‘Tis the Season to Get Crafty – tra la la la la laaaa… certainly Autumn crafts are all in at the moment.. the trees are starting to change colours, the woods are littlered with Acorns and Chestnuts… Last week we made chestnut creatures and chestnut pencil toppers… this week we have a Chestnut Streamer Toy or “Kastanien Flugball” in German.
I can’t claim that this Streamer Toy was my idea, I first saw it on Labbe.de. I thought it look liked a fun idea and then we discovered that not only looked fun, but hearing the streamers flutter in the wind SOUNDS fun too. Gorgeous all round!
The Book
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf, by Lois Ehlert.
A “Fall” classic by the wonderful Ehlert. Although many poeple get this book out in Autumn – thanks to all the beautiful Autumn colours, this is actually a great book to look at the “life cycle of a tree”. It starts of with the “helicopter seeds” from a big maple tree.. how it falls, it lands, how some are taken by animals and others grow into seedlings in springs… how a tree then grows and how maybe it is then “harvested” by a nursery for people to buy and plant in their gardens. The book is once again beautifully designed – with Ehlert’s wonderful collages. It includes all seasons and at the end you get a handy section with tips on how to Plant a tree – how to choose one, when to plant it, where to plant it.. etc. Most definitely a great choice of book!
And of course a Chestnut tree starts is life with a conker…
The Craft
This is very quick and simple… once made take out and play!
Materials: Chestnut, tissue paper cut in strips, scissors, glue
1) Make a hole with your scissors or chestnut tool.
2) Cut some tissue paper strips. Twist at one end and insert with lots of glue. We made one with blue/ red/ white streamers and a “firey” one with yellow, orange and red!
3) Let dry.
4) Let fly!!!
We had great fun with these at the park.. they even bounce a little as they hit the ground (do it too often on a hard ground and your chestnut will crack) and be warned: dogs and cats LOVE these too….
See our full set of Chestnut DIYs here:
Looking for more Nature Crafts for Autumn? Take a peak at these!
Enjoy!
What others are reading
Kids Get Crafty: Chestnut Crafts (Pencil Toppers)
Kids Crafts: Chestnuts Crafts – Spiderwebs
Conkers Crafts (aka Buckeye Crafts or Horse Chestnuts!)
Chestnut Crafts – Animals (Mit Kastanien Basteln!)
Chestnut Crafts for Kids – Conker Faces
Toilet Paper Roll Dog Marionette from Hairy Maclary
Autumn Crafts: Horse Chesnut Spiders (Kastanienspinne)
Autumn Crafts: Horse Chestnut Snake (Kastanienschlange)
Emma @ScienceSparks says
September 28, 2011 at 10:16 amI love those Maggy! What a great idea! x
Red Ted Art says
September 28, 2011 at 10:24 amThanks Emma 🙂 with your science sparks hat on, you could calculate the trajectory!!!!
MisterJeremy says
September 28, 2011 at 11:42 amLooks fun! My son has been bringing home lots of chestnuts, so we’ll try this one out.
Bernadette - Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas says
September 28, 2011 at 11:43 amthese look fun & I love the pet warning, haha!
Red Ted Art says
September 28, 2011 at 12:05 pmHooray 🙂 enjoy making them!
Little Wonders' Days says
September 28, 2011 at 12:20 pmI love these chestnut streamers. How fun!
Amanda says
September 28, 2011 at 12:24 pmHey Maggie! Sorry, i entered my egg monster twice, can you pleas delete one? At least I used different pictures each time LOL
Lorie says
September 28, 2011 at 12:44 pmWe recently read the same book and did the bird treat ornaments in the back. My little guy would love to make these though! Thanks!
Red Ted Art says
September 28, 2011 at 12:47 pmLorie – yes, I love books that give you activity suggestions! Wonderful!
Red Ted Art says
September 28, 2011 at 12:46 pmAmanda – DONE!
Anna @ The Imagination Tree says
September 28, 2011 at 12:55 pmCute idea Maggy!
Esther says
September 28, 2011 at 1:08 pmI love the Chestnut streamers! I like them flying in the sky and you have got wonderful pictures of them flying in the air! a child in me is wishing to fly some in the air:-)
Red Ted Art says
September 28, 2011 at 1:11 pmThank you Esther and Anna! Getting the photos was the hardest part!!!
Kerri @ Baby Monitors Online says
September 28, 2011 at 3:30 pmThose look like so much fun! I love creativity 🙂
Rashmie @MommyLabs says
September 28, 2011 at 4:30 pmMy daughter loves reading about the lifecycle of a tree. Sounds like a lovely book, Maggie. And, the craft is way too much fun! Wow, we have to try this. 🙂
se7en says
September 29, 2011 at 12:51 amNow that is a totally cute piece of craftiness!!! And would you look at that… this week the link worked for us!!! Yay!!! Hope you have a great day!!!
Red Ted Art says
September 29, 2011 at 6:38 amThank you 🙂
And Hurray se7en, it worked!!! x
Isil says
September 29, 2011 at 11:24 amAbsolutely gorgeous, thanks for the inspiration! Oh once again an Ehlert book, must buy one of his books,coming across on many blogs. I can’t find them at the library.
Red Ted Art says
September 29, 2011 at 11:55 amIsil, I think Ehlert is a “key children’s author” in the US – a bit like Julia Donaldson and Oliver Jeffers here.. which is why you will have seen many of the books around, but not in our UK libraries!
Jacke says
September 30, 2011 at 11:37 amThose look so fun! And your photos are wonderful 🙂 We love the Ehlert books. Actually, I have Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf and Leaf Man on hold at the library. We’re picking up today! Now we have an activity.
JDaniel4's Mom says
September 30, 2011 at 12:46 pmThis looks like the perfect activity for a fall day.
SnoopyGirl - Eclectic Musings says
September 30, 2011 at 1:44 pmThose flying chestnuts look like such a blast.
mermaid says
September 30, 2011 at 2:39 pmAnnabel`s uncle will be visiting us tomorrow.. now I have a fun activity to offer them 😉
Thanks for sharing!
Red Ted Art says
September 30, 2011 at 2:41 pmOh yes! PERFECT for uncles!
Melissa @imaginationsoup says
September 30, 2011 at 11:39 pmI linked an old post – is that okay?
Red Ted Art says
October 1, 2011 at 8:46 amYes! All posts always welcomed!! 🙂
mummiafelice says
October 1, 2011 at 6:59 amwow! These are amazing!!!! I just KNOW my kids will love this! We went conker collecting last weekend… oooh!!
Thanks for linking up Maggy 🙂
Caz says
October 2, 2011 at 11:07 amThat looks so fun, anything involving streamers is going to be a hit with my two!
Gwne @ Buttercup's Babies says
October 4, 2011 at 6:54 pmOh dear… Now I have to on the hunt for a book AND a chestnut tree…:)
Red Ted Art says
October 4, 2011 at 6:59 pmOh no! I can post you some of ours?!?!?!? 😉 Do you have any other similar-ish things were you live??
Jill @ a mom with a lesson plan says
October 6, 2011 at 9:40 pmWhat a fantastic idea! I can’t wait to go collecting possible streamer weights!
creativejewishmom/sara says
October 6, 2011 at 10:25 pmoh this looks like so much fun…..but no conkers around here unfortunately. Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful projects on Craft Schooling Sunday!
La-La's Home Daycare says
October 13, 2011 at 4:48 pmI wonder if I could do that with an acorn? LOL We do not have any chest nut tress. Super idea though! Looks fun! 🙂
Hannah @ Making Boys Men says
October 10, 2013 at 12:36 pmWe have bags full of conkers thanks to our walk home from school, thanks for another great idea of what to do with them. Thanks for stopping by the Outdoor Play Party.