Arts and Crafts for Kids at Home and in the Car

Today, we live in a world where technology has taken over our lives. It is important, as parents, to make sure that our children still fill their days with traditional activities, and crafting is a great way to implement that into a routine.

There are many great arts and crafts projects that you can do with your children, both at home and in the car when on a trip. You will not need anything very special to do these projects and your kids will have a great time creating things using their own hands. Here are some awesome ideas to keep the kids occupied, no matter where they are.

Crafting at Home

Crafting at home is always fun and easy because there are so many different things that you can do. No matter what ages your children are, you can always find something to occupy their time, and many of the best crafts involve things you already have in your home. From DIY nebula jars to a winter wonderland terrarium, there is sure to be a craft that pleases anyone, even the pickiest crafters.

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Crafting for Younger children

Young children take interest in almost anything that allows them to express themselves and get their hands dirty. Two great crafts that you can do with your kids, whether they’re in pre-school, or even middle school, are tape painting and making slime.

Tape painting is a great craft for younger kids, but it can also fun for older kids.  This will allow children to become familiar with their name and the alphabet as well, but older kids can make any design they want. All you will need for this fun and easy craft is:

• construction paper
• paint
• masking tape

The kids will be able to use the tape to spell out their name or even just a letter on the construction paper. They can then paint directly over the top of the tape. When the paint is still wet, the tape can be removed to show the negative space behind it.

Crafting for kids of all ages

Older children can get a bit more hands on with their crafting.  One of the best and most loved craft projects for kids who do not require as much supervision is easily going to be slime. It is simple to make and so much fun to play with. To make slime, you will need:

• Washable glue
• Borax
• Water
• Food Coloring
• Bowls

In the first bowl, you will need to mix 1 ounce of glue with ¼ cup of water. Using warm water will make the glue easier to dissolve. Once the glue has mixed with the water, you can add coloring, if you desire. Stir the coloring into the water and glue mixture and then add ¼ cup of borax to the solution. You will immediately notice the slime beginning to form. Stir the mixture until it is too thick to be stirred and then kneed it with your hands. Store the slime in a plastic bag in your refrigerator to keep it.

Resources:

• PBS: Crafts for kids
• Smithsonian: Fun stuff for kids online
• Rasmussen University: Engaging outdoor learning activities for kids

Recyclable Crafts

Making crafts out of recyclables is always a fun way to help save the earth while keeping kids occupied. If you have soda bottles lying around, there are plenty of things you can do with them, but one of the best projects to do with them is easily making fairy houses. You will need:

• Various sized soda bottles
• Glue
• Paint
• Tealight LED votives
• Artificial flowers
• Scissors

You will need two bottles to do this project. The first one should get the top cut off. You will then need to cut the top off from a second bottle, and cut slits in the bottom part of it. This will get glued on the top of the first bottle so it looks like a leaf roof. You can cut a door in the bottom half of the bottle so that you can place the votive inside. Paint the bottles to your liking and glue flowers on the outside for decoration.

Resources:

• Vernon County, Wisconsin: Wee crafts
• Project Learning Tree: 14 animal art projects made with recycled materials
• County of San Mateo Office of Sustainability: Creative reuse

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Holiday Crafts

Holiday crafts are always so much fun to make, and one of the easiest to make is a snow globe. Kids love to be able to pick out what they want to put inside, and most of the stuff you need is probably already in your home. You will need:

• Mason Jars
• Water
• Glitter
• Small water-proof figurine
• Waterproof glue

You will need to decide what it is you want to put in your snow globe. You will then want to glue the small water-proof figurine to the jar lid and wait for it to dry. You can fill the jar with the water and glitter. If you are worried that your child may open the jar, you can apply a ring of glue to the lid before tightening it on to seal it closed. Now that your jar is complete, you can shake it or turn it upside down to watch it snow all year round.

For more ideas, visit the following links:

• National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse: 5 fun and family-friendly winter activities
• Toledo Lucus County Public Library: Winter crafts for children and teens

More Ideas for Crafting

Salt dough is another great crafting idea, and it can be used so many different ways. You can make ornaments for your Christmas tree or even make impressions of your child’s feet, so you can remember how small they were. You will need:

• Salt
• Water
• Flour

In a large bowl, you will mix 1 cup of salt and 2 cups of flour. Gradually stir the water into the flour and salt mixture and stir it until it begins to form a dough. You can then kneed the dough and roll it out to make whatever it is you desire. When you’re finished, bake at 180 degrees in the oven until hardened.

Resources:

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Arts and crafts
• City of Abilene Texas: Crafty creations and activity pages

Getting Crafty in the Car

If you have kids that love to cause a distraction in the car, giving them crafts they can do on a trip can be a great way to redirect their attention.

Some great things you can give children to keep them busy on a ride includes white board markers they can use to draw on the windows, string and beads, and lap desks with crayons and paper. You can have your kids draw something they saw and guess at what they drew or have them make necklaces that remind them of where they have travelled. Crafting in the car doesn’t have to be hard or messy and can save you the headache of trying to split your attention between the road and your passengers.

Resources:

• Consumer reports: 10 tips for stress-free road trips with kids
• ChildrensMD: Traveling with kids? Consider these tips
• KidsHealth: Road trip boredom busters

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Additional Resources

Are you looking for educational crafts and projects? Check out NASA’s Climate kids activities for a variety of ideas and instructions. The US Forest Service also has a Woodsy owl activity guide for parents and teachers who want to help their students learn about nature in a fun and hand-on way. In addition, the North Adams Public Library links to several resources for craft ideas on their Parents and teachers page.

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