Salt-Dough Cutouts

by Summer Minor

Making clay cutouts can be a lot of fun, but buying a continuous supply of clay can be costly. Luckily you can make simple salt dough in your own kitchen. Made with ingredients found in most kitchens, salt dough is very inexpensive and fun to play with. And the best part is, after you have made your cutouts, you can bake the dough to harden it, then paint and seal them to create lasting decorations.

To make a batch of salt dough, here is all you will need:

1 cup table salt

4 cups white flour

1 1/2 cups hot water

food coloring (optional)

Mix together the salt and flour until evenly blended. Slowly stir in the water until the dough becomes slightly sticky and elastic. If the dough feels crumbly, add a little more water until it evens out. If the dough feels too sticky, you can add more flour. Adding a few drops of food coloring while stirring in the water can brighten your dough. This can be especially fun if making several batches of dough to use. Once you have mixed the flour, salt, and water, help your children knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.

Now let the fun begin! Use cookie cutters to make various shapes, or play with the dough to make your own unique creations. If you plan to bake and keep your dough, you will need to make the figures thin enough to bake all the way through. If the centers are too thick, they will not bake and can crumble from the inside out.

To preserve the salt dough cutouts, lay them on a slotted drying rack to allow them to dry on both sides. Some objects may take up to a week to air-dry completely. You may also use your oven to quickly heat-dry them. Heat your oven to 200 degrees F, and allow the dough to bake for two to four hours (depending on thickness). Once the clay cut outs are dry, have your kids decorate them with paint, glitter, and beads. Apply a coat of clear acrylic varnish to keep indefinitely.

Creating unique figures and creations to last is a great way to inspire your children's creativity. Try this fun art project together, and see what your children can come up with!

Summer Minor is the blog author of Wired for Noise.

Editor’s note: Keep this project in mind for the holidays! Why not trim the tree with handmade ornaments this year? 

image courtesy chrissi

Rainy-Day Crafts for Toddlers

by Meryl D. Rose

Toddlers love to create crafts with their hands; after all, it’s part of their personalities and what makes being a toddler so much fun. These five rainy-day crafts are perfect for little people when wet weather has them house-bound. Try one, or try them all!

Noodle Necklaces

Noodle necklaces are so easy, even the youngest toddlers can make them.  Of course, Mom may have to color the noodles beforehand, but the results will be worth it.

Mix together ½ cup vinegar and a few drops of food coloring for each color you would like.

Soak various noodle shapes to color, and allow them to dry on a sheet of wax paper.

When dry, help your child string the noodles onto a piece of yarn.  Tape one end to a table to make stringing easier and to prevent the noodles from slipping off the yarn.

Tie the ends together to close the necklace, and let your child wear it with pride.

If you don't feel like coloring the noodles, string colored cereal between the noodles to give the necklace some pizzazz. Older toddlers can even use washable paints or markers to decorate the noodles.

Paper Plate Maracas

Paper plate maracas are easy and fun for toddlers, particularly if they like to make noise (and almost all toddlers are experts at that).

Help your child decorate the bottom of two paper plates using feathers, glitter, bits of colored paper and string, or whatever items you have on hand.

Staple the edges of the two paper plates, insides facing, together.  Leave a small opening for the filling.

Place a handful of dried beans or rice into the opening, and staple it closed.

Cover the pointy side of the staples with colored tape to be sure they don’t snag little fingers.

Turn on some music, and let the kids join in! 

Edible Finger Paint

Let your budding artist create a masterpiece using edible finger paints made with sweetened condensed milk and food coloring.

Mix together small amounts of sweetened condensed milk with a couple drops of food coloring.

Give your child a sheet of heavy paper or wax paper on which to create her work of art.

Don't worry if she puts the paint in their mouth; it's yummy!

Tip: Remember that food coloring stains. Have your child wear a smock, and wash her hands as soon as she’s done finger painting.

Pom-Pom Caterpillars

Pom-pom caterpillars are furry friends you won't mind finding in your toddler's pocket!

Have your toddler choose three pom-poms of the same size, but in varying colors.

Glue the pom-poms together in a line.

Attach a pair of wiggly eyes using a drop of glue.

Tip: Glue the caterpillars on one side of a clothes pin and attach a magnet to the other. Use it to show off your child's other works of art.

Handprint T-Shirts

Handprint t-shirts are more than just a craft;  they are a creative way to preserve your child’s little hands.

Pick a cotton t-shirt in your child's favorite color.

Pour a small amount of fabric paint in a shallow bowl, and help your child place his palms into the paint. Immediately help him put his hands on the t-shirt, pressing down gently.

As an alternative, have your child place his thumbs in the paint to make thumbprint caterpillars.

Help your child wash his hands thoroughly with soap.

When the paint is dry, you can use a fabric marker to write his name and the date on his t-shirt. If your child has created a thumbprint caterpillar, use the fabric marker to draw a face, feet, and antennae.

Making crafts with your toddler can be a bright spot on any rainy day.  And you may just spark a newfound creativity in both your little one and you!

Meryl D. Rose is a mommy to an adorable 5 1/2 year old girl and has been married for almost 13 years to a wonderfully supportive husband. Meryl has over twenty years' experience teaching and counselling children and parents both in and out of the classroom. Meryl was bitten by the proverbial computer bug and created Chit Chat for Mommies, a website created by moms for moms.

image courtesy anissat

Homemade Felt Dolls

by Robin

It seems there is a toy for everything today. In the toy manufacturers' search for ever-increasing market share, even imaginative play has become adult-driven. My kids have one magnetic card for playing airplanes, a different one for fire trucks, a farmhouse felt board, Spiderman Colorforms, you name it. Every whim seems to be catered for by a different and distinct toy. While they enjoy playing with these toys for a while, their usefulness is limited; fire trucks just don't turn into boats or soccer players or circus lions. 

I wanted to make something that would be versatile and encourage their imaginations and sense of creativity, and which would teach them that not every toy has to come neatly packaged from a toy store. I also wanted it to be easy to store and good for travel.
 

I found the answer in one of those "1001 things you can do with a toothpick and a piece of string" type kids' activity books. I decided to make a set of felt dolls. 

One thing you need to know about me is that I am absolutely, positively NOT crafty. I don't sew, I can't draw, and I have a creative sense that continuously outstrips my limited abilities. Anything I choose to do has to be easy enough that even a creatively-challenged person like me can manage it. Creating felt dolls is very simple. Here, see for yourselves: 

Materials: 

A few sheets of plain white paper for templates

Pen or pencil

Scissors

4-5 sheets of colored felt (assorted colors)

Glue

1 cardboard folder (the kind which closes with an elastic band) 

Instructions: 

Fold a piece of white paper in half. 

Draw HALF of your design coming out from the fold. Include paper-doll style figures, simple clothing, geometric shapes, whatever strikes your fancy.  Be sure to include some plain shapes that your children can use in many different ways. 

Cut out your design. When you unfold it, it will be symmetrical.  

Lay the white cutouts on the felt. Trace with a pen or pencil. These stencils can be used over and over again to cut out the same figures in various colors.  

Glue one solid piece of felt to the inside cover of the cardboard folder. Fabric glue or rubber cement will work best, but you can use whatever you've got handy.  

Place all the cutouts in the "pocket" of the folder, along with a few extra pieces of plain felt which can be used as alternate story boards – great if several children are playing together. 

When playtime is over, everything gets dumped back into the folder, the elastic is closed, and it's all held neatly until next time. 

That's all there is to it. Nothing fancy; just good simple fun. 

Robin is the blog author of Around the Island.  

image courtesy Robin