crafts Archives - Serendipity Mommy

Not all parents have a natural ability when it comes to doing arts and crafts, and that can cause problems when kids want to make something. Parents might feel unsure of what to do, or even try to dissuade their children from making something even though they want to. Or they might let the kids get on with it on their own, missing out on important bonding time. So here are some great ways to get craft with your kids even when you don’t normally do crafts. It’s great fun and you can spend time together, so try it out and see what happens.

Start Small

Starting small is the best way to begin any new craft project with your children. Small has a number of different meanings here; firstly, it means that the project itself should be small in size. After all, you may want to keep it (and the kids definitely will!) so it should be something you can store somewhere, rather than something that might be so large it will take over the entire house.

Starting small also means that you shouldn’t make it a long project. Half an hour at the most should be enough time to get settled and make something lovely, but not enough time for it to become a boring task that the kids wander away from, which will leave you needing to finish it all and clear up the mess.

Limit The Supplies

You don’t want to have to go out and spend a fortune on art supplies when you might only use them once. Instead, buy the basics such as glue, card, scissors, crayons, and some paint. The rest of the items can be found around the home until you settle of exactly what kind of crafting you want to do. Old cereal boxes or detergent bottles can make excellent craft supplies as long as they are all cleaned up first so that they are safe to use.

A hot glue gun might be the one thing you definitely want to buy even if it does cost a little more than some of the other craft items available. This is a supremely important piece of equipment because it can basically stick anything to anything, making the whole process a lot easier. It needs to be used by an adult, though, so don’t leave it unattended with your children.

Every time you finish with something take a look at it and see if it might be a good addition to your art stockpile. This will save you from throwing it away which is better for the environment too.

Don’t Let It Get Messy

Something that can really put parents off when it comes to crafts is how messy it can all get. That’s not even the crafts themselves (which can, of course, get messy) but can often simply relate to how things are stored and put away.

If this is the case then it seems a shame that a child should miss out on doing something that they want to do, and that is good for them, because it might make things untidy. Therefore, take a look around for suitable storage containers to keep everything in. If the container is messy inside it really doesn’t matter – you just need somewhere to keep everything, preferably with a lid so that it can be shut away when it’s not in use and it won’t look awful around the home.

Look Online

If you really have no idea what kinds of things you can create with your kids then take a look online. There will be videos and websites dedicated to pretty much anything you might want to try. Search the web and you will find button design tips, rainy day ideas, how to make rockets and dinosaurs and dolly cars and so much more. The ideas are limitless and if you check them out in advance you can make sure you have exactly what you need before you begin your craft which will make things go a lot more smoothly and it will limit disappointment too.

Get The Right Protection

Protecting your furniture, carpets, and the kids themselves when it comes to making any kind of craft is essential. You don’t want to be enjoying yourself only to realize that a pot of paint or – worse – glitter has been knocked over and the mess is spreading quickly. That can really ruin a good time with your kids. Invest in some aprons and smocks and ensure you always keep old magazines and newspapers as these can be used to place over the floor or table and keep it clean. At the end of the craft session, all you have to do is collect everything up and throw it away, or recycle it where possible.

Make Sure You Join In

Getting everything set up and then tidying away again at the end of the make is not the same as actually getting involved and joining in. If your kids would like you to work with them then you should be happy to do so. Get your hands dirty (literally) and craft something. It doesn’t have to be a work of art and probably won’t be, but that’s not important; no one is going to judge you for having a fun, creative time with your children. Plus, you might even surprise yourself with just how creative you can really be.

Find A Safe Drying Place

This may not sound like the most important point when it comes to getting crafty with your kids, but it actually can make a big difference. A craft project that has been lovingly made and that you laughed and joked over needs to be able to dry safely. If it were to be destroyed that would be such a disappointment to everyone involved. Therefore, you need to find a good place for the project to dry properly where it won’t get touch or knocked or trodden on by pets. If you have a spare bedroom you could shut it in there until it is ready. Otherwise a high shelf or a cupboard will work. It just need to be untouched for a little while.

Image via www.thespruce.com

At home crafting is a wonderful way to wind-down from stress, and to capture your creativity. There are many differing craft practices, whether your interest lies with ceramic, or wool or with more esoteric forms, such as flowers.

Below are 6 time-tested crafting projects you can undertake at home – with all skill levels and confidence levels covered.

Be A Knit-Wit

Whether it’s the hypnotic clicking of knitting needles, or the endless skeins of wool, knitting is a practical, age-old therapeutic craft activity. In contrast to many popular characterisations, knitters come in all ages and genders – and each has their own reason for becoming involved with the craft.

An extra benefit of knitting is that you can produce real, wearable crafts. If your knitting is of a particularly excellent standard, it can become a sellable, marketable way to enjoy your craft-time, while providing you with the extra income to fund your future fashionings.

Flower Power

At home flower arranging is a great way to develop your aesthetic eye, as well as being a useful skill come birthday and holiday season. Fresh and dried flowers can be arranged according to taste, and combined with both botanical and non-botanical elements to form elaborate arrangements.

Part of the challenge is choosing the right glue gun for the job. You’ll need to consider which materials you’re using and how they interact with each other. With enough research and planning, you’ll find the right product for your task, so that you can create wonderful displays of floral beauty.

Painterly Prospects

Here’s another cool crafting kick: give a lick of colour to old furniture and wooden items.

If you have items of furniture or possessions calling out for colour, you can creatively and cost effectively re-fashion them through clever crafting.

Most hardware stores carry small tins of paint (often labelled ‘decorator’ cans), brushes and sandpaper. Once you’ve set aside an afternoon and picked a colour (or colours) that you love, it’s as simple as preparing the surface (a quick sand with some medium-grit sandpaper is often all that’s required) and giving a lick of colour to the object.

Put It In The Book

Scrapbooking is another excellent way to channel your creative potential into crafting. At its simplest, scrapbooking consists of mixed-media objects (clippings, stickers, photos) laid out and adhered into a notebook in a cohesive, creative way.

Scrapbooks can be themed (around a particular person’s life, or around a holiday, for example), or they can be a way to loosely express a narrative through found objects. For whichever reason you choose to undertake scrapbooking as a project, it’s a great way to spend your spare time at home, and it will leave you with an individual artefact like no other.

Hug In A Mug

Ceramics are another old-school-cool craft. Whether you’re a novice or a porcelain pro, ceramic art is fun and filled with possibilities.

Depending on your level of skill, or the amount of time you’re willing to dedicate to the craft, you can buy pre-fired white ceramic objects to paint at home, or you can buy special ceramic clay and paints at art supply shops. There are a multitude of videos and tutorials available for viewing online too, if you’d like to get in the mindset before taking the plunge.

Just Bead It

Beading and jewellery making requires the type of mind-clearing focus that is perfect for crafters looking for some homespun art therapy.

Beading is a particularly lo-fi art; it requires a minimum of supplies (beads, wire or string, and fixings) and offers a wide array of different objects to be made. Beading kits can be purchased at craft stores, and often contain all you need to get started. One of the great things about beading is that it’s suitable for all skill levels, and can be completed in as much or as little time as you’re willing to devote to it.

If you’re wanting to take things a step further, jewellery making is a logical next step. Resin casting and mold-making allows you to create jewellery pieces in an array of shapes and sizes. You can even cast your own beads to use in your beading endeavours. Supplies for jewellery making can be found online, and in specialist art stores.

At-home crafting is an excellent way to express your creative energy, as well as providing a therapeutic outlet for your emotions. Whether your interests are low energy (such as beading) or more high-stakes (ceramics), there’s a craft out there to suit your needs, your skills and your time frame.

7 Ways To Get Crafty With Your Kids