Caterpillar Collage Project
Let the kids get creative with this fun and easy collage project.
DIY Snow Globes
This fun winter craft from Yellow Scope science kits also demonstrates a scientific concept to your kids.
Make Yarn-Wrapped Halloween Decorations
Help your child use odds and ends to make sweet, yarn-wrapped Halloween or harvest decorations.
Plant a Butterfly Garden
Try this fun planting project from Al’s Garden Center to bring more butterflies into your yard!
DIY Snow Dough
Create a winter wonderland, even in the rain, with DIY snow dough from the folks behind Yellow Scope science kits.
Hands On: Science Experiments
Latest posts by Dan Clayton (see all)
- Hands On: Science Experiments - December 19, 2019
This winter break, turn your kitchen into a makeshift science lab with these fun (and only mildly messy) experiments from Mad Science Portland. Kids are natural scientists — they are always engaging in informal science experiments by asking questions about things and then testing their hypotheses. Expanding the idea of science from something you …
Paper-mache for Halloween & Día de los Muertos
Julz Nally is an artist/illustrator and children’s art teacher in Portland. She loves creating, rainbows and finding simple beauty in everyday. Her work can be found on Burgerville’s kids meal seed packets or at julznally.com. You can follow along with her day-to- day life on Instagram @julznally.
Latest posts by Julz Nally (see all)
- Paper-mache for Halloween & Día de los Muertos - October 27, 2019
- Hands On: Nature-inspired Ornaments - December 20, 2018
Get creative with paper-mache for Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Paper-mache is a fun and inexpensive way for kids and adults to create sculptures using recycled materials and papers. You can use anything — newspaper, toilet paper rolls, bubble wrap, gift wrap, grocery bags or cardboard — to sculpt any particular shape you dream …
Hands On: Be a Worm Watcher!
Eve Hansen is the Event Manager at Al’s Garden & Home. She loves playing in the dirt with her own little one and can’t wait to plant her edible garden every year.
Latest posts by Eve Hansen (see all)
- Hands On: Be a Worm Watcher! - August 11, 2019
- Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders - October 4, 2018
- Hands On: Little Sprouts - February 22, 2018
Construct a quick-and-easy “earthworm hotel” and dig into the mysteries of the worm kingdom. By Eve Hansen and Amy Bigej Worms can be squiggly and a little icky to us humans, but they are fascinating creatures that do a lot of important work. Those wiggly little guys are a major part of our ecosystem, constantly …
Hands On: No-Sew Tote Bag
Upcycle a favorite tee into a stylish, no-sew tote bag — just in time for farmers’ market season!
Hands On: Melt with You
Editor at PDX Parent Magazine
PDX Parent's editor Denise Castañon loves sharing new ideas with other Portland parents. You can find her cooking, eating, crafting and writing in Southeast where she lives with her husband, 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter.
Latest posts by Denise Castañon (see all)
- Family Supper Review: Piccone’s Corner - April 15, 2021
- Kid to Know: The Advocate - April 14, 2021
- Mom to Know: Meat-free Master Cook - March 17, 2021
Add a little heat to transform all those broken bits of crayon into mini-masterpieces. The amount of broken crayons rolling around my house (and, I’m guessing, yours) is staggering. Wanting a way to put them to good use, I recently started playing around with melting crayon shavings onto paper. My daughter, who loves an art …
Hands On: Nature-inspired Ornaments
Julz Nally is an artist/illustrator and children’s art teacher in Portland. She loves creating, rainbows and finding simple beauty in everyday. Her work can be found on Burgerville’s kids meal seed packets or at julznally.com. You can follow along with her day-to- day life on Instagram @julznally.
Latest posts by Julz Nally (see all)
- Paper-mache for Halloween & Día de los Muertos - October 27, 2019
- Hands On: Nature-inspired Ornaments - December 20, 2018
Nature is full of so much magic. There are endless possibilities for exploring in nature and discovering the creativity within yourself and your kids. Take a walk outside, collect some branches and twigs, and then come together to create beautiful decorations. Materials Twigs (3 to 5 twigs per ornament) Floral wire Scissors Acrylic paint Paintbrush …
Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders
Help your wild feathered friends make it through the winter with these cute cookie cutter bird feeders.
Kids DIY Wind Chime
Owner at Smartypants
Amber Gauntlett is the owner of Smartypants kids' art space in North Portland. She finds her joy in encouraging children to immerse themselves in the process and play of creating art.
Latest posts by Amber Gauntlett (see all)
- Hands On: No-Sew Tote Bag - April 1, 2019
- Kids DIY Wind Chime - August 8, 2018
- Hands On: DIY Suncatcher - July 24, 2017
Make summer memories with a dazzling DIY wind chime that will add some sparkle to any porch. By rummaging through your garage, kitchen junk drawer or craft cabinet, you are sure to find the perfect random materials. Consider old keys, metal hardware, rusty silverware or broken jewelry. Then add in some beautiful glass beads for …
Hands On: Stamp It Up
Help your child make one-of-a-kind potato stamps to adorn handmade greeting cards.
Hands On: Turkey Time
Use all those pinecones your kids collect to make a darling Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Hands On: Connect the Dots
Celebrate autumn (and International Dot Day!) with this sweet and simple garland project.
Make ’N Shake: Musical Instruments
Create musical instruments galore with items from around the house.
