Fun Friday - Fun With Plastic Containers

Todays Fun Friday will include some great activities and crafts using plastic bottles...have a great weekend!

How To: Make a Mini-Marshmallow Popper from Real Simple

Once you’ve cut off the bottoms of these paper cups and slipped on balloons, you’ve got a springy surface for launching spongy sweets into the air. Host a contest to see who can pop marshmallows the farthest or get the most into a bowl that’s a few feet away.

What You Need
Scissors and utility knife, markers, ruler, rubber bands, glue, tape (transparent, duct, masking, or colored), gift wrap or decorative paper, kraft paper, balloon, uninflated, paper cup, bottom cut off, mini marshmallows

Total time: 10 minutes
1
Knot the end of the balloon, then snip off 1⁄2 inch from the top.
2
Stretch the balloon over the cutoff end of the cup so that the knot is in the center. (You’ll need to hold the balloon in place when you “pop,” or secure it with a rubber band for little hands.)
3
Place a mini marshmallow into the cup so it fits snugly in the knotted center of the balloon. While aiming the cup away from you (and others), pull the knot back, release, and see how far you can send the marshmallow soaring.

DISCOVERY BOTTLES from Pre-school Play

I am only showing you a few...check out all of the "discovery bottles" Pre-school Play has created...so, so cool!

Marbles in Shampoo

Animals hidden in shredded paper

Cut up pipe cleaners. Use magnetic wands to draw the pipe cleaners up the side of the bottle.

There are so many more amazing "discovery bottles" on their blog...really great to help your little ones explore!


IT'S NOT A GLITTER WAND by Pink Pistachio

Pink Pistachio is an amazing site and I love her

personality...definitely worth checking out her page and following!






PATIO LIGHT COVER by About.com Family Crafts

Start collecting small, plastic water or soda pop bottles and make your patio or backyard festive with strings of light and these colorful little covers.

•Age Guideline: 8 Years and Up
•Time Required: 60+ minutes (Does not include drying time)

The above age and time guidelines are estimates. This project can be modified to suit other ages and may take more or less time depending on your circumstances.

Materials Needed:

•String of Lights
•Small Plastic Bottles (One for Every 2 Lights on the String)
•Transparent Glass Paint
•Craft Wire
•Scissors and/or Utility Knife
•Paint Brush
•Wire Cutters

Instructions:
Using the scissors or utility knife, cut the bottles in half. You will use both halves to make different shaped patio light covers. If you want all your covers to be the same shape, use just one half. You can simply leave the cut edge straight, or you can cut edge into a scalloped design or any other design you like.

Paint each light cover using the transparent paint. You can paint the entire light cover or simply paint abstract or other designs. Let the paint dry.

Use the tip of the scissors or the craft knife to make a small hole in the center of what would have been the bottom of the bottle. You should be able to slip the light cover over the bulb so that the light covers look like little lamp shades.

For what was once th top half of the bottle. use the tip of the scissors or a utility knife to make a small hole near the top of the bottle. If you bottle are very thick, this hole may have to be down below where the top of the bottle screwed on. To attach the light, cut a small piece of craft wire and poke one end of the craft wire into the hole. Stick the light into the drinking hole in the top of the bottle and wrap the wire around the wire of the light. Twist the two ends of the wire together to hold the light in place.

You should now be able to hang your patio lights up and enjoy!