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Instructions for Favorite Activities

Wool Dolls:

What You Need: Enough wool to wrap 50 times around a large, thick book -- plus a bit for tying ends. Also, you need a large, thick book and scissors. Optional items include googly eyes and material for a nose, mouth, and clothing.

What You Do: Cut seven pieces of wool, each about 8 inches long. Set them aside. Wrap the skein of wool around the large, thick book 50 times (don't wrap it too tightly, or you won't be able to slide it off). Cut the wool from the rest of the skein, and set the skein aside. Slide the wool off the book and form it into a worm-like figure, keeping the loops together. Use one of your seven pieces of wool to tie off one end for the head. At the other end, cut through the loops so that the ends now hang freely. Lay the figure on the table. Take eight or so strands from the sides, and trim them to equal lengths for the arms. Tie each at the wrists, and trim the ends neatly for the fingers. Lay the arms away from the body so they don't get caught, and then mid-way down the rest of the figure, tie another piece around the middle to make the stomach. Separate the remaining strands into two equal bunches for the legs, and tie off the bottoms at the ankles. Trim the ends neatly for the toes. Put your finger through the closed loops at the head, and thread the last strand through the loops, tying it off to make the head more stable. Trim the strand so that it looks like a few hairs on the head. You now can add eyes, nose, mouth, and clothing if you like, or leave the doll as is. Try using different sizes of books and different wools, and you can make a whole family of dolls...

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Christmas Balls (suitable for any age). (This idea came from a Canadian friend. We loved it!)

What You Need: Several clear plastic or glass Christmas balls; rubbing alcohol; two or three colors of acrylic paint; small cups or glasses to hold the balls

What You Do: Take the tops of the balls off carefully and set the tops aside. Swirl a small amount of rubbing alcohol in each ball to clean the insides, then pour the alcohol out (and discard). Turn the balls upside down on a small glass or cup and allow them to dry completely. When the balls are dry, pour a small glob of paint in each ball and turn it on its side on a cup, allowing the paint to run around the inside of the ball. Turn it every so often to allow the paint to run in another direction. Add another color if you like, and even another (don't add too many colors, or the paint will turn into a brown smudge). When the interior of the balls are covered in paint, allow the paint to run out and let the balls dry completely. This may take several days. Turning the balls completely upside down in the cup will produce some marvelous effects as the paint runs out. When the balls are dry, replace the tops in them and hang them on your tree. You can use red, green and white for Christmas, lilac and pink and yellow for Easter, red and white for Valentine's Day...or any other combination that suits your fancy! Your children - both young and old, will love this activity, and they'll be thrilled at how beautiful the balls are!

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Modeling Dough: (There are several recipes for modeling dough. This recipe produces a smooth, pliable dough that's easy on little fingers and that lasts a long time).

What You Need: 2 cups boiling water; 3 tbsp. vegetable oil; food coloring; 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 cup salt; 1 tbsp. cream of tartar (Note: This is a big recipe. You may want to half the recipe, or you can split the ingredients -- half in one bowl and half in another -- and make each half a different color)

What You Do: Combine boiling water and vegetable oil in a small pitcher. Add a few drops of coloring as desired (remember that the flour will lighten the color considerably). Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and cream of tartar. Add water mixture and stir until stiff. Knead dough until smooth and pliable. Store in an airtight container when not in use.

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Placemats:

What You Need: Construction paper; contact paper; greeting cards, magazines, your child's artwork, or photographs; scissors; glue

What You Do: Cut out shapes and designs from the greeting cards, magazines or photographs, and paste them onto the sheets of construction paper in whichever design you like. You can also add sparkles or drawings to the designs. Cover the fronts and backs of the construction paper with contact paper and use as a placemat. This is a wonderful way to use Christmas, birthday, Valentine's Day or Easter cards. We've also made placemats from photographs people have sent us, and the effect is wonderful and touching.

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Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses:

What You Need: A small, sturdy box; extra cardboard; tape; scissors; graham wafers; glue; thick ornamental frosting; various candies (Lifesavers, gumdrops; chocolate chips; colored marshmallows; whatever your child prefers. You can even use buttons. Make sure that all small objects stay out of the mouth)

What You Do: Build a roof for the box using cardboard, and tape the roof to the box. (You can also use a small wooden birdhouse, if you prefer) Paste the graham cracker wafers (with glue or with ornamental frosting) along the sides and tops of the box and roof, breaking the pieces to fit. When the box is completely covered, decorate it. You can ice it first, or leave it plain. You can add windows and a door. Use your imagination! The ornamental frosting works well as a "glue" for the candies, and this is a great activity for small hands, because the candy can go anywhere, and it will still look great. (A few candies will almost certainly end up in the mouth, so watch that the little ones don't grab onto anything that could be considered a choking risk). You can use round flat candies for shingling and thin chocolate mints for windows. We've used candy canes for a fence and gellies for snowmen. It's fun!

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Wind Chime:

What You Need: Six-inch embroidery hoop or other round object (we've used a round piece of cardboard); a variety of brightly colored beads; five large shells or buttons; five lengths of narrow ribbon or string, about 16 inches long; three lengths of ribbon or string, about 12 inches long

What You Do: Paint or otherwise decorate the embroidery hoop or cardboard. (If you're using cardboard, you may want to cover both sides with colored construction paper before decorating. This will help both color and stabilize it). Tap a hole in the shells, and tie them (or use the large buttons) at the end of each 16-inch string, then add a variety of buttons along the string above. (To add variety, you can tie some knots along the string, leaving spaces between the beads). If you're using an embroidery hoop, tie the strings evenly around the hoop, keeping them in place with tape or glue. (If you're using cardboard, tie off the five strings and insert them into slits you cut in the cardboard with the knot on top (the knot will keep the string from sliding back out). Tie the shorter ribbons evenly around the hoop, pull them up and tie them together, making sure the hoop hangs level (if you're using cardboard, cut three more slits and slide the strings in so that the knot is under the cardboard). Hang the wind chime from a tree or porch.

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What To Do With All That Artwork:

You simply can't keep it all. Don't even try. There's just too much of it. But you can't throw it out, either (well, maybe you can throw some of it away, but don't do it in front of the artist). Here are a few suggestions for what to do with all that artwork:

	Make placemats out of it (see instructions)
	Use it as wrapping paper for gifts, fold it into an envelope, or use it as stationery.
	Make greeting cards with it. Fold it in half, and write a special message inside.
	Make it into book marks or party invitations.
	Keep the best or most interesting artwork in a folder constructed out of large poster board (fold the poster board in half and tape along the sides to make a portfolio)
	Roll up some of the bendable ones and store them in a mailing tube or wrapping-paper roll.
	Include some of it in gifts to relatives and friends.
	Hang the ones your child is most proud of on the fridge or fireplace (you might wind up with snowmen in the summer and pumpkins at Christmas - who cares?)
	Frame some of it and decorate your walls. Your child will be thrilled!
	Make a book or scrapbook out of it. You can use greeting cards or special artwork for the covers, then punch holes in the artwork and tie them all together with yarn or ribbon. This can be a special gift to relatives. If your child is OK with it, laminate some of them so they'll last for a long time!
	Make a notepad for relatives. Use the artwork as the covers, and put blank sheets inside for relatives to use.
	If you make donations to a veteran's home, children's hospital or women's shelter, add some of the artwork to the gift.
	With your child's permission, cut out the artwork in the shape of animals or people. Glue on a Popsicle stick, decorate, and have a puppet show.
	Glue pieces of it onto a picture frame and cover with decoupage glaze (use two coatings). Dry completely. Place a photo of your child in the frame and send it to a relative as a gift.
	Glue it onto an old stool (refinish the stool first, if necessary). Cover with decoupage glaze (use two coatings). Dry completely. You can also add varnish or polyurethane for added durability.
	Take a picture of it, perhaps with the child holding the artwork, and place in a special scrapbook.
	Scan the artwork into your computer. Then, your child can use the image to make more artwork (for scrapbooks, for transfer onto child's clothing, for use in personal stationery, for postcards, etc.)
	Toss some of it. Just make sure you do it at night after your child is asleep, and make sure you use an opaque black plastic bag so your child won't see it and howl, "You're throwing THAT away? That's my favorite!!!"

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Fun in the Snow:

	Catch a snowflake on your tongue. Use a dark piece of construction paper to catch snowflakes so that your child can see the designs. Make sure to tell your child that no two designs are the same!
	Make snow angels (adults have to do it, too!), snow balls, and snow tunnels.
	Make Snow Men, Snow Dogs, Snow Kids, Snow Bunny Rabbits, Snow Whatever-You-Can-Think-Of
	Take cookie cutters, shovels, cups, spoons, or rolling pins outside, and build a tunnel or snow castle or village
	Gather a large plastic tub of clean snow and bring it inside for your child to play in.
	Play snow croquet or snow golf with cups, small balls and a broom (make sure the balls aren't a chokable)
	Take washable paint outside and let your child color the snow with a paintbrush. Or, you can water the paint down and pour it into a spray bottle. Let your child spray the snow. Take your child for a walk and let him or her mark the way home (watch that the paint doesn't go anywhere that would annoy a neighbor).

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Gelatin Jiggles:

What You Need: 1 1/2 cups water; three 3-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin; 6-ounce can frozen juice concentrate (any flavor); liquid food coloring; nonstick cooking spray

What You Do: Pour water into medium saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it sit for a minute. Bring mixture to boiling, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in juice concentrate until concentrate is melted. Add food coloring if desired. Pour mixture into 8x8-inch baking pan. Cover and chill until firm. Uncover and turn the pan upside down onto a piece of foil that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Use cookie cutters to cut the gelatin into shapes. Your child can play with the shapes, or eat them right away!

Sparkly Picture Frames:

What You Need: Photograph or artwork that you want to frame; 2 sheets of cardboard (any thickness is fine, but thicker will be sturdier); material(s) of your choice, sparkles, glue, hot glue gun and glue sticks, ruler, pencil, scissors (a razor cutting knife might also be necessary if the cardboard is thick); a 6" length of yarn or string

What You Do: Decide which photograph you want to frame. With the ruler and pencil, measure a square or rectangle of cardboard that's as big as you want your frame to be. Cut out the square. Center the photograph in the middle, and decide how wide the edges of the frame should be so that the picture is framed nicely. With the ruler and pencil, draw straight edges to measure this, and then cut out the middle section. You should have remaining a cardboard frame that sits nicely on your photograph. Cut out a piece of material that is 1/2" or so larger all around than your frame. Cut out the middle section of the material out so that it's 1/2" wider than the frame. To make it easier to wrap the material, cut each inner corner back to the cardboard. Now, hot glue the material to the frame along the outside and inside so that the material completely wraps around the cardboard frame. The back may look a bit rough, but that's OK. Now you can decorate the front. You can glue sparkles directly to the frame, or you can cut out irregular shapes of complementary material, glue sparkles to those and then hot glue them around the edges of the frame. Use your imagination. When you're finished decorating, glue your photograph to another piece of cardboard, and poke one tiny hole 1/3 of the way down on each side. From the back, poke the yarn through each hole, and pull it tight enough that it won't show above the frame when the picture is hung. Tie a large knot in each side (the knot should be on the same side as the photograph). Hot glue the photograph to the frame, making sure that the photograph is centered nicely in the frame. Allow everything to dry. Hang in a conspicuous place.

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