Simple Projects for You and Your Child

Ever want to liven up a standard birthday party? Perhaps your child is having a sleepover and you'd like to find little craft projects that can speed the night along? Well below are easy and simple ways to bond with your child. Take an afternoon and complete a great little party how-to project. Send your birthday party guests home with a souvenir.

Child's Windchime:Ever wanted to make a wind chime? This is a great arts and crafts idea for children.

First you need to select the items that you want for your wind chime, whether that is shells from the ocean, beads, stones, or anything that will make a sound when they collide together. After you get that together you will need to put a hole through them. This usually can be done with a nail, hole punch, needle, etc. (PLEASE supervise actions by children) Put string or thread through the hole in the item remembering that heavier items may need to be wrapped and glued first. Take a wicker wrap, lid, or anything that can serve as the top of your wind chime and poke holes thru the top and tie off your cord with the shell, or other object. After you get done pulling all the strings to all the objects through the top of the wind chime place a small amount of glue at the hole to hold it. After the glue dries and everything place a loop of string for a tie off at the top. This will allow it to hang. When it is all dry you can decorate with paint, glitter, or anything the child desires. Also makes a great little how-to project for mother's day presents.

This is a simplistic formula for making a wind chime. Its great for older children to do on a summer day. The best way is to do it right after you go on a scavenger hunt for the items you want to make the chime out of, I suggest maybe for a beach summer vacation?

Making Play-doh:This easy to do recipe makes longer lasting play-doh than the commercial brand. It is inexpensive, nontoxic, and you can make it in any colour you see fit. It's a great little craft project!

1 cup all purpose flour¼ cup salt2 Tablespoons cream of tartar1 cup water1-2 teaspoons food coloring1 Tablespoon vegetable oil.