Things to Make and Do, Crafts and Activities for Kids - The Crafty Crow

Found Object Art

AFTER
Look what Journey Into Unschooling
made from found objects! It's easy: go on
a hunt for stuff, organize it, then create!


BEFORE

Countdown Sticks

Gift of Green shares how they
countdown to special occasions with
these fun to make countdown sticks.

Make A Creation Station With Sycamore Stirrings!

I'm thrilled to tell you that my friend Katy from Sycamore Stirrings is guest posting today! She has a wonderful idea to share with you and I know you will love it! Even if you aren't a crafty person and feel like you're all thumbs when it comes to doing crafts with your kids you'll be able to pull this off with great results! Enjoy!

Put together a Creation Station!

A Creation Station is a collection of art and craft supplies put together for the sole purpose of letting your child do what they want! To create! to use their imagination. To see the potential in an old cereal box. You will be amazed with what they come up with. Creation Station also provides an opportunity for your child to master the tape dispenser, stapler or the bottle of Elmer's Glue (gulp). This activity really leaves kids feeling confident - it is a powerful thing to take an idea and carry it through into a project.

I used this as a station activity when I taught kindergarten and I just recently made one up for my own girls. My 5.5 year old can get lost for an hour creating, thinking, and trying things out.

Organizing Your Creation Station

You'll need one large plastic tote that everything can fit into. And a caddy for the art supplies. The craft items I put in a shoe box, I call this the Treasure Box. The creating materials I simply put on top of the caddy and shoe box.

Suggested Art Supplies:

Tape
Markers
Pencils
String or yarn
Scissors
Glue - Elmer's and Glue Sticks
Hole Punch
Stapler (depending on your child's age)

Creating Materials:

Paper (I threw in some pads of paper we had sitting around)
Packaging - cereal boxes, lids, cardboard pieces
Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls
Paper Plates

Treasure Box Ideas:

Stickers
Pipe Cleaners
Straws
Tissue Paper
Fabric Scraps
Ribbon/lace pieces
Buttons
Stamps and Ink Pad
Glitter Glue
Craft Sticks

~Start with 4 or so from the list. Items should all fit in a shoe box.~

Helpful Hints:

    1) This activity works best with kids 5 and older. Younger children are still developing the cognitive skills needed to conceptualize a project and then carry it out. They also may lack the fine motor skills needed to use the tape dispenser, glue, string, etc.

    2) Start out with very basic supplies and limited creating materials. You don't want the activity to be about the "stuff." The activity is about creating. You'll be amazed with what they come up with using only a few things.

    3) Teach your child how to keep the tote organized. They will not want to use the Station if they can't find the supplies or have to wade through piles of paper debris.

    4) Keep the Station fresh. Add a new supply or put a few new things in the treasure box. It is a balance - you don't want to make it about the stuff, but you do want to keep them stimulated.

    5) Use what you have!! This activity is all about seeing the potential in something. Look through your recycling bins. Look through your craft supplies (you know you have more than you'll ever use!) Look through your sewing supplies. Pretty soon your child will say, "Let's put this (whatever this is) in Creation Station" and you won't have to look anymore J

    6) Accept that this is a messy activity. Let 'em create. Pick one spot in the house where Creation Station happens. Explain that cleaning up is part of Creation Station.

    7) Let 'em do their thing. It's always so tempting to make suggestions or offer ideas. Be there to help with supplies, not to plan their project.

    8) I found that this activity was equally popular with boys and girls. Sometimes by 5 years old boys move away from arts and crafts, but boys seem to love the freedom of doing their own thing.

Katy has been blogging at Sycamore Stirrings for about two years. She shares tutorials, favorite recipes, and is the originator of Muffin Tin Monday! About ten months ago, she and her family moved to Luxembourg from the States. It wasn't long before she had turned their new house into a cozy home and learned to make her favorite recipes using the metric system. I have so enjoyed being able to travel along with Katy vicariously through her blog, enjoying the little differences (my favorites are the chocolate cereal and finger counting), as well as the grandeur, that is Europe. I hope you will give her a visit and say hello :)

Back To School Round Up!

This adorable lap desk is perfect for
use in the car and at home and will be
loved by all ages!
lap desk tutorial :: Mer Mag


paper bag apple :: Cider & Faun


Wendolonia shows you how to
put together a simple bento style lunch!
bento lunch :: Wendolonia


chalk cloth dots :: Oilcloth Addict
via Craftzine


Start a new tradition - a schultüte!
schultüte tutorial :: Two Little Birds Two
Little Beasts

 
Molly Irwin has a year long series
of posts on how to put together a
kindergarten memory book!
kindergarten memory book :: Molly Irwin


notebook labels :: Martha Stewart
lunch labels :: Martha Stewart


Such a great snack idea
and includes a printable label!
edible crayons :: Gourmet Mom On The Go


...and edible pencils too!
edible pencils :: Family Fun
via Edible Crafts


Pancake abc's are the perfect
breakfast for the first day of school!
pancake abc's :: Rookie Moms


Ingenious idea for a reusable
sandwich wrap - simple, frugal, and recycled!
reusable sandwich wrap :: Frugal Family Fun


Mornings will go much smoother when
clothing is picked out ahead of time. These
free printable tags are at Living Locurto :)
day-of-the-week outfit tags :: Living Locurto


Use this shrink plastic tutorial at Photojojo
to create tags for backpacks, lunch bags, and
any other paraphernalia young students
need to keep track of.
shrink plastic tags :: Photojojo

All Your Summer Games Are In The Bag!

A bag full of summer games will be
a new tradition after reading this great
post at All The Little Things!

Take-Along Art Supplies Basket

Wee Folk Art shows you how to design a
basket to hold all your drawing supplies for
your next outside art adventure.

On-The-Go Watercolor Kit

A Number of Things shows you how to pack a simple watercolor kit to take with you anytime you plan to do some art out of doors.  I think the spray bottle is a great idea!

Cute Snack Box Idea

I love this cute snack idea found at Harvest Moon by Hand. It's fun to put together and fun to eat!

Found at Her Cup Overfloweth

Restaurant Kits

You and your little ones can enjoy a dinner out by making up one of these restaurant kits shared by Whimsy Love.

Tip for Serving Ice Cream

And Everything Nice shares a great way to reuse egg cartons and serve up multiple ice cream cones at the same time.

Boredom Buster Boxes

The kids will never be bored again with a stack of these boredom buster boxes found at Givers Log :)

Art Supply Organization

Katherine Marie Photography shares her list
of ten art supplies they can't live without
and some photos of how they are
all organized.