| ISSUE 29 • 22 APRIL 2007 | |
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Editorial Welcome to the 'shapes' issue of Kids Craft Weekly. This has been one of those crazy fortnights where I've had so many crafty ideas spilling out of my head that we've run out of time to get them all done! I've listed a few of these extra ideas at the end of the newsletter, so if you have the time to attempt them please let me know how you got on. Better still, send photos so that we can all enjoy your work! The craziness is set to continue for the next little while at least. Over the next month I'm planning to put together the first ever Kids Craft Weekly craft book! It will contain lots of fun craft ideas on a particular theme (as well as a few other surprises for the kids) and will be available to subscribers for a small fee. The newsletter will still be free and I am committed to keeping it that way for good. The craft books will hopefully go some way towards offsetting the cost of website, ensuring the long and healthy life of the free newsletter! I'd very much like to get your input before I launch into the unknown. If you have a spare moment I'd appreciate it if you could take the time to visit the online poll and cast an anonymous vote on your preferred format for a craft book. And please, if you have any other specific thoughts about this idea I invite you to get in touch and let me know. The theme for the next issue is 'pets' and it's shaping up to be heaps of fun. It will be published on May 6, so stay tuned. Happy crafting and I'll see you then!  Amber Carvan editor@kidscraftweekly.com |
Kids as young as two will enjoy making these fun prints, slightly older ones will enjoy being challeged to name the shapes. Kids aged five and over can have a go at mixing up the shapes to make different objects like a house, car or tower. You will need • a toilet paper roll • a matchbox • a toblerone chocolate bar • a toothpaste box • a paper cup • acrylic paint • paper Directions 1. Make a cup of tea and eat your toblerone chocolate bar while the kids are asleep. Save the triangular prism cardboard packaging for making shape prints the following day! 2. Collect together some more different shaped cardboard boxes and cut any extraneous flaps of cardboard off them so that they will make a nice clean outline.  3. Pour large globs of paint onto a tray or some cardboard and stand up each of your cardboard stamps in a different glob of paint.  4. Use as stamps on colourful paper.  Here are Arky's efforts. You'll notice they're really very restrained - except when it came to the Toblerone. He's much like his mother in that respect :) 
This is a entertaining and novel way to make prints with young kids. The end result can be variable but the little ones love the process and it's a great way to whip up vast quantities of wrapping paper. You will need • a think dishwashing sponge • a cardboard roll, the best kind come from cling wrap or aluminium foil • rubber bands • acrylic paint • large sheets of paper • scissors Directions 1. Cut simple shapes from a sponge.  2. Attach them onto a strong cardboard roll using rubber bands. Make sure you leave at least an inch on either side of the roll so that you have somewhere to put your hands while rolling.  3. Roll the roller into a puddle of paint, then roll across a large piece of paper. Watch out for the paper sticking to the roller. If necessary, tape the paper down to the table. 
These glitter shapes are one of the most popular crafts we've ever done! We haven't had a go at them since we made Christmas cards last year so I figured it was a good time for a quick recap. Ella squealed with delight when she saw the glue and the glitter! You will need • white glue • plastic containers • cookie cutters • fine glitter • black paper or cardboard Directions 1. Pour glue into a small container or tray until the glue is about three millimetres deep. before you start pouring, make sure that your container is large enough to accommodate the cookie cutters.  2. Dip a cookie cutter in glue and then use it to make a glue print on the paper. For best results, leave the cutter in place on the paper for about three seconds to allow for the glue to drip down around the outline of the shape.  3. Sprinkle different colours of glitter on top of the glue prints, making sure to cover all of the glue marks.  4. Finally, shake the glitter off into a tray and allow the shimmery shapes to dry. 
This simple game is heaps of fun. It's also a great way to help kids learn shapes and colours and to exercise their memory and concentration. With minimal supplies required, this activity is a good one to keep up your sleeve for a rainy day. You will need • paper cups • glue • stickers, foam shapes, bits and bobs (or coloured markers) Directions 1. Collect ten identical paper cups, then use stickers or bits and bobs to make several different sets of two shapes on the bottom of the cups. For example, two circles, two triangles, two squares, two hearts and two stars.  2. To play the game, each person selects two cups and turn them upside down to reveal the shape inside. If the shapes don't match the cups are put back down to their original position and the next player selects two cups to lift up.  3. When cups are matched, they are removed from the line or grid. Each player must aim to collect as many matching cups as possible. 
Create a home made shape sorter Select objects from around the home that have a distinctive shape. Place them on the top of a cardboard box and use a marker to trace around the object. Carefully cut out the shape and voila! Your very own shape sorter! Make some outdoor chalk tracings Feel like a chage of scenery? Collect together some household objects in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Then head outdoors and have fun tracing the outlines onto a paved areas or footpath using coloured chalk. Put together your own shape chart Use your fabulous Kids Craft Weekly shape prints to put together a shape chart. One panel for circles, one for squares and so on. Perfect for the bedroom wall! |
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This issue's featured subscriber's blog
Knittymama "Knitting, spinning, sewing....all under the careful watch of my two boys, Little Man and Knittybaby, and my often perplexed husband, the Skeptic." To have your blog featured in this section just send in your web address and I'll add you to the list. But be warned, the waiting list is currently very long. |
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