| Kids Travel-Day Kits |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-167 |
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Debbie Stapley, host of Crafts & Company, shares her tricks for keeping kids entertained on long road trips. She explains how to make several games that can be used over and over. Ticktacktoe Tote Bag Materials:
Canvas tote bag
Dimensional fabric paint
Buttons
VelcroB. dots
Needle and thread - Draw a ticktacktoe board on one side of the tote bag with dimensional paint.
- Stitch Velcro hook dots in the center of each square. Stitch the corresponding loop Velcro dots on the back of large buttons to use as game pieces. The bag doubles as a game and a storage bag for other travel games (figure A).
The Bead Game Materials:
String or yarn
Beads
Large hairpin - Tie a knot through a bead in one end of the string or yarn. This anchors the beads so they won't come off the string.
- Feed the other end of the string or yarn through the loop of a large hairpin. The hairpin keeps the beads from sliding off and makes it easy for kids to thread beads onto the string.
- Depending on how long the trip will be, have the kids thread one bead on the string for each mile traveled. If you're taking a very long trip, have each bead stand for 10 or 15 miles. When you reach your destination, leave all the beads on the string. On the way home have the kids remove one bead for every mile (or every 10 or 15 miles) so they can see how much longer the trip home will be.
Cross-Off Game Materials:
Plastic slide-holder sheet
Scissors
Magazines
Grease pencil
Clipboard - Before your trip, have kids go through magazines and cut out pictures of things they might see along the road on a trip, such as a log cabin, a flag, a "for sale" sign, a train, etc. Look for pictures about the size of a photographic slide (figure B).
- Place each picture inside a slide pocket of a clear plastic slide-holder sheet (figure C).
- Clip each plastic sheet to a clipboard, and give one to each child. As the children see each object pictured, they can cross it off with a grease pencil. The first child to cross off a row wins the game. The grease pencil may be erased from the plastic with a tissue and the game started again.
Alphabet Game Materials:
Construction paper
Metal rings
Marker
Crayons
Paper punch - Make a book, using construction paper for pages. Draw one letter of the alphabet on each page. Punch two holes in the long side of the pages. Fasten the pages together by putting metal rings through the punched holes. Put blank pages at the end of the book for photos or notes.
- When kids see an object, they can draw its picture on the page whose letter corresponds to the first letter of the object's name. If desired, have the pages bound at a copy center when you return home.
Are We There Yet? Materials:
Construction paper
Cookie cutters
Pencil
Black marker
Scissors
Laminating sheets or clear Con-TactB. paper
Paper punch
Metal ring - Trace around cookie cutters or draw star, apple or puzzle shapes onto construction paper (figure D).
- On each shape write the words Are we there yet? in black marker. Assign a monetary value to each piece, from 5 cents to 25 cents.
- Laminate the shapes or cover them with clear Con-Tact paper. Cut out the shapes. Punch a hole in each piece, and thread it onto a metal ring (figure E).
- Give a ring full of shapes to each child. Each time the children ask, "Are we there yet?" or something similar, they forfeit one game piece. Each piece remaining at the end of the trip may be redeemed at face value.
RESOURCES :
Beads
Shipwreck Beads
Website: www.shipwreckbeads.com
Beads and Craft Wire (Beadery Craft Products)
The Beadery Craft Products / Green Plastics
Hope Valley, RI 02832
Phone: 401-539-2432
Fax: 401-539-2598
Email: thebeadery@sales.com
Website: n/a
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