Crafting Secrets

Kids can benefit greatly from their own creativity, if you allow it.

While some people mistakenly classify creativity as the possession of specific types of skills related to artistic expression, that’s only part of what the term comprises. Creative people typically are better problem solvers because they are able to seek out unique approaches and solutions that others may not recognize. This can be a useful skill for any career, for their education, and for their future.

To help children reap these rewards, parents can use arts and crafts for kids and other efforts to encourage creativity.

Encourage Free Creative Exploration

Handing over arts and crafts for kids is just part of the process. If you’re standing over your children and passing judgment on their results, they are not going to feel comfortable with their creativity. Children will eventually develop the ability to evaluate their own work and others’ work but now is the time for them to feel relaxed and free to use arts and crafts for kids as they see fit.

When children are given an environment that makes them feel free to be creative, they are going to open up their imagination and produce their best results.

Adapt to the Child’s Ideas

In many classrooms, kids are being reprimanded when their creative vision does not match the vision of the teacher. When you’re giving arts and crafts for kids to your children, you should make sure not to stifle their ideas or to force those ideas to conform to your own. For example, if the child draws a picture of the park and uses unusual colors for the trees don’t criticize the child’s color choice. Instead, begin talking about the choice and give the child freedom to express their creative ideas verbally as well as with arts and crafts for kids.

Encourage Children to Use Creative Problem Solving

Providing arts and crafts for kids is only one part of the process. You should also encourage your children to apply that creativity in other ways. For example, you could present your child with a problem and asked him or her to come up with a creative solution. Remember this requires thinking outside of traditional thought patterns. Not only can this be fun but it’s a great extension to what your child is learning from the arts and crafts for kids. It’s also a good way to work on creativity together and to express your encouragement for creative thinking.

Look for Schools that Share Your Appreciation for Creativity

If you have a chance to choose your child’s pre-school, kindergarten, or even primary school, make sure to look for schools that provide high quality arts and crafts for kids but that also have other methods of using creativity in the daily activities. You also want to work with teachers who share your vision about the importance of creativity and the appreciation for the role arts and crafts for kids can play in your child’s future.

We all love crafts!

They are a great way for kids to learn fine motor skills, and express themselves creatively, but being crafty can put a strain on your pocketbook at times.

Going to the store to buy supplies for each and every craft project, just isn’t practical. Which is why, it’s important to learn how to come up with kids craft ideas on a budget. Consider using items and supplies that you already have on hand, for fun and simple impromptu projects.
There are so many items that often get overlooked when it comes to crafting. Think back to your own childhood. The days of toilet paper roll projects and egg cartons, should come rolling back. Remember how fun it was to create something beautiful out of something so plain? Help your kids relieve that same joy and pride with these simple tips and craft projects.
Recycle and Re-Use
Teaching your kids about recycling is a really good life lesson, so why not integrate craft time and science by re-using common household items? Paper bags, egg cartons and other goodies get a second life when they are forever treasured in the form of a craft project. Encourage your kids to come up with other household items that can be used for craft projects, you may be surprised at the things that they come up with!
Here are just a few of the materials that you can recycle, discover, or re-use for your own craft projects:

-Egg Cartons

-Grocery Bags (paper or plastic)

-Cardboard inserts from packaging and boxes

-CD’s

-Old denim or fabric swatches

-T-shirts that no longer fit

-Used birthday cards or bags

-Wrapping paper

-Toilet paper and paper towel rolls

-Plastic soda bottles

-Cans (use caution with sharp edges)

-Things found in nature: A rock, leaves, sticks, etc.
Gravel Art
Here is a great little project that uses items that you should have lying around! Enjoy!
Materials Needed:

-Large Cardboard Box

-Small pieces of gravel (You will need quite a bit)

-String or Yarn

-Pencil

-Simple Coloring Book or personal drawing

-White glue in squeeze bottle

-Scissors

-Crayons (optional)
Instructions

1. Wash and rinse the gravel in a kitchen strainer. Spread out on towels to dry.

2. On your cardboard, use the pencil to make an outline of a simple drawing.

3. With the glue, trace over the outline.

4. Press string or yard onto the glue lines, cutting where necessary to form corners and angles.

5. Glue gravel onto the picture filling the spaces. You can use all one color, or use different colors for different areas.
6. If you wish to have a background, use crayons to draw and color one in.
Use Your Imagination
Once you get the hang of coming up with kids craft ideas, you will never go back to the store bought kits. There is so much more creativity and freedom that goes along with recycling and re-using common household items.