Category Archives: Tools, Tips & Testing

It’s Glow Time

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glow pigmentIt’s the stuff that dreams are made of…it’s glow-in-the-dark pigment! To make custom glow-in-the-dark “paint,” simply measure this pigment into white glue and stir. In an instant, you have glowing paint to make your projects really pop. The pigment is activated by sunlight, fluorescent, incandescent, and ultraviolet light. Best of all, it’s non-toxic.

In the past, I’ve had kids paint surfaces with brushes, use squeeze glue bottles to write things, and create glorious glowing masterpieces in a black light room. I get my pigment (the standard green color) at Educational Innovations, an online science supply company.

It’s wonderful stuff!

Bling Bin

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bling binIf you craft with kids, you need a BLING BIN!

My bling bin is a 18″ x 11″ x 7″ plastic tub filled with all sorts of odds and ends. Glittery stickers, sparkle stems, shiny paper, mylar squares, pom-poms, tissue paper, metallic poster board pieces, gold curling ribbon, the works! When I have a project that requires free-form creative decoration, I bring out the bling bin so kids can pick and choose what they would like to use.

In fact, to break out my Educational Psychologist hat for a moment, I always try to build choice into all my projects, so kids will exercise those decisive brain muscles and feel a sense of ownership. This technique can be quite simple. If the project calls for a pipe cleaner, let them pick the color they want from a pile. If you’re making a box dog, give them a few “dog” colors to choose from (and always have pink on hand because someone always asks!).

And before you ask, yes, my Educational Psychologist hat looks exactly like Dumbledore’s hat, complete with gold tassel.

The bling bin is also a nifty recycling bin. If I have something shiny left over from a program, I toss it in the bin for a later date. I love seeing the metallic stars we used for a tooth fairy project show up on a robot marionette a few weeks later.