It is summer time and I am home with my kiddos and am always looking for interesting things to do and try with them to create memories and learn at the same time. I found a few fun DIY's that I think kids

MAKE PINK DYE FROM AVOCADOS

You can actually create an all-natural clothing dye from avocados. And you might be thinking it would be the gorgeous shade of green from an avocado--but you'd be wrong! The tannins in avocados actually create a beautiful dusty rose pink dye! This would be a really fun way to safely dye fabrics or yarn with children. Grab a white scarf or t-shirt and give it a go!

Add water to a big bowl, add your fabric and let that soak for a few minutes. Add your avocado skins and at least one pit to a pot and boil the water, checking every 5 minutes, until it reaches the color desired. As soon as the color reaches the depth you want, turn off the heat and cool to room temperature. Ring water out of fabric and place in pot, covering completely. Bring heat back up to simmer and keep it simmering until desired color is achieved in fabric. Rinse well when finished and let dry.

EXTEND LIFE OF FRESH CUT FLOWERS WITH FLAT SODA

My kids love to go out and pick flowers and bring them in to me. Even if it's a beautiful simple dandelion, it means so much to me and I love to display the flowers they pick. Here is a cool way to extend the life of fresh cut flowers to enjoy for many more days. This is also a perfect way to use up the second half of the two liter bottle of flat Sprite that's been sitting in the fridge for too long. Two birds with one stone!

The reason you can extend the life of the fresh cut flowers from soda is that the sugar in the soda helps feed the flowers and keep them fresh for longer. However, the downside is that the sugar also promotes the growth of microbes. Therefore, you can add a little bit of bleach to the solution to control the microbial populations. Use a citrus soda like 7Up or Sprite and make a solution of one part soda and three parts water, along with a few drops of bleach.

DIY CHALK WITH GROUND UP EGGSHELLS

I love sending my kids outside to draw and write with chalk. It can keep them busy for a long time and you get to go out and enjoy their beautiful, colorful creations! You can easily make your own chalk by using leftover egg shells. To do this you'll need 6 egg shells, washed and dried thoroughly. After the shells are dried out completely, grind the eggshells thoroughly with mortar and pestle or by using the back of a spoon in a bowl until they are finely ground.

Mix together 1 teaspoon of flour and 1 teaspoon of very hot water. Add 1 tablespoon of the ground egg shell powder and mix it together until it is a thick paste. This amount will make one piece of chalk.

Add one or two drops of food coloring if you want it to be colored chalk, otherwise leave it out and it will be white.

Shape the paste into chalk sticks and roll them up into a paper towel, wrapping them tightly. Leave the chalk sticks to dry for 3 days. Then your eggshell chalk will be ready to use!

*You can also place the thick paste into a mold if you are wanting a fun shape instead of the regular chalk shape.

Have you tried any of these DIY methods before? Please share in the comments below.