Handmade Crafts for Children
Crafts offer children the opportunity to grow in a multitude of beneficial ways. From their early formative years throughout their teenage years, kids are naturally attracted to working with their hands; shaping, forming and investing artistic input into a craft project. In addition to gaining manual dexterity making an assortment of crafts, they get the chance to exercise and expand the visual, creative side of their brains. As they become fully engaged working on a creative project, their powers of concentration grow in equal proportion to their self-confidence at mastering a new skill.
-
Oatmeal Soap
-
Making soap is one of the most rewarding crafts for both children and adults. Creating a luxurious, aromatic non-cook soap to give as a gift to Mom or the teacher is a moderately easy handmade craft for school-age children, or even younger children with adult supervision. Oatmeal soap is one of the most beneficial of all handmade soaps with its exfoliation characteristics and pleasant natural scent. Grind 1 cup of oatmeal in a blender and add enough water to make 9 oz. Mix it with 12 oz. of grated soap or soap flakes, pour into a mold, and let it set. Tie it up with a pretty ribbon for gift giving.
Fun Paper Spiders
-
For Halloween or anytime, paper spiders are fun to make and decorate, especially for kids who like creepy-crawly insects. Cut a rectangle of paper about 3 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Fold the short side down about an inch to make a crease and reopen. Turn the paper so the crease is on a horizontal angle. Cut the paper, starting in the middle, in seven straight lines up to the crease; this creates the spider's eight legs. Divide the area below the crease into two halves, then divide again to make quarters, then again to make eighths. Spread the spider out, decorate and attach a piece of yarn to hang.
-
Assorted Crafts for Groups of Children
-
Kids love to make gifts for family and friends; crafting unleashes their imagination while providing them an outlet to show their love and kindness toward others. There are countless craft projects that are ideal for small groups of children to work on together: paint clay flower pots with vibrant, non-toxic acrylic paints; string plastic or glass beads onto stretchy cord for trendy, one-size-fits-all bracelets; glue seashells onto card stock for a beach collage.
CD Mobiles
-
Old CDs or brand new blank ones are more than just round plastic discs; kids can make them into works of art. Non-toxic acrylic paints or rubber stamps and ink are perfect for decorating the CD. Add some glitter paint or decoupage pictures cut out of magazines, add some words with a colored felt pen, thread a ribbon through the hole, and hang on the wall. Make a single one or add more CDs for a double- or triple-decker affect.
-
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
