I need your best ideas for kids 5 and up...can be crafts, art projects, hands on activities. Messy is okay, but they need to be things that I can put together once and then have for the summer, as opposed to setting up every weekend.
I usually pack a bin for my son for the summer with all kinds of things to do when we're poolside. Last year, I had some easy games, markers, paper, etc but this year I want it to be a little more self directed so he can execute on his own.
honeydew / 7488 posts
This requires some supervision for a 5 yr old but DIY slime kit (buy a huge thing of school glue, store brand saline solution, etc. whatever the recipe is) and that will get you through a few batches..
We also have some dino/rock excavation type kits ready, and painting kits.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@T-Mom: Yes, that is what I am thinking, some kind of "kits" I could have ready.
Does that slime have borax in it?
pomelo / 5866 posts
@looch:
You can precut cardboard for little projects. For example, make a little dog house (similar to gingerbread house walls). Glue, markers to decorate.
Sew a pillow. Precut cloth and give a child safe needle.
Make a rubber band racer kit. Decorate.
(Precut) Cardboard fidget spinner kit. Decorate.
Solar oven with foil.
honeydew / 7488 posts
@looch: No, the saline slime does not use borax. The three ingredients are glue, saline solution, and baking soda. Last time I was at Target, they had a huge slime display with those ingredients on sale (2 pack of store brand saline for under $4).
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@808love: Excellent ideas, thank you!
@T-Mom: perfection, that sounds like a ton of fun
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Bumping this up for the morning crowd...
Does anyone have any experience with the craftastic kits? I am looking on amazon and they look really cool, but I am thinking I might be able to put my own kits together.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I was thinking of a few other things:
string balls (inflate small balloons, use glue and string and wrap around balloon, let dry and remove balloon)
yarn tassels (wrap yarn in loops around a cardboard form, tie and cut for holiday decorations)
ojo de dios
string art plaques
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
@looch: I have a recipe for slime that uses Metamucil if you would like it? No Borax.
I got a really cool book last year, that has lots of art ideas for outdoors:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/101-Things-Kids-Do-Outside-Dawn-Isaac/0857831836
bananas / 9227 posts
I'm thinking of trying this:
https://www.facebook.com/wearenailedit/videos/vb.462261874116998/465261217150397/?type=2&theater
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@travelgirl1: yes, I would like it please.
My son asked if we could make slime last night, of all things.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Perler beads: anyone familiar with them.
I am looking at a bin of them, but do I also need those pegboards?
grapefruit / 4584 posts
@looch: yes you need thebpegboards and if I remember correctly, the iron-paper to fuse them(and obviously access to an iron). I liked those when I was a kid (probably 7-8 yrs), but you do need a lot of patience and good fine motor skills to avoid frustration. 
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@PinkElephant: Good to know, thank you.
I think I might get a kit, those seem like the way to go, rather than free form. I am going to save this idea for the cooler months of the year.
grapefruit / 4584 posts
It would require *some* work every weekend, but what about keeping a bin with an ice tray, small objects (plastic animals, gems, coins, beads, etc.), and various excavation tools (a pipette, little shovel, a bucket for warmer water, a strainer)....just freeze the objects in the water filled tray overnight, and let him try to free them poolside. We did this in our yard with friends last summer, and the kids loved it. You can also freeze things in a plastic glove (we did a frozen themed activity), or layered in a cup.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@PinkElephant: That's a great idea, I might actually do a big one to have when we have some playdates this summer.
I like the idea of using coins, that would go over really well.
grapefruit / 4584 posts
@looch: it's so fun! I really enjoyed making the Elsa hands. The best part is the mess goes away, b/c it's just water. I've seen blog posts where people dyed the water, but I don't think that's necessary.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@PinkElephant: My kids also loved this type of thing for in the bathtub. Works great for rainy days for water play.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@T.H.O.U.: My son would dig painting rocks...it would also allow him to use my paint markers...he's always looking for a project to do!
@PinkElephant: I just googled the Elsa hands, cool idea!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@looch: Our city has a hidden rocks project. People paint them and write a little message or quote on them and hide them around the city for other people to find.
squash / 13208 posts
@looch: we were camping this weekend I was grabbed some yarn at the last minute for the kids to play with - they had a blast wrapping sticks and making necklaces with rocks and sticks
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Mamaof2: Oh wow, those are amazing! I might do that, I have some small odds and ends of yarn.
@T.H.O.U.: I think I might have to start one of those up!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@T.H.O.U.: We just did that a few week ago. My mom is on FB a lot and she kept bugging me to do it. She even sent us this COol Rock designs book. She hosts national parks so she wants us to give her some for the campers.
Love those sticks and ice ideas. I'm going to have DD try.
DD made some magnets this weekend. Decorated paper, cut out circles and magnetic tape on back. I wanted to laminate but DD didn't.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Mamaof2: My son and I did the stick and yarn activity this past weekend and it was a huge hit. Thank you so much for suggesting it.
I've gotten bigger sticks and we have a vase in the hall that we're using to display them.
@stargal: That's a great idea. I might do something with my son in the fall along these lines.
I am also looking for smooth rocks so we can make our own story stones.
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