Eco-Friendly Crafting With Kids E-Book

Kate Lilley

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

Quirky, colourful and fun projects for preschool kids and their parents to make together. Small children love crafting and creating, and it's educational as well as enjoyable - crafting can help develop fine motor skills and teaches small children to follow instructions and work alongside someone else. Kate Lilley's hugely popular blog, Minieco, grew out of her desire to teach her own kids to be resourceful and use what's around them for creative play. Parents and kids alike will love the 35 bold, colourful projects featured in the book and divided into sections that include Music, Nature, Sewing, Science and Recycling Bin. The final section contains a list of 50 quick boredom busters that harassed parents can pull out of the bag in an emergency! Kate Lilley has a degree in Fine Art and a Master's Degree in Visual Communication. She then went on to work as a web designer before becoming a Mum. Kate's blog, Minieco, chronicles her adventures in crafting with her two young sons using inexpensive materials found around the home. Minieco has just celebrated its second birthday and currently receives 150,000 visits a month.

Leseprobe

introduction

As a new parent I was always told not to buy my sons expensive toys because, at the end of the day, they would always end up playing with the box. I smiled and nodded at the time (as you do!), but now my sons are four and three I can put my hand on my heart and say it’s absolutely true!

Boxes, and other such household junk, have become treasured possessions in our house. My four year old is currently obsessed with cash registers and it is amazing to see him turn a cardboard box into a complex machine using little more than his imagination. Using household objects for crafting makes so much sense. It’s cheap, kind to the environment and encourages kids to use what’s around them for creative play.

Kids will need help and supervision for all of the projects in this book. To what degree depends on the child’s age and ability. Needless to say, all steps involving sharp scissors, craft knives or ovens should be carried out by a grown-up and please remember that small objects, such as marbles, may be a choking hazard.

Some of the projects in the book are also a bit messy, so make sure you gather all your supplies beforehand and have a washing-up bowl on hand for a speedy clean-up afterwards. Please don’t be put off doing the messy projects, though, because they are the most fun and your kids will love you for it!

My sons, Seth and Tom, have road-tested all of the projects in this book. We’ve had a blast along the way. I hope you do too. Happy crafting!

Printing the templates from your iPad

1. Tap on a template to make it open in full-screen mode.

2. Take a screenshot by simultaneously clicking the power button (on the top right corner of your iPad) and the centre home button (underneath the screen). You will hear the camera click and see an on-screen flash. The screenshot will be saved in the Photos app on your iPad.

3. There are three ways to print out the saved screenshot:

If your iPad is set up to use AirPrint printers, print the screenshot directly from the Photos app.Email the photo to yourself, using the Photos app, and print out the screenshot from your computer.Using iTunes, sync your iPad to copy the screenshot to your computer, and print it out from there.

homemade materials

playdough

Making playdough is a science experiment, cooking lesson and craft project all rolled into one. We spend hours playing with it in our house, and there is always a lot of excitement in the air each time we whip up a fresh batch!

materials

½ cup of flour½ cup of water¼ cup of salt½ tbsp cream of tartare1 tbsp cooking oil

hints and tips

Needless to say, this recipe is for a non-edible playdough!Remember not to let your little one/s anywhere near hot or boiling water.Natural dyes can stain, so it’s best to wear an apron when preparing them. I’ve never had a problem with playdough staining hands or clothes once it is made.

Step 1

Get your helper to put all the ingredients in a pan and give it a good old stir. You can add some natural dyes to the basic recipe to make coloured dough (see Natural Dyes for Homemade Playdough).

Step 2

This step is for grown-ups only! Put the pan on a medium-low heat and continue stirring. Pretty soon it will start to look like something from a science fiction film and will stick to the pan – rest assured it will come good in the end! Once it forms a ball, turn the heat off and scrape the playdough onto a floured worktop.

Step 3

Allow the dough to cool, then knead it for a few minutes until smooth.

Step 4

Soak your pan in warm water for five minutes. After a quick wipe round with a cloth it will be as good as new!

natural dyes for homemade playdough

Using natural plant dyes to tint your playdough is lots of fun and a lovely way to teach kids that some of the most beautiful dyes can be found in your own back yard.

turmeric

Stir 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder into the dry playdough ingredients, then follow the basic playdough recipe. To make the colour more intense, knead some more turmeric into the playdough once complete.

raspberries and blueberries

Put a big handful of your chosen berries in a pan with a cup of water. Bring the mixture to the boil then gently simmer on the stove for about five minutes. Once the liquid has cooled, pass it through a sieve, then follow the basic playdough recipe using half a cup of your natural berry dye to replace the water.

tree bark

Don’t take bark directly from the tree – if you hunt around, you will find plenty on the ground. Put a big handful of bark in a pan with 1½ cups of water. Bring to the boil then gently simmer for 20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to about a third. Once the liquid has cooled, pass it through a sieve, then follow the basic playdough recipe using half a cup of the tree bark dye to replace the water.

beetroot/beets

Chop up one medium-sized beetroot and put in a pan with a cup of water. Bring to the boil then gently simmer for a minute. Once the liquid has cooled, pass it through a sieve, then follow the basic recipe using half a cup of the beetroot dye to replace the water.

cocoa

Stir 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder into the dry playdough ingredients, then follow the basic recipe. To make the colour more intense, knead some more cocoa into the playdough once complete.

red cabbage

Chop up a handful of red cabbage and put in a pan with a cup of water. Bring to the boil then gently simmer for a few minutes. Once the liquid has cooled, pass through a sieve, then follow the basic recipe using half a cup of coloured liquid to replace the water. Red cabbage produces a blue dye, but it turns bright pink when added to the playdough mix!

eco info

This craft uses readily available materials with no toxic chemicals!

watercolour paints

I was amazed to find out you can make your own paints and, luckily, my kids think it’s amazing too. It’s also a two-fold activity, which means double the fun!

materials

3 tbsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda3 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch3 tbsp white vinegar2 tsp liquid glucose syrupBowlContainers for paints (e.g., old bottle tops or ice-cube trays)Food colouringToothpicks

eco info

This is a great way to re-use any old bottle tops and lids.

hints and tips

You can make your own liquid glucose by adding ¼ cup of sugar to ⅛ cup of water in saucepan. Heat until the liquid begins to boil and all of the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before use.

Step 1

Get your little helper to mix the bicarbonate of soda, cornflour, vinegar and glucose syrup in a bowl. Keep stirring until the mixture stops fizzing.

Step 2

Pour the mixture into small containers to a depth of about 1cm/½in.

Step 3

Add 5 drops of food colouring to each container and stir with a toothpick. If you want a stronger colour, add a few more drops and continue to stir.

Step 4

Pop your paints on a sunny windowsill to dry. It usually takes 1–2 days, depending on the weather.

Step 5

Once your paints have dried out, give your little one some paper, a brush and a pot of water and let the painting commence!