Bunchland

Krista Rao blogs about crafty adventures with her kids

So, last post I admitted that I was a saver of bottle caps and this post I am going to admit that I also save straws… oh, that sounds way creepier when I actually say it out loud. This past Halloween we actually found a use for said straws. We made our own spooky shadow puppets using this tutorial over at Chez Beeper Bebe. I did the tracing and cutting (with an x-acto knife) as the template puppets provided were quite detailed. We attached our hoarded straws to the back of each one as a handle using a glue gun.

The kids had a great time dimming the lights and putting on a variety of shows for us. These shows often ended in sibling discord but I would say they consistently play nicely for a good 15 minutes before the yelling begins. In my house that means craft success!!!  Read more...

When it’s too hot to handle…

Throughout the winter, we brought you Indoor EXTREME!, awesome activities for the kids so that they wouldn’t feel cooped up when it was 30 below and they couldn’t go out to play. It might not be snowing hard this July, but the weather outside’s still frightful. Here’s a round-up of our Indoor EXTREME! ideas for those sweltering summer days when the Humidex hits 40.

1. All you need is a cardboard box, scissors and felt to entertain your kids so they can entertain you! Learn How to Make a Puppet Theatre.

2. When the puppets have had enough adventures and the kids want some of their own, grab your best moon boots and Build a (Cardboard) Rocketship!

3. Had enough cardboard fun? It’s time to channel your inner architect and take our Rainy Day Lego Challenge!  Read more...

So you can properly outfit your superheroes

What’s the secret to a good superhero? Take a look carefully and you’ll see that any hero worth his or her salt has a pretty kickass costume. (Plus some sort of superhuman ability/ridiculous gadgets) Now, we all know that a cape and a mask are pretty key parts of a superhero costume, but what about the cuffs and gloves? Where does Spidey keep his webbing? How does Buzz Lightyear contact Star Command? And don’t even get us started on Wonder Woman’s bracelets.

So when we saw these superhero cuffs at No Time for Flash Cards, we knew this was a mom who knows what’s up.

Following the No Time for Flash Cards Model, you’ll need:  Read more...

• Empty toilet paper rolls
• Foam sheets (Allison at No Time for Flash Cards used stickey-backed foam sheets, but you could always glue gun)

Build something great

Having recently visited the Rockefeller Center Lego Store, we were reminded just how classic these bricks are. Yes, the Harry Potter and Star Wars sets are neat, but it’s the Lego dragon and Lego Rockefeller Center that are really amazing. (And we’re guessing Lego doesn’t sell a special giant dragon kit… yet)

While there’s something to be said for learning to follow specific instructions, Lego’s all about “helping children develop their creativity and learning skills through constructive play.”

Creative play = less structure. And with that anything goes attitude, we say you turn the living room into Lego Challenge Stadium.

Steps:  Read more...

• Clear space on the floor or on a large table to work on  your Lego structure(s)
• Dump Legos on floor/table or into a large bin (sometimes you’re looking for just the right brick so you want to be able to sort through them)

Large cardboard boxes can be anything

Sometimes the best toys ever are the ones not originally meant to be toys at all. In our day, we’ve seen empty computer or refrigerator boxes turned into playhouses, racing cars and pirate ships with the help of some scissors and crayons. Having your very own rocketship enables you to visit other planets, plant flowers on the moon and engage with extra-terrestrial lifeforms (ie. siblings)

You’ll need:

• Large cardboard box (from a big electronic device, a major appliance, or moving boxes)
• Strong scissors or an X-acto knife (Mom and/or Dad should handle this aspect of the rocket construction)
• Duct tape
• Ruler
• Extra cardboard (maybe from a cereal box)
• Construction paper or crayons to decorate
• Metallic spray paint (optional)
• Cellophane (optional)
• Buttons/pipecleaners/anything that might aid in space travel

Steps:  Read more...

Indoor EXTREME! is all about the great things to do with your kids so you don’t feel cooped up in the house. In our first installment of Indoor EXTREME! Stephanie Potter shows us how to make a simple puppet theatre to entertain your kids, so they can entertain you.

After all the excess and wildness of Christmas, we thought it might be fun to try something a little simpler to expand the kids’ imaginations. After some thinking we settled on an impromptu puppet show with things we had around the house. Now, your house may not be as full of random craft things, but if it’s not you can do a little bin diving for ends and buttons at your local craft store.  Read more...