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.

Tags: crafting, kids crafts, new year resolution