By Jessica Wiener
Next to summer, spring is most kids'
favorite season. Spring means longer afternoons for play time, wrapping up the
school year, and kid-friendly holidays to enjoy. Crafting with children is
always a big hit, and spring events like Mother's Day and Easter give kids
incentive to craft items for themselves and to give as gifts. Make use of those
longer days with some kid-friendly spring crafting ideas.
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| Source: Martha Stewart |
Decorative print stamps lend themselves to everything from fabric crafts to handmade stationery.
For young kids, large stamps in soft materials like sponges work best; older
kids can handle finer details. Pre-made stamps for printing work beautifully
for all ages, but choose water-soluble inks for younger children to make
cleaning up after a crafting session easier. Household items can become stamps
with a little help from an adult who can cut sponges into geometric shapes or
fashion pencil erasers into easy rubber stamps. Martha Stewart suggests cutting erasers into simple shapes and using those forms to
create new images for homemade cards.
Kids who've spent dreary winter months indoors can't wait to get outside. A little rain doesn't have to stop the fun as long as there's no thunder. Use water-soluble paints to create simple, vibrant images and let a gentle spring shower turn them into Impressionist watercolor art as Disney Family Fun suggests. Use sturdy paper that can hold up to getting wet so the artwork won't fall apart from a good soaking.
Spring means time for new life, and kids love to see nature waking up from a long winter's sleep. Let them give nature a little help with a milk carton bird feeder like the design from Parents magazine. Milk cartons also double as housing for birds that are looking to build a home for their new families. Use found materials such as sticks and rocks with non-toxic hot glue to ensure that the birdhouses are safe for their little inhabitants.
Bat houses are an interesting twist on bird houses; welcoming bats to the neighborhood means ridding the area of pesky bugs, so bats make great neighbors. Wooden bat houses take more building know-how than simple constructions from milk cartons, so older kids are more likely to appreciate these woodworking crafts. Get free bat house plans from woodworking sites or conservation organizations.
Spring flowers give kids dozens of craft possibilities. A hobby that Victorian children loved as much as modern kids is flower-pressing. Martha Stewart's site describes how to press pansies, violets and other flat-based flowers for creating homemade cards and coasters. Go on a flower-picking expedition and look for wildflowers that will press or dry nicely so spring's blossoms can last for many seasons.
Easter crafts are in a category by themselves, but egg-themed crafts aren't just for Easter. In addition to creating beautifully colored eggs for Easter, kids can also make eggs into biodegradable planters for new seedlings. Carefully remove the tops from eggs and save the edible parts for breakfast or cakes. Use the shell as a miniature pot for young plants. When the seedlings grow large enough to transplant outside, kids can plant the whole egg in the garden after knocking a small hole in the base to ensure proper drainage.
Whether kids need something to do during April showers or want a way to craft with May flowers, spring crafting with kids creates more than just pretty things around the house. Crafting with kids builds memories that last a lifetime.
Kids who've spent dreary winter months indoors can't wait to get outside. A little rain doesn't have to stop the fun as long as there's no thunder. Use water-soluble paints to create simple, vibrant images and let a gentle spring shower turn them into Impressionist watercolor art as Disney Family Fun suggests. Use sturdy paper that can hold up to getting wet so the artwork won't fall apart from a good soaking.
Spring means time for new life, and kids love to see nature waking up from a long winter's sleep. Let them give nature a little help with a milk carton bird feeder like the design from Parents magazine. Milk cartons also double as housing for birds that are looking to build a home for their new families. Use found materials such as sticks and rocks with non-toxic hot glue to ensure that the birdhouses are safe for their little inhabitants.
Bat houses are an interesting twist on bird houses; welcoming bats to the neighborhood means ridding the area of pesky bugs, so bats make great neighbors. Wooden bat houses take more building know-how than simple constructions from milk cartons, so older kids are more likely to appreciate these woodworking crafts. Get free bat house plans from woodworking sites or conservation organizations.
Spring flowers give kids dozens of craft possibilities. A hobby that Victorian children loved as much as modern kids is flower-pressing. Martha Stewart's site describes how to press pansies, violets and other flat-based flowers for creating homemade cards and coasters. Go on a flower-picking expedition and look for wildflowers that will press or dry nicely so spring's blossoms can last for many seasons.
Easter crafts are in a category by themselves, but egg-themed crafts aren't just for Easter. In addition to creating beautifully colored eggs for Easter, kids can also make eggs into biodegradable planters for new seedlings. Carefully remove the tops from eggs and save the edible parts for breakfast or cakes. Use the shell as a miniature pot for young plants. When the seedlings grow large enough to transplant outside, kids can plant the whole egg in the garden after knocking a small hole in the base to ensure proper drainage.
Whether kids need something to do during April showers or want a way to craft with May flowers, spring crafting with kids creates more than just pretty things around the house. Crafting with kids builds memories that last a lifetime.
Bio: Jessica is a
specialist in manufacturing print
stamps. When she is not writing for Print360.com, you can find her
cooking up a storm in her kitchen.
