Smaller hands need larger crafts because they don’t have the fine motor skills of children who are older. Allow them to work with hands-on materials such as chunky crayons and large sheets of paper. If you allow them to start using scissors, you’ll want them to have safety scissors which will make injuring themselves much harder to do.
Here’s one craft project that the little ones will enjoy to the fullest!
Paint Stamping
This will require adult supervision but it can be a lot of fun for your child who needs larger tools to work with: Make stamps to paint with using common garden potatoes.
Let your child decide what type of stamp they would like. Cut a potato in half to determine which size of design your child can use. You can make chunky designs such as apples, leaves, or the sun. Of course, Mom or Dad will have to cut out the designs because knives aren’t safe for little hands.
Cover the table with newspaper to cut down on the amount of mess that’s made. Then put child-safe finger paints into a tray or Styrofoam plate, but don’t use too much at one time. Have the child press the potato into the paint and then firmly onto a piece of paper. Depending upon the amount of paint, they may be able to make more than one impression. They can then change the paint color and keep making impressions. If the potato becomes overly saturated or begins to break down, Mom or Dad can cut that part of the potato off and make an entirely new design.
If you want other options to use as a stamp for painting, why not use a rubber eraser, cork board, or cardboard as the medium for the stamp base? Of course, the size of the stamp base you use will determine the size of the design your child can make. Keep a damp sponge near your child’s work area while stamping so they can keep the mess down and clean off the stamp between colors.
Jan 05, 2010 | crafts
Here’s a cute new year resolution I heard the other day… getting kids into crafting more in the new year!
There are many reasons for letting your child spend time creating artwork or homemade items to share with family members. Here are a few:
• It’s rainy outside so your children have to stay inside. Before you know it you hear them starting to fuss and fight. Or they start whining, “Mom, I’m bored.” If you have craft materials on-hand, you’ll have something to give your children to do that will keep them occupied and less likely to keep whining about boredom.
• When the fall comes children often think about making gifts for family for the upcoming holidays. Let your children make bookmarks, clay pots, or anything else they may like to give to people they love. Who knows, they may find that making gifts is more fun than buying them to give each year.
• Many parents still believe that their children are given the time to enjoy arts and crafts while they’re at school. Unfortunately the arts (art and music lessons) are usually the first programs to be cut when school systems have budget problems. Just because you have to purchase art supplies for your child at the beginning of the school year, that doesn’t mean they actually get to use them at school
• If you want your children to enjoy art, it may be up to you to have the materials available for your child to use. Take the time work with them on the craft even if it doesn’t require adult supervision. You may find this is a great way to connect with your child on another level that you never have before.
Working on crafts as a family can bring your family together in a new way, as well. Maybe you can’t devote a lot of time to crafting with your children, but you might want to schedule at least one day a month for family craft time. Perhaps you can work on a particular project or each person can work on their own project.
Jan 01, 2010 | crafts
Here’s a new year noise maker craft that your kids can create.
Ingredients:
• Film canisters (you remember those, don’t you?) If you don’t have any, you should be able to pick some up at any store that does photo processing.
• Curling ribbon
• Stickers
• Glue
• Glitter
• Un-popped popcorn
Procedure:
Start out with clean and dried film canisters. Put enough popcorn into the canister to fill it about half full.
Parents can poke a hole in the center of the canister lid then the child can thread curling ribbon through the hole, making a large loop with a big knot to keep the ribbon in the canister. Glue the lid on the film canister, and then decorate it with glitter, stickers, or whatever else craft materials you have on hand.
When the huge ball drops on New Year’s Eve, you and your family will be ready to make noise while you ring in the New Year!
Dec 20, 2009 | crafts
