Bunchland

Darkness doesn’t have to mean boredom

Over 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries across the world are turning off their lights for an hour at 8:30 PM this Saturday. The symbolic gesture will introduce kids to an hour free of lights, screens or electronics. It might even be a first for some. How are you going to make sure that hour doesn’t suck? Don’t sit in silence staring into an abyss of blackness, for one thing. Max. fun doesn’t require max. power use. Plug into your people-powered source of entertainment and get ready for an awesome hour.

Power on!

1. If lighting off fireworks isn’t an option where you are, sparklers make an interactive, safer alternative.  Sparkler writing photography makes for awesome family photos. (We want to see ‘em, too! Send us a link!)  Read more...

Another batch of Etsy treasures, where one of a kind holiday gift options abound.

If you missed it, check out our Etsy Round Up Part 1 and get inspired about finding some amazing Christmas presents from your couch. The hits just keep coming!

For the under 3 crowd:

Teething Toy Moustache

If you got a kick out of Mini Movember, keep the fun going all year with this wooden wonder by teethME.

Screen Printed Sushi Bib and Hat

They might not be skilled with chopsticks yet, (or even their fingers), but this bib and hat set will keep your little dynamite roll clean. By LEFTright.

For the 3 – 6 crowd:

Felt Campfire Playset

Bring the best part of camping inside, all year round. This set comes with 8-inch flames, logs, rocks, a roasting stick with Velcro on the end with stickable hotdog and s’mores set. By kidnaroundcreations.  Read more...

Krista Rao blogs about crafty adventures with her kids

We’re kicking it up a notch! In my last post, my family and I were making and really enjoying shadow puppets. While my kids still love playing with the puppets, they are getting a bit bored with trying
to find an adequate wall to put on their shows. We decided it was time to build a theater for their puppets to perform in.

We constructed the theater out of an old box we had lying around.

It was very easy to make. First I cut off the back and top flaps. Leaving the sides attached to the bottom makes the theater pretty sturdy. I turned the box inside out and re-taped ours as it was black and the kids would not have been able to decorate it to their standards. I then cut out a large rectangle in the front which I covered with white paper — this will be the stage.  Read more...

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...