As fall approaches and the weather changes I start to feel more excited about crafts, beginning the search for a new winter project. With a young granddaughter in mind, I recall many crafts that her mom and I enjoyed years ago. Here are some of our family favorites enjoyed with both of our daughters…
Stencil Coloring
Object to stencil (leaf, coin, fabric, sandpaper)
Newspaper
Thin sheets of white paper (newsprint or computer)
Crayons (chunky ones for smaller children)
Cover the table with a sheet of newspaper to protect the surface. Have children place their objects on the newspaper and place a thin sheet of paper on top of the objects. It helps to use masking tape to hold the plain paper in place. Take the paper wrapping off of the crayons so that the children can use the long side of the crayons to color over the paper until the objects appear. Fall leaves are particularly pretty to use.
Collages
Glue sticks are super for this age child! When using standard glue teach them to use “dots” not “lots.”
Seed – Have children paste seeds, grains, nuts, etc, on the inside of clean Styrofoam trays. Our girls loved to use Indian corn!
Magazine – Have children cut pictures from magazines to past on heavy construction paper. A “theme” event is fun to complete such as pictures of farm animals, vehicles, Halloween or Holiday decorations.
Cereal and/or noodle – Alphabet, elbow, rigatoni and shell macaroni, and cereal shapes, mixed and glued on paper can make delightful picture. (Don’t save these for a long time. Bugs get to them!)
Other ideas – Children can arrange and glue an assortment of materials, wallpapers, paper scraps, foil, fabric, etc. on paper. Scraps of wallpaper are fun to work with.
Paint Printing
Paint stamp pad
Vegetables
Miscellaneous objects
Drawing paper
Preparing the stamp pad – Take a small, aluminum pie plate and cut a piece of felt to fit the bottom. Pour a thick mixture of tempera paint over it.
Preparing the vegetables/fruits – Use different types of vegetables for different designs (celery, okra, cauliflower, cucumber, potato, carrot, apple, orange, pear, etc.) Cut the vege/fruit in half, leaving enough to hold on to — so that the seed pattern or design of the item will be printed. A potato can be carved into special designs and shapes.
To print – Ask children to dip the item in the paint and press them on paper. The printing can be used to make a picture, to decorate stationery, or to decorate other things.
Soap Modeling Compound
Mix mild soap flakes with a small amount of water. Beat with an egg beater until quite stiff. (Kids love to use the egg beater with instruction and supervision!) Children can mold this into different shapes. It will harden and can be used later in the bathtub or given as presents to family and friends.
Have fun crafting with your young children and grandchildren!!!