Crafts
Earth Day activities & crafts for kids
Crafts
- Super fun kids' activities: Arts and crafts for kids
Sparking creativity through arts and crafts for kids is full of benefits for your little one’s growing mind. There are endless activities you can do at home or outdoors that encourage creative thinking develop self-expression, confidence, and improve fine and gross motor skills. Read on for some ideas to get you started!
The importance of developing kids' creativity
When we think of creativity, art is probably the first thing that comes to mind. While it’s true that art and creativity go hand in hand, we need creativity in nearly every aspect of our lives. Whether we’re trying to solve a problem at home, at work or in school, is key to out-of-the-box thinking.
Developing a child’s creative skills is just as important as developing their gross and fine motor skills. Fostering creativity can help kids express their feelings as well as cope with them. Parents can always feel good about activities that encourage creative thinking, as it’s helping their little ones discover their sense of self and develop problem-solving skills they’ll use every day.
How to organize kids' creative activities at home
There are so many ways to unleash your little one’s creativity with fun and engaging activities. Here are some ideas that you can try at home:
Pretend traffic
This is an easy activity to set up with things you already have at home. If your little one loves playing with cars or trucks, transform your living into a city for them to navigate! Use tape to make streets on your floor, and work together to make traffic lights, buildings, or trees out of paper and cardboard. Then, let your little play however they’d like. It’s perfect for developing creative thinking and encouraging imaginative play! Art projects and crafts that combine physical play help kids gain spatial orientation, meaning they learn to understand their body's orientation in relation to the environment around them. For example, when they get a sense of how their bodies work in a tight space, they'll instinctively avoid hitting their elbow on furniture when navigating through the house. The less bumps and bruises, the better!
Create your own story with stickers
What little one doesn’t love to play with stickers? Let your child’s imagination take charge, and encourage them to create their own storybook using stickers! Give your kiddo a bunch of stickers and blank paper or a notebook, then ask them to create a story. While their imagination and creativity run wild, they'll also work on their fine motor skills as they peel and stick. Then, your kiddo will have their very own story to share with you. It's perfect entertainment for kids!
Art projects and crafts for toddlers
Doing art projects and crafts benefits toddlers in so many ways. No matter their age or skill level, they’re developing essential skills like fine and gross motor skills with every activity. When kids construct, create, and experiment with materials, they practice decision-making, problem-solving, and even dexterity. Plus, it’s always a ton of fun! Here are some ideas for art projects and crafts for toddlers:
Homemade stamps
Stamps are tons of fun for toddlers and are a great way to boost your kiddo’s imagination. You can even make your own stamps with household items! Toy blocks, bottle caps, and corks are just a few things that make great homemade stamps. If you don’t have a washable ink pad, don’t worry. You can use washable markers to paint the shapes and stamp on paper, cardboard, or whatever you like. Have your little one help you pick some objects to use as stamps and let the fun begin!
Felt city
Felt is an inexpensive and versatile material for all sorts of crafts. It’s easy to cut, and it’s durable enough for little hands to play with. Help your little one to cut out shapes to create familiar things, like the shape of a tree and leaves. You can even take this one step further and create an entire city! Your kid can make up their own world, decide how it works, and create their own buildings, roads, cars, parks, and more!
DIY ideas for kids
These easy DIY ideas for kids will boost your kid’s creativity while also contributing to their development. Here are some DIY crafts and fun activities for kids:
Bubble wands
Bubbles are a perfect outdoor activity for all ages. It's great for encouraging active play as kiddos just can’t resist chasing after them! One way to level up your bubble game is to create your own bubble wands. With everyday items that you can get from the dollar store, you can create amazing wands that create giant bubbles! Experiment using pipe cleaners, beads, colorful straws, string, and more. Your kiddo’s wand doesn’t have to be round…they can play around with different shapes and decorations, and make their own magic bubble wand.
DIY hand-painted shirts
Letting your kid go wild with a plain t-shirt and paints and watch them design something they can actually wear! With this DIY art activity for kids, they can draw a picture, or even do finger painting. Your kiddo will love wearing their one-of-a-kind shirt they made themselves!
Egg carton boats
Use some of those empty egg cartons lying around to create boats with your little one! Make a sail out of construction paper and a straw or stick, and glue it to the carton. Then, let your child go crazy with decorations, then set sail in a bathtub, pool, or sink. Use waterproof toys as the cargo or passengers and see how much it can hold!
Easy crafts for kids
Craft activities for kids are perfect for banishing boredom. It’s always helpful to have some ready to go on rainy days, or lazy weekend afternoons. Try out some of these arts and crafts for toddlers when you're looking for some creative playtime:
Birdseed ornaments
Here’s a craft that gives your child an opportunity to take care of their feathered friends. Help your toddler make a birdseed ornament that can be hung outside for birds to enjoy. It makes a perfect stocking stuffer for friends and family, too! Find the recipe , but make sure it stays out of the rain! This ornament isn’t waterproof.
Paper plate paintings
Paper plates are perfect blank canvases for your child to unleash their creativity. You can use them with so many different materials to create different masterpieces. Let your little one go crazy with paint or markers, cut out the middle to create a wreath, use googly eyes to paint a monster, or crinkle up tissue paper to glue on for some interesting textures!
Homemade playdough
This activity combines creativity with sensory play! Have your little one help you make your own playdough at home with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. You can find many recipes , and they almost always use minimal ingredients, including flour and food coloring. After you're done making your playdough, prompt your kiddo to make a snowman, things you’d find in a bakery, a favorite animal...the sky’s the limit! While making and playing with the play dough, your child will work on their fine and gross motor skills while having tons of fun at the same time. Plus, playing with playdough is a calming activity, too!
Crafts
