3 fun (& FREE!) things to make

With the recent sweltering weather, we've all been spending a lot of time inside. TV gets old pretty quickly so here are three boredom busters we invented last week, which didn't bust the bank. Each activity was best suited to one of the three GruBers. GB5 loved making the paperbark letters, GB4 was right into the robot thing and GB2 had a ball making cakes.

Paperbark letters:

I found some beautiful pieces of paperbark on the medium strip and bought them home for the kids. While the two littlies weren't all that excited, GB5 got out her pens straight away and scribbled away for ages. The result is quite effective - don't you think?! Instead of coloured pens you could use crayons, paint, soft pencils.. You could use anything really, as long as your little artists don't have to press too hard -this may break the bark. GB5 quite enjoyed the different textures of the bark too, which also helps in giving them an appreciation of nature. How quaint ;o)

Materials:
Paperbark = $0
Pens/pencils/crayons/paint from around the house = $0
Total: FREE

Robot man:

GB4 was asking to make a robot all morning so we had a look through the craft area (which is just a pile of old wrapping paper, ribbon and containers) and found some bits and pieces. We glued them all together with wood glue and the resulting character is quite charming I think :o) GB4 really enjoyed the project because she was able to make it however she liked. It all felt very PlaySchool!

Materials:
Old packaging and boxes = $0
Glue/tape from around the house = $0
Old gift wrap/ribbon = $0
Total: ZIP

Cake:

This little invention actually emerged while GB4 and I were making the robot. GB2 was getting bored and fidgety so I passed him a couple of the bits and pieces we weren't using. After lining up the patty pans and 'counting' them again and again, he shoved them all into the old lettuce container and started calling it cake! It does look quite similar to store bought muffins, don't you think? He really enjoyed the whole thing and was still playing with them the next day. If you don't have any old (squashed and unusable) patty pans lying around, just a circle cut out of paper would do the trick nicely.

Materials:
Old container = $0
Patty pans or paper rounds = $0
Total: NADA

Enjoy!