Crayon Cookies (not edible)

Materials:
-broken crayons
-cupcake liners

1. Place old broken crayons, with wrappers removed, into a muffin tin
lined with cupcake liners. You may want to chop the crayons into
smaller pieces with a knife.

2. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/3 full. It is fun to coordinate colors,
red, oranges and yellows together, greens, blues and purples, or even
just a mish mash of all the colors together.

3. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place muffin tins into oven and turn
off immediately. The crayons should melt within a few minutes.

4. After they are all melted, take out of the oven and let cool.

When the "cookies’ are cooled they are ready to be used.

Easy-off Tattoos

Materials:
-1 Tbs. cold cream
-2 Tbs. cornstarch
-1 Tbs. water
- food coloring
-paint brush (clean)

1. Mix all ingredients together, stirring to mix well. Use a thin
paintbrush to apply the tattoo.
(Source: RecipeGoldmine.com)

Flubber

Materials:
-3/4 cup warm water
-1 cup white school glue
-food coloring
-2 tsp. Borax

1. Mix together 1/4 cup water, glue and a few drops of food coloring.

2. In another bowl mix Borax and the rest of the water.

3. Pour Borax mixture into glue mixture- instant Flubber!

Things to do with Flubber:
-Push into small kid-size cups. This will make funny noises and the giggles will last forever.
-Try sticking a straw into part of the Flubber and blowing a bubble.
-Let your hand ooze into the Flubber and watch it act like a liquid. Then remove your hand and punch the Flubber. It will act like a solid. Pretty cool, huh?

Homemade Bubbles

Materials:
- 6 cups water
-3/4 cup white Karo syrup
- 2 cups Joy detergent (seems to work the best)
-container with a lid (clean milk carton works well)
-food coloring (a few drops will do)

1. Combine all of the ingredients into the lidded container and shake well, until completely combined.

2. After shaking, place on the counter for a few hours so the bubble mixture can settle. You may even want it to rest overnight for better quality bubbles.

3. After settling, carefully pour into a pan and let your children experiment making big bubbles with different items.

Bubble makers- shoelaces tied into a circle, clean fly swatter, pancake
turners, lightweight wire formed into a bubble wand, berry baskets,
wire coat hangers (careful with the ends), pipe cleaners, plastic
clothes hangers.

Homemade Butter

Materials:
-empty baby food jars with lid
-whipping cream
-bread or crackers

1. Pour about 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream into baby food jar.

2. Place the lid on tightly and shake and roll the jar around. Butter will form into a solid as you shake.

3. When butter is done, spread on bread or crackers.

For fun, try adding food coloring for colored butter.

Sidewalk Chalk

Plaster Paris Sidewalk Chalk

Materials:
-1 cup plaster of Paris
-1 cup water
-powdered tempera paint
-plastic fork to mix
-plastic container to mix in

1. Mix together Plaster of Paris and water.

2. Mix in paint. until the color you want is achieved.

3. Place in molds. (Use small paper cups or toilet paper tubes for a mold.
You may want to wrap the tube with duct tape for extra durability)

Depending on the size of your molds your chalk should dry in 4 hours to
24 hours.

Take out of mold and make a masterpiece.

Tips:
-Powdered tempera paint is available at most large craft stores.
-Experiment with making swirled colors by adding the paint and stirring
very little.
-

Variations:
-You could use different shaped candy molds to produce fun shapes like ducks, stars or fish
-Add 1 teaspoon of glitter to the mixture to make sparkling sidewalk chalk.

Eggshell Sidewalk Chalk
(Mommy Chic Note: The chalk is specifically designed for sidewalks and not black boards.)

Materials:
- 6 egg shells
- 1 tsp. very hot water from the tap
- 1 tsp. flour

1. Wash the eggshells well, so they don't have any egg left in them and let dry.

2. Grind shells with a rock on the sidewalk or other concrete surface. Make sure the rock you're using for grinding is clean so you don't get dirt ground in with the eggshells. Grind the eggshells into a fine powder. You'll need one soup spoonful of this powder to make a stick of chalk.

3. When you have enough powder to make a stick of chalk, sift or pick out any little bits of eggshell that are still not ground up and throw them away. Scoop the powder into a cup or paper towel and bring it into the house for the next part.

4. Stir the flour and hot water together in a small dish to make a paste.

5. Put the soup spoonful of eggshell powder into the paste and mix well. It may help to mash it with the back of the spoon.

6. Add a few drops of food coloring if you want colored chalk.

7. Shape this mixture into a chalk stick and roll it up in a strip of paper towel to dry. (Drying takes about three days.)

8. Once dry, peel the paper off one end and you're ready for some sidewalk art.

For really big sticks of chalk, try making 3 times this recipe, and stuff the mixture into an old toilet paper tube. When it's dry, you can peel away the cardboard as you use it.
(Source: Make-Stuff.com)

Tasty Fruit Lip Glossy

Materials:
-flavored drink mix
-1 cup vegetable shortening
-food coloring
-small container such as a film container

1. Mix one packet of drink mix with shortening.

2. Add in a few drops of food coloring that matches the flavor. ie: yellow for lemon.

3. Pack in small container, such as a film container, and you have wonderful tasting and smelling lip gloss. Of course the lip glossy is edible should some accidentally be licked off.
(Source: HGTV.com)

Tub Time Crayons

Materials:
- 1 cup grated Ivory soap
-1/4 Cup warm water 4-6 drops food coloring

1. Mix water, soap and food color together in medium bowl. Stir till the mixture begins to stiffen.

2. Remove mixture from the bowl and knead until it is the consistency of a very thick dough.

3. Spoon crayon mix into plastic ice cube trays.

4. Place crayons in the freezer for 10 minutes.

5. Pop crayons out and allow to dry overnight or until hard. Can be used as
a bath soap.
(Source: Freebies4Ya.com)

Window Clings

Materials:
-regular white school glue
-food coloring
-transparency sheets
-patterns

1. Open white school glue bottle and add a few drops of food coloring. Mix well.

2. Put lid back on bottle and screw on tight.

3. Place patter (such as a coloring book picture) underneath transparency sheet.

4. Trace the pattern with a continuous bead of glue and fill in. Let dry for at least 12 hours.

5. Peel off and place on window pane or any glass surface. To store, place between layers of plastic wrap or wax paper.

Great idea for the holidays!
(Source: Make-Stuff.com)

Paints

Homemade Watercolors

Materials:
-3 Tbs. baking soda
-3 Tbs. cornstarch
-3 Tbs. white vinegar
-1-1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
-food coloring

1. Mix all ingredients except food coloring in a small mixing bowl.

2. Divide the mixture into several small plastic tubs or jar lids.

3. Add several drops of food coloring to each tub or lid and mix.

4. Use as they are or let them dry into hard cakes of paint. If you use them while they're dry, be sure to wet the paintbrush before painting.
(Source: HGTV.com)

Homemade Glass Paint

Materials:
-1/4 cup white school glue
-1/4 cup liquid tempera paint

1. Mix glue and tempera paint in a small bowl.

2. Use a paintbrush to apply the paint to a glass surface.

3. Let the painted items dry overnight.
(Source: HGTV.com)

Bathtub Finger Paints

Materials:
-1/3 cup clear mild liquid dish detergent
-1 Tbs. cornstarch
-food coloring
-ice cube tray

1. Mix all ingredients except food coloring in a small mixing bowl.

2. Pour the mixture, in equal parts, into several sections of a plastic ice cube tray.

3. Add one to two drops of food coloring to each section of the tray and mix with a small spoon.
(Source: HGTV.com)

Popsicle Paint

Materials:
-2 tsp. powdered tempera paint
-1/3 cup water
-wax-coated paper cup
-craft stick
-plastic wrap

1. Mix paint and water together.

2. Pour the mixture into a wax coated paper cup.

3. Cover the cup with plastic wrap, then insert the craft stick through the plastic wrap in the center of the cup.

4. Place the cup in the freezer and freeze until solid.

5. Remove the paper cup and plastic wrap from the Freeze Pop Paint.

6. Dip the paint into water and paint on white paper.
(Source: HGTV.com)

Gelatin Finger Paint

Materials:
- flavored gelatin
-boiling water

1. Add enough boiling water to the gelatin to make it a good consistency for finger paint. Let it cool enough for little fingers to use.

2. Finger paint on regular finger painting material or glossy paper. Dries with a neat shine. Tastes good too!

Pudding Paint

Materials:
- 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
- food coloring

1. Mix pudding according to directions.

2. Add food coloring for desired color.

Let kids paint and eat! Fun, fun!

Milk Finger Paint

Materials:
-condensed milk
-food coloring

1. Mix 1/4 cup condensed milk with your choice of food coloring.

This will make a gloss paint the kids will love. Use more or less food coloring depending on what colors you want.
(Submitted by Kathy, Eugene Ward)

Yogurt Finger Paint

Materials:
-pain yogurt
-food coloring

1. Mix plain yogurt with food coloring to make a great finger-paint the kids will love.

No need to worry if they lick their fingers since they're painting with yogurt.
(Submitted by Kathy, Eugene Ward)

Other fun paint ideas
-Use toy trucks as paint brushes. Run the trucks through the paint and roll on paper.
-Water painting- Using a bucket full of water and a few old sponges and
paint brushes, "paint" on the side walk.
-Ice Cube painting- Use an ice cube to dip into non toxic, washable
paint and paint on paper.
Finger-paint with Shaving Cream on construction paper.
Finger-paint with your feet.
-Add food coloring to homemade bubble recipe and blow bubbles onto construction paper to make your own unique art.

Play Dough

Smelly Play dough

Materials:
-1 cup flour
-1/2 cup salt
-1 package of unsweetened drink mix
-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
-1/2 cup of hot water

1. Combine flour, salt, and Drink mix Add vegetable oil and hot water.

2. Mix the ingredients with your hands.

3. Add extra flour or water as needed until the mixture is the consistency of bread dough.

(Mommy Chic Note: This pungent dough is nontoxic but very salty if sampled. It stores for several weeks in a plastic bag.)
(Source: ToyTips.com)

Drink Mix Play Dough (non-edible)

Materials:
-1 cup sifted flour
-1/2 cup salt
-3 tablespoons oil
-1 small package of Drink mix or other unsweetened powdered drink
-1 cup boiling water

1. Mix together flour, salt, oil and drink mix

2. Add water and stir the ingredients together and knead mixture until it forms a soft dough.

Peanut Butter Play Dough
This is a fun play dough for small children because it is safe to eat.

Recipe #1
Materials:
-3 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
-4 cups confectioners sugar
-3 1/2 cups honey
-4 cups dry mild powder

1. In large bowl, cream together peanut butter and confectioners sugar, then
beat in honey and fold in milk powder. 

2. Divide into 15 equal portions and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Recipe #2
Materials:
-1 cup smooth peanut butter
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
-1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1. Mix peanut butter, corn syrup and vanilla together. 

2. Gradually add powdered sugar. 

3. Store covered at room temperature.

Candy Play Dough
This play dough is also edible.

Materials:
- 1/3 cup margarine
-1/3 cup light corn syrup
-1 pound box of powdered sugar
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-food coloring
-1/4 tsp. salt

1. Mix all other ingredients then add powdered sugar.

2. Knead until smooth.

3. Sculpt and eat.

Chocolate Clay

Materials:
-10 ounces of chocolate (chopped chunks or chips)
-1/3 cup light corn syrup
(Mommy Chic Note: the chocolate can be substituted with almond bark, or colored candy disks to create different colors)

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave for one minute. Stir. If chocolate is not completely melted, return to the microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir until smooth. If you don't have a microwave, place the chocolate in the top of a double broiler over hot water and stir until melted.

2. When the chocolate is melted, add the corn syrup and blend.

3. Pour the mixture onto a waxed paper sheet.

4. Spread the chocolate with your fingers until it's about 1/2 inch thick.

5. Cover loosely with waxed paper and let it stiffen for at least a couple hours or overnight. The chocolate will become very pliable.
(Source: HomeSchoolZone.com)

Other Fun Things to Do
Paint on rocks- Clean and dry a few rocks and paint designs and pictures on them.


Paper Bag Blocks- Place one bag inside the other to create a fun light weight block.


Make mashed potato mountains- Use instant potato flakes, a little less water then called for(for a thicker consistency) cool potatoes and build.