Ice Cube Paint

Ideas to keep cool and creative this summer by painting with frozen colored ice.  Ideas include fun shapes, glitter and more.

Factory direct craft has a cool spin on painting using food coloring, water and mini clothes pins to make easy for holding.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://factorydirectcraft.com/factorydirectcraft_blog/ice-painting/


Hands on as we grow has a similar idea but freezing real paint which will be a lot more messy.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.handsonaswegrow.com/2011/07/art-frozen-painting.html

Growing a jeweled rose uses shaving cream to make her frozen paint and adds sparkly blue glitter to make it even more special.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2014/05/frozen-paint-recipe.html 

Buzzmills combines them all in one big bin so kids can see the colors combine and change.

Get the instructions here:
http://buzzmills.typepad.com/blog/2013/08/ice-cube-painting.html 

 123 home school 4 me makes fun shapes of hearts, flowers and stars.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.123homeschool4me.com/2013/05/100-days-of-play-frozen-paint-sensory.html

Two daloo lets her ice just melt on the paper, placing the ice cubes far apart and letting the colors collide as they meet and melt.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.two-daloo.com/big-process-art-rainbow-ice-paint/

Share and remember paints fabric with colored ice and lets it melt into a tye die cloth.

Get the instructions here:
http://shareandremember.blogspot.com/2011/06/ice-cube-painting-rainbows.html 

Hello wonderful freezes tempura paint into popsicle molds.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/make-freezer-paint-popsicles

How to Weave a CD

Make it a wonderful life has a tutorial on how to make a pretty weaving using a CD as the base.

Good for ages 7 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://makeitawonderfullife.blogspot.com/2011/11/cd-weaving-tutorial.html

Little hip squeaks hangs them as ornaments.

Get the instructions here:
http://littlehipsqueaks.com/blogs/blog/14855733-weaving-with-toddlers

Make your own rainstick

Make It:

Kids will love making these relaxing and fun sounding musical instruments.  



The imagination tree has a diy rain stick tutorial using a paper tube, nails, legumes and wrapping paper. The nails must be what makes the rain sound because they seem awfully dangerous. Some other non-sharp metal might work as well such as snaps or something.

Good for ages 11 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.theimaginationtree.com/2011/03/diy-baby-size-rain-sticks.html

Brown paper packages also has a rainstick tutorial using cute tissue paper, gift wrap tubes, and beans. 

Get the instructions here:
http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2012/05/oh-what-do-you-do-in-summertime_25.html

Happy hooligans uses aluminum foil and foam stickers to make her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://happyhooligans.ca/2013/06/05/rain-sticks/

In lieu of preschool has a super simpler version for younger kids using an empty plastic bottle, tooth picks and skewers and any kind of tiny uncooked grain such as quinoa.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/diy-sensory-bottles-rain-stick/

Kix uses a paper towel roll, aluminum foil and popcorn seeds for their version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.kixcereal.com/kix-cereal-recycled-craft-make-a-rainstick/

Pretty little things makes a pastel one.

Get the instructions here:
http://prettylittlethings.typepad.com/lori_marie/2010/11/rain-maker.html

Buy It:

Milk Soap Painting Experiment

Modern parents messy kids has a neat science experiment involving milk, food coloring, dish soap and a toothpick. Have the kids add food coloring to the plate of milk in separate sections like a painter's palette. Next have kids add a small amount of food coloring onto the end of a toothpick and then dip it into the food coloring. The soap reacts with the milk and the colors begin to swirl.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2011/08/we-tried-it-milk-colors.html

Babble dabble do does her painting on paper.

Get the instructions here:
http://babbledabbledo.com/science-art-for-kids-marbled-milk-paper/ 

We made that has a tutorial as well.

Get the instructions here:
http://we-made-that.com/milk-soap-experiment/

Say yes uses almond milk.

Get the instructions here:
http://sayyes.com/2014/09/after-school-kids-crafts-how-to-make-milk-art.html

Bird and little bird examines surface tension.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.birdandlittlebird.com/blog/2012/02/kitchen-table-science-food-coloring-surface-tension.html

Seed Bombs

Fun time happy garden explosion has a great idea of how to make what they call a guerrilla garden. It does require some unique ingredients though including worm casting, which can probably be bought at any gardening store. Basically you take all of the ingredients and mix them together to make the "bombs." Your kids will love playing with the consistency. Once made you literally throw them into an empty plot of land and watch them grow. A fun way to spruce up the neighborhood and show your children cause and effect.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://funtimehappygardenexplosion.blogspot.com/2007/08/guerilla-gardening-seed-bombs.html

Gardenista uses clay powder and compost.  

Get the instructions here:

http://www.gardenista.com/posts/diy-wildflower-seed-bombs

Paperclip Ribbon Bookmarks

Altered to perfection has the cutest and simplest idea for how to make an easy, colorful bookmark. All you need are pretty, color coated paperclips and matching ribbons.

Good for ages 5 and up so they can tie the knots.

Get the instructions here: She also sells these on her Etsy shop.
http://alteredtoperfection.blogspot.com/2009/01/jumbo-clip-bookmarks.html

M&J ties her ribbons into bows.

Get the instructions here:
http://blog.mjtrim.com/2014/05/20/paper-clip-bookmarks/

Free Children's Audio Books

booksshouldbefree.com offers more than 4,000 free audio books in mp3, itunes and ipod format. You can search by title, author or keyword or browse by genre including fiction, fantasy and mystery. They even have books in multiple languages and offer a top 100 list.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588 currently has videos of 17 kids story books including titles such as Pinkalicous and Where the Wild Things Are.