Today is President’s Day so chances are you’ve got your kiddos home for the day off! We know it’s not always easy coming up with activities for the kids to keep their big brains entertained. One thing that is so extremely important to us at Austin Moms Blog is suggesting crafts & activities that are unbelievably easy. We know how hard it already is just to get through the day, but throw in a 20 step craft? Yeah, it ain’t gonna happen!

Here are 4 crafts promised to entertain your kids that won’t require 5o ingredients or a million steps to complete.

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

President’s Day Penny Experiment  

This is a fun science experiment about the dark color of old pennies versus the shiny color of newer pennies. Pennies oxidize over time and what we’re doing here is removing the darkness that has developed over time. Most kids might think that soap + water will clean them off, because hey! that’s what we’re taught. For fun we throw in the water as as option to “clean” the pennies and with a little bit of salt + vinegar we have the true concoction to remove the oxidation.

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

What You Need: 

  • 3 Small Containers :: I used Mason Jars, but little glasses would work as well
  • Vinegar
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Soap
  • Old Pennies

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What You Do: 

  • Fill your first jar with plain water
  • Fill your second jar with Soap + Water
  • Fill your third jar with 1/2 cup of vinegar + 2 teaspoons of salt
  • Put a penny in each jar
  • Watch in amazement!

You will be able to see almost immediately the difference between the penny in the salt + vinegar compared to those in the plain water and water + soap. You can even dip just 1/2 of the penny in the salt + vinegar mixture to see the difference! Kids love this activity!

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

Rainbow Cookie Pops

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

What You Need:

  • Oreo Cookies {I used Vanilla}
  • White Bark
  • Sprinkles
  • Pop Sticks
  • Mini Bucket
  • Plantar foam block {I used a round foam that fit perfectly in the bucket

What You Do:

  • Melt bark according to directions
  • Using a knife lightly apply melted bark to one flat side of each cookie {one at a time, because bark dries quickly}.
  • Sprinkle the cookie completely covering the white bark.
  • Place on parchment paper or paper to dry.

Austin Moms Blog | Valentine's Day Cookie Bouquet

Basically at this point the cookies are done! Now you have to move on to making these adorable cookies a “pop”.

  • Dip one end of your pop stick into the melted bark.
  • Stick into the icing between the Oreo.
  • The bark ensures that the sticks won’t fall out easily.

Now your pops are complete and the fun begins as you create your bouquet!

  • Place your foam block in the bucket
  • Start sticking the cookie pops in the foam and arrange as you like!

DIY Silly Putty

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

What You Need:

  • Cornstarch
  • Dish Soap

What You Do:

  • Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1.5 tablespoons of dish soap
  • Mix together with your hands — this part is a bit messy, but it comes together pretty fast
  • You might need a little more soap if your mixture is too dry or a little more cornstarch if you find that your mixture is too runny. Keep mixing until it comes together in a fun putty consistency.

This is fun to play with, pull apart, roll back together, and gets your kids touching and feeling new textures. This is great for sensory!

Sensory Rainbow Noodles

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

What You Need: 

  • Spaghetti Noodles
  • Kool-Aid or Food Coloring
  • Oil – you can use Olive, Vegetable, Coconut, etc.

What You Do: 

  • Boil a pot of water and pour your Kool-Aid into the water
  • Once you have a good boil, pout your noodles in the water
  • Cook until tender
  • Drain and rinse with cold water
  • Pour about a tablespoon of oil over the noodles so they don’t stick together

I used pink, blue, and red although the pink looks almost identical to the red. The kids can make shapes, designs, braid, or in my case, eat the noodles! This is a fun sensory activity that gets your kiddos touching and feeling new textures.

Austin Moms Blog | 4 Crafts for Kids When School's Out for the Holidays

We hope you’re having an awesome holiday today and hopefully these crafts will spark some inspiration as you find yourself at home!

 

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