Footprints in Time

August 5th, 2012

footprintsMiss Sue Came into the crafts class at camp and announced that a new path was going to be created from the back entrance of the community center to the lake, which is about a 1/2 mile distance. She asked that the “Can Dos” think about a way to make the path special. The “Can Dos” all nodded their heads yes, and Miss Hattie, who was leading the crafts session that day, smiled and said they would.

After Miss Sue left, the class got very quiet as they thought about ways of making the path special. Miss Hattie sat thinking to herself. All of a sudden she burst out with a big “AHA”and the kids all looked up hoping she had thought of something.

“Footprints, let’s make stones for the path with our footprints,” said Miss Hattie. “Huh?” answered some of the kids.

Hector wanted to know how they would get there footprints on stone. Maria was afraid it would cost a lot of money, and they were just kids and didn’t have any money. Willie wanted to know if he would have to take his socks off to make the footprint. He didn’t want to get clay or whatever material they would make the stones out of to get between his toes.

Miss Hattie said, “Not to worry, we can make the footprints stones out of baked dough, right here in crafts class.”

Another”Huh” from the class.

“It’s easy,” said Miss Hattie. “We just mix 1 cup of salt with 1 cup of flour and add 1/2 cup water for each stone. We knead it the mixture together then we roll out, with a rolling pin, on a piece of parchment paper on the floor. When it is the right size for a footprint, we take off our right shoe and sock and step right in the middle of the dough. Then we use a stick to carve our name and the year in the stone. Then it is ready for baking at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours, just until it isĀ  hard, but not browned.”

The “Can Dos” loved the idea! Now they just had to convince Miss Sue that footprints stones would be a great way to decorate the new path.

Pocket