Paper roll people

Notes:

• Any size paper roll can be sued (paper towel, toilet paper)
• The arms are made from two different sized drinking straws, the shorter / larger of which represents sleeves
• The top fringes represent hair, which could also be crafted with yarn or ribbon glued to the top
• Bodies and clothes could be drawn or painted on the tubes themselves
  

Paper towel roll bird feeder

(This idea came home from school.)

Materials:

• sturdy paper towel roll, cut to a 13cm (about 5") length
• hole punch
• sturdy string or yarn 30cm (about 12")
  
• lard
  [The debate rages on as to whether or not lard is bad for birds, you'll have to do your own research and come up with your own conclusion about the suitability of this ingredient. While we're at it, you may want to consider whether you feel putting up a bird feeder has a negative impact on birds' natural ability to find food or migrate south. But I digress.]
• bird seed (if you have squirrels in your area, consider getting squirrel proof bird seed)
• cookie tray
  

Instructions:

• punch two holes opposite each other in the top of the paper towel roll piece, about 2 cm from the edge of the tube
• thread the string or yarn through the holes and tie both ends together tightly
• spread a thin layer of seed on a cookie tray
• rub lard over the paper towel roll (cover the child's hand with a plastic baggie if you don't want to deal with little lardy hands)
• roll the lardy paper towel roll in the seed, until most of the lard is covered with seed
• hang on a tree and wait for the birds to come!

(Photo shows bird feeder wrapped in a plastic bag for transport. Do not hang bird feeder while covered with a plastic bag!)

WARNING:

The finished product could be a choking hazard if child left unsupervised. Child safety is your responsibility!

Paper octopus

This was created at our local Ontario Early Years Centre.

Materials:

• part of a paper-towel roll (about 4cm length)
  
  
• construction paper (the colour of your desired octopus) approx 15cm x 23cm (width needs to be approximately the circumference of the paper-towel roll)
  
  
• stickers for decoration (eyes, suction cups)
  
  
• transparent tape
• pencil
• ruler
• scissors
• thick pencil, marker or dowel for curling paper
• optional: markers, crayons, glitter for additional decoration
  

Instructions:

• place the paper-towel roll at one end of the construction paper. Use a pencil to mark the distance from the end and then rule a line to mark the margin along the width of the paper.
  
  
• mark 7 equadistant lines (to make eight strips) along the length of the paper, from the right edge up to the margin previously drawn on the left hand side.
  
  
• cut these lines right up until the margin previously drawn of the left hand side (the pencil in the photograph below is only there to show you that the paper has been cut up to, but not including, the left margin)
  
  
• wrap the paper width-wise at the edge of the paper towel roll. Use tape in one or two places to secure the paper.
  
  
• one by one, wrap each leg around a thick marker (or pencil) to curl the leg. Hold the leg in the tight curl for 3-4 seconds before releasing.
  
  
• continue curling the legs until all eight are done
  
  
  
  
  
  
• decorate
  
  
  
  

Enjoy your octopus!

And make sure your octopus stays away from boat propellers or it could end up looking like this .....