Try making your own paper at home. You will need:

• an adult to help with the ironing and cleaning up

• some clean paper (about five sheets); white works best but other colors can be used; try using paper destined for the recycle bin

• hot water

• 2 tea_towels or thin cloths

• a blender or food processor

• large basin

• 2 wooden frames of the same size, old picture frames can be used

• window screening

• a stapler

1. Tear the paper up into small pieces and place them in the blender container with hot water. Let the paper get nice and soggy.

2. While the paper is soaking, staple the screening around the outside edges of one of the frames.

3. Blend the paper and water thoroughly. This mixture is pulp. Pour the pulp into a large basin, and add some more water. The pulp and water should be a thin, soupy mixture. You may have to experiment to get the right consistency.

4. Place the two picture frames together as shown, with bottom frame placed so that the screening is on top, against the upper frame. Holding them together, dip the frames into the pulp, and move them until you have an even layer of pulp on the screen; then lift it out of the mixture.

5. Let the excess water drain back into the basin. You will see your piece of paper forming on the screen as the water drains away.

6. Remove the top frame. Quickly turn the screened frame upside down on the tea_towel. You may have to press on the screen to get your paper to come off.

7. Place another tea_towel on top, and iron it to press and dry your new piece of recycled paper.

• You can add all sorts of things to your mixture before you blend it, to make your paper more interesting.

• Try adding flower petals, or grass; bits of string or thread.

• Start out with different qualities of paper, such as newspaper, or a brown manila envelope (kraft paper) or tissues.

• Which one makes the strongest paper?