Halloween can be a pretty expensive holiday, and face paint is just one of those things that can bring up the price of the holiday. That’s where this little craft recipe comes in handy but you can use the face paint year round.

What you need:

• 1-1/2 tsp of water
• 3 tsp of cornstarch
• 1-1/2 tsp of cold cream
• a few drops of food coloring

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cold cream and the cornstarch until it is well blended.
2. Stir in the water slowly.
3. Add a few drops of food coloring.
4. Pour into an airtight container for storage.

When you use the face paint, apply it with a paint brush or purchase small rubber stamps from a craft store (the cheap foam ones) and dip it into the paint before pressing it on the face. This face paint washes off very easily with soap and water but make sure you do not use too much food coloring since it can dye the skin.

Sirena Van Schaik

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It is very easy to make, it provides a different texture to work with and it has an interesting smell to it. The sensory experience will definitely be improved with this art recipe.

What you need:

• one can of condensed milk
• food coloring
• resealable containers

Directions:

1. The amount of condensed milk that you use greatly depends on how much you will be painting and how many colors you are going to offer. Usually one can will give you enough paint for about 3 or 4 colors but you won’t have a lot of extras. A lot of people will use between 1/2 and 1 cup of condensed milk for each paint color. When you have decided what you are doing, pour in the desired amount into the small resealable container.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir until the color is well blended.
3. Take out a piece of construction paper and paintbrushes and get painting.

*Mix it up: Mix up the craft by having your child paint on an art easel. I find Milk Paint is a bit thinner than regular paint so the child has to learn through trial and error (or cause and effect) how to keep the paint from dripping down the paper.*

Sirena Van Schaik

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It’s probably a little early to be dreaming about snow but with the muggy weather I had today, I’m almost ready for winter. Well, almost ready…okay, not really, but the thought of winter made me think that it would be an excellent time to share my recipe for Whipped Snow.

This is a fun little recipe to bring out on rainy days or as an outdoor activity on a warm sunny day.

What you need:

• 2 cups of laundry soap (ivory flakes works really well but any type of powdered or flaked laundry soap is fine)
• 4 cups of water
• food coloring (this is completely optional but you can divide the whipped snow to make several different colors by adding a few drops of food coloring)

Directions:

1. Measure out the laundry soap into a large bowl.
2. Slowly pour in the water as you mix the flakes with an electric mixer.
3. Continue to mix on high until the soap becomes fluffy.
4. Separate into several bowls and fold in a few drops of food coloring if you choose to color the whipped snow.
5. Give to the kids and let them create their own whipped snow sculptures.

One thing about whipped snow is that it can be left out over night and it will dry in the shapes you created.

Sirena Van Schaik

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What you need:

• 1 1/2 cup of salt
• 3 cups flour
• 3 cups cold water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 6 tsp cream of tartar
• Food Coloring

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, mix together the dry ingredients.
2. Add in the water and oil.
3. Place on the stove and cook at a low-medium to a medium temperature.
4. Stir continuously until the dough pulls away from the pot. (Another test is if it can be pinched without sticking to you fingers but be careful since it is hot.)
5. Remove from the heat and place on a cutting board.
6. Knead the dough until it has the proper consistancy.
7. Break into 3 or 4 balls and set to the side.
8. Add a few drops of food coloring to each ball and knead until the color is blended in.

*optional: if you are only making one color, you can add the food coloring to the water and cook the color in.*

Sirena Van Schaik

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One of these things is Sidewalk Paint. You can go out and purchase sidewalk paint for about 20 bucks, give or take, or you could go into your kitchen and pull out a few things from your baking cupboard and have a great eco-friendlier product for your kids to use that is easy to clean up.

What you need:

• Cornstarch
• Food Coloring
• Water
• yogurt containers (or small margarine containers with a seal-able lid)
• paint brushes

Directions:

1. Take the cornstarch and pour it into several different containers. You can measure it out if you aren’t sure about eyeballing and any measurement is fine since this is an equals parts cornstarch to water recipe. Usually a half a cup or a cup of cornstarch is enough for each color.
2. Add equal parts of water slowly while you stir. This means if you have 1 cup of cornstarch, you need one cup of water.
3. Add food coloring. Usually between 6 to 10 drops depending on the color you are making.
4. Take outside and start creating.

The paint should wash off very easily with a hose or even a good rain. I have had sidewalk paint wars (don’t ask) and have had it splattered onto everything from rose bushes to my front windows and a powerful hose pointed at the paint has cleaned it up without any fuss.

Sirena Van Schaik

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I love, I mean LOVE, Paper Mache but unfortunately, my kids do not feel the same. For some reason, they act like paper mache paste is an acid that once it gets on their skin it will begin to burn. I’m not sure why this is but the same kids that hate the feeling of paper mache will stick glue on their hands and pretend to peel it off like skin (okay, I admit to teaching them that one). These are the same kids that will also happily play in mud, sand, and clay (which by the way, coats the hands). It is strange to say the least but it basically means that I when it comes to making paper mache crafts, the kids will help me with everything except putting the paste wet papers onto the frame.

Still, I will whip out the paper mache every once in a while to get my hands dirty and with the hopes of enticing my kids to do so as well.

When it comes to paper mache, there are many different recipes out there but my favorite is the straight flour and water. I know there are some that call for glue but if I’m going to use glue, why not just use all of it. The flour, in my mind at least, is what makes the paper mache harden to the proper consistency so I will share the recipe that I use.

What you need:

• 1and 1/2 cups of flour
• 3 cups of water
• Newspaper

Basically, the recipe is a 1 to 2 parts and it really is a no fuss recipe, which I prefer.

Directions:

1. Combine the water and flour.
2. Mix with a whisk until most (if not all) of the lumps are removed.
3. Tear or cut the newspaper into 1″ strips.
4. Dip the paper into the paper mache.
5. Wipe off the excess paper mache into the bowl before attaching the strip to whatever you are working on.
6. Repeat

And that is about it. For some great ideas on how to use paper mache, I suggest going to this site or to stick around on That Parent Place for future projects.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Since everyone loves bubbles, why not have a recipe ready to create gallons upon gallons of bubbles for hours of fun.

What you need:

• 10 cups of Water
• 1 cup of Liquid Dish soap (Any type will work but many bubble solution makers swear by Joy or Dawn.)
• 1/4 or .25 cups of glycerin

Directions:

1. In a large container with a lid, pour in the water.
2. Stir in the cup of liquid dish soap
3. Stir in the 1/4 cup of glycerin. Stir until it is well blended.
4. Use with any type of bubble blower. For best results, let the bubble solution stand overnight.

After that, all you will need to do is make more whenever your child either uses it up or if they are anything like mine, spill it.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Cloud Dough is interesting in shape and it has an appearance that is very similar to billowy clouds. 

What you will need:

• 1 cup of Vegetable Oil
• 6 cups of Flour
• 1 cup of water (roughly)
• optional:  Tempura Paint (your choice in color)

What you need to do:

1. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly pour in the oil while stirring.  Mix the flour and oil together.
3. If you are adding tempura paint, pour it in before the water and mix it in.
4. Gradually pour in the water until the dough is soft and can be molded.  You don’t want it so moist that it breaks apart and sticks to everything so you may not need a full cup of water or you may need a bit more than a cup.
5. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

This dough has a lot of elasticity to it and children can use it to make all sorts of shapes.  Mix up the experience by giving them flowers, pebbles or other objects from nature to use when they create their masterpieces.

Sirena Van Schaik

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For the Older Kids

What you will need:

• Borax Laundry Detergent
• Water
• Elmer’s Glue
• Sandwich Bag
• Food Coloring

What you need to do:

1. Take 1/8th of a cup of borax laundry detergent and dissolve it into a half litre of warm water.
2. Once it is dissolved, set it aside and allow it to cool.
3. Take a separate cup and add 2 tablespoons of Elmer’s glue in it.
4. Stir in 3 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly.
5. Add food coloring.  Green is the best choice for snot but you can mix it up for alien or ghost goo. (hmm, I think that is the official term for it). Stir until you have the desired color.
6. Pour in one tablespoon of the borax solution that you made.
7. Mix thoroughly.

And there you have some really gross snot.  Enjoy

For the younger kids

What you need:

• clear corn syrup
• water
• clear gelatin powder
• food coloring

What you need to do:

1. Heat a half cup of water until it is boiling hot (this is important for parents to do.)
2. Add in three packages of clear gelatin and food coloring
3. Stir until it is dissolved.
4. Place into a measuring cup
5. Pour in corn syrup until the liquid rises to a cup. 
6. Stir until long snot globs form on the end of your fork.

And there you have a non toxic snot that you won’t have to worry if any is ingested. 

I hope you enjoyed today’s gross crafty recipe.

Sirena Van Schaik

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This is an excellent activity to teach children about cause and effect and also about predicting outcomes.  Before you do the actual activity, ask questions like, “What do you think will happen when we mix baking soda and vinegar?”  You can also mix it up and have different types of powder and liquid and ask for predictions for each.  Use flour and water, vinegar and flour, water and baking soda. 

After that it is just a matter of testing the theories (cause and effect).  All you need is the ingredients you listed in your questions and a cookie sheet for the overspill.

What you will need:

• a cup or water bottle
• vinegar (usually about a cup is enough for the experiment)
• baking soda (usually about one heaping tablespoon but you can add more or less depending on the size of the container)
• food coloring (optional)

What to do:

1. Pour the vinegar into the container.
2. Let your child add the baking soda and watch it bubble up.
3. Talk about what you just saw.

And that is it.  You can have your older child record your results so they start laying the foundation of documenting their research but it isn’t necessary.  

*Alternate: place the baking soda into an empty balloon and fasten the balloon to the top of the water bottle already filled with vinegar.  Be careful when you do this so the baking soda does not fall into the vinegar.  Have your child tip the balloon up so the baking soda falls into the vinegar while you hold the mouth of the balloon to keep it from slipping off the bottle.  The balloon will fill with gas and inflate.*

I hope you enjoy this activity as much as I do.  I will post directions to making your own volcano and a volcano cheat sheet in the next few weeks but until then have fun.  Oh, if your child wants to know what the chemical reaction is, all you need to know is that vinegar and baking soda combined makes the gas, Carbon Dioxide.

Sirena Van Schaik 

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