Guest Author - Diane Claus

Star Pencil Topper

5+
You will need:
-White or off-white Sculpey clay
-Star shaped cookie cutter (1½ height)
-Sharpened pencil or pen
-Oven
-Paint (optional)
-Butter knife
-ADULT supervision


To make the star pencil topper, roll out two pieces of clay so that they are about a quarter of inch thick and cut out two stars. Cut one star in half as shown in the picture. Put one of the halves on one side of the whole star and the other half on the other side of the star. Use the dull side of the knife to gently form the clay so that the star halves blend in and the entire piece of clay.

Use either a sharpened pencil or a pen and gently rotate and push it into the bottom of your star. Continue turning and pushing until you get the pen far enough in the you can insert the top of a pencil. It is important that you go slowly or you may end up poking through the side of the star and having to start again from the beginning. When you are satisfied with the way the star fits carefully remove from the pencil and lay on a cookie


Red White and Blue Wrapped Pencil

4+
You will need:
-Two red tinsel pipe cleaners
-Two silver tinsel pipe cleaners
-Two blue tinsel pipe cleaners
-Glue
-OR-
-Red colored tape
-Blue colored tape
-White colored tape

Pipe Cleaners
Cut the pipe cleaners in half. Put a thin strip of glue on the pencil and put one piece of red pipe cleaner on pencil and hold until dry. Repeat alternating colors until you have covered the pencil.

Tape
Starting at the top of the pencil wrap one color of the tape around the pencil. Wrap the next color just below the first. Repeat until you have covered the pencil.


Other ideas to celebrate the 4th of July for ages 2 and up:

Cut red and white strips and some white stars out and have the kids glue them in the pattern of the flag on a sheet of blue construction paper.

You can make fireworks by making lines of glue on a black paper and having the kids put glitter on them.