Craft Day

Just mentioning paint or glue in our house results in mass euphoria, so making an entire day out of it (to embrace the mess) just makes sense. Here are three things that you can create from the goodies you find lying around most homes.

 

1) Cork Boats​

Once you've made them you can run down to your closest canal, river or stream (even your bath) and race them.

You will need:

• 1 wine bottle cork
• Two different coloured pieces of paper no bigger than the palm of your hand (the more colourful the better)
• Glue
• Scissors
• Toothpick
• 20 cent coin
• Sharp, serrated knife

Steps:

• Cut the cork in half lengthways with the knife. Now cut a slit in the curved edge of the cork - just big enough for your 20 cent coin, which will serve as a centreboard. (Tip: Put the knife in and wiggle it a bit to get the hole wide enough.)
• Pop in the coin and put aside.
• Cut one piece of the paper into a narrow oval with slightly pointy tips. The length of your finger is long enough.
• Use the toothpick to make a hole in each end. You now have your sail. Then push one end of the toothpick into the middle of the flat side of the cork.

 

2) Food Colouring and Glue

Technically these aren't products that you would usually put together, and that is exactly what makes it extra fun.

You will need:

• Plastic lids from tubs of yoghurt, dips Tupperware etc.
• Wood glue
• Various colour of food colouring
• Toothpick

Steps:

• Pour the glue in the plastic lids and swish it around until the entire surface is covered.
• Drop the food colouring onto the glue and then 'paint' with the toothpicks.
• Allow to dry.
• Once dry, you can pull the colourful glue creation out of the lid and use it as a stained 'glass' decoration or a sun catcher in the window.

3) Button Canvas

We are always looking for pretty looking, handmade crafts to hang up in the kids' rooms. Making this button canvas with their initials on it was a huge hit and now proudly hangs over their beds.

You will need:

• Acrylic paints of your choice
• Canvas
• Wood glue
• Pencil
• A collection of buttons - we kept our white with a few pink and purple thrown in.

Steps:

• Paint the canvas with the selection of acrylic paints that you have chosen. The more abstract the better.
• Leave to dry overnight.
• Use the pencil to draw the first letter of your child's name and then put the wood glue along those lines. 
• Stick the buttons on the line and allow to dry overnight.

Storybook Day

One of my favourite memories of my childhood is of reading stories with my friends and then re-enacting them in as many dress-up clothes as we could find. Although our kids are still small it is quite easy to do 'plays' of the shorter more well-known stories, like "The Three Little Pigs" or "Red Riding Hood". Older kids could get involved in producing their favourites.


You will need:

• Story books that you love as a family. If you can find books with a similar demographic to your family that would help to make sure everyone is included.
• A dress-up box full of any old clothes, hats and wigs.
• A 'stage' area to perform.

Steps:

• Get into character. For our family the story of the "Three Littel Pigs" works really well. Mommy is the Mommy Pig that sends off her babies to build their own houses, the kids are the 3 pigs and daddy is the Big Bad Wolf
• Try and put on dress up clothes that you think your characters would wear.
• Read through the story together first and then guide them through doing all the 'actions'.

No Electricity Day

Pretending that you don't have any electricity for the day is a lot of fun. Here is an idea of how to keep your kids busy when the lights go out.

Roast Marshmallows on the Fire



This is a huge favourite in our hosue and a definite first choice of things to do when it's raining.

You will need:

• A fire in a safe fire place or braai area
• Marshmallows
• Long sticks to be able to keep a safe distance

Steps:

• Light up the fire and let it burn for a while.
• Spear the marshmallows with your stick and hold over the fire until it's browned to perfection.
• Enjoy

Bonus idea from our My SPAR Facebook Fan Alta Beytell:
Snow Globe Day

We asked our My SPAR Facebook page fans for their ideas about how they would keep their kids entertained these holidays. We received some fantastic ideas but our favourite was this idea from Alta Beytell as she describes how she will be keeping her kids entertained this holiday:
 
We will be making snow globes. It will show off their creativity and the materials are not expensive at all.

It contains the following:

• Small glass jar
• A plastic figurine
• Glycerin (Optional; while it’s not necessary, it makes the glitter float better)
• Water
• Glue (Superglue)

This will go as gifts to family and friends as well as the old age home nearby.
 
Thank you Alta for this wonderful idea.