Keep Supplies Stocked for Preschool Crafts
Arts and crafts projects are a great hobby for children. With some adult supervision and a little help, children can explore their creative side and create crafts they can be proud of. It is a great idea to keep a selection of arts and crafts supplies on hand. Construction paper, glue, popsicle sticks, feathers, yarn, pom-poms, paint, glitter, and cotton balls are just a few examples of the items that are needed for many of the crafts for kids.
For toddlers and preschoolers, the best projects are paper crafts. Paper bag puppets and paper plates are a couple of examples of fun crafts for kids. Paper bag puppets are a fun and inexpensive way to introduce crafting to young children. Toddlers can draw a face on the bottom flap of the paper bag with markers to create a puppet. Preschoolers can use glue to adhere google eyes to the “face” of the puppet, along with yarn or feathers for hair. Pom-poms make great noses, and pipe cleaners can made into a mouth.
Paper plate puppets are another example of paper crafts that can be tailored according to the child’s age. Pre-cut pieces of paper shaped like eyes, noses, and mouths can be glued on to the back of a paper plate to create a puppet. These puppets can be made to resemble farm animals, people, or pets. Older children will enjoy creating their own pieces to glue on the paper plates.
Crafting can also teach a lesson about recyclable materials. For example, an empty milk carton can be crafted into a birdhouse by cutting one or two holes out of a side of the carton and decorating it with paint, stickers, and glitter. Hang the house from a tree and watch as birds enjoy their new home.
Crafts for Older Children
For older kids, puppets can be made using empty plastic bottles. Kids can draw faces on circles made from construction paper and glued to the bottle, along with yarn for hair. Children can decorate the “body” of the bottle with paper. They can also create arms and legs by taking strips of construction paper, folding them into accordions, and gluing them onto the bottle.
Other paper crafts for older children include origami, tissue paper flowers, and paper mache. These crafts require more patience and are great for children who are ready to take their crafting to the next skill level. These projects may also require a bit more assistance from an adult.
There are so many crafts for kids that are available for every skill level. Kids of all ages enjoy passing the time crafting, and it is an inexpensive way to entertain youngsters while developing fine motor skills.