Bunchland

Krista Rao blogs about crafty adventures with her kids

I LOVE the fall time. The cool crisp air, leaves changing colour, busting out the crockpot, long hikes and wearing slippers around the house. There is however one element of autumn that I really dislike THE SMELL. The smell of wet rotting leaves and wet dog paws tromping through the house sends me over the edge. Our solution: apples spiked with cloves… just like Laura and Mary made to freshen their home in Little House in the Big Woods (which we are currently reading and LOVING).

This activity was super easy, perfect for this apple picking season and was loved by everyone in the house (2.5 yrs to adult). Here is a little tutorial the kids and I put together:

Materials:  Read more...

• apples
• whole cloves
• something to poke tiny holes in the apples (toothpicks would do nicely)

Warm up the darkest day of the year with this winter break craft for kids

Today, December 21, is the shortest day of the year. So it definitely has to be a cold, dark, depressing day where everyone mopes around and then goes to bed early, right? Wrong! The Winter Solstice is a time of celebration. Some communities, like Toronto’s Kensington Market, even take this opportunity to craft lanterns and puppets and parade through the streets as part of their Festival of Lights.

A simple way to celebrate the Solstice at home is by making a pomander, a clove-studded orange with an amazing fragrance. These festive balls were traditionally used to ward off illness. The modern version can be used as a DIY decoration/air freshener. And if your kid is afraid of the dark, tell them that a pomander acts as their special protective amulet, as citrus fruits are symbolic of the sun.  Read more...