I know that a lot of the schools are having their February half-term here in the UK at the moment. So when I was spending time with my son earlier today, I started thinking about creative play. About how important it is to make sure that you interact with your kids from a young age and get them excited about activities. That will set them on a good path for later life when they begin taking after school clubs and taking on challenging school craft projects. Here are a few of the ideas that popped into my head. Hopefully, they give you a bit of inspiration too!
Jam Jar crafts – there are so many different ways to use jam jars. Always save them up, along with any other pretty looking glass jars. If you don’t have any spare at the time, you can always nip down to your local charity shop as they usually have something for around 20p that you can use.
Try making stained glass tealight holders. All you need is some coloured tissue paper and PVA glue. Paint a layer of glue on the glass and then start ripping up and sticking on the tissue paper. Your kids can choose any colour they like and get creative with how they want their design to look. When you are done, use a glue gun (somewhere like Glue guns direct will sell them) and stick a shiny jewel, a shell or a pebble from your local beach on the front. Make sure that only you use the glue gun though and keep it away from little fingers. Leave the whole thing to dry, and you’ll have some pretty little decorations to use at the dinner table or during the cold evenings when you are all snuggled up in the lounge.
Painting a picture – painting a picture together is an obvious but fun way of crafting. Make sure that you ask your kids about what they are painting and why. Ask them about their favourite colours while they paint. This will encourage them to learn and to express themselves.
Nature hunts – you don’t have to wait for dry weather to organise a mini nature hunt for the family. We love going on walks together, and it can be just as fun when you get everyone wrapped up warm. Pop some wellies on, and you’ll be good to go! Splashing in puddles and searching for creepy crawlies is a fun way to spend an afternoon. If the weather is warm, then why not take a notepad out with you? You can tick off plants, bugs and animals that you see on your travels. When you get home, ask your kids to draw a picture of the things they saw.
Create your own hybrid animal – Set up a crafting table with lots of pieces of felt, shiny paper, tissue and accessories. You are then ready to have a go at making up your hybrid animals by drawing, sticking and painting their features. For example, you could make a ‘COG’ an interesting looking creature with the face of a cat and the body of a dog. The possibilities are endless!
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this little take on crafting and that it inspires you to come up with your own fun ideas.
Rebecca x
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Some lovely idea thank you! Cannot wait to take my little ones on a nature hunt – too cold at the mo but once Easter arrives, usually it is lovely to get out more into the countryside!
Great ideas! Interesting activities kids can engage in. Thanks for sharing!