Jam Packed Summer Camps, Week One

This past week was jammed packed with fun, creative activities for the kiddo's. At Shelby Park Community Center we created these awesome abstract 3D art pieces. The cardboard shapes were cut from the box that my fair tent came in. It was cut into cool shapes and the kids got to express themselves and learned a little about texture and 3D vs 2D art.

At Passionist Earth & Spirit Camp Odyssey, we made magazine picture frames, paper bag kites, toilet paper binoculars (see below) and paper rockets from magazine pages. Then on Friday we launched the rockets and watched them with our binoculars. The binoculars also came in handy to find my rocket that landed in the trees. Unfortunately we couldn't figure out how to get it down.

The binoculars are a great way for the kids to go exploring in your own back yard, parks, on walks or on long trips in the car. Here's how to make a pair to keep around for these fun days.

What you need:

2 Toilet Paper rolls
String/yarn
Paint or Markers
Glue
2 Paper Clips
Hole Punch

Glue the two tp rolls together by running a single line of glue end to end on one of the tubes and putting the two together. Place the paperclips at each end to hold the tubes together while drying. This allows you to decorate with paint or makers while the glue is drying. When the paint is dry, punch one hole on the side opposite the glue of each tube and tie the ends of the strings through the holes to allow the binoculars to be worn around the neck. Now the kids can enjoy bird watching, searching for things on a scavenger hunt or spying on their siblings. 

Have a creative and fun week and I'll see you back here later this week to show you how to make simple paper rockets and the launcher for some more summer fun from your "I'm bored! Box."

Picture Perfect Summer...

School's out! Kids are bored! Let's keep their minds going this summer and follow along with me as the kids from some of the summer camps I am working with make all kinds of fun crafts from Good Garbage! So send the kids on a scavenger hunt for fun crafty items around the house and build your rainy day craft box up with fun things like toilet paper tubes, colorful magazines, cardboard, plastic shopping bags, newspaper, old t-shirts, rubber bands, and anything else you think could be repurposed and join the fun world of creative reuse with Good Garbage!


The kids at Shelby Park Community Center summer camp sure were creative with their magazine and cardboard picture frames. Seems they had a lot of fun as well...

Here are the instructions for making this fun magnetic picture frame. 

What you need:

• Colorful magazines, the one time the more ads the better.
• Piece of cardboard, about 5x8" but whatever size you want. It could be from a mac'n cheese or cereal box. Mine was from a UPS envelope that I'd gotten.
• Scissors
• Glue (Stick or bottle)
• Straw (I used a small one, for kids the bigger, thicker ones are better)
• Advertisement magnets

  

  Cut the center out.
  I made it 3.5x5.5"

  

  Cut the cardboard to the size you want.

Make sure you use colorful magazine pages and cut into strips.

Using the straw, roll your strip twice around the straw and cut.
Add glue to the end and seal.

Glue the roll to your frame.

Be creative...

Those outdated magnets found on your phone books...

Cut two strips from your magnet

Glue magnets on the back side. Make sure to align  with the inside edge .

Hang on your fridge with a 4x6" picture behind it.

Another option for rolling the magazine strips.

I did this one with just torn pieces of magazine for the younger kids at  the camps.