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I came across some great sights for unique, easy costume ideas for kids for Halloween.  The first site Surf Net, has costumes for toddlers and school aged children. using items found around most houses.  Check out their ideas at:

http://www.surfnetkids.com/halloween/homemade-costumes/

 One of my favorite sites for kid-friendly crafts, and holiday decorations as well as costumes is one I’ve mentioned before on this blog: Red Ted Art.  While looking for costume ideas, you might also check out the 20 Apple Crafts, 20 Pumpkin Ideas, and the Bat Crafts as well.  http://www.redtedart.com

picnic table costume

Don’t forget, you can also have your child be his or her favorite Literary Character from a book by taking something unique from each character as the focus. One example would be to paint a lightning bolt on your son’s forehead and give him a pointed hat and he’s good to go as Harry Potter.  A pointed hat, green face paint and a long black scarf that doubles as a cape makes a pretty acceptable witch.  Dress your child in black turtleneck and tights and tie a sash around her middle and she’s an Oreo cookie.   You your imagination and you won’t have to break the bank to be original.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

One of my favorite summer activities is being out on the water in a boat, enjoying the afternoon sunshine as the boat – any boat – glides through the water.  Even if you can’t take a ride in a people-sized boat, you and your kids can make an amazing flotilla of boats using all kinds of recycled materials.  And, best of all, they all float!  So save your egg cartons, margarine tubs, seashells, and sponges and get ready to have a boat race in your pool or even in the bathtub.  Don’t forget to take a video of the event and who knows, it may become an annual tradition.

Check out the model boats at: http://www.redtedart/2013/06/08/boat-craft-ideas-for-summer

Many of the boats have video instructions and cost little in terms of materials. Happy sailing!            

If your children are bored or you just want to get them away from video games for awhile, try some of the summer craft projects at:  http://www.thelongthread.com    

You can learn to tie dye T-shirts, make a seashell garden, make your own kites, sun prints, and much more.  There are crafts for all ages and easy step-by-step directions.

Another site with dozen’s of kid-friendly craft projects is: http://www.redtedart.com

Get crafty this summer!

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with you hair.” – Kahlil Gibran

I can think of few things that bring out the kid in all of us more than bubbles. What is it about soapy water that is so much fun?  As the dog days of summer beckon, here are a few water related activities you and your children can enjoy throughout the warm weather season.

1.  Water painting.  This is a great activity for keeping little ones occupied.  All you need is a bucket of water and some paintbrushes of various sizes.  Add a few drops of food coloring and let the kids “paint” to their hearts content.  They can paint the sidewalks, steps, driveway.  So  what if they get wet or spill the “paint” – it’s only water.

2.  How about making your own bubble wands and bubble solution?  It’s easy to bend wire into wands for blowing bubbles of all sizes. And Red Ted Art has a great recipe for soap bubble solution:  Easy as 1…2…3

Gently mix together: 1 liter (1/5 gallon) of hot water, 1C good quality liquid soap, 2-4 T glycerin (this makes the bubbles thicker and longer lasting and is available at craft stores or supermarkets).    Gently stir and leave overnight.  The longer you let it set, the better the bubbles will be.  If you’re using it for a party, make it a couple days ahead.

Check out Red Ted Art for other outdoor fun activities.  http://www.redtedart.com 

3.  Put on your bathing suits and have a Water Balloon Fight.  You can get a bag of water balloons at most Dollar Stores.  Fill them with water, and once you have a pile, have a blast (pun intended).

Here’s an easy craft for kids to make to celebrate Memorial Day or the 4th of July.  All you need is a piece of stretchy elastic used for jewelry and an assortment of buttons in red, white and blue.  You can find these at any craft store such as A C Moore, Michael’s, or Hobby Lobby. 

Cut a piece of elastic about two -three inches longer than your wrist.

Thread the buttons onto the elastic one at a time, alternating colors as you go.  Don’t be afraid to push the buttons on top of one another.  The elastic will stretch when you wear it, so the buttons will separate then.

You can also add beads in between the buttons if you wish for a different look.  Add buttons until you reach the desired length for a comfortable fit on your wrist.  Then tie off the ends using a double knot as shown below.

Cut off the extra elastic close to the knot and you are finished!  For other bracelets and 40 more ideas for Memorial Day crafts and beyond, visit www,redtedart.com/2014/04/22/button-craft-ideas/

Why not try some red, white and blue food at the picnic as well to get into the patriotic spirit?  Blueberries and strawberries are in season and taste great over vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

Give the bracelets away as prizes for anyone wearing the most red, white and blue clothing.

Happy Memorial Day, and remember all those who gave their lives for our freedom.  Check out this short video that so thoughtfully reminds us of sacrifice.

http://moments.org/thank-you-for-your-service/

How do you celebrate Memorial Day?   I’d love to hear from you.  To Veterans past and those presently serving our country, Thank You For Your Service.

With spring finally here, and Easter and Passover right around the corner, there are lots of ways to celebrate the season with crafts and egg decorating. Some of the easiest and festive kids crafts can be found on the RED TED ART sight.  There are 40 Easter crafts using eggs, pompom balls, and readily available materials.  http://www.redtedart.com

When I was a kid, we died eggs by dipping them into cups of colored water.  You can still  do that, but now there are many other ways to decorate eggs for the holiday. You can use non-toxic water color paints to create works of art.  Try paint daubers to make dots, Crayola or other non-toxic markers to draw designs. The Red TED sight has many other ideas for egg decorating.  If you wish to try the Polish art of PISANKY egg dying, you can order your own kit from: http://www.chinaberry.com

I decorated this egg at a workshop on how to do PISANKY.

Here’s a unique way to give out chocolate treats for the holiday:  Create egg-shaped baskets out of balloons and dazzle family and friends with your talent.  Check out the how-tos for MAGIC BALLOON TREATS  at: http://www.thewhoot.com.au

Happy Easter and Happy crafting!