Southland Christian Ministry Training
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By Carolyn
I always enjoy home crafted items in preference to off-the-shelf, mass-produced stuff, and this is a fantastic activity to do with kids. It is simple to make, requires minimal supplies and the finished product can be filled with other fun stuff. It is best to do over a number of sessions to allow paint and glue to dry. Directions: I used 2 empty toilet rolls and painted them red and then covered with silver glitter, and left them to dry. For larger binoculars you can chose to use kitchen paper towel cardboard centres, which would allow for larger items to be included inside.
To make the eye piece end, I used foam strips, approx 1cm wide and glued around each end of the toilet rolls. To hold them in place while the glue set, I used elastic bands. Then I put a hole on each side of the toilet roll and threaded the ribbon through, which was long enough to hold the binoculars together, but not long enough to be a choke hazzard.
This next step was carried out with a hand punch, which allowed me to make a neat hole in the side of the cardboard toilet rolls, and then I used the tweezers to pull the ribbon through. I then tied the ribbon together in the centre, covering the ends and making it look neat.
Finally, I added a couple of fun bits for the kids to enjoy. I chose small, inexpensive items that would fit neatly inside the cardboard toilet rolls, though the noise of my suggestions might annoy the adults. I chose these items as I have 3 grandsons, however if you have some granddaughters, you could include some girly items, such as necklace and bracelet or hair ribbons.
Here is the finished product: a fun project for anyone to make and enjoy.
Although this is an ideal Christmas activity, it can also be used for other occasions.
By Carolyn
Here is an alternative idea for bon bons at Christmas time. I enjoy hand crafted items and this year I’ve replaced “off the shelf” bon bons with these very easy, delightful, home-crafted items. I used green paper, which is slightly thicker than normal paper, yet not quite cardboard as it still needed to be flexible. The dimensions of the paper/card was 155mm x 295mm. Fold in half and glue along the long edge and one of the small edges.
I added an assortment of trinkets to make it fun, including a puzzle and instructions of how to make a paper plane. On Christmas Day we sit around chatting, and so I’ve included a couple of things to keep the fingers busy. We have 3 small grandsons, and I know they will love the paper planes just as much as the adults.
Lastly, I added a sticker and then glued the final side. As our table cloth will be red and white, I made these items in green. Can’t wait to see the table decorated.
By Carolyn
One of the most fantastic activities I’ve done with kids is this one…bath time fun. Just look at the smile on his face, he is loving every moment of it.
Colored Ice Cubes is a fun activity that helps the child in learning his colors and learning about cold.
He is intrigued as he watches the ice disappear while he holds it in his hands. He has fun chasing it around the bath and watching it as it keeps getting smaller.
When he catches it, you guessed it, he puts it in his mouth. Good thing it is just food coloring and water!
I’d better get some ready for the next time he visits!
Just a couple of drops of food coloring is all that is required to make this fantastic activity for young children. Plan ahead and have it in the freezer waiting for the young visitor to arrive, guaranteed you will have lots of fun together!
By Carolyn
Some very easy and innovative ideas for transforming a plain old box into an outstanding looking gift, with just a few simple balloons.
2 and 3 year olds love balloons, and to add a couple to their 2nd or 3rd birthday gift will bring a delightful response. If you forget to buy a card, you can write your message on the balloons.
Here are some more very simple ways to make an ordinary gift look fantastic.
By Ian
I have been camping and bush walking all my life. As I look back on those early days, what really stands out as the best fun as a kid was sitting around a campfire. I always thought that the bigger the fire the better, but on a cold evening there is nothing better than cooking Damper on a stick over a bed of coals. I can still remember my mother saying, the bigger the fire, the bigger the fool, and with a big fire all you get to eat is charcoal! Thus a successful “dough boy” requires a parent, a child and a double helping of patience. As well as that you will need:
 Ingredients:
- 3 cups SR flour
- pinch of salt
- 80 gms butter
- 3/4 cup water
Directions:
- Rub the butter into the flour and salt, then add the water.
- You will need a long, straight stick approx 1m long.
- Mould damper mixture onto tick and poke damper in coals.
Note: Allow the fire to burn down and produce some coals before adding damper on a stick, so that the damper doesn’t burn. Take it slow, 15 – 20 minutes or so.
To test if cooked: knock on the cooked damper, if it sounds hollow, then it’s cooked.
Take it out of the fire. Being careful not to burn your hands, remove damper from stick by gently turning the damper, it should come off easily. Pour golden syrup or butter into the hole. The same recipe can be used to make a damper loaf, just form it into a flat loaf shape and wrap it in several layers of alfoil and place it in the coals and turn it after 10 minutes. You know it is cooked when you tap it and it sounds hollow.
Eat and enjoy! But be careful, they always leak, and hot golden syrup makes a terrible mess! So make sure that your kids are suitably attired, which comes back to what makes any camping trip fun and successful, comes down to one word, “Preparation!”
The Ultimate Campfire Kitchen and Camping Guide is an excellent resource for those who are new to camping as well as those who have a lifetime of experience. It is a very practical book, including a range of helpful hints, covering every aspect of camping, including what to buy, what to take and how to adapt to changing circumstances.
It has a large range of recipes that are easy to follow, uses ingredients that are readily available and shows you how you can prepare delicious meals without having to take the whole kitchen with you!
Many bonus sections, including the awkward questions of how to keep children entertained in the car on those long trips, and what to do each night after the sun goes down when there is no TV or other electronic gadgets!
There is a section on tents, which tent to buy for the type of camping you are going to do, and how best to site them. Choosing a spot, preferably not in the creek when it looks like rain, allowing you to prepare ahead to have the best possible camping experiences. (Although, sometimes the disaster can be good fun too… maybe not at the time, but when you look back on them and can have a good laugh!)
So don’t delay, buy your copy today, read it and apply it, and make your next camping holiday, one of the best you and your family have ever had.
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Can’t find the right activities to do with your kids? Don’t know where to start looking? Then try this fantastic package. 
This fun filled pack is designed for children aged 4 to 13, including puzzles, games, puppets, printable activity sheets, crafts and cooking recipes, Christmas decorations and calendars, Dinosaur activities and games, plus many, many more. With over 750 A4 size activities to choose from, you will have heaps of things to do with your kids to keep them actively involved and learning new skills. A Word Of Caution This website contains some great crafts to do together with your children and toddlers. However, supervision is required as some of the activities include small parts and dangerous instruments eg scissors.
Our children's safety, both physical and emotional is of utmost importance. |
