Get Crafting This Winter
While winter is not here yet, it will be soon! Having some craft ideas and supplies ready for your little ones can be a life saver when it is too cold or wet for longer outdoor play. Plus, handmade arts and crafts are great gifts for the holidays and doing them with your child has many benefits for their learning and development.
Arts and crafts projects where your child can use safety scissors, practices gripping crayons and markers for drawing and coloring, kneading play dough or clay, help to develop your child’s fine motor skills. Creative projects also support your young child’s vocabulary development as they will learn the names of colors, shapes, and materials.
Another result of your child embracing art and craft time at home is that you are fostering their creativity, which is important for them as they learn to make decisions and become more self-confident. Be sure to not place too many rules or instructions around their projects as it dampers their creativity and lessens their independence. And, you can really encourage their self-esteem and imagination by praising their projects and pointing out specific details like the colors they chose or materials they used.
Create a Designated Craft Area
It doesn’t matter how big or small your home is, but it is important that you provide your child with easy access to materials that will encourage them to be imaginative.
Keep items organized and well-stocked. Shoe boxes, bins or clear containers will all do the trick!
Provide a variety of materials with different textures, colors and uses. Think of colorful papers, fabric and ribbons, natural things like leaves and rocks, household items such as used paper towel or toilet rolls, and macaroni noodles.
Provide items such as safety scissors, glue, non-toxic markers and paints, tape (kids LOVE tape so give them a variety such as with clear tape and duck tape), pencils and crayons.
Be sure to keep any items, like buttons or acorns, that could be swallowed in an area that is harder to reach and require your assistance for use, and then be sure to supervise them when using.
Provide your child a workspace, such as the kitchen table or a special part of a room that has good light.
Showcase your little artist’s work! Hang projects on the walls, windows, and throughout your home.
Age-Appropriate Project Prompts to Get You Started
Learning 4 Kids has lots and lots of ideas for creative projects and sensory play for young children that you can easily do at home and is organized by age. We especially love the ice painting, making and playing with gloop, and sensory fun with jello.
You can find at least 50 ideas for toddlers (and lots for older children as well) at the Artful Parent. There are ideas that are easy to prepare and capture toddlers’ short attention spans as well as ones that are especially low mess!
The Spruce Crafts website provides a huge variety of activities and ideas for children of all ages (moms and dads included). This site loves using natural materials and provides lots of ideas for holiday-themed fun, including Hannukah and Christmas.
We’d love to see what you and your kids make this winter! Feel free to tag us on Facebook and Instagram @QCCGeorgia using hashtag #GaParentPower.
