Crafting through Coronavirus
Hey folks – As the craft lady for KidsPost, I’ve put together this round up of previous Make It pieces for you to hang onto as many of us have kids out of school. A lot of them can be made with stuff you have on hand, or can be ordered on Amazon. Some also don’t need to have all of the supplies, either. Think of this as a creative jumping off point. I’ll be updating this list with other craft and keep busy ideas as I’m able. Hang in there everyone! -- Kris
- CD suncatchers: This is my most recent craft. While the article calls for glass paint, you can use whatever paint you have on hand (probably not water color though!). The effect won’t be as cool, but it will still be something to do! Puffy paint can be substituted for liquid leading. Don’t have blank CDs around? Cut up a clear sheet of plastic paper or even a plastic drink bottle.
- A Little Free Library at home: Next time you get a big ole box from Amazon, kids can turn it into a cardboard Little Free Library kids can use at home. It’s okay if you don’t have the exact kind of clear washable glue. Any Elmer’s glue should do. The chalkboard paint feature is cool, but not essential.
- Bell wind chime: A few simple ingredients – bells, ribbons and a stick – and you can easily make this springtime wind chime.
- Bath bombs: Yes, spring is around the corner, but you can make these snowflake bath bombs all year. Here are the silicone molds I ordered on Amazon. Feel free to use other candy molds. If you do, get ones on the smaller and shallower side as they will dry faster and won’t easily fall apart. Trust me. I made some cupcake size ones in my early testing and they were a hot mess!
- Pop-up crown: Mother's Day or no, I think we'll all deserve a pop-up crown when this blows over. Have the kids make you one!
- Pumpkin seed treats: It’s hardly Halloween, but my recipe for pumpkin seed clusters can easily be tweaked. Squash seeds will work just as well. Don’t have those? Use pretzel sticks.
- Ghost hands: Along those same lines, ghosts may be a big deal in October, but nothing is stopping you from making these boo-tiful peeps now. These are super easy to make. Don’t have googly eyes? Just draw some eyes on yourself.
- Bubble stickers: So I’m definitely not recommending anyone use any extra dish soap to make a DIY bubble mixture … but if you have some bubble mix at your house already, you can easily adapt my instructions for homemade bubble stickers. Just plop some food coloring into small amounts of bubble mix poured into cups. (This is still an activity that is best done outside in clothes you don’t care about getting ruined.) No biggie if you don’t have adhesive foam sheets, either. Kids can blow bubbles onto construction paper. Computer paper may get a little soggy, though.
- Ice cube tray chocolates: These sweets don’t need to be eaten up just on Valentine’s Day. Use any chocolate chips you have on hand to create these chocolate cubes.
- Have kids who are really into cooking? Have them make Thomas Jefferson’s macaroni, MLK cupcakes or these snickerdoodle snowballs. These three recipes could easily fill up a week.
- Got a clipboard? Customize it for mom for Mother's Day ... or for anyone you love ... any day!
- Easter is over ... Now you can turn the eggs into a robot!
- Bottle blossoms: I didn’t write this one, but these instructions for turning plastic bottles into a “flower” garden are a KidsPost favorite. Here’s how to create your own beauty.
- CD suncatchers: This is my most recent craft. While the article calls for glass paint, you can use whatever paint you have on hand (probably not water color though!). The effect won’t be as cool, but it will still be something to do! Puffy paint can be substituted for liquid leading. Don’t have blank CDs around? Cut up a clear sheet of plastic paper or even a plastic drink bottle.
- A Little Free Library at home: Next time you get a big ole box from Amazon, kids can turn it into a cardboard Little Free Library kids can use at home. It’s okay if you don’t have the exact kind of clear washable glue. Any Elmer’s glue should do. The chalkboard paint feature is cool, but not essential.
- Bell wind chime: A few simple ingredients – bells, ribbons and a stick – and you can easily make this springtime wind chime.
- Bath bombs: Yes, spring is around the corner, but you can make these snowflake bath bombs all year. Here are the silicone molds I ordered on Amazon. Feel free to use other candy molds. If you do, get ones on the smaller and shallower side as they will dry faster and won’t easily fall apart. Trust me. I made some cupcake size ones in my early testing and they were a hot mess!
- Pop-up crown: Mother's Day or no, I think we'll all deserve a pop-up crown when this blows over. Have the kids make you one!
- Pumpkin seed treats: It’s hardly Halloween, but my recipe for pumpkin seed clusters can easily be tweaked. Squash seeds will work just as well. Don’t have those? Use pretzel sticks.
- Ghost hands: Along those same lines, ghosts may be a big deal in October, but nothing is stopping you from making these boo-tiful peeps now. These are super easy to make. Don’t have googly eyes? Just draw some eyes on yourself.
- Bubble stickers: So I’m definitely not recommending anyone use any extra dish soap to make a DIY bubble mixture … but if you have some bubble mix at your house already, you can easily adapt my instructions for homemade bubble stickers. Just plop some food coloring into small amounts of bubble mix poured into cups. (This is still an activity that is best done outside in clothes you don’t care about getting ruined.) No biggie if you don’t have adhesive foam sheets, either. Kids can blow bubbles onto construction paper. Computer paper may get a little soggy, though.
- Ice cube tray chocolates: These sweets don’t need to be eaten up just on Valentine’s Day. Use any chocolate chips you have on hand to create these chocolate cubes.
- Have kids who are really into cooking? Have them make Thomas Jefferson’s macaroni, MLK cupcakes or these snickerdoodle snowballs. These three recipes could easily fill up a week.
- Got a clipboard? Customize it for mom for Mother's Day ... or for anyone you love ... any day!
- Easter is over ... Now you can turn the eggs into a robot!
- Bottle blossoms: I didn’t write this one, but these instructions for turning plastic bottles into a “flower” garden are a KidsPost favorite. Here’s how to create your own beauty.
