If you are stuck indoors this Spring due to April Showers, keep your little ones busy with some fun arts and crafts activities. My three girls were all bitten by the creative bug, so most days in my house there is something being painted, glued, baked, woven or sculpted. I’ll share some favorites with you that were easy, fun and a great success. Now, depending on the age of your child, some of these projects will be mostly done by you, but it’s still just as much fun and sure to put a smile on lots of faces!

Here are some ideas for tons of fun with your kids: (Note: they will get messy, so make sure you involve your little artist in the clean up process. Trust me, this will create good habits for when they start projects on their own later!)

TINY HANDS AND FEET: You can start creating with your baby when he/she is still in a highchair! Put old pjs on your baby (footless of course) and carefully paint their hands and feet (one at a time). Place the babies hand or foot carefully on a piece of paper and you have an adorable keepsake. Make something fun, like these cute bunnies or add a name and date, frame and give to daddy for b-day or Father’s day. This is a great decoration for baby’s room too! Note: you may have to try one or two times before you get the perfect print, so make sure you do this when your baby is happy…. definitely not before nap time!!!! (e-z button: this can be done to infants while they are sleeping!!)

SEASHELLS: If you’re heading to the beach, pack some paints or markers to decorate seashells. Also bring string along for the seashells that have holes in them for necklaces.

MELTED CRAYONS: This was by far, my daughters’ favorite project ever. Buy a box of new crayons and an art canvas. Hot glue the crayons straight across the top of the canvas or in the shape of a heart or circle in the middle of your canvas. Take a hairdryer (not your good one, because it probably will get some wax on it) and melt the crayons. The melted design will cover your canvas and voila! Art to hang on your child’s wall or a great gift to give Grandma. See youtube for tons of ideas for this project and you get can a better idea of how and where to do it in your house. We did it in our basement over a huge tarp. (this is a messy project, but the end result will be fantastic!!)

HOMEMADE SALT DOUGH: (fun for all ages)

1 cup of fine salt

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of water (may add more)

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, combine the salt and the flour
  
• Make a well in the salt/flour mixture and add the water
  
• Knead until smooth and shape into a ball
  
• When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container. And here’s a neat idea: add a drop of vanilla extract to the mixture…not only will it give the dough a nice smell, but it also helps keep mold away!
  
• Use cookie cutters for themed designs.
  
• Don’t forget the hole at the top of your creation so you can hang it. You can easily make a hole with a straw.
  
• Let your creations dry for at least 24 hours before you attempt to paint. You can cook them at a very low temp in the oven to speed the process.
  
• We made Christmas ornaments for the whole family one year! This makes a great gift topper and an awesome keepsake. Don’t forget to sign the back of your creation!

DECORATE USED JARS: Save your used pickle, tomato sauce, olive and pepper jars. Remove the wrapper. This may take some elbow grease and perhaps a razor to get the excess glue off. Pop them in the dishwasher to clean them thoroughly. (Easy button: buy mason jars at your local craft store.) Decorate the lid with fabric or printed paper.. Glue a design or favorite snapshot on the front of the jar. Fill with your favorite treat! Secure the lid and tie with a pretty ribbon. This makes a wonderful homemade teacher gift or holiday decoration. If you have a Cricut (personal cutting machine) like we do, the sky is the limit for the designs you can place on your jar!

HOMEMADE SCRAPBOOKS: This project is another favorite, but will take some time. Take an old children’s book (must be a board book) or purchase one in the dollar store if you can’t part with your own. Buy a pack of appealing scrapbook paper. Make sure the colors complement one another. Size, cut and glue the paper over the pages of the board book. Paste your favorite baby, vacation, or family pics on the pages of your book. This will be a beautiful decoration in your house and of course a favorite bedtime book! In all honesty, this project is probably more for mom, but your family will enjoy the end result for years to come! (thought: this might be a great idea for a mom get together- my friends and I like to get together every once in a while for “crafts and cocktails”)

Check out the adorable smocks BBH has to offer. These would be great for your little artists to wear when they are creating!!! For more craft ideas, try searching on Google or Youtube, where you can find a wealth of ideas. Easter is coming, so search “Easter projects for kids” and you will be able to find something fun that suits you and the materials you have available. You will end up with a super cute gift for teacher, Grandma or something wonderful and adorable to display in your home.

If you don’t want to get too messy, one of my favorite sites is www.dltk-kids.com, where you will find tons of seasonal printables, paper crafts, games etc. and for most projects all you need is paper, scissors, crayons and glue and maybe a toilet paper roll or two. This site is great for themed coloring pages. If your child likes dump trucks, doggies, princesses or fairies, you’ll be able to find them here. If it’s the Fourth of July, Christmas, Hanukah or Valentine’s Day, surprise your child with a coloring page in the morning to recognize the special day.

PS- Have fun decorating those eggs this spring! Hint: don’t forget to jazz them up with a white crayon (the dye won’t stick to the crayon wax so you get awesome designs). Rubber bands work great too! Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

We’d love to hear from you! Do you have any favorite craft ideas that were a big hit with your family? Let us know in the comment section.