Summer, Sea and boats!
When you think of summer, do you imagine sailing a boat, to and thro on the ocean waves?
Hold that thought……when it comes to our kids we need to entertain them, being in a boat is fun, but how about making a boat.
I don’t mean for real, but to get your kids to craft a very simple boat.
There are quite a few different ways to do this, but in this instance we are going to utilize our throw-outs and up-cycle them into something fun! How about a ‘Milk carton sail boat’?
Let’s consider what works in water!
I looked at egg boxes and these could be a very easy option, but it will sink as its made from composite paper. It would be fine if it’s just to make and have as a show piece, but on makeshift waves.
So egg boxes not good to put in water, but on dry surfaces.
Then there is polystyrene, I found various mould used for packaging and they can be cut down into a long type of vessel and this kind of material will float and can be decorated.
So polystyrene could be an option.
Then I looked at ordinary plastic food holders, some are shaped like boats and can easily float on water, although some work will be needed to attach a sail and make it look boat like.
So clear plastic moulds are suitable, but need painting and decorating a bit.
Examples of these packages are shown below.
How about milk or juice cartons? Let’s see…I think this will be more challenging as an activity and who doesn’t have enough milk or juice cartons to practice with!
What kind of boats and solutions let’s recap!
In my last post, ‘Make paper boats that float!’ I demoed how by using the folding techique, (starting off 2 dimentional), to make a boat (becoming 3-dimentional) and by preventing it from sinking, I recommend laminating it as an option to keep it dry.
So create a design within a laminating pouch then laminate it and using the same folding technique you will create a plastic like boat, that will last longer in water!
Now let’s move forward to this activity!
Within this project, have you guessed yet….we will be making boats and yes we will be using cartons!
My Intention!
We are going to look at making a ‘milk carton sail boat!’
Having looked at a milk or juice carton, it’s long, it’s 3-dimentional and if you put it on water it will float, but we need to change it and make it look more like a sail boat.
Experimenting with paints!
Before I started with this project, I played about with acrylic paints to see how they would hold up in water.
Acrylic paints.
Just acrylic paint, does not last well when exposed for a long time in water, I found it would curdle up. It’s composition is to have a plastic like finish, though I found it would still need sealing.
PVA glue as sealant.
Now sealing acrylic paint with PVA glue and allowed to dry is your best option. Not only is it lasting, it will also give you a glossy finish.
For a very tough lasting result, you can cover in craft vanish, but for the sake of this project PVA glue will be adequate.
Out of water.
When removed from water, you would need to allow the carton, or boat to dry well. In this way the paint stays flat, smooth and will not curdle. It may still have a sticky feel to it, you will know when it’s completely dry when not tacky to touch.
As show piece.
If you are making boats, but not to put in water just as show pieces, then you don’t need to cover it in PVA glue, unless you like the glossy finish.
Now we have got that out of the way let’s begin!