Rainstick Craft Project

We started with a cardboard tube, the type you mail posters in, that has two secure ends and turned it into our very own rainstick:

Miss Leyba first covered the tube with two layers of paint in several colors that blend nicely together. We used Crayola washable kids’ paint in red, blue, pink and purple.

To add a little sparkle to the project, we used glue to adhere glitter and sparkle stars (most of which fell off… whoops!).

After the project thoroughly dried, we applied two coats of Mod Podge to more fully adhere the glitter and to give the rainstick a glossy shine.

Then we filled the tube with beans, lentils and seeds left over from our Earthy Collage Project. Miss Leyba filled the tube one bean at a time. Although pouring the beans into the tube wasn’t an option for our house, I highly recommend you try it. I imagine it would have been much faster. :)

Miss Leyba really enjoyed dropping beans on the floor instead of filling the tube too. “Ha ha! Don’t worry, Mom, we can sweep them up!” (She did when she was done! In fact, she’s still sweeping twenty minutes later!)

It took a while, but she finally got the cup or so of beans that we used in there.

Then we put the top securely back on and…

Ta-da!

Time to make music!

Earthy Collage Project

A simple project, with ingredients straight from the pantry, for some toddler arts and crafts exploration.

You will need:
-cardboard, poster board or sturdy paper
-seeds, legumes or nuts (we used dried chickpeas, black beans, split peas and pumpkin seeds)
-craft glue
-popsicle sticks, optional (for moving around the glue and incorporating into the collage, if interested)

Spread the glue around on your paper, then drop beans, seeds, or nuts on the page however you like.

Encourage your toddler to stir, mix-up and sort the supplies! Evidently that was the best part.

Let the collage dry. Then hang it up or put it away to give later as a present.

It’s almost Halloween…

You’re going to have to wait to see our ballerina in her costume, but here is a preview:

I made this NO-SEW tutu for Miss Leyba while she was in the midst of a play dough marathon (she discovered that when you mix pink and blue play dough you get purple — MAGIC!).

The tutu took less than an hour and was so easy. (YouTube instructions here!) I think I may make her one more in another color for the dress-up box.

David and I were treated to a fantastically creative dance recital last night and let me tell you that you are in for a treat. I’ll post more soon!