| ISSUE 33 • 17 JUNE 2007 | |
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Editorial Ahoy there landlovers! Welcome to the 'pirates' issue of Kids Craft Weekly. Long time subscribers and the very observant will be aware of the fact that this is actually the second time that Kids Craft Weekly has looked at pirates and the first time that I have repeated a theme! Don't be concerned. I still have plenty of great new themes in store for you. In this instance I just wanted to have another crack at this particular one as I had come up with some fun new ideas since the original pirate issue was published in August 2006. Thanks to those who have contributed suggestions for the list of good, old-fashioned outdoor diversions for young kids. If you have any suggestions please email me and I'll add them on. Another great list that I've read this week is Blair's wonderful collection of ideas to keep kids from being bored this summer. (Though I think someone needs to write and suggest that Kids Craft Weekly should be added onto the list!) For now, I leave you with a happy snap of one of my little pirates, making her way across the treacherous loungeroom, furtively guarding her stash of stolen money from her rampaging pirate brother. Email me your photos and I'll add them to the Kids Craft Weekly photo gallery.  Happy crafting and I'll see you next time!  Amber Carvan editor@kidscraftweekly.com |
This craft is impressively simple and extremely appealling to kids of all ages. If I were ever to compile a list of my all time favourite crafts this one would have to be high on the list. Note: I must insist that you use a proper wool needle for this activity – when I tested this idea with a normal needle I drew blood on my first attempt. Ouch! You will need • aluminium foil • strands of ribbon or wool • a wool needle (ie. a large, thick needle with a blunt end) • aluminium pie trays (optional) Directions 1. Thread the needle with a piece of ribbon or wool. Then pull off a piece of foil and scrunch it loosely.  2. Thread the foil ball onto the ribbon/wool, and repeat.  3. When you've finished threading, give the foil balls a little extra scrunch to keep them in place on the necklace.  4. For added bling, make some medallions by drawing on and stabbing a foil pie case with a wool needle. Make a hole in the top and thread it on! 
I've been trying for a while to come up with a realistic pirate hat that's relatively easy for kids to make and feel happy that this one fits the bill. Note: This craft idea is available as a printable project sheet. Download a copy of the PDF file (1MB). If you're not confident drawing the hat shape or the cute jolly roger koala you can find templates for both in this project sheet. You will need • long strip of thin cardboard (any colour) • piece of black card • white foam (or cardboard) • scissors • glue • stapler • feathers • sequins or stickers Directions 1. Cut a long thin strip of card. Measure it to the circumference of your child's head and staple it together.  2. Fold your black piece of card in half. Then cut out the shape of the pirate hat.  3. Trace a jolly roger outline onto a piece of thin white foam or cardboard. Carefully cut out and stick to the front of the hat. Alternatively, cut out the jolly roger shapes in the free printable project sheet and stick them directly on.  4. Tape on some colourful feathers and stick on some sequins or stickers to form a contrasting border.  5. Staple the black hat to the headband you created in step one. 
My daughter insisted that she and her brother couldn't play pirates unless there was something for them to steal off each other! Fair point, I thought, and so we came up with this simple pirate money and felt pouch. You will need • largish piece of felt (approximately 15 inches square) • marker • elastic • cardboard • hole punch • lids or small cups to trace around • scissors • aluminium foil Directions for the money pouch 1. Cut out a large circle of felt – we traced around a large mixing bowl to get our circle shape. Then punch a series of holes around the circumference of the circle, approximately one inch in from the side.  2. Thread a piece of elastic through the holes.   3. Pull the elastic tight to gather in the bag. Then tie a strong knot in the elastic, being careful to ensure that the elastic is loose enough for your little one to get the coins in and out, but tight enough to make sure that the contents won't spill out. Then tie the elastic onto a belt or wrist and cut off any loose ends.  Directions for the pirate money 1. Trace some circular shapes onto a piece of cardboard and cut them out.  2. Wrap the circles in aluminium foil to make shiny coins. You can also wrap large metal washers (from a hardware shop) in foil to make solid and weighty coins. 
No self-respecting pirate would be without an eye patch for their face and a flag for their boat. These two things are easy to make with a small amount of black felt. You will need • black felt • thin black hat elastic • hole punch • white acrylic paint • jolly roger stencil (see the pirate hat printable project sheet) • paint roller or paint brush • stick • scissors Directions for the eye patch 1. Cut out the shape of an eye patch from a piece of black felt.  2. Punch a hole in each side and tie black hat elastic to each of the holes.  3. Wear with your best pirate face!  Directions for the pirate flag 1. Cut out a flag shape from the black felt and stencil on a jolly roger using white paint and a roller.  2. Cut small x's into the side of the felt and thread through a stick to make a flag.  |
| WANT MORE? Check out the other pirate issue for more great ideas! |
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