Spring Fun Craft's For Kids

Taking the time to choose a craft project, set it up, help your children complete the project and clean it up takes time and energy.
These tips will ease the process.
Set Up A Work Space
Think about an easy to clean place: such as a corner of the kitchen, utility room, back porch, or garage. Outdoor spaces during the warm months of spring and summer are great for messy projects. Ideally the area should be well ventilated. Creating an area exclusively for all your crafting with your supplies at arm's length is best. See- "Create A Craft Corner For Your Child" below.
Pick Age Appropriate Projects
To avoid frustration for you both it is important to choose crafts that your children have the motor skills for. Make sure you set enough time aside to complete the project in a enjoyable manner. For little ones choose projects that have just a few simple steps to complete. Older children can handle larger-scale endeavors and projects can be spread out over a period of time.
Gather All Supplies Before You Begin
Nothing takes the fun out of a project more than realizing half way through that you are missing something. Stock up on supplies and gather everything you need before you start the project.
Protect Clothing
Accidents happen! Aprons or smocks take the headache out stained clothing and create a more relaxed enviroment. Obviously not all crafts will require gearing up so use common sense. You can use over-sized t-shirts as an alternative or anything that let's your child move loosely.
Eveybody Cleans Up
Implementing the rule early " That everyone helps clean up! " is a wise idea. Hopefully it will become part of your young crafters ritual. Also cleaning up as you go helps to preserve order throughout the process. Talk with your children about proper use of supplies. ( caps on markers, closing glue bottles, etc...)

......Create Thumbprint Prints......

1) Create An Art Pack
You can include a sketch pad, pencils, colored pencils, markers and an eraser. Anything you enjoy using to create your art can be included. When you go on trips, picnics or walks don't forget to take your pack. It is perfect time to practice drawing flowers, bugs, and other signs of spring.
2) Start A Crafter's Notebook
Begin an art's and crafts notebook to keep all of your favorite ideas and photo's for inspiration. You can also begin a portfolio of your completed crafts.
3) Make A Celebration Tree
Place sticks that you have gathered in a pot with plaster. Make sure they are arranged attractively as you will be displaying your crafts for the world to see. Plan your theme for the month (or two) You can display clay hearts, painted eggs, birds and small nests, tissue paper flowers etc...
4) Personalize It
Fabric painting is great fun and you can personalize virtually anything from hats to tees for family members with fabric paint. Create a motif for each member of your family.
5) Paint A Flowerpot
Paint a clay flowerpot and fill with a new spring plant to set on your windowsill.

Sometimes we need to learn how to properly encourage which in turn allows children to feel good about their artwork. Letting go and giving your child creative license to express his/her individual personality will allow them to enjoy the creative process.
Emphasize The Process
We all have end results in mind when beginning a project and learning to follow directions is a necessary skill. Remember though- to allow your child to add his own flair and ideas to any project.This is key to flouishing creativity instead of assemble line results.
Offer A Little Help
Allow your kids to do what they can. In the quest to be efficient it is easy to lay-out precut pieces for your child to assemble. Shaping, molding, sorting and cutting is fun for kids and teaches valuable skills. Just try not to do too much.
Rules To Craft By
Crafting is most pleasurable in situation where there are limits. Lay down ground rules in order to limit disorder. Creative abandon is fine and good in the proper enviroment (outdoors for example) but flinging paint can be a disaster inside. Make sure everyone knows what will be tolerated.
Don't Rush
Learn to develop patience with your little one's fine motor skills. Encourage them to take their time and let them proceed at their own pace.

Creating a special place for your little one's creativity to flourish is simple. Consider the basement. garage, or a corner in your child's bedroom.

Work Surface
You will want to create comfortable seating, good lighting and an uncluttered surface. A table or desk, low closet shelf, easel or even a breakfast tray will work for this. I have seen room designs with a child's size picnic table which works well.

Storage Supplies
-Keep your supplies out of the way and yet accesible with a small bookcase.
Keep it organized by:
-Place your crayons, paints and glue in shoe-boxes or plastic containers.
-Decorated coffee cans and jars are the perfect containers for your supplies that you want to store upright such as markers, colored pencils, paintbrushes and scissors.
-Decorative cardboard boxes are ideal for storing fabric, feathers, yarn, pinecones, shells and other treasures. You can also keep your paper products organized and neat.
-Recycled kitchen glass jars or egg cartons are perfect for buttons, beads, stickers and odd and ends.
~Voila~ Instant Art Space

..........Friendship Bracelets..........

..........My Favorite Craft Kits..........