DIY Lava Lamps

This craft is a blast from the past!  Not many children have a groovy lava lamp in their room today, and when they do it's like the two I have - glitter, not lava.  Essentially, this craft is an experiment - but don't tell the kids that!  How can learning be fun, right?

With just a clear bottle, food coloring, vegetable oil and water, children can bring their very own lava lamp in to school for show and tell or keep it for themselves only as a rainy day play thing.  Whatever they do with it, this craft is sure to bring smiles and laughs.

Head over to The Crafted Sparrow for a easy do-it-yourself guide to lava lamps!  Happy crafting!

Kids Craft #6: Painted Fireworks

This project is a great way to finally use all that black construction paper that never seems to have a use.  And, what better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with a fireworks show?  With a few simple steps, your child can create their own fireworks (the safe way!).

Before heading to your local fireworks spot, have your little ones make their own while their parents enjoy the barbeque and food.



Materials:
  - black construction paper
  - acrylic paints
  - pipe cleaners
  - paper plate
  - twig
  - glue (optional)
  - glitter (optional)



Steps:
1.) Fold 3 or 4 pipe cleaners in half.  Twist the folded end to create a handle and fan out the ends to create a "star" shape.
2.) Pour circles of acrylic paint onto the paper plate and use the stic to swirl the colors together.  If you desire, add some glue to this mixture (it will help glitter stick if you decide to use glitter.
3.) Push the pipe cleaners into the paint and stamp onto the black paper.  Pick the pipe cleaners back up anad rotate to make the fireworks bigger.
4.) Have an ADULT sprinkle glitter over the firework paintings if desired.  Allow to dry (about 30 minutes) and hang up.

Kids Craft #5: Patriotic Wreath

Fourth of July is coming quickly and it's the perfect time to show off our patriotic sides, but we can show this every day.  This red, white and blue wreath is composed entirely of stars and is a great craft to keep the kids busy while the adults are barbequeing and can then be hung year round on the inside of a window or door to support the men and women who have risked or given their lives to protect our freedom.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday and happy crafting!



Materials:
  - star stencil (print off computer, use a cookie cutter or purchase a  stencil from an art store)
  - pen/pencil (for tracing the stencil)
  - scissors
  - red, white and blue construction paper (at least 2 sheets of each)
  - tape/glue



Steps:
1.) Trace stencils onto paper (I traced approximately 20 of each color star).  Aim to fit as many stars as possible onto each page.
2.) Cut out the stars from each sheet.  An older sibling or an adult may want to help with this step as there is a lot of cutting involved for this project,
3.) Arrange the stars in a circular shape and tape together.  Keep adding stars until the wreath gains some thickness.  If there are a few left over, flip the wreath over so the taped side is flat against the table and us a glue stick to secure any remaining stars to the front of the project.

Color Changing Milk!

Color changing milk is an explosion of color, but not simply from adding food coloring to milk. One special ingredient, the colors "explode" and can be blended and swirled around a bowl of milk. This is a neat trick that will amaze any child and their friends.

Check out this video for some really cool shapes that were formed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Wl-V5zOGs


Materials:
- milk (whole or 2%)
- large bowl
- food coloring
- dish soap (Dawn usually works the best)
- cotton swabs

Steps:
1.) Pour enough milk in the bowl to completely cover the bottom to the depth of about 1/4 inch. Allow the milk to settle.
2.) Add one drop of each of the four colors of food coloring - red, yellow, blue, and green - to the milk. Keep the drops close together in the center of the bowlof milk.
3.) Place a drop of liquid dish soap on the end of a cotton swab. Place the soapy end of the cotton swab in the middle of the milk and hold it there for 10 to 15 seconds. Look at that burst of color!
4.) Add another drop of soap to the tip of the cotton swab and try it again. Experiment with placing the cotton swab at different places in the milk.

Oobleck!

Although it may look kind of gross, Oobleck is a pretty cool science project that is fun for kids of all ages!  Oobleck has the properties of both a solid and a liquid when made properly.  Your child will have hours of fun playing with this slimey substance that looks just like a liquid until you squeeze it in your hand.

Leave some surprise to the kids you will do this project with and watch their faces grow excited (and confused!) by what is happening in front of their eyes.  Have them punch the substance to see how it reacts and then have them let their hand sink in while you hold the bowl and have them pull their hand out as quick as they can!

Materials:
  - water
  - corn starch
  - food coloring (optional)
  - large mixing bowl
  - measuring cup (that measures exactly 1 cup)


Steps:
1.)  If you would like colored Oobleck, mix a few drops of fiid coloring into a cup of water.
2.)  Pour your water into the large mixing bowl and follow with two cups of corn starch.
3.)  Stir the mixture, it will take about ten minutes for the Oobleck to mix perfectly.


Here's a neat video to show your kids after making the craft:

Kids Craft #4: Bubble Prints

Almost every child is a bubble lover.  What better way to do arts and crafts than with your child's favorite activity?

This project involves parental involvement becasue it takes some patience and time to get the bubble mixture to be the proper color and still be able to actually blow bubbles.  In doing this project myself, there was a lot of trial and error involved in mixing the bubbles, so your projects may actually turn out way better than my finished project.


Materials:
  - white paper
  - bubbles (from the dollar store in the smaller bottles)
  - food coloring
  - tape and duck tape (optional)

Steps:
1.)  Pour desired amount of food coloring into one half of the bottle of bubble mix.  If using a newer bubble solution, pour half of the bottle into a plastic cup and then add food coloring.  TIP: test out your colored bubbles on a sheet of paper before giving the colored mix to your children.
2.)  If outdoors, tape the white paper to the driveway (or other outdoor surface you do not mind getting dirty).  If indoors, I would suggest covering your work space with newspaper and putting your white paper on top OR cover you surface entirely with white paper and make a colored bubble collage.
3.)  Give the colored bubble mixture to your children and allow them to blow bubbles at the paper any way they prefer.
4.)  When they have completed their project, allow them to dry overnight.  Create a "frame" with fun duck tape if you desire by folding the tape 
in half over the edges.

Kids Craft #3: Fingerpainted Tumblers

I had a ton of mason jars around my house and wanted to find a creative way to use them.  I decided to hand paint tumblers... But when I say "hand paint," I really mean finger paint because who didn't enjoy finger painting as a child?  This craft is extremely simple for the children's portion as all they need to do is finger paint a design on the glass.  I chose polka dots for simplicity but other designs may be used as well.

Regardless of the design, be sure to cover over your workspace!  Acrylics can be difficult to remove.

I plan to use my tumbler as a drinking glass when I go back to school (it is perfectly safe after the final step!), however they can also be used when eating outdoors to put place settings in, as a gift jar for mother's/father's day or a teachers (filled with candy), or even to organize your child's desk.


Materials:
  - table cover/newspaper over your workspace
  - acrylic paints
  - paint dish or disposable plate
  - mason jar or other clear glass jar (from the dollar store or a home goods store)




Steps:
1.)  Remove all labels completely.  Completely clean and dry the jar.
2.)  Pour paints onto dish/plate - try not to mis the colors until they go onto the glass.
3.)  Dip the tips of fingers into the paint and paint onto the jar.  TIP: if you plan to decorate the bottom of the glass turn the glass upside-down before you begin to paint OR put your hand into the glass to paint.  Use caution removing the glass from your hand if you choose to paint it this way.
4.)  Allow to dry completely.
5.)  ADULTS ONLY:  Place the dry jar into a cool oven, close the oven and bake at 300°F for 30 minutes.  This wil make the tumbler safe to use as a drinking glass as well.  IMPORTANT: allow the  oven and the jar to cool completely before you remove the jar fromo the oven.  Sudden exposure to a much cooler temperature will cause the glass to crack.