Crafting with my Kids

I knew for a long long time that I wanted to be a mother. I had a class called “Marriage” back in high school. One of our projects was to plan out the life we wanted to live. My plan was to go to college and meet the man of my dreams, marry shortly after I graduated from college, have a career for a few years, eventually become a SAHM and have enough children to take up two pews in church. As we all know, our plans don’t always go exactly as we hope, and it took me a little longer (ahem, 11 years) to find my husband. Looking back on it all, it was kind of a blessing. I became very independent and I learned so much in those 11 years! I was the last of my friends to get married and I was able to be there for all of my friend’s life changing moments; really be present. I had amazing friends that made sure to always include me, even though we were at different points in our lives. I watched them get married and start families. I celebrated with them. I visited with them. I learned from them. I played with their children. One thing that always struck a chord with me, was seeing art/craft projects hanging on the walls in my friend’s homes. I hoped that one day, art/craft projects created by sweet little hands, would fill the walls in my home. Today it does. I am blessed!! I have two beautiful children and crafting with them is one of my favorite things in the world. Here are some of our favorite craft projects:

Fingerpainting is always fun, a lil’ messy, but FUN! My oldest has always loved it, my youngest, not so much. He does now, but it wasn’t always that way.

If you have a child that doesn’t like getting messy, (or you do not want to clean up a mess) 🙂 this is a very cool option. Just take a gallon size double zipper storage bag. Squirt the fingerpaint inside. Zip it up. Fold the zip over for extra protection. Tape the bag to a table. Let your kiddo fingerpaint mess free. This will keep them busy for hours, well not really hours, maybe 10 minutes, but if you’re a mother of toddlers, 10 minutes of quiet play will feel like hours! 🙂

This next project is a little time consuming and due to a toddlers lack of attention span, it usually takes two days to complete. However, it is a HUGE hit!! Cut out any shape from poster board. You can also draw out sections on the poster board so your child knows when to use a different color of tissue paper. Cut up little squares (about 3×3 inches) of tissue paper in various colors. Have your kiddo take a piece of tissue paper, crumple it up and glue it to the poster board. You can make your own or purchase pre-made kits at Alex Toys. We have a pre-made kit from Alex Toys and we love it! The kit comes with self stick patterns, so glue isn’t required! It’s fabulous!

Your options are endless! Pretty cool, right?

My youngest is 2.5 and he isn’t always able to do everything his big sis (4 years old) does. These foam boards and foam stickers are all over the place. You can find them at Michaels, Target and Meijer, just to mention a few stores. This was designed by my 2.5 year old and I LOVE it, so simple, yet so artsy! It’s one that I will keep, because we know we can’t keep them all! Holy Batman it accumulates fast! Anyway, I try to pick up one set of foam stickers and foam boards for each season. They are easy, fun, festive and BOTH of my kids love them. I hear happy squeals every time I get them out.

I always have a huge stack of construction paper on hand! We LOVE construction paper projects! Creating lil’ chicks is fun and adorable! A few supplies and you will be all set: scissors, glue, yellow & orange construction paper and craft store eyes. Your child’s hand print will be the chick’s wings, love it! I couldn’t get enough of watching this project unfold. Each chick turned out differently and each one makes me laugh; so cute!! I will definitely be saving a few of these. Looking at them makes me smile and I have a handprint for documentation.

It’s like they have personalites of their own. I’ll spare you the bubble quotations, ok, maybe just the bottom left one: “Raise the roof! Holla” ……………… Ok, I hope I’m not the only one laughing. Like, tears. in. my. eyes. LAUGHING…. Ahem 🙂

Here is the whole collection……….

Construction paper caterpillars are a perfect summer craft. You will need construction paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, craft store eyes, glue and a coffee cup (amazing!). If you don’t have craft store eyes and/or glue, you can just draw them on! I sit at the table and trace the circles with my coffee cup, so I get to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the creativity unfold. It’s perfect! My 4 year old is able to cut out the circles and glue on the eyes. I still help poke the paper onto the pipe cleaner. It is so simple, but you do have to be careful not to get poked with the wire. As each caterpillar is completed, my daughter’s eyes light up and she giggles. I must say, they are pretty darn cute!

And of course, when all else fails, you can ALWAYS paint nails. 🙂

And yes, monkey see, monkey do. This would be my little boy getting a pedicure from his Grandpa! (and my dad just rolls with it; LOVE him!!) If mommy and daughter get manicures and pedicures, so does my sweet boy. I remember my mother doing this with my lil’ bro. He’ll outgrow it, just don’t tell daddy! 🙂 Sweet Sweet Memories!!