Undersea adventure abounds as you cruise the sea in your sub! The sub also doubles as a spyglass, so you can spot all sorts of aquatic wildlife. See the happy jumping fish?
We recommend Rub-a-Dub Sub, written by Linda Ashman, and illustrated by Jeff Mack (Harcourt, 2003). Zooming around in an orange submarine, a little boy encounters numerous ocean creatures – a seal, a manta ray, a horseshoe crab, and an eel to name a few! But an encounter with an enormous shark forces him to quickly retrace his steps to the surface, where he finds himself safe and sound – in his very own bathtub.
You’ll need:
- 2 paper cups
- A box cutter
- Construction paper
- Scissors and tape for construction
- Markers for decorating
Optional:
- 1 paper towel tube
- Hot glue
I’ll show you the simplest version of the sub project first, then follow it with the paper towel tube variation. Use a box cutter to cut the circles in the bottoms of 2 paper cups. Make sure to leave a little ledge around the bottom of the cup.
Next, turn the cups end-to-end and connect them together with hot glue. If you can’t do hot glue, simply connect the cups with tape. We used black masking tape for the photo below, but regular tape works just as well.
For the paper towel tube version of the project, cut the holes in the bottoms of the cups. Then place a piece of paper towel tube inside the bottom cup (our tube piece was 6.75″ long but you might have to adjust yours a little). Place the second cup over top of the first…
Then hot glue (or tape) the two cups together. So…is the extra effort for the paper towel version worth it? You decide! Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the 2 projects. One could argue that the paper towel tube version looks more like a spyglass, but the cups-only version is cute too.
Next, cut a periscope shape out of construction paper, tab the bottom, and attach the periscope to the top of the sub. Finally, use markers to give your sub portholes, plates, rivets, and bolts. Any markers will do, but we really liked how silver metallic marker looked on the black paper cups.
Miss Marissa designed this awesome project, and she made a fantastic I-Spy game to go with it! To play, print up the characters in this template (click here for small on a single page, click here for large on multiple pages). Tape the characters in different locations and have the kids find them with their sub spyglasses. However, if you spot the shark you have to immediately head back to “home base.” This is especially funny if the shark is taped to the back of an adult who is wandering among the submarine searchers!
Calling all demigods and satyrs…with the simple command of “Maia!” your sneakers will sprout wings and fly! This project looks awesome and is super easy to put together. However, please note that winged sneakers are not recommended for use in or around Tartarus.
Next, take a small paperclip and bend the shorter loop backwards. Wrap the shorter loop with masking tape.
Use a glue dot or hot glue to attach the paper clip to the back of the felt wing.
Repeat the above steps with 3 more wings, then slide the wings onto your sneakers! Feel free to experiment with different colors too. Here’s a nod to one of my favorite Percy Jackson characters, Blackjack.
Interested in a cheaper, simpler version of this project? We did a whole post on how we 
Scowls, frowns, crabbiness, and a general feeling of malcontent? Totally fine. Because when it comes to pet ownership, you need to find the pet that works for you. Even when you’re grouchy!
When everyone is finished, it’s time for a game! Line the pets up on a “pet store” table. One by one, have the kids find their pets, then tell the group (or, if they’re shy, their grown-ups) the pet’s name and what the pet hates. However, the kids must have tremendous scowls on their faces while talking. The minute they smile or laugh, their turn is up!