Fun & Easy Fruit Crafts for Kids - Creative Activities

Fruit Crafts for Kids Browse the article Fruit Crafts for Kids

Fruit Crafts for Kids

Fruit crafts for kids take ordinary fruits you probably have around the house and turn them into enchanting projects. These projects are designed to be simple yet engaging.

In the end, your child will feel a sense of achievement at the accomplishment. For the first time, parents will be encouraging their children to play with their food!

These fruits are better than healthy -- they're fun. Find out how to turn berries or nuts into ink or how to make dolls from apples.

Apple-Head Dolls

Carefully carve funny faces into apples and then dress them up. These dolls are as unique as the person who carves them.

Apple Rings

Apples aren't just for eating. Cut an apple into rings and make a decorative garland.

Berry Nice Ink

The age-old process of writing just got more interesting. Find out how to make your own ink from the juice of berries.

Nuts About Ink

Are you nuts? Do you think you can make ink from walnut shells? In fact, you can! Find out how.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Instead of purchasing sun-dried tomatoes at a gourmet food shop for a pretty penny, make you own. Follow these simple directions.

An apple-head doll a day keeps boredom away! Keep reading to learn how to make this whimsical fruit craft.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids

Apple-Head Dolls

Apple-head dolls are charming, old-fashioned dolls -- made from small apples -- that look like wise old men and women. Use your artistic talents to individualize the dolls and make them unique. What You'll Need:

• Small green apples
• Peeler
• Knife
• Wire
• Fabric scraps

How To Make Apple-Head Dolls:

Begin with small, firm apples. Green, unripe apples work the best, so if you know someone with an apple tree you can ask them for some windfallen green apples.

Step 1: Peel the apple, then have an adult help you carve the face with a small knife. Think of how a real face is shaped. The nose and cheeks must stick out, while the eyes are set in, so carve away the front of the apple but leave lumps sticking out for the nose and cheeks. Make exaggerated features, as they will shrink in the drying process.

Step 2: Put the apple in a warm place to dry. This will take a week or more.

Step 3: When the apple head is dry, bend wire into the shape of a body, with a long neck to stick into the apple head.

Step 4: Dress the doll with clothing cut from fabric scraps.

On the next page, learn about another craft that uses apples. Find out how to make a garland of apple rings.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids

Apple Rings

Make a garland of apple rings. It's a pretty decoration and will make your house smell wonderful. This craft works best in the fall or winter -- in dry weather, the apples will slowly dry out and fill the kitchen with a fresh scent.

What You'll Need:

• Apples
• Apple corer
• Knife
• Twine

How To Make a Garland of Apple Rings:

Step 1: Have an adult help you core and slice several red-skinned apples.

Step 2: String the apple slices on a piece of twine. Make your garland as long as you like.

When you're done, hang the garland up in your kitchen.

On the next page, learn how to make your own ink from the juice of berries.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids

Berry Nice Ink

Make a berry nice ink using berries and other kitchen items at home. It's easy to do, and your friends will be surprised when you write them a secret note using special ink made from fresh berries. What You'll Need:

• Berries
• Strainer
• Jar
• Spoon
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Smock

How To Make a Berry Nice Ink:

Step 1: Wear a smock to protect your clothes from stains.

Step 2: Put one cup of ripe raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries into a strainer. Put the strainer over a large jar.

Step 3: Use the back of a spoon to crush the berries so their juice falls into the jar. Squeeze as much juice out of the berries as you can.

Step 4: Add to the jar one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of salt, and stir until the salt is dissolved.

Use your berry ink right away, because it will spoil quickly.

If you like this recipe for ink, read on to find out how to make ink from nuts.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids

Nuts About Ink

If you're nuts about special ink, you can learn how to make your own using walnut shells. It adds a unique aspect to writing letters or thank-you notes, and it's a fun project to undertake with children. What You'll Need:

• Eight walnuts
• Nutcracker
• Towel
• Hammer
• Saucepan
• Water
• Strainer
• Jar with lid
• Vinegar
• Salt

How To Make Ink From Nuts:

Step 1: Remove the walnuts from their shells.

Step 2: Wrap the shells in a towel and crush them with a hammer.

Step 3: Put the crushed shells in a saucepan with some water. With help from an adult, heat until the water boils, then simmer the walnut shells for 45 minutes.

Step 4: Let cool for 15 minutes, then pour the mixture through a strainer into a jar.

Step 5: Add to the jar 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir until the salt dissolves.

Use your ink, or put the lid on the jar to store it.

On the next page, learn how to make your very own sun-dried tomatoes.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are a wonderful gift for gourmets, and you can make them yourself, which adds a more personal touch. For this project, use only fresh, fully ripe tomatoes without any bruises. Have an adult help with all cutting and cooking. What You'll Need:

• Tomatoes from garden or U-pick farm (plum tomatoes are best)
• Knife
• Spoon
• Cookie sheets
• Oven
• Red wine vinegar
• Jars with lids
• Olive oil
• Plastic wrap

How To Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes:

Step 1: Cut the tomatoes in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Large tomatoes should be cut into quarters.

Step 2: Spread the tomatoes evenly on a cookie sheet. Put in an oven set to 150° F and dry until most of the moisture is gone but the tomatoes are still soft.

Step 3: Put the tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with red wine vinegar, then cover the bowl and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes. The vinegar helps preserve the tomatoes, and adds flavor.

Step 4: Pack the dried tomatoes loosely into a jar and pour in olive oil until completely covered.

Step 5: Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, then put on the lid. Store in the refrigerator.

For more natural crafts and activities kids enjoy, see:

• Nature Craft Activities for Kids
• Outdoor Crafts for Kids
• Outdoor Activities for Kids