MISCELLANEOUS
Chinese Kite (Kindergarten slats, paper, glue)
Take a firm, light paper (druggist's paper will do). Cut two oblongs, 7 × 10 inches. Cut off all the corners by an oblique line of three inches. Fold each oblong lengthwise. Place the folded edges back to back, still folded. Take two slats and place one under one oblong and over the other, horizontally. Do the same with the other slat, but reversing the under and over positions. Take four strips of paper, which should be about one inch wide. Paste two strips over the splints, one on each side, to hold them in place. Place a third strip from top to bottom of the folded oblongs to hold them together. (They meanwhile lying back to back.) Turn the oblongs over and place the remaining strip in corresponding position. The result is a four-winged kite. Tie a cord around the slats and it is finished.
Ash-Tray (Cigar bands, glass saucer, photographer's paste, square of felt)
For some time past children who are under the sway of the collecting instinct have acquired from friends or by purchase the bright colored bands that come around cigars and then have utilized them thus: Make an ash receiver by getting at a stationer's a glass dish and its accompanying piece of felt. Paste bands in pleasing positions upon the under side of the glass. (Photographer's paste shows no discoloration.) Meanwhile, the felt should have been thoroughly wet, stretched to fit the under side of the dish, and hung up to dry. When dry, paste upon the under side of the dish and trim off neatly the projecting corners.
Pen-Tray (Materials same as above, except that stamps or embossed letter-heads are substituted for cigar bands)
There are many who do not wish to encourage smoking, and to such we suggest a pleasing modification of the above.
Buy the glass dish and felt above mentioned, and instead of the bands paste upon the dish canceled postage stamps or letter-head monograms, etc., for a pen-tray. A smooth glass saucer and any piece of bright-colored felt that may be in the house may of course be used.
Scrap-Book (Colored paper-muslin, heavy sewing silk or worsted, paste, paste-stick)
Cut paper-muslin of pretty colors, pink, blue or tan, into pieces 8 × 13 inches (six pieces in all). Fold each one over once and fit together to make a book, the cover being of a color different from the body of the book. Sew all together by overcasting the back with stitches ½ inch apart in one direction, and then going back in the opposite direction through the same holes, thus securing a cross-stitch effect. Show the child how to paste scrap-pictures neatly in this book. He may keep it for himself or give it to the children's ward in a hospital or to some younger friend. A very little paste or glue will suffice; a bit in the centre and towards the corners of a picture.
If the child has collected a large assortment of cards before beginning to make the book, let him classify them, putting together on one page animals, on another plants, on another pictures typical of the different seasons, etc. He may in this way suggest a house, putting on one page kitchen furniture arranged in some logical order; on another page the furnishings of bedroom, etc. Pictures for this purpose may be cut from magazine advertisements, trade journals, etc. In the same fashion a store may be furnished with articles for sale, the counter, scales, and desk. This gives practice in selecting and arranging. Good taste may be inculcated even from such small beginnings.
CHAPTER IV
THE SEWING-BASKET
While busy with thread and needle, the mother may find it necessary to suggest some happy employment for the little one who asks for something to do. What do the contents of the sewing-basket hint?