Every week, Child Care Resources will publish The Bored Jar blog, which will provide you with ideas of activities to do with the children in your care. We know that much of the correspondence we send has to do with rules and regulations, but The Bored Jar will only be filled with fun activities. Whenever you’re bored with your kids, try some of our Bored Jar ideas!

Summer Flags

This great summer craft project, courtesy of The Wonder Years, will have you and your children ready to wave your own flags at your local Independence Day Parade!

Supplies:

• Containers for kool-aid dye mixture
• Hot Water (very hot, but not boiling)
• Flags (see DharmaTrading.Com for some cheap and easily dye-able examples)
• White Vinegar (about 1 Tablespoon per container of dye mixture)
• Kool Aid (in all the wowzy colors you can find!)
• Rubber bands
• stirring spoons (to prevent dye-covered hands)
• Cold water
• Markers or Fabric Paint
• 3/4 inch Dowels, or length of string or ribbon

The steps for dying the flags and some really great pictures to go with them are available on Amy’s blog; we wouldn’t dare steal such a great idea outright and re-post it here! (wink)

the tie-dying process can be a great way for children to excercise their individuality and make their own choices for designs. If they want a single color background, paint and markers can do a great job decorating the flag after it is dry.

Some fun alternatives to putting your completed flags on sticks are:

• Take more than one flag, connect them with string or ribbon, and hang them in a line from your porch or fence where they can still blow in the wind. This idea can be used to keep your flags around to appreciate after the children are done waving them for the 4th of July.
• Sew them onto old sweatshirts or sweaters that have lost their appeal, or onto a bag or backpack to make it extra special.
• Sew or glue them onto heavier fabric or rubbery backing for individual placemats.