Campfire!!

What you'll need:
Old CD
Rocks – about the size of a quarter
Sticks
A handful of soil, dirt or sand
White craft glue
Small scraps of red, orange and yellow tissue paper
Toothpick
How to make it:
Cover CD with glue and use a paintbrush or your finger to spread the glue out for an even coat.
Cover glue area with dirt or sand and tap off excess.
Use your finger to push back a little of the dirt from the edges, all the way around the CD, to make room for the rocks.
Squeeze out a generous amount of white glue onto the cleared edge of the CD. Press a rock into the glue. Repeat until entire rim of the CD is covered in rocks.
If necessary, break sticks into approximately 4 inch pieces. Using white craft clue, build a "fire" with the sticks by laying them down in a tee pee formation, gluing as you go. Let everything dry for 2 hours (will not be completely dry, but won't slide around).
Tear tissue paper into small pieces, approximately 1" or 2" squares.
Place tip of toothpick into the center (don't poke through) of a piece of red tissue paper. Wrap the tissue paper around the toothpick.

Dab some glue on the tip and dip it into the sticks, removing the toothpick once inserted. Repeat around the top of the sticks with several red pieces and then add a few orange toward the middle, and lastly one or two yellow pieces at the top of the stick mound.
Let project dry completely overnight.


Tips:
If you don't have tissue paper, crepe paper streamers work well. You may also use construction paper cut into flame shapes.
We do not recommend hot glue for this project. While the rocks will stick well, they can easily pop off later on. White glue will adhere much better so be sure and plan for an overnight dry time.

Porthole

What you'll need:
2 paper plates
Silver craft paint (recommended: Rich Art Tempera Metallic Washable Paint in Metallic Silver, available at Michaels)
8 pieces of ring shaped cereal
Fish-shaped crackers
Silk plant leaves(Or make your own)
Sea shells (recommended: Value Pack Sea Shells, available at Michaels) (Or head to the beach)
Sand
White craft glue
Blue cellophane
Wax paper
Scissors

How to make it:
Take both paper plates and set them on the table. One should be right side up and the other should be upside down.
On the plate that is right side up, draw your sea floor about 1/3 up the center of the plate.
Line the floor area with white glue, use an old paintbrush or your finger to spread the glue out evenly.
Cover the wet glue with sand and set aside to dry.
On the upside down plate, draw a circle where you will cut out your porthole in the center of the plate.
Glue ring shaped cereal pieces around the circle; these are the bolts on the porthole. Let dry.
Paint the cereal pieces and the paper plate from the outer edge to your penciled lines. Don’t worry about painting over the lines a little, as you will be cutting it out. Set aside to dry.
Take the paper plate with the sand on it and hold it over a sheet of wax paper. Turn the plate sideways and gently tap it to loosen any excess sand. The sand should end up on the wax paper and you can save that for another project.
Glue sea life onto the plate with the sand floor. Glue on shells, silk leaves, and fish shaped crackers. Let dry.
Take the silver painted plate and cut out the center circle to create your porthole window. Place it gently over the top of the other plate to see if you are happy with its size and viewing area. Increase size of the hole if you like.
Turn silver plate upside down.
Cut a piece of blue cellophane large enough to cover the hole on the plate and glue in place. Let dry.
Place porthole plate over the top of the sea life plate and glue together. Let dry.
You can add a hanger to the project if you like, simply glue some string or yarn between the two plates.

Tips:
You can simplify the supplies in this project by using construction paper to make fish, plants and even shells.
Make your fish scene more cartoonish by adding wiggle eyes to the fish.
If you don’t have blue cellophane, use clear plastic wrap and paint the background of the seal life plate blue before adding sand and sea creatures.

Rocks?? Yes you can make cute crafts out of rocks!

What you'll need:
Smooth, round or oval rocks, washed and dried
Acrylic craft paint in colors of our choice
Black acrylic craft paint
2 wiggle eyes for each ladybug
Black permanent marker
Acrylic matte sealer spray
White craft glue (recommended: Tacky Glue)

How to make it:
Completely wash and dry all rocks.
Paint rocks in desired colors, allow to dry. Apply second and third coats if needed. Lighter colors will require more coats than darker shades.
Paint head on using black acrylic craft paint. There is no pattern needed, simply paint about ¼ of the rock black in the "front."
Use a black permanent marker to draw a straight line down the center of the rock, starting at the center of the base of the "head."
Dip the end of a large paint brush, or the eraser of a pencil, in black craft paint. Dot on the spots, reloading with paint after every dot.
Once the paint is dry, spray the rock(s) with acrylic sealer spray. Allow sealer to dry completely. Using white craft glue, attach wiggle eyes and let dry.

Tips:
If you are doing this in a group setting such as scouts or a classroom, you may find it easier to prepare the rocks ahead of time. Wash, dry and apply a coat of gesso (recommended: Liquitex Basics Gesso) to each rock. This is a craft medium (white) that works well with many projects. It will also create a base so that less coats of color paint will be required.
Bigger rocks are easier for small hands to manipulate. They are also heavier, so be sure that there are enough adult helpers for a group of little ones.
White and black paint can be used instead of wiggle eyes. Simply dot on white paint, allow to dry, then use a smaller tool to dot on the black.
If you cannot find suitable rocks outside, you can purchase them at most craft stories.

Marker FUN

Paint Brushes
Markers
Construction Paper
recycled newspaper
paper towels
container(s) of water

Using Washable Markers, draw a picture of your favorite plant or flower. Try to have the drawing touch at least three sides of the paper.

Cover your work area with recycled newspaper. Blend the markers with a wet Paint Brush, so that the water pulls color from one area to another.

Stawberry Snacks

Strawberries dipped in YOGURT

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup granola
Preparation:
Wash and dry strawberries with a paper towel. Do not remove stems.
Beat yogurt until very smooth.
Place granola in a small bowl.
Dip strawberries, one at a time, first in the yogurt, then into the granola, pressing gently with your fingers to help the granola adhere.
Place strawberries on a plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

More fun snacks!

Frozen Grapes

Frozen grapes make a refreshing and healthy snack you will find absolutely surprising and delightful. You'll still get that familiar grape flavor. But when frozen, grapes take on a texture that is almost like a sorbet. Indeed, this frozen grapes recipe is almost like little sorbet nibbles!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of seedless grapes (preferably red, though green grapes work well, too)
Preparation:
Wash grapes and pat dry with a paper towel.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Place grapes on paper towels, trying to leave some space between them. Freeze until firm.Eat frozen. Don't let the grapes thaw they might become mushy.





Gold Fish on a Pond

Rice cakes, cream cheese, Goldfish crackers and blue food coloring are all you need for these fun kids snacks.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
4 plain rice cakes
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
2 drops blue food coloring
Goldfish crackers for decorating
Preparation:
Put the whipped cream cheese into a small bowl, and add two drops of food coloring. Stir until it becomes the color of the sea.
Spread one tablespoon of cream cheese on each rice cake.
Place the Goldfish crackers standing up in the "pond."Serves 4.

Tired of the same old snacks for kids then check this out!!

Fruit Ice Cream Cones

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh fruit (cut into small pieces)
ice cream cone
honey
granola
Preparation:
Fill ice cream cone with fresh fruit, drizzle with honey, and top with granola.



Sand Pudding

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large box Instant pudding; vanilla flavor
Milk
1 box Nilla wafer cookies; crushed
1 new plastic beach pail and shovel
Preparation:
In a large bowl, make the instant pudding according to the instructions on the box add in the crushed cookies. Serve in the beach pail with the shovel.
Great for beach themed birthday party's!



Apple Dip

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
5 medium apples; cored and sliced
½ cup orange juice
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese; at room temperature
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation:
Directly after coring apples, place them in a large bowl and pour orange juice on them. Stir so that the apples are coated. This will keep them from getting brown.
Using a mixer in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla.