Paper Straw Bracelets

Do your children love to make bracelets? Mine sure do! But sometimes, craft supplies can be expensive. That’s why I love to find ways for them to be creative without breaking the bank.

These simple Paper Straw Bracelets fit the bill! Colorful paper straws can be found in dollar sections of large stores or in bulk at party supply stores. They come in a variety of colors, patterns, and have many crafty uses!

Paper Straw Bracelets

For this craft, you will need string, scissors, paper straws, and a few smiling participants.

Invite children to carefully cut the paper straws into beads of all sizes.

Next, cut a piece of cotton string or yarn to fit your child’s wrist. In fact—cut several! These bracelets look best in pairs.

For younger children, it’s helpful to tie one straw bead to the end of the string. This will prevent beads from sliding off the string and onto the floor.

Then kids can simply string their paper straw beads! Stringing beads is a great fine-motor skill. Kids can experiment with creating patterns.

When children are finished stringing their beads, tie off the end with a double knot.

I chose to snip off the extra “base” bead to create a completely round shape. Then I tucked the knot into a bead to hide it.

These simple bracelets for kids are quite adorable! Best of all, since paper straws are so inexpensive, kids can make new bracelets for different holidays and seasons.

If the bracelet gets ruined, simply remove the string and toss the beads into the recycling bin.

The post Paper Straw Bracelets appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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Paper Straw Bracelets

Do your children love to make bracelets? Mine sure do! But sometimes, craft supplies can be expensive. That's why I love to find ways for them to be creative without breaking the bank.

These simple Paper Straw Bracelets fit the bill! Colorful paper straws can be found in dollar sections of large stores or in bulk at party supply stores. They come in a variety of colors, patterns, and have many crafty uses!

Paper Straw Bracelets

For this craft, you will need string, scissors, paper straws, and a few smiling participants.

Invite children to carefully cut the paper straws into beads of all sizes.

Next, cut a piece of cotton string or yarn to fit your child's wrist. In fact—cut several! These bracelets look best in pairs.

For younger children, it's helpful to tie one straw bead to the end of the string. This will prevent beads from sliding off the string and onto the floor.

Then kids can simply string their paper straw beads! Stringing beads is a great fine-motor skill. Kids can experiment with creating patterns.

When children are finished stringing their beads, tie off the end with a double knot.

I chose to snip off the extra "base" bead to create a completely round shape. Then I tucked the knot into a bead to hide it.

These simple bracelets for kids are quite adorable! Best of all, since paper straws are so inexpensive, kids can make new bracelets for different holidays and seasons.

If the bracelet gets ruined, simply remove the string and toss the beads into the recycling bin.

The post Paper Straw Bracelets appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/26FP10W

Easy Mother’s Day Card Idea

Mother's Day is just around the corner! Kids can make mom, grandma, or their motherly role-model feel special with a simple hand-made card. This easy mother's day card idea uses basic craft supplies and recycled materials. Perfect for caring, eco-savvy kids!

Easy Mother's Day Card Idea

Every week, my family tosses vitamin bottles, medicine bottles, and milk and juice jugs into the recycling bin. The colorful caps from those bottles are often perfect for children's crafts.

For our card, we decided to transform our collection of bottle caps into sweet flowers for Mom!

Materials Needed:

• Plastic caps from empty bottles
• Markers
• White card stock
• Glue

First, instruct your child to fold the card stock in half.

Next, glue a bottle cap to the card stock. If your child wishes to create a bouquet of flowers, glue many bottle caps to the card stock. It's fun to use a variety!

NOTE: Some bottle caps can be small. Please supervise small children around bottle caps.

Draw the shape of flower petals around the bottle cap. Kids love getting creative with this part!

Color in the flower petals. Make sure to add stems and leaves to the flowers.

Invite your child to add more detail to their picture. My child chose to add a sun and grass! Then of course, he wrote "Happy Mother's Day" at the top of his card.

Simple, sweet, and made with love!

More Easy Mother's Day Ideas

Pair this card with a beautiful Mother's Day DIY for the perfect gift!

DIY Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Mother's Day Paper Flower Bouquet

Mother's Day Garden Stone Cookies

The post Easy Mother's Day Card Idea appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/24aUvC6

Easy Mother’s Day Card Idea

Mother’s Day is just around the corner! Kids can make mom, grandma, or their motherly role-model feel special with a simple hand-made card. This easy mother’s day card idea uses basic craft supplies and recycled materials. Perfect for caring, eco-savvy kids!

Easy Mother’s Day Card Idea

Every week, my family tosses vitamin bottles, medicine bottles, and milk and juice jugs into the recycling bin. The colorful caps from those bottles are often perfect for children’s crafts.

For our card, we decided to transform our collection of bottle caps into sweet flowers for Mom!

Materials Needed:

• Plastic caps from empty bottles
• Markers
• White card stock
• Glue

First, instruct your child to fold the card stock in half.

Next, glue a bottle cap to the card stock. If your child wishes to create a bouquet of flowers, glue many bottle caps to the card stock. It’s fun to use a variety!

NOTE: Some bottle caps can be small. Please supervise small children around bottle caps.

Draw the shape of flower petals around the bottle cap. Kids love getting creative with this part!

Color in the flower petals. Make sure to add stems and leaves to the flowers.

Invite your child to add more detail to their picture. My child chose to add a sun and grass! Then of course, he wrote “Happy Mother’s Day” at the top of his card.

Simple, sweet, and made with love!

More Easy Mother’s Day Ideas

Pair this card with a beautiful Mother’s Day DIY for the perfect gift!

DIY Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Mother’s Day Paper Flower Bouquet

Mother’s Day Garden Stone Cookies

The post Easy Mother’s Day Card Idea appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/24aUvC6

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Even hardcore carnivores will love our Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers! Packed with healthy ingredients, texture, and tons of flavor you'll want to make these vegetarian burgers a part of your regular menu. I have five children and ALL FIVE of them raved about these burgers.

Not ready to up your veggie game? Then try this yummy and kid favorite Sloppy Joes recipe.

What makes these Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers so delicious is my aunt's secret ingredient to wannabe meat: liquid smoke. My aunt grew up in a religion that encourages vegetarianism and she learned over the years that liquid smoke can trick even vegetarians into thinking there's meat in the dish. Apparently, you don't put liquid smoke into church potluck dishes…

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup red onion, minced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli, chopped very finely
• 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 3 eggs
• 1 package Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade (.71 oz)
• 1 TBSP liquid smoke
• olive oil or other vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash black beans. Add all the remaining ingredients. Using clean hands, mix everything together. Mixture should be able to form and hold a patty together–if not, add more Panko bread crumbs.

Form patties and set aside.

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry each black bean burger patty until browned on each side (about 4 minutes each side). Drain on paper towels.

Serve like you would a hamburger on buns with freshly sliced tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, avocado wedges, cheese, and condiments. These vegetarian black bean burgers go great with chips, fries or cut up fresh fruit.

The post Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/26C8S0X

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Even hardcore carnivores will love our Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers! Packed with healthy ingredients, texture, and tons of flavor you’ll want to make these vegetarian burgers a part of your regular menu. I have five children and ALL FIVE of them raved about these burgers.

Not ready to up your veggie game? Then try this yummy and kid favorite Sloppy Joes recipe.

What makes these Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers so delicious is my aunt’s secret ingredient to wannabe meat: liquid smoke. My aunt grew up in a religion that encourages vegetarianism and she learned over the years that liquid smoke can trick even vegetarians into thinking there’s meat in the dish. Apparently, you don’t put liquid smoke into church potluck dishes…

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup red onion, minced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli, chopped very finely
• 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 3 eggs
• 1 package Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade (.71 oz)
• 1 TBSP liquid smoke
• olive oil or other vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash black beans. Add all the remaining ingredients. Using clean hands, mix everything together. Mixture should be able to form and hold a patty together–if not, add more Panko bread crumbs.

Form patties and set aside.

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Fry each black bean burger patty until browned on each side (about 4 minutes each side). Drain on paper towels.

Serve like you would a hamburger on buns with freshly sliced tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, avocado wedges, cheese, and condiments. These vegetarian black bean burgers go great with chips, fries or cut up fresh fruit.

The post Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

from Kids Activities Blog http://ift.tt/26C8S0X