Leisure & Learning

Craft Ideas

Rainbow Weaving Fish

Materials

• Rainbow coloured paper
• Googly eye
• White or black card stock paper
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions

1. Cut out the shape of a fish with card stock paper and fold it in half
2. Use a scissor and cut slits close together, not too close to the bottom or mouth of the fish
3. Cut out long strips of coloured paper
4. Weave the coloured pieces of paper through and trim the top and bottom to look like fish fins
5. Add your googly eye any extra scraps around the body and tail

Stain Glass Bookmark

Materials

• White cardstock or construction paper
• Tissue paper
• White glue
• Mod podge
• Plastic wrap
• Yarn, string or ribbon
• Scissors
• Hole punch

Instructions

1. Cut out a long rectangle for your bookmark’s base from the cardstock or construction paper. You can cut it out about 7 inches long and 1.75 inches wide.
2. Cut two or more colours of tissue paper into small irregular-shaped pieces.
3. Put your bookmark on top of the plastic wrap.
4. Mix three parts white glue with one part water.
5. Dip one piece of coloured tissue into the glue mixture.
6. Shake off the excess glue before placing the piece of tissue on the bookmark. Smoothen the edges with your finger or with a paintbrush.
7. Choose a different colour of tissue and dip it in the glue mixture. Place it on the bookmark, partially overlapping with the first piece.
8. Continue gluing overlapping pieces of coloured tissue until you have covered the entire bookmark. The overlapping parts create a nice glass effect.
9. Once dry, peel off the bookmark from the plastic wrap. Trim the excess tissue at the edges of the bookmark.
10. Your bookmark will naturally be a little curled at the edges because the cardstock had previously been soaked in glue. This can easily be remedied by pressing your bookmark in between the pages of a heavy book or you can glue another piece of cardstock (same size as the first) at the back of your bookmark. Finally, punch a hole near the top edge and make a tie from yarn, ribbon, leather string or thin paper twine.

Paper Bag Mermaid

Materials

• Paint, Crayons or Markers
• Brown paper bag
• Craft yarn
• Scissors
• Single hole punch
• Large wiggle eyes
• Glue

Instructions

1. Make the fins for your mermaid. Lay your paper bag on a flat surface with the opening of the bag facing you.
2. Take your scissors and cut out a small triangle to make two fins for the mermaid tail. Just don’t cut too much.
3. Decorate your paper bag however you like with craft paint, markers, crayons etc.
4. When done decorating, take your single hole punch and punch a few holes along the bottom of the paper bag, where you made the face.
5. Set aside the bag
6. Tie/secure the yarn pieces in place, in the punched holes, to make the mermaid’s hair. Add as much or as little yarn as you like
7. Finally, glue the wiggle eyes in place so your mermaid can see.

Paper Windmill

Materials

• Crayons or Markers
• Pencil or straw
• Push Pins
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Take your piece of paper and cut it into a perfect square.
2. Decorate both sides of the paper with whatever design you wish.
3. Fold the paper diagonally so it turns into a triangle and crease it lightly. Repeat this for the opposite direction as well. You will then unfold and have a creased “X” on the page.
4. Cut along the creases about halfway to the middle of the paper. Be sure not to cut all the way.
5. Bend each corner into the middle. Make sure to bend and not to fold.
6. Once all four corners are in the middle push the pushpin through them all as well as the straw or eraser (you may need adult help).

Bubble Blowing Art

Materials

• Watercolour Paper
• Bubble Solution
• Liquid watercolours or food colouring
• Small plastic containers
• Straws

Instructions

1. Begin by pouring bubble solution into your small containers, filling them about a quarter full. Squirt some liquid watercolours into the containers (or food colouring) and mix the colouring into the bubble solution.
2. Place a straw down into the bubble solution and blow. You’ll notice right away that bubbles begin to form at the top of the bubble solution. Continue blowing the bubbles up and up until they overflow the container and form a big mountain. Remove your straw, grab your mixed media paper and place it gently on top of the bubbles. When you remove your paper you can see that you’ve transferred the beautiful bubbles onto your paper.
3. Continue this process as many times as you’d like and with as many colours as you’d like, creating beautiful bubble-blowing art. You’ll find that one paper is never enough, so be prepared for hours of bubble blowing art fun

Growing Rainbow Experiment

Materials

• Paper Towel
• Washable Markers
• Water
• Two small glasses or mason jars

Instructions

1. Fold over a piece of paper towel (so you have two pieces on top of each other). Trim the length to be 7.5 inches. Any longer and the rainbow may not connect fully.
2. Draw rectangles of the rainbow colours on each end. You want to make sure to fill these colours in well so there is enough dye to travel across the paper towel.
3. Place two cups with water-filled three-quarters full. You only want the bottom of the paper towel in so leave some space from the top of the cup. Then place the paper towel into the cups, with one end in each cup.
4. The washable marker dye will slowly make its way up with the water to meet the other side in the center of the paper towel.
5. Leave the paper towel for 10-15 minutes and it will eventually connect the colours together.

Paper Plate Tambourine

Materials

• Paper Plate
• Paint
• Hole Puncher
• Thin Ribbon
• Gold Jingle Bells
• Cotton Balls
• Glue
• Clothes Pins

Instructions

1. Begin by painting your paper plate. Set aside to dry
2. Once dried fold your plate in half
3. Use a pencil to mark where you want to place your bells around the arc of the tambourine
4. Use the hole punch on the marks you made for your bells
5. Cut a short sections of ribbon and thread them through the bells and then tie them to your tambourine. Don’t make them too tight as they will need to jingle.

Cupcake Liner Sun

Materials

• Yellow cupcake liner
• Yellow buttons
• Blue cardstock paper
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Red crayon

Instructions

1. Start by gluing the yellow cupcake liner on to the centre of your blue cardstock paper
2. Glue yellow buttons as sun rays all around your yellow liner
3. Finish your sun by gluing goggly eyes and drawing a smiley face with your red crayon

Bow-Tie Noodle Butterfly

Materials

• Chalk Markers or paint
• Black sharpie
• White card stock paper
• Small bow-tie noodles
• Glue

Instructions

1. Paint your noodles different colours and let dry
2. For the grass, carefully cut the noodle in half (adult use only) and paint them green
3. Glue them all to your white paper
4. Add sharpie antennas and dots behind the butterflies so it looks like they’re flying!

Colourful Pasta Fish

Materials

• Cardboard
• Elbow Macaroni pasta
• Paint (colours of your choice)
• Sandwich bags
• Wax paper or Parchment paper
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions

1. Start by painting your elbow macaroni pasta. To do this, squirt some paint into the bottom of a sandwich baggy, then pour a handful of pasta into the bag. Seal it shut and squish the pasta around to coat them with the paint. Once coated, pour them out onto a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper to let them dry
2. Cut a fish shape out of your cardboard. Paint your fish and set it aside to dry completely
3. Once your pasta and cardboard fish are dry it’s time for the fun part. Glue a googly eye onto your fish and then glue your pasta all over your fish to make fish scales and fun designs on your fish. Make sure to use a piece of pasta for the fish mouth

Coffee Filter Monster

Materials

• Two regular size coffee filters
• Washable markers
• Water
• An eye dropper or spray bottle
• Googly eyes (various sizes)
• Tape
• Coloured construction paper
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Layer the two filters together, one on top of the other, try to flatten them as much as you can
2. The colours will mix together, it really doesn’t matter what you draw. As long as you have coloured the filter completely with different colours
3. Once you have finished colouring your filters, use the eyedropper or spray bottle to drip water onto the coffee filters.
4. You want the coffee filter to be wet. Just make sure it is not in a puddle of extra water.
5. Making sure that both filters are still on top of each other. Allow the coffee filter to dry
6. Once dried using scissors (an adult’s help may be required) start cutting thin, equally spaced strips around the filter to create a fringe
7. We will now begin creating the face. Add as many eyes to your monster as you wish, create a mouth with your marker
8. Next, pull your two coffee filters apart. Rotate the bottom filter slightly so that they don’t line up perfectly, then tape the two filters together using crafters tape or double-sided tape
9. Add his arms and legs! Grab some construction paper and cut 4 strips – two thick (for the legs) and two thin (for the arms)
10. Fold each strip like an accordion, making sure you leave a longer bit at one end so you can tape it to your monster. Tape the arms and legs onto the back of your monster using regular tape

Jellyfish Craft

Materials

• Small paper bowl
• Tissue paper (any colours)
• Ribbon
• Googly eyes
• White string (to hang the jellyfish)
• Glue
• Tape
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Cut your tissue paper into square pieces. Use a few different colours if you wish to make your jellyfish colourful
2. Turn your paper bowl upside down and add school glue all over the bottom of it and the sides. Put your tissue paper squares all over your bowl, covering the bottom and sides of the bowl completely. Let your glue dry completely
3. Have an adult use your scissors to poke a small hole in the center of your paper bowl. Push your white string through the hole, tie a knot in the end and tape it down inside the bowl
4. Using the ribbon attach it to the inside of the bowl. You may also want to ask an adult to help curl the ribbon
5. Finish your cute and colourful jellyfish craft by gluing on googly eyes

Germ Blow Painting Art

Materials

• Liquid watercolour paints
• Paintbrush
• Straw
• Thick white paper
• Construction paper
• Black marker
• Glue

Instructions

1. Use a paintbrush to add small puddles of paint onto the paper, use different and bright colours
2. Place the straw about an inch away from the puddle. Use the straw to blow the paint blobs around in all directions. Try blowing down directly onto the puddle, blowing from the left and blowing from the right
3. Repeat this step with each of the colours, let the paint dry completely
4. Cut circles from the white paper and glue them onto the blow paint germs, use a black marker to draw the eyes onto the germs
5. With the black marker, draw lines coming out from the center of each germ. Paint small circles at the ends of these lines with a coordinating paint colour
6. Glue the white paper onto a piece of coloured construction paper to finish it off

Cardboard Box Car

Materials

• Cardboard boxes
• Paint
• Paintbrushes or coloured pencils
• Tape or glue
• Paper (optional)
• Plastic wrap for windshield (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose a car you want to build
2. Draw a plan for your car on the paper
3. Trace your plan onto cardboard
4. Cut out your pieces
5. Assemble your pieces using tape or glue
6. Decorate your car with
   • paint on the cardboard or
   • colouring pencils on paper and then tape or glue your paper to the cardboard
   • household items or recyclable materials, like a small lid as a steering wheel or a tissue box as a seat
   • plastic wrap for the windshield

Stained Glass

Materials

• Glass candle holder
• Tissue paper in many colours
• Mod Podge glue, both Paper and Sparkle
• Paintbrush
• Candles

Instructions

1. Tear/rip up the tissue paper into small pieces
2. Using the paintbrush, spread Paper Mod Podge on a small section of the glass candle holder
3. Stick pieces of tissue paper on the glue. Tissue paper can overlap
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the whole candle holder is covered in tissue paper
5. Let dry for one hour
6. Cover the entire candle holder in Sparkle Mod Podge. Make sure to stick down any pieces of tissue paper that might be sticking up
7. Let dry completely
8. Stick in a candle and enjoy!

Melted Crayon Craft

Materials

• a blank canvas, like construction paper
• crayons, new or old
• a utility or X-Acto knife (optional, for peeling the crayons)
• hot glue gun
• heat tool or a hairdryer with a diffuser or low blower setting

Directions

1. Protect your work surface by covering it in newspapers
2. Take the wrappers off all crayons. You can do this by hand or use an X-Acto knife to cut the wrapper lengthwise first.
3. Lay out the crayons at the top of your canvas in a way that you like
4. Hot glue each crayon down, each one right next to one another and with the tops flush to the top of the canvas
5. Prop your canvas up at a gentle angle. Make sure the bottom edge is over your newspaper. You can use a glass of water to prop up your canvas
6. Turn on your heat tool or hairdryer. If you’re using a hairdryer, you’ll need to put it on a low blower setting
7. Focus the heat on the crayons. They will quickly turn sweaty, then start dripping down the canvas
8. Once you are happy with how the crayons have melted down the canvas, let it dry

Marble Painting

Materials

• Marbles
• Tempera paint
• Muffin tin, egg carton, or small bowls to hold the paints
• Spoons
• Paper
• A shallow cardboard box or a baking dish

Directions

1. Protect your work surface by covering it in newspapers
2. Put paint in muffin tin/egg carton/small bowls
3. Put a piece of paper in the cardboard box or baking dish so the paper lies flat
4. Using a spoon, pick up a marble and put it in one colour of paint. Use the spoon to make sure the marble is coated in paint
5. Repeat step 4 for a bunch of marbles
6. Use the spoon to take the marble out of the paint and put it on the paper
7. Repeat step 6 for the rest of the paint-covered marbles
8. Roll the marbles around the paper by picking up the box/baking dish and gently tilting it in different directions
9. Remove the marbles with the spoons and let your creation dry

Little Tissue Monsters

Materials

• Tissue paper in many colours
• Construction paper or card stock
• String, yarn or wire
• Scissors
• Glue gun or regular school glue

Directions

1. Take about 10 pieces of tissue paper and stack them on top of one another
2. Fold the stack like an accordion so that each fold is about 1 inch or 3 cm thick
3. Fold the accordion in half
4. Wrap the string, yarn or wire around the middle and tie/twist to secure
5. Cut the loose end of the folded accordion into points (not the folded side)
6. Gently separate each sheet of tissue paper and fluff out
7. Decorate the face. You can cut out eyes and glue them on, or make hair out of yarn

Toilet Paper Roll Butterfly Craft

Materials

• Toilet paper roll
• Small googly eyes
• Coloured buttons
• Card stock or construction in any colour
• Acrylic paint
• Pipe Cleaner
• Small pom-poms
• Black sharpie

Directions

1. Paint the paper roll a colour of your choice and let it dry. You might need to paint a few coats depending on the colour you chose.
2. Glue googly eyes on the outside of the toilet paper roll, near the top
3. Draw a mouth using the sharpie

To make the wings:

1. Fold a piece of construction paper or card stock in half
2. Draw wings from the folded edge outward using the black sharpie. You can use a template you found on the internet you’d like
3. Cut out the wings with the scissors
4. Decorate the wings using markers, crayons, craft gems, glitter or pom poms
5. Glue the wings onto the toilet paper roll

To make the  antennae:

1. Bend the pipe cleaner into a V shape
2. Curl the tips of the V down
3. Glue two small pom-poms to the tips of the V
4. Glue the antennae to the inside top of the toilet paper roll

Yarn-wrapped Initials

Materials

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Acrylic paint (optional)
• Yarn, or strips of newspaper/magazine
• Tape
• School glue or glue gun (optional)

Directions

1. Draw your letter(s) on a piece of cardboard
2. Cut the letter(s) out with scissors
3. Cut a long piece of yarn
4. Tape the starting piece of yarn to the back of the cardboard. You can also trap the starting piece of yarn under more yarn as you wrap
5. Wrap the yarn around the letter
6. Add a new colour or more yarn by taping the end of the first piece of yarn to the back of the letter and repeating step 4 and 5

Tips:

For letters that have sharp angles, like T, L or P, keep the yarn running in the same direction. This makes it easier to wrap.

You can also use a bit of glue to secure the yarn along the edges of the letter.

Recycled Crafts

Crafts that you can make using things already around the house.

Cereal Box Monsters

Materials

• Two empty cereal boxes
• Four of one colour of construction paper and four of another colour of construction paper
• Scraps of black, white, yellow, orange, blue and red construction paper
• Tape
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Something for weight, like dried beans, dried pasta, rocks, pennies

Instructions

1. Put the weight inside the cereal box. This will keep your cereal box monsters from falling over.
2. Tape the boxes closed
3. Cover one of the boxes completely with construction paper
4. Cover the other box with another colour of construction paper. Using tape is the easiest way to cover the boxes.
5. Cut shapes from construction paper scraps and glue them to the boxes
6. Create eyes by
   1. Using something round to draw a circle on white paper. A mug works well
   2. Using something round to draw a smaller circle on coloured paper. A cup works well
   3. Using something round to draw an even smaller circle on black paper. A small can works well
   4. Glue the black circle on top of the coloured circle, and then glue the coloured circle on the white circle
   5. Glue the finished eye on the cereal box
7. Make the mouth by cutting a shape from black paper. Add teeth by cutting out triangles or other shapes from white paper and gluing them on.
8. You can also use construction paper to add hair, eyebrows and more.

Lego Head Mason Jars

Materials

• Mason Jars
• Glossy Yellow Spray Paint
• Permanent Markers

Instructions

1. In an open area, or outdoors, evenly spray the fully assembled jars from a 6-8 inch distance by using consistent pressure and strokes
2. Wait for the paint to dry.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you’ve reached the  desired colour
4. With markers, carefully draw on a face. Recommended colours to use are black, white, and red.

Cardboard Marble Maze

Materials

• Shallow cardboard box
• Paint (optional)
• Straws
• Wooden bits (wooden beads), mini blocks or spools
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Small marble or wooden bead

Instructions

1. Paint your box (optional)
2. Draw out a maze in pencil
3. Cut straws and hot glue them onto the pencilled maze as the walls
4. Use wooden bits, beads, or mini spools to act as stoppers
5. To play, use a wooden bead or marble and move it around your maze

Rainbow Wind Chimes

Materials

• Sticks
• Sanding block or sandpaper
• Acrylic Paint
• Varnish
• Small screw eyes
• Yarn or fishing line

Instructions

1. Cut sticks into lengths of 8 to 10 inches/20 to 25 centimetres
2. Peel the bark off
3. Using the sanding block remove any remaining bits of bark
4. Paint each stick with two coats of acrylic paint
5. Varnish each stick
6. Once the varnish is dry, screw in tiny screw-eye into the end of the stick
7. Attach yarn or fishing wire to screw for desired hanging length
8. Hang your stick

Homemade Squishes

Materials

• Inexpensive memory foam pillow
• Sharp Scissors
• Puffy Paint

Instructions

1. Draw a pattern onto a piece of memory foam
2. Cut the foam into the shape you have designed
3. Use puffy paint to paint the foam in the colours you want
4. Allow the paint to dry completely. This can take up to 24 hours
5. Have fun squishing

Galaxy Slime

Materials

• 3 to 4 bottles of clear washable school glue
• Water
• Liquid starch
• Food colouring
• Glitter/iridescent confetti
• Separate plastic cups and craft sticks per colour used

Instructions

1. In a bowl, add 0.5 cups/120 ml water to 0.5 cups/120 ml of glue. Mix well.
2. Add your food colouring and glitter/confetti. Mix well.
3. Add 0.25 cup/60 ml of liquid starch. Keep stirring until you have a gooey blob of slime. The liquid should be gone.
4. Use your hands to knead the slime. It will appear stringy at first but will become smooth after working it with your hands.

Build and Stack Robots

Materials

• Cardboard tubes, like paper towel, toilet paper)
• Paint and permanent markers
• Hole punch
• Pipe cleaners
• Scissors
• Markers

Instructions

1. Paint cardboard tubes and wait for them to dry
2. Cut the tubes into different-sized sections
3. Use the sections to design your robot
4. Create hair and arms by using the hole punch to make holes on each side of a tube and sliding the pipe cleaner through the holes
5. Design the face of your robot using markers adding eyes, mouth etc. if you wish you can also draw on the body of your robot

Whirlygig

Materials

• Long string
• Recycled cardboard
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Kitchen skewer
• Markers, pencil crayons

Instructions

1. Cut a medium to large circle out of your cardboard
2. Decorate both sides of your circle how you wish
3. Poke two holes into the cardboard using the kitchen skewer
4. Thread the string through one hole and then through the other hole, so there are equal amounts of string on each side of the cardboard
5. Tie a knot in the string
6. Hold the Whirlygig by the strings – and have fun!

Jungle Crafts

Handprint Toucan

Materials

• Card Stock Paper or Construction – Black and White
• Scissors
• Googly Eyes
• Paint – Red, Green and yellow
• Paint Brushes
• Glue

Instructions

1. Cut the shape of your toucan’s beak out of the white paper
2. Paint the beak
3. Take the black paper and cut out your handprint. This will be the wing.
4. Cut out a bean shape for the body of your toucan
5. Attach all together with a glue stick and add the googly eyes for your final touch

Paper Plate Monkey

Materials

• 2 paper plates
• Brown paper
• Beige paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Black marker

Instructions

1. Colour the paper plates brown. Leave one as is – it will be the body – and cut the other one into the shape of a monkey head with ears.
2. Glue the head to the body.
3. Trace your hands on the brown paper and cut them out
4. Cut the monkey face shape out of the beige paper and draw on facial expressions
5. Cut four strips of brown paper for legs and arms. Cut one swirly strip of paper for the tail
6. Glue all things together

Elephant Craft

Materials

• Styrofoam Cup (or a clean K Cup)
• Grey paint
• White puffy paint (or plain white paint)
• Construction paper – pink and grey
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paintbrushes

Instructions

1. Paint the outside of the cup grey. Allow it to dry, and then add a second coat
2. Cut half-heart shapes from the grey paper to create ears. Fold back a small section of the straight side to make a surface for gluing
3. Cut a smaller shape out of the pink paper and glue to the grey part
4. Cut a small section of the grey paper, about 4 to 5 inches/10 cm to 12.5 cm long and fold it back and forth like an accordion. This is the trunk. Glue it in place.
5. Attach the eyes and ears
6. Use the white/puffy paint to create the tusks.

Panda Fork Painting

Materials

• Plastic fork
• White paint
• Black paint
• Black felt
• White felt
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paintbrushes

Instructions

1. Dip the back of a fork in white paint and press it down on your paper to make fork prints. Start printing round in a circle to make your panda’s face
2. Keep printing with your fork until you have covered a whole circle for your panda’s face. Then make a second, slightly larger circle below it for the body
3. Once your white paint is dry dip your fork into the black paint. Start printing all around the panda’s body
4. Print two little circles at the bottom of the body (in black paint again) to make the panda’s paws
5. Using the black felt cut out shapes for your panda’s ears, eyes, and nose. Then cut two small circles from white felt for the pads of his paws
6. Glue the felt shapes in place on your painting. Draw on your panda bear’s smile, add two tiny dots to the centre of his eyes.

Sponge Painted Butterfly

Materials

• Loofah bath sponge
• Paint
• Large popsicle stick
• Pipe cleaner
• White paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Paint a large popsicle stick and allow to dry
2. Using the white paper draw your butterfly wings and cut them out
3. Choose your paint colours and put them on a plate large enough to dip the sponge
4. Dip the sponge in the paint and dab onto the butterfly
5. Fold the pipe cleaner in half and curl the ends to make antennae for your butterfly, once completed glue your antennae’s to the back of popsicle stick
6. Glue the Popsicle stick to the middle of the butterfly’s wing.

Paper plate Frog

Materials

• Paper Plate
• Green paint
• Black, white, red and green construction paper
• Scissors
• Pencil or Straw
• Paintbrush
• Glue
• Permanent Marker

Instructions

1. Begin by painting your paper plate green.
2. While the paint is drying, trace two large circles on the white paper for the eyes, and two smaller circles using the black paper for the middle of the eye. Glue them to the front of the plate
3. Using the black paper cut one larger half-moon shape for the mouth and glue on to your plate
4. Trace your hands on the green paper. Cut them out and glue them to the back of the paper plate
5. Use the scissors to cut a 1 inch/2.5 cm strip of red paper, wrap the paper around a pencil or straw to curl it
6. Glue the red paper to the frog’s mouth to give the frog a tongue
7. Use the permanent marker to draw two round nostrils under the frog’s eyes

Mosaic Lizard

Materials

• Coloured card stock paper (multiple colours)
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Instructions

1. Draw a lizard shape onto a piece of green card stock. Cut out the lizard shape
2. Cut out tiny squares from the remaining multi-coloured paper. Cut as many or as little as you wish to go on your lizard
3. Spread the glue over the surface of the lizard
4. Sprinkle the paper squares over the top of the glue
5. Glue the eyes on the lizard
6. Once dry, you may wish to trim any overhanging edges of the mosaic squares

Science Crafts

Paper Plate Flying Saucer

Materials

• Paper plate
• Scissors
• Stapler and staples
• White construction paper
• Highlighters
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Glow stick

Instructions

1. Cut out one half-circle from the construction paper. This will be the window on the top of the spaceship.
2. Draw a little alien in the half-circle, and add googly eyes.
3. Cut out two isosceles triangles (triangles with two equal sides) from the construction paper. This will be the ship landing gear
4. Gently fold the paper plate in half with the bottom side out
5. Cut a slit in the middle of the fold about the same size as the straight part of your half-circle. Flatten the plate again and slide the half-circle into the slit.
6. Flip the plate over so that you are looking at the top of the plate. The half-circle’s rounded part should be on the other side. Fold over a small piece of the straight edge of the half-circle and glue it down so it stays in place
7. Fold the paper plate again, with the bottom side out
8. Glue the triangles point side down on the rounded edge of the plate to make the landing gear
9. Decorate the plate with highlighters. The more intense the highlighter the better it will glow
10. Activate the glow stick and stick it inside the folded plate. Staple the plate closed. Leave enough space between the staples so you can replace the glow stick.

Cardboard Rocket Ship

Materials

• White cardboard tube or a paper towel roll painted white
• Mod Podge
• Foam Brushes
• Glitter
• Cardstock
• Tissue Paper
• Tape, glue and/or scissors

Instructions

1. Cut your tube to make a short rocket, or keep it long
2. Cut out paper stars
3. Cut out a cone from your cardstock for the top of the rocket.
4. In a disposable bowl, add Mod Podge and glitter and apply all over the tube.
5. Stick the paper stars to the wet Mod Podge and then Mod Podge over top.
6. Allow tubes to dry
7. Use glue to stick the cones from step 3 to the top of the tubes
8. Stick tissue paper inside the other end of the tube. This is the fire.

Tornado in a Jar

Materials

• 3 cups/710 ml of water
• Mason Jar with lid
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml of dish soap
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml of Vinegar
• Glitter or small objects (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill the jar with water leaving an inch of space. Add glitter, if using
2. Pour in dish soap and vinegar. Cover with the lid
3. Holding one hand on the bottom and the other on the top of the jar, swirl the jar for about five seconds.
4. Set it down on the table to watch the tornado.

Make a Cloud

This craft requires adult supervision.

Materials

• Glass Jar with lid
• 1 cup/340 ml of hot boiling water (adult use only)
• Blue food colouring
• Aerosol hairspray (adult use only)
• 3 to 5 cubes of Ice

Instructions

1. Pour 1 cup/340 ml of hot boiling water into a jar
2. Add the food colouring
3. Spray hairspray into the jar and quickly put on the lid
4. Place 3-5 pieces of ice on top of the lid of the jar
5. Watch the top of the jar carefully you will see a cloud begin to form
6. After observing the cloud in the jar, remove the lid and watch the cloud move out of the jar

Dinosaur Tracks

This craft may require adult supervision.

Materials

• 1 cup/340 ml damp, used coffee grounds
• 5 cup/170 ml of cold coffee
• 1 cup/340 ml flour
• 5 cup/170 ml of salt
• Wax paper
• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Rolling pin

Instructions

1. Place the damp coffee grounds, cold coffee, flour, and salt into the large bowl
2. Stir everything together using the spoon or use your hands to make sure everything is mixed well. The result will look like muddy clay
3. Roll out a sheet of wax paper and put a handful of the mixture on the paper.
4. Use your hands or the rolling pin to flatten it into 0.5 inch/1.3 cm thick blobs.
5. Press your fingers into the blob. What happens?
6. If you’d like, you can also collect items from outdoors and try squishing them into the clay as well.
7. Once you’ve made your masterpiece, let the clay dry in a room temperature location over the next few days.

Rock Candy

This craft requires adult supervision.

Materials

• Sugar
• Jar
• Water
• Pot
• Clothespin
• Wooden skewer
• Food colouring

Instructions

1. Get an adult to boil 2 cups/475 ml of water in a large pot on the stove
2. With an adult’s help, stir in four cups/950 ml of sugar
3. Stir until sugar dissolves. Once dissolved allow the solution to cool for 15-20 minutes.
4. Wet the wooden sticks and roll them around in granulated sugar. You will need one stick per jar. Let dry.
5. Once the sugar mixture is cool, add the food colouring and stir
6. Pour the cooled mixture into a glass jar and insert the sugar-covered wooden stick into the centre of the glass. Make sure the stick is not touching any part of the jar by using a clothespin to prop it up
7. Cover the top of the glass with a paper towel, with a hole in the paper towel for the stick
8. Loud noises or movement can disturb the crystal process. Every day, the candy crystals will grow larger. They will reach their maximum growth potential by two weeks.
9. When you have a good amount of rock candy crystals, remove the stick and place it on a sheet of wax paper to dry

Lava Lamp

Materials

• Empty water bottle
• Vegetable Oil
• Water
• Food colouring
• Alka-Seltzer tablets

Instructions

1. Fill the empty water bottle about half full with vegetable oil
2. Fill the rest with water, leaving a little space at the top
3. You will notice the water sinks below the vegetable oil. The oil floats on the surface because water is heavier than oil
4. Now, add the food colouring. The food colouring will only mix with water, not oil. It is recommended not to shake the mixture. Use a chopstick or straw to mix the food colouring
5. When you are ready for the fun, break the Alka-Seltzer tablet into four pieces. Drop them in one piece at a time
6. The best part is that your homemade lava lamp will work over and over again.  You can even screw on the little plastic cap and break it out a few days later for fun.  All you need is more Alka-Seltzer.

Gardening

Starting Seeds in a Bag

Materials

• A clear plastic resealable bag, like a sandwich bag or larger
• One paper towel sheet
• A few beans (pinto, kidney, lentil, etc.) or seeds like green beans
• A window
• Tape

Instructions

1. Wet the paper towel
2. Place the beans or seeds on the paper towel
3. Fold the paper towel so that it fits inside the plastic bag
4. Close the bag and tape it to a window
5. Check your bag over the next several days to track when roots begin to grow and when green shoots appear
6. When your little plants have developed their roots and are growing well you can carefully plant them into a small pot or in your garden and continue to watch them grow

Healthy Soil Test

Find out the health of the soil in the garden while learning how to experiment. This 30-minute activity is great for ages 3 and up.

Materials

• Trowels
• Gloves
• Spray-bottle with water
• 1 foot/30.5 cm square frame made from cardboard or plastic
• Compost

Directions

1. Choose an area of the garden to test.
2. Set-up the 1-foot/30.5 cm square in the area you want to test. This will be the sample area.
3. Dig gently in the sample area to search for worms, and count how many you find. Only worms found in the square should be counted. Remember that earthworms are fragile so please handle them gently and make sure your hands are damp.
4. How many earthworms did you find? Healthy soil will have at least five worms per square foot. If the soil isn‘t healthy, add a layer of compost to the top of the sample area.
5. Mark the sample area, and in one week try the experiment again. Did the number of worms change? Did adding compost to the soil attract more worms?

Recipe Club

Puff Pastry Cinnamon, Pecan and Raisin Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry (defrosted)
• 25 cup/60 ml room temperature butter
• 5 cup/120 ml pecans, toasted
• 5 cup/120 ml golden raisins, soaked
• 75 cup/180 ml brown sugar
• 1 tbsp/15 ml ground cinnamon
• Flour (for dusting the countertop)

Directions

1. Defrost the puff pastry overnight.
2. Place raisins in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until the raisins are slightly plump. Remove from water.
3. To toast the pecans, place them in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Let them toast slightly, approximately 10 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C
5. To assemble the rolls, roll out puff pastry on a floured counter. You want the pastry to still be thick yet even.
6. Spread the butter over the pastry, leaving a little space at the edge to pinch rolls closed.
7. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the butter. Sprinkle the pecans and raisins over the sugar mix.
8. Gently lift one edge of the pastry and begin to roll the dough until the pastry is completely rolled. Press the loose edge against the dough to make sure the rolls are closed.
9. Cut the rolls into 2 inch thick pieces.
10. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry and puff and lightly browned.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich – 3 Ways

The Classic

Ingredients

• 2 slices bread (rye preferably)
• Margarine or butter
• 2 to 4 slices cheddar cheese (depending on size of bread)
• 0.25 cup/60 ml grated parmesan (optional)

Directions

1. Warm frying pan at medium-low heat. Spread butter or margarine on both sides of each slice of bread
2. If using parmesan, use half of the grated parmesan to cover one side of one slice of bread. Place the bread parmesan side down in the warmed pan.
3. If not using parmesan, place a slice of bread in the pan.
4. Add the cheddar onto the bread, make sure it covers all the bread.
5. Place the second slice of bread on top and add the remaining parmesan on top.
6. Let the bottom slice cook until it begins to crisp and/or parmesan forms a crust, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Gently flip and allow the other side to cook. Gently press on the sandwich with a fork, spoon or spatula to ensure the cheese is melting and parmesan forms a crust. Serve immediately.

Jalapeno Popper

Ingredients

• 2 slices bread (rye preferably)
• Margarine or butter
• 2 to 4 slices cheddar cheese (depending on size of bread)
• Pickled jalapeno peppers slices (6-10 slices depending on size of bread)
• 0.25 cup/60 ml grated parmesan (optional)

Directions

1. Follow steps 1 to 3 of The Classic
2. During step 4 of The Classic, place half of the cheddar slices on the first slice of bread, add the sliced jalapeno peppers and then add the remaining cheddar slices.
3. Continue to cook the remaining steps of The Classic.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 slices bread (rye preferably)
• Margarine or butter
• 2 to 4 slices cheddar cheese or mozzarella (depending on size of bread)
• 0.25 cup/60ml sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 0.5 cup/120ml chicken breast, fully cooked and cut into thin strips
• Chilli flakes to taste
• 0.25 cup/60 ml grated parmesan (optional)

Directions

1. Follow steps 1 to 3 of The Classic
2. During step 4 of The Classic, place half of the cheddar or mozzarella onto the first slice of bread. Add sun-dried tomatoes and chicken and remaining cheese. For a little heat, sprinkle chilli flakes on top of the cheese.
3. Continue to cook the remaining steps of The Classic.

1 Pan Brunch

Ingredients

• 3 tbsps/45 ml olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, diced into 0.5 in/1cm cubes
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 tsp/15ml paprika
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml salt
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml chilli powder
• 1 tsp/5 ml garlic powder
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml ground cumin
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup/240 ml grated cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Drizzle oil in a large pan and warm at medium heat. Add potatoes and cook until they begin to get tender.
2. Add onions, paprika, salt, chilli powder, garlic powder and ground cumin. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook until potatoes and onions are soft.
3. Turn the heat down to low and using a tablespoon, create 4 small wells for the eggs. If you would like cheese, sprinkle it over the potatoes.
4. Crack the eggs into the wells, cover and let cook until the eggs until done the way you like them. Serve immediately.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce/226 gr cans crescent rolls (low sodium or less salt would be great)
• 1 cup/240 ml sugar + 2 tbsp/30 ml for topping
• 2 tsp/10 ml vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 8.8-ounce/250 gr cream cheese blocks, at room temperature
• 1 tsp/5 ml cinnamon + 2 tsp/10 ml for topping
• 3 tbsps/45 ml butter, melted and cooled

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C
2. In an 8-inch x 8-inch/20 cm x 20 cm square baking pan, roll out one can of the crescent rolls to cover the bottom of the pan. Pinch to close any holes in the dough. This can also be done in a larger pan, the crescent roll will just need to be stretched thinner.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, 1 cup/240 ml sugar, and 1 teaspoon/5-millilitre of cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the base.
5. Open the second can of crescent roll and stretch the pieces out by hand. Place them gently over the cream cheese mixture.
6. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together. Pour the melted and cooled butter over the top of the crescent rolls and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Top should be puffed and browned and the centre should be set.
8. Remove and let the cake cool completely before slicing into bars.

Herbal Sun Tea

Ingredients

• Herbs, like mint, lemon balm, raspberry leaf
• Canning jar with a tight-fitting lid
• Water
• Ice (optional)

Directions

1. Fill the jar with water
2. Seal herbs in the jar
3. Leave the jar in the sun until the water is warm, about 2 hours.
4. Be sure to drink the tea the same afternoon so that it doesn’t spoil. Refrigerate or serve the tea with ice if you’d like a cold drink.

Variation

• Consider adding additional items to your tea: strawberries, raspberries, lemon or lime slices, cucumber or watermelon slices.
• You can also dry herbs in the sun and store them in sealed containers to make tea throughout the year.

Simple Samosas

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
• 2 small onions or shallots, diced
• 2 medium potato or 12 mini potatoes, diced
• 1 tsp/5 ml cooking oil
• 0.5 cup/120 ml fresh peas
• 1 tsp/5 ml garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp/1 ml salt
• 1 tsp/5 ml cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml chilli powder
• 1 tsp/5 ml paprika
• 1 tsp/5 ml fresh coriander, minced
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml turmeric paste
• 0.5 tsp/2.5 ml garam masala (if available)
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Add oil in a pan and heat on medium-low. Once the oil is warm, add onion and potato. Let cook until the potato and onion begin to get soft.
2. Once the potato is soft, add all the spices and peas and mix thoroughly. Cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the stove and let the potato mixture cool completely.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C
4. Roll out the puff pastry and cut into eight squares.
5. Brush the edges of the squares with the egg wash and add two tablespoons/30 millilitres of the potato mix in the centre.
6. Fold the edges over to create a triangle and pinch to close.
7. Brush the samosas with egg wash and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

• 3 medium potatoes, grated
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 0.5 cup/60 ml oil or chicken fat or a mix of both for frying
• 2 to 3 tbsps/30 to 44 ml breadcrumbs
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Place a colander in a bowl and add grated potato and onion. Let the potato and onion drain. If needed, squeeze the potato and onion to help with removing the water.
2. Move the colander to the side and allow the liquid to separate from the potato starch (the white paste at the bottom of the bowl).
3. Drain off the water, leaving the starch in the bowl. Add the potato, onion, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and egg into the bowl with starch. Mix thoroughly and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Heat half of the oil or fat in a pan on medium heat, and form small flat latkes (3-4 inches) in the palm of your hand. Gently place the latke in the oil and let cook for 4/5 minutes a side, repeat to make more latkes but do not overcrowd the pan. Repeat and add more oil between batches until the potato mix is all done.
5. Once latkes are cooked, place them on a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil and serve immediately.

Saucy Cheesy Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 box/375 gr pasta, any shape
• 1.5 cups/355ml tomato sauce
• 2 cups/475ml cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta as directed by the box. Drain.
2. Put the drained pasta back in the pot and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the tomato sauce and stir to coat all the pasta.
3. Cook on low for a few minutes so the sauce can cook. Stir constantly so the pasta doesn’t stick.
4. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve immediately.

Easy Peasy Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 0.25 cup/60 ml soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons/30 ml Grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons/45 ml Minced Garlic
• 2 tablespoons/30 ml Honey
• 2 tablespoons/30 ml Sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon/15 ml cooking oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 4 cups/950 ml chopped vegetables, like
  • Carrot sticks
  • Celery sliced
  • Bell pepper sliced
  • Sliced mushrooms
  • Chopped broccoli
• Green onion for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Chilli flakes to taste

Directions

1. Add oil, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, garlic and honey to a large pan and cook and until bubbling.
2. Add chicken strips and cook until chicken is done.
3. Add vegetables, salt and chilli flakes, and cook for a few minutes until vegetables are cooked but still crisp.
4. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with rice or udon noodles.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 4.25 cups/1000 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 cups/710 ml diced butternut squash
• 2 cups/475 ml water
• 2 hot yellow peppers, deseeded and sliced
• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 small onions
• 0.5 cup/120 ml fresh cilantro leaves
• 1.5 cups/355 ml kale, shredded
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml turmeric paste (optional)

Directions

1. To make the soup base, add stock to a large pot and add peppers, garlic, ginger, onion, and turmeric paste and bring to a boil.
2. Once the soup base is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and add squash and water.
3. Cook until squash is soft and can be mashed with a fork.
4. Remove the pot from the heat.
5. Add cilantro and salt to taste
6. Make the soup smooth by
   1. using an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup in the pot
   2. using a regular blender to blend in smaller batched
7. Return blended soup to low heat and add kale.
8. Simmer on low until kale is cooked

Fresh Guacamole

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocado
• 0.5 small red onion, finely diced
• 0.5 lime, juiced
• 0.25 cup/60 ml cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 small jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Mash avocado until smooth
2. Add lime juice, onion, pepper and cilantro and mix well
3. Add salt to taste. Add more lime juice if needed.
4. Serve immediately

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into filets
• 4 tablespoon/60 ml heaping flour
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon/15 ml ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 4 hamburger buns
• Toppings of choice, like mayo, pickles, mustard, hot sauce
• 5 tablespoons/75 ml oil

Directions

1. To make the egg wash for chicken, beat eggs, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. To make flour mix for coating the chicken, mix flour, salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder on a plate and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Coat chicken fillets in the flour mix, then coat with egg wash, and coat again in flour. Immediately place chicken in the pan.
5. Cook 5-7 minutes on one side and flip. Continue until chicken is fully cooked and the coating is brown and crunchy.
6. Lightly toast buns, add chicken and toppings as desired

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup/240 ml peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 1 cup/240 ml sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons/30 ml chocolate chips (optional)
• Sprinkle cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius
2. Mix ingredients together. Add chocolate chips and cinnamon if desired.
3. Drop spoonful of dough on a parchment-lined baking tray.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Let cool.

Shakshuka

Ingredients

• Raw Vegetables
  • 1 bell pepper, diced, or
  • 2 stalks celery, diced, or
  • 2 carrots, diced, or
  • Any combination of the raw vegetable ingredients
• Tomatoes
  • 1 can/540 ml/19 fluid ounce diced tomatoes or
  • 0.5 cup/120 ml passata and/or 5 small tomatoes diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 eggs
• 1 small onion diced
• Salt to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon/2.5 ml ground chilli
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml ground paprika
• Parsley or coriander for garnish

Directions

1. In a large pan on medium heat, add onion, garlic, and raw vegetables to a drizzle of oil
2. Add spices and tomatoes or passasta
3. Saute until vegetables are slightly tender
4. Add salt and chilli flakes
5. Crack the eggs on top, and turn down the heat to medium-low
6. Place lid on the pan. Cook on low until eggs are cooked through

Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1can/ 540 ml/19 fl oz  black beans, rinsed
• 1.5 cups//355 ml rice
• Salt to taste
• Ground cumin to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups/710 ml water
• 1 cup/240 ml corn (optional)
• 1 diced bell pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a pot on medium heat, add garlic, bay leaf and cumin to a drizzle of oil
2. Toast until fragrant
3. Add water and bring to a low boil for 7 minutes
4. Add beans and corn or diced peppers
5. Cook until rice is done. Fluff with a fork and serve

Garlic Knots

Ingredients

• 1 package active yeast
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml sugar
• 0.75 cup/180 ml warm water
• 2.5 cups/540 ml flour
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
• 1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
• 0.25 cup/60 ml butter
• 0.25 cup/60 ml parsley, chopped (optional)
• 4 Garlic cloves, chopped finely
• Salt to taste
• Chilli flakes to taste

Directions

1. Add yeast, warm water and sugar to a bowl. The yeast should start to foam after a couple of minutes. If it doesn’t, the yeast is too old and you will need new yeast. Let the yeast sit for up to 5 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, mix salt and flour and form a well or pit in the centre.
3. Add olive oil and the yeast mixture in the well.
4. Roll until a dough forms, either by hand or stand mixer.
5. Rub dough with olive oil and place in a plastic bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm and sunny area. Let dough sit for at least 90 minutes or until dough doubles in size.
6. After the dough has doubled in size, roll the dough out and cut it into four sections
7. Roll these sections and slice each one into strips.
8. Twist the strips into knots and place them on a lined baking tray.
9. Once all knots are done, brush lightly with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 90 minutes
10. After 90 minutes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 degrees Celsius
11. When the oven is ready, bake the knots for 12 to 15 minutes until golden
12. While the knots are baking, make the garlic butter mix by melting butter and stirring in parsley, garlic, salt and chilli flakes
13. After the knots are baked and removed from the oven, brush with garlic butter mix and serve

Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons/30 ml garam masala
• 5 tablespoon/22 ml curry powder
• 8 chicken thighs or 10 chicken drumsticks
• Raw vegetables
  • 2 small potatoes, cut into chunks or
  • 2 cups/470ml  cabbage, shredded
• 1-inch piece ginger, minced (optional)
• 2 fresh chilli (deseeded for flavour, leave seeds for spiciness) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon/5 ml turmeric paste (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan on medium heat, add garlic, ginger, onion, cumin, chilli to a drizzle of oil
2. Sautee until fragrant
3. Add curry powder, garam masala and turmeric
4. Toast until fragrant
5. Add chicken and enough water to partially cover the chicken
6. Continue to cook on medium heat until chicken is almost cooked through
7. Add raw vegetables
8. Continue to cook until chicken and vegetables are fully cooked

Vegetarian Option

• Leave out the chicken and double the number of vegetables in the recipe
• Add 1 541 ml/19 fluid ounce can of chickpeas and cook
• Only add water as needed

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a great boredom buster and can be played indoors or outside. They can be a great way to burn off energy while hunting around the house for the items on the list.

Scavenger Hunt: Signs of Spring

Find:

• A worm
• A crawling bug
• A bug with wings
• Spider’s web
• A robin
• A nest
• A squirrel
• Tree buds
• Pink flowers
• Yellow flowers
• Red flowers
• White flowers
• A flowering tree
• A ladybug
• A butterfly
• Animal footprints
• Dandelion
• Dew drops
• Rainbow
• Puddle

Basic Scavenger Hunt 1

Find:

• a stuffed bear
• paper airplane
• a random sock
• sunglasses
• book
• a red crayon
• a potted plant
• ruler
• toothpaste
• flashlight
• a cup of coffee
• a bouncy ball
• salt and pepper shakers
• building blocks
• a fork
• a blanket

Basic Scavenger Hunt 2

Find something:

• furry
• soft
• bumpy
• sticky
• smelly
• slimy
• noisy
• cold
• hot
• hard
• crunchy
• smooth

Five Senses Scavenger Hunt

Sight

Find something:

• White
• Patterned
• Tiny
• Long

Or find 5 of the same thing.

Sound

Find something that:

• snaps
• makes a soft sound
• crunches
• makes a loud sound
• makes an animal sound

Smell

Find:

• a flower with a scent
• something with a smell you like
• something with a smell you don’t like

Touch

Find something:

• bumpy
• wet
• warm
• soft
• smooth

Taste

Find something:

• humans could eat
• an animal would eat

Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

• A – ant
• B – bark
• C – creek
• D – dew
• E – evergreen tree
• F – flower
• G – green leaf
• H – hat
• I – an insect in a web
• J – a jug of water
• K – kindling
• L – ladybug
• M – map
• N – nest
• O – orange leaf
• P – pinecone
• R – rock
• S – sunglasses
• T – tree
• U – unique looking rock
• V – V shape in a tree
• W – walking stick
• X – X marks the spot
• Z – zig-zag

Awesome Scavenger Hunt

• Something orange
• Something used for arts & crafts
• Something that keeps you warm
• Something you wear on your hands
• Something that bounces
• Something you use to build
• Something purple
• Something that squishes
• Something hard
• Something that is an animal
• Something you use to write your name
• Something sticky
• Something with numbers on it
• Something that is a type of puzzle
• Something with holes in it
• Something that plays music
• Something that is the shape of a triangle
• Something with letters on it
• Something that makes you happy
• Something with teeth
• Something that floats on water
• Something that lights up
• Something you can look through
• Something that flies
• Something that spins
• Something you wear on your feet

Sewing by Hand 101: The Running Stitch

Learn how to thread a needle and complete a Running Stitch.

Materials

• Sewing needle
• Thread
• 2 pieces of fabric, about 10 cm x 5 cm in size
• Scissors

Directions

Step 1: Get your needle and thread ready to sew

Cut a length of thread approximately 60 cm in length. It will be about 30 cm after you thread the needle. You can use any length of thread – long or short – but take your time so the thread doesn’t become tangled.

Push one end of the thread through the eye (hole) of the needle and pull the thread through until both sides are even length.

Use a double knot to hold the thread in place once you start sewing.

Step 2: Creating the Stitches

Line the two pieces of fabric up so they are on top of each other and the edges are aligned. Make sure whatever you want to show on the outside of your finished product is on the inside right now (we will eventually turn them inside out so the stitches are hidden)

Starting at one end of the fabric, push the needle through the two layers of fabric and pull it all the way through to the other side until the knot catches and anchors the thread (don’t pull too hard or fast). Now push the needle back through the two layers and pull the thread through until there is no loose thread (again, don’t pull to fast or hard). Repeat this until you reach the end of your material or thread. The goal is to keep the stitch straight and even.

Tip: don’t pull the thread too tight, that will create bunching, or leave it too loose because it will fall apart.

Step 3: Finishing it off

To finish off that length of thread, you need to secure the end.

Pass the needle through the last stitch; it’ll create a loop.

Pass the needle through this loop.

Pull firmly to secure.

Repeat this process again but securing it on the knot you just made.

Open up the two pieces of fabric (it should be secured and the stitching hidden).

Sidewalk Art & Activities

Outdoor Board Game

Make your own board game or recreate your favourites with chalk on your sidewalk, patio or driveway. Don’t have chalk? Try using masking tape instead.

Ideas

• Tic Tac Toe
• Twister
• Snakes and Ladders. To figure out how many steps a player can take, you can
  • Make your own dice
  • Draw numbers from a hat
• Checkers, using plastic plates or containers as the game pieces

DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Here’s a different way to add art to your sidewalk or driveway.

Materials

• Containers or Muffin tin
• Measuring Cups
• Mixing Bowl
• Cornstarch
• Food Colouring
• Paintbrushes
• Water

Instructions

1. Mix 1 part water to 1 part cornstarch until there are no clumps
2. Pour the mixture into the containers or muffin tin
3. Add in a few drops of food colouring to each cup and mix until blended.
4. Paint!

Source: MakeAndTakes.com

How Big is a Blue Whale?

Find out just how big a blue whale is! This activity will give you a bit of practice with math, science and even some engineering! Try a smaller sea creature if you just don’t have space for a blue whale, like an octopus or a dolphin.

Materials

• Tape Measure
• Chalk
• A picture of your sea creature (or digital image on an at-home device)
• The length of your sea creature
• Other information about your sea creature. Does it change colour? Like to jump out of the water? If you’re doing a Blue Whale, check out NatGeoKids’ 10 Blue Whale Facts.

Instructions

1. Take your chalk and make a mark on the pavement. Make sure you have a lot of room to draw your creature!
2. Put the start of your tape measure at the mark you made and start measuring out the length of your creature. You might need someone to help hold the tape measure
3. Once you have the length of your sea creature measured out, make a mark on the pavement with chalk. You can put the tape measure away now
4. Start drawing! How accurate can you make your sea creature?

Source: KCEdventures.com

Number Maze

Help younger kids learn to count with this fun and simple maze.

Materials

Chalk or tape

Instructions

1. Draw a grid
2. Pick any square, and write the number 1 inside
3. Choose any square that’s next to the number 1 square, and write the number 2 inside
4. Choose any square that’s next to the number 2 square, and write the number 3 inside
5. Continue writing in numbers in squares until all the squares are done
6. Decorate the starting and finishing squares so they stand out
7. Your maze is ready to go!

Alternative

You can make the squares as simple or as complicated as you like. Try math problems, patterns or the alphabet. Instead of a grid, try a shape like a boat or an animal.

Source: HandsOnAsWeGrow.com

More ideas

• Draw animal footprints in different colours and make a game of hopping on certain ones
• Play hopscotch
• Design an obstacle course
  • Draw a tightrope to balance on
  • Draw a swirl to twirl on
  • Draw a maze to run through
  • Draw a circle to jump over
  • Draw a triangle to jump over
• Write friendly notes for your neighbours to see while practicing social distancing
• Make a race track for toy cars and trucks

Youth

Homemade Lip Scrub

Make using things around the house to help keep lips healthy (also great for soothing dry lips).

Materials

• Spoon (any size)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey
• 2 teaspoon (10 ml) granulated sugar
• Small bowl or container
• Warm water

Directions

1. Add honey and sugar to bowl and mix.
2. Use your finger and apply the mixture to lips, rub the mix gently into lips in a circular motion.
3. Leave for up to 10 mins, once time is done, rinse the mixture off. Pat lips dry and apply favourite lip balm.

DIY Photo Wall in 3 quick steps

Use this to create the Room of your dreams, fill it with family, friends and inspiration.

Materials

• Photos of family, friends or inspiration
• Double-sided tape or sticky tack
• Scissors

Directions

1. Think about what you want your room wall to look like and start to gather photos
2. Lay the photos out on the ground to start figuring out how you want them on the wall
3. Once you are happy with the layout, place dots of tape/sticky tack on the back of photos and start placing them on the wall in the same design you had them before.

Cactus Painting

Materials

• Canvas
• Acrylic paint (various colours: greens, white, black, brown, etc.)
• Paintbrushes (various sizes)
• Paper
• Chalk or pencil
• Paper plate/palette (to put your paint on)
• Water (to rinse your brush)
• Newspaper or large garbage bag(to protect work surface)

Directions

1. Set up your space.
   1. Protect your work area with newspaper or a large plastic garbage bag.
   2. Fill a cup or jar with water to rinse your brush.
   3. Have a paper plate or something to use as a palette to hold and mix your paint.
   4. Have some paper towel on hand to soak up excess water from wet brushes or just in case of a spill.
2. Using a piece of scrap paper, sketch out the shape of the cactus you want to paint.
3. Using chalk or a pencil sketch out your cactus on your canvas.
4. With green paint and a medium-sized brush, outline the shapes of your cactus. This is a guide.
5. Fill in your background with whatever colour you’ve chosen using the largest brush you’ve chosen. Give it as many coats as you need to get the desired colour
6. Paint in your cactus.
7. Imagine where the shadows and highlights would be. To add shadow, add a dark green outline around the cactus shape, and add some dark green shadows along the lower side/portions of the cactus.
8. To add highlight, mix a bit of green and white to get your highlight colour. Add your highlight to the tops of your cactus.
9. Use a light stroke and quick flick to create wispy spines.

At Home Time Capsule

We are living through history in the making, so why not capture some of these important times. You can gather items from family and friends to also add to the time capsule.

Materials

• A small box or container
• Scissors
• Magazines, photographs, other books, quotes, computer printouts, newspaper articles, etc.
• Permanent markers, Glue sticks, or anything to decorate the box

Instructions

1. Decorate the box/container any way you would like and include the date of when you will close it.
2. Gather any important things during this time – images, quotes, articles, small items, etc., and place them into the box. If you would like friends and family to also place things in the time capsule let them create a bundle to be placed in.
3. Hide or bury the box or container somewhere (just don’t forget where) and set a reminder for a future date to open it. If you invited family and friends to add things, let them know when you are opening it.

DIY Tree Branch Jewellery Holder

Materials

• Tree branch
• String/Twine
• Nails/hooks
• Hammer (if using nails)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Find a branch – any length will do but make sure it is thick enough that the nails won’t poke through and to hold some weight. Wash the branch thoroughly to remove dirt/bugs/germs and let it dry completely.
2. Determine if you are using hooks or nails and figure out how many you would like to place on the branch. Find the flatter side of the branch and this will be the side that lays against the wall. On the opposite side (front), mark where the hooks/nails will go with a pencil. Leave 2 inches free at both ends to wrap the string/twine.
3. If you are using hooks that screw in, go ahead and screw them in place where marked. If you are using nails, ask someone to hold the branch in place while you gently hammer the nails in. Leave some of the nail sticking out to become the place where the jewellery will hang. Make sure to screw/hammer the hooks/nails in as straight as possible so the jewellery will stay in place and not fall off.
4. Loop one end of the string/twine around one end of the branch and knot it tightly. Wrap the string/twine around the knot multiple times and knot it once again. Figure out where on the wall the jewellery holder will be placed and allow enough string/twine to create the hanger. Repeat the knotting and looping process at the other end of the jewellery holder. Adjust the string/twine so the branch is balanced.

Create a Vision Board in three easy steps

Use this to help visualize and map out your goals.

Materials

• Bristol Board or a piece of cardboard
• Construction Paper, fancy paper, shiny paper, etc.
• Magazines, photographs, other books, quotes, computer printouts, etc.
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Permanent markers

Directions

1. Think about what you want your vision board to be about and start to gather images and phrases/words that match.
2. Once you have a lot of images and words collected, start laying them out on the bristol board/cardboard and place them however you. Don’t glue anything down yet. Use construction paper or fancy paper as backgrounds or to fill in gaps.
3. Once you are happy with the layout, start gluing down all the pieces. Let it dry. Place your vision board somewhere you will see it every day to keep you motivated!

DIY Decorated Phone Case with nail polish

Materials

• Plain phone case
• Paper
• Pencil
• Nail polish (variety of colours)
• Permanent marker

Directions

1. Trace the outline of the phone case to create a template.
2. Use the template to sketch what you want your case to look like. Use paper to create stencils.
3. Use the stencils and nail polish to paint the design onto the outside of the phone case. If your pattern goes to the edge, extend the pattern over the edge to make sure it is completely covered.
4. Use a permanent marker to add details
5. Let the case completely dry before putting it on your phone.

Styling your Outfit of the Day (#OOTD) in 5 easy steps

1. Select a neutral base colour. Think black, white, grey, blues, browns. Most of the outfit should be in these colours.
2. Figure out accessories and choose a bright accent colour.
3. Add final touches like jewelry or glasses/sunglasses.
4. For the photo, make sure the background is free from clutter and make sure it’s well-lit. Cloudy days are the best lighting.
5. Pose to show off your outfit!

Once the balance of the base and accent colours becomes easy, try switching it around. Go for a bright base colour and neutral accents.

Still need Volunteer hours?

Youth Council is a great way to complete your volunteer hours for school or to add to your resume. Youth Councils are being hosted virtually and help youth

• Find volunteer or employment opportunities
• Plan and support special events
• Connect with recreational activities and more.

Contact your nearest Youth Outreach Worker to get involved.

Youth Outreach Worker	Location	Cell Phone Number
Marlon Greene	Antibes Community Centre	416-936-7821
Preppy Gnanavel	Grandravine/Northwood Community Centre	647-473-7664
Paul Walwyn	Dennis R Timbrell Community Centre	416-936-8265
Hutton Barry	Oriole Community Centre	416-906-6401
Kenneth Wilson	Falstaff Community Centre	647-212-6775
Ernestine Dunkley	Driftwood Community Centre	416-717-9157
Janice Morrison	Oakdale Community Centre	416-992-9714
Althea Greene	Chalkfarm Community Centre	416-984-7309
Shane Jeremiah	Elmbank Community Centre	416-999-4681
Juliana Riffat	O’connor Community Centre	416-908-9784
Nigel Levy	James S Bell	647-212-7626
Michael Campbell	Kingsview Village	416-984-7306
Sabrina Novello-Cheatley	North Kipling Community Centre	416-984-0807
Wilton Hall	Mount Dennis Community Centre	416-984-7282
Bryan Cando	Fairbank Community Centre	647-473-7662
Cas Wilson	Heron Park Community Centre	416-936-8573
Zachary Fraser	Don Montgomery Community Centre	416-771-4840
Robyn Anderson	Centennial Community Centre	416-936-8578
Eileen Alexander	L’amoreaux Community Centre	416-906-4967
Jody Gyivicsan	Scadding Court Community Centre	416-896-6437
Rafiat Ahmed	McGregor Community Centre	416-999-7207
Whitney Watts	Warden Hilltop Community Centre	416-688-7802
Chris Banton	Scarborough Village Community Centre	416-791-0954
Maranda Williams	Jimmie Simpson Community Centre	416-896-5957
Victor Galen	John Innis Community Centre	416-771-1449
Geeta Wahab	Malvern Community Centre	416-936-8597
Peter Kawano	Regent Park Community Centre	416-936-7825
Nastaran Yadollahi	Secord Community Centre	416-936-8605
Veronica Simic	Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre	416-984-6946
Jansten Labagnao	Wellesley Community Centre	416-677-5654