When I was about six, our local church was cleaning out its closets and brought us over a huge box of craft odds and ends. It was filled to overflowing with wooden clothespins, sequins, tulle netting, pipe cleaners, squares of felt, fabric scraps—it was like a crafting wonderland. My mom immediately saw the possibilities and showed us all a way to take the tulle and sew it into little ballerina skirts to put on the clothespins. We hung those on our Christmas tree that year. I remember spending hours and hours making things out of the stuff in that box—some of the very happiest I can remember. Being creative fills a deep need we all have to make something beautiful, to leave our mark on the world in some way.
As a mom, I want my kids to experience that same kind of joy in discovering what they can make and how creative they can be, and I’ve kept my eyes out for fun craft ideas. Mostly my kids have just needed supplies—ideas for what to make are never far behind. Here are some of the things I’ve saved for them to use:
Egg cartons
Leftover pieces of scrapbook paper or cardstock
Stickers
Twist ties
Needle and thread
Buttons
Pieces of yarn
Popsicle sticks
Socks with holes in them (they make great puppets)
Empty containers (soup cans with the edge covered in thick tape, cereal boxes, etc)
I’ve found awesome stuff on clearance or at the dollar store that really make projects pop. I’ve picked up foam stickers, beads, little wooden blocks, quilt squares and fabric remnants, pipe cleaners, tape and glue sticks, construction paper, paper plates and cups, tin foil—there really are no limits to your imagination.
By saving things you already have, and stretching them out with things you find on sale, at yard sales, or at the dollar store, you can create a craft box that will be the envy of the neighborhood, and your children will spend hours letting their imaginations soar.
Related Blogs:
Crafts for the Life Cycle of the Butterfly