When crafting with kids, it’s often fun to plan a variety of projects along a certain theme. (For example, some popular themes include pirates, princesses, or circus.) DSC reader Lisa writes to us with question relating to themes! Her daycare is doing a camping theme this summer and she needs ideas – lots and lots of kids crafty ideas relating to camping! Do you know about any great camping crafts that Lisa and her crew would enjoy? Please share them here!
(photo by duboix @ morguefile.com)
10 Comments
Ann-Marie @momstownca
http://momstown-artsandcrafts.momstown.ca/taxonomy/term/264
We have a few to share above link includes preschool ideas:
Family Bonfire (with paper towel rolls)
Perfect Fire (popsicle sticks)
Nature Picture frame
Campfire Crunch (fun snack)
Enjoy! Thanks for the oppty to share!
Melissa McGowan
We are doing a camping craft with Girl Scouts about night time in the woods. Either take a dollar store picture frame or have them make one with popsicle sticks. If using the picture frame remove the glass and save for another day. Take a piece of black felt the same size of the opening of the stick frame or glue the felt to the back plate of the picture frame. Gather small branches and glue them perpindicular on the felt like they are trees, leaving space between. Make sure to trim the branches so they are not taller than where the back plate connects with the inside of the picture frame. Glue sets of googly eyes in random spots between the sticks. Place back in picture frame or glue on the popsicle stick frame. The woods at night! You can also use pipe cleaners to make snakes that wrap around the sticks or other animals. Or glue on some moon and stars on the felt before you glue on the branches. These turn out really cute. Use super strong glue or hot glue depending on age. I like this because you could change it to a blue background with tissue paper flowers for spring, or customize it to represent any season. Maybe you could cut out a felt tent/camp items and do a camp scene!
qwiksave
You could make a mini camping scene on a tray. I have done this using Playmobil characters for people. You put sand on the bottom of the tray and then a plastic bowl filled with water for a mini lake. A small twig makes a fishing rod for your person with string on the end for ‘catching fish.’ You also can make mini tents out of twigs and a small piece of material (2 upside down ‘V’ shapes with a crossover). Use small stones and rocks as decoration. Layout a picnic mat with toothpaste lids as cups, etc.
Another option is to make big tents out of bamboo canes taped together. Placing a blanket over the framework. Pegs can be used to hold it on to the frame. Great ‘pretend camp’ hideouts!
Lynn
You can take a nature hike and make a nature bracelet. Take duct tape and make bracelets for each of the kids – leave the sticky side out. As they walk along, the kids look for things along the path to decorate their bracelet – flowers, leaves, etc.
If the kids are big enough have them make weaving looms using sticks and donated yarn (cut into 2 – 3 foot lengths to encourage creativity in color and texture). The looms can be pre-warped or older kids can warp their own. They can add in pieces of bark, small twigs, long grass stems,etc. When finished weaving, tie a piece of yarn to each end of the top stick and use for hanging.
Lynn
If you want to teach about fire building, you can have them make an ‘edible fire’ with food items – pretzel sticks, shredded coconut, red hots, etc, to represent the different parts of the fire – tender, kindling, fuel.
Sun pictures. Use construction paper as the base. Use sticks, flowers, leaves, rocks, etc. to make a picture on the construction paper. This should be done in the sun. Leave the picture on the paper laying in the sun. After a few hours, remove the natural items and see that the paper has bleached out. The original color will remain where the paper was covered.
Rock painting. Using acrylic paints and let the kids paint the rocks.
Tee
Get free woodsy animal coloring pages from the Internet. Cut them out then cut the body part seperate. Let the kits put the animals back together with brads.
Hope that makes sense, lol.
LYNN: I like the google eyes in the dark idea!
Caitlyn
marble painting with rocks or acorns or whatever’s handy would give some pretty cool effects
My sisters and I used to make dresses and houses for fairies out of flower petals, leaves, sticks, grass, etc. We’d use pine needles to pin petals and leaves together, but tape would be easier for small children.
You could have them decorate boxes for a first-aid or emergency kit.
Shadow puppets (like these: http://dutchdirt.com/?p=213 – or marionette/jointed versions if your kids are older) for use with a flashlight and a tent
Tie-dye long socks, to wear to prevent insect bites and poison ivy
Tina
You could show them how to make fire starters out of carbord egg cartons, dryer lint, and wax from a candle. Just fill the egg hole with lint and drip wax on it. Let dry and cut apart and it makes a great fire starter.
Another idea would be to string things they find and make a necklace. Leaves, pinecones stuff like that. Have fun
Tracey
I know this is an older request, but familyfun.go.com has some really cool nature crafts, from making acorn necklaces, to games, to all kinds of different crafts to make.
Gilda
Make “binoculars” by gluing or taping two empty toilet paper rolls together. Add string and decorate. Great fun!