How Tos/Tutorials
Category Archives:How Tos/Tutorials
Make Champagne Cork Mushrooms
Pop! Magic is always in the air at ACR! In this easy tutorial, see how to transform the everyday champagne cork into a tiny garden treasure! These mushrooms can also be added to party settings, or festive gift bags, or in doll houses (think of them as little tables). Have fun with it! Bags of champagne corks are a staple at the center – grab one today!
Another Way to Use Stencils
Before you decide stencils aren’t your thing, consider another way they could be used. With stencils as a guide, you can make so many unique decorations for: cards/invitations, garlands, stickers, labels, name cards, gift tags, journals, collages… Stencils at ACR start at just 10 cents and we have drawers and bins overflowing with them!
Make a Rainbow Catcher
This simple, repurposed frame is now a superstar rainbow catcher! See how to make it in just a few steps:
Make a Thread Spool Shelf
Check out this simple craft tutorial by one our staff members, Lori! Save those empty thread spools and combine them with a few basic materials to create this adorable, hanging shelf!
Creative Cardboard
Cardboard is one of those ever-present, but often overlooked materials inside our homes. Rather than break it down for recycling, repurpose it by trying out one of these activities with your kiddo!
Cardboard Nail Salon
Does your kid love painting fingernails? Draw a hand on a piece of cardboard and let them go to town! They can experiment with different colors and designs, while you get to keep your hands clean.
Cardboard Stencils
Use cardboard stencils to get some fine motor skill practice in. Cutout different shapes and patterns in pieces of cardboard and have your little one trace them onto another piece of paper. Encourage them to mix and layer the different stencils to create a unique masterpiece!
Cardboard Weaving
Cut long, uniform strips out of a piece of cardboard. Cut long strips of colored paper for your kids to weave using their own pattern.
Learning with Plastic Lids
Plastic Lids are a Great Learning Tool!
Whether you notice it or not, most of our households consume lots of things with plastic lids. Those lids add up! Hang on to them and consider using them for some of these fun, interactive lessons!
Alphabet and Letter Recognition
Write lowercase letters on each cap and have your little one line up the lids in alphabetical order. Try playing with color – vowels in one color, consonants in another.
Take this one step further by writing uppercase letters on the lid’s corresponding bottles or pouches. Have your little one match the upper and lowercase letters.
Counting and Number Recognition
Create number cards with whatever you have laying around the house. Place number cards down and have your child stack (or pile) lids behind the card.
Pattern and Color Recognition
See the cards linked below for patterns your child can replicate using colored lids.
Lid Pattern Cards
“Trash to Treasure” – Creating at Home
Color Matching
Collect small objects that you already have lying around the house, including those that may have ended up in the trash! Have your kids sort them by like color. Get creative with the sorting containers!
Cardboard Shapes
Cut cardboard into different shapes and punch holes into it. Use extra shoelaces, yarn, or string to weave through the holes, creating fun shapes and patterns. This can also be used as a tool to help learn how to tie your shoes!
Homemade Ring Toss
This homemade ring toss game is great for kids of all ages and it’s fun and safe for both indoor and outdoor play. Form pipe cleaners into rings, and use either an empty paper towel roll, or two toilet paper rolls taped together as the base. Use your imagination to figure out how to stand up your paper towel roll!
