Toilet and kitchen roll crafts!

[mumofone]

Apart from the obvious binoculars does anyone have any good craft ideas for using up empty loo and kitchen rolls?!

[Maza]

I sense a debate coming up about whether or not we should use toilet rolls in art and craft...I don't personally (did as a child and never came to any harm) but I do use kitchen rolls. They are good for printing activities - you can shape them into hearts, squares, triangles, four point stars etc. I also use them a lot in sensory trays (rice, lentils etc), with ping pong balls - either by themselves or made into a 'machine' by cutting holes into cardboard boxes and shoving the tubes into the holes to be used as ramps and chutes. I once stuck magnetic tape to a load of them and the children were creative with them on the fridge - sometimes just making abstract designs and sometimes using ping pong balls to make a marble run.

Very young children will enjoy just painting them as an alternative to flat paper, slightly older ones will just make abstract art/collage using feathers, sequins etc.

For more specific end product type of crafts check out the 'red ted art' blog. She has tons of ideas.

We have also made rain makers with them often.

[FloraDora]

Wind tubes ....tissue strips stuck inside at bottom , handle, use on the field run and hold them up - great fun on a windy day.

[mumofone]

I sense a debate coming up about whether or not we should use toilet rolls in art and craft...I don't personally (did as a child and never came to any harm) but I do use kitchen rolls. They are good for printing activities - you can shape them into hearts, squares, triangles, four point stars etc. I also use them a lot in sensory trays (rice, lentils etc), with ping pong balls - either by themselves or made into a 'machine' by cutting holes into cardboard boxes and shoving the tubes into the holes to be used as ramps and chutes. I once stuck magnetic tape to a load of them and the children were creative with them on the fridge - sometimes just making abstract designs and sometimes using ping pong balls to make a marble run. Very young children will enjoy just painting them as an alternative to flat paper, slightly older ones will just make abstract art/collage using feathers, sequins etc. For more specific end product type of crafts check out the 'red ted art' blog. She has tons of ideas. We have also made rain makers with them often.

What's the reason for not using them maza (sorry if I'm being a bit slow!)

[k1rstie]

The story is that they could harbour germs because they go near bums!!
But this is an urban myth. They are not banned. The HSE has a series of posters dismissing these myths, includes loo rolls, and hanging baskets.

[Maza]

It's the whole hygiene thing. As I said I played/crafted with them as a kid and never came to any harm but I just can't bring myself to use them now. I know the risk is minimal and other people will roll their eyes, lol. I wouldn't store any other craft material or toy that close to the loo.

Hanging baskets? Oh lordy, why were they considered a risk? Ignorance is bliss sometimes!

[bunyip]

The story is that they could harbour germs because they go near bums!!
But this is an urban myth. They are not banned. The HSE has a series of posters dismissing these myths, includes loo rolls, and hanging baskets.

This is mentioned on an HSE myth-busting poster about egg boxes giving children salmonella.

Our local school bans poo roll middles from junk modelling, yet still mananged to use a drugs box which is far more troublesome to have around the class in case the donor forgot to remove the tablets. I had a mindee come home with one such item and had to call school to confirm she'd not got hold of anything she shouldn't.

I know one mum whose child came back from nursery with an old-style baking foil box, complete with metal serrated edge, forming the basis of her junk model. :panic:

[bunyip]

I wish to propose a new regulation.

Any EY "professional" who argues that poo roll middles must not be used for craft because they go near bums should be forced to go about with no skirt, trousers or knickers on because they go near bums too. :o

:D

[mumofone]

Lol I hadn't even considered this!! Hope the parents didn't think I was minging for sending bog roll binoculars home!!! Oops!

[Maza]

I wish to propose a new regulation.

Any EY "professional" who argues that poo roll middles must not be used for craft because they go near bums should be forced to go about with no skirt, trousers or knickers on because they go near bums too. :o

:D

Yes but they only go near MY bum and I'm not worried about that, lol!
Okay, at the risk of grossing people out a mindee of mine did get a bit of poo on a loo roll while I was supervising him wiping his bottom. It was small but I could see it because I saw it happen - had I not seen it happen I might not have known it was there because it was very small. That's what put me off. :)

[Simona]

This is mentioned on an HSE myth-busting poster about egg boxes giving children salmonella.

Our local school bans poo roll middles from junk modelling, yet still mananged to use a drugs box which is far more troublesome to have around the class in case the donor forgot to remove the tablets. I had a mindee come home with one such item and had to call school to confirm she'd not got hold of anything she shouldn't.

I know one mum whose child came back from nursery with an old-style baking foil box, complete with metal serrated edge, forming the basis of her junk model. :panic:

I worked in a preschool recently where children were not allowed cereal boxes in case of nut allergies...have you heard about that one?
I think we are going H&Safety mad...let's wrap children in cotton wool ...or is that dangerous too?

[mumofone]

I worked in a preschool recently where children were not allowed cereal boxes in case of nut allergies...have you heard about that one? I think we are going H&Safety mad...let's wrap children in cotton wool ...or is that dangerous too?

Oh my god that's ridiculous!!!! It's amazing how we all ever survived eh?!

[k1rstie]

I worked in a preschool recently where children were not allowed cereal boxes in case of nut allergies...have you heard about that one? I think we are going H&Safety mad...let's wrap children in cotton wool ...or is that dangerous too?


I can see the reason behind that one, but only if there was a child attending with a nut allergy.

[Simona]

I can see the reason behind that one, but only if there was a child attending with a nut allergy.

Yes it did cross my mind...but they did not ban egg boxes...puzzling!

[bunyip]

Yes but they only go near MY bum and I'm not worried about that, lol!
Okay, at the risk of grossing people out a mindee of mine did get a bit of poo on a loo roll while I was supervising him wiping his bottom. It was small but I could see it because I saw it happen - had I not seen it happen I might not have known it was there because it was very small. That's what put me off. :)

Lucky you!

I've had mindees who leave the washroom looking like the H-Blocks, circa 1981. :p

My own grand-daughter wins the top gross-out award. As a baby, she woke in her cot, removed her nappy and poo-painted the window ledge. She was once present when I had a prospective client visiting. Emerging from the toilet she proudly announced "I did a poo and wiped my bottom like you taught me." I was so proud and so sure the visitor would be impressed, until my grand-daughter continued, "you'll have to go and deal with the big 'floaty' I left." :doh:

[k1rstie]

here is the link for the Health and Safeyy Myth busters. in includes posters for loo rolls and hanging baskets.

Top 10 worst health and safety myths (http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/top10myths.htm)

[hectors house]

Back to the original thread - we save toilet roll tubes and use them for planting sunflower seeds and runner bean seeds in, when we start them off indoors in a big planter - it makes it easier for the children to pick up the tube when planting them out into the garden and they don't snap off the plant.

Also use them for printing with (as said above), making into a pirate telescope, a spout for Incy Winsy, insides for Xmas crackers, junk modelling etc

[SYLVIA]

Whilst changing a pooy nappy once the child reached down n grabbed it putting it between his legs and it landed PPP side down on his entire face. I did have to smirk when mum picked him up later n gave him a big kiss. Oh yer. We used them this year to plant beans and flower seeds in