DYI Cardboard Boat and Oven

I love simple eco-friendly projects with huge impact. At this time of the year we receive lots of boxes from online orders or appliances, etc. Using the boxes to make toys is a great way to promote pretend play at home. Check out these 2 projects from ikatbag.com. Genius!

Source: ikatbag.com (check out more projects!)

Blow Fish Toy: Genius!

Joel Henriques is one of the most creative artists I've ever seen. I'm so glad he dedicates his time to develop clever toys! Check out this one! A Blow Fish Toy: easy to make, loads of fun for kiddos. All you do is make the fish (using the template and the directions on the sketch below), thread the string through the straw that's inside the fish, then tape the string ends to your wall. Once it's on the string, you blow the fanned out tail and make the fish zoom down the line. Genius! And your kiddos can color the fish(s).

 Source: Made by Joel

Fimo Fun

We came across some kids playing with Fimo Clay. The results of their art work was amazing! Kids can form shapes with the clay, in 10 different colors, and set them in the oven. It is a fun tool to help kids develop creativity. While it is not organic, it is a simple, low maintenance and inexpensive entertainment!


By Staedler

Beautiful Dowloadable Coloring Art Made by Joel

Check out these downloadable coloring sheets created by artist Joel Henriques. They are beautiful, like everything made by Joel, and help develop kids' creative skills!

Just click on each image to open the files.
 

Homemade Bunny Finger Puppets: Simply Adorable!

How adorable are these? Easy-to-make felt bunny finger puppets for Easter baskets. Click here for step-by-step instructions to make a bunch before the weekend!

From purlbee.com

Cool Stencils for Kids' Crafts

As we mentioned before, March is the National Craft Month. Kimmel Kids Exchange Collection presents a variety of tools that encourages children to make their own mark. Perfect match for the month!
It includes six colorful, laser-cut stencils, each made with durable and flexible plastic. The grommet-bound coloring book includes templates, die-cut colored pages, and letterpress chipboard covers. Canvas stencil and pencil cases include vibrant front and back eco-transferred design. A set of six neon pencils completes the kit.

Kimmel Kids products are available through select retailers. Click here to access list of traditional and online retailers.

Easter Bunny Candy Holder

Any empty jar will work for this fun and colorful project to celebrate Easter with kids. Filling the bunny's belly with some yummy and nutritious candy (think about dry fruits covered with chocolate!) will make it very enjoyable!

Materials:
-1 small empty jar
- 4 cotton balls
- ½ sheet pink felt
- ½ sheet white felt
- 4" square piece of purple felt
- 2 large wiggle eyes
- 3" x 1" piece of purple construction paper
- Black marker
- Dried fruits covered with dark chocolate

Wash and thoroughly dry jar and lid. Fill jar with fruits. Cover the top of the jar lid with a thin layer of white craft glue. Pull 3 cotton balls apart and attach them to the lid. Be sure to cover the sides of the lid as well. Let dry.
From the pink felt, cut out 2 long ovals for the ears and 2 smaller long ovals from the white felt. Glue the white to the pink. Set aside. Cut 2 circles for the paws from the pink felt. Glue circles on either side of the purple paper and write "Happy Easter" with the black marker. Set aside.

Cut a bowtie from the purple felt. Set aside. Cut a small triangle from the pink felt for the nose and glue it to the jar lid. Glue the wiggle eyes onto the jar lid, so they are on a slant, using the cotton to help prop them up toward the top. Let dry.

Put the lid on the jar and screw it in place. Once in place, glue the bowtie to the front of the jar, beneath the lid.  Glue the ears to the back of the jar lid. Glue the last cotton ball to the back of the jar for the tail.Glue the paws and sign to the front of the jar.

Tips:

1. It's important to wait until after the jar lid is in place to attach anything to the jar. If you glue things to the jar first, you may not be able to line up the face with everything else.
2. Wiggle eyes with eyelashes are available at craft supply stores.
3. Keep a damp washcloth nearby in case your child's fingers get sticky from attaching the cotton balls to the lid.

Source: crafts.kaboose.com

Speaking of Creativity...

March is the National Craft Month, so nothing more appropriate than giving eco-friendly, non-toxic crafting tools for our little ones!

We found these awesome Erasable Crayons for kids. The set comes with 25 different colors. Uniquely extra long, they can be sharpened to a fine pencil point. Wrapper free and ideal for parents! They are erasable and washable off walls, floors, and most fabrics. All certified non-toxic.

Made by Faber Castell, sold by Stubby Pencil Studio and Amazon.com

For Eco Creative Kids

Check out these "gourmet scented" pencils made from 100% recycled newspapers. Made from rolled sheets of newspaper instead of wood , they are available in yummy scents like Bubble Gum, Cherry, Grape, Chocolate, Orange, etc.

The layers of newspaper are noticeable as you sharpen the same way as all other wood pencils. These cool eco pencils are available in graphite (#2) and color.

Find them at  Stubby Pencil Studio or Amazon.com

Fantastic Homemade Yo-Yo Balls

These homemade yo-yo balls are lovely, and ideal for toddlers!
Kids can be involved in the process of making the yo-yos, they are so easy to put together!
The little ones will have loads of fun making and playing with them.

Check out step-by-step instructions from Made by Joel.

Fabric Book

We found a creative Mom that loves crafting for her kid. She had this very neat idea to make a fabric book, with different themes and textures. What a great project!!

She doesn't have a tutorial to share, but according to her words, she just learned how to sew, and made this beautiful project!
She said: "I cut all the letters and pictures freehand, and added on as I saw fit. If you want to try to make one like it, all I can say is go for it, and good luck!".
We say: "Very well done, Mama Mel!"

Source: Mama Mel Loves...

Baby Hats from T-Shirts?

We've learned about these hats from Mama to Mama, sewn using the hem of the T-shirt as the hat’s bottom hem. Brilliant idea! Quick and easy to make with the kids, you can even make some extra to donate!
Click here to access the tutorial
Picture from Mama to Mama