Kid Crafts

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Giant Bubbles

Ingredients

  • 2 pints Water
  • 3 Tbs Dawn detergent
  • ½ tsp Guar powder heaping
  • 3 Tbs Rubbing alcohol
  • ½ tsp Baking powder

Instructions

  • Mix the guar powder with the alcohol and stir until there are no clumps.
  • Combine the alcohol/guar slurry with the water and mix gently for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a bit so the guar hydrates. Then mix again. The water should thicken slightly, like thin soup or unset gelatin.
  • Add the baking powder and stir.
  • Add the Dawn detergent and stir gently, to avoid causing the mixture to foam.
  • Dip a giant bubble wand with a fibrous string into the mixture until it is fully immersed and slowly pull the string out. Wave the wand slowly or blow on it to create giant soap bubbles.

Playdoh

This playdoh is not sticky and does not dry out

Ingredients

  • 1 c flour
  • 1 c boiling water
  • 2 tbsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 c salt
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Food coloring

Instructions

  • Mix and knead together

Crock Pot PlayDough

This recipe makes enough dough for 4-5 children to play with at a time. Store in a ziplock bag or a tightly sealed plastic container. If stored properly, the dough will last 3-4 months.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All Purpose flour
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • 1 cup salt
  • ¼ cup cream of tartar
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 tsp cooking oil not a typo! that’s all the oil you need!

Instructions

  • Plug in your crockpot and turn to low to warm up slowly.
  • Dump in your dry ingredients, stirring to evenly distribute.
  • Add the water and oil. Close the lid and switch the heat to high.
  • Set a timer and check your playdough every 30 minutes, stirring well each time. Our playdough took a little under 2 hours to make.
  • You will know it’s done or close to done when the playdough begins to form a ball when you stir it.
  • When that happens, remove the stoneware insert from your crockpot and stir some more. Dump it out onto a smooth surface and begin to knead—be careful—it's going to be hot. If your dough is overly sticky, add a bit of cornstarch; if overly dry, add a touch more hot water. Each time you make the dough, the water required will be a bit different, depending on the humidity in the air.
  • Separate the dough into manageable lumps and push a hole into the center for a few drops of food coloring–let the kids squish the dough around to distribute the desired color. Their hands will be a bit colored for a few hours…

Shaving Cream Finger Painting

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup shaving cream
  • 1-2 T liquid glue Elmers
  • Liquid tempera or food color. 1 T?

Instructions

  • Spray shaving cream into bowl or small tray. Add glue and paint, mix.
  • Use foil, cookie sheet, paper bags or table as surface.
  • Warm shaving cream by placing can in bowl of warm water, if desired.

Another Shaving Cream Finger Painting

Ingredients

  • Shaving cream
  • Newspaper
  • Powdered tempera paint or watercolor optional
  • Washable surface such as plastic table or tray

Instructions

  • Seat your child at a table and spread newspaper on the floor — this is messy! You might want to have your child wear old clothes or a smock.
  • Squirt shaving cream on the table or tray and encourage your child to touch it. While many children are eager to start playing, some are reluctant to touch unfamiliar textures or things that look too messy.
  • As your child spreads around the shaving cream, talk about what she is doing. Can you draw any shapes? Are there big swirls? Little dots? How does the shaving cream feel?
  • If you have some, sprinkle powdered tempera paint or watercolor onto the shaving cream. Observe with your child how the color gets spread through the white shaving cream. If you use more than one color, watch how they mix together.
  • Finally, ask your child to help you use a damp washcloth or paper towels to clean up.

Water Colors

You do have to make this one ahead of time, but children will love watching you mix this up!

Ingredients

  • 1 white vinegar
  • 2 Baking soda
  • 1 Cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp glycerin
  • Liquid food coloring
  • Plastic bottle caps from 2-liter bottles

Instructions

  • Mix vinegar and baking soda in small bowl. When mixture stops bubbling, add cornstarch and glycerin. Mix well. Pour mixture into bottle caps. Add several drops of food coloring to the mixture in the bottle caps. Let dry overnight.

Bubble Solution

Ingredients

  • 6 C water
  • 1 C corn syrup
  • 2 C JOY dish soap

Bubble Recipe

Karl likes Joy Ultra, but you can try any as long as it doesn’t have Bleach or antibacterial properties. You can also add some commercial bubble solution to increase the staying power of the bubbles. Just add and gently stir. Glycerin and other additives are used to slow evaporation. Use sparingly, if desired. He recommends CricketHillToys.com for Bubble wands at about $7.00 each. Buy extra handles in case some break. (I plan to build a large circular one with parts from Home Depot).
Author: Karl Debelack

Ingredients

  • 1 part dish soap
  • 10 parts water

Proto Putty

Ingredients

  • Food Coloring
  • 100% Silicone Sealant
  • Corn starch

Instructions

  • Mix together to get a good consistency.

Air Dry Clay

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp powdered alum
  • 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
  • boiling water amount varies depending on your humidity
  • food coloring

Instructions

  • Combine flour, salt, and alum in a mixing bowl
  • Add vegetable oil.
  • Slowly add boiling water, stirring the entire time.  Dough should not be sticky.
  • Break dough into separate portions if desired.
  • Add food coloring and knead until it is incorporated (your hands may get a bit messy here).
  • Form into small shapes, vases, bowls, flowers, etc or cut with cookie cutters.
  • Let dry 48 hours in a warm, breezy location.
  • Optional:  Paint with clear nailpolish or varnish.
  • Store for up to a month in an airtight container.

Basic Salt Dough Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of fine salt
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup of water may add more

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the salt and the flour
  • Make a well in the salt/flour mixture and add the water
  • Knead until smooth and shape into a ball
  • When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container