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Showing posts with the label crafts for kids

DIY: tee shirt grocery bag without sewing (directions)

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Yes, you do need a a tee shirt to make this bag, but the one I used was in a free bin at a thrift shop. Materials One tee shirt and a pair of scissors Instructions 1) Find an old tee shirt or get one from a variety of places. I found this one in a free bin at a thift store. 2) Cut off the sleeves 3) cut off the neckline 4) measure how deep you would like the bag to be. I used another reusable cloth bag for my measurement as well as a knitting book. 5) Cut fringe from the bottom to where the bottom where you would like the bag to be. Separate the side fridge and cut up to meet the size of the other fringe. 6) Start at one side of the fringe and tie two pieces of material together into a knot. Continue tying knots until the end of the shirt is reached. Look inside the bag. If you can see holes through the knotted sections, go back and then take one piece of fringe from each adjacent knot and tie it together. That will seal up any holes. Great bag that is com

Make Your Own Paper Beeswax Drinking Straws. Say No to Plastic! (paper straw templates)

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Earth Day is Every Day! I hate plastic drinking straws. My children both have been taught  to say NO to the straw when we go out to eat. It isn't a perfect scenario. I understand that some people find it easier to drink out of a straw so here are some options to kick the plastic straw habit. 1) Get in the habit of saying No to the Straw . I have to remind myself to ask for "no straws" at a restaurants. It's a work in progress. 2) Purchase reusable stainless steel straws. I keep a container near the fridge where my children and their friends can grab a straw to use around the house. I also have one in my bag and a few in each car's glovebox. To solve the issue of plastic outside the house, I looked into purchasing paper straws. Though inexpensive, the packaging and shipping can be an issue. 3) Make Your Own Paper Drinking Straws: It seems making paper straws would be a simple enough, and it is. Below are a few templates to make things easy for you. I

Craft Activity: Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

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Valentine's Day isn't just about candy and hearts, don't forget your four-legged friends! They hike the trails and always greet you at the door. Children will also love being able to help make their four-legged friend a healthy treat. Plus the added bonus is a lesson in measurements. Gather all the ingredients first and let everyone involved take a turn, no matter how small. Even give a small portion of the dough to let the kids roll out and cut out the treats. For even more fun, use cookie cutters. Peanut Butter/pumpkin Dog Treats 1 1/2 cups flour 
(I use whole wheat) 1/2 cup peanut butter (no sugar and creamy)* the kind of peanut butter that is just peanuts, no salt or sugar  1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree add a little water if needed until the dough can form a ball Grain-free peanut butter/ pumpkin dog treats grind oatmeal into a flour and substitute for the whole wheat flour Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine wet ingredients. Mix the flour into the wet ing

Recipe;: Making Snow Cream instead of Ice Cream (using fresh, clean snow to make ice cream)

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REPOST FROM JANUARY 2015: Living in a climate where it snows around 6 months out of the year, we either need to eat it or shovel it. Eating it is always the preferred way of using snow. This recipe for a homemade soft-serve ice cream is easy and fun. It doesn't store well so plan on making enough to eat immediately. My family doesn't seem to mind that they have to eat any leftovers. Enjoy! One quick and easy dessert that is a fan favorite is making a soft-serve ice cream out of snow and simple ingredients found in the fridge and pantry.

Make You Own (DIY) Paw Wax: protect pets' paws in all weather conditions from frostbite or hot pavement

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Protect dog paws from the cold Recipe and Craft: Do It Yourself (DIY) Paw Winter Protection (Paw Wax) - multi-use formula for pet walking, exploring, hiking, protect from road salt, frostbite, frostnip.  The temperatures around the Adirondacks have been well below freezing, -31Āŗ to be exact, but that doesn't stop our golden retriever from wanted to go outside to play. We still need to watch for signs of frostnip in all of us, we also make sure to take care of our pup. DIY Paw Wax ingredients We've always altered between using  Musher's Secret, a food-grade barrier wax made in Canada, and a homemade version of a paw wax. Our dog tends to lick off everything so whatever we use, we need to make sure it is safe for the furriest member of the family. (We have even use it ourselves as lip balm or hand moisturizer while we are hiking.) What is good enough for the dog, is good enough for the children.  Making your own paw wax isn't complicated, but the ingredien

Meat-Eating Plants? Adirondack Carnivorous Plants

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Sundews are a carnivorous plant from in the Adirondacks Nature Detective?   Yes, please!  At least with Adirondack carnivorous plants, you don't have to worry about it eating your pets or smallest child. This isn't A Little Shop of Horrors,  but Mother Nature's pest control.  Pitcher Plants at Ferd's Bog There are carnivorous plants that are native to the Adirondack Park, but they are much smaller than the mythical Venus Flytraps. The sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort are beautiful as they are resilient.    These   plants use various natural disguises to lure in its prey. No carnivorous plant completely relies on insects as a food source. Photosynthesis is still at play.   The sundews' sticky leaves glisten in the sun, tricky insects onto the leaves. There they are trapped and "eaten" by means of the plant's digestive enzymes.   The pitcher plant uses its brightly colored "trumpet " and nectar to lure insects into the

Craft: Making a Recycled Paper Corner Bookmark Tutorial and Print-out

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Looking for a rainy day activity  or have you lost your favorite bookmark? Don't dog-ear those pages, make a quick corner bookmark out of recycled materials. Enjoy reading your favorite books! Directions (print-out tutorial at bottom of page) 1) Cut out a 6" or 7" square piece of paper or use the tutorial print-out to the left. We have used old maps, children's artwork, candy wrappers, and catalogs as material for bookmarks. 2) fold in half diagonally: bring corner 4 to corner 1, fold along corners 2 and 3 to form a triangle pointing up. 3) Fold corner 2 to meet corner 1 and fold corner 3 to meet corner 1, crease along folds 4) turn the diamond 180Āŗ so flaps face down.  (See diagram) 5) Gentle open the flaps 6) in the center there will be folded lines forming a square. Fold the top layer Corner 1 up. 7) Refold corners 2 and 3 down to form the diamond shape. 8) Fold the top layer of Corners 2 and 3 to Corner 1. Crease at line 7. 9) Fold Fl

Crafts: Aldo Leopold Bench Plans

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Enjoy these simple plans for this simple bench that provides a perfect place to observe the natural world.  C onsidered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United States’ wilderness system, Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast . “That land is a community is the basic concept off ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.” Though his book, The Sand County Almanac is a must read, it may be something that can wait for anyone with very young children. For everyone else, it's a wonderful example of nature writing that is a timeless connection to the land. My family first made our first  "Leopold Bench" as a group effort at the Aldo celebration at the A dirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb, NY. It remains one our most comfortable outdoor benches. It also was a project that allowed us to work together. © Diane Chase, author of A dirondac

Solar Eclipse Today! Make a quick Cereal Box Solar Eclipse Viewer Pinhole Projector

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Please be careful today when watching the Solar Eclipse cross over North America. Even though the Adirondacks only expect to be at about 63-67% totality (the moon covering the sun), the harshness of the sun's rays will still do damage to your eyes if you do not wear the proper protection. To see what time the Solar Eclipse is happening in your area, click here.  According to the  NASA website , during a solar eclipse the moon aligns with the sun, temporarily blocking out some or all of the sun's rays. Why is it important to wear proper protective eye wear?  1) The sun will literally burn your eyes. 2) Since the sun is partially blocked, people may think the sun's rays are not harmful. That is not true. With the sun partially blocked, people have a false sense of security. Proper eye protection is required. © TIME magazine: 1960s school children view solar eclipse with cardboard box 3)   Solar retinopathy occurs when ultraviolet light from the sun floods t

Solar Eclipse Moon Tracker Craft: See where the moon will move across the sun August 21, 2017

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There are numerous posts regarding the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse. Here is my own post from May that also targets the various seasonal full moons.  All the safety measures and warnings about wearing approved eclipse glasses are necessary. For anyone interested in creating a visual craft demonstrating where the moon across the East Coast and New York State during the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse, please feel free to print out the graphic I created using data from the NASA website .

FREE Activity: Print out this MOOSE coloring sheet and fun facts

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DID YOU KNOW? Moose are related to deer? The name "moose" is an Algonquin/Native American word meaning twig-eater • A male moose is called a bull • A female moose is called a cow • A baby moose is called a calf • The skin under the moose's neck is called a bell • Moose are herbivores. They eat plants • Moose are one of the largest animals in the Northern Hemisphere • Moose are excellent swimmers • Moose can eat 50-60 lbs of plants in a day!  Enjoy!  © Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series , Adirondack Family Time™guidebooks have easy Adirondack family hikes, Adirondack swimming holes, Lake Placid Olympic activities, Adirondack trivia, Adirondack horseback rides, Adirondack snowshoe family trails and more. Look for the Adirondack family guidebook online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the next Adirondack Family Activities™ guide.

Arts and Crafts: Tissue Paper Window Star Art

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It has been a long winter and any signs of spring seem to be still buried under three feet of Adirondack snow. If you are also looking out the window and want to bring some color and freshness to your house, try these delightful window star art projects. Remember arts and crafts are not just for kids, but for adults, too! I am a devout purchaser of craft books, Pinterest  and crafting with friends. My children are very patient with my struggles to try to make something affordable as well as beautiful. Tutorial for Tissue Paper Window Stars Materials: tissue paper, colored wax paper or any paper that is translucent, glue and tape  Cut tissue paper into rectangles. Fold eight rectangles in half length-wise. Open back up. Fold each corner in to meet the center fold line. Crease the corners.

FREE Activity: Learn to Tie A Bowline: Print out this KNOT TYING worksheet and fun facts

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Print out this KNOT TYING worksheet and fun facts Learn to Tie Knots: Bowline I always learned to tie a bowline with the "bunny around the tree" method. It seems to be a time honored system as now that is how my Adirondack kids have learned to tie this handy bowline knot. Enjoy! "THE BUNNY COMES OUT OF THE HOLE , GOES AROUND THE TREE AND GOES INTO THE HOLE" FUN FACTS:  1) The bowline has been used for over 400 years. It forms a xed loop at the end of a rope. 2) USES: hanging something around a tree like a hammock, pulling something up, lowering a package down 3) The short end (BUNNY) is called the working end while the long end (TREE) is called the standing end. 4) This knot won’t come undone while under stress but is still easy to undo. *WARNINGS: KNOTS ARE NEVER TO BE TIED AROUND PEOPLE OR ANIMALS AND ONLY USED WITH PARENTAL SUPERVISION Look for more family-friendly ideas on AdirondackFamilyTime.com © Diane and Tyler

Craft: Build a Toad House

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Are you overrun with toads?  Give them a home of their own. Here is a quick  Toad House  to make those warty creatures have a comfortable place of their own. Recycle old or broken terra cotta pots and get that toad settled in. Remember that toads can eat upwards of 1,000 insects in a day. They also eat grubs, slugs and bugs! © Diane Chase, author of  Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  available  online  or bookstores/museums.

Recipe: Violet Foraging Makes Violet Syrup and Lemonade

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Picking the violets is a sweet job! Springtime means violets and lilacs. I love having an edible landscape. Violets are one flower that brings color to my recipes and with the right violet, they even bring a sweet, sweet scent. In the Adirondack Park where I live, the purple native violets do not give off any scent. Also called blue violets (Viola sororia) these violet flowers and new spring leaves are edible and full of Vitamin C. The flower of the common blue violet (Viola sororia) has five rounded petals and is unscented while the leaves are heart-shaped. These native plants can be tossed in a spring salad adding bright floral interest. The more fragrant English wood violets (Viola ordorata) are what is most commonly used for perfumes and essential oils have naturalized in some places. The purple violets in the Adirondacks are unscented The small white violets have a sweet scent! Though there is one native sweet violet (Viola blanda) in the Adirondacks that does

Make Your Own Easter Egg "Confetti Egg" CascarĆ³nes

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CascarĆ³nes are a lot more fun than just dying the eggs. You get to blow out the egg, dye the egg, fill it with confetti and smash it on your brother's head - all in the name of good luck.                                             CascarĆ³nes are used in Mexico during Carnival as well as Easter and other celebrations. The word  cascaron means "egg shell." ( Don't forget food safety when handling raw eggs.)   These hollowed-out eggs can be filled with glitter, confetti or even small toys. Since my husband hates glitter, we stick to paper confetti. Enjoy!  Ingredients raw eggs in shells large needle (children should not do this alone) boiling water food safe dye vinegar confetti (make your own by cutting up tissue paper into small pieces) 1) Wash the eggs with soap and warm water 2) Gently ease the needle into one end of the egg 3) Use the needle to pick out a small hole at one end 4) Shake the contents of the egg into anothe

Craft: Make a paper or felt fortune cookie

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The U.S. Greeting Card Association’s website states that about one billion valentines are sent worldwide each year. Not that I am not the sentimental type but most of the time cards end up in the recycling bin. Saving cards seems to create just one more thing to move. There are some items that I do keep that are only significant to me. So for anyone looking to create a different keepsake, here is a paper of felt fortune cookie. Paper or Felt Fortune Cookies Getting ready for Valentine's Day? Need a quick idea to make little treats for your children's friends? Use the template and follow the simple directions to make quick and easy fortune cookies.

Craft: Make an Fabric Wrapped Initial

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This week's craft is brought you you by Lauren at Goody-Goody *Handmade . She takes a simple piece of wire and shapes it free form to make this creative craft. This is something that can be done with children of all ages. You can use recycled materials and really let the creativity flow. Have  fun! Materials - paper wrapped wire (how about reuse: take an old wire hanger  - fabric scraps, cut into strips at least 1" wide. Length doesn't matter much. - glue gun - buttons, bits, beads and baubles - cord for hanging Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities) for the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Jay/Upper Jay, Wilmington, Keene/Keene Valley which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the second guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities.

Focus on Adirondack Family Time: Find Adirondack Kids Activity Crafts, Nature Detective, Hikes, and Farmers' Markets

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When it's time for FRESH seasonal food, Make sure to find the nearest Farmers' Market in the Adirondack Park. There are Adirondack Farmer's Markets each day of the week. Check which is closest to you. Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday , Friday , Saturday , Sunday Looking to learn a bit about nature in the Adirondacks? Learn to be a Nature Detective with these activities. Looking for crafts or activities to do with children? Here are some ideas. Hiking with children and families in the Adirondacks is a natural thing to do. Here are a few ideas to start with for your Adirondack hike with kids. all content and photos © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)