Crafty hedgehogs

I'm lucky to be currently reviewing Creative Steps magazine – a fantastic resource for anyone involved in childcare (whether that be professionally or as a parent) who wants crafty projects to do with kids of all ages. As part of my review Little Miss C and I are trying out some of the projects in the issues I've got and it's providing me with some great inspiration as to how to structure these chicken pox filled days. There will be a whole separate post soon on the magazine, and an opportunity to win a year's subscription, but for now I just want to share today's project – these crafty little hedgehogs.

One thing I've recently learnt is just how useful paper plates are as a basis for so many craft projects. Whether it be for drawing faces on or something more complicated a packet of these from your local discount store are a great addition to your craft supplies. A plate is also the basis for these hedgehogs too.

With a pair of scissors to shape them and felt-tip pens to colour them in it really doesn't take much time or effort at all before your plate is transformed into a cute, spiky creature that's ready for an adventure in the garden. Sticking on a wiggly eye is a great touch, but if you don't have any then a black felt tip will easily do.

Whilst these didn't take long at all to make Little Miss C really got stuck in to what we were doing and having shown her a photograph in the magazine of what we were making she instantly seemed to get what needed to be done. Before I could get a wiggly eye out of the packet she was already trying to draw an eye on in the right place.

The other thing that I loved about these hedgehogs was that once they were complete rather than just sitting on a shelf to be admired they were taken straight out into the garden to be played with. They were moved round the garden and put in various places as LMC told me that the hedgehogs were walking round the garden. We also had a great game of hide and seek with them where one of us would "hide" one of them and then the other had to find it. Finding one of these in a section of long grass seemed to make LMC's day!

Disclaimer: I was sent two back issues of Creative Steps for review. All craft materials used were purchased myself.