Tag Archives: easy crafts

Collage Fun

The word collage is from the French word “coller”, which means “to glue”. Collage is one of my favorite projects to do with children. Most kids really get into the project once they figure out that there isn’t just one right way to do it. At first they may glue five or six pictures that don’t even touch on the page. Show them examples of collages with tilted pictures and images that overlap. Once they get the idea, most kids almost tend to overload the page. To start you need is a board to glue things to. Pick something heavy … Continue reading →

Beaded Bookmarks

My favorite kinds of projects are easy and affordable. If they don’t even involve a trip to the craft store, that’s even better. I also like open-ended projects. By that I mean projects that can be expanded on, projects that don’t have to be done an exact precise way to work. Beaded bookmarks are that kind of project. And what’s more, they are actually quite beautiful. You will need a length of ribbon, or string, or yarn. The ribbon or string should be thin enough so that kids can slide beads on. I like to use the cord sold for … Continue reading →

Cereal Necklaces

I saw a little girl today wearing a Cheerios cereal necklace. Every once in a while she took a bite and I could tell she was very happy with herself. I smiled at her pride in her “jewelry”. My kids made cereal necklaces in preschool, too. It’s a very quick and easy project. You can even throw math or pattern repetition into the project too – if you use multi-colored cereal like Fruit Loops. Take a piece of yarn that is big enough to go around the child’s head plus a few inches. Tie a large knot on one end. … Continue reading →

Easy Paper Lanterns

I’ve noticed a few decorations for Chinese New Year in the party stores and craft stores this year. I think that’s cool, but we still like to make our own simple decorations. Making a paper lantern is very easy. It’s a fun decoration and fits in with celebrating Chinese New Year and The Festival of Lanterns. Or it can be just for fun. Even young children can make this simple fold and cut project. Take a piece of construction paper and fold it in half so that the two shorter ends are touching. In school we call this a “taco” … Continue reading →

Thumbprint Art – Easy Crafts for Children

Making pictures with thumb and finger prints is easy, even for the reluctant artist. And other than needing to wash hands afterwards, it’s not all that messy! All you need is a washable stamp pad or two and some markers to add detail. A single thumb print can be turned into a bunny, a bear, a dog, a shy mouse, or even a spider. If you start building a design with multiple finger prints you can make flowers, ants, even trains. A row of prints could be a caterpillar, a stack of fingerprints could be a snowman. Your childs imagination … Continue reading →

Marshmallow Sculpture

Marshmallows are a great art medium for projects. They are inexpensive, they don’t crumble or spill, and they’re edible. They are even quiet. Building with marshmallows is a great thing to do on snow days or sick days. It’s also a fun thing to put out for the kids at family gatherings. Don’t be surprised if the adults want to play, too. Start with clean hands. If you wet a marshmallow just a little, with a drop or two of water, it will stick to another marshmallow. You can build snowmen or igloos. Buy marshmallows in big and little sizes … Continue reading →