buttons on belly.  Let dry.

Wrapping Paper Name Plate:

Supplies: leftover Christmas wrap or other scraps of paper, cardboard, construction paper or other coloured paper, pencil, glue

Directions: cut cardboard into large rectangle – approximately 15 cm tall, and wide enough to fit child’s name in block letters.  Cover cardboard with construction paper or other coloured paper, making nameplate.  Write child’s name in block letters across nameplate.  Rip wrapping paper or other paper into small pieces.  Spread glue around the inside of first block letter.  “Scrunch” ripped papers onto block letter by placing onto the glue and then pushing paper towards itself.   Fill entire letter with scrunched paper.  Repeat with all letters of the child’s name.  Let dry and hang on bedroom door or other display area.

Fun Facts About Arts and Crafts – Snowy Scenes

 

Many pieces from the Canadian ‘Group of Seven’ artists depict snowy Canadian scenes.  The group of Seven held their first art exhibition in 1920.  Before this, many artists believed the Canadian landscape was either not paintable, or not worthy of being painted.

 

Kitchen with Kids – Microwave Rice Pudding

Soft and fluffy like a snow bank, but warm and creamy for a cozy winter treat!  The kids can help with stirring and measuring.  Serve this pudding warm or cold.

  • 1 cup water
    •    ½ cup raw rice
    •    dash salt
    •    3 tbsp butter
    •    2/3 c sugar
    •    3 c milk
    •    2 large eggs
    •    1 tsp vanilla
    •    cinnamon to taste


In microwave safe bowl, mix rice with salt and water, and cook on high until tender.  Stir in butter, milk, and sugar.  Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes, or until mixture boils.  Beat the eggs and whisk a couple of tablespoons of the hot mixture into eggs (to prevent eggs from curdling).  Add a little more of the mixture to eggs while whisking, and then add eggs back into pudding bowl.  Microwave uncovered for 1-2 minutes, or until pudding bubbles on the sides.  Add vanilla and cinnamon, if desired.  Cool before serving.

Simple Science- Melting Snow

There’s plenty of it outside, so use some snow for this simple science experiment.  Collect two bowls of snow.  Make sure that there’s roughly the same amount of snow in each bowl.  Leave one bowl standing, and stir the snow around in the second bowl.  Which bowl of snow melts first? Tip: instead of bowls, collect snow in jars.  Shake one jar while leaving the other standing.  Which jar of snow melts first?

Five Minute Fun – Paper Snowflakes

Scissors and paper are all you need to create beautiful snowflakes for your window!  Simply fold a piece of paper over several times, and then cut random shapes into the paper.  Open paper to reveal a unique wintry snowflake!  Tape your snowflakes to the window panes, or hang them using pieces of dental floss or thread. 

Made with Love for Valentine’s Day

Help your child create one-of-a kind unique Valentine’s Day Cards with our exclusive Valentine Card making kits .  Choose a class pack of 24 mini cards for your child to give to classmates, or standard size cards (packages of 8) to send to close friends and relatives.  A crafty way to make Valentine’s Day just a little more special!  Check our card selection here.

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Kids Craft Ideas for April 2008

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Celebrate the Earth

Join the world this month by celebrating Earth Day, a worldwide environmental event that happens every year on April 22nd.  Celebrate Earth Day by creating clever re-use ideas for common recycling objects.  Of course, craft time is one of the best times to reach into the recycling bin – get started with these re-use crafts

CD Case Picture Frame:

Supplies:  Old CD Case, favourite photo, construction paper, decorating supplies such as Popsicle sticks, buttons, ribbons, glue

Directions:  Remove all paper inserts from CD case.  Cut the photo to fit into the inside the CD case (where the insert was).  If the photo is smaller than the insert space, glue photo to construction paper, fitting into insert.  Now decorate your photo frame – add a border of glue around the front edge of the CD case, and then place Popsicle sticks, buttons, or other decorating materials, creating a frame.  Let dry.  To display simply open the CD case and stand it on a shelf.

Cereal Box Art Storage BIn:

To help your little one organize their ongoing stream of finished craft projects!! 

 Supplies: cereal box (jumbo size), tape, scissors, decorating supplies such as favourite photos, magazine clippings, ribbons, buttons, stickers, coloured paper, or old fabric pieces, glue, sponge

Directions:  Secure box flaps by closing and taping shut.  Lay box on its largest surface.   With an adult, make a ‘door’ on the front face of the box; cut across the box approximately 1 cm from top, and again 1 cm from bottom, then cut vertically along box fold line to join horizontal cuts.  Carefully open the door to create door hinge at opposite vertical fold.  Decorate – apply glue with a sponge, adding various decorations all over the box.  Loop a piece of ribbon and glue to the door edge, creating a handle. Let dry, and then use to store artwork.   

Tip: Add finished art or craft pieces to the box until it is full, and then go through the box with your child to choose their favourites

Pounded Into Paper

The word ‘paper’ is derived from the word ‘papyrus’. Ancient Egyptians used to pound papyrus stems into thin sheets, creating a paper like substance.  The paper that we know today got it’s beginnings in 105AD in China, when imperial court official Ts’ai Lun broke mulberry bark into fibers and pounded it together with hemp and other materials

Make Paper at Home:

Make paper with the kids using old paper scraps – dig into the recycling bin for supplies and type ‘how to make paper’ into your web browser search engine for a plethora of directions!

Word Play – Reduce, ReUse, Recycle

Help the kids become earth friendly at an early age.  Kids love to sort, and every household cleaning session presents great opportunities.  Set up bins for compost, recycling, re-use (e.g. for crafts), give-away, and garbage.  Get the kids involved in deciding which waste goes into which bin.  Great for building early math skills, and great for the environment!

 

Five Minute Fun  – Milk Jug Coin Bank 

Turn a 4L milk jug into a coin bank by cutting a coin slot across from the handle, and decorating jug with stickers, markers, or glue-on decorations (pompoms, fabric scraps, felt pieces, ribbons, etc).  Give your kids a few coins to get them started on saving!

How We’re Thinking Green

Being friendly to the environment is a top priority at Craft Caravan – we want to do our part to ensure that our kids inherit a beautiful planet.  here are a few of the ways we’re thinking green:

  • We send craft projects in reusable, resealable mailers (they make great gift bags for books, collect a few to store files, bills, or craft supplies, or add a little green shine to any craft project!)
  • We include as much recycled content as possible in our projects (e.g. – our card kits are made with recycled-content cardstock)
  • We print double sided whenever possible, on 100% recycled paper
  • We purchase from environmentally conscientious suppliers
  • We re-use scraps from craft projects for other craft projects

Kids Craft Club – One Month at a Time

Interested in the Kids Craft Club?  Now you can use our new monthly payment plan.  Purchase your first craft for $10.99, then pay just $9.99 per month after that.  The kids can keep receiving crafts every month without the hassle of subscription renewals!

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Kids Crafts for October 2007

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Settling into the New Routine…

Unpredictable fall weather and new kindergarten or preschool routines mean more time spent indoors.  Weekly (or daily!) craft sessions are great indoor entertainment and can easily be included in the new routine.  Try a morning or evening craft session with the whole family, or have a rotating craft session each week with friends.  For Vancouverites still waiting for the strike to end, dig into the recycling bin for supplies – we’ve provided some suggestions for egg cartons and bottles below, or use toilet paper rolls for everything from animal puppets to binoculars!

Egg Carton Caterpillar:

Supplies: egg carton, markers or paint, other decorating supplies (paper or felt scraps, stickers, etc), googly eyes, chenille stems (pipe cleaners), glue

Directions:  An adult can cut a row of egg cups from the carton.  This will be the caterpillar (open side down).  Decorate caterpillar with paint or markers.  Add other decorations with glue.  Make the head at one end by gluing on eyes and adding pipe cleaners for antenna.  An adult can poke holes into the head where the antenna will be positioned.

Egg Carton Flower Bouquet:

Supplies: egg carton, markers or paint, other decorating supplies (paper or felt scraps, tissue paper, stickers, etc), green chenille stems (pipe cleaners), glue

Directions: Cut several individual egg cups from the carton.  Cut top edges of each cup jagged or curved to resemble petals.  Paint and decorate each flower.  Let dry.  Poke a hole in the bottom of each flower and insert green pipe cleaner to make stem.  Place flower bouquet in vase.

Mosaic Bottle Vase:

Supplies: Glass or plastic bottle, tissue paper strips or squares, paint brush, glue, yogurt container or other small plastic container

Directions:  pour glue into yogurt container and dilute with water (3 parts glue to 1 part water).  Dip paint brush into glue and paint part of the bottle.  Cover painted area with tissue.  Continue adding glue and tissue until bottle is completely covered.  Paint a layer of glue over entire bottle – let dry.

Fun Facts About Arts and Crafts

Leonardo da Vinci spent 12 years painting the Mona Lisa’s lips.  Sometimes even the masters need to take their time!

It seems like Picasso was destined to become a famous artist; he could draw before he could walk, and his first word was the Spanish word for pencil.

 

Jokes Jokes Jokes!!

Did you know that humour is learned, not inherited?  That’s good news for those of us who always forget the punch line!  Preschoolers are amused by anything that seems out-of-the ordinary – like a fish wearing socks, or a camel playing the piano.  Try mixing things up with your kids, and see how they react.  Here’s a couple to get you started:

Guess what I saw walking down the street?
A cow wearing snow shoes!!
Guess what I saw in the backyard?
A turkey wearing a raincoat!

What do you call elephants in the bathtub?
Swimming Trunks!

What do you call a daddy on a bicycle?
A Pop-Cycle!

Five Minute Fun

Need a fast and easy way to entertain your kids? Put some paper on the floor and make some foot tracings!!  Kids eagerly stand on the paper to have their feet tickled by the crayon or pencil, before hopping off to see the end result.  For older kids, let them try tracing their own feet, or a sibling’s, or encourage them to turn their feet into a little ‘foot creature’ – like a butterfly or a moose!

Have more than five minutes?  Turn the foot tracings into a game – cut them out (challenges cutting skills!) and take turns laying the feet out in paths that lead to special treasures!

We’d love to hear about your crafts, jokes, or Five Minute Fun.  Let Us Know!

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