BJU Press Blog

crafts

DIY Toy Camera

by

make your own diy toy camera
Do your kids love taking photos but are not quite ready to handle a real camera yet? If so, then they will love this adorable DIY toy camera! This toy camera can be made with basic household supplies and will inspire your kids to take pictures of their favorite things. This camera is easy to make, and your kids can express their creativity by coloring and adding extra decorations. They can make it as decorated or as simple as they like! Watch this video for the full tutorial. The materials and instructions are listed below.

Materials:

Directions:

  1. Wrap the construction paper around or paint the box.
  2. Print and color the camera decal.
  3. Glue the decal around the middle of the box with glue stick.
  4. Cut out a rectangle for a viewfinder.
  5. Use glue stick to attach the viewfinder to the front of the box near the top.
  6. Use glue gun to attach the jar lid in the center of the front of the box for the lens.
  7. Hot glue the bottle cap and beads onto the top of the box for the shutter button.
  8. Cut a large square or rectangle piece of construction paper for the LCD screen.
  9. Use glue stick to attach the LCD screen to the back of the box, covering the seam. Feel free to draw on it.
  10. Add ribbon for a neck strap, and add any other decorations you like.
  11. Print and color the Polaroids to use as pictures!

Your kids will have lots of fun with this camera! Let us know how your camera turned out. Take a picture (using a real camera), and share it with us on our Facebook page.

5 Apple Projects to Do After Your Orchard Visit

by

apple projects for after the orchard!
There’s nothing like the crisp, sweet taste of a fresh apple—except maybe the warm, sugary flavor of an apple cider doughnut melting on your tongue. For many families, visiting an apple orchard becomes a prized yearly tradition. But after all the apple-picking fun and the enjoyable orchard activities, you might be left with bushels of apples—more than your family can eat. Check out these five types of apple projects to do after your orchard visit.

• Edible Apple Projects

Apple pie is an obvious way to use up some of those apples, but don’t forget about apple cobbler, apple turnovers, apple pancakes, apple breads, and apple muffins. If you’d like to save some of these goodies for later, research freezer-friendly recipes.

Feeling ambitious? Try making your own apple butter, apple sauce, or apple chips. You can even use these apple activities as teaching opportunities! Talk to your kids about the chemical processes involved in changing the fruit from one form to another.

• Raw Apples in Everything

Try raw sliced apples in all kind of dishes! Make finding new ways to include apples in favorite meals a game with your kids. Thinly-sliced raw apples add a bit of extra crunch to sandwiches. They lend sweetness to salads and coleslaw. Dice the apples and sprinkle them over carrot soup, pumpkin soup, oatmeal, or cereal. You can even find recipes for spicy apple salsa!

• Apple Drinks

The cider you purchase at the orchard always seems to vanish too quickly. Why not make your own slow-cooker apple cider? You can also squeeze the apples and create homemade apple juice. If you’ve got a blender, add apples to smoothies for breakfast or snacks.

• Apple Candle Holders

If you’ve got some apples that are bruised or otherwise inedible, hollow them out and insert tea-lights. You’ll have an instant set of fall-themed, sweet-smelling candle holders that will beautify your kitchen island or your table for at least a week or so.

• Apple Potpourri

Follow this recipe to create delightful simmering potpourri that will make your home amazingly fragrant for the fall holidays. You can also create a dried version that looks and smells appealing. Consider putting extra batches in bags or jars as holiday gifts.

With some time, creativity, and the right recipes, you can take full advantage of the bounty you bring home from the orchard this year! Experiment with these apple projects, and let us know if you discover some favorite apple activities we haven’t included here. Happy apple-picking!

• • • • •

Rebecca is a work-at-home freelance writer, novelist, wife, and the mom of two bright-eyed little ones. She credits her success in writing and her love of books to her own mom, who homeschooled three kids from pre-K through high school.

Bug Masks

by

Little kids have big imaginations. Empty boxes can become caves, minivans, even rocket ships. Dressing up adds to the adventure. A plain bathrobe can transform them into superheroes. Add a pair of fur-lined boots, and suddenly they’re trekking through a frozen wilderness in search of polar bears.

This month, kids can create their own bug masks with some help from our free templates. Download the template to make a bee mask, a cricket mask, or a ladybug mask. Or make all three! Just follow the instructions below to get kids started on their own bug adventure.

Supplies to gather

Steps to follow

  1. Print out the mask template.
  2. Cut out the gray areas of the printout.
  3. Use a hole punch where indicated.
  4. Color and decorate the mask.
  5. Allow it to dry completely, if needed.
  6. Tie a piece of yarn to each hole to make a headband.
  7. Tie the mask around the child’s forehead, and let the fun begin!

What other fun crafts do you and your children enjoy doing? Let me know how your bug mask turned out by commenting below.