Messy art projects that no parent would allow inside the house are perfect out on the lawn or deck on our long, warm days. Keep a hose handy, and stay cool with these open-ended projects that use summertime staples: ice, water, sand, bubbles and even Kool-Aid.
Rock salt ice sculpture
Half-gallon cardboard milk carton Water
Shallow pan or plastic container
¼ cup rock salt
Liquid food coloring
1. Fill the milk carton about three-quarters full with water. Freeze overnight.
2. Let kids tear open the carton to get the ice out (younger ones will need help). Set the block upright in a pan or plastic container to catch water as it melts.
3. Sprinkle rock salt on the top of the ice block. Squeeze drops of food coloring over the salt and watch the colors run through the cracks (some down the middle, creating a very cool effect).
4. When most of the color has leaked out, dump the water. Add more food coloring to ice, now with even more cracks and crevasses. If kids get upset about the temporary nature of their sculpture, take a picture.
From: www.aplaceofourown.org/find_activities.php
Watercolor mural
Old bed sheet Liquid watercolors (or tempera paint)
Water Plastic spray bottles (or paint brushes)
1. Hang the sheet over a fence.
2. Fill the spray bottles (pick up a couple at a local dollar store) with one part liquid watercolor to two parts water. (If you start with primary colors, you can add a little bit of other paint colors later for a wider variety of colors.) Set the sprayer to mist or stream, depending on the desired effect. Spray all over the sheet.
3. Another option is to use paint and paint brushes for a more traditional mural. Use masking tape to hold down the sheet edges.
4. Note: This can be a very messy project so have a wading pool or hose nearby for washing off hands, feet (and maybe fence). Wear paint clothes (and expect temporarily stained hands).
Adapted from: familyfun.go.com
Ice cube paint
Old ice-cube tray Liquid tempera paints
Craft sticks or cut straws Sturdy paper
1. Squirt paint into the tray sections. Place craft sticks or pieces of straw in each compartment to use as handles (it's OK if they lean).
2. Place in freezer. Pop out when solid.
3. Use the melting paint cubes to make designs on sturdy paper. You can also put blobs of paint on the paper and use a regular water ice cube as a brush.
From: www.kinderart.com/kitchen/popsicle.shtml
Ice necklace
2-foot-long piece of cotton yarn
Water
Flowers, leaves, rocks Ice cube tray
1. Collect small items such as small flowers, leaves or pebbles. Place decorative items on top or around the yarn.
2. Fill the ice cube tray with water (don't overflow from one section into the next).
3. Leaving two or three inches of yarn over the end of the tray, arrange the yarn so that each tray section has a piece submerged in the center. Tie yarn ends and cut off any extra.
4. Place the tray in the freezer. Pop out ice when solid. Wear it on a hot day to cool down. Do not eat.
From: scienceforfamilies.allinfo-about.com
Sand candle
Old heat-safe mixing bowl or pot Clean sand
Small empty coffee can
Paraffin or broken candles/candle stubs
Candle wicking Stick or pencil
Shells or rocks, if desired
1. Fill the bowl or pot three-quarters full with slightly damp sand. Dig a mold about the size of a fist (a flat bottom will help it sit evenly). Set in rocks or shells as decorations, if desired.
2. Cut the wicking a few inches longer than your mold is deep. Tie one end of the wick around a stick or pencil. Rest this across the top of the bowl or over the sand mold. Press the other end of the wick into the bottom of the mold.
3. An adult should fill the can halfway with paraffin and set it in a saucepan that's a quarter filled with water. (Never place the can directly on the burner.) Melt the wax over very low heat. The adult should pour the wax into the mold until it's about an inch from the top. (Keep fingers away from the hot wax.)
4. Once cool and hardened, remove the candle from the mold, brush off any excess sand and trim the wick.
From: familyfun.go.com
Permanent sand castle
3 cups clean sand (beach or play sand) 1 1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup water Shells, sticks, rocks, as desired
1. Mix the ingredients together in an old cooking pot. An adult should cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly. When it gets thick, with the consistency of play dough, remove from the stove and let it cool.
2. Use a large spoon to turn the mixture out onto a piece of thick cardboard or a foil-lined cookie sheet.
3. Shape by hand or press into molds. Use shells, sticks or rocks as decorations. Let creation dry.
From: www.kidsdomain.com
Bubble prints
1 cup water ½ cup clear liquid dish soap
¼ cup liquid tempera paint (dark colors work best)
2 tablespoons sugar Drinking straw
Paper
1. In a shallow baking pan, mix ingredients with a spoon.
2. Place one end of the straw into the mixture and blow through it to make bubbles. (Parents may need to remind young children not to suck in). Blow enough so the center bubbles are higher than the edges of the pan.
3. Using two hands to grip the sides of a piece of paper, gently place it on top of the bubbles for a couple of seconds. Lift the paper off. Repeat as necessary to create the desired design. (Note: If you use a primary color, add a different color of paint for additional bubbles, if desired.) Use as stationery, or decorate cardstock for cards.
From: "Crafty Concoctions" by Sue Hannah
Fruity finger paint
2 cups flour 2 packs unsweetened powdered drink (such as Kool-Aid) in blue or red
1/2 cup salt
2 to 3 cups boiling water 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring, if desired
1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix 2 cups water with oil and stir into dry ingredients. (Kids will enjoy the sudden color that appears.) Add remaining water for the consistency desired.
3. If you want more colors, divide the red or blue paint into smaller containers and add a few drops of various food colors to make additional hues. Use glossy paper for easiest spreading.
From: www.mommysavers.com/funstuff.htm
