Kids Craft Ideas

Kids Craft Ideas

Crafts are a great way for parents and kids to spend time together. The act of creating something is often more memorable than simply watching a movie or playing a game, and crafting fosters creativity and a sense of pride in young children. What’s more, there are many fun crafts that can be made using common household items so they are very inexpensive to produce. The next time your kids complain about being bored, try one of these fun craft ideas.

Tie Dye

Purchase clothing dye from your local craft store. Dilute several different colors of dye in hot water and pour them into squeeze bottles. Soak one or two plain t-shirts for kids in a combination of warm water and and soda ash, then wring out the excess moisture.

Twist the damp shirts into a spiral pattern and secure them with twine or rubber bands. Squeeze different colors of dye onto the fabric. As soon as you are done, wash the shirt under cool water to rinse off most of the excess dye. When the water runs relatively clear, wash the tie dye shirts once more in the washing machine to remove excess dye. Need some inspiration?  For more ideas, take a look at these die dye patterns.

Potato Printing

Starchy potatoes are a great tool to use as paint stamps. Slice raw potatoes in half and use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the insides. Dip the potatoes in water-based paint and press them on paper of fabric to transfer the shapes. 

Friendship Bracelet

Friendship bracelets are a popular craft that make great gifts. They are made from several different colors of nylon thread woven together to create bright patterns. The loose ends of the bracelet can be tied off so it is not necessary to buy any additional jewelry-making hardware. There are hundreds of friendship bracelet patterns that can be found online or in books.

Suncatcher

Suncatchers replicate the bright colors of stained glass for a fraction of the cost. Fold a piece of of black construction paper in half twice and then into a triangle. Cut shapes along the folds. When you unfold the paper there should be symmetrical designs on it. Glue different colors of tissue paper behind the holes. When you tape the suncatcher to a window the light shines through the colored sections and create prismatic patterns.

Spoon Puppet

Plastic or wooden spoons are a great base for cute puppets. Turn glue plastic eyes and pom-pom noses on the rounded part of the spoon. Add animal ears and other details with felt, and use paint to put on the finishing touches. Use the handles to manipulate the spoons in a miniature puppet theater.

Ceiling Mobile

Cover a wire hanger with colored or patterned paper, then poke holes in the paper around the bottom wire. Thread string through the holes and tie them around the hanger, then suspend beads, toys, or small chimes from the strings. Use the hook to hang the mobile from the ceiling.