All of my kids love playing with sidewalk chalk, so I decided to try making our own DIY sidewalk chalk and it was so easy! Plus, it only requires three ingredients. This is the perfect craft for any kid. Take a look!

Honestly, had I known that making sidewalk chalk was so easy, I would have done it a long time ago. Plus, it’s a super fun craft to beat summertime boredom and encourage creativity and hands-on learning. Here’s everything you need to make your own chalk right now.

Gather your DIY sidewalk chalk supplies

This recipe only requires three ingredients! And with the help of a few other supplies, you’ll have your homemade chalk in no time. Here’s a list of everything you’ll need:

• Plaster of paris
• Mica powder – you can buy this online or at a craft store
• Water
• Molds – you can use Jello jiggler molds, candle molds, silicone baking molds or even silicone ice cube trays.
• Disposable paper bowls and spoons
• Mixing bowl

#1: Mix together ingredients

Mix two cups of Plaster of Paris with 1 2/3 cups of water in a mixing bowl. Then, slowly mix in about one tablespoon of mica powder. Stir until completely incorporated. It should be slightly watery. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl as you mix.

If you want mutiple colors of chalk, separate the mixture into disposable containers before adding the mica powder.

#2: Pour mixture into molds

Lastly, pour the various colored mixtures into your molds. You can use whatever kind of mold you want. I even used Jello jiggler molds and they worked great. Silicone molds work great but if you don’t have that, you can even cover the end of a toliet paper roll and fill that with the mixture. Just make sure you work quickly because this Plaster of Paris is designed to harden within 20-30 minutes.

Remove chalk from molds

Your chalk should harden within an hour or so, but we waited a few hours just to be safe. It was super easy to take the chalk out of the silicon molds. However, it took a little bit more finessing with the firm plastic mold, but we got those out okay as well.

That’s it! Isn’t that super easy? I couldn’t believe how simple and fun this DIY sidewalk chalk craft was. Even my older boys had fun making them. I hope it’s just as fun for your. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

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Valentine’s Day is a super fun day not just for adults, but for kids too. There are lots of fun Valentine’s Day crafts for kids that are super easy and simple. Whether you’re in charge of a craft for the classroom party or you just want to do something fun with your kids, here’s two crafts you are going to love.

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. So, when I was asked to do a craft for my kids’ classroom parties at school, I was excited to try out these cute crafts. The best part about these crafts is that they are perfect for kids of all ages and they don’t require a lot of supplies. Check it out!

Craft #1: Jello love bugs

The kids in my son’s fifth grade class made these Jello love bugs. I thought they were going to think it was kind of kid-ish, but they actually really liked it. Althought, I told them they were going to be making “love bugs” they kind of ended up looking like little “love monsters”. Regardless, they turned out really cute.

Here’s the supplies you’ll need for this Jello love bug craft:

• Jello cups or fruit cups
• Pipe cleaners
• Foam heart stickers
• Googlie eyes (self-adhesive)
• Scissors
• Hot glue guns

The great thing about this craft is that it doesn’t require a lot of adult help. I made a couple of these love bugs ahead of time as an example for the kids to follow. Place all of the foam heart, pipe cleaners, pom poms and googlie eyes in small bowls in the middle of the table. Then, tell the kids to make their own creations based on your example that you made.

I put a bowl of yummy Valentine’s Day treats in the middle of the table that the kids could snack on while they were working. I would recommend having several hot glue guns set up for the kids to use. If they are too young for glue guns, you can just give them Elmer’s glue or you can use the hot glue gun and glue on the pieces where they tell you.

All of their love bugs turned out so cute and different. It was fun to see their creativity take shape. Everyone had so much fun. And plus, they had a yummy snack to take home with them. This was a definite win.

Craft #2: Paper plate heart wreaths

This is one of those Valentine’s Day crafts for kids that you might want to do yourself because it is so cute. The sky is the limit as to what the kids can come up with and you really don’t have to help them at all. Everything had a lot of fun with this craft as well.

Here’s the supplies you’ll need for these heart wreaths:

• Pipe cleaners
• Foam heart stickers (make sure they are the self-adhesive kind)
• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Hole punch

Just like the Jello love bugs, you’ll want to create a couple of examples of these heart wreaths ahead of time to show the kids. You will also need to cut out the center circle of each plate and punch a hole at the top to create a wreath. I did this before I arrived, however, depending on the ages of the kids, you can instruct them to cut out their own wreath.

Next, you’ll want to give each child a paper plate wreath and tell them they can make their own Valentine’s Day wreath to hang in their home or give to their mom or dad. If they want to color their plate, they are more than welcome. Otherwise, they can just get started sticking foam hearts on their wreath. Some of the kids were very intentional with their design while other kids just went crazy and put hearts everywhere. Regardless, ALL of the kids really enjoyed this activity.

The last step is to thread a pipe cleaner through the hole at the top and tie it off. Then, you can hang your child’s beautiful wreath in your home for everyone to see. This was one of my favorite Valentine’s Day crafts for kids.

Here’s a little video showing how the kids made these crafts at my kids’ clasroom parties:

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Every kid loves a good craft, that’s why this simple popsicle stick turtle craft is perfect. With just a few supplies lying around the house, you’ll have a cute toy turtle made with love. So, if you’re looking for a fun craft idea, check it out!

My third kid, Pete, loves turtles. That’s why I knew he would love this craft. But turns out, all of my kids wanted to get involved. It was super fun. The next time your kids sya they’re bored, you can show them this!

Gather your popsicle stick turtle craft supplies

You might already have everything you need to make this cute craft. It only takes about five things:

• Regular popsicle sticks or green popsicle sticks
• Colorful yarn (two or three different colors)
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Permanent marker

Glue sticks together and tie yarn

The first step will be to glue two popsicle sticks together in the middle to form an “x”. Then glue the next popsicle stick on top of the other two in the center of the popsicle sticks so that it forms a star shape. Next, tie a knot of the first color of yarn that you want around the center of all three of the sticks.

Don’t cut the yarn yet. You’ll want to wait until you’ve wrapped it. Now, start wrapping the yarn around the center of the sticks in random order until the center forms a sort of ball. Then, you can cut the yarn.

Start second yarn with God’s Eye Pattern

Tie a different colored piece of yarn to the end of the first yarn that you just cut. Instead of wrapping this piece of yarn around the popsicle sticks randomly, you’re going to do a pattern. This pattern is called God’s Eye. First, wrap the yarn around one popsicle stick. Then, wrap it around two popsicle sticks. Then one, then two and so forth. This will start to form a beautiful pattern around the popsicle sticks.

You can wrap it as far as you want or you can cut the second yarn and add a third color of yarn. Make sure you wrap the yarn tightly each time so it forms a neat pattern. If it’s too loose, it will fall apart and look sloppy. Once you’re done, cut the yarn and tie it off with the end of the first yarn that you tied to the popsicle sticks.

Decorate your turtle

Last but not least, add a face, hands and feet to your turtle with a permanent marker or green paint. They are such cute turtles. My son decided he didn’t want to add a face and just turned his into a ninja star. My kids were throwing them all over the place in the backyard. Voila! That’s it!

I hope you have fun making this easy and simple craft for kids of all ages. Here’s a little video that explains in detail how to make this popsicle stick turtle craft as well. Enjoy! If you want more easy craft ideas, check out my “Crafts for Kids” idea list.

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Summertime is super fun for kids but can be not-so-fun for parents if you’re not prepared. So, when you’re kid says, “Mom, I’m bored,” here’s 100 easy peasy and cheap summertime crafts that are fun for toddlers and older kids alike. Check it out!

As a mom of five, I sometimes dread the summer because I know I’ll have a house full of bored kids. But, when I try to get creative and do crafts with them, we all end of having fun together and it’s a great way to make the summer break go by faster. So, pull out the pipe cleaners, construction paper, foam balls, googly eyes and egg cartons. Here’s some summertime crafts for kids of all ages.

Popsicle stick crafts

There are so many popsicle stick crafts out there. All you need is a giant box of colorful sticks and you’re set. Here’s a fun list of popsicle stick crafts that are perfect for younger kids and big kids.

• Catapults
• Bird feeder
• Exploding popsicle sticks
• Floating popsicle stick boats
• Jumbo popsicle stick bombs
• Popstick puppets
• Treasure box
• Nature sun catcher
• Magic wand reading pointers
• Baby turtles
• Flower bookmark
• Popsicle stick airplane
• Picture frame
• Flowers
• Paper lanterns

Pool noodle crafts

There is a surprisingly huge amount of crafts that you can do with pool noodles. And since pool noodles are pretty cheap, the possibilities are endless. Here’s some ideas.

• Ninja swords
• Fish friends
• Mini monsters
• Stick horses
• Pom pom shooter
• Quiet blocks
• Caterpillar
• Backyard toss game
• Blobby from Hotel Transylvania
• Rocket flinger
• Light sabers
• Ring toss
• Floating boats
• Rainy day Marble run
• Race car track

Painting crafts

If you’re looking for a summertime craft that develops fine motor skills for children of all ages, here’s some painting crafts that are really fun ideas. These art projects will bring a bit of color back into your summer season.

• Painted rocks
• Puffy paint
• Tissue paper painting
• Sharpie and alcohol art on canvas with permanent markers
• Salt painting
• Pull string painting with acrylic paint
• Squirt gun painting
• No-mess mush painting
• Ice painting
• Q-tip painting
• Coffee filter butterflies
• Coral reef sponge painting
• Frozen paint
• Bubble wrap stomp painting
• Bread painting
• Cool Whip edible paint

Cooking crafts

If you’re looking for some frugal fun, these cooking craft will awaken your inner Betty Crocker. You don’t have to have years of experience cooking to dives into these fun summer crafts. And you get to eat them when you’re done!

• 3-ingredient gummy bears
• Homemade suckers
• Campfire banana boats
• Jell-O Easter Eggs
• Ice cream in a bag
• Pancake art
• Kool-aid rock candy
• Jell-O playdough
• Rainbow popsicles
• Under the Sea graham crackers
• Apple donuts
• Cake pops
• Breakfast sushi
• Jell-O Roll ups
• Rice krispie treat pops
• Silly animal toast
• Sour patch grapes

STEM crafts

Although some of these STEM crafts might require adult supervision, they are still great for the entire family. And most require inexpensive materials and produce a fabulous end result. So start working on your problem-solving skills with these awesome STEM crafts.

• Paper plate roller coaster
• Egg experiments
• Water bottle rocket
• Twirling paper spinner
• Volcano cake
• DIY kaleidoscope
• Water jelly crystals
• Marble run
• Walking paper horse
• Walking water
• Fireworks in mason jars
• Disappearing ink
• Instant ice
• Bath bombs
• Kinetic sand
• Dancing popcorn
• Soap clouds
• Erupting lemons

Miscellaneous crafts

Here are some other creative ideas for little hands during the summer months.

• Periscope
• Window clings
• Shrinky dinks
• Slime
• Paper plates string art
• Crayon shaving canvas art
• Spaghetti sensory play
• Giant bubbles
• Ice block treasure hunt
• Galaxy jar
• PVC Marshmallow gun
• Toilet paper roll towers
• Watermelon paper fan
• Puffy paint plastic cutouts
• Stretch bracelets
• Rainbow loom bouncy ball
• Sponge water bombs
• Pipe cleaner bracelets

I hope you enjoy these wonderful summer crafts during the warm weather months. They are somewhat simple yet so much fun for the whole family during the summer months.

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If you’re looking for a fun and easy craft that will keep your kids entertained for a LONG time, try sharpie and alcohol art. It is so much fun, you might even want to do it yourself. Plus, it’s not expensive at all. Check it out!

We decided to do sharpie and alcohol art for one of our youth group activities at our church. The girls LOVED it! It was super fun to see all of their personalities manifest in their works of art. It was a blast. Here how to do it.

Gather your sharpie and alcohol art supplies

There aren’t that many supplies to make this art project a success. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Painting canvas (you can find these at the Dollar Store for pretty cheap or Amazon)
• Sharpie markers (all colors)
• Plastic droppers
• Painter’s tape
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towels
• Small disposable cups
• Q-tips (optional)

Draw your masterpiece

Using the sharpie markers, draw whatever you want onto the painting canvas. It can be a saying, a landscape or an abstract. Whatever you want. You can also take pieces of painters tape and make a pattern across the canvas.

It was fun to see what everyone decided to draw. Some of the girls took a lot of time to make their artwork very detailed. Others quickly scribbled an abstract scene. But regardless, all of them looked awesome at the end.

Add the rubbing alcohol to the artwork

Fill a disposable cup about halfway with rubbing alcohol. Then, fill a plastic dropper, with rubbing alcohol. Drop the alcohol onto the canvas. You can cover the entire piece of art or you can strategically add drops of alcohol to certain areas of the canvas. I ended up covering the entire canvas.

Then, you can hold the canvas over a garbage can, sink or bowl and let the excess alcohol run off. Don’t try to pat the canvas dry with a paper towel. That will cause the color from the marker to come off on the towel and ruin the artwork.

Outline original image with marker

If you’re happy with the way your artwork looks, then you’re done. However, I like to take a black permanent marker and outline the original image that you drew. This gives the artwork more detail and depth.

You’ll also want to consider the colors that you are combining. Since the colors run together, they could create browns, greens and purples. So keep that in mind. Overall, this sharpie and alcohol art was such a fun activity and ended up turning out so cute!

I want to know what you thought of this art activity. Leave your comments below! Thanks for reading!

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Pin poke printables are one of my kids’ favorite activities and they are so easy to do. Here’s 28 different holidays images that you can print, poke and color all day long. Your kids will be entertained for hours.

My kids are always looking for easy and fun activities to do at home. That’s why I love pin poke printables. They are perfect for any age and they help my kids develop their fine motor skills. Plus, they really like doing them! Here’s how you can do some pin poke pages today.

Download your pin poke printables

So, I designed seven pages of holiday-themed pin poke activities. Each page has four images per page. Basically, there are four images for every holiday of the year: Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Click on the link below to download your printable pages.

Click here to download your Pin Poke Printable Pages

Print and cut your pages

Once you’ve downloaded your PDF of the poke pages, you’ll need to cut out the four images on each page. You should end up with 28 different images (four for each holiday). I like to cut my pages out with a paper cutter. It’s faster and makes straighter cuts.

Start poking!

Now for the fun part. I let each of my kids choose the poke page that they wanted. Then, you’ll need a push pin or you can buy a pin poke tool that has a wooden handle for easy gripping.

Place one of the pin poke printables on a piece of cardboard, a throw pillow or a corkboard pad and poke a tiny hole into each of the tiny dots on the image. Continue until all of the dots have been poked and the image is complete.

Once you’re done, display all of your completed pages on a window. The light shines through the holes so you can see the image. My kids love hanging their completed creations up for everyone to see.

I hope you enjoy these poke punch pages as much as we did. Here’s a link to download your printable pages just in case you didn’t see the link above:

Click here to download your Pin Poke Printable Pages

Let me know in the comments below if you have any other fun activity ideas for kids that are easy for all ages.

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Doings crafts with your kids doesn’t have to be difficult. These DIY window clings are super, super easy and fun. Plus it opens up all kinds of creativity. In just three steps, you can have your own. Check it out.

Our efforts to entertain our kids amid the COVID-19 social distancing has proved to be super fun! We decided to try making our own window clings and I wondered why we hadn’t done them before. Plus, it only took three steps.

Step #1: Buy or make window clings solution

So, if you’re ambitious, you can actually make your own window clings solution with Elmer’s glue and food coloring. Or, you can buy puffy fabric paints, which is what I did. The paints were perfect for tiny details and a plethora of bright colors. Plus, I was just lazy.

Step #2: Start making your creations

Gently squeeze the puffy paint onto a piece of plastic such as a gallon Ziploc bag or a sheet protector. You can also print out coloring pages of simple images (car, frog, hamburger, etc.) and slip it inside the plastic. Then you can trace your image. Or you can just make up your own design.

Your designs will work best if you are generous with the puffy paints. The thicker they are, the easier they are to peel off. However, don’t use too much or the image won’t be as clear and defined.

Step #3: Peel and hang

This part is the probably the hardest because you have to wait quite a while for your window clings to dry. Ours took a day and a half to completely dry. If you try to peel them off before they are dry, they will fall apart. So, be patient.

Once they are dry, carefully peel the clings off the plastic. You might want to let an adult do this part. They are rather fragile. Finally, attach them to a window or mirror in your house and enjoy!

I hope your kids will enjoy making these window clings are much as we did. What other boredom busters do you have? Leave your comments below.

Related link: FREE shrinky dink templates

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It’s time to get in the holiday spirit with Christmas sand art! This is a craft the whole family can enjoy and it’s super inexpensive. These cute works of art can also double as ornaments for your tree! Check it out.

So, I got the idea of Christmas sand art as I was walking around the Dollar Store. They sell bags of sand in all different colors. It ended up being such a fun activity as a family and my kids absolutely loved it. Plus, you can do sand art all year round for Easter, Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving. The sky is the limit really. Here’s how you can do it too.

Gather your sand art supplies

The best part about this sand art craft is how affordable it is. With just a few supplies (listed below) you’ll be making memories in no time.

• Colored sand (you can also buy some at the Dollar Store)
• Clear Elmer’s glue (you can use white glue in a pinch)
• Christmas cookie cutters
• Scissors
• Cardstock

I think I spent less than $10 for all of the supplies. And I had a bunch of sand left over to save for another craft later on.

Trace your Christmas shape

Pick the shape that you want. You can also draw your picture without cookie cutters, but it’s much easier for little ones to use a cookie cutter. Make sure you use cardstock and trace the interior of the cookie cutter. If you do the exterior of the cookie cutter, the shape won’t be as defined.

Glue and spread the sand

Once you have your Christmas shape drawn on the paper, squirt a thin line of glue along the lines. Don’t use too much glue because it will drip and ruin the picture. I liked to use toothpicks to spread the glue or just use your fingers.

Dump excess sand

Cover the entire area that has glue on it and then dump the excess sand back into a bowl. You might want a separate bowl for the excess sand because you might mix the colors a little bit. Then just wait for the glue to dry.

You can take this craft a little bit further for some more fun. Cut out the shape, punch a small hole at the top and add a ribbon. You’ll end up with enough ornaments to decorate an entire Christmas tree!

Now if you do have some left over sand, don’t throw it away! Here’s some other sand craft ideas:

• How to make kinetic sand
• Colored sand bottles
• Underwater magic sand
• Rainbow sand art
• How to make your own colorful sand

What other Christmas craft ideas do you have? Leave your comments below.

Related link: 15 Kids Christmas Crafts

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I love kids, Christmas and crafts. That’s why I put together this list of 15 kids Christmas crafts that are inexpensive, simple and tons of fun. All of these crafts require minimal supplies but provide loads of fun. Take a look. Your kids will be asking for more!

The crafty mom in me always wants to do a fun project with my kids during Christmas time. But the stressed out mom in me doesn’t want it to be too complicated or expensive. Voila! Here’s 15 great ideas that are cheap, easy and fun.

Christmas sand art

Little Debbie Christmas craft

Paper plate Christmas tree

To start of our list of kids Christmas crafts, all you’ll need for these cute paper plate Christmas trees are:

• Paper plates
• Christmas pom poms
• Green paint

Craft stick snowmen

Supplies for your craft stick snowmen are pretty basics:

• Craft sticks
• Googly eyes
• Christmas pipe cleaners
• Ribbon

Button Christmas tree ornaments

This adorable craft is the simplest of them all. Here’s all you’ll need:

• Red and green buttons
• Elastic string

Paper straw wreaths

This craft is so creative and colorful. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Christmas paper straws
• Red and green beads
• Ribbon

Grinch slime

Every kid loves slime (even if parents don’t). So, I had to include this one. Here’s the supply list:

• Elmer’s clear glue
• Baking soda
• Green food coloring
• Saline Solution
• Glitter
• Red foil confetti hearts

Waterless snow globes

The sky is the limit on this fun craft. But here’s the main supplies you’ll need:

• Glass jars
• Artificial snow
• Mini Christmas trees
• Mini snowmen
• Hot glue gun

Tealight snowmen

These a too cute not to mention. Here what you’ll need:

• Tea lights
• Black fine tip Sharpie marker
• Ribbon, pom poms, pipe cleaners

Elf Pencil Holder

So easy. Super cute. So fun. Your kids will love these pencil holders.

• Empty soup can
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue

Santa card

Cotton balls are the best for crafts and Santa’s beard. Check out your needed supplies:

• White cardstock
• Cotton balls
• Christmas pom poms
• Googly eyes
• Red glitter paper

Pine cone reindeers

These are super cute and simple. All you need is:

• Pine cones
• Googly eyes
• Pom poms
• Pipe cleaners
• Glue

Paper snowflakes

Supplies:

• Paper
• Scissors

Clay pot gingerbread houses

These clay pots can become a work of art that your kids can be proud of. Supplies are:

• Mini Terracotta Pots
• Paint Pens

Reverse Christmas Tree Fingerprint Cards

These are the perfect Christmas card to send to family and friends. Here’s the main supplies you’ll need:

• Tempera Paints
• Blank white greeting cards
• Christmas tree cookie cutter
• Painter’s tape
• Cardstock

Christmas paper plate string art

This can be done for any holiday. Just cut out the holiday shape that you like and start crafting! Here’s your supplies:

• Yarn
• Sturdy paper plates

Holiday Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

Start saving your toilet paper rolls. This is one of the best kids Christmas crafts.

What other ideas do you have for kids Christmas crafts? Leave your comments below.

Related link: Mystery Christmas Stockings Game

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Exploding popsicle sticks are way fun! Your kids will love it. But, first, you gotta figure out how to do it. As a cub scout leader, making a chain of exploding popsicle sticks is one of the requirements. I admittedly wasn’t very excited about it, until I realized it wasn’t as hard as I thought.

Watch the popsicle sticks in action

Before you make your own popsicle stick chain reaction, check out this video of what ours looked like. My boys loved it!

Get started in six steps

All you will need to get started is a package of jumbo colored wood craft sticks.  Then, follow the six easy steps outlined below. Here’s a FREE PRINTABLE – Exploding Popsicle Sticks instructions if you want to print them out.

After you complete step six, just keep placing the popsicle sticks under and over as you make the chain. The key is to ALWAYS apply pressure on the most recent stick that you place on the chain otherwise it will explode. Here’s a great video that shows these steps as well.

Tips and tricks

• Only use JUMBO craft sticks. The regular-sized popsicle sticks are aren’t as flexible.
• Colored popsicle sticks make it easier to follow the steps, but you can use plain popsicle sticks if you’re in a pinch.
• Continually adjust the popsicle sticks as you go so they are aligned correctly.
• Try setting up your exploding popsicle sticks on carpet. It makes it easier to place the sticks.
• If you need to step away from your popsicle stick chain, use another popsicle stick to hold down the end sticks where you were applying pressure. Then, just pull that stick out when you’re ready and watch it explode.

Let me know how you liked this popsicle stick chain reaction in the comments below. If you want more easy craft ideas, check out my “Crafts for Kids” idea list.

Related link: How to organize your kids’ shoes for good

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