Summer is coming up, and that means lots of sun, lie-ins and most importantly, free time. For teenagers like me, boring is the word of the century. Whenever there's nothing to do, it's boring. "I'm bored of being bored because being bored is boring." The easiest solution? The internet. Social media is thriving, which means we spend most of our lives with our eyes stuck to an electronic device. This summer, lets change that. Here is a list I've compiled of DIY projects which are easy to do at home with resources you can find around you. Go be creative and enjoy!
DIY Projects to keep teenagers busy this summer:
1.Create your own art on discarded cardboard
You will need:
Cardboard
A sharp tool with which to cut the cardboard
Steps:
Take the cardboard and cut it into a shape- square, circle etc.
Using the sharp tool, strip away the top layer so you can see the ridges underneath
Continue doing so until you create a design!
2.Make your own Coat and bag hanger
You will need:
A branch
Paint or spray paint
An axe or something sharp to cut the branch
Steps:
Take a long thick branch and cut the twigs so they are all about a finger and a half long
Paint the brach or spray paint it. If you want, you can paint the 'hooks'a different colour
Cut the base of the branch so it sits flat on the floor
Make sure the brach is securely positioned and hang away!
3.Make your own firefly lamp
You will need:
Empty soup can
Permanent marker
Drill or nail and hammer
Fairy lights
Spray paint
Plastic lid
Steps:
Take the soup can, wash it out and take off any covering
Spray paint the can
With the permanent marker, mark on the places where you would like the holes to be
Drill into the marks until theres a hole or hammer the nails on the marks (this will take much longer and more effort than the drill)
Fill the can with fair lights and face the can so that the open end on the tin is on the ground
Drill a hole in the plastic lid so the lead of the fairy lights can come through
Fit the lid onto the open end
4.Create your own Salt Scrub
You will need:
1 cup of coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons of grape seed oil. Olive oil works too, grape seed is just lighter
2 tablespoons of water
1-2 drops of essential oil (optional)
Glass bowl and jar
Steps:
Take all the ingredients and put them in the glass bowl
Mix well
Put the mixture into the glass jar
Get in the shower or bath and wet your skin then scrub with your salt, and rinse.
5.Make a crisscross lampshade
You will need:
Drum-style fabric lampshade
Approximately 10 yards 5/8-inch-wide satin ribbon in two colours e.g. orange and light blue
Glue gun
Hot-glue sticks
Tape measure
Pencil
Straight pins.
Steps:
Mark 1-inch intervals around the top of the shade with a pencil.
Cut the 5/8-inch-wide satin ribbons into 34 10-1/2-inch strips.(Or cut strips to fit the size of your shade; each strip should be 1-1/2 inches longer than the height of the shade.)
At each pencil marking, apply the first colour ribbon strip diagonally. This should leave about 3/8 inch between ribbon strips.
Hold in place temporarily with straight pins.
Hot-glue ribbon ends to the inside top and bottom of the shade.
Then, attach and weave the second colour ribbon strips diagonally in the opposite direction so that they weave through the already secured strips.
Each second colour ribbon should weave in and out of three of the first colour strips. Hot-glue ends inside the top and bottom of shade.
6. Make your own 3D Letter Photo Collage
You will need:
Coloured paper or spray paint
Newspaper
Cardboard
Glue gun
Pictures
Steps:
Cut out the shape of the letter on cardboard with flaps on the side
Use a glue gun to stick the sides together to make a 3D letter
Before gluing on the top, scrunch up newspaper and put it inside, filling the inside of the 3D letter up
Either spray paint the cardboard or stick coloured paper on top
Take the photographs and cut them out
Stick the pictures on with the glue gun so that there's a border between the edge of the letter and the photograph
7. GOLD LEAF MAP ART
You will need:
Printed artwork (map in this case)
Golf leafing kit (gold leaf sheets and an adhesive pen)
Steps:
Trace over your printed artwork with the adhesive pen, allowing it to dry for 5-10 minutes.
Lay sheets of the gold leaf over top of parts you traced with glue and rub gently with your fingers.
Pull the leafing away, and brush away excess leafing with your fingers or a soft brush.
Frame!
8.Make your own wind chimes!
You will need:
Cupcake cases
Strong string
Thin wire
Bells
Scissors
Steps:
Cut about 12 inches of string
Poke a hole through the base of the cupcake case and put the string through it
Take a few inches of wire and bend it to make a u-shape
Put as many bells as you would like on the wire
Bend one end of wire to make a small loop and the other into a hook
Put the hook through the loop to form a circle with the wire
Tie the string that is through the cupcake case around the wire loop
Repeat until you have at least three chimes
Hang them all on a nail outside and listen!
9.Make your own Galaxy converse
You will need:
Acrylic paint in blue, white pink and purple
Sponge or sponge brush
Old toothbrush
Newspaper
Pair of converse
Paint brush (optional)
Mr Clean Magic Eraser (optional)
Steps:
Remove the laces and tape the soul and rubber toe of the shoe.
Apply paint all over the shoe. Initially only use blue then add in a few drops of white and go back over the sections to lighten it up.
After you get your blue layer done start adding in the other colours.Mix the colors on the sponge and a piece of newspaper to help with the blending. Focus on making it look like you are painting clouds. Dense color in the middle that turns wispy around the edges. Blend well.
If you make a mistake or don’t like how the colors come together just paint over it with your blue.
Add in a touch of white to break up the colors.
Keep layering until you get the desired effect.
Finally take the toothbrush and dip it in the white paint.
Run your thumb over the bristles while pointing the toothbrush at your shoe. The toothbrush splatter creates little star clusters.
Let them dry.
Lace up your shoes. If you want to add an extra touch you can even paint your laces in one colour!
Remove the tape and wear them outside!
(If you want to you can use theMr Clean Magic Eraser to clean the soul and rubber parts of the shoe if it's old)
10.Make your own flower vase
You will need:
An empty wine bottle
String
Nail Polish Remover
Ice
Scissors
Emery Board or Sandpaper
Water
Knee length socks or any socks above ankle length
Lighter or any source of fire
Needle and thread (Optional)
Steps:
Fill a large sink with cold water and ice. The colder the better! Make sure that the sink is not only wide enough to hold the bottle but deep enough to thoroughly submerge it.
Tie some string around the circumference of the bottle.
Take the string off the bottle and submerge it into a volume of nail polish remover, without untying it.
Put the string back around the the bottle and ignite the string! If the flame extinguishes itself from lack of fuel, replenish the fuel by dripping nail polish remover over the string then re-igniting. Do this about thrice.
Once the bottle has been adequately heated, sharply and abruptly dunk it into the volume of cold water. This massive change in temperature at the strings location on the glass causes a thermal shock, rippling a crack around the glass and splitting it in two!
Take the now open bottle and place it on the counter so it can become room temperature
Take the sock and cut off the bottom.
If you would like, you can stick the ends of the sock at one end together
Fit the sock on the bottle like a sleeve
Place the bottle on a counter, put some water and a few flowers in it and tada!
11.Make a paperclip door cover
You will need:
Paper clips
Spray paint
Branch
String
Scissors
Wire
Steps:
Take the paper clips and hook them together to make chains long enough to reach from a few inches below the top of the door frame to the ground
Make 13 such chains (or more)
Cut a piece of string about 7 inches long and tie one end to the top of the chain
Cut the branch so its length is the width of your door
Drill three holes into the branch and a length of wire through each and knot the bottom, making the knot bigger than the hole
You can either put the three wires together at the top and hang it or put them apart
Hang and enjoy!
12. Stud your own converse!
You will need:
Permanent Marker
Converse
Super Glue
Toothpick
Screws
Spikes & Studs
Steps:
Using the permanent marker, make marks on the shoes
Push the screws through the marks
Using the toothpick, put glue on the screws
Put the spikes or studs on the screws and wait for it to dry!
13. Firework shorts!
You will need:
Pair of denim shorts or jeans
One bottle of bleach
Large plastic bowl
Rubber gloves
Water
Elastic bands
Measuring jug
Steps:
Grab small sections of the shorts and wrap rubber bands around in tight loops.
Wrap extra bands around the whole “parcel”
Wear the rubber gloves and pour equal parts bleach and equal parts water in the bowl (use the measuring jug to be specific)
Place the shorts in the bowl for about three minutes. Keep checking the colour until you're happy (they will be lighter when they dry)
Take the shorts out to dry
Remove the rubber bands and wash the jeans thoroughly so there's no bleach left!
Go out and wear them!
(You can do this to any item made of jean!)
(Sources: Sometimes Secreative Blog, Midwest Living, Sugar & Cloth, A Designer Life, Artists helping Children, Sparkle Collective, Pinterest, Industrious Justice).
More activities to do with the kids:
Things to do with your young ones continued:
1. Coram's Fields
Providing a cornucopia of facilities to delight its young patrons, the Bloomsbury-located Coram’s Fields is one of the most child-friendly open spaces in central London. Set on the former site of Thomas Coram’s Foundling Hospital, which was established in 1747 as a sanctuary for unwanted babies, Coram’s Fields continues to protect children by enforcing a strict policy that only permits adults to enter if accompanied by a child under 16. There’s a city farm and an adventure playground for the older kids with a zip wire, tunnel slide and lots of climbing equipment made out of natural materials, and there's plenty to do for the younger ones.
93 Guilford Street,
London
WC1N 1DN
http://www.coramsfields.org/
2. Giant slides in Victoria Park
On the east side of vast Victoria Park, The Hub is a playground for bold adventurers. Along with climbing equipment and sand play (plus a pool play area that’s open in summertime), The Hub boasts huge swooping slides for speedy thrills. There is a skatepark here, too, though smaller children might prefer to head for the V&A playground to the west of the park, near Grove Road, for the gentle pleasures of swings and other things.
Victoria Park
London
Go on a south London safari with these guided nature trails featuring craft workshops, scavenger hunts, games and performances. The sessions take place monthly and each focuses on a different theme, with activities chosen accordingly.
Sunday July 12 2015 - Sunday September 13 2015
Various Locations
http://fanshen.org.uk/current/tooting-field-days.html
4. Harry Potter Studios at Warner Bros Studio
This studio complex near Watford was the location for a lot of the filming and production for the Harry Potter movies. Happily some of the sets remain and are open to the public. The ‘Making of Harry Potter’ exhibition doesn’t disappoint, and it offers insights into the creative process of filmmaking. Permanent displays include a painstakingly recreated Platform 9¾, and the magnificent Hogwarts Express steam engine.
Warner Bros. Studios,
Leavesden
5. Dodge the water jets in Granary Square
The area behind King’s Cross is gradually turning into a charming piazza between the station and the nearby arts venues and college buildings. Already there are some lovely features, including choreographed fountains (1,080 water spouts, operating 8am-8pm daily, and lit in many colours at night), the square’s terracing down to the canal is populated most sunny days. Try to stay dry or just run straight in and get soaking wet as you play. The square is also home to the House of Illustration – a gallery an education space dedicated to promoting and celebrating illustration.
http://www.kingscross.co.uk/granary-square
Granary Square
http://www.kingscross.co.uk/granary-square
Activities for kids of all ages continued:
1. Laid-back bicycle
Long before the hipsters hijacked the cycling scene with their too-cool-for-school fixies, London Recumbents were on a mission to get people pedaling.Cycling for kids in London gets harder as roads get busier and space to store a bike at home gets squeezed. Happily, London Recumbents, who hire all kinds of funky, differently styled cycles in Dulwich Park and Battersea Park, are here to help. There are banana bikes, adult recumbents, tandems, family bikes and and bikes for people with special needs. Take your pick and spend a sunny day circumnavigating one of south London's gorgeous parks in grand style.
Ranger's Yard
Dulwich Park
College Road
London
SE21 7BQ
2. Clip 'n Climb
Clip 'n Climb is a new themed climbing attraction where visitors can clamber, climb, hang and drop from 22 colourful challenges including The Skyscraper, Dark Tower, Jungle Gym, Leap of Faith and a Vertical Drop Slide. The activities are suitable for everyone aged four and up and no climbing experience is necessary. Ninety-minute sessions include a 20-minute induction. There is a coffee, juice and snack bar at the centre and secure lockers to store belongings in. Advance booking is recomended at weekends and holidays.
19 Michael Road
3.Red Bull Air Race World Championship
The loud, fast and frankly terrifying Red Bull Air Race returns for 2015, with the British leg of the Championship being hosted for a second year at Royal Ascot. Daredevil pilots including World Champions Paul Bonhomme and Nigel Lamb will negotiate the racecourse at just a few metres about the ground, barrel-rolling and looping their way through obstacles at some 230mph.
Saturday August 15 2015 - Sunday August 16 2015
From £30
http://www.redbullairrace.com
http://www.clipnclimbchelsea.co.uk/
4. Balance on stepping-stones
Richmond Park’s wild landscape is ideal for families. Venture beyond the gates of the Isabella Plantation (near the south side of the park), and you’ll find yourself in a scented, colourful world of flowers and bushes. Choose your pathway into the woods and find the pretty oasis of Thomson’s Pond. Picnic under the weeping willow then try to negotiate the stepping-stones and the series of bridges over the stream without getting shoes and socks wet.
https://www.royalparks.org.uk/
Richmond Park (nearest gates Ham or Ladderstile)
Surrey
London
TW10 5HS
5.The Beach at JW3
Those who like to be beside the seaside can feel the sand between their toes in JW3's piazza this summer. The area will become a mecca for all the best bits of summer – deck chairs, paddling pools, barbecued food and plenty of sand. Entry is free.
Jewish Community Centre
Places to take your teenagers continued:
1. Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon
A byword for timeless elegance both on-screen and off, Audrey Hepburn is one of the twentieth century’s most enduring style icons. The National Portrait Gallery’s summer show charts Hepburn’s picture-perfect career, from being a West End chorus girl to leading lady. Alongside iconic portraits by the likes of Cecil Beaton and Irving Penn, there’ll be rare family snaps and behind-the-scenes shots, too.
Thursday July 2 2015 - Sunday October 18 2015
National Portrait Gallery, Leicester Square
Standard admission £9; Concessions £7.50
2.Lovebox
Still one of the finest boutique efforts in London, catering for cool kids and party monsters, Lovebox slimmed down to a two-dayer last year but managed to pack just as much fun in. As usual, it should be one of the highlights of the London summer thanks to a storming, genre-blurring line-up of DJs electronic acts and live bands, plus all sorts of weird fun on the side (performance, art, dance, and mysterious mischief).
Friday July 17 2015 - Saturday July 18 2015
Victoria Park Rd
7am until dusk
t£85 (weekend), £49.50 (day)
3.Urban Food Fest
International street food options fill a Shoreditch car park with great food and a fun crowd
The Shoreditch car park is transformed into a food-focused party for this weekly night market which features a revolving cast of traders. Dishes from all over the world are served from stalls and trucks; Organiser Jessica Tucker knows that visitors are likely to get thirsty what with all that eating, so the bar's stocked with craft beer, cider, wine and even champagne. Events are often themed, with free cocktails for all those in fancy dress. Entry is free. The food is not.
Saturday June 13 2015 - Saturday December 19 2015
Euro Car Parks, Brick Lane
4. BaySixty6
This spacious skate park fills the space under the Westway, meaning it benefits from rain cover and fresh air round the edges (if the air below a motorway can be counted as fresh). Three main sections provide something for everyone – there's a bowl, park/street area and beginners section for those still learning. BMX access is restricted for safety reasons but there's an exclusive session for them every Tuesday night. Beginners' sessions take place between 10am and noon every Saturday and Sunday. Skateboard and helmet hire is available and there are lockers, toilets, vending machines and a skate shop.
http://nikesbbaysixty6.com/
65-66 Acklam Rd
5. God's Own Junkyard
God's Own Junkyard showcases neon artist Chris Bracey's personal collection of work in a salvage yard in Walthamstow. It contains everything from his signage for Soho sex clubs in the '60s to his work for the movie industry, including pieces that were used in 'Captain America', 'Eyes Wide Shut', 'Byzantium' and more. Sandwiched in between all of this, you'll find his artwork, some of which have been exhibited in his gallery shows, and others that were specially commissioned by other artists and clients.
http://www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk/
Unit 12, Ravenswood Industrial Estate
Walthamstow
London
E17 9HQ
