One of the #1 things that people often say to me is, “I would love to make creative projects with my kids, but I’m just not crafty. I don’t even know where to start!” My reply is always, “Trust me, you do NOT need to consider yourself ‘crafty’ to start getting creative with your children!” There are hundreds upon hundreds of craft projects that you can make with your children that require NO special skills or tools and that take less than half an hour of your time. In fact, most of these 50+ quick and easy kids craft project ideas that I’ve rounded up here actually take less than FIFTEEN minutes to make!
WHY CRAFT WITH YOUR KIDS?
A recent study by Dr. Richard Rende revealed that creative interaction between parents and young children engaging in activities like arts and crafts not only provides immediate and lasting cognitive benefits but also creates a unique bonding experience, which creates lifelong memories. Taking time to be creative with your children is a topic that I am incredibly passionate about. I know firsthand the benefits that children reap when they are exposed to arts and crafts activities, and in an age where arts are in a decline in the school systems, it is even more important than ever for parents to take the initiative to introduce art activities to their children.
Other key findings of Dr. Rende’s study showed that:
• Arts and crafts engage multiple brain areas simultaneously and
improve bilateral coordination between the left and right sides of
the brain, leading to immediate and future cognitive development.
• Activities like arts and crafts accelerate the development of muscles
in the hands and fingers, improving fine motor skills that are
essential for school success in the earliest formal years.
• Face-to-face interaction in the early years is critical for optimal
social development.
• Arts and crafts promote rich social interactions that help develop
language skills and social cognitive abilities like understanding
emotions.
• Creative activities are a great way to bond with children and create
lasting memories.
Nearly 90% of the parents surveyed for the study said that they would like to spend more time creating arts and crafts with their children, but they didn’t know where to start or how to carve out the time needed.
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A craft room is a place where you want to let your creative energies take over. Organizing your craft room will take some work but the end result is worth the effort. You will want to start by gathering and sorting all of your available craft supplies. Then, find places to store these items where they will be easy to grab and use in the midst of a project. Use organizing as an opportunity to display those items that inspire you as well.
Method 1 Sorting Your Craft Supplies.
1. Gather all of your craft items. Grab a basket and walk throughout your living space grabbing any and all craft supplies and tools. Carry them into your designated craft room and place everything in the middle of the floor. Once you think that you’ve gotten it all, go back through one more time just to be certain. Make sure to open all of your drawers and cabinets, as craft supplies can often ‘hide.’
Likewise, go through your craft room and identify any objects or items that do not belong there and move them out. They may need to go in a ‘staging area’ in another room, so that you can concentrate your energy on your craft area.
2. Sort your supplies out according to item type. Look over your supply pile and begin to build smaller piles based upon different categories of supplies. For example, put all of your wrapping paper together. All fabrics should go together initially. After these first piles are finished, you can go back through them and narrow them even further according to size and color. For example, put all of the red wrapping paper together.
At this point your room may be in controlled chaos, so be careful walking around or you may slip on one of your piles. For that reason, try to keep other people out of the room as well, at least during this stage.
To keep you from feeling overwhelmed, bring an egg timer into the room and set it for 15-minutes. When the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Then, re-set the timer and start again. This will keep you motivated to work at a steady pace without burning out.
3. Decide what to donate. As you sort, identify items that are worth donating. Perhaps you have multiples of some items or maybe leftover supplies from projects that you’ve completed and moved on from. Make sure that whatever you donate is safe for another user. For example, don’t donate rusty scissors or any cracked glass items.
Various charity organizations, schools, and libraries will gladly accept donations of craft supplies as long as they are in good condition. This is a great opportunity to share your interest in crafting with other people.
Depending on the amount of items that you have, some charities will actually come to your house and pick them up for you. This may be a good opportunity to do organize other areas of your home as well.
4. Create a trash pile and dispose of it. As you sort, identify items that need to be thrown away. This could be items that you no longer find useful, but that aren’t suitable for donation due to condition or quantity. You should also trash any supplies that are no good anymore, such as dried out glue or frayed ribbons. Ask yourself if you’ve used the item in the past year and if you haven’t odds are it needs to be thrown away or donated.
Take the trash out after you’ve finished sorting the main pile. If you wait you are likely to leave it there and it will become an eyesore and will slow your organizing progress.
5. Repeat this process every few weeks. As life goes on, many of your supplies will likely wander out of your craft space once more. To keep your area tidy and useful for you, go through a sorting and cleaning process fairly often, especially after completing a major project.
Also, devote at least ten minutes after you finish working in your craft room for picking up and storing items in their new proper places. Devoting even this small amount of time can make a major difference in the long-term appearance of your craft room.
Method 2 Implementing a Storage System.
1. Store similar items together. You’ll want to keep your supplies together in their sorted piles as you place them in their designated storage spots and containers. Extra-small items will need to be placed in extra-small containers and will probably be grouped together for storage and then usage.
Keep an eye out for items that may appear similar but that have slightly different functions. These situations may require that you divide up your storage system even further. For example, you’ll want to divide your fabric scissors from your paper scissors.
2. Use plastic bins. These are the number one storage option when organizing a craft room. They come in a wide variety of sizes and are easy to stack. They also fit well within a cube shelf. You can see inside the clear bins, making it easy to find an item that you are looking for.
Depending on how you arrange your bins, you will want to purchase ones that open on the top or via a front panel. Look for lids that snap on tightly to avoid spilling your supplies.
Bins are also especially useful when working with messy items such as paints. In addition, they contain fumes from paints as well.
Make sure to purchase extra bins, and to leave space in the ones that you currently use, for new supplies that you may purchase.
3. Arrange items by color. Store and display your craft supplies according to the color wheel. This will create a quick way for you to find an item that you need for a particular project. It will also lead to beautiful displays of items within the room itself. For example, if you have a bunch of balls of yarn, sort them according to color (reds next to orange tints, etc.) and place them in a wooden cube bookcase for quick access and visual appeal.
4. Repurpose materials as storage containers. Almost any container that is sturdy with a lid can be reused as storage in your craft room. Try to think creatively and find jars, buckets, etc. that you find visually appealing already. They will be even more attractive when holding your supplies.
Here are a few unique ideas. To house smaller items such as sequins, use little plastic pill storage boxes that you can get at a pharmacy or grocery store. For colored beads, place them in a spice rack by color for ease of access and beauty. Small tins or colored buckets make a great storage option for pens, pencils, and paintbrushes.
For a more industrial look, grab a magnetic knife holder from your kitchen, attach it to the wall of your craft room, and use it to display your sharp cutting devices and scissors. This works best when positioned close to your standing work area.
Look at crafting sites and blogs online or buy inspirational craft books/magazines in order to find additional design ideas that may suit your particular space and taste.
5. Label everything. This is especially important when storing items in plastic bins or opaque containers. As you put away every storage container, make sure that it has a clear and visible label that you can see from the center of your craft room. For example, the bin with tape should say, “Tape-clear.”
You can get as fancy as you’d like with the labels. Some people prefer to use a standard label maker while others print directly from online templates. You can even make your own labels by hand.
6. Install shelving. You want to get the most use out of all surfaces within your room, so don’t ignore the walls. Look around your craft room and consider adding shelves to many of the open spaces on the walls. Think creatively about shelving and use materials such as recycled bookcase shelves or even old metal signs repurposed as shelves.
Method 3 Organizing Your Space for Creative Inspiration.
1. Locate your work table for ease of access. Get a sturdy table that you’d feel comfortable working on and place it in the most convenient space in the room, usually right in the middle. You want to be able to access it from all sides. Consider adding a chair or stool, unless you plan to stand all of the time when crafting.
In addition to your main table, you may want another one placed against the wall that will almost act like a workbench. You can hang items on the wall next to it for quick grabbing access.
2. Keep your favorite supplies close by. The materials that you are using for a current project, or those that you consistently rely upon, should be placed close to your table workspace. For example, if you are a seamstress, do not hide your best pair of cutting shears in a labeled storage bin in the closet.
3. Emphasize the natural light when possible. If you have a choice of room, pick a room with ample light sources. This will help to save you from eye strain as you work on your projects. You can also supplement the light by adding interesting (and bright) lamps. Hanging lamps often work the quite well as they are out of the way.
4. Create an inspiration board. Pin up photos or drawings to a fabric-covered poster board. Or, hang a magnetic board on your wall and attach items to it. Clip or write down quotes that you like and attach them to the board. Let it keep growing until you feel the need to remove some items into storage. This can be a fairly chaotic, but inspirational space, in an another organized room.
To add even more visual appeal, use colorful and creative stick-pins to attach items to the board. You can even go with pieces of patterned tape too.
5. Decorate with beautiful craft items. If you love your yarn, don’t hide it, display it. As you sort out items at the start of this process, look for those supplies that you find particularly visually stunning or exciting. Try to create spaces out in the open to store these items. For example, lengths of ribbon can be stored and displayed by hanging a peg board on the wall.
6. Create more access by manipulating your space. Don’t be afraid to use every inch of your craft room for some storage, display, or work purpose. You can paint inspirational quotes on the ceiling and hang items from it too. You can go vertical up the walls and increase your reach by employing footstools. Typically neglected areas, such as the backs of doors, can be put to good use with hanging storage pouches.
Increase your visibility in closet spaces by removing the doors and replacing them with a rod and curtain. When you first enter your room, sweep aside the curtain and you’ve got instant access and visibility into this space.
Tips.
You might want to do an inventory as you sort and organize, in order to determine what supplies you need to reorder.
Warnings.
Think about design and utility, but also safety. If you will have kids in your craft room, watch how you display sharp tools, etc.
There are lots of ways to recycle plastic soda bottles, and turning them into adorable penguins is one of them. With a little bit of paint, time, and creativity, you can turn 2 plastic soda bottles into an adorable penguin. If you have a lot of plastic soda bottles then you can create an entire penguin family!
Part 1 Assembling the Base.
1. Find 2 plastic soda bottles. The large, 2-liter (67.2-oz) bottles will work the best for this, but you can use smaller soda bottles too. Look for the kind that have the 4 bumps on the bottom. These bumps will make the feet and the hat.
The color of the bottles does not matter. You will be painting it.
2. Remove the labels and wash the bottles. Peel the labels off first, then wash the bottles inside-out with soap and warm water. Be sure to remove all sticker residue. Dry the bottles with a towel.
Wipe the bottles down with rubbing alcohol as well. This will remove any oils that might keep the paint from sticking. Let the bottles dry; this should only take a few seconds.
3. Cut the bottles in half and recycle the top sections. A craft blade will work the best for this, but you can do it with a sharp pair of scissors too. Young children should be supervised during this step.
If the cut edge is jagged, cut it smoother with a pair of scissors.
For a smaller penguin, cut the bottom 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) off of the first bottle, and cut the second bottle in half. The shorter half will make the bottom.
4. Tuck 1 bottle inside the other to make a capsule. Turn the bottles so that the cut edges are facing one another. Slide the first bottle into the second bottle by about 1⁄2 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm). If the bottles won't fit inside one another, cut a 1⁄2 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) slit into 1 of the bottles first; place this edge on the inside.
Make sure that the 4 bumps on the top and bottom of the capsule line up.
5. Glue the bottles together, if desired. If the bottles are loose, glue them together with tacky glue or super glue. Pull the bottles apart, and paint the inside rim of 1 bottle with glue. Slide it over the other bottle.
Hot glue is not recommended because it is too bulky.
Alternatively, you can keep the bottles loose, and use the penguin as a gift box.
Part 2 Painting the Penguin.
1. Paint the entire capsule black, then let it dry. Take the capsule outside or into a well-ventilated area. Set it down on a sheet of newspaper, then coat it with black spray paint. Let the paint dry for 15 to 20 minutes, then turn the capsule over. Spray paint the bottom and let it dry completely.
Hold the can 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) from the capsule, and spray using a side-to-side motion.
If the paint is too thin, let it dry completely, then apply another coat of paint.
If you don't have spray paint, paint the capsule using black acrylic craft paint and a paintbrush.
2. Paint the penguin's face and belly white, then allow them to dry. Use a pointed paintbrush and white acrylic craft paint to outline the white face and belly of the penguin. Fill your outline in using a flat paintbrush. Let the paint dry, then add another layer if the first layer is too thin. Let the second layer dry too, if you added it.
Look at pictures of real or cartoon penguins to get ideas for the placement of the white parts.
Make sure that 2 of the bumps on the base of the capsule line up with the bottom of the penguin's belly. These are its feet!
If you are making a smaller penguin, use the shorter half to make the bottom.
3. Give the penguin a widow's peak, if desired. Use a pointed brush and black acrylic craft paint to draw a V-shape at the top of the penguin's white face. Fill the V-shape in with black paint so that it blends in with the body. For an even nicer finish, made the sides of the V-shape curved so that it looks like Mickey Mouse's widow's peak. Let the paint dry before moving on.
4. Paint 2 eyes and a beak using acrylic craft paint. Use a yellow upside-down triangle for the beak, and 2 black dots for the eyes. For a more realistic beak, paint a yellow or orange circle, then draw a horizontal black line going through the middle.
Look at pictures of cartoon penguins to get ideas.
You can also hot glue 2 buttons or 2 googly eyes for the eyes.
If you don't have yellow paint, cut a triangle out of yellow paper, and glue that on instead.
Part 3 Adding Optional Details.
1. Give your penguin character with lashes, eyebrows, and/or blush. You don't have to do any of these, but they can really give your penguin personality. Use a very thin brush for the lashes and/or eyebrows, or a paint pen. Use a larger pointed brush to apply pink paint for the blush.
If you want to give your penguin visible yellow feet, paint the 2 bumps in the front (under the white bellow) with yellow acrylic craft paint.
2. Paint the top half of the bottle to turn it into a hat. The 4 bumps on top of your penguin's head can easily turn into a hat. Paint a line around the penguin's head, just above the eyes, then fill in everything above that line. Use whatever color you want.
If you have a molded line just below the bumps, you can use that as a guide instead.
3. Let the hat dry, then add some details. You can make the hat look more hat-like by painting or drawing some stripes or spots onto it. Use a thin, pointed paintbrush and acrylic craft paint in a contrasting color to do this. Let the paint dry when you are done.
Use a paint pen for thin stripes or small dots.
4. Glue a pompom to the top of the hat, if desired. You can make the pompom yourself out of yarn, or you can buy it from the kids section of a craft store. Hot glue the pompom to the top of the hat, right between all 4 bumps.
Choose a pompom color that matches the designs on your hat. If you did not add designs, then use a contrasting color instead.
5. Tie ribbon around the neck to make a scarf. Find some ribbon that goes well with the hat. Wrap the ribbon around the penguin's neck, then cross the left end over the right end. Bring the left end up through the gap, then tighten it. This is just like starting to tie a pair of shoes!
Glue both ends of the ribbon to the penguin so that they stay down.
If you are turning this into a gift box, make sure that you keep the ribbon below the seam.
You can also cut a long, skinny strip out of felt, and use that instead of ribbon. Cut fringes into each end for additional charm.
Question : How do we make the eyes?
Answer : Cut out two small black circles, and two slightly larger yellow circles. Glue the black circles onto the yellow circles, and glue those onto the white face.
Question : We don't have to remove the bottle cap?
Answer : If you have removed the cap, you will have to tape or otherwise plug the hole on the top to "sculpt" the rounded top of the head on, so it is not recommended to remove the cap. However, taping or a cork replacement can be used.
Question : Can I use a plastic bottle?
Answer : Yes, but it may be hard to paint.
Tips.
If you want your penguin to have a pointy hat, discard 1 of the bottom halves and keep 1 of the top halves. Use the top half as the hat.
Use paintbrushes made from sable or taklon bristles. Do not use boar bristle, horsehair, or camelhair.
Spray the penguin with varnish or sealer, if desired. Do this after you finish painting, but before you add pompoms and scarves.
You can spray the capsule with paint primer first to help the paint stick better.
If you are worried about the paint chipping, spray the capsule with paint primer before you start painting.
Warnings.
Use low-temp hot glue guns to avoid blisters and burns. Do not use high-temp hot glue guns.
Things You'll Need.
2 plastic soda bottles, Craft blade, Black spray paint, Acrylic craft paint (white, yellow, and black).
Acrylic craft paint, 2 contrasting colors, Flat and pointed paintbrushes, Ribbon or felt, Pompom, Hot glue, Tacky glue or super glue.
