Some of you may be aware that the World Cup started last week. In our cross-cultural home, this is a big deal. England t-shirts have been ordered, yummy game day snacks have been made, and fun World Cup kids crafts for a homeschool project have been created.Â
In fact, my children and I had so much fun creating our World Cup kids crafts… that we thought it would be exciting to share our projects with you. These homeschool activities have been a fun way to incorporate the World Cup into our slow June days. And, with only a few necessary ingredients-you too, can create these adorable, dried pasta kids crafts.Â
My Happy Hawks Homeschool crew and I would be thrilled if you would join along with us as we make not one, not two, but 3 World Cup kids crafts. In this post you will learn how to make colored dried pasta- and from there- how to make a fun pasta necklace, how to make cute mini flags with a pasta “stamp,” and finally, how to create adorable mini dried pasta canvases. These simple crafts are perfect for the whole family.Â
Won’t you come along?
But First, Where to Buy World Cup Pasta?
Many retails shops like to get in on the World Cup action. Therefore, many stores sell World Cup products and memorabilia.Â
Case and point: two weeks ago, the children and I were making our weekly grocery store run, when we spotted (at the front of the check-out line), a bag of fun World Cup dried pasta. My children love pasta- so I thought these would be a fun way to celebrate the World Cup football games (soccer games, if you are American) with the whole family!
Last I checked, our local Aldi was still selling this World Cup pasta. (So, if you hurry, you may still be able to find a bag yourself!) I cannot remember the exact price, but they were under three dollars. Generally, these special dried pastas are for eating… but I immediately knew we could also do something more.Â
Let the homeschool crafting begin!
List of Materials for All 3 World Cup Kids Crafts:
The supplies list is simple- which is why this project is perfect for a homeschool (or rainy-day) craft. Obviously, the World Cup pasta is perfect for our World Cup celebrations, but you can also do this dying technique with any dried noodle/pasta.
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Supplies Needed for Coloring the Dried Pasta:
- Aldi World Cup dried pasta
- Food coloring (drops)
- Rubbing alcohol
- A Ziplock bag
- Parchment paper (or a newspaper) laid flat for drying the pasta
Supplies Needed for the Pasta Necklace Craft:
- Thin twineÂ
- Colored dried pasta/noodles
Supplies Needed for the Mini Flags:
- Toothpicks
- White paper
- Colored pencils
- Hot glue/hot glue gun or school glue
- Small canvases
- Colored dried pasta
- Glitter
- Hot glue/hot glue gun
How to Color Dried Pasta for Kid Friendly Crafts
Colored Dried Pasta
Materials
- 1 Cup Dried Pasta *We used Aldi World Cup Pasta for fun, but any dried pasta will work. (Note: If making jewelry- consider noodles that form a tunnel/tube).
- 3/4 Tbsp Rubbing Alcohol *If too dry you can use 1 Tablespoon of rubbing alcohol.
- 10 drops Food Coloring *Add more or less food coloring depending on desired color.
Instructions
- To a large Ziplock bag, add one cup of dried pasta.
- Then, add the rubbing alcohol and the food coloring of your choosing.
- Seal the bag and shake until all pasta is covered with the food coloring mixture.
- Pour the pasta on a piece of parchment paper or newspaper (on a hard surface such as a table or baking sheet) and allow the pasta to dry completely. This may take around an hour. Allow the pasta to completely before using in a craft of your choosing. (Otherwise, the food coloring may stain.)
Notes
Step by Step Instructions for Dying the Dried Pasta (in Photograph Form):
My photo illustrations paint a good picture below:
How to Make a World Cup Pasta Necklace with Dried Colored Pasta (Craft #1):
Making a necklace with colored dried pasta is a simple activity that can teach a child about colors and patterns- all the while exercising their fine motor skills. For a homeschool lesson you can have the child create a pattern by either repeating colors or repeating pasta shapes. Otherwise, this can just be a fun activity where the children are allowed to create their own designs. Perhaps after they have finished, they may give these fun crafts as a gift to a special friend or family member.
For this homeschool project my children and I used a thin twine. We measured around each neck (giving plenty of slack to tie a knot to secure the necklace at the back of the neck). Be sure to make the necklace big enough to be able to take the necklace on and off with ease.Â
My only top tip is to add a bit of glue (either school glue or hot glue) to the end or the twine or yarn. This way, the end of the twine is stiff enough to push through the dried pasta- while also keeping the twine from fraying.
How to Make (and Decorate) Mini Flags Using Dried Pasta as a Stamp (Craft #2):
Creating mini flags with colored dried pasta, paper, and toothpicks is another easy kid friendly craft idea. The dried pasta acts as a stamp. (*To see other stamp art homeschool activities- see my Beautiful Crafts for Children post here.)Â
Here are the simple step:
- Cut out a small rectangular shape. (We used an old thrift store price tag for our template…go figure!)
- Next, use colored pencils to create a design on the rectangular paper. (We made an American flag, the St. George flag (England), and a soccer ball stamped flag. This was to symbolize the teams we are supporting in the World Cup).
- Place a toothpick on the back of the flag (to the left side) and lightly roll the paper around the toothpick (creating a little folded channel).
- Finally, lightly hot glue the toothpick inside the folded channel and allow the flag to dry.
Once the flags have dried; you can add them to a muffin or a cupcake. You can add them to a game day dip (like we did). Or, you could add them to an air-dry clay project (see an air-dry clay project here). Perhaps you may even use the mini flags to decorate a playdough castle. (See my homeschool playdough recipe here.) The creative possibilities are endless!
How to Use Colored Dried Pasta to Make Fun Canvas Art for Kids (Craft #3):
My Happy Hawks Homeschool crew love to use canvases to create their own art. Generally, we buy our canvases from the Dollar Tree as they are inexpensive and work well for our kid friendly crafts. However, this time- I accidentally ordered mini canvases in my Walmart pick up. I was expecting a small canvas, but when we opened the order, we saw tiny 2 inch by 2-inch canvases. Despite the mix-up, these adorable mini canvases ended up being just right for the proportions of our dried pasta.
We created fun little pasta “scenes” using our colored dried pasta and some glitter and glue. That was it. These were simple ideas that could be done with any age child. Of course, they could be much more elaborate, but ours were simple and sweet.Â
How to Use Dried Pasta to Create an Edible "Craft":
Normally, we moms teach our children not to eat the crafts they make. However, there are exceptions to the rules when it comes to dried pasta crafts.
Seeing as my children are often hungry, we decided to use our leftover (uncolored and untouched) dried pasta to make a simple, fun World Cup pasta bake.
If you are interested in seeing the dried pasta recipe I used (except for a minor tweak in the pasta selection)- tune in next week and I will post the link to my original recipe post here.
Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks:
In conclusion to another fun post, I will remind you all to allow your creativity to take you further than the obvious. Dried pasta can be just that- pasta ready to be devoured- or it can also act as a fun craft supply that makes life a little more fun.
I hope you all enjoyed my 3 easy World Cup kids crafts post, and I hope you follow along soon for more fun ideas and inspirations.
Speaking of inspirations, do check out my homeschool guide page for more ideas. And don’t forget to check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages to follow along for any new blog updates.
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Well, that is it for this time. Happy World Cup month!
~Elizabeth~
