| Copyright (c) 2010 Ivana Katz | | | | Design an appropriate test for the boat to |
| You will notice that many of the following ideas | | | | complete: Have access to a swimming pool? See |
| are very open-ended tasks. Your child will be led | | | | how far your boat can float before sinking. The |
| by his or her imagination. However, remember | | | | boat maker may wish to swim slowly behind their |
| that they will be limited by the resources that you | | | | vessel and help it along by blowing a gentle |
| place in front of them. At times like these, it can | | | | breeze in its direction! Testing the boat in the |
| be useful to have your own craft-box, full of | | | | bath? Why not see how many items it can carry |
| odds and ends that will prove useful for craft | | | | before capsizing? Start off lightly with a sponge |
| activities. Your craft "box of tricks" can include: | | | | or a bar of soap and build up the weight. |
| Sticky stuff:a roll of Sellotape / masking tapeglue | | | | Life-Sized Robots |
| stick, plasters,cling film,gummed | | | | Age suitability: 4+ |
| paper,sticky-backed plastic | | | | You will need: a variety of craft materials for |
| The bricks to build with:coloured paper and | | | | inspiration, a CD of electronic music |
| cardboard,cereal boxes,egg boxes,clean food | | | | This is a great activity to keep your children busy. |
| containers,yoghurt pots,polystyrene | | | | Not a task to complete alone, they will need your |
| packaging,corrugated cardboard,tissue | | | | help if they are to turn into a robot themselves! |
| boxes,cardboard tubes... | | | | Go through the recycling bin for newspapers, |
| ...as much 'junk' as you can fit into one box! | | | | cardboard boxes and egg cartons. You will also |
| Useful extras:scraps of material (e.g. cut up old | | | | need huge supplies of sticky tape. Your kids' job is |
| jeans or sheets),old magazines / | | | | to design, then manufacture, their own robot |
| comics,string,table-tennis balls,elastic | | | | costumes. Begin with a box for the head, cutting |
| bands,pipe-cleaners (always useful)tin | | | | out eye-holes and a large slit for the mouth. Pipe |
| foil,water-based paints, | | | | cleaners, egg cartons or twisted paper all make |
| PVA glue (as well as its sticking properties,when | | | | great antennae. For the body, tape large sheets |
| painted onto a decorated surface this dries | | | | of newspaper paper directly onto their t-shirt. |
| transparently and acts as a shiny varnish), | | | | Cereal boxes make excellent robotic feet. Finally, |
| paintbrushes,scissors child friendlyfelt-tipped pens | | | | if you bind their arms and legs tightly enough in |
| (water-based), | | | | newspaper, the robots will have no choice but to |
| 'sticky eyes' (these stick-on wobbly eyes are | | | | move with stiff limbs. |
| available from most craft shops and make any | | | | Make the most of the costumes by practicing |
| character-model instantly come to life when stuck | | | | jerky robot moves and, when ready, hold a |
| on - a must!),a selection of buttonsa tube of | | | | life-size robot parade with some electronic music. |
| glitter (use at your own peril!) | | | | Newspaper Challenges |
| Design A Bookmark Age suitability: 2+ | | | | Age suitability: 4+ |
| You will need: a variety of craft materials for | | | | You will need:a pile of old newspapers,scissors, |
| inspiration (e.g. magazines to cut up, glue sticks, | | | | Sellotape / masking tape |
| card, pens, paint, and items from nature) | | | | Your children don't need snazzy equipment to |
| Children of all ages enjoy owning their own books. | | | | keep them occupied. Just like those early |
| A great way to personalise their bedtime story | | | | Christmases when the wrapping paper holds more |
| experience is for them to design their own | | | | interest than the present, all you need is a few |
| bookmark. Depending on their age, you will need | | | | old newspapers and some imaginative challenges. |
| to do the preparation yourself. Begin by cutting a | | | | Depending on your choice of challenge and age of |
| rectangle of card of material and then decorate | | | | your children, there are valuable design lessons to |
| to taste. Remember that it needs to allow a book | | | | learn along the way (paper can be strengthened |
| to close, so anything bulky should be saved for | | | | by folding and rolling, triangles are the strongest |
| the end that sticks out beyond the pages. Use | | | | shape, etc). For older children, limit the amount of |
| sticky-backed plastic, Sellotape or a laminator if | | | | paper each competitor is allowed to use. This is a |
| you have one to cover and protect the design | | | | good test of the best design with limited |
| transparently. Feel like turning into a | | | | resources. |
| mass-production line? How about making one for | | | | - Who can build the tallest tower? Towers must |
| Granny and Gramps too, with designs that suit | | | | be free-standing. Try piling up scrunched-up paper |
| their interests? They'll be sure to cherish them. | | | | balls on top of one another or a tripod of firmly |
| Floatin' Boatin' | | | | rolled tubes. |
| Age suitability: 4+ | | | | - Can you build a bridge that spans the gap |
| You will need: a variety of craft materials for | | | | between the sofa and the coffee table? The |
| inspiration (the more waterproof the better), | | | | winner is the one that can balance the most |
| somewhere to trial the boats' floatability (a bath, | | | | cushions on it. |
| swimming pool, stream) | | | | - It is also worth challenging your child to produce |
| Suggest that your child builds a craft that is able | | | | a whole outfit made out of paper Hats, gloves, |
| to float. Useful materials may include plastic water | | | | trousers, spectacles... let them use their |
| bottles, lids, food containers, twigs, used matches, | | | | imaginations. The results will be impressive, I |
| tin foil, etc. If you don't have any Sellotape, cling | | | | guarantee! Who can make the largest, wildest |
| film or even plasters can be used to stick | | | | animal out of newspaper... a crocodile? an |
| together component parts. | | | | elephant? |