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Let's face it, board games are expensive, project kits cost even more, but who needs them? You don't! Here are five different projects you can do with your kids for ten dollars or less.
1. Potato Stamps - This is a good project for older and younger children to do together.
You will need:
ยง Uncooked Potato (one for each child)
ยง Knife (to be used with adult supervision)
ยง Poster Paint
ยง Black Magic Marker or Ball Point Pen
ยง Q-tip or cheap Small Paint Brush
ยง Paper to stamp on
Instructions - Cut a potato in half. On half the potato cut in your design. It can be as simple or elaborate, as you want to make it. Hint: flowers, hearts, diamonds, and stars work really well. Do two or three potatoes with your designs. Take the brush or q-tip and color in your design, then you may attempt. The only thing holding back your back is your imagination.
2. Bird Feeder - This is a good long-term project.
You will need:
ยง Pinecones (one for each child)
ยง 1 Jar of Peanut butter
ยง 1Bag of Birdseed
ยง Spoon
ยง Scissors
ยง Yarn, Ribbon, or String
ยง Plate
Instructions - This project can be messy. Give each child a pinecone. Cut the yarn in strips and have the children tie it around the tops of the pinecones. Then each take turns putting peanut butter in all of it's cracks. Put birdseed on the plate and roll the pinecones in seed. Afterwards take outside and hang. You can get a bird guide at your local library and try to identify all the birds that come to your visit your feeders.
3. Pasta Sculpture - This is fun for adults too!
You will need:
ยง 1 Large Bag of Mixed Dry Pasta
ยง Paper Plates
ยง Glue.
Instructions - Use the paper plate as your base. Glue the pasta together in the form of animals, a person, buildings, flowers, or what ever you like. Just have fun!
4. Dress Up Masks - Have a camera ready for this one!
You will need:
ยง Brown Paper Grocery Bag (one for each child)
ยง A Black Magic Marker
ยง Crayons
ยง Glue
ยง Scissors
ยง Construction Paper
Instructions - Have the children draw a face on the bag of the character they are going to be (for this example an Indian War Chief will be what we use). Draw the face with magic marker cut out large eyeholes and let the kids color it in. The cut "feathers" out of construction paper to make the headdress. Glue them on, let it dry, and let them play make believe. For safety keep the kids indoors while they are wearing these. It is also fun to discuss the history of masks during the project.
5. Clothespin Dollies - These are very sweet!
You need:
ยง Clothespins (one for each child)
ยง Scrap Cloth
ยง Fine Point Black Magic Marker
ยง Glue
ยง Scissors
Instructions - Cut the cloth in small workable pieces; let children glue cloth on clothespins to make the doll "clothes". Then draw faces on the knob part of the clothespin. You can tell your kids how pioneer children made their own dolls this way too!
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