I have been a crafty person for a number of years now and even own my own small business which has been running, and over the last few years has really taken off. I do handcrafted cards, wedding stationery and now branched out into personalised wax crayons and shapes which have proved a huge success over the last 12 months specially.
There is so much you can use to create and make stuff with crafts and items just round your house too like toilet roll tubes, egg boxes or even cereal boxes and much more. It’s a great way to recycle items too rather than just throw them away.
Me and my little boy spend several weekends getting all of his craft supplies out and creating picture after pictures with matchsticks, glitter glue and sticking various other items on to create a beautiful picture for us or another family member. We try and make all family members a personalised handmade card too for Birthdays or other special occasions. There are several website you can use for various different ideas such as texas svg and mermaid tail svg.
Here are my top tips for fun crafting days with your kids
- Keep all your craft projects simple. If there are too many steps, young children tend to lose interest if the task at hand is too complicated or long winded. Plus it will keep you sane too. Don’t go overboard on the supplies. Like I mentioned above you don’t have to spend a lot to craft with your child. You also don’t need the latest and greatest stuff. The only two things I really put my money into is good quality non-toxic paint and glue. The other supplies I either find from recycling stuff or making my own. Cheap stores such as Poundland & B&M are also good for supplies like paper plates, cups, bubble paper. Plus Pinterest is a great place to help you to make your own glitter, gloup and play dough. Just making those items for future use, can be a fun craft project to do together.
2. Always have a designated area for craft time, ours is always the kitchen whether it’s on the floor or kitchen table ,of the surface and area I can easily clean up afterwards. This allows you to focus on the craft you are working on, rather than on cleaning up after or getting frustrated with my child because they got too messy. Having a designated area also sets the tone. If your child feels pressure from you because they can’t get paint on the table, they probably won’t cooperate. I also suggest to keep cleaning supplies or baby wipes in arms reach in your craft area. Have your children wear appropriate clothes, an apron or old t shirt, so you don’t stress when they get their favourite clothes covered in paint. During the warmer weather my son and I would spend time in the garden doing crafts as it would save the mess in the garden and your getting fresh air. Then when it gets messy, you can give them a bath later.
3. Finger painting is always fun and super easy to do with kids. There are no rules to it and your child can let their imagination run wide on paper. By far, that is a great favourite activity to set up. Participate! As a parent you don’t have to sit back & just watch them. Grab a crayon or paint brush and let that creativity go wild. If your child sees you enjoying yourself, they will too not to mention it’s fun.
4. Try not to be a helicopter mum. Trust me, I struggle with this especially since I try to capture so many pictures for keepsake memories. You just have to let them have fun and let them do it their way. If you control the situation too much, they lose interest real quick and want to go and do something else.
5. Praise your child and display their work proudly. Make them feel good for what they just did. This will encourage future participation in crafts, as well make them strive to do even better next time. Most importantly – just have fun. If it’s not fun, what is the point? There will be times that the craft won’t go according to plan or what you had in mind. That’s ok. It’s the fact that you are trying and making memories together that matters. There are no right or wrong ways when it comes to crafting. If you and your child are happy – so be it.