I smiled when I saw them. One. It was the middle of the winter and the ground was thick with snow. Two. Because I remembered—I had made a pair of sandals just like them when I was her age. And now here were hers that could have been mine.
Her handmade summer sandals are just the reason we have a bag full of fabric, full of possibilities unlimited. Fabric scraps dreamed into projects she has made—handmade clothes fashioned for herself and her sister's dolls, hand-sewn (even stapled and glued) costumes for pretend play, and now these sandals. A special someone once had asked what she could get our daughter for her birthday. This special one was a sew-er, and I asked if she had any unused fabric. She did. An entire bag of endless imaginative uses she passed along to us.
All children should have a bag of fabric scraps imagination.
And now that winter weather is gone and sandal summer weather is here—
she likes it better barefoot.
make-your-own sunshine sandal project for children
Have child trace each foot on material of choice. Our young one thought to use a pad from an ironing board cover(!) for her cushy soles. I used paper when I was a child (two pieces stapled together, with stuffing sandwiched between for cushion); but cardboard, felt, or fabric are fine choices for just-for-fun sandals that will be worn indoors.
Children can staple, glue, or stitch on fabric or ribbon straps. Colored paper, patterned paper and even paper decorated with paints or crayons can make creatively fun, simple sandal straps.
Our daughter also added yarn that tied prettily around her ankles. Children can experiment, play and make them as they wish for this no-instructions-needed-do-what-you-want creative project.
Because this project uses recycled materials, it would be a creatively fun recycling art project for kids at home or school to make for Earth Day too! ©heather cahoon • wordplayhouse
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