PASTA NECKLACES
Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes.
• Choose pasta that can be strung on a string for a unique necklace.
• It can be dipped in water with food color for a dash of color, or it can be painted with water color or tempera paints.
POTATO BEADS
Have an adult cut a potato into 1/2” chunks. Slide them onto a bamboo skewer and let them dry until they are hard. Paint with tempera, let dry, and string. Tip: Painting them a turquoise color actually makes the beads look like real turquoise. Cool!
STAIN GLASS GELATIN
This is fun!
• Dissolve 3 packets of unflavored gelatin into 9 Tablespoons of water that has been colored with food coloring.
• Microwave for 30 seconds and immediately pour into a plastic coffee can lid 1/4” deep. Let dry. Gelatin will be pliable and easy to cut.
• Use scissors or cookie cutters to cut shapes and make a hole for hanging.
• Thread and hang in window for the stain glass effect.
GOOPY GOOP
• Mix 1 Cup of water (can color the water with poster paint) with 1 1/2 – 2 Cups cornstarch
• Use hands to mix. Let it slide through your fingers – ew, goop!
SALT DOUGH
• Mix 2 Cups flour, 1 Cup salt, and 2 Cups water together. (Add 1 Tablespoon of oil if you do not want it to harden.)
• Knead the play dough until smooth and blended.
• Separate and add a few drops of different colors of food coloring.
• Can be stored in airtight plastic bags and keep in refrigerator for future use.
• To get a bit of sparkle, add glitter to the dough.
• To harden, brush
BIRD BISCUIT
Feed the birds in your neighborhood!
• You’ll need an old plastic coffee can lid or other large, disposable, plastic lid, peanut butter, lard, cornmeal, birdseed, scissors, ribbon, and a bowl.
• Cut out a shape (heart, star, circle, etc.) in the plastic lid with your scissors and then poke two holes – same distance from the top so that the shape doesn’t hang lopsided – near the top of the shape.
• Mix together peanut butter, lard, and cornmeal just enough to stiffen the consistency – because straight peanut butter can be strangling to smaller birds – they cannot get it off their beaks and it becomes like glue.
• Cover the plastic shape completely in peanut butter mixture and then place it in a bowl of bird seed.
• Cover the entire area of the shape with the birdseed making sure no bald spots are left anywhere.
• Cut two lengths of ribbon each 2 feet long and run one length of ribbon through each hole.
• Tie all ends of the ribbons together in a bow or knot.
• Hang bird biscuit in a tree or somewhere birds have easy access to it.
EGGSHELL FAMILY
Create your family in eggshells and trim their hair!
• For this project, you will need empty eggshells, cardboard or tagboard, scissors, markers, cotton balls, and grass or alfalfa sprouts. To begin, your eggshell needs to be empty with the top 1/4 broken off.
• Cut a strip of cardboard or tag board and form into a ring that will hold the eggshell upright.
• Draw a face on the eggshell with colored markers.
• Place damp cotton balls inside the eggshell.
• Sprinkle grass or alfalfa sprout seeds on the cotton ball. Put in a sunny spot. In two or three days, the seeds will begin to sprout.
• As the sprouts grow, you can cut the “hair” on your eggshell person. Each member of the family could do their own face.
• On hair cutting day, add the nutritious clippings to your salad or sandwich.
POLLUTION AND PLANTS
Does water pollution really harm plants? Let’s find out.
• You will need a stick of leafy celery, a glass, water, and red food coloring.
• Take the fresh stick of leafy celery and trim off the bottom.
• Place the celery stick into a glass of water.
• Add several drops of red food coloring to the water. Leave overnight.
• Observe how the leaves have changed color.
Talk to your child about how plants drink and how contaminated water might affect plants. Make a pledge to do what you can to help stop the spread of pollution.