Magic Wanda is the "how to" series for children that teaches them everything from sports, music, gardening, art, hobbies, crafts and so much more!

Between the ages of 3 and 7, a child is being introduced to a world of possibilities. They are not only learning in school, but they are learning in everything they do. The world is new to them and it is at this time of major exploration and curiosity that children are introduced to four little dragons, who will be their guides in the discovery of this amazing new world.

Magic Wanda have put together a Magic Wanda Activity Sheet, and they have kindly teamed up with us to provide them for you. There activities are have Curriculum support and your children can created Nimbi Island.

Creating Nimbi Island

Nimbi Island is the wonderful island of dreams where Magic Wanda and her young dragon friends live. It’s a colourful, magical place with beaches, deserts, forests and topped by Volcano Mo, out of whose mouth forgotten dreams pop!

In this week long programme of events the children create their own Nimbi Island with a different activity each day, culminating in a celebratory erupting of the volcano!

Plan for the week

Monday - Miniature dragon and tree sculptures

Using modelling clay, plasticine or salt dough each child makes a miniature dragon and/or tree which ideally can stand up! Salt dough is a good option as it can be made up in batches of different colours and then baked at about 200 degrees C until it’s hard, taking care it does not burn. Air drying is possible but takes about a week.

To make salt dough:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1.5 cups hot water (from tap)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• Food colouring
• Glitter (optional)

Mix the salt and flour together, then gradually add the water and food colouring until the dough becomes elastic. Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, adding more flour if mixture becomes too sticky or more water if too crumbly. Add some glitter to make it sparkly, although you will need quite a lot! Knead the dough until it’s a good consistency.

Tuesday - Making Nimbi Island

Write a list of features to include on Nimbi Island, including a Volcano Mo.

On a piece of plywood board tape a clean aluminium pie plate (or baking pan or paper plate) where you want Volcano Mo, not too close to the sides on your board. Do not cover this plate.

Decide where to place all the other landscape elements from your list and draw them onto your board.

Build up larger features like hills by crumpling up newspaper and taping it to the board in roughly the shape you want. Cover it with strips of kitchen roll dipped in a mixture of PVA glue and water (half and half). Small pieces of scrunched-up kitchen roll dipped in the glue mixture can be positioned to look like bushes. Leave to dry overnight.

For water, mix some blue paint into PVA glue (about half and half) and lay some cling film on top, pinching it to make waves in the water. Or sprinkle glitter on the wet paint Yellow paint mixed with sand makes a suitably gritty beach.

Wednesday - Volcano Mo

Tape a small empty clean plastic pop bottle onto the aluminium pie tin (or baking pan or paper plate).

Make a stiff cardboard cone to fit around the bottle leaving the neck poking out and tape it in place.

Build up the shape of Volcano Mo using the scrunched-up pieces of kitchen roll dipped in glue technique described above to cover the cone and plate. Leave to dry overnight.

Thursday - Decorating Nimbi Island

Paint Volcano Mo and the rest of the island.

Friday - Nimbi Island Celebration!

Place all of your dragon and tree sculptures around the island and any other ‘props’ the children may want to use, such as pebble and twigs.

Sprinkle different coloured glitter around the island.

Celebrate the children’s accomplishment by ‘erupting’ the volcano!

NB This is messy so is best done outside or somewhere easy to clean! Model dragons and trees need to be ‘rescued’ from the island before the eruption!

Using a dry funnel, put 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottle. Add a few drops of washing up liquid and about a half cup of water. Optional: add a little bit of glitter (about half a teaspoon).

Put a few drops of red food colouring into about half of a cup of vinegar.

Using the funnel, pour the vinegar mixture into the bottle (then quickly remove the funnel). Volcano Mo will erupt immediately! When the vinegar reacts with the baking soda, carbon dioxide gas is formed and the bubbles push the "lava" out the "volcano."

If you want to find out more about Magic Wanda visit their website www.MagicWandaMedia.com

© Gobsmack Productions Ltd 2006

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