By Kelly Hanson
Here are three easy art recipes you can whip up right in the kitchen for summer fun from Kelly Kits. These art-play activities are perfect for grandkids ages 3 to 10 and grandparents of all ages.
A special thanks to my mom, Pam Machu, and my daughters, Rhapsody age eight, and Violet age six, for graciously agreeing to help me with these fun craft projects.
Sculpting Activity
We start with what I call Kelly Klay, which is best enjoyed while still warm. Cut and mold shapes to dry and deco- rate or keep sealed in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Ingredients you will need:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 tsp alum or cream of tartar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp of oil
- Optional: food coloring or washable tempera paint to tint your clay
Directions: Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Heat the water and oil in a sauce pan on the stove. Bring to a full boil and gently pour over the dry ingredient mixture. A soft ball of dough will form and firm as it cools. If you intend to tint your clay, add the food coloring drops or washable tempera to the water & oil mix- ture after it has been brought to a boil, but before you pour it into the dry mix.
Allow the clay to cool for 10 minutes before handling. This clay hardens and can be decorated with acrylic paints or markers once dry.
Painting Activity
Chalk Paint – This is a simple way to have a lot of fun outside.
Ingredients needed:
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- Food coloring or washable tempera paint to tint your chalk paint
Directions: Mix the cornstarch and water together until completely dissolved. Add food coloring drops or washable tempera paint to create your desired tint. Stir the color in thoroughly.
Creative idea: Use this chalk paint in one of three ways:
- Mix up different colors in an old muffin tin and paint with brushes on the sidewalk.
- Freeze the chalk paint in popsicle molds or ice cube trays and use them to draw on the sidewalk.
- Fill a $1 spray bottle with the chalk paint and let the kids have fun squirting designs on the sidewalk!
Drawing Activity
Kelly Kookies – These crayon “cookies” are easy to make and super fun to draw with, just don’t eat them!
Materials needed:
- Crayons
- Foil baking cups
- Foil lined baking sheet
Directions: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel any paper off the crayons and break them into small pieces. Fill the baking cups 1/2 of the way full with crayon pieces. Place the baking cups onto the foil lined baking sheet. “Bake” the crayon cook- ies for 3-5 minutes or until just melted. Watch very carefully. Allow the crayon cookies to cool at room temperature until the crayon wax has hardened.
Creative idea: Go hunting for different varieties of leaves. Place the leaves on a flat surface or table top and cover with a sheet of white paper. Use the flat part of the crayon cookies to gently color over the leaves to create a rubbing.
Creative idea: Make a summer story bead necklace. Form small 1” balls and pierce with a bamboo skewer to create a bead hole. Allow the beads to dry thoroughly before decorating. Use acrylic paints or markers to create symbols and scenes from your summer adventures: swimming, fishing, gardening, shopping, cooking, and so on! String the beads together to tell a summer story commemorating the fun times you shared.
Kelly Kits creator Kelly Hanson is a San Antonio, Texas native and married mother of two. As a Kindergarten teacher and art educator, Kelly started her own children in art as babies. Kelly currently teaches Kindergarten for a blended homeschool/private school model as well as homeschooling her own children and running Kelly Kits.