Ah, those were the days, werent they? Off to camp with a bunch of your friends to swim, hike and explore nature. Camping days are always great memories, arent they? Millions of kids go to a summer camp for a few days, a week - maybe longer. Its a lot of fun that you wish would never end. Although the camping days will eventually come to an end for the year kids can preserve the memory of the great times by making a cute miniature campfire they can display on a shelf or other flat surface.
Who doesnt have a cd at home that has scratches and no longer plays? One of these old cds is perfect to use as the base for the campfire. Glue a piece of brown, black or tan felt to one side of the cd, or use it as-is. The felt can serve as a bottom for the campfire craft but is not absolutely necessary. The felt can cover the writing or logos of a cd, should someone turn the finished craft over and look at the bottom, but the craft will still look great without the felt buffer.
Spread glue all over the top of the cd and make sure its well-covered. Leave a small strip of the cd showing, all the way around, without glue or sand. Sprinkle sand or dirt into the glue. Press down slightly, allow to dry somewhat, then turn the cd over and tap off the excess. This will be the dirt floor of the miniature campfire. Choose rocks which will go all the way around the edge of the cd. The rocks can be the size of a nickel or even a quarter. Although some of the rocks can be larger or wider than others, they should all be approximate in size. They can be jutted, smooth, solid in color or can even be pieces of gravel. These rocks will represent the perimeter of the campfire. Use hot glue or even ordinary white glue to attach the rocks to the cd. The rocks should be butted together so that you cant see well in between them. After the glue for the rocks has dried you can then begin building the campfire. Use toothpicks, pieces of wooden skewers, or even tiny twigs to make the fake fire. Cut the wooden pieces into four inch sections and glue them together. Place a dot of glue on one end of each stick, set it in the sand, then create a tepee shape with the collection of sticks. Add glue to the top and bottom of each stick to attach it to the dirt on one end, the other sticks at the opposite end. The short tepee will become the actual campfire. Tear pieces of yellow, orange or red tissue paper. Tuck the tiny pieces between the sticks, here and there, to give the illusion of flames. Its a good idea to apply a small dot of glue to each piece of paper to keep the in place. Instead of tissue paper you can also use pieces of cloth. Since cloth doesnt ball up the same way that tissue paper does cut it into small circles. Now cut jagged edges around the circle, find the center of the circle, then tuck it into the pile of sticks. The jagged edges will represent the flickering flames. There are substitutions you can use depending upon what kinds of things you have at home. For example, instead of using sand or dirt you can simply paint the cd brown or black. Instead of a cd you can even use a round piece of cardboard or wood. The base you choose instead of a cd doesnt necessarily have to be the exact same size as a regular cd. In place of the rocks you can use wadded pieces of black tissue paper or painted Styrofoam ball halves. The finished craft can be set on a desk, a shelf or another flat surface. It can be saved as a camping memory or can be given as a gift to a fellow camper. You can make the craft even more personal by creating a sign that states the name of the camp the child attended. Use stickers on thin cardboard, or use a piece of thin wood, and create the sign you want. Glue or otherwise attach it to the rocks on one side of the campfire. Kids love going to camp and theyll treasure the miniature campfire craft that represents the fun they had while camping. With many crafts you have to get a list of supplies together before starting, but with the mini campfire, you likely have everything you need to get started!
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