Toddler Activities: Make a Mosaic Coaster

Description

Toddler Activities: This is a great craft you can make with your children. Using a coaster mold and some pretty craft glass, buttons or other flat decorations, make a coaster that will last years. Fill the coaster mold with Plaster of Paris, embed your decorations and let dry. Pop it out of the mold gently and you have a coaster.

Materials

• Dap Plaster of Paris ( best price was at Michaels for the 4 lb tub)

• Coaster mold can be found at most craft stores or Amazon. We used a clear plastic mold but now they offer a lot of silicone molds that are longer lasting.

• Container/cup and spoon or wooden disposable chopstick to mix plaster

• Colored Craft Mosaic Glass (we selected ours from Michaels but Amazon also has a wide variety) There is sea glass, transparent glass and mosaic tiles and shaped pieces to choose from.

• Popsicle stick or wooden chopstick to press items into the Plaster of Paris.

• Other items to consider using instead of glass: mosaic tiles, flat buttons.

• Fine grade sandpaper

Steps

• Mix plaster in a container according to the directions. We used a tub that was cleaned from dishwasher pods or a strawberry bucket. Use only for crafts once you mix Plaster of Paris in it.
• Fill the coaster mold with plaster until a little below the top. Do not over fill. When you press the pieces of glass into the plaster, the level of the plaster will rise slowly.
• Gently drop pieces of glass onto plaster. With a popsicle stick or wooden chopstick, gently press into the plaster until the item is level with the plaster. You can use your fingers to gently press the items if you are careful.
• Very carefully while on a flat surface, shift the mold back and forth gently to let all the pieces settle and create as flat a surface as possible. It must be done on a flat surface and very gently or you will cover the pieces.

• Let dry for several hours for best results gently press behind the mold in a circle to loosen and then carefully pop the coaster out of the mold.

• You can just scrape the excess plaster with your fingernail or rub gently with a microfiber towel. This will "polish" the glass pieces.. If there are any rough spots in the plaster, use a small piece of very fine sandpaper and very carefully rub the area until smooth.

Tips and Suggestions

• Due to the powder consistency of Plaster of Paris before adding water, handle the mixing of the powder out of reach of children. You might even consider using a face mask to prevent breathing in the powder.
• For younger children use other items like mosaic tile that may be easier to handle and monitor. With bigger pieces, fill the mold halfway or three quarters.
• Although Cobbles pieces are rounded to avoid injury, they are small pieces of glass so it must be monitored very closely.
• We tried putting in the pieces first, then pouring the plaster on top with less than ideal results. The plaster tends to surround the item and get under it. It takes a lot more work to sand it to make the pieces visible.