Easter Table Place Setting
A bunny basket can make an egg-cellent table place setting. Hop over to Michaels.com for a complete Easter décor shopping list. Materials • Paper crinkle • Celebrate It™ Easter Chipwood Berry Basket [Note: Replace with any small basket or an actual berry container.] • Celebrate It™ Easter Ceramic Eggs – Chalkboard • Fabric napkin, white • Napkin rings, burlap •... Read More
Valentine’s Day Teacher Gift
Help your child give his teacher some much needed relaxation with a spa day… in a jar. Materials Mason jar, such as Kerr’s pint size Bath salts, such as ArtMinds bath salts Pencil Felt, red or pink Scissors Essential oil, such as ArtMinds Essential Oil Stress Reliever Red mini duck Scrap or decorative paper White glue Soap colorant, such as ArtMinds red Ribbon (red or heart... Read More
Simple Science Experiments: Refraction of Light
Ever see a rainbow and wonder where the colors are coming from? Or wonder why a person’s legs appear bigger or just off while standing in a swimming pool? With this two part “Simple Science Experiment,” you’ll learn about how light can refract or “bend” through different materials. Materials Tall cup (one you can’t see through) Penny Tape Water Wax paper Fine print... Read More
DIY Elf on the Shelf Apron Skirt & Shoes
The Elf on the Shelf leaped from the pages of its 2005 picture book to become a new Christmas tradition. “Scout elves” hide in homes to monitor conduct with an objective to report back to Santa at the North Pole. Parents enjoy the added encouragement to aim for “nice” behavior; while kids wake up each day excited to discover their Elf’s new location. Santa Claus always... Read More
Festive Popcorn Trees
Christmas has many edible traditions… cookies baked for Santa Claus, egg nog, gingerbread houses, popcorn garland, and roasted chestnuts. What if you combine two festive food traditions ─ popcorn and cookies? This recipe adds an unexpected pop to Christmas cookies! Ingredients | Yield: 10 trees 10 cups air-popped popcorn 1 10-oz. bag miniature marshmallows 2 tbsps. butter 1... Read More
Thanksgiving Place Card Holders
Add a touch of gourd-inspired glam to your Thanksgiving table! In just four easy (and budget-friendly) steps, you can create gorgeous gold place card holders. Gold isn’t your color? Pick another metallic or bold hue to accent your festive color scheme. Supplies Gourds [Either natural gourds from grocery store or foam and/or plastic gourds from craft store.] Gold metallic... Read More
Pumpkin Decorating Made Easy
10 No-Carve Approaches to Halloween Maybe you grew up carving Jack-o-lanterns and want your kids to experience this cherished Halloween tradition. Carving pumpkins can be a gooey blast for the whole family. But, for many, the sticky mess and time commitment can be among the most frightening elements of Halloween! Don’t be scared to try a simpler decorating approach. Just select... Read More
Water Drop Magnets
Homemade gifts of gratitude are ideal for grandma & grandpa, especially for Grandparents Day (September 13). These personalized magnets look like water drops, but create a familiar splash when filled with the faces of grandchildren. Supplies 1″ glass marbles with a flat side Pictures Hot glue Pencil Scissors Magnets Directions Place marble on top of a picture. Using a pencil,... Read More
Ice Cream in a Bag
It’s summertime and the weather is super hot. Your kids need a cool treat. Plus, you could use another activity to keep them busy, right? You can help them learn about the science behind ice cream! Here is a simple science experiment that will produce a tasty treat. Materials: 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup half-and-half ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup ice cream salt Ice cubes 1... Read More
Seashells Candles
Transform your collected seaside treasures into beautiful candles! These homemade seashell decorations can add a beach-inspired touch to your home, and are perfect for summertime table settings. Materials & Tools Wax candle flakes Tea lights Seashells Glass container Pot Essential oils (optional) Directions Candle wicks: Pop tea light candles out of their metal tins and... Read More
DIY Chalkboard Lap Mat
These DIY chalkboard lap mats will keep kids occupied, entertained, and quiet when traveling in a car or airplane, or at restaurants. Supplies 1/2 yard of thin vinyl or washable fabric (Note: Craft tested using waterproof PUL fabric.) 2 felt squares for inner panels or 2 rectangles of scrap, 8×10 in. size Chalkboard fabric square, 8×10 in. Small scrap of 8-in. ribbon Trim... Read More
DIY Tug Toy
Don’t toss that old t-shirt! Snip it up to make a simple tug toy for your furry friend. Every dog loves to play both fetch and tug-of-war, so this craft combines the two in one DIY toy. Supplies 1 old t-shirt 1 tennis ball scissors Instructions Lay your t-shirt on a flat surface and mark off your cuts. You’ll want to make two pieces that are... Read More
Natural Tie-Dye
This simple craft encourages kids to utilize natural elements ─ that probably can be found in your own backyard ─ as an eco-dye alternative. It’s time to extract color from your favorite flowers and plants! Supplies Natural-fiber fabric (cotton, silk, or wool). Note: Natural fibers hold color better than synthetic fibers; silk or wool works better than cotton. Fresh or dried... Read More
Butterfly Valentine Cards
What would a holiday be without a themed craft? Since Valentine’s Day is about spreading the love, encourage your child to offer sweet sentiments with homemade cards. These lollipop butterflies will make hearts flutter thanks to fun-loving flair, color patterns, glitter, and personalized drawings by your budding artist. Materials Printer Colored card-stock (pink, red, purple,... Read More
Simple Science Experiments: Simply Shocking Way to Spice Up the New Year
Ready to spice up the New Year? You’re going to start with a mixture of salt and pepper and then, shockingly, separate them! How can you do it? Set a plate or bowl out with the two spices mixed together. Well? Maybe you can come up with a cool technique for shaking up these spices, but did you know you that static electricity can easily separate the salt from the pepper for you? So... Read More
Homemade Lava Lamp
Lava lamps are cool things to stare at for hours! In this simple science experiment, you’ll learn how to make a similar type of display (without the lights), and the science behind it. Materials: Empty (wide mouth) glass bottle Water Oil Food coloring Alka-Seltzer tablets Glitter Procedure: Fill a glass bottle halfway with water. Pour an equal amount of oil in. Make sure... Read More
DIY Crayons
Is your child’s art bin full of broken crayons? There’s no need to throw them away when you can, instead, upcycle these partially used pieces into new, one-of-a kind, multi-colored creations! Supplies Crayons, broken pieces Flexible molds or ice cube trays (utilized shaped molds, if desired) X-Acto knife, optional Kitchen knife Cookie sheet Instructions Preheat oven to 200°... Read More
DIY Braided T-Shirt Bracelets
Just in time for camp-inspired crafts! Encourage your camper to keep her friendships tightly wrapped using colorful T-shirts. Materials Cotton or jersey T-shirts, to cut Tips: Select garments that you’ve outgrown or pick up used shirts at re-sale stores. White and grey are ideal base colors to pair with pastel or neon cord. 1 yard of rattail cord, per bracelet (Available and... Read More
Easter Eggs the Natural Way
This Easter, brighten up the holiday with beautiful, naturally dyed eggs. You’ll be impressed at how nature can create a rainbow of colored eggs, with the benefit of no added chemicals or artificial dyes. It’s a fun experiment for parents and kids alike, and will be appreciated by the Easter Bunny! Color chart Red onion skins = soft lavender to red Beet juice or cranberry juice... Read More
CARBON KNIGHT
Simple Science Experiments: Coloring Flowers from the Inside Out What color of flowers do you like? You can turn flowers that color from the inside out! This month’s simple science experiment will tinker with the inner workings of flowers and celery, too. Now, we all know that plants don’t have a heart to pump their fluids up from the ground to their leaves, so how exactly does... Read More
From Trash to Treasure
Five Easy “Upcycled” DIY Projects Creative do-it-yourself (DIY) “upcycling” isn’t as intimidating as it sounds. Upcycling is simply transforming an old or unused item into something new, functional, and beautiful. With just a few easy steps, you can repurpose trash, like useless household items or garage sale finds, into treasure! FUNctional Treasures: Planning... Read More
