{More Pipecleaner Crafts}

We inherited a large bundle of pipecleaners from Granny this summer. After making our sparkly flower rings and our flower pencil toppers, I've been browsing Pinterest for other ideas for using pipecleaners.



Here's my 'round-up' of pipecleaner play/craft ideas. I don't know when I'll get around to trying them all, so I thought I'd share the ideas at least with you. Will let you know how it goes with them.




Making letters with Pipe Cleaners by Make and Takes
This would be great for Princess Pea as she's keen to learn all the letters now that she's four.




Pipe Cleaner Chameleons by Lines Across My Face
How cute is this little guy?




Aimee Herring

 





















Jolly Elves by Parent.com
A great idea for Christmas gifts. Will try to do these for sure, maybe for Princess Pea's preschool teachers.






Styrofoam Turkey Craft by All Kids Network.com
Super-cute craft for Thanksgiving!




Pipe Cleaner Colour Matching Fine Motor Toy by Fun and Engaging Activities for Toddlers
I just LOVE this idea! I've had it 'pinned' for a while, waiting for Sweet Pea to be big enough for it. I think she is now.


Don't they all look fun? If you try any of them, please let me know and/or link up your post in the comments below if you blog it.

PS - Come join me on Pinterest! (If you need an invitation, let me know and I'll be happy to send you one.)

{Wordless Wednesday: What? No, I Wasn't Eating Anything!}

{Back to School Crafts: Flower Pencil Toppers and Sparkly Rings}

School is starting oh so soon. :-(

As we work towards recovering from our jetlag before then, we have been having midnight crafting sessions!

A couple of nights ago we made sparkly flower pipe cleaner rings and pencil toppers at 1:30 am.


I followed this link to a YouTube video tutorial from Simple Kids' Crafts for making the flower rings.

Leave a couple of inches on the ends, and twist the pipe cleaner into loops to make flower petals (you can use a pencil to bend the loops around, or just do it by hand). Then twist the ends together and loop it round your finger. Twist to secure, making sure the pointy bits don't poke you. A dab of glitter glue makes them sparkle!

Then we just adapted them into pencil toppers too, winding the ends around a pencil a few times. Because you know, writing is all the more fun if you've got a fancy, sparkly, flower topper on your pencil!

And there you have it - so easy they can even be done in a semi-conscious state!

They'd make great little gifts for new classmates or teachers, no?

Looking for MORE PIPECLEANER IDEAS?




Linking to: Sun Scholars, ABC & 123, It's Playtime, Sunday Showcase, I Can Teach My Child, Come Together Kids, Pinterest Tuesday, Back to School Traditions, Kids Art Explorers

{Busy Kids Quick Tip: Washing Coins}

Simple Water Play: Washing Coins

Need to occupy the kids for a bit while you are busy making dinner? Try money laundering! No, not Soprano-style money laundering. I'm talking about actually washing money.

We had accidentally spilled some coffee in the cup holder in Grandad's car (ssshhh, don't tell!) It had a handful of loose change in the bottom of it (hence the reason the cup spilled). The coins got all sticky, so.....

While we were making dinner, I gave the kids the coins, a basin of warm, soapy water, and a couple of old toothbrushes and set them to work.

I told them not to stop until every coin was shining like it was new from the mint!

Of course, once I ran out of coins, they wanted something else to wash, so we went to our old staple, the zoo animals and figurines.

Ta-da! Dinner's ready!

Additional note: If your kids are bit older, this could easily turn into a more educational activity. Depending on the age and interests of your kids, you could count the coins, add up the denominations (great practice for counting by 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 25s, etc, depending on your currency), talk about the different denominations in your currency, compare coins of different currencies, look at the pictures and research their significance, etc.

For more simple ideas for playing, crafting, and learning, subscribe to Mama Pea Pod's weekly updates: