# Kids crafts suggestions!



## PumpkinKitty (Oct 13, 2011)

My 4 year old loves crafting, but my wallet is not liking going to Michaels to buy supplies for different things. Any suggestions for different crafts with basic stuff would be great


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## jkhs (Sep 17, 2010)

So, I know this sounds weird, but in the 13 years that I've done daycare one of the craft activities that the kids like best is glueing cottonballs to paper. The kids make clouds, fluffy bunnys, sheep, etc. and all they need is paper, a bag of cotton balls, and a glue stick. Colors/markers and a scissors add to their creativity, too.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Making your own play dough & letting it dry is always fun. Here are a few links:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/cub-scout/

http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/crafts/

http://first-school.ws/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/toddler/


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Majic Wand/sword from paper towel rolls

funny mask faces with paper plates and...whatever you can dream up. Staple a cut rubber band to it, voila! A wearable funny mask. Also, this time of year, paper plate pumpkins...just paint the whole plate orange and glue, draw, paint eyes, mouth etc.

Cut pictures from magazines and do a collage of their favorite things

paper bag puppets, sock puppets

I went to Wal Mart and got something called Box of...errr, crud, don't recall what, but it was like 30 crafts in one box.


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## CrossCreek Mom (Aug 21, 2007)

Google "ooblek". It is a cornstarch putty that is pretty wild. DK's both did this in science classes a few years ago.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

A small tuna can for the lid, and a larger can for the bottom, like the large pork and beans. You were gonna recycle the cans anyway. The outside of the cans can be decorated in any way. This is how we made the crayon can.

glitter and pinecones

Large button and string for a button twirlie thing.

plain index cards and crayons or colored pencils to make his own deck of cards for Old Maid or Concentration.


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## HappyFarmer (Jun 17, 2006)

Today was our holiday crafting day for my grandshildren & grand niece (ages 3-6.

We make coke bottle christmas ornaments fromt he round coke bottes found at Walmart this time of year. Some we left clear, and drizzled clear glue & then glitter, others we spraypainted & drew Christmas scenes. A small hole drilled in the top for a colorful pipe cleaner. 

Today we also made pictures for Christmas presents. Cheap canvas picture frame from Joblot, 3-4 earthy tone colors of paint. Each made 2 pictures - 1 of their handprints in varying colors/positions, and the other just swipes or swirls of paint. The colors match most peoples living rooms. (beige, dark green, taupe, off white & light brown).

Last year we colored T-shirts and tote bags. Cheap fabric paint (our bottles are going on year 3 so worth the investment). We drew freehand, wrote words, or used things like cookie cutters or plastic lids to make shapes.

and the first year we had our crafting day we used gourds grown in the garden, dried them, cleaned them out, painted them (with hand-prints), drilled a hole, tied a string & the kids gave them for Christmas presents.

Next year we will be doing door stops made out of 2-liter soda bottles. And will probably do penquins using those plastic iced/lemonade/cherry drink containers. They have an hour glass shape & perfect for creating snowmen, penquins, or pigs for a piggy bank. You can just paint them or use felt/fabric.

Or save the tissue paper from presents, use it to decoupage the above ornaments & put a clear coat over the ornament. Very cute looks almost like stained glass.

Spray paint dry noodles (shells, elbows, twists, etc) different colors & glue onto plastic containers to make pencil holders, knick knack holders or???

HF


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Try checking out www.duckbrand.com. My kids have had a ball making all kinds of stuff out of duck tape! It comes in a variety of colors and you can find it at WalMart or any hardware store. It makes for a craft that is easy for them to do and doesn't require a whole lot of parental supervision


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## allisonhome (Dec 1, 2011)

I'm having the same problem with my kids! Urgh


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## FrogTacos (Oct 25, 2011)

Paper plate fish!

Color plate with crayons, markers, etc (bottom side)
Fold in half
Use different colors of construction paper or tissue paper to make fins
Make eyes out of whatever you have on hand

Glue the plate so it will stay closed, clothespins will help hold it

Cut off one of the bottom edge 'corners' to make the mouth of the fish.

My son had a whole 'aquarium' hanging in his bedroom at one point. He liked to watch them 'swim' when the air came on.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

There are so many things you can do with pinecones. You can make pinecone people, Christmas trees, hang them with a bit of ribbon. Try doing a search on pinecone crats. Also Daniell's place has a lot of paper crafts that are free to do.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

jkhs said:


> So, I know this sounds weird, but in the 13 years that I've done daycare one of the craft activities that the kids like best is glueing cottonballs to paper. The kids make clouds, fluffy bunnys, sheep, etc. and all they need is paper, a bag of cotton balls, and a glue stick. Colors/markers and a scissors add to their creativity, too.


Remember taking small squares of tissue paper and squishing them onto the end of a pencil? Then you dip the end in a small amount of glue and place on your paper. A simple outline of any picture will allow for a great masterpiece. 

Also, you might want to check out Family Fun magazine at the library, or go online. They have great ideas that pertain to the current season.

Keep an eye out at garage sales for basic supplies like yarns, papers, broken crayons, popsicle sticks, etc.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

Two things. One can be active physically inside.
need two clear plastic flared punch cups.
cut 4 small slits 1/4 inch, into top of one opposing. 
cut open two rubber bands.
knot ends of rubber bands and fit across cup top into slits. be sure to give it a little boing.
You now have a plus sign on the top of plastic cup.
Take other cup and copy off a rocket ship or whatever off the internet to color.
glue rocket ship to this cup. 
Push cup bottom with rocket ship into rubber bands and let go.
It shoots.
Can use rabbit outline or almost anything. 

This one I loved but not an alone craft:
one clear plastic cup, flared punch kind. 
Draw outline of open flared end onto paper plate.
Build a diarama within this outline. Cotton ball snowscene is good. Maybe have some pine and pine cones etc.
( Optional to hang-Punch hole in bottom of plastic cup and manage a bead, button or some kind of hanger coming out the cup bottom.)
Glue wide top of this cup to the paper plate over the diarama. Trim plate to small ledge or no ledge. Voila - "snowglobe" and the ones they did at my church were terrific ! S


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## Heritagefarm (Feb 21, 2010)

Tandy Leather Factory has some basic children's kits, but that's probably out of your price range...
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/home.aspx


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

Shop thrift stores... my kids frequently find great crafting items for dirt cheap.


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