Collage Posters

What you need: Rick-rack, ribbon, yarn or other trim; poster board; felt scraps; photos; glue.

Edible Crafts: Impress your friends with Candy Bouquets and Centerpieces. Make Them For Fun & Profit."

What to do:

1. Cut different sized pieces of felt scraps into a variety of shapes.

2. Glue the felt shapes to the poster board.

3. Glue trim on angles around felt shapes.

4. Glue your favorite photos into the rest of the spaces created by the trim

This craft idea taken from www.craftown.com

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Choosing a Theme for Your Child's Birthday Party

It is well known that a kids' birthday parties are one of the highlights of childhood. Even though it lasts only a few hours, the memories last a lifetime. Long after the toys are broken, lost or simply forgotten, happy thoughts and memories about your child's birthday party linger. Pretty much, as soon as children are old enough to hold their own ice cream and wear a paper hat, they're ready for the magical world of birthday parties.

If you're looking to create a few hours of original fantasy and fun, the kind you just can't find in a fast-food chain, plan a theme party for your child's next birthday party. Everything from the invitations and decorations to the cake and ice cream just need your own imagination. Include your child in planning their party theme. You can encourage your child to research the topic with you and make it an educational as well as a bonding experience.

There are two main factors to consider when deciding what type of childrens party theme to organise: age and interest. What entertains and interests a 3-year old will change by the time they are 7. Gender also plays a role. Many kids' theme parties are universal e.g a fairy party, or cooking party. Other childrens party themes are not as clear-cut. A little girl can certainly dress up as a pirate but boys may not be so keen on a slumber party.

Children's interests change constantly. In fact they tend to have their own various and colorful plans for their next birthday party - well ahead of the time. What's popular within their peer group this year may be totally different next year.

Try not to have the same theme as other recent kids' birthday parties they've been to. Kids can get bored easily with the same theme played over and over. Who wouldn't? There are timeless themes which can easily be added to. For example the pirate party theme has been around for years but you can add the element of "Captain Jack Sparrow" and his crew from "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Obviously the decision to have your child's birthday party at home or at alternative premises needs thinking through. If you have are having a theme party at an outside venue, there are the positive advantages of not having to clean up before and after the party. Then again there are the restrictions of not being able to go to town with the decorations and games.

Involve your child in the entire planning and preparation for their theme party. From the moment you both agree on the theme, there are things to do. You might need to delve into your arts and crafts box and make invitations - of course there are plenty of theme-based invitations around you can buy commercially but making the invitation at home can be a simple and enjoyable craft project for your to share with your child and be part of their overall involvement. There are decorations to plan, buy and make. Balloons to blow up. Stress the fact that it doesn't have to be perfect - have fun with it.

Good luck with planning your child's next theme birthday party. Make it a day filled with magic and fantasy!

Mary-Lou Halvorson is a mother of two children and creator of Groovy Kids Parties. Mary-Lou offers many ideas for Kids' Birthday Parties including lots of free games for childrens birthday parties and other party ideas. Check out her website for more ideas on Childrens Party Themes.

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Fun Kids’ Crafts & Toys to Do With Your 5 Year Old on Your Inkjet Printer

Kids these days may prefer to play with their computers

, PlayStations, Xboxes or Nintendo Wiis. Yes, even five-year-olds these days know how to use those gadgets, and many of them actually do. However, a creative parent would be able to divert the attention of their little ones with the use of some paper and their trusty inkjet printer.

The trick is to create toys and kids’ crafts with your inkjet printer. Here are a few ideas that you can use.

Jigsaw puzzles. You can download software that can create a jigsaw pattern on any picture. Use this on some of your child’s favorite pictures and print them on matte paper using your inkjet printer. Afterwards, you glue this pattern onto a piece of cardboard then cut it up to come up with the jigsaw puzzle pieces.

Coloring sheets. Some parents may think of coloring books as a bit old-fashioned, but they are still a great way of teaching children about colors, shapes and space. Your own kids will no doubt enjoy them. But you do not have to buy coloring books; you can just create coloring sheets using your own inkjet printer. You can download coloring patterns from the Internet, or make your own if you are handy with photo-editing software. Once you have printed out a bunch, hand them over to your kid along with a box of crayons and your child will be entertained for a whole afternoon.

Pretend food. If you are into baking customized pastries and cakes and if you have an inkjet printer that is dedicated to the creation of edible printouts, you can create pretend food for your kids. It does not even have to be pretend food at all. You can cook up your very own toffee or chocolate bar and wrap it up with your special edible inks. You can even use it to make a marshmallow wrap.

Scrapbooking. It is never too early to start scrapbooking, and you can teach your child how to make one using your inkjet printer. Maybe instead of using actual photos, you can print family photos on your inkjet printer. And then, you can give these printouts to your kids, along with materials used for scrapbooking that they will not choke on or injure themselves with, such as cardboard, colored paper and ribbons, and let them have a go at their own scrapbooking project.

“Rubber stamps”. Kids love playing with rubber stamps. You can make your very own unique “rubber stamp” by printing a pattern or a figure that you want on glossy or smooth paper using your inkjet printer. Once the paper is out of your inkjet printer, you can press the printed surface of this glossy paper on a dry and absorbent paper, and then you would have an imprint. While this may not be practical for daily play, it could be a wonderful way of adorning notebooks and scrapbooks.

There are many ways that you can entertain your children using an inkjet printer. You just have to be creative at finding these ways.

This Article is written by John C. Arkin from PrintCountry, the contributor of Printer Ink Cartridges Articles. More information on the subject is at Fun Kids’ Crafts and Toys to Do with your 5 year Old on your Inkjet Printer, and related resources can be found at kids project with printer.

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How Do You Create and Sell Kids Craft Kits While Based at Your Home?

If you are the type of a person who enjoys working with their hand and like the thought of teaching kids new skills, then this business

undertaking is yours. It is a real money minting endeavor. Here is how to do it.

Instead of selling a completed craft kit for your kid, sell the materials to do so. These should be materials included , ready –to –make craft kits. These seems to very sell well though they may not necessarily be geared towards kids. Now-a-days crafts using wooden thread spools have seen a rise in demand. In fact, they are very popular especially with kids.

You should always remember that the more a craft is difficult, you should give full or write the assembly instructions to aid your clients. Before you start selling your handiwork, you should keep the below factors into consideration for your business to be successful.

Pricing

If you are going to sell crafts for ensure it is fairly priced at the same time consider to keep your price at least four times more than your production cost to break even and make a profit.

Marketing

For any business to get it shares of customers, marketing should be an integral part of it. Make sure you thoroughly advertise your products on the local media like the newspaper (both paid and free) radio stations and others. This will, tell alert your potential clients as to your product range. Write a story about why they should purchase your crafts as normally kids love stories. They will force their parents to buy your crafts due to the stories attached to them.

Another great way of marketing is advertising is through creation of flyers for your local community bulletin boards.

Lastly, talk to the representatives of your local craft stores with the aim of introducing your crafts as an item in their stock inventory. This normally works magic and you will see orders for your product triple within a very short period of time. A craft that can be packaged as a kit will always surpass any which is not, when stacked together in a craft shop. So, always ensure you do this if you want your sales to improve dramatically, you will be selling volumes you have never dreamt about.

By Freddy Ngiam, Founder & CEO of www.1homebusinesshub.com.

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Kids Crafts Ideas on a Budget

We all love crafts! They are a great way for kids to learn fine motor skills, and express themselves creatively, but being crafty can put a strain on your pocketbook at times. Going to the store to buy supplies for each and every craft project, just isn't practical. Which is why, it's important to learn how to come up with kids craft ideas on a budget. Consider using items and supplies that you already have on hand, for fun and simple impromptu projects.

There are so many items that often get overlooked when it comes to crafting. Think back to your own childhood. The days of toilet paper roll projects and egg cartons, should come rolling back. Remember how fun it was to create something beautiful out of something so plain? Help your kids relieve that same joy and pride with these simple tips and craft projects.

Recycle and Re-Use

Teaching your kids about recycling is a really good life lesson, so why not integrate craft time and science by re-using common household items? Paper bags, egg cartons and other goodies get a second life when they are forever treasured in the form of a craft project. Encourage your kids to come up with other household items that can be used for craft projects, you may be surprised at the things that they come up with!

Here are just a few of the materials that you can recycle, discover, or re-use for your own craft projects:
-Egg Cartons
-Grocery Bags (paper or plastic)
-Cardboard inserts from packaging and boxes
-CD's
-Old denim or fabric swatches
-T-shirts that no longer fit
-Used birthday cards or bags
-Wrapping paper
-Toilet paper and paper towel rolls
-Plastic soda bottles
-Cans (use caution with sharp edges)
-Things found in nature: A rock, leaves, sticks, etc.

Gravel Art

Here is a great little project that uses items that you should have lying around! Enjoy!

Materials Needed:
-Large Cardboard Box
-Small pieces of gravel (You will need quite a bit)
-String or Yarn
-Pencil
-Simple Coloring Book or personal drawing
-White glue in squeeze bottle
-Scissors
-Crayons (optional)

Instructions
1. Wash and rinse the gravel in a kitchen strainer. Spread out on towels to dry.
2. On your cardboard, use the pencil to make an outline of a simple drawing.
3. With the glue, trace over the outline.
4. Press string or yard onto the glue lines, cutting where necessary to form corners and angles.
5. Glue gravel onto the picture filling the spaces. You can use all one color, or use different colors for different areas.

6. If you wish to have a background, use crayons to draw and color one in.

Use Your Imagination

Once you get the hang of coming up with kids craft ideas, you will never go back to the store bought kits. There is so much more creativity and freedom that goes along with recycling and re-using common household items.

Sarah Jones loves teaching. When she isn't homeschooling her own children, she is busy sharing her love of education with others. Find a wide assortment of Lesson Plans, crafts for kids, and homeschooling tips at her site, http://www.KnowMore.com.

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Craft Ideas For Kids - Kids and Pasta By Audrey Okaneko Platinum Quality Author

Pasta is not just for tomato sauce. My kids loved pasta for many different art projects. Next time you find a sale on pasta grab several varieties. Here are just a few ideas of what kids can make with pasta.

Photo frames - We use either the bow pasta or the shell pasta. Start with thick cardboard. I tend to use white so that we can add any color we want. Your frame can either be circular or square. Cut out the frame, this is the actual full size you’ll want at the end. Then cut out the middle to fit the size of the photo you want to put in there.

Now decide if you want to spray paint the pasta or use food coloring. Gold metallic spray paint looks great. We have also made various colors of pasta and made rainbow frames.

If you want to turn your frame into a magnet, add some magnetic tape to the back.

Necklaces and Bracelets – Penne pasta and macaroni noodles make wonderful necklaces and bracelets. I suggest fishing line. It just doesn’t break. As with the frames, you can use multiple colors of pasta by adding food dye or you can spray paint the pasta, allow to dry and then string the pasta onto your fishing line.

Decorative Jars - Save empty jars. Then fill the far with an assortment of shapes and colors of pasta. These jars make pretty decorations for bathrooms, bedrooms or even end tables.

Pipe Cleaner Figurines - Grab a pipe cleaner. Now arrange pasta on the pipe cleaner to create people and animals. Mix and match shapes and sizes and then bend to create almost anything.

Self Portraits - Use spaghetti and linguini. Boil just until soft. Then press the pasta onto construction paper into a self portrait. You can also create landscape scenes using the soft long noodles.

These are just a few ideas of how to use pasta to create great art projects made by kids.

Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Okaneko

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Green Crafts - Recycle Greeting Cards to Make Wonderfully Unique Gift Bags By Linda M Johnson

Have you ever thought of taking two items from Christmas that ordinarily are thrown out after the holidays are over to create a unique and eye catching embellishment gift wrap? By simply recycling both a greeting card and gift bag to make a useable and interesting one of a kind embellished gift bag, you will be doing your part towards recycling and have a custom design of your own.

First, use scissors to cut out and remove the front section of a greeting card. Next, attach a small piece of double-sided foam stick tape to the back of your cut out. Then, select a solid-colored recycled gift bag so that your embellishment will stand out against the solid color and become a focal point. Next, simply attach your embellishment to the center of the gift bag and hold until foam sticker bonds to the bag. Depending on the type and size of greeting card cut out you select, an option would be to punch out a hole through the embellishment. This would allow you to thread a ribbon (¾ inch width or less) through the opening. You can also personalize your embellishment using a fine point sharpie pen to address a name on it if your embellishment allows enough space to do so (see below for photos).

Supplies:

• Recycled greeting card
• Recycled solid colored gift bag
• Scissors
• Double-sided foam sticker tape
• Sharpie pen
• Ribbon (3/4 inch or smaller) Optional

(For another great idea, check out our recycled greeting card gift tag project.)

Linda Johnson is a degreed and experienced crafter and interior/exterior decorating specialist, with years of experience helping friends, family, and clients solve their decorating and craft needs. Find tons more craft and decorating ideas and photos of this project and others, and submit your own great ideas for free by visiting http://www.showcasetoideas.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_M_Johnson

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How to Make Amazing Crafts with Kids By Mary Amos Platinum Quality Author

Arts & crafts with kids!

There are countless reasons why it is a great idea to do arts and crafts with your kids. For one, working on arts & crafts helps to hone children's creativity. Arts and crafts can also help promote teamwork and sharing, as well as offering the perfect opportunity to bond and find new common interests. Arts and crafts also allow kids to openly express themselves, even at very young ages. Nonetheless, despite all these positives, the best reason for getting your kids involved in arts and crafts is that it is fun! If you are panicking that you will not know how to guide your child through their first craft, there is no need to worry; there are plenty of arts and crafts ideas for all ages from pre-schoolers up through teenage artists.

Best practices for doing arts & crafts with kids

1. Don't ask "What is it?" when you are befuddled as to the identity of your kid's final creation. Just ask your kid to tell you more about their art or craft, and let them explain how they see their creation.

2. There will be a mess. There is nothing you can do about it. As soon as you make that realization, the whole experience will be far more enjoyable. Indeed, sometimes it is even important to make a mess. Take that knowledge to plan ahead. Get a large clear workspace for your kids, and give them the opportunity to be creative without having to worry about getting paint on your new Persian rug

2. Making arts and crafts is supposed to be about using your imagination. For this reason, try not to show your kids a completed craft as an example. Instead, let your kids learn to interpret the instructions as they wish in order to truly be creative. This will also give your kids a good lesson on the best ways to follow and adapt instructions.

4. Making arts and crafts requires a lot of focus. For this reason, it is best to get your kids to calm down a bit before placing them in front of glue and scissors.

Basic supplies for making arts & crafts with kids

Just like your kitchen pantry, a kid's craft drawer should have a few staples. While you may need something more specific for special crafts, for the most part you will be able to get by with the following list: kid-friendly paint, scissors, crayons, etc. It's also a good idea to keep a drawer stocked with construction paper, beads, glitter, paint brushes, glue sticks, and the ever popular "wiggly eyes."

The education benefit of arts & crafts

Arts and crafts can be used to apply hands-on learning to any subject. Using crafts this way helps kids think more in-depth about the subject of their artwork or craft projects. Virtually any subject matter can be taught using arts & crafts with a little creativity. For instance, if you are learning about world geography, you could have the kids make a tissue paper globe.

Learn about holidays, history, and any other topic your kids should study. Even math can be enriched through arts and crafts. Remember that school isn't the only place kids should be learning; your kids will be much more willing and excited to learn if you make learning fun with interactive arts and crafts projects.

Some ideas for kids' arts & crafts

Kids' arts and crafts can be quick and simple to keep the attention of on-the-go toddlers. They can also be sophisticated and complex for older kids who are up to a challenge. To get an idea of the scope of arts and crafts projects out there, take a trip to your local arts and crafts store or teacher's supply shop. These stores will have pre-designed craft kits, including jewelry art, painting kits, and other craft ideas. Each kit will come with instructions and all of the materials you require.

Another good idea, once you have gained some experience, is to walk arts and craft stores to shop for kids' art ideas. Here are some ideas: try straw painting, where kids can create arts and crafts by blowing paint through a straw onto a poster board or construction paper; or let your kids dip marbles in paint and roll them across the painting surface for a messy (but fun!) painting project. If you are looking for something a bit less messy then try pipe cleaner art. This is a great craft because kids of all ages can join in. Young children can use their imaginations to create simple objects out of pipe cleaners. Older kids may enjoy incorporating other supplies such as beads into pipe cleaner art.

Mary Amos loves arts and crafts and has been creating amazing projects for kids and families for years. See her exciting new ideas at Arts and Crafts with Kids, and be sure to visit Arts and Crafts for more fun projects!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Amos

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Tips For Encouraging Kids With Crafts By Lily Morgan Platinum Quality Author

When it comes to kids and crafts, often the first thing that comes to mind is the mess that often results. Allowing kids to get creative doesn't have to be messy and can in fact be quite the opposite. A little extra planning makes creative play fun while keeping it convenient and clean. Children should always be encouraged to use their imagination while furthering their artistic abilities. Parents need to remember that most of the learning kids do takes place while they are at play.

One of the greatest inventions to come along is chalk. It sounds so simple but it's true. Buy a container of outdoor sidewalk chalk and watch your child go wild. It's perfect for sharing so have them work as a group to draw and colour on the sidewalk or driveway. It gives them a great canvas to work with and is easy to clean up. Rinse it away with the garden hose later or allow the next rain to take care of it. There is a novelty that comes with drawing with bold colours outside for the entire world to see. Enjoy your child's artistic expressions.

Perhaps the best place to get messy with creative crafts is in the bathtub. It only makes sense to get clean at the same time. Most department stores carry paint that is made for use in the bath. It's specially formulated so that kids can paint on the shower doors or the bathtub wall tile with their fingers. After they finish, simply rinse it away. This is nice for the busy family that benefits from combining activities.

It's understandable that many mothers that work or stay home with the kids get extremely busy. However, it's important to take some time out to devote to participating with your kids while they do crafts. Not only does it make them feel that you're involved in their creative projects, it also gives you a much needed time out to simply laugh with the kids.

Kids really enjoy creating things that can later be used. Things like candy bowls are easy to make and fun for children to decorate. A jewellery box that has been hand decorated makes a great gift for grandparents or teachers. Picture frames work just as well. Use everything from glitter to fake fur to put an original touch on something that can be reused repeatedly. Receiving these types of gifts is just as special as giving it.

There is one key point that will encourage kids to continue exercising their imagination through arts and crafts. Praise is known for being a powerful mode of encouragement. It tells kids that you truly enjoy what they are doing and that can be all it takes for them to continue their love of art. Showing appreciation for a child's creation is positive reinforcement which will fuel them through life. The little things you do now to encourage them will follow them into later years, causing them to excel when they need it the most. Encouraging kids with crafts produces skill and exercises their ability to create.

Visit the place for dollhouses and miniatures. Find everything from play doll houses for young children to grand mansions for collectors. We specialize in dollhouse accessories for every skill level and budget. And don't forget the dollhouse furniture! Visit us online at http://www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lily_Morgan

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Wiggles Crafts That Kids Can Make And Have Lots Of Fun With By Gail Leino Platinum Quality Author

Kids everywhere love the wiggles. They will have a lot of fun making crafts for the different characters. The characters that they can do a craft for are, Dorothy, Henry and Wags the dog. The character that they do is up to you unless you want to give the children the chance to choose themselves.
Here are the materials you will need for this Wiggles craft of Wags the dog.

Template (You can find this online or draw your own)

Toilet paper tube

Crayons

Glue or tape

Scissors

Construction paper

The first thing you want to do is to print out the template(s) that you want to use. You can either print this on regular paper or on construction paper, the thicker the paper the better. Then you or the kids can cut out the template of the Wiggles character. The kids can color where needed.

Then they want to glue the large rectangular piece around the toilet paper tube so that the whole thing is covered. Glue the tummy (oval piece) to the center front of the tube. Glue the head and arms. The tummy can overlap the tummy a little bit. Now glue the legs onto the bottom of the toilet paper tube. You can do this so that it looks like Wags is sitting down with the feet out in front. Fold the tail in half so it is colored on both sides. Bend the tab of the tail and glue it on the back. This will give the Wiggles dog a 3D look.

Now they have their own Wiggles dog that they can have fun with. They will be able to play with this craft for hours of fun. They can also be proud of the craft that they made themselves.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for Wiggles party supplies and fun party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including Wiggles Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Leino

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Craft Making For Kids By David Urmann Platinum Quality Author

Crafts are any project that involves a step by step procedure to achieve an end result. There are many kinds of crafts one can do, like beading, paper folding, sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting or card making. The list is endless. And craft activities can be done with kids. It enhances their creativity and it is a good opportunity also to bond with them.

Craft making is one personal way of showing the creativity of a person. This shows the love and affection of the creator. The gifts that are made from craft making are usually designed specially for the receiver. Even though crafts are homemade, it does not need to be simple or out from the scratch. You can actually make crafts that are specially designed.

You can ask any assistance from persons who have knowledge of craft to help you make one craft that is beautiful and creative. If you are going to do crafts, you would certainly need to buy a few supplies to be able to make your craft possible. The crafts that you will do will have to depend to the age of your craft receiver. Craft activities are time consuming but the time usually pass by quickly when you are well into what you are doing.

The bonding moment easily ensues as the parents and kids help each other out towards perfecting a certain project. All of the group members partake in giving suggestions to make the craft project turn out beautiful. And while doing their own assignments in the project, it is a great opportunity also to talk or bring up some concerns.

Indulging in crafts with your kids is a good way to imbibe social interaction in them at an early age. This is better compared to immersing your kids to playing computer games all day long alone in their rooms.

Making crafts enhances mental thinking. Children become quick-witted as they think of ideas always for new craft projects. Besides this, they also slowly learn how to decide for themselves, even if it is just making small decisions at first, like what color or materials to use.

Crafts also are an avenue for children to express their individualities. And the sense of self-satisfaction at the end of the project is priceless. It promotes self-confidence and self-esteem.

There are many craft stores in the malls. Buying the basics is not difficult or expensive. For starters, you can get glue sticks, stickers, paints, papers, foams, beads, glitters, markers, crayons and scissors.

As a child is well under way any kind of craft, he will get ideas on how to make it more beautiful, and you can help him procure the extra materials during the process. The ideas will just pour in as he becomes more familiarized with what he is doing. The ideas will also come to him as he tries to break the monotony of the project. His mind will be forced to think of new ways to liven up the project.

There are many simple craft ideas you can do with your kids for starters. Examples are straw painting, aluminum foil sculptures, squeeze balls, toothpick sculpture, piper cleaner art, fingertip pictures, envelope art, clay molding and windsock. There are many reference materials you will find in libraries, bookstores or craft stores for easy step by step procedures.

As the children develop their interest in crafts, you can move on to more complex projects. It will not be long before you find your children inventing their own designs already.

For more information on Craft Ideas and Country Craft Ideas please visit our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Urmann

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Why Kids Crafts Are Important By Katelyn Grace Willett

Crafting is one of the most interesting hobbies one can enjoy. Many adults enjoy different types of crafts, such as sewing, knitting, and scrapbooking. However, crafts should not only be enjoyed by adults, but children should also be encouraged from a young age to be involved in craft making.

Children can reap many benefits from making crafts. By making crafts, children can build their imagination. This is very important for the children's development. Apart from having endless fun, they can express themselves creatively and achieve the sense of accomplishment. There are many types of easy kids crafts that children can enjoy. Crafts that involve drawing, coloring, painting, cutting, gluing, and even stamping can excite children. Parents should not be afraid of their children making mess. Simple precautions like lining the floor with old newspaper or old cloth, or even having their children wear old clothes should do the trick. Buy paints that are lead-free, do not stain and safe for children. Older children can handle more complicated crafts, such as sewing, knitting or carpentry. Most of the children who enjoyed making crafts as a child will usually enjoy them as they grow up and become adults.

Making crafts can help children learn educational values, such as learning more on mathematics by identifying shapes and sizes. They will be able to learn more about colors and shapes, learn how to measure using a ruler, and practice drawing and coloring. These activities allow them to express themselves better, thus helping them deal with the problem they might have in school. Many professional psychologists analyze children's drawings to understand them better. Children who enjoy making crafts also have great hand-eye coordination and motor control. They will be able to do things like drawing an animal by copying from a book or even imitating what their teachers are demonstrating in art classes. Apart from that, they are also able to think faster and make decisions quicker, hence making them smarter.

Parents can organize birthday parties and have their children invite their friends and have craft-making activities. Easy kids craft such as making party hats, friendship bracelets or simple origami like paper planes should be a hit with the children. Let the children make crafts together and encourage them to exchange them. Crafts like friendship bracelets should be perfect for this. The children can learn the value of friendship and this will help them communicate better. Parents can also join their children and make crafts together, like making a huge collage of the family photos. Frame it and hang it where everyone can see it. Each time anyone asks about it, be proud and tell him or her how a lot of the works were done by the children. Any child will feel happy, knowing that their parents are very proud of them.

Making crafts together is a great opportunity for parents to spend more time with their children. Parents and children will definitely interact more, and they will get to know each other better. Parents should not feel that they are not creative enough to make crafts. There are many types of craft to make and there is bound to be something for everyone. Craft making should be a joyful activity for the whole family.

Katelyn Grace Willett is the busy mother of two boys. She gets free kid crafts ideas from KidCraftClub.net. She, also, suggests having your kids join a free kids forum to exchange ideas with other kids! Her favorite kids forum is BeTweenTalk.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katelyn_Grace_Willett

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Make Learning Shapes Fun With Kids Crafts

Learning shapes is a fundamental skill toddlers and preschool children learn early in life. Shapes are all around us in everyday items like the television, drinking glasses and even windows in our houses. But learning to recognize the many different shapes is not always easy for toddlers.

As parents, grandparents and daycare providers, we can help kids learn shapes while having lots of fun. Kids of all ages love to create and make things with their own hands and these kids craft ideas are a perfect way to incorporate some fun and lots of learning.

Shapes Crafts for Kids

When learning shapes, kids generally start with the basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, etc. So think of anything that has these basic shapes and then turn it into a kids craft idea. For instance, using simple craft supplies like construction paper, scissors and glue you can make many different shapes crafts.

Here are some quick ideas for shapes crafts that you can do with your kids.

A House of Shapes

Cut out basic house shapes with different colored construction paper. Use a square or rectangle for the house, a triangle for the roof and several circles, ovals, smaller squares and rectangles for the parts of the house.

Then have the kids glue the house together on a piece of paper. They can use ovals, circles or whatever shape for the windows. Have them name the shapes as they glue their house together.

Animal Shapes Crafts

Kids can create many animals, insects and fish using some of the basic shapes. For instance, create a cute angel fish using triangle shapes to form the body, tail and fins. Penguins are all the rage right now and your kids can put one together with a few oval shapes and a circle for the head. Use black and white construction paper or craft foam and you can have a cute penguin in no time. Glue them to a popsicle stick and you have an instant puppet.

Inexpensive Crafts to Learn Shapes

Kids craft ideas do not have to be expensive or even use your typical craft supplies. Instead recycle some of your household items to make many different shaped crafts. Reuse an empty coffee can to make a simple drum. The circle shape of the can is perfect for creating a drum set. Just cover the can with construction paper, decorate and put the lid back on. Then use some wooden dowels or BBQ skewers and some wooden beads to create your drum sticks. If you don't have wooden beads you can even use marshmallows. Just stick the marshmallow on the end of the stick. You can even paint them which will help seal the gooey treat. Keep in mind, these drumsticks are not for eating.

Use paper plates to create a king or queen's crown. Cut out several triangles from the middle of the plate and then decorate with glitter glue, beads and ribbon and they have a king or queen's crown they can wear.

Get out the old newspapers and create a Paper Mache craft. Paper Mache is a great way to create many different shaped crafts. You can create an oval shaped Easter egg by blowing up a balloon (into an oval shape) and then just start laying your Paper Mache together. Once everything is dried, just decorate and you have a finished craft.

Shapes Activities

Learning shapes with kids crafts are a great way to get the children involved and having fun while they learn. You can also add many shapes activities for kids to help reinforce their learning. Create several flash cards with different shapes and have them play "concentration" or matching the shapes with the cards.

You can even reinvent those old favorite childhood games like "red light, green light". Instead of the child calling out red light, green light, give them two shapes to call out and one shape would mean go and the other would mean stop. Another kid's activity idea for learning shapes is to place different objects around the house. Then ask your child to find all square shaped objects, and then circle shapes, etc.

Another great way to help with their learning is with fun songs or lyrics. Studies show that by adding a catchy tune or lyrics children are able to retain the information better. Rather you use kids craft ideas, activities, a catchy song or a combination of all of these, you and your kids will have fun while they learn their shapes.

Julie Barros is the author and creator of Cool Kids Craft Ideas. This is a fun site with lots of crafts including these shapes crafts for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Barros

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Hair Clip Holder

MATERIALS:
1/2 yd.	Wrights® 1 1/2" Grosgrain Ribbon - color of choice (#223-149)
1/4 yd.	Wrights® 7/8" Satin Ribbon - contrasting color (#219-725)
1	Boye® 2" Cabone Ring (#7540)
--	Fabric Glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Clip one end of grosgrain ribbon into points, for a decorative finish.
2. Fold other end of ribbon down twice, in a small rolled hem, glue firmly.
3. Place hemmed end over cabone ring. Glue around bottom of ring, to back of ribbon strip (this is the hanger).
4. Tie a decorative bow with the satin ribbon. Glue in place at the top of the strip.
5. Clip your hair bows and banana clips to it. Surprise Mom with how neat you can organize your hair accessories!
6. Enjoy!

This craft idea is taken from www.wrights.com

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Happy Plants

These make delightful gifts too.

What you need: 1 plastic or clay pot; Leftover latex or acrylic paint; Soil and plant seeds.

1. Paint the whole outside of the pot with one color of paint.

2. Create a happy face or other design on the front of the pot.

3. When paint is completely dry, fill with soil and push some seeds down into the soil, then cover the seeds with soil.

4. Water lightly and regularly until plant grows.

This craft idea taken from www.craftown.com

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Using Reusable Item As Craft Supplies And Save On Cost by MIKE SELVON

Instead of sending old greeting cards, bottles and clothing to the landfill, why not recycle them into cool items that you can use around the house? Craft supplies can be expensive, so reusing items will also save you a ton of money. In this article, we'll show you simple ways to transform items from your blue bin into products that you can use in your home again and again.

We all have empty jars kicking around our cupboards. Instead of tossing them, you can turn them into potpourri containers that you can use again and again. It's economical and a good way to be green. All you need is a clean jar (baby food jars are ideal), a paper or lace doily, an elastic band, and your favorite potpourri.

All you have to do is fill the jar with potpourri, cover it with the lace, and secure it with an elastic band, or instead of a plain elastic band, use a hair band with some sparkle or flowers on it to secure the doily. This will make a potpourri holder that looks attractive in any room.

Toilet paper or paper towel tubes are craft supplies with endless possibilities. You can turn them into napkin rings, egg holders and ornaments. To make a really environmentally friendly project, turn the tubes into pencil holders. You'll need an empty tube with all the paper removed, some popsicle sticks, cardboard, paint or markers, glue and rubber bands.

Small erasers and glitter are optional supplies. Start by painting or coloring the popsicle sticks. You can choose a theme like red and white to make a pencil holder that looks like a candy cane or add some blue to pay tribute to Old Glory.

While the sticks are drying, trace the end of the toilet paper holder on to cardboard. Cut this circle out and glue it to one end of the cardboard tube. This becomes your base. You can also use cork for this purpose.

Once that has dried, cover the tube with a coating of glue and carefully attach the popsicle sticks. Wrap with rubber bands until dry. If you want additional decorations, you can glue small erasers in fun shapes and colors to the sticks or add a layer of bright glitter.

Old or unwanted CDs and DVDs usually end up in the trash because people don't know what to do with them. Here's a simple way to turn them into craft projects for the kids. Collect some old discs, metallic string, glue, and gem stones or shells from a discount store. You can usually get a big bag of them for a buck.

Glue two discs back to back with the shiny sides facing outward and loop the metallic string through the middle. Decorate the discs with the gemstones and shells. Voila - you have pretty, reflective ornaments that you can hang anywhere!

Crafts for kids don't have to be expensive. Instead of spending a ton of money at hobby shops, look around your home for ordinary items that can be used as craft supplies.

Popsicle sticks, old tissue boxes, colored comic strips and even your used computer supplies can be turned into useful, unique items around the house. Not only are you saving money, you're being environmentally friends by finding new uses for items that might normally spend hundreds of years in a landfill site.

About the Author

A whole world of information about crafts supplies eagerly awaits you from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our template crafts blog.

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Macaroni Picture Frame

What you need: 1 lid from a peanut butter jar; 1 picture to fit in the lid; some uncooked macaroni noodles; paint; glue.

1. Paint the lid and let it dry.

2. Glue the macaroni noodles all around the edge of the lid.

3. Paint the noodles all different colors and let dry.

4. Glue the picture inside of the lid.

5. Glue a loop of string on the top, back side of the lid for hanging.

it's very2 easy, right? ^_^

This craft idea is taken from www.craftown.com

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Easter Crafts-Excite Kids with This Colorful Easter Egg Craft Fit For a Gift by Linda M. Johnson

his project is a simple way to personalize an Easter craft project that you and your child can do together. Teachers would also benefit by having their students create this one of a kind personalized gift for their parents, grandparents, or anyone special to them. For this project an Easter gift for grandparents was created.

For this project you will first need to fill the bottom section of your plastic egg. We filled ours with a package of jelly beans, but wrapped candy, chocolates or other types of gift items, such as an Easter wash cloth or pot holder with a bag of candy or nuts would also do. Once the...

inside of the egg is filled, put the clear egg top on. Next, take two strands of fun fur yarn (purple & pink) long enough to wrap all the way around the center of the egg, leaving enough to tie a small bow at the top. This will hold your egg tightly in place and add visual texture. Then, remove transparent word stickers and place them horizontally across the front of the egg top. Make sure to gently smooth out any air bubbles. Finally, remove sticky gems from the package and stick above or near words to add dimension and sparkle. This project is quick, yet such an easy way for your child or student to personalize a holiday gift for those they love.

Supplies:

•1 large clear plastic egg with removable top (we chose a lavender base with a clear top) •1 package of sticky gems (we used purple, lavender, pink & fuchsia with an emerald style) •1 package of transparent word stickers (we chose words about grandparents) •1 package of fun fur stripes yarn in pastel colors (we chose purple & pink) •1 package of jelly beans.

About the Author

Linda Johnson is a degreed and experienced crafter and interior/exterior decorating specialist, with years of experience helping friends, family, and clients solve their decorating and craft ideas. Find out more craft and decorating ideas, and submit your own great ideas for free by visiting http://www.showcasetoideas.com.

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Beginner Scrapbooking - How to Get Your Children Pay Attention to the Art of Scrapbook Making by Jennifer Walter

Whatever you do in life that seem important to you, it is always necessary that you look at a means of memorizing this in the future. The simple reason for this is that this is a way in which you can always recall those good times spent together. This is the reason why the art of making scrapbooks has moved from a pastime to a job worthy of being paid for. One significant thing about creating scrapbooks is that this is a way of relieving nostalgic memories through the use of pictures. You can also use other items such as cloths and even tickets and make the most out of your scrapbook. The essence in all of these is to be able to relive these experiences as if you are just from experiencing them.

The importance of this art has led so many parents wanting to get their children involved in it. There are so many reasons for this. The first is that this is something that they easily do in the comfort of their homes and it is equally an art which they can enjoy when done with some of their peers.

One thing that is always important to parents is to help their children come up with and develop skills that can be economically benefiting to them in the future. This will definitely land them on the art of making scrapbooks. The art of making scrapbooks is a very creative art because it does not only bring out something beautiful from nothing, but it requires you to put in some form of imagination. Keep in mind that your imagination is what will allow others around you to find some real value in you and this will be of help to you in the future. This is also a way of letting children know that they must not ask for everything that they need and even if they should ask for everything, they will have to be enduring with their demands.

There are so many things that you should first of all reflect on ahead of tying to let your children into the art of scrapbook making. One thing you should know is that your kids must not look at things from the same angle as you do. For example, you may be looking at the art of making scrapbooks as something of utmost importance, but the outlooks of your kids may differ from this. For this reason, you should begin by making your children become interested in arts and crafts as a whole ahead of bringing them into the art of scrapbook making.

An extra thought should be geared toward where you will want them to carry out this art. You should know that as kids, they will often prefer to do most of their work on the floor and even on their beds. Therefore, the playroom should be a perfect place to teach them about scrapbook making. Remember that kids will not be very organized and will need enough room for their work. Some, and especially boys, would also need to work in secluded areas. But again, you must know that they will be using dangerous objects such as cutters and this will require that they work under your supervision.

Once you have surmounted most of these difficulties, then you are sure that investing in your kids in the arts of scrapbook making will be a rewarding venture. There are so many types of packages that would be required for the beginner. You can get these from any arts and craft shop. But you should know that it is good to bring your child along when making the selection. Remember that he or she is going to be the one using these tools. In most cases, it will be more economical if you design your own kits and offer it to your child.

About the Author

Download free lessons and tutorials on scrapbook making 101 as well as learning how you can get storage ideas for your scrapbook materials from http://www.scrapbookingnut.com, the online portal for scrapbooking page ideas and digital scrapbooking layouts.

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Juice Box Buddies!-

What to do with those empty juice boxes! Make a clan of Juice Box Buddies! You'll need some construction paper and a bag of googly eyes. (Plus any other creative supplies you have to create a buddy). First take an empty juice box, and wrap it with some construction paper. Then cut a strip of black paper and make cuts in it as shown. Glue/tape the hair around the top of the box. Then glue on some eyes and mouth as you like. You can put on a hat, or shoes or arms and legs. It's up to you! Have fun!

Supplies needed:
- Juice box
- construction paper
- tape/glue
- Googly eyes, any size.

this craft idea taken from www.toddlertoddler.com

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How to Make Paper Beads by Diane Palmer

Want a really nice craft for your older kids to do or for yourself?.. Paper beads are a great way to make stunning and unique gifts for their friends or themselves with very little money involved. (We all love that!).

All you need are some old colorful magazines, or even newspaper works if you like that black and white look.

Tear out the page you want to use, and mark off one inch strips, or you can approximate.

Draw a line from the top corner of one of the one inch strips to the other corner and cut it out, you will have two very long triangles.

Cover your paper in white glue on the wrong side, and then

take a round tooth pick and begin to roll your paper very tightly make sure it is pressing right into the glue. (This part will be a bit messy).

Then stick the tooth pick into the top of an egg carton or piece of cardboard to dry. You can dip your paper beads into varathane or glaze to harden them and protect them, and these paper beads will look shiny and just like porcelain beads.

Once you have all your beads, you can start threading them to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. You can get all the jewelry making supplies quite cheap online or in your local discount store. Each paper bead will be unique and different. You could also have themes, like using newspaper, or the same type of color pages.

This is a good way to get rid of some old magazines, and have fun at the same time. learn to make paper beads free video click here to see a free video on making your very own paper beads.

About the Author

make paper beads free video click on the link for a free video on how to make paper beads. Article and website by Diane Palmer

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Foam Sheet Glasses Case As An Arts & Crafts Idea by Bercle George

Are you a camp director, teacher, or homeschool mom looking for a new arts and crafts idea for your kids? Or maybe you are a recreation director at a senior center or nursing home and could use a new project. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting and fun for all. This glass case can be used, given as a gift, or converted into a necklace purse.

To make the glasses case, you will need...


the following simple materials: a square of craft foam, plastic or large blunt needles, lanyard lace or thick yarn. Cut two rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm.) by 6 inches (15 cm.). With a hole punch, make holes on three sides of each rectangle, leaving one short side unpunched. Make the holes 1/2 inch apart and allow at least 1/4 inch between the hole and the edge of the craft foam. The holes need to line up so that the two pieces can be laced together. If you are preparing the craft for small children, you should make the holes yourself. Otherwise, the crafters can do this step if you have enough pairs of hole punches.

At this point the crafters can cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foam, or you can buy sets of ready-cut foam shapes. If you are doing the craft at a special event, like vacation Bible school, choose shapes that echo the theme of the event. For instance, if the Bible school or camp has a cowboy theme, find shapes that fit well, such as boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the kids choose the shapes they like and glue on as desired. You might also like to provide beads or sequins to glue on as well, especially if the crafters are a little older.

The next step in this arts and crafts idea is to thread the plastic needle with the yarn or lanyard lace. Yarn might be a little easier to handle, but lanyard lace is shiny and attractive. In a pinch, some teachers of small children use a bobby pin as a needle. It is certainly a safe alternative. Simply loop the yarn through the opening and use the open end of the bobby pin as if it were the point of the needle. The children can now begin to lace the front and back of the glasses case together.

To turn this arts and crafts idea into a necklace purse, simply attach a piece of lanyard lace to each corner making a long handle. Kids will enjoy using this case as a place to store secret notes and small objects. If they'd rather, they can give the glasses case to a parent, grandparent, or friend who wears glasses. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting for all.

About the Author

For more on arts, culture, pastimes and hobbies visit : arts and culture

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Candy of Your Old Favorites by Caitlina Fuller

Candy is truly a great gift to this world. It may rot our teeth and make little kids too excited, but it is a great little treat when used in moderation. You may remember the joy you felt in your childhood, when a pocketful of pennies could get you a nice bag of bulk candy. They are just a standard mix of sweets and treats to thrill and amaze. The good news is that most of these old favorites are still around in one form or another, even if they cost more than a few pennies.

Haribo is one of the biggest modern dealers. If it's sweet and gummy, then they are probably the ones who made it. Their biggest product is

easily gummi bears though. I really hope I don't have to explain too much about gummi bears. They are little fruit-flavored bears shaped out of gummy gelatin. They generally offer a great mixture of sweet and gummy and they are big favorites with the children. They are also popular with a lot of craft and hobbyists. The little bears last well and are just perfect for the figures in a number of candy art displays. Don't even get me started about gingerbread houses.

Haribo gummi bears aren't the only thing that's still around. If you just take a look at any supermarket you'll be able to find a good selection of your old favorites lining the halls. You may be surprised at the latest marketplace though. There area bunch of places that you can order your bulk candy online. You will have to buy in bulk. They aren't going to send a dollar bag of gummi bears to your house. But the order can be fairly small and still qualify for free shipping. If you really think about it, it makes perfect sense. Candy is pretty hardy and won't spoil. Just keep it fairly cool and unsquashed, and you're fine. This is also a good way to get the good stuff. Everyone should know that some of the best gummi bears are the ones you can get from Haribo at Epcot. Now you can order those new and fresh bears from an online catalog and they'll show up right at your door. What more could you ask for from your candy supplier?

These are just a few basics things to remember when it comes to candy. Just take pride in the fact that a lot of your old favorites are still around for you to enjoy today.

About the Author

Caitlina Fuller is a freelance writer.

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