Boredom Busting Kid’s Crafts

Catch these ideas live on KOMO TV Monday April 6th at 4pm

Boredom Busting Kid’s Crafts

For many kids, this week marks the start of Spring Break. Here are some cool projects kids can do to keep boredom at bay!

Tissue Paper Flowers

Supplies: Tissue Paper in bright colors, a thick green and thin green chenille stem, a piece of green craft foam scissors, a hole punch and a ruler. You can also purchase a kit with these supplies that make three flowers. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Cut three 8 x 8 squares of tissue paper.

Step 2: Trim the edges of the squares to make the tissue paper layers into a circle shape.

Step 3: Stack and crumble the tissue paper layers together to make flowers.

Step 4: Draw the shape of a leaf on the green foam and cut it out. Punch a hole in one end of the leaf.

Step 5: Poke the thicker chenille stem through the hole in the leaf

Step 6:Line up the bottom of the tissue paper flower with the top of the thicker chenille stem. Wind thinner chenille stem around the flower and thicker stem.

DIY Wind Sock

Supplies: A flour sack dish towel, an embroidery hoop, fabric makers, hot glue and rope or twine. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: With the fabric markers, draw a design (like a fish) lengthwise on the flour sack dish towel.

Step 2: Attach the long sides of the flour sack dish towel together with the hot glue.

Step 3: Open the embroidery hoop, and glue in the rope or twine.

Step 4: Pull the top of the flour sack dish towel through the layers of the embroidery hoop and secure with hot glue.

Plastic Egg Snake

Supplies: 15 Plastic Eggs (the type that has small holes), twine, two googly eyes, pink felt, scissors and craft glue or hot glue. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Separate all the eggs.

Step 2: Choose a color scheme and pull the thread through what will be the end of the snake (use a smaller size egg half). Tie a knot.

Step 3: Continue stringing, alternating smaller and larger egg halves.

Step 4: Finish with a larger egg half for the snake head (leave yourself some extra twine so the snake can bend) and tie a knot.

Step 5: Cut a tongue out of the felt.

Step 6: Glue the tongue over the knot on the snake’s head (to hide the knot).

Step 7: Glue on the googly eyes.

Pom Pom Birds

Supplies: Large Pom Poms, felt, googly eyes, craft glue or hot glue. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Cut “wings” out of felt.

Step 2: Glue wings on pom poms.

Step 3: Glue googly eyes on pom poms.

Clothespin Crafts

Supplies: clothespins, paper, acrylic paint, thin black marker, colored pencils, markers or crayons, scissors and craft glue. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Paint the clothespin(s) and let dry.

Step 2: Draw a side view of a fish, animal or other image and outline it on black marker.

Step 3: Color in the image.

Step 4:  Cut the image in half.

Step 5: Glue the image to the top and bottom of the clothespin.

Step 6: Draw a little image to go “inside” the image (like a fly inside a frog, a swimmer inside in a shark or a 12 inside a football).

Step 7: Cut out little image and glue it on the other side of the clothespin.

Easter Egg Firefly

Supplies: Plastic Eggs, Tealight, chenille stems, googly eyes, duck tape craft glue or hot glue. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: The small end is the tail of your firefly, Cut out 6 legs and glue them to the sides of the small end. Bend them into any shape you want.

Step 2: Cut 2 pieces of the chenille stem for the feelers and glue them in place. Curl the ends.

Step 3: Glue on googly eyes. Snip off a piece of chenille stem and make it into a smile. Glue it into place.

Step 4: Fold a piece of Duck Tape in half with an edge sticking out that is still sticky. Cut the shape of wings and then cut up the middle about 2/3 of the way up the bottom.

Step 5: Stick on the back of your firefly.

Step 6: Switch on tea light, put it in the small end with the flame poking in to the egg half. Snap the two halves together and you have a firefly.

Bug Pencil Toppers

Supplies: Foam sheets in black, red, white, and green. Thin black chenille stems for feelers, yellow, green and red chenille stems, small googly eyes, small pom poms, craft glue or hot glue, pencils, scissors and markers. OR buy a kit containing enough supplies to make 12.  All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Draw bug “body” on black foam and cut out for bee. Draw a circle on the black foam for ladybug and a red circle (cut the red circle in half). Draw green bug body for grasshopper. Cut pieces out.

Step 2: Draw wings on white foam and cut out.

Step 3: Glue googly eyes and small pom poms on insects to make faces.

Step 4: Glue on feelers.

Step 5: Draw black dots on red sides for ladybug. Cut a yellow chenille stem to make stripes for the bee. Draw green squares on the grasshopper.

Step 6: Glue on wings.

Step 7: Wind a chenille stem around the pencil and glue foam bugs on.

Woven Paper Art

Supplies: 12 x 12 piece of white paper, watercolor pencils, scraps of 12 x 12 patterned paper, a paper cutter or scissors. You’ll also need water and a paintbrush. All supplies available at Ben Franklin Crafts and Frames in Redmond.

Step 1: Using the watercolor pencils, draw/color all over the white paper.

Step 2: Dip a paintbrush into water and paint all over the drawing. Let it dry.

Step 3: Cut drawing into thin strips.

Step 4: Cut patterned paper into steps.

Step 5: Weave strips together.