My Education Junction

Are you tired of buying endless arts and crafts supplies? I am. It seems like every time I turn around we are out of something. The markers are dried up and the last of the glitter has become scattered across the floor. So I have been looking for inexpensive solutions to my art supply dilemma, and I thought  I could share them with you. Here are 12 things you and your children can make using common things found in the kitchen!

1. Playdough

1 cup flour

1 cup warm water

2 tsp cream of tarter

¼ cup salt

Food coloring

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a large pan over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and allow it to cool until you can comfortably work the dough with your hands. Knead in food coloring. Store play dough in airtight containers in a cool place.

2. Salt Glitter

½ cup salt

Food coloring

Mix food color and salt together until thoroughly blended. Spread salt out evenly on a plate or tray to dry. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to use

3. Dyed Pasta

Rubbing Alcohol

Noodles

Food Coloring

Pour pasta into a bowl and then pour enough rubbing alcohol into the bowl to cover the noodles. Add food coloring and gently mix the noodles. Allow noodles to sit in the mixture until they reach the desired color. Remove with a slotted spoon or pour into a pasta strainer. Allow noodles to dry on a lined cookie tray. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to use.

Salt glitter & dyed pasta art cards

4. Apple stamps and Potato Stamps

5. Fossil Stones (coffee dough)

6. Egg Carton Paint Palette

7. Tie Dyed Coffee Filters

Create a design on your coffee filter using magic markers. Spritz your filter with  water using a spray bottle. Then hold it up, rotating it every 30-60 seconds so the colors spread evenly across the filter. Once you are satisfied with your design, place your filter somewhere  it can dry undisturbed.

8. Coffee Filter Flowers

9. Glue

10. Water Colors

11. Styrofoam Stamps

I prefer to use the styrofoam trays that come with  vegetables- often tomatoes and mushrooms. Of course you can use meat trays, but make sure they are sterilized before doing so. This works best when you can apply paint with a small roller. Otherwise it is near impossible to apply the paint evenly ~as evidenced in the photo.

12. Blow and Decorate Eggs

Who says you can’t decorate eggs in August? Dye them, decorate them with markers, stickers, glitter or ribbon. There are all sorts of possibilities!

Do you have any fun kitchen craft ideas?

While you’re here, check out 10 Things You Can do with Plastic Bottles

Filed under: Arts & Crafts on August 12th, 2007