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Olympic Torch

I'm sure you see a lot of Olympic torches out there so I thought I would give you my interpretation.


Materials

• Cellophane- Red, Orange
• Tissue Paper- Yellow, Red, Orange
• Long Paper Roll
• Aluminium Foil
• Paper
• Markers
• Glue

Method

1. Start off by covering the long paper roll in aluminium foil. I found that the easiest way to do this was lying a sheet flat on the table, putting glue on the foil and then rolling the paper roll along the foil so it sticks and then covers the roll.
2. Cut off any extra aluminium foil at either end.
3. Using a mix off cellophane and tissue paper create a fire at one end.
4. Using paper and markers decorate the torch as you see fit.
5. To extend this activity you can have groups make different designs then race in a relay race.

Pipe Cleaner Alien

Materials

• Different coloured pipe cleaners
• Glue
• Googly eyes

This one is a bit hard to explain in steps. It is simply just twisting pipe cleaners in a way that makes different body parts which can then be glued together to make an alien. It is quite fiddly and I found that the kids were better at making them than I was with my big stupid fingers. 

Mosaics

Mosaics are a fun and creative craft that allows kids to do what ever they want be that a picture or a pattern.


Getting the right materials can be tricky. You can make your own which would be time consuming or you can buy little crafts squares from your local art and craft shop. 


Materials

• Coloured Squares
• Glue
• Coloured Paper

Here are some examples of what we did:

Boat

Flower

Girl

Creature from Minecraft

Box Masks

Box Masks

Materials Needed

This one may need a little planning. If you are working at a child care center or after school care that does big orders once a term or every six weeks or so much sure you save all your boxes. While this means that your office or work space may become cluttered it is worth it in the end.  You can either make it free art or define it with a theme such as robots.

• Big Boxes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Markers

Method

1. Let the kids know what you expect of them, whether the activity is free o defined.
2. Let them go!
3. You may need to make sure some children aren't greedy though.

Spring Blossom Tree

Spring Blossom Tree

Materials Needed

• Tissue paper - various bright colours
• Tree branch
• Scissors
• PVA Glue
• Glue Brush
• Bucket
• Sand

Method

1. Cut the tissue paper into small squares, doesn't have to be exact.
2. Put the tree branch in the bucket full of sand so it looks like a small tree.
3. Scrunch up the tissue paper into small balls.
4. Glue these balls onto the branch in the where every you can find a stable spot. You can then add not so scrunched up tissue paper as opened flowers.

This is a good ongoing project as you can only do so much in a day then you need to let it dry. It is good to have a couple of 'trees' of different colours it creates a great effect.

Snake Charmer

Snake Charmer

Materials Needed

• A4 or A3 coloured paper
• Popsicle Stick
• String/Fishing Line
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Various Decorative Materials
• Glue

Method

1. On a piece of paper draw the shape of a snake's head. The bigger the piece  of paper the bigger snake will be .

2. Draw a large circle from the back of the snake's head to its nose.

3. From the other side of the snake's neck draw a spiral line into the center of the snake.

4. First cut around the snake, then cut along the spiral line.

5. Now comes the decorating.

6. Decorate the Popsicle stick so it looks like a flute.

7. Cut a length of string and attach one end to the flute and the other to the underside of the snake's head. The length of the string depends on the size of the child so may you need to do some testing before sticking the string on.

  

Tree Bookmark

Tree Bookmark

Materials Needed

• Brown and Green paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Coloured Pencils
• Thick cardboard

Method

1. Sketch an out line for the trunk and branches on brown paper then cut it out.
2. Using your coloured pencils add detail to the trunk and branches i.e. lines in the bark, animal homes etc
3. Sketch out a number of leaves on the green paper. You can either sketch out clumps or individual leaves.
4. Using your coloured pencil add detail to the leaves.
5. Glue your trunk on to some cardboard.
6. Add the leaves as desired.
7. Leave to dry
8. Cut out the tree.

If you are devoted enough you can get a box cutter and cut out all the cardboard showing between the leaves and branches. You can also add small flowers if you are doing this in Spring.

Leaf Sun Catcher

Leaf Sun Catcher

Materials

• Coloured Card
• Pins (Thick and/or Thin)
• Cellophane (Optional)

Method 

1. Sketch out a leaf on a piece of card, the bigger you make it the longer the project will take but the more intricate your design can be.
2. Cut it out.
3. Using your pin create poke through the card creating a pattern like the veins on a leaf.
4. It is a good idea to start out using either a thicker pin or to have more holes in the middle then thin them out as you get to the edges.
5. Once you have finished and hold it up to the light you should notice that the light comes through better on on side rather than the other.
6. You can either finish there or you can sick different coloured cellophane on the back so the light will be different colours.

Paper Ring Caterpillar

Paper Ring Caterpillar

Materials Needed

• Different Coloured Paper
• Scissors
• Glue/Tape
• Markers or Pencils
• Pipe Cleaners

Method

1.  Cut strips of paper about 5cm-10cm thick from your paper. The more you cut the longer your caterpillar will be. 
2. Glue one strip end to end in an 'O' shape.
3. Then glue other strips end to end through the rings so that they interlock like a chain.
4. Cut out a circle to use as a face.
5. Use the markers or pencils to draw a face on it, either realistic or cartoony.
6. Glue or tape some pipe cleaners on for the antennae.
7. Glue or tape the face to one end of your chain. 

This can be a good activity to teach young children about patterns. You can also decorate the rings before attaching them. See below for finished examples.

 

Wink Murder

Wink Murder

What you need

• 8 or more children

How to Play

• Get the children in the circle
• Pick one child, an older child for the fist time, to be 'detective'
• The 'detective' leaves the room or faces a wall so as not to see the circle.
• The adult then picks someone to be the 'winker', making sure not to use any names.
• The 'detective' then comes back and stands in the middle of the circle.
• The job of the 'winker' is to wink at people, who then melodramatically die, and keep going with out being spotted by the 'detective'.
• The 'detective, has three guesses to determine who is the 'winker'.
• When the game is over the 'winker' becomes the 'detective'.

Tips

• It is a good idea to have the 'winker' put up their hand so everybody knows who they are, except the 'detective'
• Make sure the children don't stare at the 'winker' or it makes it too easy!
• Encourage the melodrama.