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Kids Crafts

Doing kids crafts with your child:

• Provides quality bonding time with our children
• Builds positive self image
• Encourages self-discipline
• Rewards hard work and diligence
• Promotes eye-hand coordination
• Cultivates a love of learning
• Fosters cooperation with others
• Encourages their imagination

KIDS CRAFTS – ANTI-BULLYING BADGES

We have had original “Say No to Bullies” badges created for you (thanks to Kevin Martin for the drawings).

Simply print the badges off at http://www.kidsgoals.com/images/anti-bullying-badges.jpg, cut out and stick onto cardboard, then sellotape a safety pin to the back to create your badge. Say NO to Bulling today!

MORE KIDS CRAFTS BELOW...

KAZOO CRAFT

Materials Needed:

• Toilet paper roll
• Rubber band
• Crayons, colored pencils, markers, fabric, paints, etc.
• Wax paper

Place a small piece of wax paper over one end of the roll. Secure with a rubber band. Place construction paper around the roll. Decorate using crayons, colored pencils, markers, fabric, paints, etc. Gently hum through the open end of your kazoo.

GRASS MONSTER by Justin (age 9)

(To see Justin’s diagrams for this craft, please visit http://www.kidsgoals.com/grass-monster-craft.shtml)

What you need:

• Grass seeds
• A mug
• A sock
• A bit of dirt
• A rubber band
• 4 buttons
• Pins
• A plate of water

Instructions

• 1. Place the sock over the mug
• 2. Put the grass seeds in the mug
• 3. Put in the dirt
• 4. Carefully take out the sock
• 5. Tie a rubber band on the top of the sock
• 6. Snip a piece off the top of the sock
• 7. Place the buttons on with some pins
• 8. Put the Grass Monster on the plate and wait for it to grow

Macaroni Bead Necklace (ages five and up with adult supervision)

Supplies Needed

• Yarn or thin elastic cording from craft shop
• Uncooked, tube-shaped macaroni
• Scissors
• Optional (if you want to color the macaroni): Rubbing alcohol, liquid food coloring, small container, spoon, plastic bags and paper towels

If you want to color the macaroni, mix 2-3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol with a few drops of liquid food coloring. Put some of the uncooked macaroni in a plastic bag and add the colored alcohol. Mix so that the liquid colors all the macaroni. Let the macaroni dry thoroughly on paper towels.

For each necklace, cut some yarn or thin elastic cording enough to make a necklace. Wrap one end of the yarn tightly with tape to make it easier to string the macaroni. String one piece of macaroni through the yarn and tie it to one end to keep the other beads from falling off. String the macaroni through the yarn - leave a few inches so you can tie the necklace off when you are done. Using patterns of colors (like red, yellow, blue, red, yellow, blue, or whichever pattern your child prefers. Tie the ends of the string together. Optional: decorate your necklace with glitter or with a colored marker.

FRIDGE MAGNET ( 6 AND UP WITH ADULT SUPERVISION)

• Frozen concentrated juice can lid
• Flattish magnet
• Strong glue
• Stuff to decorate

1. Wash your juice can lid

2. When you lay your lid on the table, you will see that one side will be all in contact with the table – this is where you will attach your magnet - and one side will only have the rim in contact with the table.

3. Glue your magnet to the lid

4. Decorate the other side any way you like! Some ideas are to use felt, or a thin layer of plasticine which you can stick stones and other items into. You could glue leaves and feathers to your magnet, or use paints or coloured paper.

5. Don't make it TOO heavy! Otherwise the magnet won't hold. You can always stick two magnets to the back if you need to.

Here is an example that Justin made!

KIDS CRAFTS - SUMMER HOLIDAYS MEMORY BOOK

With the summer holidays fast approaching here is a nice idea for a kid's craft - a special "Summer Holidays" memory book.

We've put up a free download specially for you - a pdf that you can print to create a book for your child to record their experiences in for the holidays. Page 3 of the book is a diary page that you can print multiple times. It's a good idea to get a piece of cardboard (from the side of a cereal box for instance) to use as the last page to make the book more robust. Then use a hole punch to make holes in the pages and the cardboard back, and tie the book together with string or yarn.

Here is the link for the download page: Free Summer Book Download

We hope you enjoy the book and please feel free to share it with your friends!

KIDS CRAFTS - DREAM PILLOW CRAFT

Dream pillows were originally filled with rose petals or flowers for maidens in the olden days to lay their heads on.

Materials:

• 2 pieces of material, any size or shape
• Dried lavender (for insomnia) or other herbs
• Stuffing
• Needle
• Thread
• Essential oils (optional)

Stitch your two pieces of material together along three sides, then turn inside out. Add your dried lavender surrounded by a bit of stuffing to help make the pillow soft and rounded. Don't fill the pillow too full, keep it soft and airy. Then stitch up the opening.

If you want to refresh the scent of your pillow after several weeks, simply add a few drops of essential oils to the outside of the pillow.

You can use other herbs, we suggest lavender as it is said to help you get to sleep.

KIDS CRAFTS - Home made Napkin Rings

What you need:

• Craft paper
• Scissors
• Crayons or glue and glitter for decoration

Print off the template below (click on it to open it in a new browser, then click print) and use it to cut out however many napkin rings you need for all the family.

Cut the slit where it is marked.

Dab some glue in the middle of the arrow shape, which has the slit.

Push the point of the other arrow shape through the slit from underneath, not all the way but far enough to make a star shape. Press the ring together until the glue dries.

Now decorate your napkin ring as desired! You might want to personalize it so each family member has their own ring with their name, or their initials.

KIDS CRAFTS - CHORE WHEEL

To go with this kids craft, check out the article on Chores and Allowances for Kids

Whether you choose to link allowances to chores or not here is a fun family project that will make the idea of chores a bit more fun.

Have kids use markers to divide paper plates into eight pie wedges. Write eight (age appropriate) chores such as washing the dishes, doing yard work, emptying the trash, dusting, and folding laundry or filling and emptying the dishwasher.

Then cut a 6.5 cm rectangle from poster board (for each plate). Clip the tips to make a pointing arrow and use a hole-punch to make a hole in the straight end of the arrows. Attach the arrow to the center of the paper plate with a metal paper fastener so the arrow spins.

Make a chore wheel for each child that they can spin every day to see what chore they are responsible for that day.

KIDS CRAFTS - EGG MEN

Egg Men Kids' craft

(Ages 6 and up)

Next time you are baking, or making scrambled eggs, try this fun idea!

What you need:
* Eggs (one for each Egg Man you would like to make)
* A sterilized darning needle or large sewing needle (hold the tip in a flame for a few seconds to sterilize)
* Pipe cleaners
* Poster paints
* Varnish (optional)

Using the needle, make a small hole in the top and bottom of each egg. Hold the egg over a bowl and blow into the hole at the small end - the contents will be emptied into the bowl.

Rinse the egg, using a trickle of water then blowing the water out into the sink.

Thread a pipe cleaner through both holes so that you have something to hold the egg by.

Paint your man onto the eggshell, and optionally varnish when dry. You can then either keep the pipe cleaner in the Egg Man and use it to hang him up, or remove it and save him in an Egg Carton.

If your children enjoy this they will probably ask to do it whenever you are baking, so that they can build up a whole collection!

Why not help your child create Egg Men of the famous people you have studied together during your research for Role Models?! (see the article on Positive Role Models.)

KIDS CRAFTS - PINWHEEL

(adult supervision for younger children)

• 1 sheet paper 8 ˝ by 11 inches
• 1 short pushpin
• Masking tape
• Drinking straw

1. Measure 5” in diagonally toward the center of the paper from each corner. Mark the 5” measurement off lightly with a pencil.

2. Cut in from each corner to the 5” mark (draw a line with your pencil if necessary). The sheet of paper should now be divided into four sections.

3. Rip or cut off a piece of masking tape, fold the ends back so they are touching and both sides are now sticky. Press the masking tape to the middle of the piece of paper where it is uncut.

4. Starting at the left hand corner, fold the corner of the lower part of the section in toward the center and press the corner to the masking tape in the center. You don’t want to press the folded area down flat; it should have a rounded edge. Continue folding the corners to the middle, skipping the second corner of each section. This remaining corner should be standing straight up.

5. When you have all the corners folded inwards that need to be folded it is time to assemble the pinwheel. Press a small pushpin into the center of the pinwheel through all the corners of the pinwheel in the center carefully so you don’t prick your fingers. Press the pin through one side of the straw. Give your pinwheel a spin or take it outside and let it go (if it is windy).

KIDS CRAFT PROJECT EGG CARTON TULIPS

(Age five and up with adult supervision)

Supplies needed:
* Foam or cardboard egg cartons
* Green pipe cleaners
* Tempera or poster paint and coloured markers
* Hot or white glue, scissors

Cut the cartons sections to look like a tulips Using tempera paint, decorate the shells to look like tulips. Let the paint dry overnight. When the paint is completely dry, add details to the tulips using markers.

Twirl one end of a green pipe cleaner into a spiral shape (this will be glued onto the base of the tulip).

Glue the spiral to the tulip (if using white glue, let it set for a few hours)

KIDS CRAFT PROJECT FOR EGG CARTON CATERPILLAR (*ages 3-7)

What you need: 1 egg carton; paint (bright colors); pipe cleaner; glue; for eyes, use white felt scraps and black marker; scissors.

What to do:

• 1. Cut the cover of the egg carton off and discard. Cut the bottom of egg carton in half lengthwise. Note: 1 egg carton will make two caterpillars.
• 2. Paint both halves with bright colors. You can paint each egg slot a different color if you like.
• 3. Cut the pipe cleaner and insert two pieces into the head end of the caterpillar for antennae.
• 4. Glue the white felt pieces (eyes) onto the head. Cut white felt into small circles for eyes and use marker to make black pupils in the eyes (*with adult supervision).

HOMEMADE VALENTINES KIDS CRAFT IDEA

(age 3 and up with adult supervision)

What you need

• 8.5x11 construction paper in various colours
• Valentine stickers hearts flowers etc.
• Scissors
• Pinking shears (optional)
• Red white and pink glitter
• Glue stick or white paste

Cut pieces of construction paper into four equal pieces.

Fold each quarter piece in half to make a card

Use stickers to decorate to decorate or cut out hearts from other colours of construction paper to glue onto your cards.

Use glue or glue stick to draw on a heart or phrase such as Be Mine. Sprinkle generously with pink red and white glitter. Let dry over night and then shake off excess glitter.

Older kids can use pinking shears to cut out heart shapes to glue onto cards.

Optional - purchase white paper doilies from craft stores and glue onto red construction paper card for a lacy effect.

YARN VASE CRAFT IDEA (ages 5 and up with adult supervision)

What you need:

A tall slender glass jar; smaller olive or pickle jars work the best) Yarn scraps in different colours; craft glue; a toothpick

How you do it

1)-Cover about half an inch of the bottom of the glass with glue.

2)-Wind the strips of yarn around the jar make them tight but not too tight. Use different colours of yarn to make stripes on the vase

3) When the glued area is completely covered, push the rows of yarn closer together. Tuck in the beginning of the yarn with a toothpick, add a little more glue and press down for one minute.

Keep repeating the three steps until the whole jar is covered with yarn. Don’t worry if the glue looks bad because it will all dry clear. Put in some beautiful silk or real flowers and put it on your desk or bureau to brighten up your room.

NO COOK PLAY CLAY (ages 4-8 with adult supervision)

1-cup all-purpose flour
1/2-cup salt
1/2 cup very warm tap water
Food coloring (optional)

Mix flour and salt, then pour in water and stir well. Knead for 5 minutes, adding in color as desired.

Stored in a sealed container, it keeps up to one week.

Air dry, or small or thin pieces can be baked at 200 degrees for 2 hours.

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