Painted pumpkins

Think pumpkins are just for carving? Think again! 

For young children carving can be tricky - here is another idea to try! First we placed the pumpkin in a tray so the drips got caught underneath. 

Then basically squeeze paint on the top of the pumpkin and watch it slide down. 

View from the top after we had squeezed lots of paint on!

Side view when finished...

We then sprinkled some glitter on the pumpkin.

We also did another using circular sponges and paint brushes to make dots.

In memory of Chloe Patterson

Usually this blog sticks to arts, crafts and baking with children however one of my fellow bloggers died last week - she was only 19.  Chloe was on the waiting list for a double lung transplant, her call didn't come in time.  Like many people with cystic fibrosis on the waiting list she died before her call came.  I know Chloe from the hospital as she had the same respiratory consultant as I do and we were treated in the same place.

More people need to join the register so that people like Chloe can be saved before it is too late - http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/

This is one of my favourite pictures of Chloe when she was on the waiting list - she had been allowed home from hospital with her breathing machine and was enjoying a BBQ with family and friends.  

Here is Chloe's blog - http://clobo1994.blogspot.co.uk/

I attended Chloe's funeral on Friday and it was her wish that people wore pink/purple - and there were certainly many many people in pink and purple there, the place was packed full! So here are some photos of our crafts that are pink/purple just for you Chloe RIP xxx

All links to Halloween posts

Just popping all links to Halloween crafts/games on this post as it comes up to Halloween party time!

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/apple-printing-pumpkins.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/halloween-playdough.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/toddler-group-craft-spiders-on-webs.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/halloween-biscuits.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/halloween-nails.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/witches-potion-messy-play.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/halloween-decorations.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/halloween-party-games.html












http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/pumpkin-biscuits.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/toddler-group-halloween-craft-2.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/toddler-group-halloween-craft.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/halloween-spiders.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/pumpkin-mobile.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/halloween-playdough.html

http://giraffescancraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/halloween-pictures.html

Magic milk!

This is a science experiment with milk, food colouring and washing up liquid.

• Put milk in a bowl and add drops of food colouring.

• Dip a brush/cotton bud in to some washing up liquid and place in the bowl. 

• Then sit back and watch what happens to the colours! 

We found this stopped working after a couple of shots - it was suggested that fuller fat milks work better for this so we will try next time!

Let us know how you get on if you try it!

Here is an example of it working very very well! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPFwDaR1g70

Apple printing pumpkins!

For this you need -

• An apple 
• paper
• orange paint
• black paint
• a brush/stick

Chop the apple down the middle

Dip apple in to a tray of orange paint and print on to the paper 

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You can then use the black paint to draw on the face.  Alternatively you could do it with pen when dry. 

Facebook

I now have a new facebook page -

https://www.facebook.com/GiraffesCanCraft :)

Halloween playdough

This year again we made black play dough with glitter through it.  The recipe for it is -

2 cups of plain flour

2 tbsp. of cooking oil

1 tsp. cream of tartar

2 cups of water

1 cup of salt

 some black paint squirted in to the mixture (could also use food colouring)

We used coloured mini sticks, lolly sticks and pipe cleaners to make the spiders legs.We also used Halloween cutters to make shapes.

Baby had a squidge too! 

Toddler group craft - Spiders on webs

Cut out black circles for body, white paper for web then draw lines on with pencil, cut various coloured legs out.  We used crinkle scissors for an interesting pattern. 

3D love hearts

Used a cereal box and love heart shaped cookie cutter

Cut a line down the top of both of them so they slot together

Decorate them with paints/glitter/pens

Then when they dry you can slot them together.  Could add string to them and hang them from a window/door frame.