Showing posts with label How To Crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How To Crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How To Crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How To Crafts. Show all posts

How to make a Kitchen Stove for Kids Pretend Play from a Cardboard Box

Recycle Boxes and Bottle Caps for the Best Cardboard Play Stove Ever.


Is there anything better than cardboard box for creative play? A box is the best toy ever so we made a cardboard kitchen stove for kids pretend play. Here's a 'how to make' picture tutorial.

Cardboard Kitchen Stove Pretend How to Tutorial
Cardboard Pretend Stove with all the Recycled and Upcycled bells and whistles, ahem, knobs and handles.
How to make a pretend stove from cardboard and reused items


DAY ONE
First, measure a width of wax paper and trace onto cardboard front of your box. Nevermind, if a flap is in the way, we'll fix it later. Now cut out the window (for your oven door) and reinforce the flaps with duct tape. Tape the wax paper on the inside. You can also use plexiglass and duct tape. Get a cardboard paper towel tube and attach to top of oven door. This will become your handle. 

The difficult part is attaching the interior shelf. Get a glue gun and attach strips of cardboard to each side to serve as the ledge the shelf sits on. Make them 2-3 pieces of wide, glue together, and attach face side to the right and left walls of oven. Cut shelf to fit. I used flaps from another box. Now it will slide in and sit atop your pieces of cardboard. I also added "legs" for extra play durability. (The cat likes to climb in and sleep on our shelf!)

Now tape up the bottom and back side flaps of the box. Leave the top box flap up to serve a the area for a clock and knobs. See the photo above, I also added a flap from another box to hold this flap upright, otherwise it likes to fall closed. You are tired and worn out from all of the cutting, taping, and thinking. Sleep on it and save the rest for day two.

DAY TWO
See picture below. Now, trace the fast food cup holders on the top of your box. You may have room for four burners. Cut the hole about 1/2" smaller than the tracing. I used duct tape to attach the burners, but I encourage you to use hot glue and reinforce with tape... BUT NOT YET.

First, cover the sides and the door with some leftover wrapping paper. I used a glue stick on the box and secured the edges with tape. Then, cover your cardboard tube with foil. Cover your stove top with foil. Yes, the whole top. Poke a hole in the center of each opening and cut a small "x". You will have a slit opening with triangles. Fold the triangles in and tape on the underside to the "stove top". Now you can attach your fast food "burners". Tip: I cut the foil about 3" more than what I needed to cover the top of the stove and neatly folded it down forming a chrome edge. 

Go take a break; it will look better after you've had some time away from it.

When you return, attach your knobs (soda and milk lids glued together) and your clock front (Numbers printed off from a Word Document). Let these dry for at least 15 minutes. Remind the kids not to really turn the knobs these are the push to start variety :) We lost one on the first play!

Now, call the kids! It's time for a session of creative play. We save the little french fry containers, small cereal boxes, and juice containers to pretend.

And... the Mommy you are awesome hugs and rewards are worth the frustration :)  


upcycle cardboard boxes to pretend play kitchen stove
Make a cardboard kitchen stove.

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How to Make Clay: Air Dry Clay, Homemade Clay Recipes for Home School Art Project

How to make clay is simple: Here are some recipes.

We've been crafting with Air-Dry clay. We purchased a clay kit and then we also made our own clay at home. It can be used with a Potter's wheel or shaped into free forms for home school art projects. Enjoy!

How to Make Clay: Air Dry Clay and Homemade Clay Recipe Home School Art Project
Air dry clay pig and diy homemade clay recipes.


Attach pieces by adding a little water to each piece. This is Jake's Pig (From Jake's Journey in Art). He enjoyed playing with the clay just enough to complete the assignment.



Alextoys.com sells boxes of air dry clay refills perfect 
for your animal  sculptures.

Clay is wonderful for Sensory play. In the homemade recipe below, just add some scented oils like vanilla or cinnamon.  TOUCH, SMELL, TASTE (I don't recommend it), SEE- hmm... When it dries you can gently tap it onto the table for SOUND encompassing all senses or get CREATIVE and make a rattle/maraca or a base for a drum just stretch tissue paper over the top and attach with a large rubber band.


Mayhem made many animals and embellished each one.



 Get your Air Dry Clay Refill Pack  by Alex Toys.


The baubles in the photos above came with the air dry clay refill for the pottery wheel from Alex Toys.



How to make Homemade Clay Recipe:


Click here for how to make clay without cream of tar tar


Easy/recommended for preschool and early elementary


1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 tsp cream of tartar
 ¼ cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
food coloring (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Decide on a color  for the clay. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly. The dough will eventually become difficult to stir, and it will stick to the spoon. At this point, dump the dough onto wax paper. Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes, and then knead it until it is smooth. Store the dough in a plastic container or a plastic bag when not in use. Refrigerate the clay when not in use.


Homemade Clay can be painted and it will last for years to come. Make cute Holiday Gifts: Think napkin rings, 3D wall hangings, necklace medallions, trivets, and pretty catch-all bowls.


Looking for Toddler or Preschooler Activities? 

Try this:  Sensory Dough playtime Activities.

Recommended Reading:

Craft a Minecraft Marshmallow Pig

Happy Pig Day! *

If You Give a Pig a Pancake*






ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Things to do with a Box: Homemade DIY Disney Perry the Platypus

How to make a Perry the Platypus Costume for Halloween

Got a box? Got an hour? Make a homemade costume for creative play, trick or treating, or a fun spontaneous parade. We saw an episode of Phineas and Ferb and Candace was wearing a Perry Costume. We had to make our own Perry the Playtpus Homemade Costume for Halloween. Enjoy!


This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.


diy how to make a perry the platypus costume for halloween
Perry the Platypus costume to make at home.
So, I was surfing Facebook and caught this photo of Candace dressed in a Perry the Platypus costume, and I immediately knew I'd be recreating it for the blog. What a great idea for creative play- Box recycling. I mean, who doesn't love a box?


Candace as Perry the Platypus.
Who indeed? Of course, the family cat loves a box.


How to make a Perry the Platypus Costume

First, I grabbed an old box. Then, I tried to match Perry's teal color with paint I had on hand. I got a drab teal by mixing blue + white + a dash of red.



 

I didn't want to go to the store. It was hurricane weather- even Indiana was cold and windy. So, I searched my stash of junk and found old paper plates, squished turquoise crepe paper garland, Styrofoam circles, and lucky me an old, beige fedora!



Start by taping an end to the back, and then line glue all around 
and attach the crepe paper.
Paint your beak orange.
Paint a mouth on one side.
Attach paper plate beak to inside with tape.
Cut out paper eyeball and wrap crepe over for eyebrows.


Finally...




  • Insert kid as Candace. 
  • Find Phineas and Ferb Friends. 

This took a couple of hours. Of course, you can always save time or effort and choose to buy costumes from fancy costume shops online such as kigurumi.co. but I loved that we had everything on hand and could recycle my craft supplies. Full Disclosure: I ran out of crepe, so I made sure to cover the front and let the sides go with just paint.




Recommended:


Phineas, Ferb, and Perry Fun Free PDF Activity Book


How to Make a Phineas Mask

No Sew Nativity Costumes


Disney 18" Perry, Folding Plush Pillow

Phineas and Ferb Reader #2: Perry Speaks! (Level 3)




Halloween Turnip? Why do we carve Jack-O-lanterns and How to Carve a Pumpkin

Ever wonder why we carve pumpkins on Halloween? 

Why isn't the cartoon called, "It's The Great Turnip, Charlie Brown?" And, why is it called a Jack-o-lantern anyway? Scroll down to find out how the pumpkin carving tradition began. Enjoy!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.


Halloween Turnip? Why do we carve Jack O lanterns and How to Carve a Pumpkin
Turnip Jack-o-lantern.

Halloween Legend and Folklore

The jack-o-lantern is named after Jack, of course. He needed a lantern. Poor Jack he drank too much. His 18th century, Irish neighbors considered him a drunk and a miser, so they called him Stingy Jack. 

Apparently, Jack invited the devil over for a drink. He tricked the devil into paying (read more about this legend from TLC).  Of course, the devil was angry and he vowed to come back for Jack. Various tales tell the story a bit differently, but it ends with Jack hallowing out a turnip, inserting a burning coal ember, and using it to light his way through HELL or to keep the devil at bay. Afterward, Irish families carved turnip lanterns to keep Jack's ghost away. Thus, the Jack-o-lantern was born.


How to carve a pumpkin.
Once the Irish immigrants saw the pumpkin, they knew the larger veggie would be easier for Jack to see.

Do other countries carve pumpkins?  Here is a little tutorial for turnip and pumpkin carving in case you're new to the tradition. MARTHA STEWART CARVED TURNIPS



Why do we carve pumpkins?
Why do we carve pumpkins?

  Grab a grand pumpkin or turnip.


Carved Turnips for Halloween.
Carved Turnips.



Get a big carving knife, insert about 3" from the stem. It's difficult to cut, you must poke the knife in and wiggle it a little, pull it out, and then begin again until you've completed the circle. 





Once the top is removed you can begin cleaning your pumpkin. Just dive in with your hands and a large spoon and scoop the stringy goo and seeds out. Only pie pumpkins are edible, but the seeds of all pumpkins can be toasted for a yummy snack.


image of pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin Seeds waiting for roasting.
At first, the turnip seems like it's impossible to carve, but practice makes perfect. Score a ring inside the top layer (from where you removed the lid) and use your knife or a sturdy spoon to scrape out the insides. Leave about a 1/4 inch ring of flesh.


Turnip Jack-o-lanterns ready for candles.
Turnip Jack-o-lanterns ready for candles.

Draw a fun face or artsy, spooky picture onto the veggie. Insert Knife, pumpkin carving tool or even a screwdriver and cut. This is not fun- not for you, not for the littles. It's difficult, but once you've got a good slice going the piece will start to loosen. Let the littles place their hands inside the pumpkin/turnip and push out with their thumb. Oh what fun! It's like a little jigsaw puzzle.


How to carve a pumpkin: Digging out pumpkin guts and seeds.
How to carve a pumpkin: Digging out pumpkin guts and seeds.


Pumpkin clean inside and ready for a candle.

Keep your pumpkin dry! If you keep it in the house it lasts longer. Pumpkin Preservation Experiment. We sprayed ours with vinegar then wiped the excess liquid and patted the rest dry (it didn't work). Glue and Petroleum Jelly are only myths- see the preservation link. 



Decorate gourds for Halloween.
Decorate gourds: Happy Meal Stickers.
Mayhem stylin' with pumpkins.



Pumpkin Decorating Supplies: Stickers from a Happy Meal, Carving ideas, Battery powered Votives from Dollar Tree.

We like to decorate our pumpkins with stickers or felt to keep them thru Thanksgiving season. Don't believe me? Here is our snow pumpkin we decorated for CHRISTMAS with our snowman kit.


How to decorate a pumpkin like a Snowman.
Decorate a pumpkin like a Snowman.

Ahh... Halloween, I love you.


Recommended Reading:

The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown

Extreme Pumpkin Carving, Second Edition Revised and Expanded: 20 Amazing Designs from Frightful to Fabulous

October Calendar of Special Days



Unique Classroom Valentine Craft: Pig Valentine Decoration

Pig Valentine Classroom Craft

Looking for a unique classroom valentine decoration? We made a cute pig (or turn it into an Angry Bird) from a recycled satin Christmas bulb ornament. This is an easy and fun Valentine craft for elementary or preschool kids. Enjoy!

Hang the craft on a Valentine tree or make a mobile. When Pigs fly...  Oink you excited to get started?

Pig Valentine Ornament for Classroom Craft for Kids
Unique Classroom Valentine Craft: Pig Valentine Decoration

To Make Valentine Pig Ornament, You Need:

Felt, Foam, Feathers, Pipe-cleaners, Glue, Ribbon, a Straight Pin, and a Satin Christmas Ball Ornament.


Note the spiraled pipe-cleaner for his tail.

Use the straight pin to 'pre-drill' (punch) holes into the ball where the tail and feathers will go.  Add glue to the tip and insert into holes.  Cut out eyes, ears, and nose and attach with glue. Tie a ribbon through the hanger. Design your own Valentine Tree with a wire hanger or attach to a back-pack zipper.


Creative Tip:
Attach a note that says, "I'll stop loving you when pigs fly" or "Oink you going to be my valentine?"


Recommended Reading:


OLIVIA and the Perfect Valentine: She's a Pig!*

Valentine School Parties Activities*













ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)