1

www.creativesteps.co.uk

creativeSpring 2016 £7.45

Helping KidSlearn tHrougHcreative play

SuperSpringactivities

60+

INSPIRATION FOR YOU….GREAT FUN FOR CHILDREN!

INSIDE! n Spring is in the air n easter crafts

n St.patrick's & May day Makes n recycling

n Seasonal cookery n Bring on the Bugs!

by annabel Karmel

Special Feature!

easter treats with a twist

2

3

Volume 10 Issue 4 Published 4 times a year by Bubbles Publishing Ltd. PO Box 111, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN23 9DX T: 01233 503055 F: 01233 501107 publisher: John Hopley – john@creativesteps.co.ukcontributors: Emma Angel, Claire Drescher, Meg Jones, Lorna Miller, Sarah Peters, Charlotte Stowell, Kate Tompsett & Jo Turner. Models: Grace, Hope, Oliver & Tallulah. production: Design: Jo Robinson Illustrations: Minky Photography: Lee Robinson Photography – www.leejorobinson.comcover image: © Natalia Kirichenko – www.shutterstock.com

Subscriptions: 4 issues pa: UK £29.80, Europe (inc. Eire): GBP £45, Rest of World: GBP £54. Orders, enquiries and back issues call 0844 844 0393 Creative Steps, PO Box 326, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8FA.printer: Geerings Print Ltd. – www.geeringsprint.co.ukISSN 1751-1682 No reproduction in whole or part without written permission. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or injury suffered as a result of information herein. All projects and activities should be overseen by a responsible adult. ©Bubbles Publishing Ltd. 2016 All rights reserved.

As I write this, the sun has made a welcome re-appearance and there are daffodils bursting into

colour – spring has definitely arrived! This is always a super time to get crafting with your kids, with an abundance of festivals and events to base your activities on and I hope this issue provides you with plenty of inspiration for the coming months.

As Creative Steps approaches ten years old, we are often asked ‘how do you keep coming up with such great new ideas?’ I am delighted we have such a resourceful and imaginative group of contributors, who constantly help come up with new activities for you to have a go at with your children, and there are always new ideas coming to market. This time of year there are several exhibitions across the sector; with inspiring speakers, hands-on workshops and vibrant exhibition stands full of tempting resources to help you expand your provision, as well as being great places to network with friends and colleagues. Creative Steps will be exhibiting at the Childcare Expo in London (4 & 5 March) and it would be great to say ‘hi’ to as many of you as can make it along to Olympia.

It was at the recent Nursery World Show that I had the pleasure in meeting the wonderful Annabel Karmel and I am delighted she has provided us with a selection of her tasty spring recipes for you to encourage your young ones to get creative in the kitchen. We have also managed to get our hands on a couple of her new Ultimate Bakers Sets, packed with everything your little cooks will need to get baking, which we are offering to you as prizes on page 6! Whilst there, check out all the other fabulous prizes on offer to you in this issue – all you have to do is complete and return the coupon on page 60 for your chance to win any of these great prizes!

Wishing you a spring full of inspiration and creativity,

Core skills & subjeCt guideTo help you select activities to suit your learning environment, each project in Creative Steps includes guidelines to the skills and subjects which will be enhanced by doing that activity.

To assist with the aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage, projects and activities in the first section of the magazine for 0-5 year-olds will encourage:H Active LearningH Communication & LanguageH Creating & Thinking CriticallyH Exploring & Using Media & MaterialsH Imagination/Being imaginativeH LiteracyH MathematicsH Moving & HandlingH Physical DevelopmentH Playing & ExploringH Problem-SolvingH Personal, Social & Emotional H DevelopmentH Understanding the World

In the following sections for 5-7 and 7-11 year-olds, projects and activities will be linked to the following KS1 and KS2 National Curriculum subjects:H Art & DesignH Design TechnologyH DramaH GeographyH HistoryH Home EconomicsH ICTH LiteracyH MathsH MusicH Physical DevelopmentH PSHEH Religious EducationH Science

BubblesP U B L I S H I N G LT D

editor’s letterCOOKING UP NEW IDEAS

Projects suitable for a Group Activity will include this icon:

activity

a

ct iv i ty

group

Y e A r s0-5

Y e A r s5-7

ContentsBRING ON THE BUGS 10It's spring and a great time to get to know some of our tiniest garden friends. See how easy it is to have fun while learning with these easy crafts and activities.

MAKE & LEARN 12Super ideas to encourage learning through play, counting, spelling & more.

EGG BOX CHICKS 14Make yourself a nest of chicks to help celebrate Easter.

SPRINGTIME IS FUN! 16Spring inspired projects.

ST PATRICK'S DAY 18A fun St Patrick's day inspired make.

PAPER PLATE MAKES 20Simple but great ideas using paper plates.

READING CORNER 22Great reads for growing minds.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR 24Learn about the changing Seasons.

APRIL SHOWERS 30Funky umbrella cards.

DAFF APPEAL 31A fun Easter Deely Bopper project.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE EASTER CAKES 32Time for some Easter baking.

EASTER FISHING GAME 33A fun Easter game, encouraging learning through play.

TISSUE PAPER GIFT BAGS 34Pretty gift bags, simple for kids to make.

ELEPHANT 35A colourful Elephant project to celebrate Holi, the colourful Hindu Spring Festival.

MAY DAY CELBRATIONS 36Great projects to learn about May Day.

LET'S GET LACING 38Fun Easter Cards.

Spring 2016

21

35

17

13

It’s a gift 6 Great toys, great games and great giveaways!

Subscriptions 59 Just picked up this issue? Take out a subscription to ensure you receive your regular copy of Creative Steps

TEMPLATES 60

regulars

Y E A R S7-11

ANNABEL KARMELEASTER TREATSFancy giving the Easter Bunny a run for his money? A series of easy Easter themed recipes. 28

4 WAYS WITH...Four fantastic ideas with drinking straws! 57

GO GREEN! 40A series of craft projects designed for Earth Day on 22nd April.

EASTER ZIGZAG CARDS 43Fun 3D cards for Easter.

LOLLIpOp COOKIES 44A fun Easter bake.

FLOWER pOT BUNNY 46A pop-up Easter bunny that's simple to make and great to play with.

pApER FLOWERS 47Stunning paper flowers to make a beautiful display.

KITTENS & CHICKS 48A creative FIMO modelling project for Easter.

CATERpILLAR CLIpS 50Fluffy caterpillars will look cute in a classroom.

FLOWER CORSAGES 51Perfect presents to be pinned to a coat or bag.

EASTER BUNNIES 52Create a colourful Easter bunny picture using different painting and collage techniques.

READING CORNER 54The latest books for 6-11 reviewed for you.

WOOLLY EGGS 56A simple and slightly messy Easter project.

Special Features

34

31

Creative Steps would like to thank our friends at Baker Ross – the amazing arts and crafts supplier – for providing us with some wonderful products which have been used throughout this issue. Check out what Baker Ross has to offer at: www.bakerross.co.uk 5

46

48

52

gi t s A i F t

Introducing…Crayon Rocks®, a fantastic creative tool for children. Crayon Rocks work to encourage, develop and

strengthen the tripod grip, due to their ergonomic shape. They simply cannot be held in a closed fist! The minute a little one picks up a Crayon Rock, they are using the correct tripod grip, or pencil grip, and are preparing their hands for writing. Because of how wonderfully tactile and easy to use they are, they have also proved brilliant for children with learning or physical difficulties, such as dyspraxia, cerebral palsy and autism. Furthermore, our crayons are fun! They are bright and bold, and produce fabulous deep colours. Older children enjoy using them to all different effects (they blend together beautifully on paper) or with Rubeez, our stencil accessory, to add pattern and texture to their drawings. Made of US-grown soy wax, a sustainable resource unlike the usual paraffin or petroleum wax, they are 100% non-toxic, and their shape means that they don’t break easily, unlike other crayons. Mineral pigments are added to give them their gorgeous colours. They really are a super-crayon! Contact Sarah at crayonrocksuk@hotmail.com for wholesale enquiries. These crayons can be bought at: www.thecoolgangthang.co.uk - add the code CGT123 at the checkout for 10% off :)We have THREE limited edition Rubeez Art Boxes, which includes a set of Rubeez and a 16 colour bag of crayons, worth £19 each, for you to WIN! Just complete the coupon on page 60 for your chance to win.

3 SetSto Win

CRAYONS THAT

ROCK!

6

Finding the TimeWas the light bulb invented before or after glasses? With Timeline, learn the answer to this question and many

more... Timeline is a card game played using 110 double-sided cards. Each card depicts

a historical event, invention or discovery on both sides, with the year in which that event occurred on only one side. On your turn you'll try to place a card from your hand into the correct position on the ever-growing timeline. If you play the card correctly, you have one less card in front of you. If you play the card incorrectly, you must replace it in your hand with a new card. Your decisions become increasingly more challenging as the game continues and the timeline begins to fill out. Correctly play all of your cards to win! The Timeline series is easily one of the most entertaining, accessible, and educational trivia games available!Timeline is an educational game which brings the whole family together and is currently available in five different themes: Inventions, Science & Discoveries, Historical Events, General Interest, Music & Cinema and Star Wars - a British History Edition will be, launched in autumn 2016!The games can be purchased on Amazon, more product information can be found on the Esdevium website: www.esdeviumgames.com/featured-product/timelineWe have five Timeline games worth £12.99 each to be won: Timeline Inventions, Timeline Science & Discoveries, Timeline Historical Events, Timeline General Interest, Timeline Music & Cinema and Star Wars. For your chance to win one of these fabulous games, fill in your details on the coupon on page 60.

5to Win

Annabel Karmel is one of the leading names in Children’s Nutrition and Casdon are proud to introduce her range of baking accessories designed just for kids! 2 lucky readers will win an Annabel Karmel 75 piece Ultimate Bakers Set that includes everything little cooks need to get creative including bowls, utensils, silicone cake cases, tins and more! Children

can bake real showstoppers such as biscuits, cupcakes, pies, tarts, scones and cakes with this high quality, durable set that also comes with a whole host of recipe ideas. The Annabel Karmel range from Casdon brings a whole range of exciting, usable kid-sized bakeware accessories including cupcake sets, pizza pans and more! We have 2 Sets to give away RRP £25

Win!

Annabel Karmel Ultimate Bakers Set

Satisfy all your creative needs with this awesome Cool Create bundle! This bundle is jam packed full of creative kits from Cool Create including a chocolate Bar Maker, the kit that allows children to create the chocolate bar of their dreams, a 2-in-1 Sticker Magic Kit that has the ability to turn any image you like into a sticker, all four colours of Magic Crystal Ball Bubbles, the unpopable, shapeable stickable bubble blowing kit, and a Mr Frosty Crunchy Ice maker, yes he is back! You don’t want to miss the chance to win this awesome creativity filled prize! If you love Cool Create as much as we do don’t forget you can sign up to the Cool Create Club today! www.coolcreateclub.co.uk1 bundle to give away worth £70

Cool Create Bundle

FAB Bundle

Closing date for these draws is May 31st 2016. Please use the coupon on page 60 or email info@creativesteps.co.uk to enter.

Plasticine Softeez Bundles

Plasticine is the original modelling clay, loved for its soft and non-hardening characteristics! Plasticine Softeez is softer than traditional Plasticine making is perfect for small hands! You could win 1 of 2 Plasticine Softeez Bundles! Each bundle will include an Under the Sea Play Kit, a Cupcake Creations Kits and a Softeez Tub of Fun! Between them these sets have 26 small blocks of Plasticine Softeez, cutters moulds, tools and a play mat too so your little ones will have everything they need to create under the sea scenes, 3D Plasticine cupcakes and much much more! Visit www.flairplc.co.uk for more info. 2 Bundles to give away each bundle worth £24

gi t s A i F t

7

Chapterhouse Theatre Company will be bringing six more magical productions to some of the UK and Ireland’s most stunning venues from June until September 2016: including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter Pan, Sense and Sensibility, Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles, The Railway Children and Wuthering Heights. Peter Pan, the unforgettable story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up, adapted for the stage by award-winning writer Laura Turner, is being presented by special

2 readers will win a Schleich Farm Life bundle worth £35! Each bundle includes 3 top quality Farm Life playsets, including Mr First Farm Animals, Feeding of the Farm and Stable Cleaning Kit. Look after all of the animals on the farm, they need feeding and cleaning and love to be kept company. Each bundle comes with 9 Schleich animals including a donkey, a pig and a farm dog and a whole host of fun farmyard accessories. Visit www.schleich-s.com for more information. 2 bundles to give away each worth £35

SCHLEICH FARM LIFE BUNDLE

Zoomer Bike

Children love Zoomer! It is fun and easy to ride whilst helping to develop balance and spatial awareness. Zoomer can be enjoyed both outdoors and indoors and is durable to withstand a busy Nursery environment. Zoomer has EN71 European Safety Standard recommendation from 18 months. Designed and developed by two mothers, Zoomer is made in the UK. To find out more and buy Zoomers for your Nursery, visit www.zoomer.co.uk,email contact@zoomer.co.uk or call 01932 864755. “It’s the perfect ride-on for Nursery; easy for the younger ones, big enough for the older ones. Ours have lasted very well with daily, intensive use. The children love them!” JR, Merrileas, Stoke D’Abernon.We have one Zoomer to give away, worth £54.95. Just fill in the coupon on page 60 for your chance to win.

Where Do I Live?Where Do I Live? is a fun animals of the world lotto, where players develop

their knowledge and understanding of the world as they match different animals to their habitats. Children will love learning about unusual animals from around the world,

whether they live in the desert, under the sea, in the jungle or in the arctic!The game combines both learning and fun, linking to early learning goals by developing personal and social skills and encouraging observation. Double-sided boards feature fun and interesting animal and habitat facts, such as ‘Polar bears actually have black skin. It is their furry coats that make them look white, as the hollow hairs reflect light!’ These are perfect for educational discussion once the game is complete.We have 3 of these games these games from Orchard Toys (www.OrchardToys.com) worth £11.75 each for you to win – complete and return the coupon on page 60.

arrangement with Samuel French Ltd and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Whilst in The Railway Children, a heart-warming story of adventure and family, the lives of three children are changed forever by the mysterious disappearance of their father. Finding a new home in a beautiful but isolated village the children make new friends and discover the wonders of the Yorkshire hills and the railway lines scattered throughout them. Both shows are presented with stunning period costume, traditional music and songs and a whole host of unforgettable characters, sure to be a treat for all the family and perfect for a summer evening’s entertainment.For details and dates of all the Chapterhouse Theatre Company productions for 2016, visit: www.chapterhouse.orgFor your chance to win a family ticket for four to see either The Railway Children or Peter Pan at a venue near you, just use the coupon on page 60.

2Free

Win!

Win!

3Free

WinticKetS

Closing date for these draws is May 31st 2016. Please use the coupon on page 60 or email info@creativesteps.co.uk to enter.

Where Early Years Means Business

Are you aN Early Years Professional?

17TH – 18TH JUNE 2016

EVENTCITYMANCHESTER

Sponsored by

Get your FREE tickets at childcareexpo.co.uk or call 01425 838393

to discover everything you need to help your business flourish

9

There are many advantages, which we all know, to having a few board and table-top games around the house or your setting, especially when it’s cold or rainy. And very importantly these days, these games get children away from their screens – improving all sorts of learning skills, including the art of communication! For your chance to win one of these games bundles, enter now on page 60.

WORDSEARCH JUNIOR (RRP £18.99, age 4+) Find patterns, pictures (balls, animals, foods, etc.) and simple words on lots of circular word search grids, with different difficulty levels. When you spot what you’re looking for, you just place your coloured counters over the images or letters.

We have five bundles of these four great games from Drumond Park as our prizes this

month – enter now on page 60 for your chance to win. For stockists and to play games online,

visit www.drumondpark.com Closing date 31st May 2016

WIN STAY INDOORS GAMES

DINO BITE (RRP £19.99, age 4+) Fearsome fun for little ones! A large green leaf covers twenty tiny, helpless Dino-babies who’ve been stolen by a huge T-Rex dinosaur. You’ve

come to rescue them, but beware… the

Dino will try to grab you,

roaring out

loud and

lunging terrifyingly

forward!

SSHH! DON’T WAKE DAD! (RRP £22.99, age 5+) In this brilliant new electronic board game, the players must creep past a sleeping Dad as he snores in his bed. Move forward avoiding the howling cat, the tinkling bell and the hooting owl – but if you do wake Dad, he’ll jump up like a zombie!

RAPIDOUGH (RRP £24.99, age 8+)This uproariously funny team game of modelling charades has been one of Drumond Park’s best-sellers for many years now. There are hundreds of simple, interesting everyday objects to sculpt – and there’s never a dull moment, as everyone gets stuck in and plays at once!

Flowers are peeping through the muddy soil and leaves are unfurling. It's spring and a great time to get to know some of our tiniest garden friends. See how easy it is to have fun while learning with these easy crafts and activities.

ToucanLearn shows us how easy it is to incorporate the Government’s recommended Areas of Learning. There are hundreds more ideas all linked to EYFS 2015 plus other brilliant features to help parents and childminders. Go to www.ToucanLearn.com

Bring On The Bugs!

store CuPboArdn Cupcake casesn Gluen Pipe cleanern Googly eyes and

coloured buttons

Colours with Caterpillar 1 Place the cupcake cases on A4 Paper. Arrange into the shape of a caterpillar and secure the cupcake cases to the paper with glue.

2 Draw on a face and some legs. Count the legs together. How many are there?

3 Select some buttons and see if the children can pop the buttons into the corresponding cupcake case of the same colour. Can they match them correctly?

4 Then, write a number in each paper case and ask the children to place the correct number of buttons into the case!

eyFS 2015: communication and language H Mathematics H expressive arts and design

store CuPboArdn Sticks, twigs & leavesn String

1 Gather some sticks and twigs.

2 Tie them into a bundle and wrap well with string.

3 Add some leaves and tie again securely.

4 Hang in a tree or place near a wood pile.

5 Watch carefully to see if any bugs move in over the coming weeks.

Bug Homes

10

eyFS 2015: understanding the World

ac

tivity

act ivi tygroup

activity

a

ct iv i ty

group

11

eyFS 2015: communication and language H expressive arts and design

store CuPboArdn Coloured play doughn Beads and buttons

The Smartest Snail

eyFS 2015: communication and language H Mathematics

Homemade Bugs

1 Roll the play dough into six balls of different sizes. Arrange in size order. Which is the biggest? Which is the smallest? Which two are nearly the same size?

2 Use the large balls for the body and smaller balls for the heads to create some weird and wonderful new insects.

3 Add pipe cleaners for legs and googly eyes. What would you name your bugs?

1 Head off into the garden or park to look for some bugs. Poke about it the flower beds and under the trees. Where do you think the bugs like best? Do any run away when they see you?

2 Find some shiny leaves and look at them close up. What do they feel like?

3 Peel off the dots and stick them on the leaves. Add some googly eyes and now hide these leafy creatures in the garden and get your friends try and find them. Good luck!

Lovely Leaves

store CuPboArdn Playdoughn Googly eyesn Pipe cleaners

store CuPboArdn Sticky dotsn Leavesn Googly eyes

eyFS 2015: communication and languageH understanding the World

Y e A r s0-5

touCAnleArnn ToucanLearn is a unique system that provides hundreds of graded activities for 0-5’s, plus a brilliant Daily Diary which facilities communication between parents and carers. n Childminders can create a visual EYFS diary straight from their phone.

n Join for free atwww.ToucanLearn.com

11

activity

a

ct iv i ty

group

1 Roll a lovely long, thin sausage of playdough about 30 cm long.

2 How does it feel? Is it warm or cool? Is it wet or dry? Is it smooth or spikey?

3 Roll the sausage into a spiral like a snail’s shell.

4 Take another piece of play dough and make it into the shape of a snail’s body. Put the two pieces together.

5 Take the beads and buttons and press them into the shell to decorate it. The smartest Snail in the world!

12

store CuPboArdn Yellow cardn Orange cardn Number stickers (from

1 to 7) n Large googly eyes

n Small beadsn Cordn Hole punchn Scissorsn Glue

Make & LearnThese super ideas will encourage your kids to learn through play and can be used to help with counting, spelling, colour recognition and more! learning zoneS: Mathematics H literacy H problem solving

store CuPboArdn White cardn Sheet of A3 mount board

(or card)n A selection of coloured

card – including cream

n Number stickersn Black penn Scissorsn Glue stickn Pencil

1 Begin by placing a circular object (such as a dinner plate) on a sheet of cream card. Draw around the plate with a pencil. Neatly cut out the circle of card with scissors. This will become your pizza base. Glue it onto the sheet of mount board.

2 Take a selection of coloured card and pair of scissors. Cut out a variety of simple shapes, including: triangles, circles, squares and rectangles.

3 Next, take another sheet of cream card and a black pen. Write out the label:

My shape pizza has…

__ triangles __ circles

__ squares __ rectangles

4 Stick the label onto the mount board, underneath the pizza base. Now, let the child glue the shapes to the base to create their own pizza! When finished, help the child count the number of shapes used. Stick the correct number stickers onto the label to fill in each space.

1 Cut out a semi-circle of yellow card (diameter approx. 22cm).

2 Next, you will need to add some sunrays. Cut out several small triangles of orange card. Glue the triangles around the semi-circle to complete the sun.

3 Add two large google eyes.

4 Use a hole punch to make seven evenly spaced holes along the bottom edge of the sun. Add a number sticker above each hole.

Shape Pizzas

Sunshine Counting

DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

This game practices counting and tests knowledge of simple shapes.

A simple project to teach numbers 1-7.

12

5 Starting at the first hole, thread through a length of cord and tie on one bead. Move onto the next hole and tie on two beads in the same way. Continue until you have added beads to every numbered hole. The finished sun can be used to practice simple counting!

13

This game teaches colours and can be used to test learning.

This game helps children spell out their name.

store CuPboArdn A3 sheet of cardn A selection of coloured card

– in six different coloursn Small coloured items (e.g.

foam shapes, sequins, mini buttons, plastic jewels etc.)

n Tracing papern Penciln Scissorsn Gluen Bowl

store CuPboArdn Paper (or foam) cups – one for

each letter in the namen Wooden lollipop sticks – one for

each letter in the namen Coloured cardn Letter stickersn Tissue papern Gluen Penciln Scissors

1 Take a pencil and sheet of tracing paper. Trace the outline of a butterfly using the template provided (see back of magazine).

2 Transfer the traced butterfly outline onto a sheet of coloured card. Neatly cut out the shape with scissors. Repeat this step to cut out six different coloured butterflies. Glue the butterflies onto the A3 sheet of card.

3 Put the small coloured items into a bowl. You are now ready to play the game!

1 Use a pencil to sketch the outline of a flower onto coloured card. A template on page XX is provided if needed. Cut out the shape with scissors. Repeat this step to cut out the desired number of flowers – you will need one for each letter in the name.

2 Glue a flower onto the top of each lollipop stick. Add letter stickers to the flowers to spell out your chosen name.

3 Next, add a letter sticker to each paper cup to spell out the name once again. It is now time to play!

ButterFLy Match

Word Flowers

HoW to PlAYAsk the child to place each coloured item onto the

matching butterfly. Encourage them to say the name of the colour aloud whilst matching up. This will help reinforce

learning. The game ends when all the coloured items have been correctly matched up.

HoW to PlAYLine up the cups in the correct order. Give the child the flowers. Help the child match the letter on the flower to the corresponding pot. When they have found a match they can ‘plant’ the flower by putting it in the pot and securing with scrunched up tissue paper. When complete the child will have spelt out their name. Repeat the game to develop spelling skills and reinforce name recognition.

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

64

Y e A r s0-5

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

64

EGG BOX CHICKS1 Start by removing any labels from the egg box and remove the top off the egg box by cutting along the crease.

2 Cut away the 6 egg cup bottoms and trim them so they are about 4cm high.

3 Paint the cups white and leave to dry.

4 Paint the lid with a mixture of green and brown and leave to dry.

5 Paint the cups with yellow paint and leave to dry.

6 Cut 6 beaks and 6 feet out of orange card.

7 Cut 6 wings out of yellow card.

8 Fold the straight edge of the beaks over.

9 Make holes in the top of 3 of the cups with a cocktail stick. Push through a feather.

10 Glue on the beaks, 1 to each cup.

11 Glue on the feet. Space them apart.

12 Glue on the wings and the wiggly eyes.

13 Glue the heads and body together leaving the mouth slightly apart.

14 Stuff the nest with shredded paper.

store CuPboArdn 1 egg box

n White, Yellow, Green & Brown

paints

n Medium paintbrush

n Orange card

n Yellow card

n Medium wiggly eyes

n 3 yellow feathers

n Cocktail stick

n Pencil

n Scissors

n Glue

n Shredded paper (optional)

Make yourself a nest of chicks to help celebrate Easter this year.

learning zone: art & design DESIGNED BY EMMA ANGEL

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

62

14

15

DESIGNED BY EMMA ANGEL

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

60

Cotton Wool Dispenser Sheep

Y e A r s0-5

This fun sheep project uses a recycled plastic container to make a useful cotton wool ball holder - ideal as a gift for mum!

learning zoneS:art & design H imagination H exploring and using Media and Materialsstore CuPboArdn Plastic salad container or similar

n Black funky foam

n White funky foam

n Large wiggly eyes

n Scissors

n Strong glue

n Cotton wool balls

1 Clean and dry a recycled plastic salad container.

2 Cut out the sheep’s head, 2 black legs and a tail from black funky foam.

3 Cut out a nose and mouth from white funky foam.

4 Cut out hooves from white funky foam.

5 Glue on the nose and mouth to the black head. Glue on the wiggly eyes.

6 Glue the white hooves to the end of the legs.

7 Stick the head to the front of the container.

8 Glue the tail to the back of the container. Glue it to the inside.

9 Put glue on the tops of the legs and stick under the front lip of the container.

10 Stuff with cotton wool balls to make a great gift

Hints & tiPs For the lady sheep or ewe

Make the lady sheep in the same way but add a pink bow to her head. Cut it

from funky foam or card.

16

Springtime Is Fun Time!

Rocking Bird

Lollipop Stick Chick

Your kids will love making these fun spring-inspired projects and learning about the changes in nature spring brings us each year.

learning zoneS: exploring and using Media & Materials H understanding the World

DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

store CuPboArdn Paper platen Paintsn Coloured feathersn Coloured card – including

orangen Googly eyesn Paintbrushn Newspapern Scissorsn Gluen Stapler

store CuPboArdn Yellow lollipop sticks

n Coloured card – green, yellow and orange

n Orange fun foam

1 Cover your work surface with newspaper. Fold a paper plate in half to create the body of your rocking bird.

2 Take a paintbrush and paints. Have fun decorating the bird, making it really bright and colourful. Leave the paint to dry before moving on to the next step.

3 It is now time to make the beak for your bird. Fold some orange card in half then cut out a triangle on the fold-line. Glue it in position. Next, stick on a pair of googly eyes.

4 Cut out several long, thin strips of coloured card. Staple a bunch of thin strips onto the bottom of the bird to make tail feathers. Glue some feathers onto the bird’s body. Try out your colourful rocking bird now complete!

16

1 Take a sheet of green card. Arrange the yellow lollipop sticks on the sheet to make the chick’s body. Glue the sticks in position.

2 Now, take the remaining sheets of coloured card. Cut out a pair of yellow wings. Neatly cut out a pair of orange legs. Glue everything in position.

3 Stick on a pair of googly eyes. To complete, cut out a beak in orange fun foam before gluing in position.

17

WOOLLY SHEEP

Y e A r s0-5

store CuPboArdn Paper plate

n Black card

n Googly eyes

n Cotton wool balls

n Scissors

n Glue

n Sticky tape

store CuPboArdn Polystyrene cup

n White card

n Pink card

n Silver pipe cleaners

n Googly eyes

n Green raffia(or shredded paper)

n Pink pom pom

n Glue gun(for use by an adult only)

n Scissors

n Glue

n Sweets

1 Take a paper plate and pair of scissors. Cut away the rim of the plate so that you are left with a small circle of card. This will be the body of your sheep.

2 Next, take some black card and cut out a head and pair of legs for your sheep. Glue the cut-out pieces to the back of the body. Add extra sticky tape if needed.

3 Stick a googly eye onto the sheep’s head. Now for the fun bit! Help the child cover the paper plate with glue. Stick cotton wool balls onto the sticky surface to give your sheep a woolly coat. When finished, set aside to dry.

1 Cut out a pair of ears for your bunny in white card. Next, cut out two smaller ovals of pink card for the inside ears. Glue the pieces together. Finally, stick the ears on the cup using the glue gun.

2 Make a handle for the sweet cup by gently pushing the ends of a pipe cleaner through each side of the cup. Wrap the loose ends of the pipe cleaner around the handle to secure.

3 Add a pair of googly eyes. Now, cut a silver pipe cleaner in half. Make a cross (X) with the two short lengths. Glue the cross onto the cup to make whiskers. Lastly, stick the pink pom pom onto the cross to make the bunny’s nose.

4 All that is left is to fill the cup with green raffia (or shredded paper) and some sweets.

Bunny Rabbit Sweet Cup

Luck of the IrishHelp celebrate St Patrick’s Day on March 17th with these fun projects.

learning zoneS: expressive art & design H understanding the World

DESIGNED BY EMMA ANGEL

For the leprechaunFor the Shamrockstore CuPboArdn Large white paper

plate

n Paint - green, red, black & white

n Medium paintbrush

n Small wiggly eyes

n Strong glue

n Scissors

n Black felt tip pen

1 Start by painting a large paper plate with peach paint. Mix orange, yellow and white together to make peach. Paint and leave to dry.

2 Paint around the edge of the paper plate with orange paint. Paint up to the inner rim and leave to dry.

1 Start by painting a large paper plate with green paint and leave to dry.

2 Paint a shamrock in the centre of the plate. Mix green paint with a little black. Give the shamrock four petals. Leave to dry.

3 Paint a ladybird in the centre of the shamrock. Leave to dry.

4 Draw on an outline around the ladybird and shamrock with a black felt tip pen.

5 Add a white highlight to the ladybird and shamrock with white paint and leave to dry.

6 Cut around the plate with scissors. Cut from the outside edge.

7 Glue on the wiggly eyes.

store CuPboArdn Large white paper

plate

n Green funky foam or card

n Black funky foam

n Yellow card

n Paint -orange, white & yellow

n Medium paintbrush

n Large wiggly eyes

n Strong glue

n Scissors

n Black felt tip pen

3 Paint the other side with orange paint too. Paint up to the inside rim. Leave to dry.

4 Draw on a face with a black felt tip pen.

5 Colour in the mouth and cheeks with pink paint.

6 Add a white highlight to the nose with white paint and leave to dry.

7 Cut a hat from green foam or card. Cut a black band and a yellow buckle.

8 Glue all the pieces of the hat together.

9 Cut around the orange beard with scissors. Cut from the outside edge to the rim.

10 Glue on the hat and the wiggly eyes.

18

%TEMPLATE

ON PAGE63

9116 Creative Steps Advert.indd 1

www.interplayuk.com

...toys & gifts designed to inspire

tel: 01628 488944email: sales@interplayuk.com

WO R LD

Press & dry flowers with the award winning

Instant Flower Press!

@interplayukltdinterplayukltd

AWARD WINNING

9116 Creative Steps Advert.indd 1 01/12/2015 15:42

Fantastic Educational Resources For Your Childcare Setting!

info@eypdirect.co.uk

020 3370 0885Visit eypdirect.co.uk today!

Earn as you spend with EYPDirect’s Stepping Stones!

EYP Direct half page ad 133x186_Layout 1 31/08/2015 14:54 Page 1

20

Paper Plate Makes

Clock

Car

Four simple but great ideas using paper plates to help your kids discover and learn.

learning zoneS: exploring and using Media & Materials H imagination H Mathemeatics

store CuPboArdn Paper plate

n Number stickers

n Coloured card

n Metal split pin

n Hole punch

n Cord

n Scissors

n Pencil

store CuPboArdn Paper plate

n Coloured card

– blue, black and white

n Green paint

n Paintbrush

n 2 metal split pins

n Sticky fixer mount pads

n Scissors

n Glue

n Hole punch

n Pencil

n Newspaper

1 Punch two holes at the top of a paper plate. Thread through a length of cord and knot the ends to create a hanging loop.

2 Place number stickers (1-12) around the paper plate to create the clock face. Use a sharp pencil to make a hole in the centre of the clock – this will be used for adding the hands later.

3 Take some coloured card and scissors. Cut out a big hand and a little hand for your clock.

4 Carefully punch a hole at the bottom of each hand. Attach the hands to the clock face using the split pin. They should move freely. You can now use your finished clock to explain basic time telling to children.

1 Begin by covering your work surface with newspaper to protect from paint spills. Wear a smock or apron.

2 Take a paper plate and cut it in half to make the body of the car. Paint one half green. Discard the other half as it is not needed. Set aside the painted car to dry.

3 Cut out two rectangles of white card for the car windows. Attach them to the car with sticky fixer pads.

4 Cut out a small circle of black card. Now, cut the circle in half to make two semi-circles. Stick the semi-circles onto the car with sticky fixer pads to create front and rear lights.

5 Next, cut out two circles of blue card for the car wheels. Punch a hole through the centre of each wheel. Position the wheels on the car and mark the central holes with a pencil. Use a hole punch to cut out the holes you have just marked on the car body. To finish, use split pins to attach the wheels to the car. Test out the moving wheels by giving them a turn!

DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

21

store CuPboArdn Gold paper plate

n 2 pipe cleaners

n 2 small beads

n Self-adhesive plastic jewels

n Foam stickers

n Sticky tape

n Scissors

n Pencil

store CuPboArdn 1 White paper plate

n 1 Gold paper plate

n Green card

n Mount board

n Decorations: stick-on jewels &

foam shapes

n Paint

n Paintbrush

n Newspaper

n Scissors

n Glue

1 Take the gold paper plate and a pair of scissors. Cut out two triangles from the paper plate to make the butterfly wings.

2 Wrap two pipe cleaners around the middle of the wings to create antennae. Use sticky tape to secure the pipe cleaner ends behind the wings. Curl the ends of the antennae with a pencil then add a bead to each one to finish.

3 Decorate your butterfly with colourful plastic jewels and foam stickers.

Flower PuppetY e A r s0-5

1 Take a white paper plate. Cut out the rim and discard the middle. Next, cut the rim into smaller pieces – these will become the petals for your flower.

2 Cover your work surface with newspaper. Paint the flower petals the colour of your choice. Leave to dry.

3 Now, take a gold paper plate. Cut away the rim to leave a flat circle of card. Decorate it with stick-on jewels and foam shapes. This will be the centre of your flower.

4 Construct the flower by sticking the petals around the decorated gold circle.

5 Cut out a long, thin strip of green card for the flower stem. Depending on the thickness of your card, you may need to stick a narrower strip of mount board behind the stem to make it stronger. Cut out four leaves from the leftover green card. Stick the leaves in place and let the glue dry. You can now use your giant flower puppet in shows!

Giant Butterfly

READING CORNERGreat books for growing mindsKEY: HB HARDBACK H PB PAPERBACK H BB BOARD BOOK

HEDGEHUGS HOPPING HOT Lucy Tapper & Steve WilsonRRP £6.99 (PB)www.maverickbooks.co.ukThis brightly illustrated book tempts you to join best friends Horace and Hattie on their adventures. One day they are trying to play their favourite hopping game but it’s too hot! Can they beat the heat and find a way to hop while it’s hot?

Age 1 years +

We say… A fun book with beautiful illustrations that will be loved for

years to come!

MY WORLD DOC MCSTUFFINSDisney JuniorRRP £7.99 (HB)www.dk.comFollow a day in the life of Doc McStuffins, Disney’s most junior doctor as she cares for her magical toys. With its colourful images and engaging activities Doc McStuffins teaches pre-schoolers important early life skills, such as healthy eating, brushing

teeth and caring for yourself and those around you.

Age 3 years +

We say… entertaining with wonderful stickers to enjoy, this beautifully

illustrated book will be enjoyed with older siblings too!

DYLAN’S AMAZING DINOSAURS

– THE TRICERATOPSE.T. Harper and Dan Taylor

RRP £6.99 (PB)www.simonandschuster.co.uk www.picturebookden.comDylan loves exploring and learning all about dinosaurs. In

his amazing treehouse he has a magic journal and every time he opens it magical things happen – even his toy pterodactyl comes to life! Together, they fly off on dinosaur discovery missions. This time he is on a dangerous mission looking for the mighty triceratops! Can he get close enough to measure one of its horns? Age 3 years +

We say… A bold and beautiful bookwhich is set to be a massive hit as children will also love playing with

and collecting the removable dinosaurs that come free with each book

THE WOLF WHO FELL OUT OF A BOOKThierry Robberecht & Illustrated by Gregoire MabireRRP £11.99 (HB)www.ragged-bears.co.ukYoung children will love following the small wolf who falls out of his own storybook and accidentally embarks on an adventure, meeting other familiar storybook characters on his way. Scary and menacing in the safety of his own tale, the wolf becomes nervous and alone in his new world, which is home to a big, unfriendly cat.Age 3 years +

We say… exciting and funny, with beautiful illustrations, which will sweep

young readers along this inventive adventure.

BADGER AND THE GREAT RESCUESuzanne Chiew & Illustrated by Caroline PedlerRRP £6.99 (PB)www.littletiger.co.ukLittle ones everywhere will love this exciting new tale of rescue, courage and friendship! The sequel to “Badger and the great Storm”. When Badger and his friends find a rope, a basket and a piece of cloth in the woods, they are quick to think of some brilliant ways of recycling them, until they discover a mole stuck, high up in a tree. Find out if they find a way of helping him! Age 3 years +

We say… this beautifully illustrated, heart-warming book celebrates creativity

and the values of being resourceful, creative, kind and helpful to others.

BLUE & BERTIEKristyna LittenRRP £6.99 (PB)www.simonandschuster.co.uk www.picturebookden.comA giraffe’s life runs over very straight lines. He always eats the same breakfast. He always takes the same stroll. However, one day he oversleeps and is left behind by the rest of the herd, his life begins to take some very unexpected turns.Age 3 years +

We say… Children will love this richly painted artwork, with immediately lovable characters – destined to become a classic

22

Y e A r s0-5

VIKINGS IN THE SUPERMARKET

Nick Sharratt RRP £10.99 (HB)

www.davidflickingbooks.comThis is Nick Sharratt’s first collection of nonsense poetry for young children. There are 6 funny poems to read aloud, Subjects vary from six Vikings on a shopping spree, a tartan cat, to a clever

mermaid. With colourful, bold illustrations throughout to appeal to all children. Age 3 years +

We say… readers will love this poetry collection and will soon establish firm

favourites within the poems.

BEEP BEEP BEEP TIME FOR SLEEP

Claire Freedman & Richard SmytheRRP £6.99 (PB)

www.simonandschuster.co.uk A beautifully lyrical bed time story, which joins a group of

sleepy road-building machines in their night-time routine.

Wonderfully illustrated with poetic and onomatopoeic interludes. Age 3 years +

We say… An ideal read for anychild’s bedtime wind-down.

I LOVE YOU MORE AND MORENicky Benson Illustrated by Jonny LambertRRP £10.99 (HB)www.littletiger.co.ukThis is an enchanting celebration of the unconditional love and special relationship between a parent and child. With a lyrical, rhyming text and stunning illustrations this book is destined to become a favourite for years to come.Age 3 years +

We say… A must have for any homeor nursery bookshelf

STANLEY THE AMAZING KNITTING CATEmily MacKenzieRRP £10.99 (HB), £6.99 (PB)(EB)www.bloomsbury.comMeet Stanley, a cat with a passion for knitting! Stanley gives all of his wonderful knits to his friends, but when Stanley gets

carried away with his dream of winning “The Woolly Wonders” competition, he has to decide what’s more important – his knitting or his friends? Age 3 years +

We say… A fabulously funny story – perfect for Creative Children everywhere!

STRICTLY NO CROCSHeather Pindar Illustrated by Susan BatoriRRP £6.99 (PB)www.maverickbooks.co.ukZebra invited everyone to her party except of course the crocs. Snapper has a brilliant plan to sneak into the party and eat everyone up. Find out if they will be discovered.Age 3 years +

We say… With its bright and funny illustrations, this is a book that all children

will enjoy, including older siblings.

LITTLE FAIRY MAKES A WISHDaniela DrescherRRP £9.99 (HB)www.florisbooks.co.ukWith its beautiful and bright artwork, this enchanting story takes two friends on wonderful night-time adventure through the forest. Find out if fairy manages to grant mole his one wish! Age 1 year +

We say… this is a wonderful story to snuggle up to at any time of day, but

especially at bed time!

I AM BEARBen Bailey Smith & Illustrated by Sav AkyüzRRP £11.99 (HB)www.walker.co.ukMeet Bear the cheeky new hero of the forest who spends his days eating and playing tricks, in this rap style read aloud picture book. Big, bold illustrations accompany first time children's author Ben Bailey Smith's rhymes.Age 3 years +

We say… this hilarious picture book will keep young mischief-makers in stitches

PROFESSOR MCQUARK AND THE OOJAMAFLIPLou Treleaven & Julia PattonRRP £6.99 (PB)www.maverickbooks.co.ukProfessor McQuark has a marvellous brain for inventions. She decided to invent the Ooojamaflip and wanted to enter it into the town’s science fair, however it was too big to get into the Town Hall, find out what happens next… Age 3 years +

We say… With its stunning and fun illustrations and lyrical pages, this book is destined to become a fifm favourite for

any bookshelf!

23

DESIGNED BY MEG JONES

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!As we head into spring, days are getting warmer and longer and plants are starting to grow. Here are a number of fun activities to help your children study and understand the changes happening in nature around them.

learning zoneS: understanding the World H playing & exploring

EGGS & NEST store CuPboArdn Assortment of bendy twigs,

long grasses, string, dried plant material, yarn etc

n Egg coloured paper(e.g. a used brown envelope)

n A4 card

n Assorted papers

n Various optional colouring agents – fleshy leaves and flowers, liquid paint, coffee granules, tea bags, food colouring.

n Optional – drinking straw, bottle top, cotton wool

n Glue

24

1 Twist the bendy twigs into a small circle (we found ivy with the leaves removed was useful for this) and weave the ends in and out to hold them in place. (If too difficult string can be tied round to hold in place.)

2 With the rest of the material wrap and twist around the edge and across the middle to form a nest. Birds are very resourceful so it is acceptable to include string and yarn if it helps to hold the nest together.

3 Cut out eggs and glue in the centre of the nest

‘egg-strA-ordinArY egg-sPeriment’

1 From an assortment of papers cut egg shapes. Leave some plain and ‘egg-speriment’ with different colouring agents on others.

2 Try squashing a fleshy leaf and dabbing on the egg, lay a leaf on the egg and press with a spoon or poke with a fork, do the same with soft flowers or petals. Try used wet tea bags, dry coffee granules dabbed with damp kitchen paper, add paint or one drop of food colouring (this can stain fingers and clothes so be careful) and blow with a straw or use a bottle top or something small to use as a stamp, or twist a piece of cotton wool, dab in paint and mark the egg. Use whatever you can find.

3 When dry glue to a card and have a game with friends or family to suggest some ‘egg-stra-ordinary’ birds that may have laid your eggs.

Mini Gardensin a Jar Lid!store CuPboArdn Deep jar lid –

we used coffee jar lids

n Crepe paper or tissue paper

n Scraps of tissue paper

n Green card

n Glue

n Scissors

store CuPboArdn Stiff brown paper or card

n Pictures of flowers

n Silver paper or clear plastic

n Window envelope

n Tissue paper

n Glue

n Scissors

store CuPboArdn Large window envelope (ours

was 23cm x 16cm)

n Strip of card

n Tissue paper

n Cardboard tube

n Glue

n Scissors

FloWer garden1 Cut or tear green tissue much bigger than the lid. Place the lid in the centre and wrap it, pushing the excess tissue into the centre and squash it down.

greenhouse1 Using the template on page XX cut out a greenhouse from stiff paper/card (ours was made from a strong envelope).

2 Following the idea of the template draw in the lines separating the roof from the walls. Cut out windows and a door and glue into place.

3 Add a spot for a door handle and flowers cut from a magazine.

3d greenhouse1 Copy the outline of the greenhouse template four times; once in brown for the front, once in thick card such as a cereal packet (this side won’t be seen), and once in clear plastic (ours was from packaging). The fourth outline should be placed on a magazine picture of flowers that will be shown inside the greenhouse.

2 Draw on the roof, sides and door as shown. Cut out the windows – yours may be different to ours, it is after all your greenhouse! Adult supervision/help required.

3 Glue around the edge of the brown greenhouse and stick onto the plastic one. Allow to dry.

4 Glue the flowers to the thick card. Take two pieces of card each 4cm x 2cm for the greenhouse sides. Fold 0.5cm in on either side, leaving 1cm between the folds and glue along the narrow folds to join the back and front of the greenhouse together.

5 Add a doorknob.

vegetaBle gardenUsing the same technique as the Flower Garden we used brown crepe paper for this version. The vegetables are simple green tissue twists in different sizes and a fringed roll glued into place.

tHe garden pondThis started as a strip of green card 7cm deep, the same length as the circumference of the lid. Stalks were cut

down to the level of the lid. The card is curled inside the lid and glued to fit.

The pond is a piece of blue crepe paper, bigger than the lid, with the excess tucked underneath to make the pond come to the top edge of the jar lid.

Twist small pieces of tissue to stick to some of the stalks. Purple and yellow are the colours of iris water flowers.

Add goldfish and a water lily.

2 Cut a circle of green card about as big as the lid base. Cut stalks all around the edge towards the centre, without cutting in the card all the way across. Have as many stalks as you want. Snip out between the stalks if there are too many. Fold stalks upwards.

3 Glue under the centre of the card and press into the centre of the lid.

4 Twist tiny pieces of coloured tissue paper, dab with glue, and stick to the top of the stalks. You may wish to add a little brown tissue in the centre to represent soil. We glued the centre of this tissue and sprinkled with tiny coloured circles taken from a hole punch

25

Cold Frame 1 Cut the envelope either side of the window to the size you want your cold frame to be. Roll around to make a tube and glue the short edges together.

2 Trim two ½cm strips from the end of the cardboard tube. Snip into the circle to overlap and fit within your cold frame. Glue the tube ends together to hold the circle. Glue around the cardboard circle, insert in the envelope ends to prevent it collapsing.

3 Cut a strip of card the length and width of the cold frame. Scrunch green tissue paper to set ‘lettuces’, or make vegetables or flowers and stick onto the card. Slide the card inside the cold frame.

%TEMPLATEON PAGE62

26

Bluebells are a favourite flower in spring. There are two main types – the English Bluebell and the Spanish Bluebell. To tell them apart, the English Bluebell is smaller, grows in woodland and largely undisturbed land, and all the flowers are on one side of the stalk making it hang down on that side. The Spanish Bluebell is larger, more vigorous, grows in open areas, and the flowers are on both sides of the stalk. English Bluebells should be encouraged before they are overwhelmed by the stronger Spanish variety.

DESIGNED BY MEG JONES

store CuPboArdn A4 coloured cardn Assorted papersn Blue and green crepe

papern Green tissue paper

n Green pipe cleanern Strawn Gluen Scissorsn Green felt pen

Bluebells

Raised Flower Bluebell1 Cut a length of green crepe paper and twistit round firmly until it forms a stalk with a curve that does not unravel. Glue to the card.

2 Take five small pieces of crepe paper,roll each into a small ball, and stick near the stalk where the flowers will be.

3 Cut out five flowers from crepepaper. Press the centre of the paper flower to give it a curved shape. Glue around the edge and stick over the ball of paper. This stops the flower becoming squashed.

4 Cut green crepe paper leaves andglue in place.

5 Draw a curved stalk to join the flower tothe main stem.

1 Find as many different blue papers or card you can find. Ours were cut from a tissue box, an advertising leaflet, several different insides of envelopes – such as those from banks and bills, and magazine pictures.

2 Cut out bluebells, using the template, from as many variations as you can find.

3 Glue in rows. Add a curvedstalk with the felt pen.

%TEMPLATEON PAGE64

AlternAtive version

Flat Flower Bluebell 1 Bend the strawfor the stalk and glue in place.

2 Cut out fourflowers from blue paper (ours were from the inside of an envelope).

3 Cut a fewspiky leaves from tissue paper and glue in place.

store CuPboArdChoose from –n Magnifying glassn Labels and penn Cameran Bulb cataloguen Library booksn Notebook and penn Drawing materials,

coloured pens/pencilsn Display arean Scrapbook

1 You need to be observant. Count how many plants or flowers you see on the way to school, to the library, or visiting your friends.

2 Stop and carefully inspect one particular flower. Use a magnifying glass to look closely;

Bluebells & Blue Bells

Wherever you are in the country you will not have to go far to see flowers and plants. Start taking notice of the ones around you. They may be garden flowers, ornamental flowers seen in parks for example, wild flowers or weeds or found in flower shops, supermarkets and garden centres.Weeds can be really interesting, they are just plants and flowers in the wrong place! They can be found growing in cracks in pavements, on waste ground, in walls, as well as in gardens.Never dig up wild flowers by the root, or pick flowers in the wild, apart from it being illegal unless you have the landowners

permission, you may be destroying the very environment you are interested in studying.

you may see insects popping in and out of the petals too, and take note of its construction.

3 Take a photograph or draw a picture of what you see.

4 Take out a library book on plants and flowers which tells you the different parts of plants and flowers. Become an expert!

5 Take notes of what you are seeing. You could make yourself a scrapbook.

6 If you have a flower, with permission, make a display. Find out what it is called, label it, or press it between sheets of kitchen paper between several heavy books.

7 Do the activity with your family and friends, get everyone interested.

INVESTIGATING Flowers & Plants

ac

tivity

a

ct ivi ty

group

20% off Get creative outdoors

To view our full range of exclusive and innovative resources call for your FREE catalogue today.

DESIGN

Exclusive

Creative Construction BlocksZX568 - £179.95 (ex VAT)

Once Upon a Time FiguresER240 - £15.95 (ex VAT)

Fairy Folk Wooden CharactersGH8 - £29.95 (ex VAT)

Firefighter SetGH39 - £14.95 (ex VAT)

tel: 0161 865 3355 • Fax: 0161 865 1400

www.earlyyearsresources.co.ukwww.earlyyearsresources.co.uk/csEarly Years Resources 0161 865 3355R

* Offer not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Single use only.

code: NEW03Your next online order

ingredientsn 150g self-raising flourn 1 tsp baking powdern 2 eggsn 150ml milkn 25g caster sugarn 20g buttern 1 tbsp sunflower oiln 125ml double creamn 3 bananas, slicedn Honey or maple syrup

Easter Treats with a Twist!

Hunny Bunny Pancakes

Fancy giving the Easter Bunny a run for his money? Leading children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel shares her special spring treats which will have little chicks flocking to the kitchen.

For those busy Easter days, stock-up on Annabel’s Chilled Toddler Meals.

Inspired by her popular cookbook recipes, they are low in salt and a tasty way towards their 5-a-day. Find them at Sainsbury’s, Tesco

and Ocado.

top tipSfor a cracking time

in the kitchen this Easter

1 What a Mess Let’s face it; cooking

with kids is never going to be mess free. Spending time in the kitchen with different smells, sights

and textures should be a fun and memorable experience, so don’t

worry about a bit of mess.

2 Early Birds Kids can join you in the kitchen earlier than you might think. From three years old, they’ll love to measure with spoons, mix, stir, roll dough and cut out shapes, albeit with a helping hand. Give them bowls of

various ingredients and let them explore.

3 Keep it Simple Children (especially toddlers) have short

attention spans, so start with recipes that are

extra easy and provide a result reasonably quickly.

4 Squabble-free Fun If you are cooking with more than one child,

give each of them their own job or spoon to

stir. Yes, it’s important to encourage sharing, but they also want their own

responsibilities. It also stops sibling squabbles.

5 Food Trivia It’s important to

introduce as many foods as possible at an early

age. Try playing a game and blindfold each

child before introducing a new food and ask

them to guess what it is. Giving them facts is

likely to make them more interested about what

they are eating.

Happy Easter!

Method1 Measure the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, eggs and milk into a mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter.

2 Heat a little butter and oil in a frying pan. Spoon tablespoons of batter into the pan to make fairly large round pancakes for the body.

3 When bubbles appear, flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side for a few minutes.

4 In the same way, make smaller pancakes for the face and the paws of the rabbit. Continue to cook the pancakes until all the batter is used up, adding more butter and oil to the pan as and when necessary.

5 Arrange the pancakes on plates to make the shape of a bunny and decorate with slices of banana for the ears and the feet.

6 Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then pipe a tail onto each of the bunnies.

7 Drizzle with a little honey or maple syrup.

MAKES 6 HUNNY BUNNYS

Put a spring in their step with these bunnylicious pancakes, complete with bananas, cream and maple syrup.

28

Y e A r s5-7

Method1 Put the eggs into a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring up to the boil and boil for 8 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until cold. Peel away the shell and slice the tops off about one third of the egg.

2 Remove the yolk with a teaspoon and mix in a mixing bowl with the mayonnaise.

3 Spoon into a small piping bag and pipe into the empty eggs.

4 Put the tops on the eggs. To make the face add 2 pink peppercorns for the eyes, make a beak from a carrot cut into small triangular pieces and make the webbed feet from strips.

1 Spread the slices of bread with the cream cheese. Cut out a large circle using a round cutter for the body. Cut out a smaller circle for the head and stamp out three small circles for the feet.

These simple yet effective sandwiches will transform lunchtimes this Easter.

Get crafty and liven-up your teatime with these eggcellent little chicks.

Bunny Sandwich

Devilled Chicks

ingredientsn 2 slices brown breadn 60g cream cheesen 1 baby cucumber,

slicedn 2 slices from a small

carrotn A few pea shoots

ingredientsn 2 large eggsn 2 tbsp mayonnaisen 4 clovesn 1 carrot

2 Arrange the circles to form a bunny on the plate. Put two cucumber slices on top of the paws. Place a slice of cucumber on top of the third circle of bread and using a sharp knife, cut in half to form the feet. Cut two lengths from the cucumber to make the ears.

3 Decorate the face with the slices of carrot for the eyes and a pea shoot for the mouth.

29

MAKES 2

CHICKS

Sweet Potato Bunniesingredientsn 1 very large sweet

potaton A little olive oiln Salt and pepper

deCorAtionn Chivesn Pink peppercorns

MAKES 4

BUNNIES

Method1 Pre-heat the oven to 180°C Fan.

2 Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.

3 Peel the sweet potato, then slice four thick slices about 1.5cm thick using a metal bunny cutter. Stamp out one bunny from each slice. You may need to bang the cutter with a mallet if it is hard to push through the potato.

4 Arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and season.

5 Bake for 30 minutes, turning over half way through the cooking time until lightly golden and cooked through.

6 Decorate with pink peppercorns and chives for the nose and the whiskers.

Tradition in the UK says ’April showers bring May flowers’, describing the increase in rain showers during April caused by the jet stream moving northwards. Don’t get caught without your umbrella this year…have a go at making these funky cards!

store CuPboArdn Orange or Red card

n Funky foam -

Aqua, Yellow & Red

n Bendy straw

n Scissors

n Strong glue

n Blue felt tip

1 To make the card, take a piece of card 20cm by 14cm and fold in half.

2 Pull a bendy straw so that it is extended. Cut off the top part so there is 1cm left before the bendy part. Cut the whole straw down to 12cm long.

3 Cut a yellow umbrella from funky foam.

4 Cut a left aqua section of the umbrella from funky foam.

5 Cut a right red section of the umbrella from funky foam.

6 Glue all the pieces together.

7 Glue the straw to the back so that the end of the straw sticks above the top of the funky foam.

8 Stick to the card.

9 Draw on some rain with a blue felt tip or cut 2 clouds from white funky foam and glue them to the card.

April Showers DESIGNED BY EMMA ANGELlearning zoneS: art & design

AlternAtiveMake other umbrellas in the

same way using different coloured bendy straws and funky foam. You could give them to your friends or use

to keep toys dry.

30

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

64

31

Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal has been raising awareness and funds since 1986 and every March, millions of people across the UK show their support by wearing a daffodil. Why not make these great daffodil or rabbit deely boppers? You can make a donation at www.mariecurie.org.uk/donate

Y e A r s5-7Daff Appeal

learning zoneS: art & deSign H pHSe

raBBitS 1 Take a white pipe cleaner and a black pipe cleaner and twist them together. Do the same with the other 2 white & black pipe cleaners.

2 Wrap the twisted pipe cleaners around a chunky pen to make2 springs.

3 Cut out 2 rabbit shapes from white foam.

4 Draw on rabbit faces with a black marker pen.

5 Glue the pink pom-poms to the noses of the rabbits.

6 With strong glue, stick the free end of the spring to the headband. Stick the rabbit head to the other end of the spring.

7 Glue the other spring in the same way.

DESIGNED BY EMMA ANGELSpring Deely BoppersdaFFodilS1 Take a lime green pipe cleaner and a dark green pipe cleaner and twist them together. Do the same with the other 2 lime/green pipe cleaners.

2 Wrap the twisted pipe cleaners around a chunky pen to make 2 springs/coils.

3 Cut out 2 daffodil shapes from yellow foam.

4 Cut out 2 orange circles in card.

Snip around the edge of the orange circles.

5 Glue the centres of the orange circles to the centres of the yellow daffodils. Stick a pom-pom onto both of the orange centres.

6 With strong glue, stick the free end of the spring to the headband. Stick the daffodil head to the other end of the spring.

7 Glue the other spring

in the s a m e

way.

store CuPboArdn Headbands

n 2 Lime green pipe cleaners

n 2 Dark green pipe cleaners

n 2 White pipe cleaners

n 2 Black pipe cleaners

n White funky foam

n Black marker pen

n 2 small pink pom-poms

n Yellow funky foam

n Orange card

n 2 yellow medium pom-poms

n Scissors

n Strong

glue

n Chunky pen

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

65

32

Time for some Easter baking! These quick and easy cupcakes are perfect for your children to make…and delicious to eat!

learning zoneS: Home economics

Chocolate Fudge Easter Cakes

store CuPboArdFor the buns:

n 140g soft butter

n 140g golden caster sugar

n 3 medium eggs

n 100g self-raising flour

n 25g cocoa, sifted

For the frosting:

n 85g milk chocolate, broken

n 85g soft butter

n 140g icing sugar, sifted

n Chocolate eggs

n Easter decorations

1 Before you begin, make sure hands are clean and clothes are protected. Preheat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and put 12 to 14 cake cases into a fairy-cake tin.

2 Put all the ingredients for the buns into a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes with an electric hand-whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture between the cases so they are two-thirds filled, then pop them in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until risen. Cool on a wire rack.

3 For the frosting, microwave the chocolate in a glass bowl on high for 1 minute. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the melted chocolate. Spread onto the cakes and decorate with chocolate eggs and other Easter decorations.

Recipe and delicious buns from Jo Turner at Rosebuds Vintage

Tea of Charing, Kent (www.rosebudvintage.co.uk)

store CuPboArdn A paper plate

n Scissors

n Card

n Felt pens

n Patterned paper/

gift wrap

n Paper clips

n Wooden skewers or

lolly sticks

n Sticky tape

n Thread

Easter Fishing GameFishing fun! An Easter twist to a traditional ‘hook-a-duck’ game that encourages creativity, numerical skills and dexterity. Fun to make, fun to play!

learning zoneS: Mathematics

Y e A r s5-7

1 Cut the template from card, then draw around it onto coloured card to make the chick bodies and egg shapes.

2 Glue cut out wings and beaks to the chicks. Glue strips of pattered paper to decorate the eggs or draw patterns with felt pens.

3 Write or print out some big numbers onto white paper. Cut them out and glue onto the Easter shapes.

4 Unfold some paperclips into ‘S’ shapes, then tape onto the back of each shape. Bend the top of the paperclips so they stand up.

5 To make the fishing rods, cut 2 x 30cm lengths of thread or thin wool. Tie them around the ends of 2 wooden skewers. Tie the other ends around 2 paperclips.

How to play Take turns to hook up the shapes, adding up the numbers for each one you catch. The winner is whoever scores the highest!

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

63

activity

act iv i ty

group

AlternAtiven Make the game

more challenging and encourage their numeracy skills by offering prizes (e.g. mini Easter eggs) that are only won when the child

hooks chicks/eggs that total a certain

number (e.g. an egg marked 17 is won when the child hooks a 10, a 4 and a 3)

33

DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

3434

to MaKe tHe paper1 Tear or cut up coloured tissue paper into small pieces.

2 Use a paintbrush to apply water to a piece of paper. Lay the pieces of tissue paper on top of the wet paper.

3 Leave the paper for an hour to allow it to dry, and peel off the tissue paper to show the colours.

to MaKe tHe giFt Bag1 Draw around the template on page 66 onto the dry printed paper.

2 Cut the shape out

3 Fold along the dotted lines and glue into place.

4 Tie a ribbon into a bow and glue it onto the bag.

store CuPboArdn Thick paper or thin cardn Coloured tissue papern Watern Paintbrushn Scissorsn Pencil n Ribbonn Glue

learning zoneS: art & design H design technology DESIGNED BY KATE TOMPSETT

Hints & tiPsTry cutting different shapes from tissue paper before sticking them to the paper,

you could make a picture.

Tissue Paper Printed Gift Bags

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

66

Water and tissue paper make perfect pastel prints. These simple gift bags are ideal for kids to make.

otHer oPtionsTry this technique on different types of paper, such as cartridge paper or sugar paper. The more absorbent the

paper is, the darker the colours will be.

These pretty bags are just perfect for Easter gifts!

35

Y e A r s5-7

1 Draw the elephant shape onto thick card then cut it out. Trim the arch shaped piece from the legs to make the ear. Adult help with cutting

2 Tear up some strips of tissue paper then paste over the elephant and ear.Paste over the edges of the card. Don’t worry if the tissue paper crinkles. Leave to dry.

3 Mix up some paint in saucers or small bowls, use couple of different colours. Brush clean water over some white paper, then quickly blob the paint onto the paper before it dries, so the paint merges together.

4 Once the paint has dried, cut out some shapes and glue them onto the elephant as decoration.

5 Glue wool and sparkly sequins to add more decoration, you could also use glitter. Glue an eye to finish your elephant.

ElephantMake a big, bright elephant to celebrate Holi, the colourful Hindu Spring festival.

store CuPboArdn Thick card

(cut from a cardboard box)

n Tissue paper

n PVA glue

n A glue brush

n White paper (not too thin)

n Paints

n A big paintbrush

n Scissors

n Sequins

n Wool

%TEMPLATEON PAGE64

Hints & tiPs

n You could draw around a circular tray (aprox 35cm diameter) to help make the outline.

did You knoW?n It is an ancient Hindu Spring festival, Holi is also known as the festival of colours.

n During the festival people throw coloured powder and water at each other.

DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

36

May Day celebrations take place in many parts of the world, with singing, dancing and celebrations to mark spring and often include a public holiday. Here are a number of great projects to help your kids learn about May Day traditions.

store CuPboArdn Selection of coloured

cardn Ribbonn Black penn Papern Buttonsn Staplern Scissorsn Gluen Hole punchn Sweets or flowers

store CuPboArdn Coloured card – green,

yellow, pink and purplen Yellow ribbonn Staplern Scissors

n Glue stickn Glue gunn Tape measuren Pencil

learning zoneS: art & design H understanding the World H design technology

May Day Baskets Flower CrownOne of the most well-known May Day traditions is to hang a basket of flowers (or other small gifts) on a neighbour’s door handle. Here is how to make your own…

1 Take a sheet of card and fold into a cone. Staple the cone to hold the shape. Use scissors to trim around the top of the cone to neaten it up. This will become your May Day basket.

2 Cut a long, thin strip of coloured card for the basket handle. Staple it in position.

3 Cut out several flowers in varying sizes from the remaining coloured card. Stick the flowers together with glue. Glue a button to the centre of each flower. Lastly, stick the assembled flowers onto the basket.

4 Cut out a rectangle of white paper, measuring 5cm x 3cm. Use a black pen to write on the note: Happy May Day! Mount it onto coloured card then punch a hole through the card to turn it into a tag.

5 Use a length of ribbon to tie the tag onto the basket handle. Finally, fill the basket with sweets or flowers and hang on the door of a loved one to give them a wonderful May Day surprise!

1 Take a measurement of the child’s head. Add 4cm and note down the final figure.

2 Cut out a 4cm wide band of green card. It should be as long as the figure noted down earlier.

3 Place the band of card around the child’s head to get the correct fit. Carefully remove the headband and staple together.

4 Cut six long lengths of ribbon.Staple onto the back on the headband

5 To make the paperflowers, cut out eight circles of card with the approx. diameter of 13cm. Now, cut each circle into a loose spiral. Take one of the spirals and start tightly rolling it up from the end. When you have finished, let it unfold by itself and become a beautiful flower! Repeat these instructions to make seven more flowers.

6 Ask an adult toassist by sticking the flowers together with a glue gun. Each flower can then be glued to the headband.

7 Cut out anumber of leaves from the leftover green card. Stick them onto the headband to complete.

MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS

DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

store CuPboArdn Felt n Jingle bellsn Fabric scissorsn Cotton threadn Needlen Velcro

store CuPboArdn Spring themed picturesn White cardn Yellow cardn Black penn Scissorsn Gluen Clear sticky

back plastic or laminator

Bell Pads

Springtime Snap!

1 To make a bell pad, cut out a rectangle of felt measuring approx. 6cm x 22cm.

2 Thread a needle with cotton. Fold the rectangle into a wristband. Cut a piece of velcro and position it at the point where the felt overlaps. Separate the two velcro halves (hook side and loop side) then stitch them at the appropriate points. You will now be able to fasten and unfasten your bell pad.

3 To complete, sew jingle bells onto the pad. Repeat the previous steps to make a second bell pad. You can wear them on your wrists or ankles. As you dance, the bells will jingle – rather like traditional May Day Morris dancers!

1 Take some yellow card and a pair of scissors.Cut out 12 rectangles (approx. 7cm x 9cm) from the yellow card.

2 Now, take some white card and cut out 12 rectanglesmeasuring approx. 6cm x 8cm. Glue a white rectangle onto a yellow rectangle.

3 Make sure you have a suitable selection of pictures.Ideas for spring themed images could include: chicks, bunnies, blossom, daffodils, bonnets, Easter eggs, tulips, lambs, nests etc. Each image will need to be duplicated to make matching pairs – you could use a photocopier or traced drawings for this.

4 Glue the pictures onto the game cards. Use a blackpen to write the keyword underneath each picture.

5 To make the cards more durable, cover themwith clear sticky back plastic or laminate them. You are now ready to play!

Y e A r s5-7

HoW to PlAYShuffle the game cards then arrange

them face down in rows. Turn over two cards. If the cards match you should shout ‘SNAP!’, keep them and have

another go. If the cards do not match, return them to their original positions.

The game continues in this way until all the pairs have been matched up. You can play with more than one person. Simply

take turns selecting two cards. The winner will be the player with the most

matched pairs at the end. 37

learning zoneS: art & design

These fun Easter cards will help your kids develop their lacing technique and make attractive cards to give to family or friends.DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

63

Let 's Get Lacing!store CuPboArdn Blank greeting cardn Coloured card – in yellow,

blue and orangen Decorations: stick-on jewels

and foam shapesn Googly eyesn Gold cordn Hole punchn Mount padsn Scissorsn Glue

eaSter egg card1 Take a sheet of blue card and some scissors. Cut out an oval shape. A template is provided if needed.

2 Use a hole punch to make 16 holes around the edge of the oval.

3 Now let’s try the lacing technique! Cut a long length of gold cord. Thread the cord through the holes. When finished, knot the loose cord ends together at the back of the oval.

4 Mount the oval onto the greeting card with mount pads.

5 Decorate the oval with stick-on jewels and foam shapes.

cHicK card1 Take a sheet of yellow card and some scissors. Cut out an oval shape. A template is provided if needed.

2 Use a hole punch to make 16 holes around the edge of the oval.

3 Now let’s try the lacing technique! Cut a long length of gold cord. Thread the cord through the holes. When finished, knot the loose cord ends together at the back of the oval.

4 Mount the oval onto the greeting card with mount pads.

5 Stick on two googly eyes. Cut out a beak and legs for your chick from orange card. Stick them in position to complete.

38

Registered charity England and Wales (213890) Scotland (SCO39570) Peppa Pig © Astley Baker Davies Ltd/Entertainment One UK Ltd 2003.

DEN DAY FRIDAY 17 JUNETake your little ones on a den-building adventure at

your nursery or child-minding group. They’ll discover what life is like for other children around the world and, by donating

£2 to take part, help to change lives.

Sign up now to get your free Den Day Kit at denday.org

LET’S BUILD A BETTER WORLD

Photo: Jamie Baker/Save the C

hildren

OPEN UP THEIR WORLDPeppa is joining Den Day too! Sign up for free Peppa activities.

40

1 Remove the box lid to decorate. Take some patterned paper, scissors and glue. Cover the box lid with paper. Check that all the paper edges have been firmly glued down.

2 Ask an adult to carry out this step for safety. Carefully use a glue gun to attach buttons to the box lid. Complete the lid decoration by adding some stick-on jewels to give some extra sparkle.

3 Depending on the colour of the box base, you may wish to paint it first. Make sure the paint is completely dry before adding any decoration.

4 Use stick-on jewels to decorate the box base. Replace the lid to see how your finished jewellery box looks!

Go Green! Perfect for using up those scraps of paper and materials or for recycling plastic bottles or boxes, these fun projects are designed to recognise Earth Day on 22nd April 2016.learning zoneS: understanding the World H design technology

DESIGNED BY CLAIRE DRESCHER

Jewellery Boxstore CuPboArdn Small cardboard box

with lidn Patterned papern Buttonsn Stick-on jewelsn Scissorsn Glue stuckn Glue gunn Paints & paintbrush

(optional)

store CuPboArdn Blue cotton fabricn Patterned fabric scrapsn Sewing machinen Dressmaker’s pins

n ‘Bondaweb’ applique papern Fabric scissorsn Ironing board & ironn Pencil

1 Press the blue fabric with an iron. Cut out two squares, each measuring 36cm x 36cm.

2 Take one of the squares. Use an iron to turn under 2cm on fabric on one side only. Stitch down this hem using a sewing machine. Repeat this step to hem one side on the other blue square of fabric.

3 Line up the hemmed edges (right sides together) – this will become the top opening of the bag. Pin around the three unstitched sides. Stitch down the sides, carefully removing pins as you sew. When finished, turn the bag right sides out. Press again.

4 To make the straps, cut out two strips of fabric, each measuring 10cm x 70cm. Fold each strap in half widthways. Press with an iron. Next, turn under the raw fabric edges by 1cm on all sides. Stitch around all sides to complete the straps.

Shopping Bag

5 Sew the straps to the bag.

6 Use a pencil to sketch a simple flower design on ‘Bondaweb’ applique paper. Bondaweb has a smooth side and a rough side. Always draw on the smooth side. Roughly cut out the shapes.

7 Lay out your fabric scraps (wrong side facing up) on an ironing board. Place your bondaweb pieces (rough side down) onto the fabric. Gently press with a hot iron, without steam.

8 Cut out your shapes using fabric scissors. Peel off the backing paper. The wrong side of the fabric will be left with an adhesive layer. Arrange the shapes (right side up) on your bag. Press with a hot iron to attach to the fabric. Your bag is now complete!

41

store CuPboArdn Pipe cleanern Selection of patterned and

coloured papern Hole punchn Scissorsn Gluen Large button

store CuPboArdn Empty fizzy pop bottlen Fun foamn Scissorsn Glue dotsn Large googly eyesn Pom pomn Stick-on jewelsn Soiln Seeds or small

indoor plantn paper

1 Take an empty fizzy pop bottle. Cut the top off so that it stands roughly 15cm tall.

2 Use glue dots to attach two large googly eyes and a pom pom nose.

3 Take some fun foam and cut out a crown, pair of ears and a mouth. Stick them in position with glue dots. Decorate the crown with stick-on jewels.

4 Your funny face planter is now ready to fill. Add some soil. Plant seeds or a small house plant in your planter. Water regularly and watch it grow!

Funny Face Planter

1 Take a pair of scissors and a selection of paper (coloured and patterned). Cut the paper into strips 30cm in length and 2.5cm (or 1” inch) in width. Make seven strips in total. Take three of the strips and trim them a little shorter for the centre of the flower.

2 Take one of the pre-cut strips. Fold it into a circle. Glue the ends so that the ring of paper holds its shape.

3 Next, flatten the ring of paper and punch a hole through the centre. Repeat steps 2-3 to prepare all the paper strips.

4 Attach a large button to the end of a pipe cleaner, carefully twisting it to secure. This will be the flower centre.

5 Thread the paper rings onto the pipe cleaner. Make sure the smaller rings go on first. Bend the pipe cleaner so that it sits flat against the petals and forms a stem.

Recycled Paper Flowers

suggestionYou could fill with soil and plant cress to create a fast growing,

edible 'hairstyle' for your planter!

41

Y e A r s7-11

For inspiration, go to www.fimo.comFind us in the craft departments of major retailers and art & craft specialists

FIMO kids – the ideal material for small hands and big imaginations new!

Fuel your kids’ imagination this Spring!

SPRiNGWITHFUN

Y e A r s7-11

learning zoneS: art & design

EASTER ZIGZAG CARDSstore CuPboArdn A4 coloured cardn Extra card n A rulern A ball point penn Scissorsn Gluen Felt pensn Ribbon

1 Follow the measurements on the template to make the card shape.

2 Score along the lines and fold the card into a zigzag shape.

Get an adult to help you score the lines. This could be done with a craft knife or you could use an old ballpoint pen instead.

3 Cut out some Easter shapes from coloured card and decorate with felt pen patterns. Glue the bottom of each shape and stick onto the zigzag folds on the card.

4 Write or print out an Easter message and glue it onto the card.

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

61

DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

Hints & tiPsn Using ribbon or strips of wrapping

paper is a quick and easy way to decorate your card.

43

This tasty recipe has been taken from Cookie & Biscuit Baking Kit, a fabulous step-by-step cookbook with rolling pin and cutters from Usborne £12.99 www.usborne.com

44

45

46

DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

FLOWER POT BUNNYThis pop-up Easter bunny is simple to make and fun to play with!

store CuPboArdn A cardboard cupn Scissorsn A lolly stickn Cardn Sticky tapen Glue

1 Carefully cut a 3mm slot down the side of a paper cup. Follow along the seam of the cup to help keep a straight line.

2 Glue a strip of card around the top of the cup. 28cm x 3cm fits an average sized cup. Tape the ends where the strip overlaps to hold the card in place.

3 Cut out the bunny shapes from card. Add a face. Glue the head onto the body with a piece of thick card in between, to makes the bunny look more 3D.

4 Tape a lolly stick to the back of the bunny then push the lolly stick inside the cup and out through the slot.

5 Glue cut out flowers or other decorations onto the cup.

Move the stick to see the bunny pop up and down!

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

60

did You knoW?

n The Easter Bunny was traditionallya hare, not a rabbit.

47

Y e A r s7-11Paper F lowersThese stunning paper flowers make a dramatic display, stuck to the wall or hung from the ceiling!

learning zoneS: art & design H design technology

DESIGNED BY KATE TOMPSETT

store CuPboArdn Coloured papern Penciln PVA Gluen Scissorsn Wooln Cardn Sticky tack/Ribbon

1 Cut a circle of card 12cm across

2 Draw lots of large 70mm squares onto coloured paper and cut them out. Roll up each square into a cone, fix it in shape with glue or sticky tape and then glue onto the circle of card.

3 Repeat this with the medium sized 55mm square and a different coloured paper.

4 Repeat yet again with the smallest 45mm square and a third colour of paper.

5 Add a pom-pom to the middle of the flower, and use some sticky tack to fix it to the wall.

otHer oPtions/ideAs

n Glue two flowers back to back with a loop of ribbon in between them, and it can then be hung from the ceiling.

n Make tiny flowers and use them to decorate gifts.

Hints & tiPs

n Find out how to make your own

pom-pom on page 50

n Squash the point of the paper cones

to allow them to fit together more

neatly.

47

48

store CuPboArdn FIMO kids clay – White, Blue, Red,

Pink, Green, Yellow, Lilacn glazed tile or baking trayn modelling tooln cocktail stickn straw n Wet wipes

TIPS FOR USING FIMO KIDS CLAY

n FIMO kids clay is stretchy, so if something isn’t the right size it’s easy to pull your models into the right shape!

n Try not to over-handle FIMO kids clay. If it gets too soft, chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and it will become firmer.

n Use wet wipes to keep your fingers clean, so darker colours don’t transfer on to lighter ones.

n Working on a glazed tile means you don’t have to lift the FIMO, as the tile can be put straight into the oven. If you do need to lift up FIMO shapes do this carefully by loosening around the edges with a modelling tool.

Extra tips on making the models:

n For paler colours try mixing in a quarter portion (or less) of a FIMO colour with three portions of white.

n Check your models will fit inside the basket or nest before you bake them. Carefully pull out the sides if you need more space inside the basket.

n Bake the kittens and chicks separately so they can be lifted out of the basket.

n Eyes and mouths can also be drawn on to models using a permanent marker once FIMO has been hardened and cooled.

learning zoneS: art & design DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

Kittens & Chicks!

FIMO kids clay is extra soft, which makes blending different colours together easy for children to do. These cute chicks and kittens are perfect for kids to make. Finished models can be hardened on a baking tray or tile in an ordinary oven at 110ºC for 30 minutes. Allow FIMO to cool before handling.

49

Y e A r s7-11

1 To mix your own FIMO colours: cut off three portions of white FIMO kids clay and half a portion of another colour.

1 Cut a ball of blended FIMO in half with a modelling tool. Roll one piece into an oval for the head. Pinch out two ears between your thumb and forefinger.

1 Cut a ball of blended FIMO in half. Roll one of the pieces into a head, pull out a feather tuft at the top.

1 Mix a ball of blended FIMO as shown. Cut off three quarters with a modelling tool then flatten it into a 6cm diameter circle for the base.

2 Knead the two colours together by squeezing, twisting and squashing the clay.

2 Make the eyes with a cocktail stick, the mouth with the end of a straw cut into a ‘C’ shape and a strip card for whiskers. Add a FIMO nose.

2 Shape the other piece into a body. Pinch out wings on both sides of the body.

2 Use the leftover FIMO to make FIMO snakes, 3cm in length. Press them around the base so they overlap. Try adding some different colours.

3 Keep kneading until the colours are fully blended, then roll FIMO into a ball. This is the quantity needed to make one kitten or one chick model.

3 Shape a cone shape with a rounded top for the body, break off a small piece for the tail. Shape two feet. Press the head on to the body.

3 Add a triangle for the beak. Make the eyes with a cocktail stick. Press the head on to the body.

3 For the nest, start with a flattened circle, then layer rolled pieces around the edge with the ends sticking out.

Kitten

Chick

Basket or Nest

5050

learning zoneS: art & design DESIGNED BY KATE TOMPSETT

These fluffy caterpillars will look cute in a classroom!

store CuPboArdn Wooln Penciln Gluen Scissorsn Googly eyesn Wooden clothes pegs

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

65

1 Use the template to draw two ‘doughnut’ shapes onto card. Cut them out. Place them together, and cut a long piece of wool.

2 Start to wrap the wool around the card pieces, by pushing the wool through the hole. Keep wrapping lengths of wool around the doughnut shape, until the hole in the centre has filled up.

3 Cut along the edges of the circle, pushing the scissors between the two pieces of card. When you have cut all around the edge, cut another piece of wool, and push it between the two circles of card. Tie this piece of wool in a tight knot. Pull off the cardboard rings.

4 Make more pom-poms in different colours and glue them onto a clothes peg. Finish with some googly eyes.

Hints & tiPs

n There is no need to tie the wool at any point when making a pom-pom; if the wool runs out, just cut a new piece and overlap it.

n You might need to give the pom-pom a haircut at step 3!

otHer oPtions/ideAs

n Add a magnet to the back of the clothes pegs, and the caterpillar can crawl on the fridge! They are perfect for holding a shopping list.

Y e A r s7-11

Flower Corsages

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

60

learning zoneS: art & design

DESIGNED BY KATE TOMPSETT

store CuPboArdn Felt fabric - green, yellow, orange & lilacn Safety pinsn Scissorsn PVA gluen Ruler

Perfect presents to be pinned onto a coat or bag!

to MaKe tHe aneMone1 Cut out a 40mm diameter circle of felt using the template to make the corsage back.

2 Cut out lots of anemone petals 45mm long from lilac felt and glue them onto the corsage back in a circle.

3 Add a small 10mm circle of yellow felt to the middle of the flower.

4 Place a safety pin onto the back of the circle and glue a strip of felt through it to hold it onto the flower.

to MaKe tHe priMroSe1 Cut out a 40mm diameter circle of felt using the template to make the corsage back. Cut two green leaves 65mm long from felt and glue them onto the circle.

2 Cut out five of the primrose petal shapes from yellow felt and glue them onto the corsage back in a circle.

3 Cut the star shape from orange felt and glue it into the middle of the primrose.

4 Place a safety pin onto the back of the circle, and glue a strip of felt through it to hold it onto the flower.

FurtHer inFormAtion

3 The name primrose comes from the Latin ‘prima rosa’ meaning ‘first flower’, as it is one of the earliest signs of spring in nature.

51

52

EASTER BUNNIESStep-by-Step

store CuPboArdn A5 cardn A penciln A4 background cardn Paintsn Small pieces of spongen A cotton bud or small brushn Scissorsn Coloured papern Glue

1 Draw the bunny onto A5 folded card. Cut around the outline. The outside piece is your stencil template. Keep the middle for Step 6.

4 Move the template again and sponge the third bunny, fading the paint near around the top of first one.

2 Place the template onto an A4 card background. Sponge white paint through the bunny shape. Carefully lift up the template.

5 Cut a 3cm long petal shape from a folded piece of card. Sponge pink paint through the hole for the middles of the ears.

3 Leave the paint to dry for a couple of minutes. Move the template and sponge a second bunny in the same way.

6 Draw around the left over bunny shape (from Step 1) onto folded card. Use the outline as a guide to cut out the waistcoat.

Hints & tiPs

n Try keeping the paint on thesponge fairly dry.

n You can dab the sponge onto some scrap paper before you sponge over

the stencil so the paint isn’t too thick or runny.

n Sponging and fingerprinting can be messy! Keep some paper towel or use wet

wipe to keep your fingers clean.

learning zoneS: art & design

This beautiful Easter Bunny picture is great fun to make. It uses different painting techniques and collage to create the finished piece, the project encourages creativity and teaches the child about mixed media.

DESIGNED BY CHARLOTTE STOWELL

%TEMPLATEON PAGE

65

Y e A r s7-11

7 Place the waistcoat stencil over the first bunny and sponge on a bright colour until it covers up the white.

10 Finish your picture by gluing some cut out grass and Spring flowers to the background.

8 Sponge on the other 2 waistcoats using the same template. Use your fingers to print a spotty pattern.

9 Use a cotton bud or a small brush to paint the eyes and nose. The whiskers can be printed with the side of a small strip of card dipped in black paint.

53

did You knoW?According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who

settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare

called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this

creature could lay its coloured eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across

the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include

chocolate and other types of sweets and gifts, while decorated baskets

replaced nests.

READING CORNERGreat books for growing mindsKEY: HB HARDBACK H PB PAPERBACK H BB BOARD BOOK

THE TERRIBLE TWO GET WORSEJory John & Mac BarnettRRP £6.99 (PB) www.abramsandchronicle.co.ukThe second in the series about pranksters Miles & Niles and their fun, but harmless pranks in Yawnee Valley…except the consequences of their pranks lead to their head teacher losing his job and being replaced by an even worse head! With the assistance of an unlikely prankster, can they help him get his job back? Age 8 years +

We say… perfect pranking fun, sure to encourage even

reticent readers

BELLA BROOMSTICKLou KuenzlerRRP £5.99 (HB)www.scholastic.co.uk Bella Broomstick is a hopeless witch. So hopeless that nasty Aunt Hemlock is sending her to live in Person World - with the warning that she must never do magic again! But when Bella finds a kitten in trouble, a spell is the only way to rescue it. What is Bella to do? For where there is magic, trouble is never far away!

Age 6 years +

ANYONE BUT IVY POCKETCaleb KrispRRP £6.99 (PB) www.bloomsbury.comIvy Pocket is a twelve-year-old maid with the natural instincts of a wartime Prime Minister. Or at the very least, a lighthouse keeper. For the princely sum of £500, Ivy has agreed to courier the Duchess of Trinity's most precious possession - the Clock Diamond - from Paris to England, and to put it around the neck of the revolting Matilda Butterfield on her twelfth birthday. Age 9 years +

We say…a mad cap adventure that will have you laughing out loud

SOMERSAULTS AND DREAMS: GOING FOR GOLDCate ShearwaterRRP £6.99 (PB)www.egmont.co.ukEllie has reached the national gymnastics squad training camp. Now it feels like she is just a somersault away from her dream of competing in the Euros! But with training harder than ever, rivalries even fiercer and a new coach who seems determined to make sure she fails, Ellie feels as though she has to do whatever it takes . . . including hiding a potentially-career ruining injury. How far is Ellie really willing to go for gold? Age 9 years +

We say… for all gymnastic fans and about following your dream

We say…this delightful new

series will have young readers

bewitched from the very first page!

Y e A r s6-11

THE MIDNIGHT PANDAHolly Webb RRP £5.99 (PB) www.scholastic.co.uk James doesn't like night-time. When the lights go out, strange shadows appear in his room, and who knows what's under his bed! His big sister tells him they're nothing to be scared of, but James is not so sure. But when one of the shadows turns into a big, friendly panda, James realizes that maybe the dark isn't so bad after all.Age 7 years +

We say…a beautiful story about imagination, fear & friendship

from Holly Webb

54

THE ELEMENTIA CHRONICLES BOOK 3PART 1: THE DUSK OF HOPESean Fay Wolfe RRP £6.99 (PB)www.harpercollins.co.ukIn the thrilling final instalment to the Elementia Chronicles trilogy, Stan, Kat, Charlie and their friends take on their most powerful foe yet, but can they reunite and make a last stand for the world they love in an epic battle of good vs. evil? Ages 9 years +

We say…sure to be a hitwith all minecraft fans!

Over 1,000,000 parents haveused our service to �nd childcare.Are you missing out?

Register free at www.childcare.co.ukThe UK’s largest childcare website.

Social / Community Website of the Year 2014

learning zoneS: art & design DESIGNED BY KATE TOMPSETT

A simple, fun and slightly messy project for Easter!

store CuPboArdn Wooln PVA gluen Ribbonn Balloonsn Small wrapped sweets

(or toys)n Balloon pump

(if required)n Scissors

56

1 Place some small wrapped sweets inside a balloon and blow it up a little, with a balloon pump if required, and tie a knot in the end to secure. Ours were about 12cm across.

2 Tie some wool around the knot of the balloon and hang it up to work on.

3 Mix some PVA and water (about 70-30 ratio) in a pot. Take a piece of wool, dunk it into the pot of glue mixture and then start to wrap it around the balloon.

4 Continue until you are happy the balloon is sufficiently covered, then hang it up and leave it to dry for a few days.

5 Loosen the balloon slightly from the wool, then cut a small hole at the neck to gently release the air. Carefully cut and remove the balloon, leaving the sweets/toys inside their woolly ‘cage’.

6 Tie a piece of ribbon onto the egg and hang it up.

Hints & tiPsYou will need a plastic

mess mat for this project. Keep the mess mat

underneath the egg when it is hanging up to dry,

in case of drips.

otHer oPtions/ideAs

You can use one colour, or shorter pieces of different coloured wool to make a

multicoloured egg.

PICTURE FRAME

WACKY SCULPTURES STRAW PICTURE

FUNKY JEWELLERY

Take a simple item and with a little creative inspiration, we’ll help you turn it into four exciting projects!

4 Ways with..... drinking straws

57

58

STRAW PICTURE WACKY SCULPTURES

4 ways with....drinking straws

PICTURE FRAME FUNKY JEWELLERY

58

1 Take sheets of A4 blackcard and lay them out in front of the children.Gather some plasticdrinking straws togetherplus some scissors andstrong glue.

2 Encourage the childrento think about what kindof pictures they want tocreate. Don’t dismissideas that appear to betoo difficult at first, asyou’d be amazed at theflexibility offered by straws with a little imagination!

3 Get the children to cut the straws into different lengths tocreate their pictures and to lay the pieces out roughly on theirpieces of card. When they are happy with their design they canstart gluing the straws down. Double-sided tape also works well.

1 Gather together a variety of differentcoloured drinkingstraws, some scissorsand some small plastic bowls.

2 Get the children tocut up the drinkingstraws in a variety oflengths (not too small!)and put the pieces into the plastic bowlsaccording to colour.

3 When you have cut enough pieces, give each child a length of shirring elastic so they can start threading. Be careful that the pieces of straw don’t fall off the end. For younger children you can tie the elastic over the firstpiece of straw that is threaded. We added pony beads to our necklace but you could add all kinds of beads to create a really unusual necklace or bracelet.

1 Cut a square ofcardboard from acardboard box andneaten the edges with scissors. Get thechildren to choose apicture to go into themiddle of their frameand then glue it down.

2 Encourage thechildren to decidewhat pattern theywould like for their frame. They can then cut up the straws into the required lengths. Help them to think about colourco-ordination and symmetry. They may like to lay out theirpattern roughly before starting to stick it down.

3 When the children are happy with their design they can start sticking down the cut straws. Some glues will not be strong enough to hold the straws in place so strips of double-sided tape are a great alternative.

1 Find a shallow cardboardlid from a box (shoebox lidsare ideal), and paint theoutside edges with greenpaint. Place somescrunched up light greentissue paper inside the lidand flatten slightly. Usesome sticky tape to tapedown the edges if necessary.

2 Place all the straws inthe centre of the table andencourage the children tomake whatever designs come to mind. Get them to think aboutwhat colours look good together and to vary the length of thestraws. Bendy straws are particularly useful in this project!

3 Put the sculptures together using sticky tape, or if thechildren are older, a stapler. Small lengths of straw can also bepushed into balls made of Plasticine for a really effective model.

Y e A r s7-11

NOW!S ST PE

creative

Terms & conditions: Subscriptions will begin with the first available issue. Please allow 28 days for deliveryof your first issue. Overseas rates available on request. Please tick this box if you do not wish to receive anyfurther information from Bubbles Publishing Ltd. � Please tick this box if you do not wish to receive anyfurther information from third party companies carefully selected by us. �

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit

Please complete and send to Bubbles Publishing Ltd., PO Box 326, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8FA

Now available – subscribe by Direct Debit!

To the manager: Bank name______________________________

Address________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Postcode

Account in the name(s) of

Signature(s)

Date

Originator’s Identification Number

Reference (to be completed byBUBBLES PUBLISHING LTD.

Instruction to your Bank or Building SocietyPlease pay BUBBLES PUBLISHINGLTD., Direct Debits from theaccount detailed in this instructionsubject to the safeguards assuredby the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instructionmay remain with BubblesPublishing Ltd. and, if so, detailswill be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Branch sort code Bank/Building Society account number

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions from some types of account

2 4 2 0 8 8

�PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALSMethod of payment: Please quote CSSPR16 for all payment methods

Direct Debit Cheque (made payable to Bubbles Publishing Ltd.)

Mastercard Visa Switch/Maestro (Issue No.)

Yes, I would like a subscription to Creative Steps for 4 issues for only £26.80

CARD NUMBER

SIGNED DATE

EXPIRY DATE

3 DIGIT SECURITY CODE

SWITCH ONLY

YOUR DETAILS:

Title_____ Forename____________________ Surname__________________________

Organisation/Occupation___________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________ Postcode____________

Tel________________________ Email________________________________________

SUBSCRIBE TOInspiration for you...great fun for children!

Subscribe for a whole year for just £26.80!(4 issues – full price £29.80)

‘Thanks once again for a fabulous issue – we had somuch fun and laughter – bestvalue magazine I have ever

subscribed to!’

Call 0844 844 0393(lines open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 9am-1pm)

Visit www.creativesteps.co.uk and enter code CSSPR16Send your completed order form to: Creative Steps, PO Box 326, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8FA

‘Your magazines are great – they take all the stress out of finding

different crafts to do with youngchildren. It’s one less thing to

think about!’

‘The children in my after school club love

Creative Steps!’

Save £3 and have Creative Steps delivered FREE to your door!

Here’s what readers are saying about Creative Steps:

SUBSCRIBE NOW!Take out a

subscription todayand get access to the

digital versionFREE!

Tick the boxes below to enter for as many of the free gifts featured in this issue as you like. Fill in the coupon – (photocopies will be accepted) and send to: Creative Steps, PO Box 111, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN23 9DX

Crayon Rocks ❏Cool Create Bundle ❏Annabel Karmel Bakers Set ❏Timeline ❏Plasticine Softeez ❏

Schleich Farm Life ❏Zoomer Bike ❏Where Do I Live? ❏Chapterhouse Theatre Tickets ❏Drummond Park ❏

Name ............................................................................................................................

Job title .........................................................................................................................

Organisation (if applicable) ............................................................................................

Address .........................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

...................................................................... Postcode ................................................

Email ............................................................................................................................

Ages of children ............................................................................................................

Closing Date: May 31st 2016Please tick this box if you do not wish to receive any further information from Bubbles Publishing Ltd.

Please tick this box if you do not wish to receive any further information from third party companies carefully selected by us.

FREE GIFTS COUPON

Cotton wool sheep

Cotton wool sheep

Bow for girl sheep Chicks egg box

COTTON WOOL SHEEP DISPENSER

Page 15

BOW FOR EWEPage 15

FLOWER POT BUNNYPage 46

FLOWER CORSAGESPage 51

CORSAGEBACK

PRIMROSE LEAF

PRIMROSE CENTRE

ANEMONE CENTRE

ANEMONE PETAL

PRIMROSE PETAL

60

61

15cm

7cm

7cm

4.5cm

4.5cm

2.5cm

2.5cm

EASTER ZIG ZAG CARDSPage 43

6262

ST PATRICK'S DAYPage 18

GREENHOUSEPage 25

Cotton wool sheep

Bow for girl sheep Chicks egg box

EGG BOX CHICKSPage 14

63

ST PATRICK'S DAYPage 18

A T E ST E M P L

FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THESE TEMPLATES VISIT www.creativesteps.co.uk

LACING CARDSPage 38

EGG & CHICK FISHING GAMEPage 33

64

ELEPHANTPage 35

WORD FLOWERSPage 13

BluebellBLUEBELLPage 26

Cotto

n w

ool s

heep

Bow

for

girl

she

epCh

icks

egg

box

BUTTERFLY MATCHPage 13

APRIL SHOWERS UMBRELLAPage 30

65

A T E ST E M P L

18cm

EASTER BUNNYPage 52

DEELY BOPPERSPage 31

Cotton wool sheep

Bow for girl sheep

Chicks egg box

Bow for girl sheep

Chicks egg box

POM POM CATERPILLARSPage 50

66

A T E ST E M P L

FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THESE TEMPLATES VISIT www.creativesteps.co.uk

GIFT BAGPage 34

4TH – 5THMARCH 2016

OLYMPIALONDON

at childcareexpo.co.ukor call 01425 838393

FREEtickEts

Register for your