Children enjoy crafting, but finding projects that fit their age and skill level can sometimes be challenging. Fortunately, LoveToKnow Crafts is here to offer a few suggestions for projects that can be adapted to suit the needs of almost any young crafter.
Select a project that fits your child's interests, gather the necessary supplies, and enjoy your creative time together!
Fingerprint Art
Fingerprint art is quite easy. It's intended for very young crafters, but even older children often find this activity amusing.
You make a single fingerprint on a piece of paper and then add details to transform it into something completely different. You could have a fingerprint flower garden or a fingerprint bird. A sideways fingerprint can become a fish with the addition of fins and gills. Try out each finger. What can you make out of a pinky print that you can't make out of a thumbprint? Just have fun experimenting with the possibilities.
You can use ink pads made for rubber stamp crafting or even tempera or finger paint, according to your available supplies and preferences. Kids can add fun embellishments to their fingerprint creatures with glitter, sequins, or google eyes.
Origami
The ancient art of paper folding can be difficult, intricate, and demanding. But, if you choose patterns designed especially for kids, it can be a fun, easy project. Besides, who doesn't love a craft that only requires a few sheets of paper?
LoveToKnow Origami has many excellent paper folding projects that are suitable for young children. Check out the following tutorials:
- Paper Airplanes for Kids
- Bug Origami for Kids
- Cat Origami for Kids
- Building Miniature Paper Model Houses
Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets created with colorful embroidery floss make great handmade gifts for kids to give to the special people in their lives. This is also a fun project to use to teach a child the basics of color theory and the color wheel, since you can make bracelets with any color combination you choose.
How to Make Simple Friendship Bracelets explains how to create a basic friendship bracelet by providing step-by-step photos. Once you've mastered this technique, How to Make Friendship Bracelets has instructions for creating a candy stripe bracelet.
Salt Dough Projects
Kids who love to work with Play-Doh are sure to be amused by salt dough that can be baked and hardened to create Christmas tree ornaments, bowls, picture frames, candle holders, and small sculptures. Salt dough can be made with common kitchen ingredients, so this is a wonderful craft when you need a spur-of-the-moment activity to keep your child busy. Check out the Salt Dough Creations slideshow for details.
Customized Crayons
Children love to feel like they're doing their part to protect the Earth. Using silicone baking molds or ice cube trays to turn broken crayons into colorful new drawing tools is a fun and easy project that teaches the importance of recycling. You will need to provide supervision for the heating process, but children should be able to complete the rest of the project independently. The Crayon Melting Art Projects tutorial has detailed instructions for how to complete this craft.
Personalizing Your Craft Projects
When crafting with children, you need to remain open minded. Kids are naturally creative and love to explore. They may not want to follow your directions exactly; they might have their own ideas for how a particular project should look. As long as you're not creating a safety hazard, feel free to let your child explore. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the results.
