Thursday, August 2, 2007, 10:51 a.m.

Lazy Mom's Art Projects:

Teach your kids valuable creativity lessons with stuff from your very own kitchen!

1. Masks!  Take paper plate.  Cut in half.  Punch holes, one in each side.  Cut out eyes (approximate your kids eye level).  Let kid color and paint as desired.  Tie dental floss in side holes.  Put on kid's head.  Mask!

2. Puppet!  Take paper plate.  Glue or tape popsicle stick to bottom.  Let kid color and paint as desired.  Puppet!

3. "Outdoor Art Collage":  Give kid paper sack.  Walk around backyard.  Tell kid to "collect nature stuff".  (Have kids pick up leaves and sticks.)  Glue "stuff" to paper plate.  Clean up yard and get creative at the same time!

4. Butterfly:  Take coffee filter.  Wrap pipe cleaner around middle.  Spread out "wings".  Have kid draw with markers.  Butterfly!