Painted cans (Halloween)

Materials:

- Brush

- Wire

- Acrilic paints

- Cloves and hammer

- Clamp

- Recycled cannes

Techniques

1. Make two holes in the top of the can with the clove and the hammer.

2. Put 25cm of wire from one hole to the other. Take the clamp and put the ends of the wire down.

3. Paint the outside and the outside of the can with the white acrilic paint. Dry during an hour.

4. Now paint again the can with orange acrilic paint, let the can dry, and now you can draw a funny face with a tongue outside of the mouth.

5. You can paint some part of the can with black, white or the colour that you prefer.

6. Complete the cans putting into them surprises, terrific phrases and sweets.

7. You don't have to worry, it's very easy!

EGG CARTON CAMELS

This is an easy way to make camels using egg cartons, a cork, crayons or markers, scissors and pipe cleaners.

Steps:
1. Separate 2 cups from an egg carton.
2. Using the point of a scissors, an adult should make holes at the base of the cups for the 4 legs and holes at each end for the neck and tail. Make 1 small hole in the wide flat end of the cork.
3. Insert a pipe cleaner into each of the holes for legs and the tail.
4. Insert one end of a pipe cleaner into the cork; insert the other end into a hole at the end of the egg cups.
5. Add eyes, a mouth, and decorate. Googly eyes are a nice touch.

Try it at home and take them to the next session.

Solar System Model

This is a model of our Solar System, picturing the Sun and the eight planets and dwarf planet that orbit it: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (a dwarf planet).

Supplies needed:

-A round piece of cardboard about 1 ft across (the cardboard from a frozen pizza works well)
-Lots of colors of oak tag (or construction paper)
-Scissors
-Tape
-String
-Pencil, crayons, or markers
-A compass (for making circles)

Find the center of the large cardboard circle by drawing a line from top to bottom and a line from right to left. Where these two lines meet is the center of the circle. This will be the position of the Sun.

Using a compass, draw the orbits of the 9 planets (draw circles around the center of the piece of cardboard).
The first 4 planets orbit relatively close to the Sun, then there is a gap (this is where the asteroids orbit). Then the last 5 planets orbit very far from the Sun.

Using an awl, the sharp point of scissors, or a large nail, punch a series of holes in the cardboard. First punch a hole in the center (this is where the Sun will hang). Then punch one hole somewhere on each circle (orbit); a planet will hang from each hole.

Cut circles from oak tag to represent the Sun and each of the planets. Since the range in size of the Sun and the planets is far too large to represent accurately, just make the Sun the biggest. Make Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune a bit smaller than the Sun. Make the remainder of the planets much smaller. Saturn has beautiful rings.
Write the name of each planet on its back.

Tape a length of string to each planet (and the Sun).
Lace the other end of each string through the correct hole in the large cardboard circle (Mercury goes in the inner orbit, Venus goes in the second orbit, Earth goes in the third, etc.). Tape the end of the string to the top side of the cardboard.
After all the planets (and the Sun) are attached, adjust the length of the strings so that the planets (and Sun) all lie in a plane.

To hang your model, tie three pieces of string to the top of the cardboard - then tie these three together. Tie them to a longer string (from which you'll hang your model).
You now have a model of our solar system.

Here you have a video in which you can see the activity we did the last session. In the video you can find as well more examples for the design.

Enjoy it!

Ocean Diorama

Create your own ocean scene in a box. Just print out sharks and whales, draw some seaweed, corals, and your favorite fish. Paste, color, cut, hang them in a decorated box, and enjoy the ocean.



Supplies needed:

-paper and a printer (stiff paper works best - colored paper is also great for this project)
-a shoe box or slightly larger box
-crayons and/or markers
-tape
-thread
-scissors
-optional: pipe cleaners (great for seaweed and coral), glitter (for great bubbles), thin cardboard to glue to the back of the animals if your paper is very flimsy (old cereal boxes work well)
optional: plastic ocean animals

Find a box at least as big as a shoe box - a slightly bigger box works even better. This will be the stage containing your ocean scene.
Decorate the inside of the box to look like it's underwater. Draw the water, the ocean floor, rocks, coral, seaweed, fish, an octopus, bubbles, scuba divers, a submarine, etc. Glitter makes a wonderful addition - just sprinkle some on a little glue.

Print out the animals you want to be in the scene (or use small plastic animals).



If your paper is very flimsy and you think your animals may bend too much, paste the template onto thin cardboard (like an old cereal box). Let the paste dry.



Using crayons or markers, decorate the animals and plants. Also, draw and decorate your own seaweed, corals, and favorite fish. Green construction paper cut in squiggly strips makes nice seaweed.
Cut out the animals and plants.

Hang the fish and whales in the box using tape and thread. Tape your seaweed and coral to the bottom of the box. Green and brown pipe cleaners also make nice plants. Enjoy your ocean diorama!

Eggshell Plant Pots

Make and decorate tiny eggshell plant pots for Easter. Then watch your plants grow.

Supplies needed:

-Eggshells
-Potting soil
-Grass seeds (they germinate in a few weeks) or bean seeds (they germinate in a few days)
-Tempera paint or Markers
-Hot glue or white glue
-A small square of cardboard or a small piece of a pipe cleaner.



Clean eggshells and dry them gently.
To give the tiny plant pot a solid base, glue a small square of cardboard to the bottom of the eggshell (or use a small piece of pipecleaner twisted into a circle ). If using white glue, let it set for a few hours; hot glue will set in a few minutes.


Using tempera paint or markers, decorate the eggshells. Let the paint dry.

Put potting soil in the eggshells (fill a little over half way). Add many grass seeds or two bean seeds (in case one doesn't germinate). The grass seeds take a few weeks to germinate, but bean seeds will sprout in just a few days.
Cover the seeds with a little bit of soil, and sprinkle lightly with water.
When the seeds sprout, put the tiny plant pot in a sunny spot and enjoy.