Fun with Rice

Shapes and Letters (also works well with wheat and salt!)

• Pour Rice in a tray with a high lip (a cake pan works nicely), just to cover bottom.
• Show your child how you can use your finger to 'draw' a shape in the rice. "Here is a circle."
• Shake the pan to coat bottom again.
• Now, it is your child's turn.
• Start with straight or curved lines, then simple shapes
• When your child is comfortable, practice letters!
• When you're done, you can still eat the rice

Magazining

Need a few minutes to yourself this week for wrapping or baking? Here is one project my preschool age kids always love.

I keep a few old magazines on hand for the kids to craft with. We have a swap table at the local library where we sometimes pick up some cool ones like National Geographic, but otherwise we use whatever is on hand. Magazining is good busywork for 2 to 6 year olds. They will occasionally sit at the table for an hour or more cutting pictures. It is good practice for little hands, and it keeps them occupied if you have something you NEED to get done. A little paper and glue for making collages makes it all the more exciting (and buys mom a few extra minutes). Some kids need more direction than others, so you can help your child pick a theme if you like. For example, "Lets make a bouquet. Cut out all the flowers you can find." Or "Lets make some faces. Cut out some eyes, noses, and mouths. Then we will put them together again and make a new face." Older kids like to find the letters from their name or other favorite things.

You may be worried about the clean-up, but don't fret! Kids can clean up their own craft messes. Just as long as you don't give them glitter. Teach your 2-year old to sweep. Get a little whisk broom and dustpan. They LOVE it. Of course they may not get everything, but it is so worth it to let them try. It may take you an extra 2 minutes, but soon they will be doing it entirely on their own!! Well worth your small effort now.

So keep some of those old magazines on hand. If you don't get any magazines, you may be able to get old donated ones from a library location near you.

Do you have any other great ideas for using old magazines? Share them below!

Reincarnating Crayon Stubs

We love art projects around here. But the kids only seem to like the crayons when they are brand new. Once they get broken up, they are cast aside and no longer loved. Don't waste those tiny bits! Save them for a rainy day. You might be surprised how fun they can be. Here are some things my mom did with us when we were little.

1. Original mystery designs -

• shred up some crayon stubs with a crayon sharpener, small knife, or cheese grater


• fold a piece of paper and sprinkle some crayon shavings inside


• sandwich your art paper with newsprint on both sides


• apply a warm iron briefly and firmly over the whole paper


• peek inside to see if it worked!

2. Make giant crayons - (great for toddlers)

• get a muffin tin with aluminum foil baking paper liners


• peel all the papers off


• sort crayon stubs into various color combinations in the muffin cups - we usually do varieties of related colors, but you can do it however you want!


• put the muffin tin in your oven or toaster oven on low until crayon melts to a liquid.


• remove from oven and allow to cool and set.


• peel off aluminum foil liners and color with your fun new crayons

What other ideas do you have for using your crayon bits?

Kool-Aid Play-dough

Kool-Aid Play Dough

Mix dry ingredients together:
1 package dry Kool-Aid (with no sugar added)
1 cup flour
1/2 c. salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mix wet ingredients together:
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon oil(food coloring if needed/desired)


Add wet mixture to dry mixture in a pot - stirring until smooth. Continue to stir while cooking over moderate heat. Play dough is finished when it forms a ball and sticks together (about 8 min.).

Nice things about this recipe:

It is totally edible (though I don't recommend eating it!)

It smells good - at least orange and tropical punch do!