Soft Serve Origami

Can you tell I have a case of summer-itis?  Last post was summer reading, today ice cream cones. For some reason, I feel like the summer break can't come quick enough.  I know summer-itis is a student thing, but it can affect parents too, right?  Please tell me I'm not alone.

If you feel like making something to celebrate the warm months ahead, this project might be for you.  The origami soft serve ice cream cone is a quick and easy to fold.  It's also a good project for kids just learning origami. All you need is a yellow piece of paper and an orange marker to get started.

1.  Starting with a yellow piece of paper, have it face wrong side up like the picture in the left.  Fold down the center to make a crease.  Fold left and right flaps to meet in the center.

2.  Your paper should now look like the picture on the right.  Fold left and right flaps down so they look like the picture below.

3.  Fold left and right flaps back on dotted lines so they wrap around the paper.

4.  Your paper should now look like the image on the right.  Flip paper over.

5.  Fold left and right flaps on dotted lines to meet in the center.

6.  Your paper should now look like the image on the right.  Now you are going to make a pleat fold on the white solid lines.  Fold the top of paper down on the bottom line and then up on the top line.

7.  Your paper should now look like the image to the left.  Now you're going to make a second pleat fold on the lines you see at the top.

8.  Your paper should now look like the photo on the right.  Flip over.

9.  Your paper should now look like the photo on the left.

10.  Draw lines to make it resemble an ice cream cone. 

For different color combinations, fold with two pieces of paper stacked on top of each other. For example, start with a yellow and pink piece of paper to make a strawberry ice cream cone.

Kid Craft: Mini Surfboards

Here's a fun kid craft for the summer months ahead, mini surfboards. These surfboards can float on water making them perfect for the bath or pool.  Plus, they are made out of items you probably already have at home.  Here's the how-to.

Supplies:
Styrofoam meat or vegetable tray packaging - make sure to wash well if it was used for meat
Scrapbook Rub-on Transfers
Scissors
Pencil

Draw surfboard shapes on back of styrofoam.  Drawing on the back will disguise any mistakes. 

Cut surfboards out with standard scissors.  I was able to get three surfboards from one tray.

Position transfers on your surfboard and rub on.  If you don't have rub-ons transfers, try using crayons.  I don't recommend using marker since it can bleed into the water.

 

We made our surfboards 5 inches long by one and a half inches wide.  You can make them any size you want, there's no wrong or right way.

We tested out the surfboards in the water and they were able to hold two Lego minifigures on one board.  The rub-ons stay on well too.  I wasn't sure if they would be waterproof but so far so good.

How To Make a Miniature Kite

A few years ago at our local fall festival I saw someone selling miniature kites. I didn't actually get a close look at the kites because they were carting them around in a vendor box, they didn't have an actual booth. And I didn't want to go look at the kites because I knew my kids would want one. Well, for whatever reason I recently remembered this. Funny how the brain works. Anyhow, I decided it would be a fun craft for the kids. Here's how we made our kites:

Kite Template - Right click, copy, save, paste in a document. The kite should be about 4.5 inches in length. Scale if needed.

Supplies:
Template pieces
Crepe or Tissue paper - I went with crepe paper for durability purposes (kids destroy things quick)
Thread
One Clothes pin
Card Stock
Glue
Tape
Scissors
Sewing needle

To assemble the kite you should have both kite pattern pieces cut out of the crepe paper and crepe paper shaped bows. You'll also want to cut two thin strips of card stock for the frame of the kite.

Thread three bows with needle onto thread. Tie a knot at the bottom of each bow to secure it. Tape thread to one end of the longest kite frame.

Glue frame to kite with the tail at the bottom.

Glue on smaller pattern piece to where the frame intersects. It's hard to tell but I also added tape on both sides of this pattern piece where the thread is tied. The purpose of this is to prevent the crepe paper from ripping. Using a needle, poke a hole in the top of the crepe paper and tie in a knot (refer to picture).

Wind thread around clothes pin which will be the handle. The thread only needs to be about six feet in length at the most.

Play with your kite!

*The kite flutters and twirls in front of you providing there's a decent breeze. It doesn't actually fly up into the sky like larger kites.

Kid Craft: Paper Fans

Change of plans or should I say fans? I had planned on posting a different project for today but it still needs some tweaking. I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be able to share it next Monday. In the mean time, I offer you this easy paper fan tutorial. It's made out of one of my favorite craft supplies, popsicle sticks. Creating something amazing with popsicle sticks and toilet paper rolls is like the holy grail of craft projects for me. I'm always striding to make something exceptional. And I truly believe if you can make something great with these two supplies, you can conquer the crafting world. Am I getting a little dramatic here? Okay, lets move on then.

On to the fan tutorial. This project is good for ages seven and up. If you want to make it into a preschool project, I recommend letting the child decorate the paper used for the fan, that would be their contribution.

Supplies:
Drill
Sand Paper
2 Popsicle Sticks
Paper - 4 1/4" x 7"
Glue
Embroidery Thread
Sewing Needle
Beads - optional

Click on images for a larger view.

1. Have an adult drill a hole at one end of each popsicle stick. Sand around hole.
2. Fold paper accordion style. Make sure the thickness of the folds is no larger than the width of the popsicle sticks.

3. Once you completed folding the paper, punch a small hole through the bottom of all folds.
4. Glue edge of paper to popsicle stick. Make sure to line up the holes.

5. Glue a popsicle stick at the other end.
6. Thread needle through all the holes of the popsicle sticks and paper.

7. Tie a tight knot at the bottom. And some beads to the ends for decoration. Done. To keep closed, use a tiny child hairband to wrap around the top.

Kid Craft: Design Your own Stickers

Stickers and kids go hand in hand. So why not have kids design their own stickers, right? My daughter made the one above (it's a smiley face). This is an easy project that's good for all ages. Simple directions below.


Supplies:
White Self Adhesive Liner - normally used to line drawers. I purchased in the closet organizing section of Target for about $5. You might be able to find it a the dollar store as well.

Permanent Markers

Scissors




Cut a piece of the adhesive paper out. Draw on the paper with permanent markers (we found the color shows better with permanent markers).

*other ideas - use rubber stamps

Cut the image out with scissors.

*Another idea would be to use a circle punch, or any other shape hole punch.

Now just peel and stick.

*note: this a basic sticker just like any other sticker, it is not specifically made to stick on shirts. my daughter decided to stick it to her shirt and I let her

Kid Craft: Can Stilts

I have a vivid memory of walking around on can stilts as a child. I must have been about 5 or 6. And if my memory serves me right, I was in a church basement with my best friend Chrissy Pool. I remember the cans were large, most likely Folgers cans. But then again, everything seems larger when you're a child. I can recall the clanking noise they made against the floor. And of course, I remember it being lots of fun.

So, I decided to make a set for my children. They were both eager to try out the can stilts. My youngest who is three needed a little help walking around. My 5 year old son was able to walk around on his own. In fact, even as I type he's walking around on them in his bedroom. Although, I recommend them for outdoor use.

Simple directions below

Supplies:
2 29 oz cans - In the pictures I used smaller cans but I recommend a larger can (like the large cans of pumpkin filling). A wider base makes it easier for kids to walk around. There's also less chance of them getting frustrated. If all you have is small can's they'll work too. It's just a little more challenging.

hammer
nail
strong string

With the nail, hammer two holes on opposite sides of the bottom of the cans. Thread the string trough the holes of the can. Tie knot inside the cans to secure. (Refer to pictures). Make sure the string is at a good length for the child to hold on to.

Have the child hold the string tight when they walk.

Kid Craft: Suncatchers

Here's an easy craft project for kids to make this summer, suncatchers. This craft project can be tailored for just about any age. Also, most of the supplies can be found around the house. Simple directions below.

Supplies:
Plastic from packaging - kids toys, veg/fruit containers, etc.
Permanent markers
Coloring book (optional)
scissors
suction cup (optional) - can be found at the hardware store
1 paper clip
hole punch

I started with this plastic tray packaging. I cut off the sides so I had a flat piece of plastic. Most plastics for packaging will do.

Place the plastic over a favorite coloring book page and trace the image with a black marker. Depending on the child's ability you can trace or have the child do it. For younger children you can skip this step and just have them draw a picture on the plastic.

You should now have something that looks like this. Now let the child color it in with the permanent markers.

Once it's colored let dry. Cut the shape out. Punch a hole in the top and attach a suction cup to it with a paper clip. You could also adhere it to the window with glue dots. Done

Craft Project: Plastic Bottle Jump Rope

You can never go wrong with the classic jump rope. It's a simple toy that can entertain children for long periods of time. Even better, you can make one out of items you probably have lying around the house. It's a quick and easy craft project. So pull those plastic bottles out of the recycling bin and make a jump rope with me.


Supplies
Two Plastic bottles: any bottle with a circumference small enough for little hands
Rope - anything you have around the house. you could also make rope by braiding plastic bags
Scissors
Exacto knife
Glue (optional)
Two plastic flowers (optional) - I used some flowers I salvaged from a wrapped gift

Here's the bottle I started off with. Optional - you can have your child decorate the bottles with stickers.

Cut out a hole with the exacto knife in the center of the bottle. It should be slightly larger than the circumference of the rope.

Take apart a fake flower. Thread the flower onto the rope one petal at time.

Thread the plastic bottle onto the rope next. Tie a knot at the end (refer to picture).

Pull the rope tight so the knot is at the end where you cut the hole out of the bottle. Glue the flower to the bottle. Repeat on the opposite side of the rope. Done!

Here's a childhood blast from the past, Miss Susie jump rope rhyme. Anyone else remember this?

Miss Susie had a steamboat
the steamboat had a bell
Miss Susie went to Heaven
the steamboat went to
hello operator
please give me number nine
and if you disconnect me,
I'll paddle your
Behind the refrigerator
there was a piece of glass
Miss Susie sat upon it and broke her little
ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the girls' room
zipping up their
flies are in the kitchen
the bees are in the park
Miss Susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the
D-A-R-K
D-A-R-K
D-A-R-K
[fast] DARK, DARK, DARK
dark is like a movie
a movie's like a show
a show is like a TV screen
and that is all I know
I know I know my mother
I know I know my pa
I know I know my sister
with the alligator bra!