Making "Styromonster" With Your Grandchild
Posted by Nona Nita's Blog at 5/5/2009 6:41 PM 
Categories: Activities
Tags: grandchildren Ecology education kid fun grandma Environmental education seniors. recycling teaching values children's activities fun with grandchildren
Categories: Activities
Tags: grandchildren Ecology education kid fun grandma Environmental education seniors. recycling teaching values children's activities fun with grandchildren
Here's an idea on how to recycle those annoying Styrofoam packaging pellets. Styrofoam constitutes, by volume, as much as thirty percent of landfills worldwide. Many of us just save them until we, in turn, have to ship something. In the interim, however, they can provide hours of inexpensive fun and learning for your grandchildren 5 and up. All you need is a chunk of Styrofoam for a base, toothpicks, and various pellets of all shapes and sizes. Explain to the children that Styrofoam is one of those man made "monstrous" products that is non biodegradable and so, unless treated with other solvents, will pollute our environment forever. Then challenge them to use the materials to create "Styromonster". They can build many other things with the materials; just let their imaginations take over. You could paint the items or use permanent marker on them, but I like the fact that they are basically colorless. I think it allows the children to better use their imaginations. The finished products will be a great jumping off point for conversations about ecology , recycling, and stewardship. The nuggets can still be used for future packaging. You'll just have to disassemble the creations. Actually, the kids might enjoy doing that as well.
My philosophy is that since there is nothing we can do to get rid of the awful stuff, we can at least, get the most use out of it. Just make sure that you use these only with children who are past the point of putting things in their mouths (or any other orifice for that matter). Have fun!
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For more on Enlightened Grand parenting visit Nona Nita's Nook
and click My Path Productions for ideas that support conscious living
My philosophy is that since there is nothing we can do to get rid of the awful stuff, we can at least, get the most use out of it. Just make sure that you use these only with children who are past the point of putting things in their mouths (or any other orifice for that matter). Have fun!
Rating * For more on Enlightened Grand parenting visit Nona Nita's Nook
and click My Path Productions for ideas that support conscious living
Cool tip. It's important to give thought to the environment and recycling in all we do. I did not realize how much of the landfills styrofoam took up.
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Now thats a neat idea. I hate getting those things in a package but now I can let Hunter make something with them. Thanks for the idea.
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Now THAT takes creativity! Makes me wonder what we have around our house that I could use for crafts with the grandkids.
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