10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too! -

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10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too!

10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too!

Crafting with young children really isn't about creating something in particular. Most young children don't have the foresight to see what a project is going to be.

For young children it's more important that they have the opportunity to play and experiment with art. Kids need to use as many of their senses as possible to get the most out of crafting. This allow them to try new sensory experiences, as well as learn causal relationships.

These are my 10 favorite crafts for little kids based on all that AND the 'fun factor.'

1. Finger painting: Finger painting is a wonderful activity for kids. It lets them 'feel' the craft as well as be creative. You don't have to have finger paints to do this activity with kids. You can finger paint with homemade paint, watercolors or even mud. You can also experiment with adding other things to the paint such as sand or glitter.

2. Yarn Painting: Dip pieces of string or yarn into paint and then drag it across the paper to paint with it. It's a good experience to paint with something other than a brush and you can just throw the yarn away when finished.

3. Q-Tip Painting: Use Q-tips to create a painting. There are lots of ways to use a Q-tip - scrub, dot, or use it like a brush. It's a good coordination exercise because Q-tips are small around, but it also provides a lot of interest for the child.

4. Glue Art: Draw squiggle lines on a piece of paper or let the child use their finger to make random glue spots or patterns on a piece of paper. Experiment with adding different objects to the glue. Sand, glitter, cotton, yarn, feathers, and tissue paper all work well.

5. Salt Dough Sculpture: Make a batch of salt dough and turn the kids loose with it. You don't have to worry about them eating it (it's safe and tastes terrible) and clean up is easier than play dough. If you want to keep their creations, let them dry overnight and then paint them the next day.

6. Toe Painting: If it's a warm summer day, put on the swimsuits, put some finger paint into pie tins, lay out large sheets of poster paper, and let them 'paint' all afternoon. They will have a ball and all you have to do is hose them off when they are done (that's my kids' favorite part actually!)

7. Found Object Art: This project is always a sure thing because kids love to 'discover' things. Let your child gather up leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. and then glue them onto a piece of paper. When they are done, let them tell you about their collection.

8. Peanut Pictures: Every kid loves to play with packing peanuts -- but it makes such a mess. Let them create pictures with them instead. Kids can draw on them, glue them to a sheet of paper, or glue the peanuts to each other to make a sculpture. The kids will love it!

9. Sticker Play: Turn your child loose with a bunch of stickers, markers, and a sheet of paper and let them create. It's good for little ones to work on their coordination, and it's fun!

10. Stamping: Kids love to use any kind of stamps. My favorites are the self-inking stamps or the double-sided markers with the stamps on one end. This may sound like pure play, but is also teaches young children cause and effect.

Chris Yates makes it Easy to craft with Little Kids and Create a little Magic Time with Hundreds of Project Ideas. Visit Little Kid Crafts Now!

In The News:

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%2520News/1923911/cid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNFO8J4bELyimgCSnytg0a_OVCKTWQbHobby/b shop owner serious about success/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTrading Markets (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 6, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The store did well, selling his wife#39;s jewelry, his artwork and other bcrafts/b, until the first casino opened in Connecticut. Suddenly, quot;the spiritual Native b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.fallsnewspress.com/news/article/4420371cid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNGF_kTHH3FOnLYs0vPAYY7u4YeJwQBusiness Brief/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCuyahoga Falls News Press,nbsp;OHnbsp;-/font nobrSep 22, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1bHobby/b Lobby will offer bcrafts/b, bhobbies/b, picture framing, jewelry making, fashion fabrics, floral, scrapbooking, cards and party, baskets, wearable art, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx%3Fe%3D1233922cid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNHgO-CtS0tKdZSNP2E9ipcRAYRcKQEven room for big kids at fall harvest show/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fStandard Freeholder,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 6, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;This is probably one of the most addictive bhobbies/b you well ever get into,quot; he said. quot;I got into it over 20 years ago. I was in Massena and I saw a guy b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2008/10/07/news/life/165634.txtcid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNGI8yA90lJkWB0c5p7J8LsOX00CJw#39;Eragon#39; author#39;s success rooted in family, landscape/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBismarck Tribune,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1His bhobbies/b revolve around the fantasy world heâ€™s created. They include making chain mail, a flexible medieval armor composed of interlocking metal rings. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sundayherald.com/arts/arts/display.var.2457158.0.0.phpcid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNFXO8_S1ki7mb3Knbc6FLRhAwV-MwON THE ROAD: Roddy Woomble/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSunday Herald,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 4, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I make a mental note to never inflict this on my own children, even if their bhobbies/b turn out to be tiling and plastering. Luckily my wife, who comes from a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20080915/NEWS01/80915012/1002/NEWScid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNGOvZRJEoWUi5k3Hk-hVLXcUyTdPwNew bcraft/b and bhobby/b store opens in Webster/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRochester Democrat and Chronicle,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrSep 15, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In addition to the regular items available at most bcraft/b and bhobby/b stores, Mong said, bHobby/b Lobby also carries some furniture and a large seasonal inventory b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.cantondailyledger.com/articles/2008/10/05/news/news03.txtcid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNF8KDQHgUF8aT1_cBEN4XdnbnxNzASpoon River Scenic Drive begins/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCanton Daily Ledger,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobrOct 5, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Owning many tractors, rebuilding them, and showing them at antique tractor shows are bhobbies/b he can share with others. He has a John Deere dump rake for b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.elburnherald.com/features2008/hobbytime1003.aspcid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNE501VPGWwr1ya-1rinIiWX8eAj5AA bhobby/b … good for you by definition/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fElburn Herald,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobrSep 26, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“There really is a lot to choose from, for any interest, but we have three aisles alone dedicated just to juvenile bcrafts/b.” He said with a little effort, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.27east.com/story_detail.cfm%3Fid%3D172361cid=0ei=wM_rSJLiBajs6gP65NT7CAusg=AFQjCNFO6syoA1NhvhIxUtbWdlfIr2U5VQProgram at Montauk school/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6f27east.com,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Other workshops envisioned for Friday and Saturday winter evenings include arts and bcrafts/b, sports and health education, and lessons in life skills, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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10 Slam-Dunk Crafts For Little Kids -- And Bigger Kids Too!

Crafts & Hobbies