A parent recently wrote that she was concerned that her older daughter, aged 10, was losing her patience with her younger daughter, aged 3, after having had a loving relationship until recently. With the winter holidays and the continuing difficulty with in-person schooling in the coming weeks this mother was asking for help in keeping the peace in her home and re-establishing the positive bond between her girls. Crafts and artful creations can build on the strengths of older more experienced siblings, encourage cooperation between family members, add fun to everyone’s day and develop social and language skills for younger siblings. (On November 12, 2020 I posted a blog with directions for Simple and Fancy Dollhouse creations. Check those out here: https://www.davidsgroup.org/new-blog/create-a-cute-custom-crafty-christmas-with-cartons)
As always with Gabbing Blog activities and games, these creations are made from readily available materials and are recommended for building speech and language skills in young children. In this blog we will also focus on developing the older sibling’s abilities by recognizing their maturity and ability to assume a mentor role for the younger child. Siblings share a life-long relationship that must be nurtured to grow strong. The older child will learn a bit about the developmental skills the younger child is learning to master, how and when to assist and when to step back as well as the targeted language skills to teach as they build together. I hope parents join in the fun, too. You may find that these craft ideas can also help to instill a spirit of generosity towards others in this special season.
As promised in my last blog post, I am including 3 Cardboard Creations that should be of great interest to older and younger sibling alike, no matter the age or gender: A Rocket ship, A Racecar, and a Playhouse. Feel free to customize your creations.
From Create the Chaos 2015
Rocket ship
Target Skills: Vocabulary: parts of a Rocket ship (blasters, port window, command module, computer center, view screen) craft materials (tape, glue, scissors, paints , crayons, paper, etc.), concepts (exploration, earth, sky, outer space, stars, moons, astronauts, pilot, navigator), Following Directions, Creating a Plan, Math and Measuring, Cooperation, Task Completion.
Materials: Large cardboard box (in our example: 36 x 22 x 16", larger are available), smaller cardboard for tip and wings, Packing tape or duct tape (use a higher quality packing tape or duct tape to prevent the Rocket ship from falling apart quickly), Scissors, Box cutter, Tape measure, Permanent markers. {I would also look around your home for fabric, poster paints, stickers, glitter, glue…anything that your family can use to customize and decorate the Rocket ship.)
Note: As you can see from the materials list, this is a project that may require adult supervision in the use of cutting tools. There are, however, many steps in the creation of your Rocket ship that are appropriate for children aged 3 and up. When you make your creation plan, discuss who will be doing which steps, together or independently.
Object of the Activity: To create a unique Rocket ship that will provide playful pleasure and encourage interest in exploration and science.
I found this project on Create the Chaos, a terrific website (https://www.createinthechaos.com/cardboard-rocket-tutorial/) with terrific ideas and printable directions for many kid friendly projects. I am including Ellen Russell’s directions for making a cardboard rocket along with her picture of the finished project. I encourage you to go to her site and see the step-by-step photographs firsthand.
Step One: Gather your materials. Review steps below with your children. If your older child is taking a lead role, then define that role well for everyone. Keep pictures of the end product available for reference. Younger children can use the picture to design their decorations. A Space force logo to decorate the Rocketship, perhaps, while the older sibling builds the rocket.
Step Two: The top of the rocket is made with cardboard triangles. Stand your box upright. To cut the triangles for the tip of your rocket, measure along the top edges of your box, where you want the tip to be. If you have a perfectly square box, this should be easy, with a rectangular box it can be tricky. Pick one side of the box to begin with. With the large box described in the Materials section, let us choose the 22-inch side as an example. Cut a triangle with the bottom edge being the number of inches for the side you chose (22 inches). Decide how tall you want the tip to be by using a ruler to measure from the middle of the bottom edge (11 inch) up to how high you want it to be (let’s say 11 inches), then draw the sides of your triangle. If your box is square, just cut out another 2 triangles that match your original. and you can skip Step Three. triangles.
Step Three: Here is how to cut the next two triangles if you are working with a rectangular box. Measure the side of the triangle you just cut out. (In our example the base was 22 inches, the apex of the triangle was at 11 inches, the side was 18 inches). You want the sides of your triangles to be 18 inches and the bottom to be 16 inches to match our example box. Cut out your triangles.
Step Four: Tape your triangles together to make your rocket cone/tip. Set the cone aside. (You may choose to let the younger child start to decorate the rocket cone at this point in your creating process.)
Step Five: Draw a circle on the side of the box. If you are challenged in drawing a perfect circle, use a large pot lid as a guide. Cut at least two windows, one on each side, to prevent conflict over who gets the window “seat”. U\An adult will now use the box cutter to cut out the round holes for a windows.
Step Six: Using your extra cardboard box, design your rocket wings to the size and shape you want. These not only look great, but also stabilize the rocket when your kids are playing inside. Attach them to the sides of your rocket with the packing tape.
Step Seven: Tape the Rocket Cone to the top with packing tape.
Step Seven: Let the youngest child decorate the Rocketship. Look around the house for a footstool or small chair for the pilot. If your ship is large enough, put two seats in for a navigator, too.
Step Eight: Blast Off, but not before you thank your older child and admire their handiwork.
A Boxcar
Target Skills: Vocabulary: parts of a Car (steering wheel, seats, doors, seatbelt, windshield, odometer, gas gauge, brakes, tires, side mirrors, turn signals) craft materials (tape, glue, scissors, paints, crayons, paper, etc.), concepts (driver, passenger, safety, speed, roadway, driveway, start, stop, “Chinese” fire drill ), Following Directions, Creating a Plan, Math and Measuring, Cooperation, Task Completion.
Materials: Large cardboard box Packing tape or duct tape, Scissors, Box cutter, Tape measure, Paper Plates, Large Red Plastic Cups, Permanent markers. {I would also look around your home for fabric, pillows, small child-sized chair or bench, poster paints, stickers, glitter, glue…anything that your family can use to customize and decorate your car.)
Note: As you can see from the materials list, this is a project that may require adult supervision in the use of cutting tools. There are, however, many steps in the creation of your boxcar that are appropriate for children aged 3 and up. When you make your creation plan, discuss who will be doing which steps, together or independently.
Object of the Activity: To create a unique boxcar that will provide playful pleasure and encourage interest in travel, mechanical objects and independence.
This project comes from Parenting.com (https://www.parenting.com/activities/arts-crafts/how-make-box-car/). I find so many terrific ideas on this site. I liked this one because, well, all kids love cars. It is a great project for an older child to create for a younger sibling as a surprise but can easily include the younger sibling in the creation and design. All up to you. There are step by step drawings on the site. I have included their picture of the finished project.
Step One: Gather your materials. Review steps below with your children. If your older child is taking a lead role, then define that role well for everyone. Keep pictures of the end product available for reference. Younger children can use the picture to design their decorations.
Seal your large box completely with packing tape, on all sides. Set it on the floor with a long side down, to form the body of your car.
Step Two: This step requires an adult to use a box cutter. Measure approximately two thirds of the top of the box. Draw a line at this point. Starting at the line, cut along the outer edges of the top, opening the top of the car, but leaving it attached to the car’s “hood. Then draw semi-circular “doors” on the sides and cut the openings. Make them large enough for a child to easily get in and out of the car.
Step Three: This step requires an adult to use a box cutter to cut out a windshield. Fold the top of the box up, perpendicular to the car body. Measure how tall you want the windshield to stand up, cut across the top at that point, leaving the folded edge connected to the car body. Now cut an opening for the windshield, leaving a sturdy edge around the “window”. I recommend about 2 inches around to be able to stand up to children playing. Use tape to fix the windshield upright.
Step Four: Use glue to attach the paper-plate wheels and steering wheel in place.
Step Five: Use glue to attach the large red plastic-cup to the front of the car as lights.
Step Six: This is when everyone can get creative! Use crayons, finger paints, markers, stickers, anything you want to create a custom paint job. Terrific time for the youngest children to get in on the fun.
Step Seven: Use your found objects to create seats and other goodies to furnish your car.
Happy trails!
A Playhouse/ Clubhouse
Target Skills: Vocabulary: parts of a house (ceiling, walls, floor, window, door, corner), size (large, medium, small), math (inches, fractions, top, bottom, numbers, shapes), craft materials (tape, glue, scissors, etc.), concepts (sticky, safety, share, play). Following Directions, Creating a Plan, Cooperation, Task Completion.
Materials: Two Large Cardboard boxes. (If you have more than one child using the playhouse/clubhouse, get four large boxes, to join two houses together.), box cutter, packing tape or duct tape, look around your home for fabric, pillows, small child-sized chair or bench, poster paints, stickers, glitter, glue…anything that your family can use to customize and decorate your house.
Object of the Activity: To create a unique Playhouse/Clubhouse that will provide a place to play together, read, cuddle with a favorite book or pet. Older kids like them two,
Sheknows.com
I found the directions for this terrific Playhouse/Clubhouse on Sheknows.com (https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/967135/diy-collapsible-cardboard-playhouse/) . What is neat is that this Playhouse/Clubhouse is collapsible, so it easily stores away when not in use. Cool, huh? Since they are easy to store, everyone can have their own private Clubhouse. There are many pictures of the process on the site. I have included one of the finished product.
Step One: Gather your materials. Review steps below with your children. If your older child is taking a lead role, then define that role well for everyone. Keep pictures of the end product available for reference. Younger children can use the picture to design their decorations.
Start with a large, empty cardboard box. Turn box on side so the opening is perpendicular to the floor. Tall side upright.
Step Two: This step requires an adult to use a boxcutter to cut off the top entirely. Save the piece to use later to form half of the roof.
Step Three: Use tape, perhaps a colorful duct tape, to tape the flaps together at the sides and add some extra support to the bottom flaps and the floor of the house.
Step Four: Retrieve the piece you saved for the roof of the cardboard playhouse. Measure and cut off 1/4 or so to create the steepness of the roof. You can make a steeper roof if you cut more off. Use the second cardboard box, and cut out another roof piece that is the same as the first. Tape the two pieces you just cut together to form the steeple of the roof.
Step Five: Tape the roof and the cardboard playhouse together at the sides of the top.
Step Six: To make it collapsible place the playhouse facedown. Cut down the exact center of the back and bottom, so the cardboard box will fold down properly. Next, cut along the fold where the back and bottom meet.
Step Seven: The box will now easily collapse flat. Fold the back and bottom flaps outward. With the cardboard box flat, tape the edges of the cut flaps together. Then, open the playhouse back up and reinforce with tape along the side seams. You should now be able to collapse your playhouse for storage.
Step Eight: Time to furnish and decorate your playhouse/clubhouse. If you create a house for each child, this is a terrific time for their creative juices to flow. Cozy blankets, pillows, child-sized chairs, a bed tray as a surface to work on, a small book shelf, posters on the walls! Make it their own, inside and out.
I hope you and your children enjoy creating and playing together. Share pictures of your creations to inspire others.