Kathy Ross
"Kids Who are Wild About Oceans"
hosted by Sue Spataro

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• Looking for ideas for your child's birthday party?
• Need a lesson plan about the ocean?
• Just have kids who love beach crafts?

Well, if you answer yes,
to any of these questions then Kathy Ross' book Crafts for Kids Who Are WILD ABOUT OCEANS is the book for you!

Kathy Ross, the well- known craft book author and expert has another terrific book chock full of ideas from the sea.  You will fall in love with her Sea Star and laugh and her clam puppet.  These crafts are fun to make and help a child get a better understanding of the ocean and her creatures.

Kathy, as a beach lover, your book Crafts For Kids Who Are WILD ABOUT OCEANS should also say for adults who love the ocean : )!  Your crafts are so creative and unique; yet very simple for children to successfully complete.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with me about your craft book : ).

Sue:
Your craft book Crafts for Kids Who Are WILD About Oceans is very creative, I've never seen so many fun and different beach crafts. I especially liked your Sea Star and Friendly Octopus crafts. Do you spend much time at the beach now and/or as a child?

Kathy:
No, not too much. Our summers were divided between Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks and an island in the Georgian Bay in Canada. The projects in the ocean book, like all the Wild About series, called for some careful research on my part. I can't tell you how much I learned doing that series. As an adult, it had been a long time since I had seriously studied environments. It was a lot of fun and I hope that my projects will help make it fun for all the children learning about these topics in school.

Sue:
As I looked through your craft book I kept thinking what a great theme- the ocean. How would a parent or teacher use your book Crafts for Kids Who   Are WILD About Oceans to plan a party or lesson plan(s)?

Kathy:
I have used many of these projects in my summer school program. I like to focus on one creature at each class session. I start a file of songs, stories, books and games that help teach children about the animal. The animal's all have an appearance and some characteristics that are unique to them. I focus on that and we role play being that animal, often to a song or rhyme. You mentioned you liked the sea star with an arm that can disappear and come back. To pretend we are sea stars, I have all the children stand with legs wide apart and arms up in the air to look like sea stars.

Sea Star

We sing this song which I have known for so long I cannot properly credit where it originated.

1,2,3,4,5 arms has the sea star.
1,2,3,4,5 arms has the sea star.
If, by chance, he lose an arm.
There is no cause for alarm,
You quickly will discover,
That he can grow another!
1,2,3,4,5 arms has the sea star.

As for parties, the sea star would make a great invitation and the projects in the book would make impressive decorations hanging from the ceiling and decorating the table. I always think that making a craft is a great party activity. (Not surprising!) I am particularly fond of the shark with a mouth that can suddenly open to expose very sharp teeth. I often take my shark with me when I do school visits. He is guaranteed to cause smiles.

Scary Shark Puppet

Here is what you need:

• Two 42-ounce oatmeal boxes
• Adult-size black or dark-gray sock
• Black construction paper
• Two cotton balls
• Scissors
• White glue
• Masking tape

Here is what you do:

1. Cut down the side of one of the oatmeal boxes.  Cut the rim off the top of the box.  Cut out the bottom of the box.
2. Carefully peel the printed outer layer off the upper portion of the box to expose the gray cardboard underlayer.
3. Cut 1-inch-long pointed teeth all the way around the peeled rim of the box.  If you want the teeth to look whiter than the color of the cardboard, you will need to paint them.
4. Wrap the cut box around itself until the mouth opening is about 4 inches across.  Wrap the outside of the box with strips of masking tape to hold the rolled cardboard in place.
5. Cut out the bottom of the second oatmeal box.
6. Cut the toe off the sock so that it is open at both ends.   Slide the sock over the second box to cover it with the cuff at the rimmed top of the box. The sock should be pulled over the box so that the cuff forms a closed mouth for the shark and the foot end of the sock closes over the tail end of the shark.
7. Glue two cotton balls on the cuffed end to make eyes.   Cut pupils from the black paper and glue them in place.
8. Cut two side fins from the black paper and glue them in place by making a fold along the fin to glue to the shark.  Cut two identical top fins from the black paper.  Glue the two pieces together, first spreading the two sides out at the bottom to form a fold to glue onto the top of the shark.
   
   To use the shark puppet, slide the teeth into the back of the shark so that they are hidden inside the box body.  By pushing on the inner box you will cause the teeth to emerge from the mouth of the shark with a surprising show of ferocity.  Yikes!

Meet the Author
Kathy Ross
"Crafts From Your Favorite Fairy Tales"
hosted by Sue Spataro
Interview & FREE Swan Puppet Craft

Kathy Ross' craft book Crafts From Your Favorite Fairy tales is a wonderfully charming book filled with fun and easy crafts for kids to make from their favorite stories. Whether your favorite story is the Little Mermaid (mobile) or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (an adorable bed complete with dwarfs), Kathy has an activity for your child.  Check out her adorable stapler blankets from The Princess and the Pea. Kathy's book is perfect for any family, child care group, or school setting. Crafts From Your Favorite Fairy Tales lives up to Kathy's high standards which makes craft both simple to make and beautiful finished products.

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