Craft Tutorials. Supply Lists. Tips & Inspiration. Summer Craft E-Book Elmer s Products, Inc. The Glue with the Orange Cap

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1 Craft Tutorials Supply Lists Tips & Inspiration Summer Craft E-Book 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

2 Share Your Summer! Use #ElmersSummerCrafts and tag us! It s one of the toughest jobs out there molding children into kind, respectful adults. Whether you re a parent, a grandparent, a caregiver or a summer camp program director, you are likely responsible for an endless supply of activities that not only eliminate those I m bored moments, but also seek to instill values and helpful lessons that help to shape children into the people they eventually become. That is exactly why we created this e-book. We teamed up with some of our favorite bloggers to pull together great activities to help you take advantage of short pockets of time a rainy afternoon at camp stuck indoors or a summer vacation car trip, for example and create a meaningful project that will produce lifelong memories. Inside this e-book, not only will you find inspiration and instructions for these activities, you ll also find a complete supply list so there s no need to waste time in the store trying to decide what and how much you need. Our contributors also weighed in on important discussions to have with kids to teach them valuable lessons while creating together. Crafting is fun and can be an inexpensive way to bond! We hope you find this resource helpful as you look to creatively connect this summer. Whether you refer to it once or plan to do each project listed, this guide is meant to help you make the most out of your time with the young people in your life. Happy crafting and, most importantly, happy bonding! 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

3 Click for Complete Supply List Planning to do all five projects this summer? Check out the complete supply list at the end of the book for all the materials you ll need to create each featured craft. Summer has a tendency to fly by. Before you know it, the kids are headed back to school with hardly a moment to stop and think of how you spent your time. This summer, take charge, unplug from technology and create lasting memories with your kids even on the rainiest of days! This e-book is full of creative ways to make the most out of the months ahead with craft ideas, tips for working with your kids and more! Below is a list of five creative ways to make the most of your summer. Click on each tip below to see a detailed activity tutorial.. Save It For a Rainy Day: The No Rules. Keep Relationships Alive: Best Friends Forever Matching. Prep Crafts in Advance: Easy. Let Kids Take the Lead:. Capture Summer Memories: Memory 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

4 Click for Chrissy s Rainy Day Tips What you ll need: Elmer s Foam Boards, 0x0, White Painters Paint Markers, Various Colors Elmer s School Glue Stick X-ACTO Knife Plain Paper Ruler Rainy days make it easy to pop in a movie, cuddle on the couch and let technology lead the way. Instead, take advantage of weather-related down time with fun activities the kids will remember, like this DIY indoor board game you can make together, then play in the months to come! Save It for a Rainy Day The Chrissy Watson, The Outlaw Mom Measure, mark with a pencil and cut out two-inch squares of foam board to make game tile bases. Repeat on a plain piece of paper. Using the Painters markers, decorate the paper squares with commands (like hop in place or move two spaces ) for a board game or a physical challenge or make matching pairs of numbers, sight words, or images for a memory game. Cut out the decorated squares and glue them to the foam board tiles. Pencil > On the second piece of foam board, draw a grid using a pencil first. Then, draw over the lines with a Painters marker to finish your game board. Decorate as you wish! Make up the rules for your game and play! For example, place all game tiles face-down. On your turn, pick one tile. Do the action on the tile and then move one space on the board! 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

5 Make the Most of a Rainy Day Start the day special and end with a treat. If you know you ll be inside for an entire rainy day, start out with a fun activity like building a fort of pillows and blankets or making chocolate pancakes instead of following your regular rules and routine. It will put everyone in a good mood! End the day with breakfast for dinner or turn off the lights, grab a flashlight and tell ghost stories in your fort. Pull out all the children s toys and books. Despite the temporary mess, your kids will love to spend hours rediscovering their old favorites and you can do some spring cleaning. At the end of the day, ask the children to sort their goods into a keep pile and a donate pile. Set Technology Time. If your kids can t part with their devices, give them short technology breaks in the day and make sure the breaks occur after Together Time, which can even be simply sharing a device-free family meal together. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

6 Click for Jessica s Tips on How to Talk to Kids About Relationships With summer travel, family reunions and only a short amount of time to get everything in, it can be difficult to stay in touch with friends from school. Keep Relationships Alive Best Friends Forever Matching Jessica Kielman, Mom Real Start by spraying the back of your letters with Elmer s Spray Adhesive. What you ll need: Elmer s CraftBond Extra Strength Spray Adhesive Elmer s CraftBond Fabric & Paper Glue Painters paint markers, various colors, medium tip Elmer s School Glue Plastic Totes or Buckets Fabric or Paper Letters Silk Flowers Teach kids the importance of keeping relationships alive by creating gifts that represent true friendship, like these BFF matching summer beach totes. Place them onto your tote, making sure to center the middle letters in the middle of the tote first, then work your way out. Smooth the letters down with your hands. If you are using paper letters, paint a coat of Elmer s School Glue over them to give them a layer of protection. Clip the stems off your silk flowers, then glue them in place using the Elmer s CraftBond Glue. Let dry completely. Use your Painters to write #BFF under the name! > Fill with a beach towel, sunscreen and a pair of goggles and head to the beach or pool for some fun in the sun! 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

7 Talking to Kids About Relationships Reminisce about relationships. Set the standard for the kind of people that will be in your children s lives as they grow older. While making your beach tote, tell your child about your best friend, how you met and some memories you made as kids. Share the gift of friendship. Share with your kids that relationships should make them feel good and build their self-confidence. Tell them about a time when your best friend did something nice for you and how it made you feel. Friends should support each other! Talk to your child about how it s okay if your friend has different interests. As you pick out the totes, flowers and fabric or paper, take your child with you. Ask them what his or her BFF s favorite color is and customize the totes to be something special that represents the coming together of their interests. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

8 Click for Jillian s Craft Time Prep Tips What you ll need: Bottles of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue Liquid starch Travel toiletry bottles to hold the liquid starch Clear bags String A note with instructions to create the slime The end of the school year is the perfect time to give back. In many communities, resources that are available to children in need during the school year fade away. You and your child can help others by creating some easy kits to provide an exciting activity for a child this summer. Avoid an I m Bored emergency fast. Before the start of summer, prepare activities to have on-hand, such as these clever jungle slime craft kits, ready to go when kids are in need of creative time. Less prep leaves way more time for fun! > Prep Crafts in Advance. Leave Time to Give Back. Easy Jillian Warner, Hello Splendid First, make your own jungle slime together as a family. This is a great time to talk about why you are sharing the experience you had making slime together with others. How to Make Easy : Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime. Now, it s time to make your craft kits to share the fun with others! CLICK for directions on creating and assembling the kits. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

9 Click for Jillian s Printable Instructions Some advance prep will make this process go smoothly and allow your child to feel accomplished and involved. Prep Crafts in Advance. Leave Time to Give Back. Easy Jillian Warner, Hello Splendid to create the contents of the kits: What you ll need: Bottles of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue Liquid starch Travel toiletry bottles to hold the liquid starch Clear bags String A note with instructions to create the slime Click for printable instructions Easy Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime. To assemble the kits: Measure and fill the travel toiletry bottles with approximately / cup of liquid starch. Print and cut out instructions. CLICK for Printable Instructions Pre-cut a length of string and let your child use it as a guide to cut the other strings. Have your child add the instructions note, a toiletry bottle of liquid starch and a bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue to each clear bag. Work with them to tie each bag closed. Place your kits into a box or basket to bring to a local school or community center. Find out where you can set them out so children can take one and have a fun activity to do over the summer with their family. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

10 Easy Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime. Easy Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime. Easy Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime. Easy Pour one bottle of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue into a bowl or large measuring cup. Pour approximately / cup of liquid starch into another cup or shallow bowl. Add tbsp of the liquid starch to the glitter glue and allow your child to mix it with a spoon or his/her hands. Continue adding the liquid starch tbsp at a time and mixing after each addition until you reach your desired texture. Less starch will yield a more stringy and slimy texture; more starch will yield a more firm texture. Enjoy your slime! You can lay down a plastic trash bag or some craft paper to give your child a defined area in which they can play with their slime. Remember to wash your hands after playing with the slime.

11 Preparing for Craft Time Keep the basics on hand. Stock up on items like bakers twine, Elmer s School Glue, crepe paper and colorful tape so they are always available when you re feeling creative. Store craft items in clear bins. It makes it much easier to find what you re looking for quickly. Divide supplies based on mess factor. Keep paint, oil pastels, glitter and messier items in a separate bin from things like paper, tape and stickers. This eliminates disagreements over what supplies are okay to use when allowing your child some creative free time, as the messier ones are out of sight. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

12 Click for Jessica s Tips to Encourage Creative Play Kids creativity is something to be cherished. Let your child s imagination run wild. Kids Rule! Let Them Take the Lead. BOXCars Jessica Turner, The Mom Creative What you ll need: Large cardboard boxes Elmer s School Glue Sticks sets, Board Mate Vinyl Letters and Numbers Painters paint markers, various colors Elmer s Glitter Glue Pens Stencils, various shapes Construction paper Then, show them how to take their ideas and turn them into something they ll remember forever such as these whimsical cars created from used boxes. > Make sure your boxes are free of any paper/ bubble wrap. Also remove any excess tape and address labels. Set up each box on your driveway, and separate the supplies evenly between each. Ask your children to join you outside! Talk to your child about what they want to make and how they want to start. Ask questions that will help make the project uniquely them. Are they making a race car or an ice cream truck? Guide them through how to get started. Allow them to choose their own materials. As they create, encourage their imaginations. Does the car fly? Encourage them to add wings. When the cars are finished, compliment your child s art. Celebrate what makes the car unique. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

13 Encouraging Creative Play Help your child only as needed. It is fine to guide them, but don t be too heavy-handed. This isn t about creating a perfect project. Rather, you are inspiring your child to use his or her imagination. Laugh and have fun! Encourage creative play with the cars by saying things like, Rev your engines! The race is about to begin. Don t sweat the details. Never mind if the cars don t have wheels! Encourage your children to name their cars and talk about the adventures they ll take in them. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

14 Click for Tips from Chrissy on How to Make Lasting Summer Memories What you ll need: Elmer s Foam Board, 0x0, White can of Elmer s CraftBond Extra Strength Spray Adhesive bottle of Elmer s School Glue X-ACTO Knife Printed scrapbooking paper At the end of the summer, it can be hard to recall all the wonderful things your family did together. Create a keepsake to house the highlights of your amazing summer, teaching kids how important these memories will be throughout their lifetimes. Capture Summer Memories Memory Chrissy Watson, The Outlaw Mom Using the ruler and pencil, measure and mark a 0x0 square on the Elmer s Foam Board to act as the backboard. Cut the piece out using an X-ACTO knife. Then, measure, mark and cut a 0x piece to act as the baseboard. Using the X-ACTO knife, cut a groove for the boards to connect to one another. Continue cutting out pieces for your box and optional grooves. Size your paper to cover your Elmer s Foam Board pieces and/or decorate the boxboards however you d like. Adhere paper to foam pieces using adhesive spray. Ruler Pencil Optional items for decorating: Painters paint markers, various colors Elmer s Glitter Glue, various colors Stickers Glue your foam board pieces together. Even with the grooves, the glue will reinforce the box so it can stand on its own. Display your travel treasures! 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

15 Make Summer Memories Last a Lifetime ask your child to name three highs from his or her summer vacation. These can be moments he/she remembers being happy, activities he/she loved, or even a time he/she learned a new skill, like riding a bike without training wheels. Then, find ways to incorporate those highs after your trip is over or school has started. For example, spend a weekend morning practicing your child s new skill or visiting your child s favorite friends or places from the summer. Share and celebrate summer learnings. Share your own favorite learning experience during summer and ask your child to share his or hers afterward. For example, if you went snorkeling for the first time or learned about making jam after berry picking, describe how you felt before (maybe scared, nervous or excited) and after the experience (proud or elated). Sharing with your children is a great way to strengthen family bonds and by highlighting your children s accomplishments, you will help celebrate their achievements and create strong childhood memories. Put together a dream summer list. Ask your child what he/she would absolutely want to do again or what he/she wishes he/she was able to do this summer. Involving your child in next year s planning will keep the excitement from this year s summer going long after the beautiful weather and warm days are gone. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

16 We hope this e-book helped fill your summer months with fun activities and memories you ll cherish forever. As you know, summer is a wonderful time to explore and have fun with the kids in your life. It s also the perfect opportunity to nurture a child s imagination. Whether your summer has just begun or back-to-school is coming up quick, it s never too late to carve out a little time with little ones. If you re looking for more inspiration, go back to basics with these fun activities that are sure to create memories they ll one day recreate with their children. Though the summer always flies, it s a great time to take advantage of down time to reconnect and bond. Click to join For more tips on how to continue bonding with children beyond the summer months, click to join the Elmer s Parents Club. take a trip to the zoo! Ask the child what his or her favorite animal was, and then, when you return home, make a fun animal craft that helps you talk more about the favorite feline, elephant or bird (like this hatching penguin craft or this furry lion craft from Elmer s ). Make a fun jar. Make a list of all the free summer programs, parks and exhibits in your town. Create an activity jar together with little pieces of paper, listing each. When the I m bored emergency hits, encourage children to pick a piece of paper out of the fun jar, which will help decide what to do next. Display summer memories. Pick a spot in your home to hang a corkboard with a banner that reads, Summer Fun Gallery. Encourage children to hang up their summer creations to show off their work and help them remember all the fun you had together. take a nature walk together. Collect leaves and twigs as you go. When you return home, make a keepsake of your nature walk together, like this leafy monkey craft, to remind children of the importance of appreciating the outdoors. Display the craft on the fridge and feel free to add to it every time you go outside! Bake something together. Then, create something in the time it takes for the timer to go off by choosing five kitchen supplies, such as noodles or toothpicks. Make sure you have your Elmer s School Glue nearby! 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.

17 Complete Supply List Elmer s Foam Boards, 0x0, white Elmer s Painters paint markers, various colors Elmer s School Glue Sticks X-ACTO knife Elmer s CraftBond Extra Strength Spray Adhesive Bottle bottle of Elmer s CraftBond Spray Mount Adhesive Elmer s CraftBond Fabric and Paper Glue Bottle bottle Elmer s School Glue sets of Elmer s Board Mate Vinyl Letters and Numbers Elmer s Glitter Glue Sticks, various colors bottle of liquid starch Several bottles of Elmer s Classic Glitter Glue* Several toiletry bottles* (as many as the classic glitter glue as these will go in kits) package of clear, plastic bags (without a zip) String or ribbon ( spool) large cardboard boxes Construction paper Printed scrapbooking paper Stencils, various shapes Stickers (optional) Plain paper Ruler Pencil plastic totes or buckets yard of fabric package of paper letters package silk flowers * These two supplies will be used to create a kit. Only bottle of glue/toiletry is needed per person for this project. 0 Elmer s Products, Inc.