Children

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For their friend, for Christmas gifts.

SPINNING TOP:

Cut out a circle of cardboard and paint a pattern on it.
An older child might try painting a spiral, or the teacher or parent could draw the edges in first with a pencil.
Put a toothpick or a pencil through the centre of the card and spin it.


WHIZZER WHEEL:

Cut out a circle of cardboard (about 5 -inches in diameter.)
Paint colored shapes on the face of it.
Poke two holes in the center and thread a piece of yarn through them.
Tie the yarn so that the wheel is in the middle of two loops.

Direction for using:
Put each hand through a loop, and twist the yarn as much as you can, holding one hand still while turning the other.
Pull sharply so that the wheel spins around, then let it slacken.
Continue jerking the yarn and the wheel will spin.

WINDMILL:

Paint or print bright patterns on both sides of a piece of thin cardboard, about 6 -inches square.
Cut the paper from each corner to within about 1 inch of the centre.
Without creasing the paper, pull the left side of each corner into the centre.
Thread a piece of wire through all the layers of card at the centre, and twist the wire around a bead to secure the front.
Finally, thread a second bead onto the back and attach the wire firmly to the end of a stick.

CREEPING SPOOLS:

Paint an empty spool of thread and poke a thick rubber band through the hole.
Place a short pencil inside each end of the band.

Direction for use:
Wind up one side, put the spool on the table, and watch it creep along.

REEL ‘EM IN:

The fish are just waiting to be caught in this bathtub fishing derby.

Cut colorful sponges into fish shapes.
Dab in waterproof glue to affix the eyes (buy at Craft Store)
Paper clip mouths make the fish hookable. To make , straighten one end of each clip and push it into the fist.
For the fish poles: - tie ribbons onto sticks, (I used chop-sticks, but any short stick will work well.); fashion paper clips into fish hooks and tie them on to the end of the ribbons.
Dribble a few drops of blue and green food coloring into the three inches of bath water to create a beautiful sea.

HOBBY HORSE:

Here’s a handy idea for putting those wrapping-paper tubes to good use – homemade hobby horses, which are great for backyard races and for picnics.

The wrapping-paper tube makes a perfect body.
You can easily convert a paper bag into the head, draw the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose on the bag with crayons or markers.
For a fancier horse, you can make those features on construction paper or on felt and then glue them onto the bag.
You can attach yarn or corn silk to the back of the head for a mane.
When you’re done with your drawing, stuff the bag with newspapers.
Once the head is finished, insert the cardboard tube into the bag opening and tape it or tie it shut with a piece of string.
Tie a loop of yarn or string around the tube for the reins.

Direction for use:
A child can mount the steed and be off to the races – in the recreation room, or basement in the winter, or around the backyard, around and through piles of leaves, or jumping over small twig hurdles.

“High Ho Brown Bag”!

PAPER PLATE FLYING SAUCER:

This simple flying saucer is a snap to make and flies like crazy on a breezy day.
Just staple two 9 -inch paper plates together back to back. Put in eight staples around the center of the plate).
(Regular paper plates are okay), but plastic-coated ones are sturdier and fly farther)

Direction for use:
Fling the saucer backhand to give the saucer a good spin.
If the wind is right, the saucer will dip, swoop, float, and even make S curves.
Throw it into the wind and it will come back to you.
You and a friend can toss it back and forth (Or try to!)

SUPER SPACE SHUTTLE:

* Fold an 8 ½- by 11 -inch sheet of paper in half lengthwise.
* Open it up and flatten it out. Bow fold the corners at one end down to the centre crease line.
* Fold the folder corners over to the crease line.
* Fold up the sides along the crease line.
Don’t make the bottom part so big or you won’t have much of a wingspan
* Now fold most of each side down to make wings, * Staple or tape the nose to keep it together.
Add two small paper clips to the front of the wings.
* Tape the back of the body to keep it together.
* Attach a one-inch section of paper-towel or toilet-paper tube to the back with two small paper clips, one on either side of the centre.
* Launch gently in a light breeze.

PAPER AIRPLANE RACES:

Get some friends together and test your paper airplanes in these races.

Race #1. Rocket Launch
Stand behind a line. Launch your paper planes at the word “Go.”
When they land, see whose airplane went the farthest, Do this 5 times.
The child whose plane flies the farthest in the most rounds is the winner.

Race #2. Space Race (A Cross Country Event)
For this race, you need a big open field.
All the kids line up with their paper airplanes at one end. At the word “Go,” everybody launches their plane and runs after it. When airplanes land, they are launched again, but they have to come to a complete stop first. (No fair running with a plane either) The child whose airplane gets to the other end of the field first is the winner.

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