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Favorite Craft Recipes

Ask an adult, before trying any of the following recipes. Always read the instructions and follow them completely.  If there is something you do not understand, please take a moment and ask questions. Finally, the recipes listed below are for crafts and making items, not for eating.

Alum Crystals

Makes 1 cup
Chemical name: aluminum potassium sulfate; chemical formula: ALK(SO4)2.
Alum can be purchased at grocery stores in the spice section or at herb specialty shops. It is used to pickle cucumbers and other vegetables.

Materials
2 ounces alum
1 cup water
stove or hot pads
mixing spoon
2 clean, heat-resistant jars (canning jars)
string
pencil or stick that is longer than the diameter of the jar

Procedure

  1. Heat the water to boiling.
  2. Gradually add some of the alum and stir. Keep the solution boiling.
  3. Add more alum and stir. Repeat until the alum will no longer dissolve.
  4. Take the pan from the stove.
  5. Using hot pads, pour the solution carefully into one of the jars.
  6. Let the solution sit for 1 day. Several crystals should appear in the solution.
  7. Pour the solution left in the jar into the other jar.
  8. Remove the best of the alum crystals from the first jar. This will become a seed crystal.
  9. Cut a piece of string longer than the height of the jar. Tie one end to the pencil. Tie the other end to the seed crystal.
  10. Place the pencil over the top of the second jar, so that the string and seed crystal dangle in the alum solution.
  11. Put the jar in a place where it will not be disturbed. Soon crystals will grow around the seed crystal.

Alum Dough

Makes 2-1/2 cups – enough dough for 2 students
This recipe may be the perfect dough. It keeps without refrigeration for a couple of months, it dries overnight, and it does not have to be cooked.

Materials
3 teaspoons alum
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
powdered tempera
paints
mixing containers
airtight storage containers

Procedure

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.
  2. Add the boiling water and the oil. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Divide the dough into several portions, place in mixing containers, and add tempera paints to achieve desired colors.
  4. Model and let dry.
  5. Store unused dough in airtight containers.

Jewelry Clay

Materials
¾ cup flour
½ cup salt
½cup cornstarch
warm water

Instructions
Supervise as you have children follow these steps:

  1. Mix dry ingredients together.
  2. Gradually add warm water until the mixture can be kneaded into shapes.
  3. Make beads by rolling the dough into little balls, piercing the balls with toothpicks, and allowing the balls to dry.
  4. Paint and string the beads.

Papier-Mache

Materials
Newspapers
Water
Liquid laundry starch, thick water and flour paste, wheat paste, liquid glue, or old library paste diluted with water

Supervise as you have children follow these steps:Instructions:

  1. Tear newspapers into very small pieces.
  2. Soak the pieces in a pan of hot water.
  3. Squeeze out the excess water until the newspaper becomes pulpy.
  4. Add a small amount of one of the following: liquid laundry starch, thick water and flour paste, wheat paste, liquid glue, or old library paste diluted with water.

Use papier-mache for free molding or mold it around an existing shape such as a jar, a can, a box, or a crumpled wad of newspaper.

Salt Map Mixture

Makes 3-1/2 cups – enough for 2 maps
This formula has a lumpy texture, similar to that of the earth’s surface. Therefore, maps made from this recipe look terrific. However, the mixture takes longer to dry than other recipes.

Materials
1-1/2 cups coarse salt, such as that found on soft pretzels
1 cup flour
1-1/2 cups water
mixing bowl
mixing spoons
wood or cardboard
basepaints and paintbrushes

Procedure

  1. Mix the coarse salt and flour together in the bowl.
  2. Add enough water to make a stiff dough.
  3. Apply immediately to the wood or cardboard base.
  4. Paint when thoroughly dry (2 to 3 days).

Sidewalk Chalk

Makes 4 sticks of chalk
This chalk is great for hopscotch and sidewalk pictures. Do not use it on chalkboards.

Materials
2 tablespoons powdered tempera paint
½ cup water
1 cup plaster of Paris
mixing container
mixing spoon
small paper cup

Procedure

  1. Mix all ingredients in a container.
  2. Pour into small paper cups.
  3. Let harden overnight.
  4. Peel off the paper and use.

Silly Stuff

Makes 2-1/2 cups – enough for 2 students
Similar to commercially prepared dough, silly stuff is for temporary use. It does not dry well.

Materials
1 cup flour
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
food coloring (optional)
stove or heating element
pot
mixing spoon
airtight storage container

Procedure

  1. Mix all ingredients in the pot.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture sticks together in a ball.
  3. Remove the pot from heat and let the dough cool.
  4. Squeeze and knead. Have fun!
  5. Store in an airtight container.

Tea Dye

Makes 1 quart
This dye is tan in color.

Materials
5 tea bags
1 quart water
stove or heating element
large enamel or stainless steel pot
wooden mixing spoon
container to collect dye bath
materials to dye

Procedure

  1. Combine the tea bags and water in the pot. Boil for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove and discard the tea bags.
  3. Add material to dye.

Transparent Window Paint

Students love working with the petroleum jelly. This paint does not run, and it can easily be removed if mistakes are made; however, it does not dry to a hard finish.

Materials
petroleum jelly
food coloring
plastic spoons
paper cups

Procedure

  1. Spoon a small amount of petroleum jelly into each paper cup.
  2. Add drops of food coloring and stir to obtain desired colors. On a window, the paint will appear lighter than it does in the cup, so make the shade a bit darker to compensate.

Uncooked Finger Paints

As an initial introduction to the use of finger paint, mixture of powdered tempera and liquid starch is probably the most interesting and successful medium. Supply several colors and powdered tempera for the children.

Materials
1/8 cup liquid starch
1 tablespoon powdered tempera

Supervise as you have children follow these steps:

  1. Pour starch directly onto paper.
  2. Sprinkle the tempera over the starch.
  3. Mix the color in as you paint.