Simplifying Creative Time
Simplifying creative time. Absolutely, it’s amazing when you can sit down and create with your littles. It gives you time to connect one on one and give them your undivided attention. You can be intentional in what you say to them, how you help them, and how you encourage them. Children need to hear you praise them and for them to feel proud of what they are doing. And they want your approval most of all. You will never regret finding the time to have these moments with them. But for when that time isn’t possible, feel good that there are still plenty of ways to easily create creative playtime for them.
I sometimes think, in an ideal world, “I’d be doing X,Y, Z.” But I don’t get stuck in that place and quickly change my mindset to, “This is what I can do for my kids that they will love.” My kids love to craft! Crafting and being creative is not my strong point, but throwing things together that entertain and engage my kids is something I can make happen. Here are 3 crafting ideas that take minimal prep time.
1. Glue guns. They provide, literally, hours of fun in our house. My babes love to do anything with glue guns. I get the low heat glue guns for safety and let them glue away! I give them construction paper and baskets full of options to glue. Some of the favorites are pom poms, feathers, pieces of felt, plastic beads, and buttons. Other times, I send them to the backyard to find things in the yard to glue. They come back with leaves, sticks, tiny rocks, pinecones, pine needles, and flower petals. Other times, I draw on the construction paper basic things like a sun or a tree and have them decorate them with their glued on treasures.
2. Construction paper and pipe cleaners. Good craft always involve pipe cleaners, right? My kids love giving me flowers! They are usually weeds, disguised as flowers, but to them they are flowers. The love even more when they make flowers to give me. I draw a simple petal like the one below, cut it out and trace it over and over. The kids practice using their scissors and can decorate the petals however the choose. And they usually chose to use the glue gun! ☺ We have a paper crimper that is sometimes used on the petals, but it’s completely not necessary. I cut out a few circles and hole punch the middle once the petals have been decorated. The pipe cleaner threads through and with a twist, holds the petals together and forms the stem!
3. Popsicle sticks! Another standard item for great kid crafts! Using popsicle sticks, construction paper, and glue will make cute boxes that are great for holding all of their little treasures, toys, and backyard finds. These are super easy to make the kids use them over and over. Cut your paper into a rectangle. Length-wise, fold the paper into thirds. Take each end and fold it over, then cut on the ‘thirds’ fold. The picture shows it best. Fold it, glue it. Decorate the popsicle sticks- paint, markers, stickers, or with glue gunned items. Glue the sticks on each side and the box is complete!