Valentines Cub Scout Crafts

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 Valentines 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.

Tacky Glue is better for crafts than hot glue, which boys can easily get hurt using; it's thicker and tackier than Elmer's Glue and dries quickly.

"Eyes" are those little "bubbles" with a free moving black spot in them; they come in varying sizes.

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:

Holiday Crafts

VALENTINES

Lace Heart

You need a piece of moldable, but kind of stiff wire, and twice the length of a "threadable" lace (lace that has a seam tape binding, like most eyelet laces). "Thread" the wire through the lace and wrap the wire ends together. Mold the wire into a heart shape. Add ribbons, bows, or other appropriate decorations.

Valentine Candles

#1: Melt some paraffin inside a can placed in a pan of hot water (on the stove). Paint the melted paraffin over construction paper hearts glued to a candle. Tie appropriate ribbon around base of candle.

#2: Same as above, but use a valentine cutout with an arrow going through.

#3: Glue heart shaped confetti to candle. Add decorative ribbon.

GENERAL CRAFTS

Simple Pins

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.

Wreaths

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.

Magnet Holder

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).

Tie Rack or Thread Holder

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.

Kitchen Sink Pot

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.

Bowling Game

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).

Log Centerpiece

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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