How to make stone magnet pictures

Arts and Craft Project: Refrigerator magnets.
What you need: Old magnets, clear stones used in vases (about an inch big and comes in netted bags), tiny face photos of family pet or person, or draw a tiny picture of heart, star, etc., and clear glue.
What to do: Cut photo or tiny picture to size of bottom of see through stone. Glue picture, upwards, to flat bottom of stone so you can see it when you look down at stone. Once glue has dried, glue magnet under the picture. Once magnet dries, cut to size of stone.

How to Make a Light Spectacular Candle

What you need: Washed out lunch milk carton. Old wax crayons. Pot. Pan. Pencil. String. Wick, which isn’t lead based. Big pieces of crushed ice. If desired a candle scent.
What to do: 1) Poke hole in bottom of milk carton. 2) Open top of milk carton all the way. Tie wick to pencil, balance pencil on sides of top (pencil lying flat across it). Wick should go down middle of carton and through hole in bottom. 3) Tape wick to bottom of carton so it is stretched tight. 4) Peel paper off crayons. 5) Melt wax crayons in pot. You can put a liquid scent in it, or at some arts and craft stores they have wax flakes that smell that you can melt. 6) Put milk carton in pan. Pour big crushed ice in milk carton. 7) Over this pour wax. Let harden. Ice will melt to bottom of hole. 8) Peel off carton from wax candle. When wick is dry, light it. Light will go through parts where ice was, making this one cool candle.

Make a Stove Top Hat: Arts and Craft Project

Black top hat. What you need. Three pieces of black construction paper. Scissors. Glue stick or tacky glue. Pencil.
What to do: For main, stove pipe, part of hat- Roll one paper together with longest sides touching. Put on your child's head to see how wide hat should be. You want it to pop up six inches above their head to be a stove top hat. After determining how wide hat should be, using a glue stick/tacky glue, glue one or two inches of one side into the other. This is the main part of hat. For the cover: One hole side up, put the main part of hat onto another sheet of black paper. Draw a circle around it, then another circle adding an extra inch or two. Cut around the additional inches circle. Fold down sides of first pencil mark. The additional inches on paper was done so you can glue this part INTO hat. You can also staple it in. For a brim: First draw a circle around hat on last piece of black paper. Then using pencil circle again adding an inch or two inside first circle. Cut on second circle mark. Fold on first mark and glue inside hat. Now make the actual brim by drawing a circle around extra paper left, that now sticks out of hat. Cut to brim size you want. Read this a few times and try on sample paper.

Simple Rainy Day Artwork

Copy Art. What you need: Plain and colored paper. Glue. Scissors. Colored pencils/crayons.
Sit down with your child in a room they want to copy.
Step 1: On a piece of paper have two columns: A- People, objects, and pets your child would like to draw. B- People, objects, and pets they would like to cut out. Step 2: On white construction paper have your child draw the objects/furniture/people from column A where they appear in room.
Step 3: On colored paper have child draw, then cut out objects, etc… from column B. Glue these cut-outs on the white construction paper where they are in room.

Arts and Craft Project: Magnet Pictures

Do you ever get free magnets from companies? Don't throw them away! Cut out pictures of your kids from photos, or pretty scenes from postcards, and glue the back of them onto the magnets. Your child can easily do this with photos of your family pets or funny pictures from magazines. You can even cut the magnet into shapes like a heart or a bone, depending on how thick the magnet is.

Paper Towel Shaker

Save paper towel rolls to make a simple musical instrument.
What to do: Your child can color the paper towel roll. Afterwards, cover one end with thick paper (butcher paper) or two sheets of paper. Tape closed. Put dried beans inside. Cover other end with paper. Tape shut. Shake for music.

A Thanksgiving Arts and Craft Project: Candle Centerpiece

What you need: Styrofoam the size of a rectangular brick. Orange or green paint. Paint brush. Three tapered candles. Foliage from yard like autumn leaves, a twig with berries …

What to do: Paint Styrofoam. Let dry. Stick candles in row in the middle of it. Place foliage around base.
If you light candles make sure when they melt they don’t get too close to Styrofoam or foliage. To be safe this project should be for decoration only.

Arts and Craft: Home made piñata

Home made piñata which is easy for little kids to break open. This Halloween if your kids aren't going trick-or-treating give them candy from a piñata. This piñata is also great for birthday parties, other holiday parties, a school party, or a family gathering.

What you will need: Bags of wrapped candy. Brown paper grocery bag with handles. Brown lunch bag. Newspaper. Black felt. Black yarn. Cardboard. Construction paper. Scissors. Child friendly paint. Glue. Stapler. Brown packing tape. Ribbon.
To make a witch. Lunch bag will be the head. Since the grocery bag will be the body make sure the face is symmetrical with the body. Paint witch face on upside down lunch bag. Your child can cut out a long nose from cardboard and staple it on bag. Now stuff newspaper in the lunch bag. You should put enough newspaper to fill out the lunch bag to make the head as stiff as possible. Tie ribbon, tight, around bottom of lunch bag so newspaper will not come out. Glue black yarn on for hair. Make a witch hat and staple it on head.

Using the felt cut out two arms and hands, and two legs and shoes. Staple arms to sides and legs to bottom of upright grocery bag. Your child can make a broom out of cardboard. Staple it underneath legs so witch is flying. When you are ready to use piñata put candy in grocery bag. Tape top of grocery bag shut so candy can't fall out. Staple on head to the bag body.

The rope to pull the piñata up and down should be put through the back bag handle. Use a tall tree branch, patio rafter, or basketball hoop to help ease the piñata up and down. Since you will blindfold the child and turn them around before they hit they piñata with the end of a broom don't worry if the piñata isn't strong enough. I've seen piñatas so well made an adult has to step in and break them. It's more fun if a child has a chance to break it. Using the same simple idea above, you can make other types of piñatas- a cat, monster, fairy (make wings for the back)…

Arts and Craft Project: Decorate a purse

Arts and Craft Project. Girls will like this one. Go to the Good Will, Salvation Army or a garage sale and buy a purse with a hard surface. Other items needed: Glue that dries clear. Tiny colored beads. One or two pretty postcards (famous picture at a museum/flowers/Paris...). Small can of Polyurethane. Paint brush.

What to do: Glue each postcard to middle section of purse. You the parent in ventilated area brush Polyurethane over postcard(s). Let dry. Now put a line of glue all around edges of postcard. Sprinkle beads in glue. Let dry. You can decorate purse more by using bigger beads or interesting buttons. Or if you’re making a French themed purse cut out French words or phrases, or pictures of French food. Glue them on purse. Polyurethane over. If you use extra pictures or cut out phrases I actually suggest you glue them on with the postcards in the beginning. Then Polyurethane all over side of purse. Then glue on beads. I made such a purse myself and had somebody offered to buy it from me.

Arts and Craft Project with Photos

Present idea for Grandma and Grandpa: Find twelve pictures of your child from different stages in their life with and without Grandma/Grandpa. Make a calendar from these photos. Some computer programs make such calendars. Otherwise take the pictures to a specialty store where they can be made into a calendar. Another idea- You can take one or two of the photos and take it to a place where they can copy the picture(s) on a mug. I've seen small stands at the mall that do this. Next time you're at the mall ask the information station about such stands.

Your child can also make a pretend picture clock with 12 photos. Have your child cut out their face in 12 pictures (starting from baby to age now). Glue them in a circle around a paper plate or a round piece of cardboard. Then in the middle of the plate draw a fake hour and minute hand, each pointing to a photo.

Arts and Craft Project

Decorate a wooden bookcase or toy box.
Items needed: Wrapping paper with designs (footballs/teacups/cats/dogs/gnomes…) Scissors. Glue stick. Small can of Polyurethane. Paint brush.

Have your child cut out designs from wrapping paper. Next have them glue designs where they want them on the shelf or toy box. Let dry. In ventilated area (meaning do project outside or open all windows in room) you the parent brush Polyurethane over designs or over whole top of shelf/toy box. Let dry in ventilated.

Summer Gift: Arts and Craft Project

Is your family going to a dinner party/BBQ soon? Would you like to give the host a different and lasting gift? Then make a batch of cookies and put them on a pretty plate that you will decorate in a most unusual way.

Items needed: Clear, flat glass plate. Colored tissue paper, or wrapping paper with designs or pretty patterns on it. Small can of Polyurethane. Paint brush. Clear glue with a brush. Scissors. Pencil. Alternative: Special plate paint (ask for at craft store). Buy two colors.

Place plate on wrapping paper. Trace around it and cut out. Wipe glue on the back of plate. Place wrapping paper cutout on top of glue so picture can be seen from above (where you place cookies). Or have your child cut out different size pieces of colored tissue. Put colored tissue on top of glue. After doing either, you the parent, in ventilated area, brush Polyurethane over wrapping paper or tissue paper. Let dry. The plate must be hand washed. Meaning it isn't dishwasher safe. If you do the alternative project using plate paint. Paint back of plate using a swirl pattern with both colors. I still recommend using Polyurethane on the back to insure that the paint won't chip off.

Arts and Craft: Moving picture Book

Make a moving picture book.
This is something I did many times as a child. The easiest way to make a quick picture book is to get a small notepad. Near bottom of each page make a stick figure. Change the position of stick figure on each page slightly. Have the figure run, flip, jump or dance. After making about thirty pictures, quickly flip through bottom of notepad, using your thumb. Figure will look its moving. Now that your child knows how this works they can make more elaborate moving picture books.

4th of July Arts and Crafts: Lincoln Penny House

Good Luck Lincoln Penny House.
What you need- 2 brown pieces of construction paper, crayons, scissors, stapler, glue and a penny.
Draw the frame of a house on one construction paper. Cut it out. Trace cut out on other construction paper. Cut this house out as well. Draw a door and windows on one house. Cut door so you can open it when it is laid on top of other brown paper (cut door on three sides). Cut windows the same way. Put plain house under house with door and windows. Staple papers together on edges. Underneath the cut out door glue a penny on it. For underneath window flaps draw a dog or children. Or draw a lantern or a candle under window flap. Child can also draw a US flag on front of house.

Arts and Craft- Make a vest out of a paper bag.

Your child can easily make a vest out of a paper bag. Vest can be for a carnival person, cowboy, Indian, sailor… Child can use it in 4th of July parade.

Using scissors cut bottom out of bag. Make a slit up middle, wide side, of bag. There should be two flaps in front of vest. Cut out arm holes in sides of bag, near top.
Using markers color stripes or put pockets on vest. For a sailor make funny tattoos. Glue buttons on front of vest. Child can put stickers, glitter, ribbon, pieces of fabric on vest. They can drip colored glue swirls on vest. Or they can outline the outside of vest with colored pipe cleaners. Have them use their imagination.

Arts and crafts: Make a turtle

Turtle.
What you need: Nontoxic paint, brush, little cup of water, paper plate, green construction paper, scissors, and glue stick.
1-Flatten paper plate.
Paint the back of the plate green. This will be the turtle's shell. Some kids like to be creative so if they want to paint spots on the turtle’s back that's fine.
2-Let paper plate dry.
With the green construction paper cut out four turtle claws and a head.
Paint eyes and even a nose or mouth on head.
3- When plate is dry glue on claws and head to the turtle shell. Remember to glue them from underneath.

Alternative: Here's a twist. Instead of gluing on the claws and head use round, metal paper fasteners. This way the turtle can move, and hide his head and claws.

Tea Cup Plant for a Mother's Day Gift

Simple Arts and Craft project for Mother’s Day.

Buy a pretty tea cup and saucer at a garage sale, estate sale, or low cost department store. Then buy a small cactus or rose plant. Plant in tea cup and viola it's now a cute gift.

For Father’s Day instead of using a tea cup, buy a ceramic mug. Buy a tiny ivy plant. Plant ivy in mug and now it's ready to be placed on dad’s desk at his office.

Make an Erupting Volcano

Make an Aluminum Foil Volcano which really Erupts!
I’ve done this science experiment with kids at least three times for school projects. It’s always a hit because kids like seeing the volcano erupt. Simple explanation for how it works: Baking soda is a base substance whereas vinegar is an acidic substance. When the two are added together it causes a reaction. In this case an erupting volcano.
To make a volcano fit for a science fair you might want to make it more life like, like painting it brown. Or making your volcano out of Paper Mache or clay. To make this basic volcano you need: Two paper cups, paper plate, aluminum foil, pen, masking tape, scissors, two tablespoons of vinegar, tablespoon of baking soda, one and half tablespoons of warm water, old cookie sheet.
This experiment should be done with an adult present.

1)Place cup side up on middle of plate. Keep it place with masking tape. Now totally cover cup and plate with aluminum foil. Tape extra foil under plate.

2)Using your pen, poke hole through aluminum foil in very middle of cup. Using scissors inside cup, cut four slits in aluminum foil from poked hole to edge of cup. Fold aluminum foil down inside cup and tape securely.

3)Place your newly made volcano on the cookie sheet. Put one tablespoon of baking soda in middle of volcano (cup). Add one and half tablespoons of warm water to this. Mix gently. In another cup put in two tablespoons of vinegar. (If you were taking this volcano to school you should carry needed vinegar amount in a small container or leave in bottle. Every time I’ve done this project kids like to see the volcano erupt over and over, so bring enough ingredients to erupt volcano at least three times.)

4)Get ready for an eruption! Pour vinegar into middle of volcano cup. Up comes the lava.

Arts and Craft Project: Paper Clock. Help you child learn how to tell time

Paper Plate Clock.
To help teach your child how to tell time.

You will need a stiff white paper plate, marker, metal paper tab, and a piece of construction paper.
1- With the marker write the numbers 1 through 12 on the paper plate like it was a clock.
2- Using the construction paper make two pointers for the hands of the clock.
3- Make a tiny hole in middle of plate with pen knife.
4- Put clock hands in mid clock position. Now punch holes through clock hands with metal tab. Secure tab in back. Note: Do not make the tab so tight that it is hard to move the hands of the clock.

Show your child what 1 o’clock looks like, then 1:09, 1:15, 1:20, 1:22. Half past 1. A quarter to 1. Ten to 1. And so on. Do this with rest of the numbers on paper clock.

Arts and Crafts: How to make a bean tambourine.

How to make a bean tambourine.
What you need: Two stiff paper plates. Dried beans. Yarn (enough to go around the plate). Hole puncher. Crayons or markers.

Have your child color the back of both plates. When done, put plates together face to face. With the hole puncher punch holes around edge of plates. Match holes in plates so yarn can go through both plates. Tie a knot at one end of yarn. Pull yarn through a hole and down another and so on. If you have a big needle, and your child is old enough, you can thread it this way as well. When the yarn is almost around plates fill the inside with beans. Afterwards close up rest of holes with yarn and tie shut. So beans can’t come out of tambourine sew shut with another piece of yarn starting from the other side of plate. This project is for children ages four and up.