Doing crafts with your kids at home can be lots of fun if you have the right tools and a plan. Kids get so much satisfaction from making something wonderful and showing it off to their parents. Here are some tips to make craft time a little easier.
Make a craft bin: Kids need to express their creativity and you never know what they will come up with. Create a bin with scraps that they can make things with. Throw scraps like toilet paper and paper towel rolls, scraps of fabric, scraps of foam or construction paper from other projects, pieces of string or yarn, foil, and any other scraps into this bin. You can also add some household items like cotton swabs, cotton balls, or buttons. To complete your box you can purchase pompoms, confetti, or find other things on clearance at craft stores. Check the stores after a major holiday for great clearance items. You will find this to be a great resource. With some construction paper and some glue they can make some great things out of this.
Crafting Table Cloth: It is a good idea to keep a table cloth the kids can use for crafts. Something that you don't care if it gets glue, paint, or anything else on it. You can use an old table cloth that has stains on it or purchase something at the store. I always check the stores, like target or walmart, after the holidays and can usually get a vinyl table cloth for a couple dollars. I get them when I can and put them away so I have a back up.
Smock: Keep smocks on hand with your crafting table cloth. You can purchase a smock but really you just need something that covers their clothes. One of your T-shirts that you don't want any more will work just as well. After you wash it, put it back with the craft supplies so its always ready when you do a project.
Craft kits: There are lots of craft kits you can pick up that will take the guess work out of making something. Check out the kid aisles at the craft stores. Michael's and AC Moore usually have 40% coupons out every week in the paper and they also accept competitors coupons. You can also print them out online at http://dealspl.us/michaels-coupons and http://dealspl.us/acmoore-coupons . This week AC Moore has a 50% coupon (until Oct. 9). Try picking up some kits when they are on sale or use your coupons to get some. Put them away in your craft bin for a rainy day. They have so many different kinds. Try something new like painting by number, beads, building a wooden toy and more.
Those of you that are really crafty, please share some ideas and resources you have. We hope some of these tips will encourage you to do more crafts with your kids. Check back on Wednesday for some fall craft ideas.
