| Craft projects for kids gives parents an opportunity to | | | | child use an old spoon to scoop sand out to create a |
| engage is good family time with their children. Crafts | | | | cavity in the sand. This will act as the candle mould. Fill |
| can stimulate imagination, relieve stress, develop motor | | | | the cavity with melted candle wax and insert a wick. |
| skills and improve self esteem in children. | | | | Allow several hours to cure, and then remove from |
| As a parent you probably understand the importance | | | | bucket. Use this opportunity to teach your child |
| of engaging in family activities with your children, but | | | | important safety habits to follow when using the stove, |
| may be having trouble finding ideas on how to do that. | | | | handling hot materials or burning candles. Burning |
| Let's take a look at a few craft projects for kids that | | | | candles should never be left unattended. |
| you might like to try... | | | | Make a bird feeder using a cup and saucer. |
| Create a decorative bulletin board. | | | | Let your child use ceramic paints (these usually require |
| Help your child cover a small piece of fiber board with | | | | baking at a certain temperature to cure) to decorate a |
| batting and fabric. Then attach ribbon in a crisscross | | | | cup and saucer. Use an outdoor epoxy to attach the |
| pattern and use decorative tacks at the ribbon | | | | cup to the saucer and the saucer to the top of a |
| intersections. Attach a wire to the back and hang in | | | | 1½ - 2" wooden dowel. Once cured, bury the |
| your child's room. | | | | bottom third of the dowel in your garden. You child can |
| Tuck pictures and notes under the ribbon. | | | | place bird seed in the saucer and water in the cup. |
| Decoupage a paper Mache box. | | | | Use the experience to teach your child about different |
| Using scraps of papers and fabric, you and your child | | | | types of birds that come to feeders. |
| can decorate an old shoe box or a paper Mache box. | | | | Decorate a tote bag. |
| Apply a thin coat of Modge Podge or acrylic gloss gel | | | | Purchase an inexpensive canvas tote bag or make |
| medium to the box. Place the paper or fabric on the | | | | one yourself. Have your kids use fabric paints to write |
| box and cover with another coat of the gel medium. | | | | their names on it. Let them cut out pictures on printed |
| Continue with this process until the entire box is | | | | fabric and iron them on the bag using fusible interfacing. |
| covered. You can then help you child use beads, shells, | | | | Your kids can then go around the edges with fabric |
| or ribbons to decorate the box further, if desired. | | | | paint. They can also use fabric paint to attach plastic |
| Make sand candles. | | | | gemstones and other embellishments to the bag. Thin |
| (Not recommended for very young children.) . Fill a | | | | the fabric paint slightly and pour some on a paper plate |
| bucket with damp sand and pack down. Have your | | | | and your children can make hand prints on their bags. |