Decor Delights - Busy Kids

Thanks to a concerned parent for letting us know about this, please be sure to use untreated lumber with your children's projects. The treated lumber could cause cancer or death.

Clay Saucer Turtle
Catch-All

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These samples were painted my by kids

Note - if you don't live near a garden center, you can purchase clay saucers from www.homedepot.com. Just search for Clay Saucer on that site.

Supplies you will need:
2 clay/terra cotta saucer (the deep ones look nice) approximately 4˝" to 5" across.
5 clay/terra cotta saucers approximately 2ź" across.
2 wooden balls or wooden knobs ž" across
craft glue
acrylic paint
waterbased varnish

Green - paint all saucers.
White - paint wooden knobs for eyes
Black - paint pupils in eyes
White - add little dots in upper left or right of eyes. This is reflected light.
Any other colors you kids love - have them paint any designs or decorations on their turtles.

Let Dry, brush on Varnish

Glue the 2 large saucers together (bottom of one saucer to the bottom of the other.

Glue 4 of the small saucers for feet.

Glue 1 of the small saucers for his head.

Let dry.

Glue eyes on head.

Supplies Needed:
1 pair of white canvas shoes (inexpensive kind you find at Target Stores or Payless Shoes)
Red, White and Blue acrylic paint for fabric dyes
Brushes
Disappearing ink pen from fabric store (the marks will disappear after a while. This is easier to use than transfer paper, pencils or regular pens)

With the pen, have you or the children, draw stars on the toe area of the shoes. If you have a star stencil, that would work great!

Next, paint around the stars with blue. This will be the blue field of the flag.

Here is a fun gift idea for the kids to give a man in their life, a painted hat. My kids have painted on plain baseball caps and they work out great! The lighter colored hats work the best, but black hats look great too, they just need a few extra layers of paint.

Let the kids design their own hats, but if they need some hints, here are a few to pass along....

Fishing, hunting, bowling, sailing, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer and any other sport. How about dad's favorite car? The ideas can be endless, and if they are just sentimental, have the kids put their hand prints on the hat and write with permanent pen, we love our Dad!!!

As summer approaches, I notice that there are more and more popsicle sticks laying around my yard, so what better use for them - let the kids craft with them! I'm sure there are many more ideas you can come up with, but here are a few to get your imagination going. Also, let the kids use their imaginations too, you will be surprised with what they come up with!

Plant Markers - these are great for the kids to make for the gardeners in the family. They can either use one stick or glue a few together.

Carrot marker - paint the stick orange, leave some space at the top for the kids to paint the carrot tops green. Have them write the word "carrot" on the the top half of the stick. Let dry, then apply

an exterior waterbased varnish. The exterior varnish will protect the painting from water damage.

Vegetable markers - now that you have an idea with the carrot marker, go ahead and paint markers for the rest of the vegetables in the garden.

Flower marker - paint the stick green. Next, pick one end of the stick to paint a flower on. Under the flower, write the name of the flower. Let dry, next varnish with a waterbased exterior varnish.

The kids not only will love to paint these markers, but will also have a fun time sticking them in the ground.

Popsicle Stick Bird House - This project is great for older kids (the little ones will need your help). This is a great two or three day project. Begin by making the sides of the house. Lay a row of sticks side by side touching each other. Next glue a stick across the row on the top and another stick across the bottom (these will hold the walls together) - let dry. Repeat this until you have 3 sides. For the 4th side, cut or break off 1 inch of a couple of sticks to make the opening for the birdhouse. Use the shorter sticks in the center of this wall. Glue a stick across the top and across the bottom, making sure not to cover up the opening.

Make 3 of these and then...

Make one of these (same sizes of course)

The next day your kids can work on building a roof. I'm sure some kids are more creative than others, but since my kids are so young, I just let them make a flat roof. Older children could make a pointed roof with a little stick cutting and creative gluing. Let dry.

When the glue is all dry and the house feels sturdy, get out the paints and let the kids go at it. I love to let my kids paint outdoors, I don't worry about paint getting spilled and the paint dries quicker. When the paint dries, varnish with a waterbased varnish. If the house will go outside, varnish with an exterior varnish.

Supplies: cardboard egg carton, chenille stem (pipe cleaner as we use to call them, non-toxic paint, paint brushes.

Cut the lid off the egg crate, you will be using the crate that holds the eggs. Cut the long direction in the center so you will have two long rows of six cups. This will be the caterpillar body. Cut the chenille stem in half, these will be the antennae, and poke them through a cup on one side of the caterpillar's body (it's head). Now, let the kids paint the body. When it is finished, let them decorate it with buttons, glitter, fabric scraps, etc.

This idea is to help kids feel creative, use their imaginations and practice using their dexterity skills.

Supplies: wood scraps, nontoxic paint, sponge brushes, nontoxic water based varnish.

If you are a woodcutter or know of someone who is, gather up wood scraps of interesting shapes and sizes.

CAUTION: Please keep these sizes large enough so that the children will not accidentally swallow or choke on them.

Sand off any rough or sharp edges. Sand down any points or slivers. When the wood shapes are smooth and safe, they will be ready to paint.

I would recommend for smaller children nontoxic, washable paint. For older kids the nontoxic acrylic paints we tole painters use would be just fine.

Get some sponge brushes or let the kids use your old, scruffy brushes and let them paint! When they are all done and the paint is dry, let them varnish their new wood shapes with a nontoxic, water based varnish. The varnish will protect the paint from scratching off and from getting dirty.

Supplies: 2 paper plates, dried beans, nontoxic paint, sponge brushes, stapler, masking tape.

Let your kids paint the paper plates using nontoxic paint (washable for younger kids) and sponge brushes.

When the paint is dry, place some dried beans into one paper plate, place the other paper plate on top and staple together. Use the masking tape to cover the staples so the kids will not get scratched or poked.

For added creativity let the kids glue on buttons, glitter, ribbons, yarn or beans.

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Online since March 10, 1996
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Clay Saucer Turtle Catch-All	Independence Day Shoes	Hat for Dad (or grandpa etc.)
Popsicle Stick Ideas	Caterpillars	Wood Scrap Blocks
Noisemaker

Woodworking	Art Books	Painting	Art Supplies	Needle Arts
Paper & Needle Arts	Fabric	Gourd Seeds	Paper Arts