At Home with Bounty

Are your kids tired of making sand castles each time they visit the ocean? The next time you head to a public beach, work together to create a seashell wreath. Simple beach crafts can be made at the beach, taken home, and enjoyed immediately. Adult supervision required.

What You'll Need:

• A plastic pail
• Seashells
• A beach towel
• A cardboard wreath form
• Multipurpose craft glue
• A wreath hanger

Instructions:

1. Tell the kids to hunt for seashells using a plastic pail. They should look for small, lightweight shells. Any shapes, colors, or designs will work. Sand dollars and starfish can also be included.
2. Ask the children to take the pail of shells to the water's edge and rinse each shell. They should remove sand, seaweed, and algae. This is also a good time to discard broken shells or ones with a foul odor.
3. Lay the seashells out on a beach towel to air-dry. This is when you can take inventory of the collection and see the variety of colors and shapes.
4. Once the shells are dry, start attaching them to one side of a cardboard wreath form. Place a dab of multipurpose craft glue on one shell at a time, and press it on the cardboard wreath form. Start by covering the wreath form. Then, if there are extra shells, you can layer the shells or save them for other beach crafts.
5. Let the seashell wreath dry in the sunshine. Don't touch the wreath or try to hang it for at least an hour. This will give the glue time to set. When it's time to head home, pack your beach souvenir. Proudly display your beach craft on a wreath hanger on the front door of your home!