Cradles and beds from toilet rolls

 I have been trying to think of how many ways I can use toilet rolls. So far I have made lanterns, dolls house furniture, a Christmas decoration, and a mobile. Today I have been playing around with toilet rolls and came up with these charming little beds and cradles for baby fairies (or any other little toys you may have).

 

 

The beds were made by cutting a toilet roll in half, and shaping the top of it as desired. Cut 1/2cm-1cm (approx) wide strips around the bottom, and fold inwards. This is because it is difficult to fold straight lines on a cylinder, so the strips need to be narrow enough to be able to fold easily in a cylinder shape.
Cut 2 circles of card slightly smaller than the toilet roll - glue one circle on the inside of the flaps, and glue one circle on the bottom of the toilet roll.  Press firmly into place until dry. I put something heavy inside it, to weigh it down while it dried.
Cover the bed with pretty paper. You may like to line the inside with felt, to make snug little bed.


The cradle was much easier and quicker to make than the beds. Simply cut a cradle shape out of the toilet roll, using its natural curve to shape it.
Cover it with pretty paper.
You might like to thread a ribbon through the top of it to hang it up.

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Toilet Roll Lanterns Tutorial

 

When it is dark and this lantern is lit up, it is difficult to recognise it in its former life as a toilet roll!

 

 Transform your toilet rolls into charming lanterns in a matter of minutes.

All you will need is a drawing pin or thumb tack, toilet rolls, and LED tealights.

Using the thumb tack to pierce holes over your toilet roll. You might like to do a particular pattern or design, or just random holes.

Put the LED light inside.

Turn the lights off.

If you want to make your lanterns look a little more special, you could cover the toilet rolls with pretty paper first. Let the glue dry thoroughly before poking holes in it.

Alternatively you could cover it in glitter.

I have been trying to think of ways to use toilet rolls, in an effort to be a little more sustainable and reduce wastage.  So far I have made dolls house furniture and cradles and beds.

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Sorting Trays

 Sometimes the budget just doesn't cover the things you would really like to have. I have been looking at kindergarten and nursery blogs and pages that use sorting trays - and they always look amazing! Sorting helps children to compare, classify and group objects, which is mathematics. They look for differences and similarities. Being able to verbally express their reasons why they are putting particular objects together is a communication skill. Children often come up with their own criteria for classifying objects, which in my experience are often more insightful than the ones we as adults may use. I have been dreaming about sorting trays in my classroom for a few years now, and still haven't got them... time to make my own! And actually, it wasn't too difficult to make them myself!

This sorting tray was actually a school set of crayons - the box had compartments for each colour. I simply pulled the compartments out, lined the sides and sections with scrapbooking paper, and put back into place.

This box was a gift box that had toiletries in it. It was a lovely sturdy box with a pretty pattern on the outside, and it seemed a shame to throw it away! To make the compartments, I used thick card. Begin by measuring the width and depth of the sections. Use a ruler and craft knife to cut the card.

Use masking tape to tape the cardboard sections into place. I then lined the inside of each section with scraps of leather and possum fur which a friend had given me.

I made this box from scratch, using thick card called 6008 - but mat board would do too. I measured the base of my box, and used those measurements to cut the sides of the box - adding on a few extra millimetres for the joins.  I then measured and cut the inside sections of the box - one long strip, and one short strip.

I secured the sides to the base of the box using masking tape - and lots of it! The inner sections were secured to the sides with masking tape as well.

I then covered the outside of the box with scrapbooking paper and PVA glue. Then I measured and cut scrapbooking paper to line the inner sections of the box.

I have always wanted a mirror tray, so I glued a little craft mirror in one section. I put washi tape around the edges of the mirror to avoid any sharp edges, and also used the washi tape to tidy up the inside top edges of the box.

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Dolls House Furniture from Toilet Rolls

You will need:

Toilet rolls

PVA glue

Scissors

Black marker pen

This dolls-house furniture came about from trying to figure out what I could make with toilet rolls in an effort to be a little more sustainable. As with most creative ventures, it came from playing around with ideas. I began by flattening the toilet roll, using a bone folder, to create a rectangular prism. I then snipped one end, folded the ends in and glued into place, and then folded the top to make different sized furniture. 

 I used a black marker pen to draw on the details.

 To make the bookshelf, I flattened the toilet roll into a rectangular prism, then cut one face off. I folded the ends up and in, and glued in place. I bent and shaped the cut off rectangle to make shelves, and glued into place.

 

Begin by flattening the toilet roll. I used a bone folder (or paper folder) to press down hard and make a crease.  

Decide on the width of your furniture and make another crease using the bone folder/paper folder.

Your cardboard roll should now be a rectangular shape. 

 Make cuts at either end of the roll and fold the flaps inwards. The length of your cuts will depend on what you are making, and how big/small you want it.

 It should look similar to this.

Begin folding the flaps inwards, and glue in place (or you could use double sided tape if you wish - less messy and you don't have to hold it into place while it dries). I put a heavy object on top to hold it down while it dried.  

To make a dressing table, I used a scrap piece of glitter card that was the packaging for a bath toiletries gift set I received at Christmas. It's shape was perfect for the dresser.

To make a chair, cut a toilet roll in half.

 Cut flaps on one side only. 

Bend 3 of the flaps inwards to create the chair, leaving one flap up for the back of the chair.

If you wish, you could cover it with scrap fabrics. 

 Glue the flaps into place.

To make a 3 sided piece of furniture, such as a shower stall or a bookshelf, make 2 creases on your toilet roll to create a rectangular prism; then cut off one side. 

To make a bookshelf, cut flaps on both ends and fold inwards.

To make a shower stall, cut flaps on one end only, and fold inwards. Glue into place. 

You could add details such as a shower head using a marker pen.

To make a bookshelf, fold the cut-off flap forwards and backwards at desired lengths, to create shelves. Glue into place.

I am sure there is a lot more furniture that can be created from toilet rolls! I would love to see what you make too.

I have been trying to come up with ways to re-use toilet rolls in an effort to reduce wastage. So far I have made lanterns and beds and cradles.

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Paper Kites

Both the children and I love kites - and rainbows! So I made a display of paper kites in rainbow colours.

Cut your paper into a square.














Measure your paper to find the centre.

 With the right side of the paper face down, fold each corner into the centre of the square.














Fold one corner inwards, aligning the straight edge with the centre of the paper.

Fold the opposite corner inwards, aligning the straight edge with the middle of the square.

You should have a kite shape.

The other side of the kite should look like this...

 To add a string, turn back over and open up the two corners. Cut a length of string/yarn/thread/cotton, and tape down in the middle of the paper.

Close up of the string taped down.

 Fold corners inwards again to create kite shape, and tape down.

If you want to add bows to your tail, cut out little bow shapes and tape onto the tail.

 

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Small world playscapes

I have been creating miniature playscapes to be used with small plastic animals that you can buy for $1-$3 a packet at The Warehouse (or other $2 shops).
They are super simple to make, using empty boxes, card scraps and paper.



I love small world play and allowing children to take control of telling stories. As a teacher of 4 year olds, I have a responsibility to help them develop the literacy skills that will stand them in good stead when they begin Primary School. Telling stories, and retelling stories, allows children to gain a good understanding of how language works, such as sentence structure, and how stories work. If they have this foundation, then they will be able to predict text, and correct words to make sense, when learning to read. It also sets them up for being successful writers, as for them to be able to write stories, they need to be able to tell stories.

 Playscapes can be as simple or as elaborate as you have the time to put into them. But it doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, some simple figurines will be enough for a child to create stories, or tell a familiar story, such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  But I like to set a scene and allow children to take it further. These play scapes were simply made using cardboard and paper, and one with scraps of leather. They did not take long to make, and did not cost anything to make except my time and effort, as I recycle card and paper, and keep scraps of fabrics. But the stories that resulted from them, and the hours of wonder, laughter, imagination, collaborative play, and oral language that resulted, were full of riches.

 You will need:
thick card
paper
PVA glue

I save the card from the backs of refill pads, sketch pads, memo pads, and the card that comes inside sheet sets and duvet covers.

I used A4 size card for these playscapes. Being flat means they make for easy storage.

 For the farm scape, I simply glued green paper onto a sheet of card. My green paper was not A4 size, so I used two sheets and cut them to fit.

I cut a stream out of blue paper and glued it over the join, to hide it.

Then I cut a pond out of the blue paper and glued it on.

I kept the details super simple, so children can change it and adapt it as they wish. You could provide a basket of props on the table, such as pinecones (to represent trees), pebbles, etc, so children can add their own details as desired.

For the fences, I cut out thin strips of leather, which can be positioned anywhere on the farmscape as wished.

For this playscape I used a darker green, but as my green paper was smaller than A4, I used two sheets on either side, and glued a river in the middle.

The simplicity of the playscape means it can be a jungle, a forest, a field, a farm - whatever you want it to be.

 This playscape uses brown, blue and green papers. I wanted a playscape that could be used to tell the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff - but again, it can be used for anything - dinosaurs, jungle animals, reptiles, or farm animals.

 I added a strip of leather to be the bridge - but you could use a piece of bark, a stick, some stones - whatever you can find/think of.

 A playscape using yellow handmade paper, blue paper, and brown textured paper, glued onto thick cardboard.

 

 

A simple playscape using forest green textured paper.

I have a friend who works with leather, and she often gives me her scraps to use. This playscape was created with a variety of different leather scraps, placed over an A4 piece of thick card and glued on with PVA. My PVA bottle said it it suitable for use on porous materials, including leather.

I began by laying out scraps over my board and cutting them to fit. When I was happy with the arrangement, I glued on one piece at a time.

The leather playscape with African animals provides lots of interesting textures and places for camouflage.

 The leather playscape with dinosaurs.

A miniature playscape in a box. This was a sturdy box that was originally a gift box for bath products.

I began by fitting textured gold paper in the box, cutting it to size and glueing it down. I added a blue river, then blue strips of paper for the sky.
Lastly I cut clouds out of white paper and glued them on.

These playscapes are really easy to make and do not require special tools or skills. They don't take much time to do (the most time consuming part is waiting for the glue to dry!). And yet they can provide hours of play and invite children to use them in as many ways as they can imagine.

Playscapes put out on the table along with a box of acorns, leaves and bark for accessories.

A piece of bark forms the bridge; 3 goats and a pokemon to tell the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

I hope you take the time to make some playscapes of your own, and marvel at the stories that the children create.

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