Helpful Hint #2 -edible paint

I got this recipe from this lovely blog It was tried and tested today. And yes it is edible but not really tasty!!! Throw 2 cups of any kind of flour that you have lying around into a bowl, gradually add COLD water until it forms a fairly smooth paste free of any big lumps, then slowly add freshly boiled HOT water, stirring constantly until it forms the right consistancy - if you are finger painting you'll want it to be a little thicker, so add less water. Split the mixture into however many colours you want and add a food colouring to you desired colour is reached. Now you have a non-toxic, completely toddler safe paint that they can eat all they like. Only make enough for the painting session as it only really lasts for 24 hours.

bee rattle craft

body was made from a cardboard tube, cardboard wings, sticker seals one end and ping pong ball seals the other end. A bell is put inside before the ping pong ball is taped to the tube. Eyes with double sided tape go on the ping pong ball to form face and the children drew their own faces. Pipe cleaner legs are poked thru slits in the tube.

spin wheel craft

All you need to make a spin wheel is a square of paper, a length of thin dowel, some florists wire, and a drinking straw. Was nice watching the children running around afterwards with their wheels.

New Ice cream parlour

Children had a ball with the new play ice cream station. Very easy to do at home just scunch up paper as the scoops of icecream. Cone is just a piece of orange card shaped to the cone shape.Hours of fun.

bat craft

this craft is hard to show in motion So check out the little video I have attached. It is a bat that flaps. Cut out a bat shape then cut a slit in the middle and push a straw thru and cut the straw in half then tape the straw so that the straw becomes a handle for the flapping. Next glue a pom pom body on (I didn't have any so I made some cardboard ones) next glue the yellow foam eye surrounds and then the googley eyes. lastly draw the wing veins. Hold the handle and push it up and down to see the bats wings flap. Kids loved it.

chicken cup craft

This one again, was a hit, mainly because it too makes a noise. It is made from a plastic cup which I sprayed the inside of with yellow paint. A hole was pierced thru the bottom and a long piece of string threaded thru. Tie the end inside the cup to a toothpick so that it cannot be pulled right thru. Next the eggshell was cut from leftover sticker scraps from the printers I work for and the kids stuck it to the bottom. The beak is just a diamond shape of red paper folded in half and taped to the cup and googley eyes are also attached with double sided tape. The wings are actually cut from the top of the cup and taped into place. Lastly cut a rectangle of yellow tissue paper, fringe the edges and scrunch the middle so that the fringed edges stick out the top of the cup. And wahla!!! To make the chiken go "bawk, bawk", dangle the string into a bucket of water then tug the string from the top and the movement of your hands sliding down the string makes the noise. Try it. This is my sample...

helpful hint #1 -playdough recipe

Okay, every now and then I will be putting in a helpful hint, whether it be recipes of the things we use in playgroup or something that will help you at home with your crafting fun with you children. Today's helpful hint is the recipe of how I make my playdough. Not only is it cheaper to make your own playdough, but then you know what you child could be placing in their mouth!! And lets face it most kids do at some stage.

So heres the ingredients...
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
food colouring to desired effect
1 1/2 cups hot water (mix the food colouring in this water first before adding to the flour and salt)
2 tsp vegetable oil

It's easy. If your dough is a bit sticky just work in some more flour till it isn't sticky.

Fly catching frog craft

this craft not only was so simple but a huge hit with the kids(what child doesn't like to make noise!!! I got the idea from here. I have made my own version of the template though. All you need are stickers, googley eyes, green card, and a party blower.

this is the tongue in action...

butterfly craft

Everyday we do a craft, the butterfly mask was loads of easy fun even for the 1 year olds. Was a simple butterfly shape with a popstick taped to hold on the childs face. We decorated them with textas, feathers, foam shapes and glitter pens; taped googley eyes on and taped the pipe cleaner antennae. You could use a number of mediums to do so though. Here are some shots of my sample...

Here are a few of the finished results...

first week off to a flying start.

well we started have begun!!! Everyone had a ball. Thought that I would show you with pictures...

Painting fun
sandpit time
drive...
the kitchen/shop was a hit
a concoction...
morning tea of healthy fruit was snavelled up quickly...