Barb Stephens was kind enough to post these activities that can be done with Cub Scouts - boys ages 7-9 years old. And she gave me permission to edit her posting in holiday-specific files. So here is the Easter Edition of Barb's Cub Crafts.
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 1994 07:52:03 -0500
From: Barb Stephens <bsteph@CREIGHTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ideas/Access
Lisa put out a call for more ideas, especially regarding crafts. Besides the den games I picked up at our Pow Wow, I attended a very good demo on den crafts. There were no written instructions, but the presentor showed and quickly explained each item she brought. I only got about 2/3 of them down on paper, and the instructions are a bit sketchy, but hopefully some of you can figure them out.
The BEAUTY of 90% of these crafts is that I believe they truly can be done by any Cub Scout (7, 8, 9 years). I have found that some crafts that appear to be simple in style still require a lot or coordination, and I have had to help more than I intended. Anyway, here are some ideas:
Glue cotton balls on a styrofoam egg for tail and feet. Bend white pipecleaner around a thicker pink pipecleaner for the ears. Add bead "eyes", a small pink pom-pom nose and thin wire whiskers. Place on a cardboard circle with hole cut out for base of egg to rest in. The cardboard can be covered with fabric or lace.
Wrap fresh eggs in onion skin. Carefully insert the egg (with skin) into old pantyhose and ties the ends so the egg can't escape. Hard boil the eggs. Remove the pantyhose - eggs are marbled.
Melt some paraffin inside a can placed in a pan of hot water (on the stove). Paint the melted paraffin over fresh greenery or small Spring flower placed on a hard boiled egg.
Loop some Christmas tinsel into a small 1 - 1 ½" circle. Place an appropriate sticker over the tinsel, i.e. flag for Flag Day, bunny for Easter, Santa for Christmas, witch for Halloween, etc. Add a looped piece of masking tape (sticky side out) to the back for a quick pin.
Use a rope ring, grapevine ring, styrofoam ring, etc. Wrap ribbon around ring, leaving generous portions of ring showing. Add bow at bottom of ring and/or appropriate decoration: Christmas ornament or greenery, flag, baby bootie or rattle, artificial flowers, small wooden duck or deer, etc.
To a "finished" (stained, painted) board 1x4x12, glue a piece of flat metal (so the metal is "framed" by the board). Add a picture hanger to the back of the board. Give as gift (include a homemade magnet as a starter).
Cut a board 1x4x6 (or longer if desired). "Ruffle" (wave) all edges with a rasp or a router. Pound in 10d finishing nails in a row, 1-2" apart, 1" from the edge. Either woodburn a "title" or add another row of nails offset from the first row.
Decorate a 4-6" diameter clay pot using magic markers, or cut out fabric (pinking sheared) pieces attached using a watery (Elmer's) glue mix. Be sure the bottom has a hole for draining. Keep kitchen scrubbers in it.
Use 2 liter or 20 oz plastic bottles. Decorate them with stickers, or fill them using: tissue paper (bunched or shredded), shiny cloth, Easter grass). Include an appropriate sized ball (nerf or light weight rubber).
Cover punched hole(s) of Hi-C size can with masking tape. Use tin snips of all purpose scissors to cut out a 4-5" circle on the side (not end) of the can. "Seal" the sharp edges with a layer or two of masking tape. Working on a wax paper surface, paint a thin layer of plaster-of-paris on all sides, the top and bottom. Let the can rest on the side opposite the hole; it will dry quickly. Then apply a thicker coat of plaster-of-paris to all sides again. Use a fork to scratch the log texture into the plaster-of-paris. When it is completely dry, paint the sides (log portion) brown, and the ends ("log ends") a light tan. Crumple up newspaper and stuff in the can. Insert greenery and/or flowers and/or small flags and/or pictures/symbols on a stick, appropriate to the occasion. (Cub Scouts can use cutouts of a Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos symbol, etc. on a stick or straw.)
Barb Stephens bsteph@creighton.edu
Creighton University Phone: (402) 280-2263
Omaha, NE 68178 Fax: (402) 280-2573
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