Activity: Toy Ice Rescue

 Need a way to beat the late-summer heat? This activity is sure to entertain kids and keep them cool!

 You will need:

• Plastic tupperware or container
• Small plastic toys or toys that won't get damaged by water
• A metal spoon
• (Optional) painbrush
• Water

Instructions:

Step 1: Pill up a tupperware container with room temperature water.

Step 2: Place some of your child's plastic toys into the water

Step 3: Put the container in the freezer overnight.

Step 4: Remove the container from the freezer once frozen. 

Step 5: Let the frozen container thaw until it's able to be chipped away at with the spoon.

Step 6: Give the container to your child along with the spoon. They can "rescue" their toy from the container using the spoon to excavate. If you have a paintbrush, they can dip it into warm water to thaw the ice more.

-Miss Juliana

Book Activity: Make Origami

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make origami? The Clifton Public Library has plenty of books on how to make it, as well as other crafts!

Click here to see our selection of origami craft books.

All you need is paper to fold in order to make it. Choose plain or colorful paper in order to make fun designs!

-Miss Juliana

Activity: Paper Plate Spin Art!

You Will Need:

• A paper plate
• One cardboard box with the top flaps removed
• Tempera paint (or acrylic paint mixed with water)
• A paintbrush
• A flat surface

 

Instructions:

1.       Place the paper plate into the cardboard box
2.    Drip some of the paint onto the paintbrush with the paintbrush
3.       Spin the box around

Be sure to set up this craft somewhere where paint won’t get on any other objects, such as outdoors! Every time you spin the box, the shape of the paint will change – combine different colors and see what happens.

-Miss Juliana

Activity: Paper Spinner

 You will need:

• Thick string like twine or yarn
• Cardboard
• Paper 
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils, or anything to color with.
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut two circles out of plain paper (about 2 inches in diameter).

Step 2: Color the circles any way you would like.

Step 3: Use one circle to trace onto cardboard and cut it out.

Step 4: Glue the colorful paper onto either side of the cardboard circle.

Step 5: Using something like a pen or pencil, poke two holes in the center of the circle.

Step 6: Take a strand of twine or yarn, around 30 inches long, and put it through either hole. Tie a knot.

Step 7: Hold either end of the yarn in your hands and move your hands in small circles to twist the twine.

Step 8: Gently pull the yarn apart using either hand at the same time, then relax your hands. The spinner will turn!

Need an example video? Click here to see it move!

-Miss Juliana

Activity: Homemade Microwave Puffy Paint

 

You Will Need:

• 1 cup of flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 tespoon of salt
• water
• food coloring 
• Ziploc or plastic bags
• Rubber bands

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt with enough water to make it pancake batter consistency.

Step 2: Divide your mix into the baggies and add your food coloring. Make sure each baggie is a different color. 

Step 3: Seal the baggie and start squishing to mix it all together. 

Step 4: Rubber band the baggies like you would if you were icing a cake and snip off the teeniest little bit of the tip in one corner.

Step 5: Paint away! When you’re finished, pop the painting into the microwave for 30-45 seconds and watch the paint puff up and grow. 

Activity: Salt Painting

 

You Will Need:

• White paper or thick cardstock
• Watercolor paint
• Salt (any kind will do)
• Liquid white glue
• Paintbrush
• Water
• Snowflake drawing

Instructions:

Step 1: Begin by drawing snowflakes and then tracing the snowflakes with your glue.

Step 2: Now is the first fun part – sprinkle on your salt! Pour A LOT of salt over your image to ensure you coat every small piece of it. If you miss a piece then the color won’t run over that part.

Step 3: Shake off your excess salt from your page 

Step 4: Now you can begin to paint with your watercolors! You can paint after the glue dries or right away – it shouldn’t make a difference!

Activity: Make Your Own Rainbow Foam Dough

 This activity is a great option for sensory play!

You Will Need:

• 2 cups of shaving foam
• 1 cup of cornstarch
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Food coloring
• (Optional) glitter

Instructions:

Step 1: Add the shaving foam to the bowl

Step 2: Add food coloring. Want to make multiple colors? Make several batches of foam!

Step 3: Add the cornstarch

Step 4: Knead the two ingredients together. Want to add glitter? Feel free to knead it in at the end.

See what different shapes you can make with the foam! What does the foam feel like?

Photo and idea credit to Little Bins for Little Hands.

Check out our books on the importance of sensory play!

 

Activity: Ghost Craft

OooooOOoOOOooooOOOoohh!! It's time to make a spooky craft to celebrate Halloween!

You Will Need:

• White tissues or tissue paper
• Cotton balls or crumpled paper
• Thread or yarn
• Scissors
• Permanent marker or any black marker

Instructions:

Step 1: Grab 1 tissue OR cut a square out of tissue paper.

Step 2: Lay the tissue/tissue paper down and place one cotton ball or a crumpled paper ball in the center.

Step 3: Gently wrap the tissue/tissue paper around the filler.

Step 4: Using the thread or yarn, tie at the base of the filler around the tissue/tissue paper

Step 5: Trim the excess thread or yarn.

Step 6: Draw faces on the ghosts

Your ghost is complete! What different expressions can you draw?

Photo and idea credit goes to Rhythms of Play!

Activity: Tissue Box Monsters

 This is a great craft to recycle old tissue boxes and make a new friend!

You Will Need:

• Tissue box (empty)
• Googly eyes (any sizes will work)
• Black marker
• Glue
• Acrylic paint (white and colorful)
• White cardstock

Instructions:

Step 1: Remove the plastic inner lining from the opening of the tissue box. 

Step 2: Paint the outside of the box white to cover up the color and design on the outside. Give it time to dry.

Step 3. Paint the outside of the box any color you want, then paint the inside of the box a different color.

Step 4. Use the black marker to outline the mouth of the monster.

Step 6. Glue the googly eyes to the top of the tissue box. 

Step 7. Use the white cardstock and cut out teeth. Clue them to the inside of opening on the tissue box.

Idea and photo credit.

Activity: Ice Cream in a Bag

Ice Cream in a Bag

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with this fun, easy homemade ice cream recipe.

You Will Need These Ingredients:

• Half and Half - 1 Cup (OR you can use ½ cup whole milk and ½ cup cream.)
• Vanilla Extract - 1.5 tsp 
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Salt - ¼ cup
• The type of salt doesn’t matter; regular table salt works just fine. But the chunkier the salt, the less chance it will get mixed into your ice cream by accident.
• Ice 

 

You Will Need These Materials:

• 2 small Ziploc bags, 1 large Ziploc bag
• Gloves

Instructions:

Step 1: Pour 1 cup of half and half into a small ziploc bag.

Step 2: Add 1 1/2  teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of sugar. 

Step 3: Seal the bag firmly and get any excess air out.

    Note: Make sure your Ziploc or other resealable bag has a strong seal or double bag it to prevent salt     from getting into your ice cream.

Step 4: In the larger Ziploc bag, fill it about 1/2 way with ice. Add 1/4 cup of salt.

Step 5: Then add your small bag and fill with extra ice on top. Seal the large bag.

Step 6: Get gloves for shaking and shake for 6 minutes. *Gloves are needed since the salt makes the ice extra cold.

Step 7: Take the small bag out of the large bag and rinse the outside of the small bag with cold water. Make sure to rinse out the top part of the bag also (above the seal).

Step 8: Once done rinsing, carefully open the small bag to not get any remaining salt from the outside of the bag inside the bag.

Step 9: The ice cream will be a little icy looking to start. Use a spoon to mix it around and soften it up a bit. Scoop out and enjoy!

You can experiment by adding different flavors.

Idea credit

-Miss Heather

  

Activity: Father's Day Paper Roll Craft

 Happy Father's Day from the Clifton Public Library!

In this activity you can make a funny replica of your dad, grandfather, or other fatherly role in your life.

You Will Need:

• Paper towel roll or toilet paper roll
• Markers, crayons, or paint
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• (Optional) googly eyes

Instructions:

Step 1: Use construction paper to cover the paper towel roll with a similar color to your dad's skin. Glue it in place.

Step 2: Color in the hair by using markers, crayons, or paint.

Step 3: Use another color to draw on his shirt.

Step 4: If you have googly eyes, glue them in place on his face. If you don't, draw them on with a crayon, marker, or paint!

Step 5: Get creative! Cut out a bow tie, buttons, mustache, tie, or other design and glue it in place. Try and make it look as much like your dad as you can!

Voila! Your paper roll father's day craft is complete.

Thank you to Non Toy Gifts for the craft idea and photo credit!

Click here to see books about Father's Day in our catalog at both the Main and Allwood libraries!

Activity: Indoor Scavenger Hunt

 Need an activity for a rainy day? 

You Will Need:

• The included scavenger hunt sheet

Instructions:

• Print out the attached sheet or use your phone to look at the list of what to find around your home. Mark off everything you can find – see if you can find it all! Set a one minute timer for a competitive twist. 

All finished? Try making your own list with other items around your home!

Activity: Pom Pom Maze

 

You Will Need:

• A pack of Sticky Notes
• A Pom-Pom or Cotton Ball
• A Straw

Instructions:

Step 1: Lay out the sticky notes in a rectangle. Fill the whole space with stick notes in neat lines.
Step 2: Remove some of the sticky notes to create pathways.
Step 3: Use the straw to gently blow the pom-pom through the maze, keeping it in the cleared paths.

Step 4: Rearrange the maze in a new shape and keep playing!

 

Idea credit to Kids Activities on YouTube.

Activity: Indoor Bowling

 

April showers got you stuck inside? Do this fun activity in an empty space in your home!

You Will Need:

• Flat floor space to play
• Ten empty bottles or soda cans
• Soccer ball, tennis ball, or other round ball

Instructions:

Step 1: Using the tape, create a bowling lane on your floor.

Step 2: Arrange the bottles or cans at the end of the lane. You may arrange it like bowling pins or stack them on top of each other to form a pyramid

Step 4: Have your kids roll the ball to knock down the bottles or cans. Reset them after they’re knocked down each time. See if you can knock down all of the bottles/cans at once!

 

Have fun!

Book Activity: Pointillism Q-tip Painting

Make pointillism art using a q-tip in this fun activity!

What is pointilism? You might recognize it from the famous painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, by Georges Seurat, pictured below!

You Will Need:

• Q-Tips
• Paint
• Paper

Instructions:

    Step 1: Make sure you have a different Q-tip for each color.

    Step 2: Dip the end of the Q-tip in paint and make dots on your paper.

What kind of shapes and images can you make? (You can also draw an outline of objects like a tree, sun, flower, heart and then fill in the outline with dots)

  Photo and idea from Projectswithkids.com

Read more about artists like Georges Seurat in the book Georges Seurat, by Iain Zaczek. This book is available at the Main Library in our Juvenile biography collection.

-Miss Juliana

Activity: Marble Art

 

You Will Need:

• A piece of paper

• A marble

• A baking tin

• Washable paint

Instructions:

Step 1: Place the sheet of paper in the bottom of the baking tin.

Step 2: Dip the marble into the washable paint.

Step 3: Place the marble on top of the paper in the baking tin.

Step 4: Gently roll the marble around by holding the sides of the tin and tilting it in different directions. Be careful not to tip it over too much! Use different colors and motions in order to make a painting! Add multiple marbles for a more colorful effect.

Step 5: Place the painting to the side and let it dry. You can repeat these steps with new pieces of paper, or different sized marbles!

What kind of shapes did the marble make? 

Acvitity: Bubble Games

Want to make a bubble wonderland inside? Try this bubble mixture recipe to make the perfect bubbles, then try the activities in this post.

You Will Need:

• ½ cup Liquid dish soap/dishwashing liquid
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 ½ cups water
• A pie plate or tray
• Straw or bubble wand*

Instructions:

Step 1: Carefully pour ½ cup of dish soap into a large cup.

Step 2: Add 1 ½ cups of water to the dish soap in the cup.

Step 3: Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and add it to the mixture.

Step 4: Gently stir the mixture.

Step 5: Carefully pour the mixture into a pie plate or tray. Be careful not to spill it!

Step 6: Use your bubble wand* or a straw to blow bubbles.

*Need a bubble wand? Bend one pipe cleaner or piece of soft wire into a square or circle. Next, wrap another piece of pipe cleaner or soft wire to make a handle! Decorate it to make it your own.

BUBBLE ACTIVITIES

-Have a bubble race! Stand in a line, choose a finishing point, and try to blow your bubble over the finish line. Whoever’s bubble crosses the finish line first wins!

-Have a bubble contest! See who can blow the biggest bubble. Or, see who can blow the most bubbles at once!

-Play a fun game of tag! The kid who is “it” has to tag other players with bubbles.

-Play bubble catch! Have one person blow bubbles and have the others try and catch the bubbles with their wands.

-Play bubble clap! Have one person blow bubbles and the others try to clap on them to make them pop.

Feel free to take pictures of your kids enjoying this activity, and send us them in an email to clifchildren@gmail.com!  If your child is in the photo, please let us know if we have permission to post the photo publicly on the library's webpage or YouTube account.

 

Book Activity: Color Patterns

Is your child interested in art? Would they like to learn more about color theory? Read the books A Book about Color by Mark Gonyea, and Color Patterns by Carolyn Scrace, available both at the Main Library and the Allwood Branch, and then do this fun indoor activity about color theory! 

Catalog link

Catalog link

Color Pattern Activity

You will need:

-Paint and a paintbrush or markers (red, yellow, orange, blue, green, purple, black)

-1 Egg carton

-Scissors

 

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut off the top half of the egg carton, leaving just the bottom.

Step 2: Select one color for each cup and paint/color the inside of each egg cup until they are all filled with different colors, or different shades of the same color.

Step 3: Let the egg tray dry.

Step 4: Have your child search for and collect small items of various colors in your house. Then, match each item with an egg cup of the same color and place the items inside. Have a race to see how quickly your child can place the correct item with its coordinating cup!

 

Have fun!

Activity: At Home Drive-in Theater

Build a mini drive-in theater in your own home! These instructions will teach you how to make and decorate cardboard cars for your kids that will keep them entertained for hours.

You will need:

-A cardboard box large enough for a child to sit in

-Scissors

-Tape

-Paper plates

-Paint, markers, or crayons (optional)

 

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut the top four flaps off of your cardboard box

Step 2: Tape four paper plates onto the outside of the box to make wheels

Step 3: Decorate your car with paint, markers, crayons, stickers, and whatever you would like

Step 4: Set your cars up in front of the TV and watch a movie! Add pillows for the car seats for added comfort and be sure to bring your favorite snacks.

Need a DVD to choose from? Check out our new DVD selections from the Main Library and the Allwood Branch! We also have movies available for free, streaming on Hoopla.

Activity: Nature Collage Art

Fall is here, and the leaves are everywhere in all shapes, sizes, and colors! Grab some leaves off the ground and see what shapes you can create.

You will need:

-A thick piece of paper

-Glue (preferably liquid glue that dries clear)

-Leaves of different shapes, colors, and sizes

Instructions:

Step 1. Go outside to a park, or walk around your neighborhood to collect some leaves, flower petals, or both. Make sure they’re safe to touch, and bring an adult with you!

Step 2. Get your piece of paper and arrange the leaves however you want. Make some animals or people with the leaves!

Step 3. Glue the leaves down into place.

Step 4. Let the glue dry and admire your art! You can add onto the art with paint, markers, or any other coloring utensil, or just leave it the way it is.

What kind of shapes did you make? What kinds of leaves did you find outside?