More Cardboard Crafts!!!

The Girls having fun with their box ‘cars’ 🙂

I have to admit we didn’t exactly come up with this ‘idea’ ourselves – our local art museum was sponsoring an event where you get to decorate boxes as cars and participate in a parade!  We had a blast painting the boxes – So our 6-year-old made a jet car and our toddler is in a flower float — colored rope to suspend it up and voila!  HOURS of fun 🙂

See the article below for more cardboard crafts/fun!

Crazy for Cardboard Crafts

Craft With Cardboard

I love working with cardboard. Why? For starters, it’s abundant. Cardboard sneaks into your home every time you bring in groceries and sundries, and you can get boxes for free at most stores just by asking for them. Then there’s the fact that you can build big things with it, using only some tape or glue. Finally, cardboard can be recycled, so it’s ecofriendly. I’ve made hundreds of cardboard projects, ranging from small milk-carton houses to cars and huts big enough for my three girls, ages 4, 5, and 7, to play inside. We work together to think up, plan, develop, and construct these toys. The three projects on the following pages were originally built and played with by my family. They also appeared on my craft and sewing blog, ikatbag (ikatbag.com), where you can find instructions for making the seven other crafts shown at right. Here’s are three fun projects using my favorite material.

See more crafts on Lorraine Teigland’s blog.

Spaceship

Sized just right for tiny peg dolls, this basic structure can be used to make a dollhouse or castle turret as well.

Step 1

Start with a cardboard canister, such as an oatmeal container. Trim the top to shorten it. Cut three fins from corrugated cardboard. For the nose cone, cut a circle from cereal box cardboard that’s twice the diameter of the canister (our canister was 4 inches wide, so we used an 8-inch circle). Trim away a pie-piece section, and curve the rest into a cone, securing it with tacky glue. Paint the pieces with acrylic paint and let them dry.

Step 2

Cut a small circle in the canister’s side for the door window. Cut a larger circle around the first circle, leaving 3/4 inch on one side uncut for a hinge.

Step 3

Use hot glue to attach the fins and the nose cone. Add details with paint.

Pull-Open Piñata

This no-whacking-required piñata provides just as much suspense as the traditional type. Kids take turns pulling one ribbon at a time, only one of which opens a trapdoor holding back the treats.

Make the Tower

From corrugated cardboard, cut a rectangle (ours is 16 by 25 inches) with the flutes parallel to the short sides. Cut tab like crenellations along one of the long edges. We also cut out a window and added a drawing of a princess. Roll the rectangle into a cylinder and glue the overlap in place.

Make the Trapdoor

Trace the tower’s base onto a piece of sturdy corrugated cardboard and cut out the circle. Use a craft knife (an adult’s job) to cut a trapdoor, leaving one side scored but not cut through to form a hinge.

Place the Ribbons

Cut about a yard of curling ribbon. Glue one end to the inside of the trapdoor, opposite the hinge. Run glue along the bottom edge of the tower, and attach it to the base.

Cut more lengths of ribbon — at least one or two per player. Lay about 6 inches of their ends within the three sides of the trapdoor opening, then carefully close the trapdoor; the ribbons will be pinched in place.

The Deception

The hinge edge of the trapdoor will not have any ribbons — a dead giveaway. To mislead players, use a craft knife to make small slits close to the hinge and insert ribbons into them.

With a hole punch, make holes at the top of the piñata, then tie a ribbon loop for hanging. Fill the tower with treats and hang it up.

Musketeer Swords

These were created when my daughters were in a serious Musketeer phase — swinging broomsticks around, fighting invisible enemies.

Step 1

The blades of these swords are made from wrapping paper tubes. For each sword, flatten one end of a tube, trim it to a blunt point, and tape it closed.

Step 2

Cut a strip of corrugated cardboard (with the flutes parallel to the short ends) that’s about 1 inch wider than the tube and about 12 inches long. Round off the ends. About 2 inches from one end, cut a hole big enough to fit the tube.

Step 3

Slide the tube through the hole.

Step 4

Next, bend the other end around to the flat end of the tube, and glue it in place. Spread a thin layer of glue on the blade, then wrap it with aluminum foil. Add a line of glue where the foil overlaps. If desired, paint the handle guard.

Originally published in the March 2012 issue of FamilyFun magazine.

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Related articles

• Craft Recycled: 10 Awesome Reclaimed Cardboard Crafts (greenupgrader.com)

Cardboard Box and Paper Towel/Gift Wrap Tube Log Cabin

Voila! Paper Towel Log Cabin!

When I saw this at my daughter’s preschool I thought this was ingenious!  Well… anything not involving paint but involving a lot of fun is pretty ingenious in my book 🙂

Here are the steps involved–

1.  Find a big appliance box — pictured is a box for a smallish refrigerator.  If you don’t have any on hand you can procure one by calling your local appliance stores.  It really depends on the size you want to end up with – the bigger the box the bigger the cabin, but on the other hand the more paper towel tubes or gift wrapping tubes you’ll need.

2.  Carve out with a blade (be careful!!) the windows and door.  Position top flaps of box to make the triangular roof – if not perfectly even use butcher paper (or brown paper bags) to make up for any gaps on the ‘peak’ of the roof.  We used clear packing tape to hold things together.  TIP – to save time – measure windows by placing a paper towel tube on both sides to gauge how wide the window needs to be – this will save you from having to re-carve the tubes later to accommodate extra space.

3. Now for the fun part – start attaching the tubes to the outside of the cabin – begin from the top and move downward (that way if you end up with a small tube-less gap in the end it will be at the base of the cabin and not at the top) – you can use school glue (Elmer’s Glue) or a glue gun if your want – I found that the tubes were light enough to stay on – although I suggest you use a good amount — inevitably little hands will want to try prying their ‘logs’ out of their cabins…

Front view

Now… if you DON’t have enough tubes to fill everything up – I would use brown construction paper (even better if they were on their way to the recycling bin anyways) or any color construction paper (if you’re adventurous 🙂 ) and roll them up to the size of the paper towel tubes – just tape the ends and glue to the cabin.

No need to fill the backside of the cabin if the cabin will be backed up to a wall anyway.

Fun Paper Crafts for Kids!

Here’s some great, fun and relatively simple paper craft ideas from Parents.Com.  My 5-year-old daughter loved making a paper mobile with a monarch butterfly theme – we gathered sticks from our yard and printed out monarch butterflies on paper to cut and color!  Now over her art table she has her butterflies overhead!  The paper chain caterpillar is also great for counting down to a trip, birthday or any special event/date!  My 5-year-old also liked making “fancy & pretty” fans out of thick stationary.  So take a look and give these a try – they are relatively inexpensive and super fun!

 

 

 

 

Easy

Paper Crafts for Your Kids

Vacation Countdown Caterpillar

Your kids will love tearing daily links from this adorable paper-chain caterpillar to count down the days until an exciting trip or event!

Make It: Trim a few sheets of colorful double-sided cardstock into strips. Staple or glue the edges together as you help your kids form the chain. Accent the caterpillar with cute pom-pom feet, googly eyes, and a heart-shape felt-sticker mouth. Finish this cute little guy by punching two small holes in the head and threading a short chenille stem through each to create curly antennae.

 

Paper Ice Cream Cone

At last — a delicious-looking ice cream cone that won’t melt in the summer sun!

Make It: Roll textured brown cardstock into a cone shape and secure with a brown brad. Crumble a piece of tissue paper into a ball, and help your child tape strips of colorful patterned paper around it. Attach to the cone. Use red buttons and a little hemp string for a perfect cherry topper.

 

Paper Mosaic Place Mats

Your children can use their imaginations to create mosaic-style landscapes that look picture-perfect as place mats on your dining room table.

Make It: Select a large piece of cardstock or thin cardboard for the backdrop. Sketch rough outlines of a simple landscape or have your kids create their own. Let your kids tear colored paper to glue onto the cardboard. When the design is finished, take it to an office supply store for laminating.

 

Summer ABC Book

Capture your child’s summer memories in this easy-to-make index-card book. Your child can choose people, places, and activities to add under each letter of the alphabet.

Make It: Help your child plan fun ideas for each letter; cut out corresponding pictures from magazines or take your own photos. Mat images with patterned paper and adhere to index cards.

To display a letter on each page, write the letter on a white circle and mat with patterned paper. Separate each page with plastic index-card dividers, and create a durable back cover by trimming the tab from an extra divider. Punch holes in the upper corners of the cards and dividers and insert a binder ring. Tie pretty ribbon on the ring. Decorate the cover with stickers to complete this unforgettable keepsake.

 

Pretty Paper Fans

Cooling down on a hot day has never been sweeter! Let your children choose paper to fit their personalities.

Make It: For each fan, trim a 12×12-inch piece of heavyweight cardstock to 8×12 inches. Use a decorative border punch along a long edge of the sheet. To simplify the folding process, score at every inch with a scoring blade. Fold accordion-style. Gather at the bottom edge, punch a hole through all folds, and tie a decorative ribbon to complete a lovely fair-weather fan.

 

Paper Mobile

Watch your child’s artwork twist and twirl at even the slightest gusts when you hang paper clip art characters on this cute mobile.

Make It: Select royalty-free clip art to use for your mobile (we chose nature-theme images). You’ll need two versions: the standard icon and the icon flipped to be the mirror image (most image-processing software will allow you to do this; if you can’t, simply doodle on one side of the art before hanging it). Print the standard images. Turn the paper over in your printer and print the mirror image on the back. Have your child color both sides with markers or crayons. Cut out the images when he’s done, punching a hole in the top of each.

Cover two dowels with patterned paper and tie them together with ribbon to form an X shape. Attach string to the images and hang them from the ends of the dowels. Add string at the top to hang the mobile.

 

Fun Paper Kite

This adorable paper kite is made from an old map — perfect for inspiring all kinds of lofty adventures.

Make It: Tie two dowels (one dowel should be longer than the other) into a cross shape with twine. Cut a notch on the edge of each dowel and stretch a string around the kite frame. Open a map and lay the frame on top. Trim around the frame, leaving a few inches to fold over the edges. Adhere the paper around the frame. Tie a long string for the tail to the back of the kite. Embellish the tail with ribbons and decorate the kite with a white paper cloud and theme stickers.

 

“Stained-Glass” Wall Hanging

Your child will love watching the summer sun shine right through this beautiful “stained-glass” wall hanging made from colorful tissue paper.

Make It: Paint an embroidery hoop in your child’s favorite color. Cut the outline of a butterfly — or any other shape — from cardstock, to fit inside the hoop. Place the butterfly onto a piece of clear contact paper, sticky side up. Let your child tear up colored tissue paper to stick onto the wings. When you’re done, place a sheet of tissue paper over the butterfly and add another layer of contact paper, sticky side down. Place inside the hoop and trim the edges. Hang with a ribbon near a sunny window.

 

Spare-Change Papier-Mache Bowl

Help your child keep her spare change ready for a shopping trip with this adorable papier-mache bowl.

Make It: Line the inside and rim of a small glass bowl with plastic wrap. Have your kids tear up colorful tissue paper and stick the pieces to the inside of the bowl using a simple mixture of white glue and water. After you’ve added a few layers, let it dry; remove the glass bowl and plastic wrap. Have your kids spell out “savings” in cute letter stickers. Add a little decoration by punching holes around the rim of the bowl and threading a pretty ribbon through.

Copyright & copy 2010 Meredith Corporation.

 

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http://www.parents.comBringing together the power of respected magazine brands including American Baby and Parents, the Parents Network is your go-to destination for parenting information. From first kicks to first steps and on to the first day of school, we are here to help you celebrate the joys and navigate the challenges of parenthood.

Repurpose Paper Plates, Cups & More into Fun Kid’s Crafts

My 5-year-old daughter loves arts and crafts, so this article from Parents.Com that uses common household supplies and typical things in a kid’s crafting box/drawer/basket has provided a nice creative and fun outlet for Julia!  Our family favorites are the mushroom house (great to use with her Little Pet Shop toys), plastic spoon puppets and the finger puppet cup dolls (both are wonderful for pretend play in the car on road trips!).  So check it out and let your kid’s creative juices flow! 

Easy Crafts Made from Paper Plates, Cups & Other Dishware

Baby Bird Nest

Bring the outdoors inside by creating a cozy new home for these adorable pom-pom birds.

Make it: Cut a paper plate in half and staple the rims together (leaving the top of the ?nest? open). After your kids paint it brown, help them glue shredded brown paper onto the front to add texture. Create the birds by gluing three blue pom-poms to the ends of Popsicle sticks. Add googly eyes and orange paper beaks for a little personality. Have your kids slide the ends of the Popsicle sticks between the plates so the baby birds can rest inside their new nest — and even pop up when they get hungry!

 

Paper Plate Banjo

Indulge your kids’ musical fantasies with this simple banjo made from paper plates and a few well-tuned rubber bands. Making music was never this much fun!

Make it: Stack two thick-weight paper plates and staple them together for durability. Let your kids paint the stacked plates their favorite colors and decorate them with stickers. Attach a paint stick to the back of the stacked plates and glue beads to the end as the pegs. Finally, add strings by stretching rubber bands around the stacked plates.

 

Pretty Paper Purse

This stylish paper purse is a fun addition to any little girl’s closet — and it’s perfect for toting around small toys and crayons too.

Make it: Paint the underside of a sturdy paper plate green, let dry, then cut the plate in half. Staple the rims together with the green side facing out to create a pouch. Next, staple a ribbon onto the sides of the purse. To create the latch, cut out a rectangle of pink felt and glue it onto one side of the purse. Hang the felt over the pouch and glue on a pink button to weigh it down. For a stylish purse that really stays closed, add a little Velcro underneath.

 

Mushroom House

Your child will love building an imaginative new home for her toy figurines out of a paper cup and a paper bowl.

Make it: Flip a colorful paper cup upside-down and cut out a small door. Draw windows and flowers, or let your child decorate the cup with stickers. Next, have her paint the underside of a paper bowl. Once the paint has dried, help her add white dot stickers to make it look like a mushroom. Tape the bottom of the cup inside the paper bowl and your child will be ready to move her toys into their new dwelling.

 

Spoon Puppets

Whether they’re Mom, Dad, the babysitter, or your kids’ favorite cartoon heroes, these hand-drawn puppets are sure to provide hours of theatrical entertainment for the whole family.

Make it: Let your kids use their creativity to draw imaginative characters on the flat part of a paper plate. Cut out the images and tape them to the ends of plastic spoons. Then sit back and enjoy as the kids duck behind the sofa and put on a show with their new cast of spoon-puppet personalities.

 

Paper Cup Terrarium

Help your child discover his green thumb with this easy-to-make paper cup terrarium. His eyes will be wide with wonder as he watches his plant grow bigger every day.

Make it: Use markers to decorate a paper cup. Fill the cup with soil and place a small green plant inside. Give the plant a companion by adding a toy insect, a butterfly, or even a dinosaur on top of the soil. Cover the plant with a clear plastic cup and tape the two cups together. Place your new terrarium near a sunny window, add a little TLC, and track its growth together.

 

Finger Puppet Cup Doll

Bring a paper cup to life by letting your child’s fingers act as the arms on this darling finger puppet doll.

Make it: Flip over a paper cup. Cut out armholes with small scissors, leaving enough room for little fingers. Let your child decorate the cup using markers and stickers. Add the head by drawing a face on a wooden bead and gluing it on top. Glue on a fluffy feather and some small pom-poms to make a silly hairstyle. Finally, create a pretty collar by cutting it from paper and gluing it just above the armholes. Create a whole family of paper cup dolls for even more finger puppet fun!

 

Paper Cup Owl

Making this wise old owl from a paper cup and a few pretty feathers is sure to be a hoot for your little ones.

Make it: Paint a paper cup brown and let it dry. Cut a heart and oval from brown felt for the head and belly. Cut a tiny triangle of pink felt for the beak. Flip the cup upside-down and glue the pieces in place. Attach round, white office stickers for eyes. For the ears, fold triangles of brown felt in half and adhere them to the top rim of the cup. Pick out a few fluffy feathers to glue around the cup and your new feathery friend will be ready to play.

 

Cotton Ball Cat

This super-soft, cuddly kitten is made from a paper cup and a few golf tees, plus oodles of cotton balls.

Make it: Cover a white cup with cotton balls, then help your child glue on sequin eyes and a cute button nose. Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup with a white chenille stem to create a tail. Turn the cup on its side, and add legs by gently poking four golf tees into the side of the cup. To create the ears, make small incisions in the cup. Cut out small squares of white felt, fold them diagonally, and pull them halfway through the incisions.

Copyright © 2010 Meredith Corporation.

 

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http://www.parents.comBringing together the power of respected magazine brands including American Baby and Parents, the Parents Network is your go-to destination for parenting information. From first kicks to first steps and on to the first day of school, we are here to help you celebrate the joys and navigate the challenges of parenthood.

Repurposing Pasta for Kid’s Crafts!

With an active 5 year-old daughter who absolutely LOVES arts and crafts, we are always looking for easy, affordable, creative and fun things for her to do.  When I came across the following article from Parents magazine, it provided simple, affordable and creative fun! 

We all have bags/boxes of pasta in our pantry and even if you don’t, generic or store brands are usually $1 or less a box!  For those of us with arts & crafts loving kids, we already have construction paper, glue, glitter, paint, etc. in the house.  So read on and let your kids get creative!

The building a train is a great idea for boys, who can also create cars, airplanes, spaceships, etc. out of pasta!  Then some paint or stickers will complete the creation!

My daughter liked making the tiara…but didn’t want to wear it outdoors!  LOL – I guess vanity can start young.  Using pasta and other craft materials to make signs provided her lots of creative fun.

 

Use Your Noodle: 6 Crafts to Make with Pasta

Try a Tiara

Dress up a plastic headband with brightly painted wagon wheels.

 

Noodle Necklace

Jazz up the jewels by adding a bow-tie pendant. Penne and rigatoni work best as the beads.

 

All Aboard

Gather your leftover pasta bits to build this awesome train. Make a few trees to complete the scene.

 

Sign Here

Kids can make plaques, oversize cards, or team posters with cute pasta shapes, paint, and glue.

 

Hip Clips

Get dolled up with fancy farfalle-and-rhinestone barrettes. Hot glue on a plain clip keeps the pasta in place.

 

Pencil Cup

Make this pretty desk accessory from a quart-size milk carton. Glue on pasta, then paint when it’s dry.

 

Tools of the Trade

Kid-friendly tools:

* Craft glue

* Tempera paint

* Paintbrushes

* Pasta

* Rhinestones

* Glue gun

* Spray paint
Originally published in the September 2008 issue of Parents magazine.

 

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http://www.parents.comBringing together the power of respected magazine brands including American Baby and Parents, the Parents Network is your go-to destination for parenting information. From first kicks to first steps and on to the first day of school, we are here to help you celebrate the joys and navigate the challenges of parenthood.