Table of contents for Summer 2025 in Creative Steps

We waited until our boys were young teenagers before we took the plunge and went to our first summer music festival as a family, but wished we’d dived in sooner! What a fabulous escape and one we all enjoyed thoroughly… even the early morning dawn chorus of “Bogies!” from excited kids ringing around the campsite. Time moves on and the eldest is now performing at festivals around the globe, so perhaps those nights under canvas were a good investment! The summer festival season in the UK is about to get into full swing and there are many more family-oriented events for you to choose from these days, packed with crafts and arts activities for young people, alongside the music, comedy and mindfulness zones. In this issue we’ve previewed a few…

The Creation Station help unleash the wonder within, through fun and educational arts and crafts, classes, parties, events and products. As a multi-award-winning, five-star rated company, they inspire over 14,500 children and families every week with creative arts and crafts experiences across the UK. Creating journeys of discovery, exploration and development to unlock ideas through fun, hands-on activities, here are a few creative ideas, taken from the www.thecreationstation.co.uk website. How to Make a Cut Paper Jaws Stop Motion Scene STORE CUPBOARD ■ Paper and corrugated cardboard (for characters, props, and background)■ Googly eyes (because every shark needs some personality)■ Paint markers■ Scissors and glue■ One lolly stick (for attaching the text)■ A phone or camera (for capturing frames)■ A tripod or stand (to keep your shots steady)■ Stop motion app…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ A5 coloured paper■ Scissors■ Pencil■ Glue■ Self-adhesive sticky dots■ Pen■ Card - for making a background 1 Fold over the end of a piece of A5 paper to make a triangle, open it out then cut it off to make the body shape. Cut another smaller triangle for the tail. Glue the tail to the body. 2 Cut long, thin triangles in another colour for stripes, glue them onto the body and tail then trim the ends around the edge. 3 Glue the fish shapes onto a background. Glue 2 small overlapping triangles for a mouth. Add self-adhesive sticky dots for eyes and bubbles or cut out small circles from paper. 4 To make a picture with smaller fish, cut down the paper triangles into smaller pieces.…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Paper cup■ Paints - bown, yellow, white■ Paintbrushes■ Old toothbrush■ Cocktail stick■ Scrap of red paper■ Shells■ Strong glue■ Glue stick■ Ruler■ Pencil■ Scissors 1 Paint the paper cup with a mixture of brown, yellow and white paint. Leave to dry. 2 With an old toothbrush and yellow paint, add a stipple effect on the sandcastle. Leave to dry. 3 With brown paint, paint on a door and oblongs around the top of the sandcastle. Leave to dry. 4 Cut a 7 x 2cm flag out of red paper. Fold in half and cut out a triangle through both sides of the flag. Spread a glue stick on the inside of the flag and press a cocktail stick into the fold before pressing the flag together. 5…

Butterfly Mask STORE CUPBOARD ■ Template■ Scissors■ Cardboard■ Glue■ Sticky tape■ Lollipop stick or paper straw■ Pens, pencils, feathers etc (to decorate your mask) 1 Download and print our butterfly mask template, then carefully cut it out. 2 Stick the mask on to some cardboard (an old cereal box is perfect). Alternatively, draw your own butterfly onto a piece of cardboard. 3 Cut around the mask again, and then carefully cut the eye holes out. Ask an adult to help you with this bit as it can be tricky. 4 Now it's the fun bit. Decorate your mask however you like. You could use felt tips, scraps of paper, ribbon - anything you like! 5 Tape a lollipop stick or drinking straw to your mask to make a handle so…

Adult supervision is recommended, especially when using straws and food colouring. STORE CUPBOARD ■ Bubble soap solution or washup liquid■ Food colour or natural colours (like beetroot juice or spinach water)■ Plain card or thick paper (white or coloured)■ Bubble wands or straws■ Small bowls or a muffin tray■ Pen or fineline marker for outline 1 Pour a little bubble solution or washing-up liquid into each bowl. 2 Add a few drops of colour into each one and mix gently. 3 Dip the bubble wand or straw into the coloured solution. 4 Blow bubbles onto the paper or in the bowl and let them pop on the paper or transfer them to make a print by dabbing the card or paper on the bubbles created on the surface of the…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Empty clear plastic or glass bottle with a lid■ Clean sand or gravel■ Small sea shells or plastic sea life toys■ Water■ Baby oil or cooking oil■ Blue food colouring■ Craft bits to make 'boats' or 'surfboards' (like corks, toothpicks, foam sheets) 1 Add a spoonful of sand or gravel into the bottom of the bottle. 2 Place small sea shells or sea toys inside. 3 Fill half the bottle with water and add a few drops of blue food colouring. 4 Carefully pour oil into the bottle until it’s nearly full. Watch how it floats above the water! 5 Seal the bottle tightly. You can tape the lid shut to prevent any leaks. 6 Gently tilt the bottle from side to side and watch the waves…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Small clear plastic bottle■ blutack or small piece of tape■ String - to hang the bottle■ Permanent marker■ Scissors (or something with a sharp point)■ Clock or watch with a second hand 1 Carefully pierce a very small hole in the bottom of the plastic bottle using the point of a pair of scissors or a pair of compasses. Adult supervision is advised. Cover with a small piece of blutack or tape to stop the water leaking out. 2 Tie a string loop around the neck of the bottle - leaving the bottle top off. 3 Fill the bottle with water and mark the level with a marker pen. 4 Hang the prepared bottle where the water can safely flow from the bottle - over a sink/bath…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Wooden push pegs (old fashioned)■ Wool■ Scraps of material, decorations■ Fine marker pens■ Glue/ double sided tape■ Pipe cleaners■ Leaves Green Hair Fairy 1 Lay several 20cm lengths of wool together, fold in half and tie the looped ends together with a small piece of wool to create a hairpiece. 2 Loosely plait the ends of the hairpiece before sticking to the top of the peg head with glue or sticky tape. Add small pony beads to decorate. 3 Make a dress and bodice from scraps of material or two large leaves and stick to the body. 4 Add face features and add shoes to the tips of the peg legs using fine marker pens. To make wings Fold a pipe cleaner in half and bend into…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Small clear salad bowl■ LED tea light candle■ Pink foam■ Coloured tissue paper■ Sequin string■ Eye stickers■ Black marker pen■ Pink paint■ Thin paintbrush■ Twine or wool■ Scissors■ Strong glue■ Pencil■ Ruler 1 Wash and dry a small plastic salad bowl and take off any labels. 2 Lay the salad bowl on pink foam and draw around the lip. Cut out. 3 Put a candle in the middle of the pink foam circle and draw around. Cut out just inside the circle, so the candle can push through without slipping out. 4 Stick the eye stickers to the head and draw on a mouth with black marker pen. 5 Add pink cheeks to either side of the mouth. 6 Cut 10 strips of tissue paper, each 2cm…

BEACH PARASOL CARD STORE CUPBOARD ■ 1 sheet of blue A4 card■ Scrap of yellow paper■ Scraps of brightly coloured & black sticky-backed foam■ 3 flat-backed gems – 5mm■ Glue stick■ Scissors 1 Fold the blue card in half and crease firmly. Using the scrap of yellow paper, cut to the same length as the card and cut out a squiggly top for the sand. Glue onto the bottom section of the card with a glue stick. 2 Using the templates provided, cut out nine identical isosceles triangles from different coloured foam. Also cut out three black umbrella sticks from black foam. 3 Arrange the shapes onto the front of the card as shown in the picture. When satisfied, peel off the backing paper and stick into place. Glue on…

The Thylacine and the Time Machine Renée Tremil  £8.99 (PB) www.allenandunwin.com Join twelve-year-old Violet, her dog Tassie and her new friend Thyla - the ghost of the last living Tasmanian tiger - as they go on an incredible journey into the past to discover the real story of thylacines in Australia. But maybe all hope is not lost! Maybe science holds the key to the possible de-extinction of the Tasmanian tiger. Age 8 years + We say… Packed with fascinating facts, this entertaining graphic novel will enthral inquisitive young minds The World’s First Human Cannonball Mike Barfield & Franziska Höllbacher  £10.99 (PB) www.bonnierbooks.co.uk Ever wondered what it would be like to be an Incan runner, carrying messages across the ancient Andes at lightning speed? Or perhaps a jester,…

Win a new Banwood ECO scooter and helmet worth £120! Outdoor children’s lifestyle brand Banwood has launched the new Banwood Eco Collection, featuring the classic 3-wheel Banwood scooter and helmet for children aged 3+, now crafted with a sustainable twist, in a new, earthy colour palette and at a lower price point than their classic collections. The Eco collection is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, repurposed from discarded bottles, bags, cups and fishing nets, sourced through certified waste disposal partners. Banwood’s co-founder Frida Jonsby says: “We wanted our products to help tackle the vast amounts of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean every year, posing a significant threat to marine life and ecosystems. Banwood’s Eco Collection maintains the same iconic design, durability and style expected from Banwood,…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Bubble wrap■ Paper straws■ Scissors■ Coloured card■ Poster paints■ Paint brush■ Dish/tray Daisies 1 Carefully snip the end of a paper straw to create several thin petals. Bend them back to form a flower head. 2 Dip the straw flower head into paint and press onto card several times to form daisy flower heads. 3 Paint stems and leaves with green paint. 4 Add colourful centres to the flowers using a paintbrush or your fingertip dipped in paint. Hydrangeas These are created by scrunching up some bubble wrap into a ball and dipping into blue paint. Press the wrap onto card to create several flower heads. Us a different/lighter shape of blue, press onto the flowers to create a stunning effect.…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Cardboard plates■ Paints■ Paint mixing tray or a plate■ Brushes■ Bubble wrap■ Sponges■ Thick card■ Pencil■ Ruler■ Scissors■ Glue 1 Place a cardboard plate face down (with the pattern around the edge sloping downwards). Paint the plate all over then leave it to dry. Lightly brush another colour on top, or use bubble wrap to print a pattern, or paint a pattern with a brush. Use thick card dipped in paint to print lines. Leave to dry. 2 Turn the plate over. Draw a line across the middle with a pencil and ruler. Draw another line across the middle to divide the plate into 4 sections. Use the pencil lines as a guide to cut off 2 diagonals from the edge of the plate to make a…

Count to 10 and Back Again! £10.99 (BB) www.workman.com Read this book forwards and backwards! For young kids learning their basics and exploring the world around them, this board book teaches how to count from 1 to 10 - and back again, from 10 to 1. Age 0 years + We say… A cleverly designed book that will encourage young ones to learn to count The Wild Robot on the Island Peter Brown www.bonnierbooks.co.uk Roz is not where she's supposed to be. Roz the robot wasn't designed to live in the wilderness. But when she washes up on an island, she must learn from the animal inhabitants and adapt to her new, natural surroundings, and before long, the island begins to feel like home. Age 3 years + We say……

STORE CUPBOARD ■ 2 Medium sized paper plates■ Pink and yellow paints■ Paintbrushes■ Pale pink paper■ Black marker pen■ Wiggly eye■ Twine or wool■ 2 pink feathers■ Strong glue■ Scissors■ Ruler■ Pencil 1 Draw the head and neck along the edge of a paper plate. Draw the outlines for 2 feet. 2 Draw the body on the paper plate and cut out all the flamingo shapes. 3 Paint the beak yellow and leave to dry. 4 Draw on the top and bottom of the beak in black marker pen. 5 Paint the flamingo pieces with pink paint and leave to dry. 6 Cut 2 strips of pink paper 2cm by 45cm. 7 Fold the strips backwards and forward every 1.5cm to make a zig-zag fold. 8 Stick all the pieces…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Cardboard tubes■ Small hole punch■ Wool■ Pipe cleaners■ Googly eyes■ Marker pens■ Card offcuts■ Glue/double-sided tape■ Scissors 1 Using a small single hole punch, make holes around the rim of the tube, approximately 1cm from the end. 2 Cut lengths of wool 20cm long. Fold each piece in half and poke the looped end through a hole. 3 Pass the two loose ends through the loop and pull tight. Repeat to fill all the holes. 4 Create your hairstyles! Tie into a pony tale or plait into braids. 5 Decorate the face with pens, cardboard off cuts or as you wish! ALTERNATIVES ■ To make the wild curly hair, wind pipe cleaners around a pen or similar round object to create springy curls. ■ Attach by poking…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ White card■ Paints & paintbrushes■ PVA glue & pencil■ Paper in yellow, blue & red■ Felt & cotton wool■ Googly eyes & tiny pebbles■ Matchsticks & black felt-tip■ Drinking straw■ Kitchen foil & sponge 1 Cover the top half of a piece of white card with light blue paper, and cover the bottom half with yellow paper. 2 Put some blue and green paint into a pot, and mix it up a little. Use a small piece of sponge to dab the paint onto the middle of the scene to make the sea. Before the blue paint dries, add some white paint along the bottom edge to make sea foam. 3 Draw around the sun template onto yellow card, cut it out, and glue it onto the…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Coloured paper and card■ Scissors■ Pencil■ Plastic lids, bottle caps, lids■ Permanent pen■ Ruler■ Glue■ Paint 1 Draw spokes with a permanent pen on 2 plastic transparent lids for bicycle wheels, or draw the spokes onto 2 jar lids. 2 Cut some thin card strips for a bicycle, glue them together into a frame with handlebars and a saddle. Draw a chain wheel or use the lid of a felt pen dipped in paint to print a circle at the base of the frame. 3 Glue the shapes to a folded card. Add lettering and background decoration. HINTS & TIPS ■ To make a bicycle frame draw a simple shape on a piece of paper as a guide. Cut some thin coloured card strips, add a small…

STRAW PICTURE 1 Take sheets of A4 black card and lay them out in front of the children. Gather some plastic drinking straws together plus some scissors and strong glue. 2 Encourage the children to think about what kind of pictures they want to create. Don’t dismiss ideas that appear to be too difficult at first, as you’d be amazed at the flexibility offered by straws with a little imagination! 3 Get the children to cut the straws into different lengths to create their pictures and to lay the pieces out roughly on their pieces of card. When they are happy with their design they can start gluing the straws down. Double-sided tape also works well. WACKY SCULPTURES 1 Find a shallow cardboard lid from a box (shoebox lids are…

Three lucky Creative Steps readers have the chance to WIN this exciting bundle packed with fun – perfect for the upcoming summer school holidays! Orchard Toys collaborates with early years experts, teachers, and children to create games and jigsaws that are not only entertaining but also educational, age-appropriate, and engaging. Little Bug Bingo – RRP £6.00 Perfect for ages 3-6, this fun matching game features a variety of bugs and insects for children to identify, from ladybirds to water boatmen. The first player to fill their board with leaves and shout “bingo” wins! Things to Do Sticker Activity Book – RRP £3.25 A 24-page sticker and activity book featuring a wide range of activities including solving puzzles, wordsearches, crosswords, sums, dot to dot and more! This colouring book offers levels…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ Tin foil■ Brightly coloured tissue paper■ PVA glue & brushes The Flowers 1 Take a large sheet of foil and twist it in the middle to make a bow tie. Shape each side to look like a petal. Petals are all different shapes and you can easily sculpt the foil to create a curved and realistic looking flower. 2 Repeat this process with another sheet of foil and then twist the two sets together until they are firmly in place. To add an extra petal just make a petal shape and scrunch it into the twisted section. 3 Choose brightly coloured tissue paper and tear into small pieces. 4 Cover the middle of the flower with a thick layer of glue. Use a dry paint brush and…

This year’s Big Butterfly Count will take place from 18 July - 10 August and leading wildlife charity, Butterfly Conservation, needs you to get involved! The annual citizen science programme, which is now in its 16th year, attracts tens of thousands of people out into their gardens, local green spaces or the countryside to spend 15 minutes counting butterflies and helping to track trends and inform conservation action. After declining numbers of butterflies resulted in the charity declaring a nationwide ‘Butterfly Emergency’ last year, it’s more important than ever that people take part in 2025. Last summer’s Big Butterfly Count results were alarming. Overall, participants spotted just 7 butterflies on average per 15-minute Count in 2024, a reduction of almost 50% on 2023’s average of 12, and the lowest in…

Backpack Explorer Stickers: Bug Adventure Kathleen Yale £12.99 (PB) www.storey.com Kids will love playing and learning with hundreds of stickers showing insects and bugs buzzing, flying, climbing, and crawling. 250 scientifically accurate stickers give a realistic look at ladybugs, beetles, ants, spiders, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, caterpillars. Explore bug habitats and learn about bug lifecycles, behaviours, and more. Age 4 years + We say… A perfect companion to go exploring and spotting the bugs around us. The Glass Heart Sally Gardner £12.99 (HB) www.headofzeus.com In a faraway, magical kingdom of palaces built on water and secret gardens, there once lived three princesses whose hearts were made of glass. The first princess's heart was broken. The second's got cracked and could not be mended. But the third princess was lucky and her…