Take advantage of maple syrup season this year and utilize the fresh maple syrup in your own chapstick. DIY chapstick offers you the opportunity to be creative, while making a functional cosmetic! Ingredients: 5g | 0.17oz beeswax 4g | 0.14oz cocoa butter 3g | 0.1oz virgin coconut oil 4g | 0.14oz sweet almond oil 2g | 0.07oz soy lecithin 4g | 0.14oz dark (grade B or C, or “grade A dark”) maple syrup Directions: Weigh ...Continue Reading →

Here's a great craft activity for animal and nature lovers of all ages. Materials: Plaster of Paris (Found at Crafts Stores) Bottle of Water Plastic Spoons Paper Towels Plastic Container or Paper Cups Small Trowel or Something to Dig With Paint Backpack to Carry Everything In Directions: 1. Find a good animal track in soft mud that has dried enough to keep it's shape when you press on it lightly. 2. Lay out all your supplies. Depending on how big ...Continue Reading →

Binoculars are a vital tool for properly exploring natural surroundings. They can help you find even the most camouflaged creatures in their natural environments. Younger children may not be ready for an actual pair of binoculars of their own, so making some of their own will encourage imaginary play. To make these binoculars, you will transform a pair of toilet paper rolls by using a little duct tape and some imagination! Then venture outdoors and pretend you are exploring the most ...Continue Reading →

The cooler half of the year is right around the corner (though most of us don’t want to admit it!), and all over the northern hemisphere, little feathered friends will be looking for food to help them survive the winter. You can help to supplement their diet of dried berries and seed heads by creating a simple feeder from materials you probably already have lying around the house. If you have an empty plastic jar, juice jug, or soda bottle, ...Continue Reading →

Materials: (yields 6 small square hand soaps) 10.5 oz melt-and-pour soap base 5 mL lavender essential oil 1/4 cup ground lavender buds (for mixing in to the soap) 1/4 cup ground lavender buds (for sprinkling on top) Mortar and pestle or food processor (optional) Various containers for molds Cutting board and knife Microwave safe jug, or glass bowl and saucepan Brown paper, rafia, other decorative paper to package (optional) Printer to print out labels Directions: Melt the soap base by ...Continue Reading →

Materials: Square piece of paper, either plain or patterned Steps: Fold the paper in half to form a triangle. If using a piece of paper colored on one side only, begin with the colored side facing up. Unfold the paper and repeat to make folds. Flip the paper so the colored side is facing down and fold the paper in half forming a rectangle. Unfold the paper and repeat to make folds. Now fold along all four creases at once ...Continue Reading →

Activities that involve using nature’s finds for creating are brilliant for keeping kids busy, and is also great for their creativity. Not only do spend time crafting but they also spend time outdoors finding items. Bonus! You get them outdoors for a bit which, in some electronic filled homes, is hard to do AND you get them crafting. This project is great for remembering your childhood and giving your children a piece of it, too. This fun rock craft is a ...Continue Reading →

Materials: Empty 2 Liter Soda Bottle Soil leaves, grass, newspaper, spoiled produce, and anything else you can find in your home or yard that can be composted               Steps: 1.) Cut the top off a 2 liter soda bottle and rinse it out well. Remove the label so that you can see everything inside the bottle well. 2.) Start with a layer of soil on the bottom and alternate between soil and compostable material. ...Continue Reading →

Materials:  card stock (note cards work well) crayons or markers scissors           Steps: 1.) Draw the outline of the squirrels and nuts (make as many as you want!) 2.) Cut out the squirrels and nuts 3.) Color one squirrel and one nut the same color 4.) Place the squirrels and nuts face down. Flip over one nut and one squirrel at the same time, removing the set when you uncover the same color squirrel and nut ...Continue Reading →

Materials:  Popsicle Sticks Popcorn Yellow and Green Construction Paper Glue Scissors       Steps:  1.) Draw shape of corns on green paper and cut them 2.) Shade and outline to give a more natural look 3.) Paste yellow paper in the center 4.) Paste popcorn on yellow areas 5.) Attach to popsicle stick Credit: http://diyhomedecorguide.com/cool-art-projects-for-kids/