Crafting with a K/1st grader

[4KookieKids]

My boy loves to craft and will be 6 this summer. Right now, we have several bins full of art stuff like glue, tape, googly eyes, different kinds of paper, pipe cleaners, clothes pins, glitter, egg cartons, TP and PT tubes, different kinds of drawing and painting materials, etc.  I'd really like to "broaden" his crafting activities a bit and am looking for ideas! I don't think he's got the fine motor skills to crochet or knit with needles and hooks, though I plan to teach him how to chain by hand. I've considered building a simple loom and teaching him to weave.

 

What other ideas do you all have? In particular, he's often trying to craft things out of paper (or other rip-able material) that really shouldn't be - like costumes or stuffed animals (stuffing cotton balls between sheets of paper and then taping up the sides, for instance :) ), so I'd like to get some alternative materials in the mix here.

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas you have!

[Eagle]

Get some old fabric or a few pieces of felt and teach him how to sew by hand. My ds loved learning to sew.

 

Also, cardboard and duct tape is a good next step from paper and scotch tape. :) My ds has made an entire city of cardboard buildings, complete with ziggurat and Eiffel Tower.

[Miss Tick]

Sewing might be good! My kids and my mom made light-up book lights from the book Sew Electric. There are a lot of craft idea type books at our library, maybe you can find one that appeals to you?

 

Oh, printing and stamping might be fun too!

[UCF612]

Maybe DIY.org would have some ideas.

[Jackie]

Simple weaving with a potholder loom?

[knitmama]

OP, your kiddo sounds like mine at that age.  I've always kept a giant bin of art supplies, but it was paper and scotch tape that were the go-tos for years.  DD did things with paper I would NEVER have dreamed of, like clothing (!), dolls, and 3-D sculptures of animals.  And it had to be tape (and not paste, glue, or staples).  Instant gratification junkie.  No idea where she got it.

 

As other posters have noted, fabric is a good choice; you can hole-punch and use a blunt bodkin & yarn to teach sewing if your kiddo isn't comfortable with sharp needles just yet.

 

Clay (modeling, air-dry, salt-dough, and Sculpey) was also a hit for us, as were mosaics (although when DD was 6 I used purchased tiles and flat see-through marbles vs. broken pottery).  Oh, and making maracas and pinatas out of lightbulbs/ballons and papier mache and the classic drum-out-of-an-oatmeal-box were also winners here.  I always kept old magazines for cutting and making collages, but DD never showed the slightest interest.  (Now, however, she pokes through them to identify propaganda techniques :-)  Oh, yes, and dioramas, which can be pretty simple at that age (construction paper and plastic animals).  Dioramas are fun for littles and older kids...also a great way to use up old boxes.

 

You just never know!

[Heathermomster]

By that age, DS was stitching fabric using a vintage hand-crank sewing machine.  We also kept an ample supply of scotch tape lying around. DS has always helped his Dad in the garage and on woodworking projects.  We used to own a 1986 Corvette.

 

DD likes beading with shoelaces, stamps, and card making.  We also listen to audio books together and sit down to draw using how to draw instruction books.  DD likes to draw with stencils.  DD can knit, no purls though.  She has a wooden spool knitter that she uses.  By 1st grade, both the kids liked to paint premade ceramics and mini-card board boxes using acrylic paint.

[RKWAcademy]

I despise crafts and messiness in general but I have artsy kids.  So, I'm going to start Home Art Studio.  The supplies were a bit pricey but the kids LOVED the sample videos.  My daughter also has one of those looms that make potholders out of loops of fabric.  Modeling clay.

[Rosie_0801]

When dd was in grade 1, we had her using running stitch to embroider initials on hankies for Christmas presents. This year she is sewing buttons to decorate a winter cape, amongst other things.

[tm919]

My daughter (about the same age as your son) likes to use those little round looms at school. They have a bunch of them, but I think this is the one she uses a lot http://www.amazon.com/Hana-Ami-Flower-Loom-Shape-Pink/dp/B002JTLTFU. Project ideas are at http://www.knitting-and.com/small-looms/index.html#projects -- scroll down to the flower loom stuff for making monkeys and caterpillars and the like. I don't think she could crochet without the little frame, but with the frame it doesn't seem harder for her than finger crochet.

[duckens]

1) I have dd4 do crafting (gluing, watercolors) in a 9x13 pan.  It contains the excess water from the watercolor painting, it easy to move at mealtime, and keeps the glue off the table.
 

We have two in our household, and both get used.  Of course, I can't make rice crispy bars now...... :glare:
 

2) Mod Podge (aka decopodge) is my best friend for gluing.   It can glue ANYTHING that would fall off with Elmers.  PomPoms, jewels, beads, seeds.   I give dd4 a big paintbrush, and let her dollop it out of the jar. 
 

I purchase ModPodge from JoAnn's with a 40% off coupon
 

3) Crocheting is a good idea! 

 

4) Pony beads and big needles and yarn.  I have found that big blunt metal needles are the best.  At this age, you can teach your son about patterns.  Have him make you holiday necklaces with patterns of appropriate colors (Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentines).  Other patterns may be your favorite colors, or a local favorite sports team.

 

5) Home Art Studio  We also have this series.  We liked it for 1st grade.  I am hoping that 2nd grade will stretch us.

 

6) General Drawing  Introduce him to Ed Emberley (your library should have some books) and teach him HOW  to use Emberley books.  When we draw, we make everything in triplicate for practice and for creativity.  It also eliminates perfection because "your next one will be better."

 

7) Spin Art -- My daughters LOVE this.

 

8) Artree - is an online monthly magazine for children.  We read a page or so over lunch.  Each issue introduces an artist and several new techniques.

 

This month, it discusses  artist Andy Goldsworthy.   My daughters were introduced to "transient art," and they saw lots of examples of Mr. Goldsworthy's art made from rocks, leaves, ice, sticks etc. 

 

All month, my girls have been creating indoors and out.  We have glued leaves, sticks, flowers, and maple seeds on paintings.  We made a big sun out of dandelions at the preschool for "public art."  We used watercolors with dry and wet bases, and we used salt to create a different visual effect.  We made caterpillars from the blooms of the snowball plant.  A mandala made of nature pieces is our next project.  We also will make "a face on a tree" with clay and nature pieces (stones, shells, moss, etc).
 

There is one free issue online.  Subscriptions are $10/year, or you can purchase individual past  issues for $2 each.

 

[smoore530]

My DS7 and his friends love perler beads. They are plastic and you make a design on a peg board then iron the beads to melt them together. They especially love making Minecraft stuff with them. (You can get them at Hobby Lobby.). They are also great for fine motor skills.

[4KookieKids]

Great ideas! Thanks, all!

 

Come to think about it, I did those melt-together-bead-designs when I was younger and really liked them!

 

He has several drawing books, but it a major perfectionist and sometimes just gets really frustrated with them. I think we're going to make a cardboard loom tomorrow and jump into weaving. I picked up a bag of mixed yarn from goodwill and am pretty excited to start trying out all these ideas!

[Dramorellis]

Clay, sewing and embroidery and finger or arm knitting.