Glass is one of those everyday materials that we use everywhere and it is taken for granted a lot of the time. We use it in our cars, buildings, light bulbs and wine glasses, but few people know exactly how glass transforms from raw materials into the functional molded end products. Here are the stages of glass production.
1.) The raw materials of glass are sand and some additional elements. Not any old sand will do and most often Silica is used, in combination with certain amounts of soda ash and also limestone. The amount of each component used has quite a big impact on how the glass turns out, and additional elements are often used to alter density and colour etc. For example, a glass blower might add a small amount of red dye to the mix to make pink champagne glasses.
2.) This mix of minerals is heated up to approximately 1800oC. At this temperature the minerals in the mixture all become liquid and blend together. Very large furnaces are needed to generate the heat to melt glass. Traditionally the glass mix was heated in coal-powered furnaces, however electric furnaces are increasing in number all the time. In its molted form, glass can be manipulated very easily and can be blown or moulded into pretty much any shape desired. The skills involved in manual glass making takes years to learn and are often passed on through generations.
3.) Once the glass has been shaped it is left to cool down. This cooling period directly effects how the hardened glass will end up in terms of how strong it is, how it reacts when broken, and how refractive it is. For example, whisky glasses are often cooled slowly as this makes them less susceptible to scratches, although the refractive index is slightly lower than other types of glass
Have you ever heard those familiar words, “I’m bored,” coming from the mouth of your child? If so, then easy arts and crafts for kids is the solution. Give the kids some craft materials and boredom will be a thing of the past. Here’s some ideas for easy kids crafts.
Easy kid crafts essential materials include paper, crayons, safety scissors and glue. Paper for easy arts and crafts for kids can include construction paper, plain typing paper, card-stock of various colors and many other options. Even junk mail and old magazines can make interesting and absorbing craftprojects. Crayons are good for younger kids, but the stores are now filled with other choices such as washable dry-erase markers, watercolor pencils, and gel pens. Easy kid crafts supplies can run into quite a bit of expenditure, but even on a budget there are many possibilities.
Other types of material that kids can craft with include recycled boxes and found objects. By recycled junk, I’m meaning empty cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, cardboard from packaging, plastic containers, and even tin cans. If you let kids craft with tin cans however, you need to make sure the open edge of the can doesn’t have any sharp edges. Simply file these off or squeeze them flat with a pair of pliers.
Found objects include leaves, twigs, rocks, snake-skins, and other natural item a child might find. Perhaps there is a sheep farm nearby. If so, wool scraps can often be found stuck to the barbed wire fences. Any or all of these items can be used in easy kids crafts.
One of the most fun and popular kid crafts is creating a collage. Kids can stick anything down when making a collage. Use heavy paper for the background and then let the creativity begin! For an extra challenge, a collage can be built around a theme, like food, animals, or babies. Old magazines can be searched for just the right pictures, which can be cut out and stuck to the background. The older child might want to cut out details from magazine pictures and reassemble them in new and interesting ways. They might cut out interesting words and headlines and add them as well.
Younger kid crafts can include collages made of glued down pasta, beans, popsicle sticks, leaves, and many other items. Don’t forget about glitter, too. If the budget allows only a few kid crafts splurges, bare in mind that kids of all ages, especially girls, really enjoy crafting artwork that includes glitter. However, whether your kids are boys or girls, young or older, suggest some craft ideas the next time they are bored!
So, there you have it. Go ahead. Come up with some creative ideas and keep those kids happy!
Best regards.
Sheila.
Getting a toddler to sit still can be a near-impossible feat. Kids are always on the go and always inquisitive. That’s a good thing, but sometimes they need some creative downtime. That’s where Easy Kids Crafts Blog comes in.
Crafting is great for toddlers for a number of reasons. Making things allows them increase their spatial awareness. Crafts assist them in developing more of their creative faculties. And young children can benefit from learning how to follow simple instructions. Here are some craft ideas that your toddler can do (with supervision). More can be found at Toddlers Crafts
POPSICLE STICK PUPPETS
Children just love Puppets.Puppets are fascinating to toddlers. Creating their own puppets is easy, and it’s lots of fun. All you really need are some craft or Popsicle sticks, card, safety scissors, markers and glue.
Help your toddler cut animal shapes out of the construction paper. He can draw faces and other details with washable markers. Glue the stick to the back of the shape, let dry, and he’s ready to put on a puppet show. If you want to make more elaborate puppets, try Kids crafts. Glue on a pom pom for the nose, and add some googly eyes.
Paint with Pudding
Children just love to paint,but boy can they make mess. And they might just end up eating the paint. Even if the paints are nontoxic, it can make cautious parents uneasy. The answer? Let them paint with pudding!
You don’t need different flavors of pudding to make different colors. Just use one serving of plain vanilla, divide it up into small portions, and add food coloring to create various shades. Give your child a paper plate to use as a canvas for his masterpiece. When he’s done, he can eat it with no worries.
Create design on clothing
If your toddler sees you sewing or painting clothes with fabric paint, she may want to try her hand at designing clothes. But needles are small and sharp, and fabric paint is messy. What to do? Break out the markers!
Children can have a real good time decorating a plain white t-shirt with colorful markers. If you use washable ones, they can create a design, wear it, and start over after you wash the shirt. If a permanent design is desired, however, you’ll have to let him use non-washable markers. You can avoid a mess by covering the work area with newspaper and putting a smock on your toddler.
Coasters
Making coasters out of contact paper is very easy. Have your toddler cut shapes out of construction paper and glue them onto a whole piece with a glue stick. He can add detail with markers or embellish with stickers. When he’s done, place the artwork on a piece of contact paper, sticky side up. Place another sheet of contact paper on top, sticky side down.
Most toddlers will only have the patience to make one placemat at a time. But he can make another one tomorrow, continuing until there are enough for the whole table. He’ll be so proud to know that everyone sees his artwork at every meal!
Crafts for kids can help your toddler learn important skills while keeping him quietly occupied and you can find more ideas at Easy Kids Crafts Blog Whether it’s a rainy day or he’s just feeling creative, seize the opportunity to let him channel his imagination into something you can both admire.
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