With the school holidays approaching, it’s time to gather the pens and glue sticks for some crafting fun with the little ones. Arts and crafts are a great way to spend time with the children and teach them new skills. Not only will you keep them entertained, but crafting is also good for emotional wellbeing and helps kids (and adults) relax. But you don’t need to start big and bring an entire safari into your home, for example. We’ve rounded up some of the best (small-scale) crafting ideas to get creative with the whole family.
1. Decorate plant pots and watch the seeds grow
This one is a great activity for children to have fun painting while also teaching them about plants. All you need are some white, small terracotta pots and outdoor acrylic paints and brushes. Get drawing! But the fun doesn’t stop with the final stroke of the brush. You can bedazzle pots with glitter and feathers using some all-purpose glue. DIY craft tools are available from most homeware and craft stores or online. When you’re done, add some soil and seeds and sit back to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
2. Rock art
When you’re struggling for materials, rock art is the perfect solution. Head out with the whole family to pick up (ideally flat) rocks and pebbles. Use acrylic paints to get going. When you’re not sure how to paint rocks, you can check out this guide to get you started.
3. Dress up with homemade masks
Masks aren’t just for Halloween. Playing dress-up is always fun and masks are a big part of it. Making your own isn’t difficult. You will need some cardboard, elastic string, scissors and paints or pencils. For your kids’ favourite superhero masks, you can find printable layouts online. You’ll need a working printer to get started. Just print off the layouts and let the kids colour them in. For extra fun, add some glitter or sparkle using a glue stick.
4. Puppet theatre and dioramas
Hold on to that cardboard box! It can make for an excellent background for a puppet theatre or diorama. You’ll need paints, glue sticks, white paper, scissors and a printer for this one. Begin by gluing coloured paper to the inside of the box. Alternatively, you can paint the box. You can find circus characters to print out online. For best results, choose a slightly thicker paper and use quality ink cartridges and toners from a reliable shop like TonerPartner. Cut out the shapes and arrange them inside the box. To help your circus characters stand up, you can add L-shaped tabs to the back. Once you’ve positioned your shapes, glue them to the box and watch the magic unfold.
5. Wearable fun – make friendship bracelets
Homemade bracelets are colourful eye catchers and the ultimate accessory for best friends. You’ll need differently coloured wools or cotton string, scissors, and a safety pin. There are plenty of different braiding patterns to try. Some of the simplest involve knotting together two by two strings. You can braid string just like you would braid hair. The more colours and pieces of string you add, the more complicated the pattern will become. A challenging but fun activity!
