Spring/Summer activity with kids: DIY coasters

In case you are wondering where I have been for so many weeks. Since March I have started afternoon creative activities with my son who is now 28 months old and has started showing keen interest in learning new things. So every afternoon we do these activities.It gives me immense pleasure, happiness and creative satisfaction to think and create different creative projects for him.These are on varied topics like maths, science, art, craft and many other. 

I have started writing a personal blog where I store all the creative activities/projects I do with him. By the end of the year I intend to print that blog. I find a blog a good way to write daily and store pictures more like a online private scrapbook. It keeps me busy and fulfills my creative desire to write( a blog). 

Anyways some of my friends&relatives( whose kids are around the same age group)asked me to share some of the projects/activities I do with my little ones. Since the other blog I have lots of personal pictures I do not intend to make it public fearing that my son's pictures will be swimming on the internet. I don't know how mom bloggers do that. Anyways I will be sharing some on activities/DIYs/ projects here on this blog. So here it goes. The first one I have selected to share is a set of clay spring coasters we made.

There are lots of Gulmohar trees all around Dubai. One day when I took Avaneesh(26 months then) to play on the grass. I started gathering flowers while he played. He saw that and he also started gathering flowers in his dump truck. I kept the Gulmohar flowers in the fridge to keep them fresh for a day or two. I had planned to make coasters by pressing flowers in air dry clay to store the memories of spring/summer flowers.

I made two balls of the air dry clay. One for me and one for Avaneesh. I showed Avaneesh how to roll the clay. He did exactly same. Rolling the clay into the base circle by pressing it and later with the rolling pin. It took some time to completely cover the base with the clay. Once done I took out the flowers from the fridge. First we separated the petals from the flowers. Then started placing and pressing the petals on our coasters. 

Then he rolled the coasters with a rolling pin to press the flowers firmly in the coasters.

Then I put it in the sunlight to air dry it. Avaneesh just couldn't stop putting flowers on them. 

Later when he was taking his afternoon nap I put a layer of Moshe podge on them.The clay had air dried by next morning. They make nice coasters.

Using the things made by your kids in daily use increases their confidence. Any child wants to do things to make their parents proud. 

Joining party at BNOP!