4KookieKids Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I'm just looking to get extra idea on handicraft sorts of stuff that my older two kiddos can work on. They like art, and they like making stuff, and they spend many hours cutting and taping and coloring and glueing cardboard. But sometimes I think they might like crafts that their father doesn't just view as barely recycled trash. :)So currently we have: ** Lots of general craft supplies (glitter, glue, scissors, construction paper, stickers, stamps, thick water color paper, good markers/pencils, variety of paints, cotton balls, popsicle sticks, etc.) ** Perler beads ** Rainbow loom ** Old school wooden loom (Melissa & Doug variety) ** Leatherworking (caveat: we have it because we tried and couldn't do it. Even my husband had a hard time punching through the leather with my oldest, so we returned everything we'd gotten that was unopened). Things we've considered are: ** Strickliesel / Strickgabel ** Beading ** Felt dolls I feel like there must be more good crafty ideas out for this age, but can't think of them to save my life. We tried crochet, but it didn't go well. Maybe we could try again? I'd love to do some basic sewing stuff, but I'm not creative enough to come up with simple ideas. And I have four kids, so I'd really like some crafts that I could get them started on, and then they could just use to keep hands busy during audiobooks and such when they currently like to complain that they're the only kids in the universe who don't have fidget-spinners. :) Seriously - they like to craft, but my 6 yo in particular will quit anything that's "too hard" so I need to find something engaging and new without being TOO stretching, kwim? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof1 Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I'm not crafty at all but my DH and DD4 are. I've seen fun craft thing's in a box from Hobby Lobby. My DD wants the knitting spool it comes with yarn and instructions also. You can make necklaces and bracelets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 my kids loved PERLER beads. Behind the basic designs, there are great examples and patterns on their website. All the kids love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 (edited) We did handicrafts (as opposed to crafts) when kids were in early elementary. Most of my ideas came from Waldorf blogs. Oak Meadow has good handicrafts. Paper, Scissors, Stone was a catalogue we liked. Since we were Waldorf, no glitter (which I hate anyway) and suchlike, but more things like natural wool, wood. etc. weaving was a favorite, lots of looms, from the potholder type to a tabletop rigid heddle loom; weaving is sort of addictive. Knitting was fun, and I've been told that the way you use your hands in knitting deveopls the brain. Good book, Kids Kmitting, by Melanie Falick -- photos show boys as well as girls knitting. Bookbinding, marble paper. Woodcraft. Leather stamping. For some things we got very simple kits from local Boy Scout shop. We did some jewellery making, but good beads are $$$. We also had a bead loom -- very small beads, one kids loved it, one not. I'm not sur Pinterest was around when my kids were young, but I think there is stuff there if you search Waldorf and handicrafts. And do check out the Oak Meadow website. Oh, my, I wish my kids were young again when I see this: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/waldorf-crafts/ Links for Oak Meadow: http://www.oakmeadowbookstore.com/?_ga=2.81715985.764018508.1504670925-879798251.1504670925 http://www.oakmeadowbookstore.com/Curriculum/Third-Grade/Oak-Meadow-Crafts-for-the-Early-Grades-p3285.html Edited September 6, 2017 by Alessandra 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Ha! Your comment about barely recycled trash reminded me of several scenes in my own home. Right now I have a huge stack with a warning "DO NOT RECYCLE!" sign on it making it impossible to reach the laundry room. (Darn.) I have gotten my kids various sewing project kits (the kind where you make a purse, or a puppet, and it's basically following directions with a big needle and pre-made holes), but it always comes back to "We'd prefer to just have our own needle, thread, scissors, and tons of scraps and batting in a shoebox." So kind of like the cardboard box thing, for sewing. This may be because of their dispositions or because I don't particularly enjoy doing crafts alongside them. Since you have a lot of great supplies already, maybe books with inspiration would be good, too-- and hopefully others can recommend some, because the first thing I'm coming up with right now is Out of the Box, which uses more cardboard! Mine have used the book Sewing School and actually made some impressive projects on their own (with their shoe box kits!) because it includes patterns and clear photographs and instructions. I also don't think you mentioned this, but they enjoy origami. The Djeco animal kit is a nice place to start for little kids, because it's easy and includes stickers to decorate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4KookieKids Posted September 6, 2017 Author Share Posted September 6, 2017 my kids loved PERLER beads. Behind the basic designs, there are great examples and patterns on their website. All the kids love them. See we have them, and my kids do NOT love them. They get distracted or excited about something else and bump it, or a baby runs through the room in a flash and by the time I catch her she's swiped her hand across the entire table, and the kids end up crying that three hours' worth of work got destroyed in two seconds. :( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 You mentioned that you might want to try felt dolls. My dd13 is really enjoying this kit that she got for her birthday. I don't know if it would be too difficult for your ages or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Origami and paper airplanes. THAT they are imminently recyclable is half their charm if you ask me :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadah Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Mine like paper foldables. We have an elaborate fold-up dollhouse. They like finger knitting and crocheting. If they make cards they could give them away. Not a handcraft, but they both like to bake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rush Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I will second the origami book. Also there is a wonderful book to learn history and science through crafts The Science and History Project Book: 300 Step-by-step Fun Science Experiments and History Craft Projects for Home Learning and School Studyhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-History-Project-Step-step/dp/1843227452/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504737398&sr=1-1&keywords=projects+history+and+science 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 Finger knitting has filled hours and hours over the last two years for my now-7yo. There's a gizmo called a LoopDeLoom that sped up the weaving projects quite a lot. Maybe latch hook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Hand sewing: a very simple doll kit and book (materials are incomplete): http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/020201 https://www.amazon.com/ALEX-Toys-Craft-First-Sewing/dp/B000F3V2MW/ https://www.amazon.com/KLUTZ-Sew-Mini-Animals-Toy/dp/1338106449/ American Girl sewing kits have the holes pre-punched in the felt, which makes it even easier for little hands My kids love Klutz craft kits, including these: Polymer clay: https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Make-Clay-Charms-Craft/dp/0545498562/ pom pom pets: https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-K570319-Mini-Pom-Pom-Pets/dp/0545703190/ (warning, yarn fuzz will get everywhere if you don't contain the work somehow) needle felting (my 3rd grader can do it with some help): https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Felting-Starter-Kit-Woolbuddy/dp/B073TV97H7/ https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Felted-Friends-Create-Animals/dp/0545647967/ embroidery and cross stitch: https://www.amazon.com/4M-3532-Embroidery-Buttons-Kit/dp/B00U7RRZJU/ https://www.amazon.com/ALEX-Toys-Craft-Embroidery-Kit/dp/B00BDMNAKQ/ pony bead key chain crafts: https://www.amazon.com/Made-Me-Create-Horizon-Group/dp/B00JYCPX7K/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthmerlin Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 What about balloon animals? Not a handicraft per se but my (nearly) 8 year old has taken to this after being given a balloon sculpture recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Sewing with plastic canvas? Also, I second the idea of latch-hooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThursdayNext Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Following this. I'd love for the kids to be able to make useful things. Things that won't clutter up our home. I'd love more ideas for things that don't need throwing away, especially because there are tears over every drawing and craft that gets tossed. My daughter has used the Zippy loom for an easy form of crocheting. She wears the scarf she made, when the weather cools down. My 6 year old son just learned how to whittle, and I wouldn't mind little wooden things sitting around the house. Card making is also useful, and saves money over paying for birthday and Christmas cards. My nephews and niece go to a Charlotte Mason style school. The boys gave my daughter a knitted purse that she uses, and me a little fall banner made of yarn and felt. I should ask what else they do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThursdayNext Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Following this. I'd love for the kids to be able to make useful things. Things that won't clutter up our home. I'd love more ideas for things that don't need throwing away, especially because there are tears over every drawing and craft that gets tossed. My daughter has used the Zippy loom for an easy form of crocheting. She wears the scarf she made, when the weather cools down. My 6 year old son just learned how to whittle, and I wouldn't mind little wooden things sitting around the house. Card making is also useful, and saves money over paying for birthday and Christmas cards. My nephews and niece go to a Charlotte Mason style school. The boys gave my daughter a knitted purse that she uses, and me a little fall banner made of yarn and felt. I should ask what else they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthmerlin Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Following this. I'd love for the kids to be able to make useful things. Things that won't clutter up our home. I'd love more ideas for things that don't need throwing away, especially because there are tears over every drawing and craft that gets tossed. My daughter has used the Zippy loom for an easy form of crocheting. She wears the scarf she made, when the weather cools down. My 6 year old son just learned how to whittle, and I wouldn't mind little wooden things sitting around the house. Card making is also useful, and saves money over paying for birthday and Christmas cards. My nephews and niece go to a Charlotte Mason style school. The boys gave my daughter a knitted purse that she uses, and me a little fall banner made of yarn and felt. I should ask what else they do. I never knew whittling was safe for such little ones. I'll need to look into it for my 7 yr old. Do you have a card-making kit? This is something I'd like my daughter to explore but don't want to invest in elaborate tools to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 I am not at all a crafty or artsy person. I was looking through our virtual charter's approved vendors and found out that American Girl Publishing is approved. The have amazing crafts books and some are really cheap on Amazon. There are lots of themes from travel, school or photography and more. They look simple enough that I feel like I could try it and the kids will have fun. AmericanGirlIdeas.com has lots of fun projects ranging from easy enough for me to projects that require carpentry skills. Some are obviously doll related but others look like my son will want to do it too like making playfood with craft dough. She paints using chalk to make an apple and it looks amazing. DS is really in to art so I think he will like making something more tangible. We are going to make the washer and dryer out of plastic containers this weekend and DD is very excited. For some reason she's really been wanting a washer and dryer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 We loved making corn husk dolls (both my ds and dd's did). http://www.giftofcuriosity.com/how-to-make-corn-husk-dolls/ I'm not sure if that would be too difficult for your kids' ages though. We used bits of fabric to make little aprons, and also braided some yarn and pinned it to the top of the head (at the middle point of the braided yarn piece) with the ends hanging down over each side of the head, and it looked like they had two long braids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Epicurean Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 These embroidery kits for little toys are great. They have different levels of skill required, here's a link to Level 1: https://www.kirikipress.com/collections/level-1-diy-embroidered-doll-kits 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.