Total Time 1 Hour Ages School Age
Here's a reading lamp you can actually read! When it's illuminated, the comics become translucent and give off a colorful glow.
What you'll need

• Lamp with barrel-shaped shade
• Large sheet of drawing or doodle paper
• Scissors
• Your kid's favorite comics
• Laser color copier (at a copy shop)
• Paintbrush
• Matte Mod Podge
• How to make it
• 1. Make a template by wrapping the paper around the shade, then cutting the sheet of paper to match the shade's dimensions.
     
     
  2. Take the template and comics to a copy store (copies made on a home printer may run). Make reduced or enlarged color copies of the comics to cover the template in an arrangement you like.
     
     
  3. On a protected surface, brush Mod Podge onto the shade, then onto the back of the first sheet of copied comics. Let the paper rest for about 30 seconds, then gently lay it on the shade. Brush more Mod Podge over it, smoothing any wrinkles as you go.
     
     
  4. Repeat this process with the remaining comics, allowing each section to dry before rolling the shade over to work on the next.
     
     
     

Total Time 30 Minutes Or Less Ages School Age 
What you'll need

• Small wastebasket (the one shown here measures about 10 inches wide and 12 inches tall)
• Basketball net
• Orange vinyl tape
• Scissors

How to make it

1. Drape the basketball net over the outside of the wastebasket, pulling it up so that the bottom just touches the floor. Let the excess at the top of the net fall into the wastebasket for now.
   
   
2. Use lengths of tape (about 2 1/2 inches long) to attach the net to the wastebasket rim. The pieces should go right over the rim so that one edge sticks to the outside of the basket and the opposite edge sticks to the inside. Overlap the side edges of the tape slightly as you work your way around the basket so you'll have no gaps, and do your best to keep the lower edges as even as possible to resemble an orange basketball hoop.
   
   
3. Press down firmly on the tape to make sure it is sticking well. Then cut away the excess net inside the can, trimming the strands even with the edge of the tape.
   
   

Ages Preschooler 
Using craft sticks and fabric scraps, kids can create this fun and pretty flower garden activity with recycled materials – perfect for Earth Day.



What you'll need

• ½ black chenille stem
• Paper coffee filter
• Water color paints
• Paint brush
• Water

For a more vibrant butterfly, be sure to paint all white areas with paint. Tie a piece of fishing line around the "neck" and suspend from the ceiling. They will look like they are flying! Instead of using all the colors on one filter, make some with warm colors (red, yellow, orange) and some with cool colors (blue, green, purple).


How to make it

1. Flatten the coffee filter and place it on a plate or newspaper, the paint and water will soak through. Set aside on paper towels to dry.
   
   
2. Fold the chenille stem in half. Remember, you are only using half of a chenille stem to begin with.
   
   
3. Fold the coffee filter accordion style, in about ½" pleats.
   
   
4. Twist the chenille stem around the filter to secure it in place.
   
   
5. Twist the chenille stem around the filter to secure it in place.
   
   
6. Bend the tips of the chenille stems over about ¼" to create the antennae.
   
   
7. Fan out the butterfly wings.
   
   
8. If desired, hang with yarn or fishing line.
   
   

Total Time 2 3 Hours Ages School Age 
What girl doesn't love a makeover? Give her bed a fresh look with this bright headboard made from a science-fair display board.



What you'll need

• 36- by 48-inch corrugated display board
• Craft knife
• Masking tape
• Circle of fluffy material for flower center (ours is about 23 inches in diameter)
• Hot glue
• Multipurpose plastic ties and adhesive mounting bases (we found ours in Home Depot's electrical supply section)

How to make it

1. Place the display board facedown on a protected work surface and draw a flower shape. (Tip: We used a 9-inch pot lid as a template for the petals' curved ends.) Cut out the flower with a craft knife.
   
   
2. Apply masking tape along the two prescored lines to keep the flaps stable. Turn the board faceup and affix the fluffy flower center with hot glue. tee "Ataching the Headboards," below.
   
   
3. Attaching the Headboard Attach the cardboard headboard to the posts of your child's existing one using the plastic ties and adhesive mounting bases, as shown. Secure it in at least four places. If your child's bed doesn't have a headboard, you can hang your creation on the wall with screws or nails. 
   

Supplies you will need:
Crimped Yellow Paper
Pink Dots & Strips
Tin Foil
Rolo Candy 
Hershey Kisses
Tape or Glue

Directions:
Wrap the pink strips around the top part of the Rolo with either glue or tape & place pink dot on the top also with glue or tape.Next place glue or tape on the flat part of the Hershey Kiss & place on the other side of the Rolo as pictured.Then glue or tape the yellow paper around the Rolo with either glue or tape & there you have it a Rolo Pencil.