Kid's Fun ~ How to Make Melted Bead Suncatchers

For the Kiddos ~ How to Make Melted Bead Suncatchers with Pony Beads
from:  http://artfulparent.com/2012/06/making-melted-bead-suncatchers.html

HOW TO MAKE MELTED BEAD SUNCATCHERS

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Yesterday we made melted bead suncatchers, an idea I found on Craftster (viaPinterest).

Now that Maia is on summer vacation, we have been using Daphne’s nap time toread and, often, to work on an art or craft project together.

The melted bead suncatchers were surprisingly easy to create yet are very durable. Unlike most suncatchers and stained glass projects we make out of paper or contact paper, these melted bead suncatchers will last and last and will also withstand the elements for outdoor use.

HERE’S HOW WE MADE OUR MELTED BEAD SUNCATCHERS

We started with cheap, translucent pony beads. I bought ours at our local A.C. Moore, but they are available on Amazon and Discount School Supply as well.

Maia and I each arranged the pony beads into a single layer in metal baking dishes. She started with a cake pan but was soon daunted by the size and switched to the smaller muffin tin sections.

By the way, I was skeptical about melting the plastic beads in my baking dishes. I half thought that they would never come out and I’d be stuck with ruined pans, but that wasn’t the case. As soon as a bead suncatcher was cool, it popped right out and didn’t leave any visible residue at all!

Here are Maia’s beads, ready to be melted and fused together.

While Maia created several smaller suncatchers, I used the cake pan to make one large suncatcher. I arranged my beads to form a sun as you can see in the partially completed design above.

We melted the beads in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. They could probably have used a few more minutes, but I was starting to freak out about the melting plastic smell. I don’t know why it came as a surprise to me, but it did.

I opened all the windows, turned on all the fans, and took the kids outside to play while the beads melted. I didn’t want any of us to breathe the fumes. Once the suncatchers were melted, I took them outside to cool on the hood of the car.

(By the way, once the suncatchers were “cooked,” I sprayed some Febrezearound the house and the smell went away immediately. Awesome! I don’t know much about the stuff, though, and wonder if it just masks the smell (it didn’t seem like it — I used one without a scent) or if it somehow removes the particles from the air or makes them inert. I’m awfully curious now.)

UPDATE (5/23/12): We’ve since made all of our melted bead suncatchers on the gas grill outside, thanks to a comment from Lou. It works great and only takes about 10 minutes! Some readers have been using a toaster oven outside, which may be another good solution.

Once the suncatchers were cool, I inverted the pans and they popped right out! As you can see from the somewhat pebbly surface, they probably could have used a few more minutes in the oven.

Harry drilled a small hole in each with the power drill, then strung some old kite string through the holes to hang them up.

We hung the melted bead suncatchers on the front porch to catch the morning sunlight.

Aren’t they lovely? Maia has already said she wants to make more and I have to admit that I’m eager to try different colors and designs myself. I think they would make great gifts as well.

By the way, look how the round beads melted into hexagons. We thought it was pretty cool how they melted to take up the space around them so evenly.

Although when the beads were more widely spaced or set on their sides, some melted into rectangles and pentagons.

Now we have a riot of colorful melted bead suncatchers to join the melted crayon stained glass bunting on the porch!

Perhaps it’s time I just give in and admit this is a stained glass and suncatcher blog. :)

If you’re looking for more melted bead suncatcher ideas, here are my melted bead suncatcher posts so far:

• Making Melted Bead Suncatchers (Basic info for getting started)
• A Melted Bead Suncatcher Mobile (And how to make shapes)
• A Melted Bead Suncatcher Spiral (The beginning of our freeform experimentation)
• More Melted Bead Suncatchers :: Free Form Experiments
• Melted Bead Suncatchers :: Beautiful Free Form Hearts
• Melted Bead Stained Glass in Frames — Mondrian Style!
• Melted Bead Suncatcher in an Embroidery Hoop Frame
• A Melted Bead Jack-O-Lantern Suncatcher
• Melted Bead Words
• Melted Bead Fairy Wands
• Melted Bead Suncatchers 7+ NEW Ways (Includes ornaments, die-cut wood frames, spiral mobiles, and shapes within suncatchers)

101 Kids Easter Basket Ideas

by JESSICATURNER on MARCH 22, 2012

FROM:  http://www.themomcreative.com/2012/03/101-kids-easter-basket-ideas.html

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I love putting together Easter baskets! My mom always did an incredible job with our Easter baskets when I was kid.  I love being a mommy now and getting to do the same. If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know I am a huge proponent in shopping sales and year-round. That ensures that: a) we don’t spend a ton of extra money in one month on gifts b) I always have a decent stockpile of gifts c) I can get REALLY great bargains. You can find lots of wonderful deals for Easter baskets even if you aren’t a year-round deal shopper like me. I highly recommend checking out The Dollar Store or the dollar section at Target and/or Michaels. These stores offers dozens of little gifts that kids love! I was amazed when I went to The Dollar Store this weekend at all the fun little toys and gadgets they had to offer (particularly in the realm of superheroes – Elias’s current obsession). Another way to find excellent bargains are by shopping on sites like Groupon, Zulily and Totsy. Each of these sites offer toys, clothes and gifts at significantly discounted prices. I love putting something personalized in my kids’ baskets. This year Elias is getting a superhero t-shirt with his name on it (I can’t remember where I ordered it from!) and Adeline is getting a personalized book from Paper Hat Press (we love their books!). For the photo I also tucked in her Baby Be Blessed doll because I think it would make a perfect Easter basket gift. (The dolls are handmade and include your child’s name and a special scripture verse). I also think it is important to include something faith oriented in your child’s Easter basket since Jesus is why we celebrate Easter. As much as I love the fun of Easter baskets and egg hunts, they do not replace the true meaning of this important holiday. Below is a list of 101 Easter basket gift ideas. I hope it inspires you to put something you hadn’t thought of in your child’s Easter basket this year.

1. Books (A few ideas: That’s Not My Bunny or Pat the Bunny for a baby; The Runaway Bunny, A Beatrix Potter Treasury, The Parable Of The Lily and The Easter Story for toddlers and young children. I just ordered these last two books for Elias’s basket – which is why they aren’t in the picture!)
2. The Jesus Storybook Bible (Every child needs a copy of this Bible. If your child is older, you might get their own bible with their name on the cover.)
3. Candy (I’m not big on candy, but a big lollipop or a chocolate bunny – definitely a fun treat. PEZ dispensers are also awesome.)
4. crayons
5. Markers
6. coloring books (We always buy our coloring books at The Dollar Store. They have so many to choose from.)
7. Silly putty (I used to love getting silly putty in my Easter basket!)
8. toothbrush (The Dollar Store has REALLY fun kids toothbrushes. Elias is obsessed with his Spiderman brush that we got there.)
9. Kids watch (Again, The Dollar Store!)
10. Small doll (I love Adeline’s Baby Be Blessed doll)
11. stuffed animal (Kohls has $5 stuffed animals and the proceeds support local children’s hospitals)
12. t-shirt (maybe one that is personalized)
13. puzzles (Melissa and Doug Puzzles are awesome)
14. Barbie
15. Superheros (Elias would love this Marvel Super Hero Mini Figure Set)
16. stickers
17. Toy animals
18. Small game
19. Card games (Love this set of four Children’s Card Games)
20. Gift card (iTunes, Target, Borders, etc.)
21. Play-doh
22. Paint or Do-A-Dot paints (we love to dot paint!)
23. Plain wood, canvases or ceramics to paint
24. Foam stickers and shapes (You can usually find these really cheap at craft stores)
25. Bath soap
26. Bubble bath (We love The Honest Company’s bath products)
27. shaving cream
28. Bath crayons
29. Crayola Color Bath Dropz
30. Hair accessories
31. DVDs (Veggie aTales ‘Twas the Night Before Easter)
32. CDs (The Tuneables and You Are My Little Bird are huge favorites around here. I think I like them as much as the kids. I have also heard great things about the Seeds Family Worship albums)
33. Pool toys
34. Sandbox toys
35. Cars
36. Sidewalk Chalk
37. Swimsuits (I bought Adeline’s swimsuits this year from Zulily)
38. Rain gear
39. Bouncy balls
40. Big ball (soccer, basketball, football)
41. Army men
42. Lip gloss
43. Nail polish
44. Bubbles
45. Jump Rope
46. Fun band aids
47. Kite
48. Fun summer shoes (ie: sandals or crocs)
49. Sunglasses
50. Hat
51. Stationery
52. Fun socks
53. Lotion
54. Wind-up toy
55. Slinky
56. Action figures
57. Angry Birds stuffed animals
58. Flower seeds
59. Gardening tools
60. Bug House
61. Flashlight
62. YoYo
63. Baseball cards
64. Legos
65. Fairy wings
66. Magic wand
67. Necklace
68. Earrings
69. Lisa Leonard decor (sign up for her newsletter on  the website and you’ll get a coupon! Easter orders must be placed by 3/27)
70. Painting smock
71. Pajamas
72. Photo canvas for their room
73. stencils
74. Small purse or wallet
75. Wind-up toy
76. Planes
77. Small instrument  (recorder, tambourine, cymbals, etc.)
78. Temporary tattoos
79. Puppets
80. Word searches
81. Construction paper
82. Stamps and  ink pads
83. Pool floats
84. Bath toys
85. Water bottles
86. Disposable camera
87. Personalized notebook
88. Blocks
89. Apron
90. Mini-Piggy Bank
91. chia pet
92. Comic books
93. Keychains
94. Diary/journal
95. Picture frame
96. Bike accessories (horn, streamers, etc.)
97. Posters
98. Wall decals
99. Movie tickets (like to see The Lorax!)
100. Silly Bandz
101. Magazine subscription (Highlights, Ranger Rick)

- See more at: http://www.themomcreative.com/2012/03/101-kids-easter-basket-ideas.html#sthash.lqqvfVrw.dpuf

Chocolate Bowls

I have this for Kid's Fun, but really I think this is awesome too!  I love chocolate!  This is a really fun thing for kids to make and eat :) from Quick & Easy Recipes:

**Note:  For the chocolate, you can melt chocolate chips slowly in the microwave and add a bit of milk to them to make the chocolate creamier.

Fun Fall Cake

Here's a fun cake recipe your little ones can enjoy making and eating with a "surprise" inside :) From the She Knows Food and Recipes Blog:



Peekaboo pumpkin pound cake with brown butter pecan icing
Ingredients:

For the pound cake
1 (14-ounce) box pumpkin bread mix
1 (16-ounce) box pound cake mix
Orange food coloring

For the icing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
1
Prepare pumpkin bread

Mix up pumpkin bread ingredients according to the directions on the box. Add orange food coloring to make it more "pumpkin-y" looking (less brown).


2
Bake and cut

Bake in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan according to directions. Remove from oven before completely done, about 8-10 minutes less than instructed. Let cool, remove from pan and refrigerate for up to four hours. Cut cold pumpkin bread into large slices. Cut pumpkin shapes from slices.



Align them down the center of a lightly greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.


3
Make pound cake

Mix up your pound cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour over your pumpkin bread cutouts in the pan, making sure to cover the tops of the pumpkins. You may have more pound cake batter than you need. Try not to overfill the pan. Bake according to the directions on the box. Let cool when done.


4
Prepare icing

Meanwhile, prepare the brown butter pecan icing.

Put powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. In a saucepan, melt butter and boil, stirring until it starts to brown and form dark flecks on the sides and bottom.



Remove from heat. Pour the melted brown butter and flecks over the powdered sugar. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir until combined and creamy. Add more powdered sugar if it appears too runny or more evaporated milk if it seems too stiff.


5
Ice cake

Remove baked and cooled pound cake from pan and top with brown butter icing. Add chopped pecans, if desired.



Cut into slices and delight your guests with the pumpkin-shaped surprise that peeks out from inside!

Flower garland

Saw this lovely picture on Pinterest and thought how easy would that be to make!



All you need are
some live/fake carnations or another flower that has a medium base
fishing line
Ribbon
Hotglue gun
Needle


1.  Thread your needle with as much fishing line as you will need to hang this up in your child's doorway probably about 5 -6 feet.
2.  Thread through the base of the flower and add space the flowers out about two inches or so - whoever full you want it to look.
3.  Make at least 9- 10 strings full of flowers.
4.  Then cut two pieces of thick ribbon about 2 - 3 inches wide the length of your doorway.
5.  Next glue each top of your fishing line with your hot glue to one side of the ribbon and then glue the other ribbon over the top so the line is sandwiched between the two ribbons.

Voila!  Beautiful garland for your little girl's door!

Jump Rope

Another idea for those plastic bags!  Make your own jump rope!  My kids LOVE jump ropes!  To both jump with and also to tie things up with :)  Here's an easy way to make your own jump rope your kiddos will enjoy from A Childhood List:


DIY Plastic Bag Jump Rope





I really do make a huge effort to not get plastic bags, yet somehow they seem to multiply in our house. So on a quest to figure out something to do with them, I came up with this idea, what about a jump rope. The girls love jump ropes, although they haven't quite figured out how to actually jump rope yet (although the Bee is working on it.) They do however love to use them to limbo under, tie to a tricycle or wagon, drag things around, as a police stop in the bike traffic circle in our backyard, and many many other uses. So I figured I would try to make one from the plastic bags and was pleasantly surprised when it actually worked really well. To make the jump rope I started by taking plastic bags, and cutting them open so they were one flat piece. I then cut off the handles and any extra pieces so I was left with one large rectangle of plastic.

Next I cut each rectangle into long strips. I just eyeballed it, since it doesn't really matter if the strips are the same width or even length. After cutting a few bags worth of strip, I started tying the strips together to a little longer then the length I wanted the jump rope to be. I made a total of 12 long strips.

I then took six of the strips and taped them together with painters tape and taped the whole group to the back of a chair (if you ever made friendship bracelets as a kid you know exactly what I am talking about.) I then braided the six strips together into one very long, jump rope sized braid. Once I finished braiding the first 6 strips together I repeated this step with the second 6 strips so that I had two long plastic braids. I then twisted the two braids together tightly so that the jump rope would have enough weight to swing when jumping.

After twisting the two braids together I taped the ends with duck tape to create a handle. We then took our jump rope outside for a test and it worked great. We tied one end to a chair and I swung the other end for the Bee to try jumping, which she loved. I am sure this afternoon it will get put to good use pulling wagons and tricycles. The plastic is surprisingly strong and seems to hold up well and the good news is I have plenty more plastic bags to make another one!

Preschool Science and Sensory Tools

It is no secret, young children learn through play.  Here are some really fun things you can keep on hand for your little preschooler or elementary aged kiddo for some real hands on fun and learning from Fun-A-Day!

Also - a lot of these things you may already have around your house that your little one might "borrow" for a bit.  Water/Sensory tables like the one pictured are GREAT!  I have always had one for my three kiddos. Rather than buying one, we took two large plastic totes, turned one over and glued the second on top (bottom to bottom).  Super easy and perfect height for a preschooler too and you can reuse the totes when they out grow the table :)








That being said, I do have certain “tools of the trade” that I love using when doing silly experiments and playing in sensory bins. I’m not focusing on ingredients today — rather, the items that help the kiddos explore those ingredients. Since there really are a limitless amount of tools little scientists can use, I limited myself to 15! I’d love to hear what your favorites are in the comments section below! :)

Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Many of these items can also be found at your local grocery store, The Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, and a variety of chain stores.

TWEEZERS
The kids always get a kick out of using child-sized tweezers, chopsticks, and mini tongs


! They’re great for transferring and picking up items during sensory and science play. Tweezers and chopsticks are a great alternative for those children who aren’t as excited about getting their hands dirty. They also add a fine motor dimension to all of the sensory fun!





FUNNELS
I think funnels are Engineer’s favorite science/sensory tube. He especially loves using them to add liquids to empty bottles at our water table! They’re also great for adding little bits and bobs to discovery bottles! Many kiddos just like to pour different items into the top of the funnels and watch as the items fall (or don’t fall) through the mouth of the funnel.








SQUEEZABLE CONDIMENT BOTTLES
There’s just something about squeezing these plastic bottles that kids react to! Maybe it’s the force they get to exert on the bottles or the possible mess they might be able to make? We use the bottles to add vinegar and water to our fun science experiments, paint in the snow, “write” with liquids, mix colors, etc.



ICE CUBE TRAYS
With all of the freezing experiments we’ve done over the summer, ice cube trays have become go-to science tools at my house! Ice cube trays are also great to hold small items and liquids for science/sensory fun. The specially-shaped trays can add a new dimension to play as well — to make shaped ice cubes and shaped Jell-O concoctions, for example.



EYE DROPPERS
Nothing makes a child feel more like a scientist than eye droppers! They add a different fine motor aspect to sensory and science play, allowing the children to work the small muscles in their hands. Transferring liquids, dropping vinegar on baking soda, and mixing colors are just a few ways to use eye droppers. Turkey basters also work well as droppers, and I am just LOVING these Jumbo Eye Droppers from Learning Resources (I haven’t tried them out yet, but I plan to soon)!!








LARGE PLASTIC BINS AND WATER TABLES
We do fun science experiments in multiple containers, depending on what we’re doing and where we are! In my classroom, I have a two-bin water table that’s a great height for the preschoolers (they also have a four-bin version


). I love that I can easily lift the tubs out when I need to empty them and clean them (which is pretty often). Other teachers at my school love the simple one-bin water tables


. At home, we use large plastic bins if we’re inside on a rainy day or if we want to transport it easily. If the weather’s nice and we’re on the back porch, we stick with a simple water table. Engineer’s getting too tall for it, so I will likely upgrade to something that suits him better soon.








MAGNIFYING GLASSES
Yes, they’re meant to magnify items that children are observing. Even beyond that, the kiddos just love using them! Half the time, it’s for looking at items up close. At other times, though, they just love pretending to be scientists. There’s nothing wrong with pretend play being thrown in with science and sensory play! I’m all for science tools that make the experience even more fun for the kids, andmagnifying glasses do just that.






MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS
These items are often pilfered from my kitchen when Engineer and his buds are experimenting or playing in sensory bins. I’ve set the children up with a variety of their own measuring cups and spoons. It’s lessened the pilfering from my kitchen, although I notice they still wander off occasionally! The cups and spoons help kids transfer materials, measure items, scoop, and pour. Plus, they seem to make children feel more “grown up” because they’re using tools their parents use.








MAGNETS
It seems that, no matter the age, kids are just fascinated by magnets. Engineer likes using magnets to make different structures, both on and off the fridge. He also likes exploring which items are magnetic and which are not. Children can also experiment with different strengths of magnets, or they can see how many items one magnetic wand can lift. The possibilities are endless!









PVC PIPES
Engineer loves building and creating new structures (thus his nickname)! He has used PVC pipes to create marble runs, water slides, and all sorts of musical instruments. When it comes to science, PVC pipes let children experiment with physics and the movement of liquids. They’re also great in sensory bins — to transfer different materials all around the water table and to test the sounds different items make. I purchased my PVC pipes at a local hardware store.



RECYCLABLES
Empty plastic bottles, cardboard tubes, empty sauce jars, cleaned out snack containers, etc. etc. etc. Half the time, any recyclables we have are cleaned up and stored in the craft closet for future use! We use plastic bottles to make discovery bottles, transfer sensory items, and so much more! Jars, containers, and bottles let children measure and pour, too. Cardboard tubes let children experiment with physics and create new aspects to their science/sensory play. With a child’s imagination, this list could go on and on!



MIRRORS
Mirrors let children explore how reflections and light works. Plus, kids just enjoy looking at themselves in mirrors, which adds a different perspective to their science/sensory experiences. I have yet to post about science/sensory with mirrors, but I recommend you check out My Nearest and Dearest’s “Water, Mirrors, and Reflections: A Physics Investigation for Preschoolers“ and Twodaloo’s “Blue Sky Sensory Play“.








TRAYS
Using different sized trays lets children move their experiments from one place to another. Engineer also likes using them to differentiate parts of his sensory play (for example, putting hay on one tray and dirt on another while creating a farm sensory scene). Also, trays help to contain (some of) the mess!








SHOVELS AND SCOOPS
Transferring items is a huge part of sensory play. Little Hurricane loves shoveling materials from one place to another and back again. Engineer enjoys using them to scoop items into funnels, PVC pipes, cardboard tubes, etc. They’re also helpful for learning measurement!