Make Your Own Finger Puppet Kit

Alanna George has an adorable idea for a finger puppet kit.  The only thing missing is the glue.  Check out dollar stores or thrift stores for inexpensive gloves and paint swatch cards are great for small colored paper.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.alannageorge.com/2011/11/28/handmade-holidays-finger-puppet-kit/

Toilet Paper Roll Octopi

Rebecca Cooper posts on how to make an owl and an octopus out of a cardboard toilet paper roll.  She has very simple ones and very elaborate glittery examples as well. 

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://rebeccacooper.blogspot.com/2011/10/friday-craft-day-toilet-paper-owls.html

Free kids crafts makes a green octopus with tissue paper stuffing.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.freekidscrafts.com/cardboard-tube-octopus/

Making friends uses half of the toilet paper roll.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.makingfriends.com/recycle/tp_sealife.htm

Bubble Wands

Disney's family fun has the easiest way to make a bubble wand for kids with this homemade bubble blower.  All you need are some straws and tape.

Dip one end of the bundle into a shallow dish of bubble solution (you can make your own by combining 1 cup of water with 1/3 cup of dish-washing liquid and 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup or glycerin), then blow through the straws.

The group of straws will produce tons of tiny bubbles.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/tiny-bubbles-668489/

Come together kids adds string between two straws to make super big bubbles.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2011/04/really-big-bubble-maker.html

Paper Bracelet

Fave crafts has a unique way to make an easy bracelet using a brown paper bag handle.  The main thing you need is a design pattern to use as a stencil, paint and glue.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.favecrafts.com/Green-Crafting/Brown-Bag-Handle-Bracelet/ml/1

Willow day punches holes in paper rings and then has the kids weave yarn and strung beads in and out.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.willowday.com/2013/11/easy-weave-bracelets.html

Pipe Cleaner Flower Rings

 

Pipe cleaners are twisted into pretty flower rings with these ideas and tutorials below.

Funky polkadot giraffe has a tutorial showing how to make flower rings by twisting around pipe cleaners.

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/2011/06/tutorial-thursday-red-white-blue.html

Aunt peaches twists two different color pipe cleaners to make an extra colorful flower for this pipe cleaner craft.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.auntpeaches.com/2010/09/pipe-cleaner-cocktail-rings-liberace.html

JaeBellzuses two different color pipe cleaners too but instead of twisting them creates different color "petals."

Get the instructions here:
http://jaebellz.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-flower-ring-pipe-cleaners.html

Shop twixt adds bling to her version with a sparkly pompom glued to the middle.

Get the instructions here:

http://shoptwixt.blogspot.com/2010/12/tween-new-years-eve-countdown-making.html

Popcorn Painting

Katherine Marie photography has a great way to combine an after school snack and activity.  She sets out edible paint, a dish of popcorn and some paintbrushes for an afternoon of popcorn painting.  You can use food coloring as well and even dilute it with milk or water.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://katherinemariephotography.com/blog/archives/2509

Disappearing Egg Shell Science Experiment

Science sparks has a great science experiment using an egg and vinegar to create a chemical action where the acid from the vinegar disolves the egg shell.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/01/16/how-to-get-an-egg-yolk-without-cracking-the-egg/

Crayon Painted Rocks

5 orange potatoes has a unique idea of painting pebbles with crayons.  Basically you need to heat the rocks in the oven until they're warm enough to melt crayons.  Using the melted crayons you can paint the rocks.  Amazingly they warn the wax gets hotter than the rocks.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.5orangepotatoes.com/blog/2011/03/04/hot-rocks-painting-with-wax-on-rocks/

Pencil Catapult

Random scraps demonstrates how to make a catapult using pencils, rubber bands, and an empty tissue box. They recommend using marshmallows for catapulting. Yum.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://random-scraps.blogspot.com/2010/06/marshmallow-catapult.html

Popsicle Stick Catapult

Science sparks demonstrates elasticity and shows how to make a catapult out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands and a plastic bottle cap.  Kids will have fun finding different objects to catapult across the house and seeing how they compare.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/01/09/making-a-catapult-looking-at-elasticity/

 

Almost unschoolers has a simpler popsicle stick catapult using a clothes pin and bottle cap and block of wood to anchor it. 

Get the instructions here:

http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2010/07/clothespin-torsion-catapult-for-kids.html

Do it and how has a scaled down catapult using the same supplies, just less of them.

Get the instructions here:

http://doitandhow.com/2011/10/01/craft-stick-catapult/

Floating Ketchup Experiement

Science Bob shows how to make a package of ketchup float in a plastic bottle demonstrating the science of buoyancy and density.  All you need is an empty bottle, a package of ketchup, some water and salt. 

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/magic_ketchup.php

Clover Pinwheel

The land of nod shows how to make shamrock pinwheels for St. Patrick's Day. All you need are green pipe cleaners and green construction paper.

Good for ages 8 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://blog.landofnod.com/honest-to-nod/2012/03/shamrock-pinwheel-.html

 All parenting uses patterned scrapbooking paper.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.allparenting.com/my-home/articles/967145/diy-shamrock-pinwheels-for-st-patricks-day

Clover Ring

Post grad crafts show how you can make a cute shamrock ring using green felt, a needle and thread, and craft rings. 

Good for ages 10 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://postgradcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/03/shamrock-ring.html

St. Patrick's Day Beaded Bracelet

Craft project ideas has a great take on the friendship bracelet adding green beads to green thread to make a cute bracelet for St. Patrick's Day.

Good for ages 9 and up.

Get the instructions here:

http://www.craftprojectideas.com/index.php/how-to/seasonal-projects/st-patricks-day/429-st-patricks-day-braided-bracelet



St. Patrick's Day Clover Necklace

Plaid online has a way to turn St. Patrick's Day scrapbook paper into a necklace using clear color gems to make a shamrock stone.

Good for ages 6 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://plaidonline.com/st-patty-s-necklace/3617/project.htm

Shamrock Paper Necklace

Paper clovers are turned into necklaces by adding different objects and yarn.

Rebecca cooper has a paper four leaf clover necklace using scrapbooking paper clovers and green straw separators. 

Good for ages 5 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://rebeccacooper.blogspot.com/2012/03/friday-craft-day-clover-leaf-lei.html

Mama likes me adds a rainbow of fruit loops to her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.mamaslikeme.com/2013/03/shamrock-rainbow-necklaces-and-weekly.html

Ivillage intersperses green pasta with their paper shamrocks.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.ivillage.com/fun-st-patricks-day-crafts-kids/6-a-332359

Busy bee crafts has the same tutorial.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Lucky-Charm-Necklace.html

Family education uses just the paper clovers and a simple yarn string.

Get the instructions here:
http://fun.familyeducation.com/st.-patricks-day/childrens-art-activities/37011.html

Leprechaun Traps

Leprechaun traps are very popular this year. Here are several versions to help you get their pots of gold.

Modern parents messy kids takes a kleenex box, chalk and chalk paint to make several different types of traps.

Frost me blog shares a simple green box trap however the original source quoted no longer has the tutorial.

Education.com has a popsicle rainbow trap. Inside they put Lucky Charms as bait and in the morning they recommend switching them for chocolate gold coins to show that leprechauns really do exist.

Dotcom women uses popsicle sticks in their version too.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/crafts/leprechaun-trap-st-patricks-day-crafts/4420/

Dandelions dragonflies creates bottles with instructions and the materials needed to catch a leprechaun.

Get the instructions here:
http://dandelionsdragonflies.blogspot.com/2013/02/here-it-is.html 

Nap time tales fills hers the next day with beads and gold coins.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.naptimetales.com/2013/03/how-to-catch-leprechaun.html 

Steve sprangler science uses pvc piping and a plastic cup for his version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/blog/uncategorized/leprecaun-trap/

Spoonful makes a big giant hat with a faulty top.

Get the instructions here:

http://spoonful.com/crafts/catch-leprechaun

Wired uses a gold boot and rainbow slinky.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/03/leprechaun-trap/

Kix cereal uses a box top over a cloud and rainbow

Get the instructions here:
http://kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-box-leprechaun-trap/ 

A moms take uses gold tinsel for her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.amomstake.com/2014/02/diy-leprechaun-trap/