Salt Dough

• This pliable dough is an easy and inexpensive version of its store-bought counterpart. Be sure to keep it in an air-tight container so it doesn't dry out. The dough can be made in just a couple of hours and will last for weeks, ready to use to make many types of crafts and designs. Just making the dough itself, however, can be a lot of fun for kids.
  
  Materials:
  
  2 cups flour
  
  2 cups warm water
  
  1 cup salt
  
  2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  
  1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)
  
  Directions:
  
  Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan over low heat. The consistency will resemble mashed potatoes. When the dough pulls away from the side of the pan and clumps into the center, like bread dough, you may remove it from the pan and place it on a floured sheet of wax paper. Feel free to knead a few drops of your favorite food coloring or scented oils into the dough.
  
  

Edible Polar Bear

• Most of the time, we advise against playing with your food, but sometimes it can be quite enjoyable. Make this craft before drinking a warm cup of cocoa.
  
  Materials:
  
  Toothpicks
  
  2 large marshmallows
  
  6 mini marshmallows
  
  2 white jelly beans, halved
  
  Vanilla icing
  
  1 brown mini chocolate candy
  
  Scissors
  
  Black shoestring licorice
  
  Directions:
  
  Using a toothpick, attach the large marshmallows together to make the body and head. For each arm, two mini marshmallows on a toothpick and stick inside body marshmallow. For the legs, repeat this, except use one half of a white jelly bean instead of a marshmallow for the feet. Use icing to glue on two jelly bean halves for ears and the chocolate candy for a nose. For the eyes, snip two short licorice lengths and adhere them in place with icing.
  
  

Toilet Paper Roll Bee

• This is an easy craft if your kids are learning about insects or springtime.
  
  Materials:
  
  Empty toilet paper roll, be sure to strip all excess toilet paper off of it.
  
  Black and yellow paint (tempera or acrylic)
  
  Brush
  
  Scissors
  
  Googly eyes or black marker
  
  White construction paper or cardstock
  
  Directions:
  
  Paint the entire toilet paper roll yellow and let sit to dry. Paint black stripes, but leave a yellow section for the bee's head. While it is drying, take black pipe cleaners and cut two 4-inch long sections and curl around a pencil to create antennae. Put your painted roll on the white paper and draw your wings around your bee. Cut them out in one piece since you will be sliding them into the roll. Cut 2 slits in the roll on opposite sides of each other. Slide the wings through. Glue on eyes or draw on a face with a black marker. Tape the pipe cleaners to interior of roll on other side of the eyes.
  
  

Shaker Instrument

• Using recycled items for craft projects can teach kids the importance of saving the environment while allowing them to have fun at the same time. Swap out dried beans in this shaker for the rice to get a deeper sound.
  
  Materials:
  
  One cardboard paper towel roll
  
  Clear packing tape, or colorful craft tape
  
  Letter-sized sheet of construction paper
  
  Glue
  
  Decorating materials such as paper cutouts, crayons, markers, puffy paint, glitter glue, pom-poms
  
  Rice or rice-shaped cereal
  
  Directions:
  
  Decorate one side of a sheet of construction paper using any materials that you would like. Be as creative as possible. Wrap the construction paper around the tube with the decorated side facing out. Secure with tape or glue. Trace two circles larger than the opening of each end of the tube on a separate sheet of construction paper. Securely tape a circle onto one end of the paper towel roll. Fill the tube halfway with rice or cereal. Secure the second paper circle in place on the other end of the tube. Now you can make your own music or shake along with your favorite songs.