Crafting with children is a fantastic
indoor activity that keeps them focused, entertained and exploring
their creativity. There are so many great ideas for simple straight
forward projects for youngsters, and a lot of them can be done with
materials that most of us have in our homes already. I want to share
three of the biggest hits with my kids, very few of the materials in
these projects would need to be purchased, and if you already craft
at home chances are you will have all of them. I picked all three of
these projects and called them "hits" because they are all creating
something they can enjoy playing with after they have created them.
These projects seem to suit children from ages 3 to about 6 although
it really depends on the child some children may become bored too
quickly and need something more challenging, and yet others may find
them to be a little too challenging. If you give them a try you will
be able to see what level of complexity your child is best with.
1. Finger glove puppets - Materials
needed: One old finger glove, bobbely eyes, or beans or stickers to
use for eyes, a pompom, cotton, or bead for a nose, yarn or marker
for the mouth, scissors and white glue. Process: Cut the fingers off
of the glove for individual puppets or if you prefer leave the glove
as is and make the glove into an entire family of puppets on one
hand. Cutting the fingers off of the glove may cause them to fray or
unravel, you (the adult) can use a hot glue gun to run a ring of
glue around the frayed edge just before it hardens squish the edge
between your thumb and finger to flatten the glue and push it into
the fabric. This will stop the fraying but please be careful not to
do it while the glue is still hot. Next the children create their
puppet by gluing on their faces and they can even design little
ties or shirts to glue on them, or use yarn to make hair. You can
even create a mini puppet show out of a cereal box. Then play
puppets and have fun!
2. Paper plate masks - Materials
needed: small paper plates, markers, sparkles and glue, or sparkle
glue, feathers are always fun, popsicle stick or elastic,
construction paper, scissors, tape. Process: Cut eyes, nose and a
mouth out of the paper plate, children decorate however they like
making them bright and colorful or monster like, whatever they
choose is an expression of their creativity, encourage it. When they
have finished decorating you can either tape a popsicle stick to one
side of the mask for them to hold up to their face or you can punch
two holes in the plate and tie an elastic to it that will wrap
around the back of their heads to keep the masks on. Have a costume
party!
3. Shinny cardboard crowns -
Materials needed: empty cereal box or other cardboard, tin foil,
beads, shinny paper cut into geometric shapes, plastic gems, pieces
of old or plastic jewelry, painted macaroni, basically anything they
can glue onto the crown to make it look flashy or bright and fun,
scissors, glue and tape. Process: cut out the shape of a crown from
a cereal box leaving the sides long enough to wrap around the back
of the child's head and connect, cover the entire crown with tin foil
and glue or tape into place, next let the children decorate as they
please with all the decorations you have gathered, when the glue is
dry connect the ends together in the back with tape or staples. Play
kings and queens and rule the castle!
All three of these projects can be
altered a little here and there to be more complex with more
supplies offered and more detail put into them, or simplified by the
adult doing some of the basics first and just allowing the child to
turn it into their own masterpiece with decorations.
By Megan Moore is A full time, hands
on mother of two children, and an online entrepreneur. She
devotes her time to her family, and her business. She enjoys
learning and researching and sharing her findings with others.
http://workingprofitlance.blogspot.com/
