Not So Lazy Days: Kids transform trike into a race car

With Cars 2 commercials flooding my kids' programming, they are getting excited for this movie, even though there is a chance they won't get to see it until a big guy in red stuffs the DVD in a stocking in December. But, because there is excitement, I knew there would be no whining for a Cars-themed craft...

Supplies:

• tricycle
• a thin cardboard box (or two, depending on the size of the box)
• scissors
• string, twine or ribbon
• paint
• paintbrushes
• construction paper
• stickers or any other embellishments your children may like

First, cut the box into four rectangles-- two big enough fit along the side of the trike, one small enough to go between the handlebars and not hit the front wheel and the last about the sixe of the back of the seat.

Then, with either your scissors or a hole punch, punch two holes in the top corners of each rectangle. put twine (about 5-6 inches in length) through each hole and tie rectangles in the handlebars and seat on their appropriate sides. Keep the "doors" loose enough on the handlebars so they can easily be "opened."

Put the trike somewhere safe for painting and let the kids completely paint all the rectangles on the trike. When they are done, let the paint dry for an hour in the sun. (We ate lunch as we waited for the paint to dry.)

Next, ask the kids what number they want the race car to be, My children picked 100. I drew the bubble numbers on construction paper (actually two sheets folded in half to make 4 copies), then let the older child cut it out. We put glue on the numbers and let the little one place the numbers on the car. He also wanted stripes, so we used the scrap paper from the numbers to make stripes.

The children finished off detailing the car with metallic star stickers.

The little one loved his new race car bike so much he wanted to show it off by riding it to the library. The best part is the children got experience working as a team on a project.

I've challenged myself to find a new activity to do five days a week every week of the kids' summer vacation. Activities will fall under one of three categories: Arts & Crafts, Sports & Games or Field Trips. Follow me on Twitter @readallaboutsam for immediate updates on posts!