Easy Craft Ideas for Toddlers

Young children are always on the go. Children have an insatiable need to explore their world, and learn about everything in it. Although children need plenty of time to run around and actively play, a creative project can keep them interested in some quiet time. Crafting can provide a perfect creative project for toddlers and children of all ages.


These easy craft ideas are great for toddlers or young children for several reasons. Simple crafts can help children to develop or improve their hand-eye coordination. Longer attention spans can be developed as you increase the complexity of the craft projects. Simple crafts will also help children learn to follow step by step instructions. Try out these simple children's craft ideas with your toddler!

Craft Stick Puppets

Puppets are fascinating to toddlers. Creating their own puppets is easy, and it's lots of fun. All you really need are some craft or popsicle sticks, construction paper, safety scissors, markers and glue.


Help your toddler cut animal shapes out of construction paper. He can draw faces and other details with washable markers. Glue the stick to the back of the shape, let dry, and he's ready to put on a puppet show. If you want to make more elaborate puppets, try cutting shapes out of foam. Glue on a pom pom for the nose, and add some googly eyes.

These new craft stick puppets can be taken along for when you need to have your toddler quiet and entertained. They will enjoy playing with their new toys that they made, and be happily quiet for a time.

Paint with Pudding

Kids love to fingerpaint, but it's so messy. And there's also the concern about them eating the paint. Even if the paints are nontoxic, it can make cautious parents uneasy. The solution? Let them paint with pudding!


You don't need different flavors to make different colors. Just use one serving of plain vanilla pudding, divide it up into small portions, and add food coloring to create various shades. Give your child a paper plate to use as a canvas for his masterpiece. When he's done, he can eat it with no worries.

Design a T-Shirt

If your toddler sees you sewing or painting clothes with fabric paint, she may want to try her hand at designing clothes. But needles are small and sharp, and fabric paint is messy. What to do? Break out the markers!


Kids can have a blast decorating a plain white t-shirt with colorful markers. If you use washable ones, they can create a design, wear it, and start over after you wash the shirt. If a permanent design is desired, however, you'll have to let him use non-washable markers. You can avoid a mess by covering the work area with newspaper and putting a smock on your toddler.

Placemats

Making placemats out of contact paper is very easy. Have your toddler cut shapes out of construction paper and glue them onto a whole piece of construction paper with a glue stick. He can add detail with markers or embellish with stickers. When he's done, place the artwork on a piece of contact paper, sticky side up. Place another sheet of contact paper on top, sticky side down.


Even if your toddler only has the patience to make one placemat at a time, don't despair. This is an easy project to be packed up, and brought back out when they are ready. Eventually enough will be made to fill the entire table. Then you can start on presents for family or friends! 



Crafting can help your toddler learn important skills while keeping him quietly occupied. Whether it's a rainy day or they are just feeling creative, seize the opportunity to let him channel his imagination into something you can both admire.

Beginning Scrapbooking for Children

Scrapbooking may be something that you are already into. What a fabulous way to spend time with your child(ren)... while helping them learn the art of scrapbooking. If you are just exploring the idea of scrapbooking, what better way to do that than exploring it with your children!

Scrapbooking has been around for ages, but it has recently experienced a surge in popularity. People from all walks of life have discovered the joys of creating albums to showcase their treasured photos and keepsakes. But with all the elaborate scrapbooking techniques and myriad embellishments available, getting started can be intimidating.

The truth is, anyone that can use scissors and glue can scrapbook. And you don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to create attractive pages. With some basic supplies and a little imagination, you can create lovely scrapbooks that will be adored for years to come.

What You Need

You can get started scrapbooking on a small budget. Here are the things you'll need.

• An album - Scrapbooking albums come in all shapes and sizes. The most popular are 8 1/2" x 11" and 12" x 12". They can be found at most craft supply stores if you don't have a scrapbooking supply store nearby.
• Paper - Scrapbooking paper can be found in a variety of solid colors and patterns. This will be the basis for each page. You may also use scrapbooking paper for journaling and to create your own photo mats and embellishments.
• Cutting tools - You can easily get by with just a good pair of scissors. But an Exacto knife might make photo cropping easier. And if you're no good at cutting straight lines, you might want to invest in a paper cutter.
• Adhesives - There are all sorts of adhesives one could use for scrapbooking. Glue sticks and double-sided tape are quite popular. Some scrapbookers also use rubber cement or glue dots for certain applications. But when you're getting started, just use what you're most comfortable with.
• Photos - Beginning scrapbookers often start out with old photos that they've accumulated over the years. This makes for a nice, nostalgic album. Of course you can also take new pictures for your scrapbook. A digital camera and photo printer are two modern conveniences that make scrapbooking easier, but they are not necessities. Photos taken by a film camera work just as well.

When purchasing scrapbooking supplies, it's important to make sure they are acid-free. This will keep them from harming your priceless photos.

Basic Techniques

You don't have to know a lot about scrapbooking techniques to create an attractive album. Just a few simple techniques will suffice.

One of the first things many scrapbookers learn is how to mat photos. This can be accomplished by simply cutting a square or rectangle that is about a half inch longer and wider than the photo you want to mat. Then glue the photo to the center. To make a photo really stand out, double mat it by cutting out a shape a half inch longer and wider than the first mat, and center the matted photo on it.

Journaling gives scrapbook pages a nice personal touch. Simply write a note about the photos on a page, telling what was happening or sharing your thoughts on the subject. Use paper that coordinates with the background, and be sure to write with an acid-free pen.

Adding borders to your pages gives them a finished look. You can make them out of strips of coordinating scrapbook paper. You don't have to border all four sides. A strip along the top, side or bottom will do. For easy embellishing, use some stickers.

There's no need to throw in the towel if you don't have the time, money or know-how to create elaborate scrapbooks. Just start off simple, and learn new techniques as you go. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy this time with your child(ren)!

Patriotic Hot air Balloon Decoration

How much fun would it be to have a hot air balloon in your backyard?! Well, maybe just a hot air balloon decoration on your table then... This fun craft will raise everyone's spirits for the Fourth of July.

On the Fourth of July, we often look to the sky to watch fireworks in all shapes, sizes and colors. But in some locations, there’s more to see up above. Hot air balloons are festive and fun reminders of the American holiday.

A patriotic hot air balloon decoration in red, white and blue makes a wonderful Independence Day centerpiece.

What You will Need

• Large, white, high quality latex balloon filled with helium
• Large balloon net*
• Small wicker laundry-type basket with two handles
• Red, white and blue crepe paper
• Basket filler in red, white and blue
• Candy or goodie bags

What To Do With It

1. Drape the balloon net over the helium-filled balloon.
2. Divide the ribbons from the balloon net into two equal sets.
3. Tie one half of the ribbons to one of the basket handles. Tie the other half to the other basket handle.
4. Decorate the basket with red, white and blue crepe paper. Wrap it around the basket and secure with clear tape, and/or tie streamers to the handles for decoration.
5. Fill the basket with the patriotic basket filler. Add candy or goody bags, and place in the middle of the table as a centerpiece.

If you prefer, you could add real or silk flowers to the basket instead of candy or goody bags for a unique floral centerpiece. You can also adapt the project to use as a gift holder for birthdays or other holidays by using different colors of crepe and basket filler.


*Balloon nets may be available from a local party supply store or florist. If you can’t find any for sale, here’s how to make one.

Supplies

• 150 feet of decorative ribbon in red, white, and/or blue
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Cut strips of ribbon long enough to drape over the balloon and tie to the basket, making sure they will keep the balloon at the desired height. Add a few extra inches for tying and to leave room for error.
2. Lay a strip of ribbon flat diagonally. Lay another strip parallel to the first one, about an inch away. Keep laying down strips of ribbon until you have enough to cover the top of the balloon. If using two or more colors, alternate them in a set pattern.
3. Lay a strip of ribbon across the first strip, going diagonally in the opposite direction. Repeat until you have a square of a fishnet pattern large enough to cover the top of the balloon, with enough ribbon hanging to keep the balloon as far as you desire above the basket.
4. Tie knots in the ribbon at the corners to secure the pattern.