Quiet Activity - Bracelet Making

As promised, no more fuzzy ball activities - but they may come back! ;)

Here is what you need for this activity: Pipe Cleaners, Straws, and a pair of scissors.

Take the scissors and cut the straws into several different sizes. I had the kids do this.

Use the pipe cleaner to be the string for the bracelet.

Hook one end, although you don't need to because the fuzz on the pipe cleaner prevents sliding.

Then go to town and string your straw beads!

Wrap the end around the hook and make a bracelet.

Perfect for birthday parties, friends on a play date, Friendship bracelets...the possibilities are as endless as your supply!

This can also be done with string and straw beads!

Something fun and easy and quiet! 

Straw Sculptures

You need straws and scissors.

Cut slits on the ends and then start to build.

The unslit sides fit into the slit sides.

Cutting and building.

SMILE!

This is serious stuff!  We had a fun time and were building for 45 minutes.

When you are done, keep the straws I have another project for this next week!

Just bag it and label it...project straws!

Floating Sponge Boats

Here are the items you need. I might add that all of this cost me about $2.50 and I only used some of it, so the rest of this stuff will go in the Art Closet. Score!

Items: Sponges, Fun Foam, Straws, Pipe Cleaners, not needed just in the picture.
Cut a small hole towards the top of your sponge. It doesn’t need to be a circle, just a slit. Then trim the straws. Leave the bendy part on.

The bendy part goes into the sponge...this will make it a tight fit but keep it secure.

Then cut a triangle shape for a mast out of your foam sheet. I cut two slits into the foam so that the straw can be hooked. This is not an exact science, so I let both kids cut their own shape. The both seemed to cut diamonds, but whatever you want will be fine.

Place the foam triangle onto the straw. Now you can push the straw into the sponge’s hole. It’s done and you are ready to place your sailing boat in the water.

I gave my kids extra straws to change wind and direction on the boats. We talked about how wind effects the direction. Then we tried waves...

We played in my sorry excuse for a backyard for about 35 minutes. The entire project only took about 7 minutes to make. We saved them for swimming later, because I filled up the pool and don't want that water to go to waste! :)
The best thing about this project is that if the sponge gets too full and won't move as fast you can just wring it out and stick it back into the water!