Creating a Dragon: Kid's Handpainting Craft

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I love having our kids create crafts that will provide a remembrance of just how little they were at one time. Making a craft using their handprints provides such an opportunity. For my dungeon master husband's birthday, our kids made dragon cards using construction paper and paint.

Materials

• Construction paper
• Washable paint
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape (if needed) 
• Pens, markers, or crayons 
• Wipes 

Steps

1. Gather materials.

2. Prepare paper, choose colors, and have wipes nearby to clean hands.

3. You can cut out the pieces for the dragon face before or after you paint the body with hand prints. I looked through books and online to find inspiration for the dragon face. You or your children can design it however you want.

4. Paint your child's hands. Let them paint their handprints on the white paper.

5. Once your handprints are dry, you can attach the dragon head. 

Rolling Up a Character 

If your children are interested in playing Dungeons & Dragons with you and the rest of the family, there are many different options that will help you get them started on the journey of pen-and-paper role playing. My husband began playing role-playing games (RPGs) around 1981. After 30+ years of administrating and playing RPGs, he recommends folks try rules-light games that are either free or low-cost. The fastest (to learn) and cheapest games he recommends are Basic Fantasy RPG (based on the 1981-1983 iteration of the Dungeons & Dragons rules he learned from, also known as the Moldvay [or more correctly Moldvay/Marsh/Cook] version) and Swords & Wizardry Light (a very streamlined version of the original [1974-1979] Dungeons & Dragons rules). Swords & Wizardry Light can be played "as is" or later graduated from—into Swords & Wizardry Continual Light or the more thorough Swords & Wizardry Complete, which is currently free in its PDF form.

Playing games with your family is a fantastic way to spend time! You can even incorporate games into your homeschooling day if you wish. From simple games for preschoolers like Koala Capers to more complicated logic games like Cats Crimes, you can teach your children many different skills while having fun.

Holidays: Father's Day Gifts for Gamers

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When it comes to gift giving for Father's Day, there are so many options available. One can make a homemade card with their children, provide their husband or dad with a gift card to a outdoor store, or find something that aligns with their personal likes.

My husband loves gaming – from video games that we play together to roleplaying to board and card games. If your loved one is also into games, here are few ideas to help you find the perfect Father's Day gift.

Board and Card Games

Two of our favorite games are the Red Dragon Series and the Munchkin Series. But there are also a lot of other games we enjoy including Superfight, Monopoly, as well as cooperative games that help us work together or grow team-building and communication skills.

Roleplaying Games

My husband has been a fan of roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons, Top Secret, and others since he was in elementary school. Over the years he has collected a number of handbooks, modules, and materials that allow him to lead family and friends in adventures. As it is a genre where people are always adding new adventures, plots, and materials, there are multiple options for gifts within the RPG community.

And if you are really stuck, a gamer is always happy for a new set of cool looking dice! Or a way to store those dice in a purchased dice bag, lunch box (like we use), or a hand-sewn bag.

Miniatures are also a great gift for a gamer. Especially since it doesn't matter if they have one skeleton or a hundred skeletons - they can always adapt a dungeon to include the necessary amount for the adventure.

Video Games

Over the years my husband has gone from playing single-player games to those that allow him to play with our teen, other family members, and me. This way, what could be a time-consuming hobby that takes one away from the family is actually turned into a team-building activity where we can all work on communication skills. Whether we are playing Minecraft, Wii Sports games, or games rated for older players like Borderlands, we can enjoy time together.

There are many options for husbands and fathers who enjoy video games. Controllers, headsets, and games are great options as well as gift cards that allow them to make in-game purchases or DLC purchases for games they already love and play often.


Then you have the T-shirts, books, collectible figures, and more affiliated accessories that many companies offer. For example, one could purchase a Fallout Crate for a fan of the Fallout Series, a bobble-head or lunchbox, or T-shirts with a D&D theme. There are so many great options for the the Gamer Dad!

Crafts: Pole Arms and Stained Glass Windows

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For my stepson's 15th birthday, we hosted a Swords and Wizardry Light-themed party. In addition to purchasing items to decorate our house, I also made several decorations with the help of my husband and daughter.

Trident and Pole Ax

Using old cardboard from my teen's dresser, I traced and cut out shapes to make a dagger, pole ax, trident, and shield.

I used old paints of varying shades of gray and black as well as some silver paint to add depth.

This project took several hours over the course of multiple days as I waited for the paint to dry so I could add another coat.

Pieces ready for paint

Painting process

Stained Glass Windows 

After researching a variety of DIY stained glass crafts on Pinterest, I decided to modify how we would make our own for the kitchen. We purchased two pieces of poster board and using stencils, I traced some shapes which my husband cut out.

Designed, traced, and waiting to be cut by my husband.

I used recycled tissue paper from previous birthdays and holidays to create the coloring glass effect.

My daughter helped choose the colors. 

I would recommend cutting the tissue paper to closely match the shape of the design.  It will help give it a more polished look.

This project took several hours to complete from tracing, cutting out the shapes, and cutting and gluing the tissue paper.

If I were to do this project again, I would use black poster board to prevent seeing the shape of the tissue paper when the poster board is hung in the window.  I would also use two pieces of poster board for each 'window' so that the tissue paper is in between them for durability.