Babies & Kids Blog » Arts & Crafts

Even when the weather is over 70 degrees in a California winter, kids can still have fun with snow……globes, that is! This project is a great way to create a magical world and make a blizzard.

Gather up some little Christmas-time characters, mini toys, and plastic figurines. (Some suggestions - little Lego people, train set scenery, small ornaments, little baubles and plastic jewels.) Take a wide-mouth glass jar and lid with a tight seal. Using strong glue, attach the figurines to the inside of the lid to create a winter scene. Fill the jar with glitter and baby oil and cap the jar with the lid. When the jar is turned back over, a magical world of snow globe fun comes alive!

Photo Source.

Stock up on some of these fun Valentine’s Day items your kids can pass out to the class instead of typical plain old candy.  They are all from good old OrientalTrading.com:

Valentine “Luv Bug” Craft Kit:  $12.99 Now: $8.99

This craft set is super cute.  What a great idea to use the pixie sticks to make a butterfly!

These boxes below are a great way kids can keep their Valentine’s nice and tidy or simply for cute decor around the house.

Valentine Bear Card Box Craft Kit: $11.99 Now: $8.99

Cardboard Valentine Mailbox Craft Kit: $8.99 on sale

This is a perfect gift for their teacher.

Fleece Valentine Heart Tied Pillow Craft Kit: $19.99 Now: $13.99

These are probably my favorite!  They are super easy to make and are a little more personal than typical Valentines.

Valentine Foam Photo Frames: $8.99 on sale

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Valentine’s Day craft kits.

I’ve found some awesome holiday/Christmas craft ideas that I would like to share with you all.  People are getting more and more creative…I love it!  Arts and crafts are a great way to spend time with the kids when they are on their winter break from school.  It beats having them staring zombie-eyed at the TV while playing video games.

Poinsettia Clothespin Ornament from Kaboose.com

Beaded Angel from Craftbits.com

Santa’s Helper - Clay Pot Elf from AllFreeCrafts.com

Friendly Sock Snowmen from BHG.com

Christmas Choir from FamilyFun.com

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for kids’ arts and crafts supplies.

There are a ton of Halloween craft ideas out there. I find that the best ideas are the ones that incorporate candy with Halloween fun!  Here are some links to some great craft ideas.

These witch treats are perfect for passing out to fellow classmates.

Halloween Witch Craft and Treat - AmazingMoms.com

These treat holders are great for Halloween parties.

Egg Cup Treat Holders - Kaboose.com

Yummy Mummies - FamilyFun.com

These spider balloons are super cute for a classroom art project.  I would suggest making spider webs out of cotton, speading them around the classroom and taping or pinning the kids’ completed spider balloons around the room for a spooky Halloween setting.

Balloon Spider - Today’s Parent

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for Halloween craft kits.
                                       Discounts on craft supplies.
                                       Buy Halloween candy.

Jan D. writes:  “At 72 years of age I suddenly find 4 (soon 5) great-grandkids in my life. The oldest is 2 yrs 2 mos. I believe they would really like to have their faces/hands painted. What would you recommend as far as safe paints, brushes, and also a pattern book - one with insects, balloons, flowers, etc. - the EASY stuff! Thank you so much!”

I found a homemade face paint recipe on Recipezaar.com.  What is more safe than homemade?!

Ingredients:

-3 tablespoons cornstarch
-1 tablespoon flour
-3/4 cup Karo light corn syrup
-1/4 cup water
-food coloring, liquid or gel

Directions:

1. Mix cornstarch and flour together in a bowl.
2. Gradually stir in Karo syrup and water until smooth.
3. Divide mixture into individual containers as needed (Mix and store in baby food jars or discarded film canisters - or Glad plastic ware cups/lids — see pictures).
4. Color each one with the food coloring of your choice until you reach your desired color (I like mine darker — they seem to show up on the skin much better).
Leave one batch untinted.
5. NOTE: I felt the mixture was thin so I added another tsp or so of cornstarch. The recipe didn’t say to do this, but the face paint still worked.
6. NOTE: If using the gel food coloring (I find the colors are more vibrant), you will want to mix with your spoon first and then put the lid on the container and shake, shake, shake to mix it all up. Otherwise, your paint will be speckled with “pieces” of the gel food coloring.

-From Recipezaar.com

Here is a face painting stencil set:

                                                               Face Painting Stencil Set: $3.98

Here are some books that teach you how to face paint with kids:

                                              Gymboree Face Painting Book & Paint: $10.35

                                                          Face Painting Book & Paint: $16.47

If you don’t feel like making your own face paint here is some safe face paint options found on Smarter.com:

                                                      Snazaroo Face Painting Sticks: $3.95

-Easy to use.  No need for paint brushes.  Washes off with soap & water.

                                            Crafty Dab Face Paint Jumbo Crayon Set: $2.94

                                                          Palmer Face Paint: $1.29 for 2 oz bottle

                                               6 Big Pots Face/Body Paint-Brush Included: $11.99

I loved drawing hopscotch squares with sidewalk chalk as a kid.  Imagine if all I had to do was throw on 3D glasses and my hopscotch game would pop out at me!  That would have been ten times more fun.  Again, kids of these days can enjoy this “luxury” because Crayola recently came out with cool 3D sidewalk chalk.  Each set comes with chalk & 3D glasses.

                                                             Crayola 3D Sidewalk Chalk: $5.99

These activity sets also come with sidewalk paint & 4 giant stencils.

                                          Crayola 3-D Activity Kit Underwater Adventure: $11.99

                                                   Crayola 3-D Activity Kit Jungle Safari: $11.99

You & your child can see what this sidewalk chalk will look online through “3D glasses”!  Go to the Crayola.com website.

Here is a great arts & crafts idea for your & your children from FamilyFun.com.  Take an ordinary picnic table and turn it into hours of fun! 

What you need:

- A small, unfinished picnic table
- Pencil and ruler
- Acrylic latex enamel paint
- Paintbrushes
- Square-shaped sponge (optional)
- Polyurethane

Directions:

1. Using a pencil and ruler, draw a design on the tabletop. We’ve included a checkerboard, a backgammon board, a sun, letters of the alphabet and numbers from zero to 20.

2. Once you are happy with the design, paint it on.

3. Paint the benches as you wish. We sponge-painted squares around geometric shapes.

4. Protect the table and benches with five coats of polyurethane (a parent’s job).

The 50th birthday of Crayola’s 64 Box was celebrated on April 9th at the Toys ‘R’ Us in Times Square.  They had an adorable kids’ fashion where eight new colors made their debut:

I have to be honest.  I think the only name I have a “problem” with is “famous.”  Apparently, 20K kids were asked about “the things they value & are most interested in”.  It seems that all these reality TV shows have convinced children that in order for them to be anything or anyone in life the need to achieve fame.  That isn’t what I want my kids to aspire to anyway.  Unless they are “famous” for finding a cure for cancer.  It’s cool if you are famous for being an awesome singer, but really…how many of those kids do you think can actually sing or were referring only to American Idol fame?  There are so many other reality shows kids have been exposed to these days.  So, I’m thinking the majority of them just want to be famous PERIOD.  Do you agree?  On a lighter note…the rest of the colors are very cute!

Get your Crayola 64 Crayons Kids’ Choice Colors right here.

The best Valentine’s Day gifts are the ones that are homemade!  It shows that you took time out of your day to make something special for them vs. just running inside a store to grab a generic gift.

FamilyFun.com has some great arts & crafts ideas for Valentine’s Day.  Here are some of my favorites:

Valentine Butterflies

What You Need:

Sticks of gum
Licorice Strings
Construction paper
Scissors
Heart Stickers
Tape

Instructions: 

1. Place two pieces of string licorice between two sticks of gum, taping the top and bottom closed to secure the antennae in place.

2. Next, cut two heart-shaped wings from construction paper, write your valentine message on them, and secure them to the top stick of gum with a heart sticker. Add other stickers to give personality to your butterfly.

Clip Hearts

What You Need:

Craft foam hearts
Hot Glue
Hair clips like the one pictured
Scissors
Colored card stock
Marker

Instructions: 

1. Arrange two or three craft foam hearts as you like and hot-glue them together. (Draw and cut your own hearts, using our templates, or check your craft store for precut foam hearts.)

2. Glue the hearts to the wide end of the hair clip and let the glue set.

3. Cut a heart from the card stock. Write your message on the heart, then clip the barrette to it.

Crayon Hearts

What You Need:

Crayon pieces
Heart-shaped metal cookie or muffin tins
Double-sided foam mounting tape
Scissors
Colored card stock
Marker

Instructions: 

1. Heat the oven to 250°.
2. Fill each mold with crayon pieces and bake until the crayons melt, about 10 to 15 minutes. Tip: Place a sheet pan under the crayons to catch any drips.

3. Once they’re cool, remove the hearts from the molds and smooth any rough edges by rubbing them on a piece of scrap paper.

4. Use small pieces of foam tape to stick each heart to a 3-inch circle cut from card stock then add your message.

FamilyFun.com has a ton of more arts & crafts ideas for Valentine’s Day & all of your favorite holidays.

Click here for kids’ arts & crafts supplies.

This Op-ed I found on Courant.com prompted me to search for arts & crafts gifts as an alternative idea to toys.  If you are paranoid about all the toy recalls and want to make sure your kids are safe this year why not give them gifts that will help develop their creative minds.  Here are some ideas:

Sticker Assortment:  $49.95 for 40 sheets

As a kid I was CRAZY about stickers!  They are fun to collect, trade with  friends, or use to be creative on just about everything.

Super Foam Stamping Sticks: $6.95

These stamps are easy for kids to hold and come in 12 “kid friendly” designs.

They also come in letters:  Easy To Grip Uppercase Abc Stamps 

Easy Origami 2008 Calendar: Folda-a- Day: $11.99

This calendar starts with basic origami folds & by the end of the year you will have skills to fold more “technical” origami models. 

Parents: I suggest purchasing a pack of assorted colored origami paper so you can learn these skills with your child as they go.  It will be a great family bonding experience. 

Design Your Own Canvas Box-Shaped Bags: $17.95 Makes 12

Maybe your child will grow up to be a famous bag designer!

Sport Ball Photo Frame Magnet Craft Kit: $6.95 Makes 12

These sports frames are great for birthday gifts for grandparents or other family members.

Coupons for stores selling these products:

Free Shipping on orders of $60 or more - Enter coupon code:  RRRZC06 

20% off $60 or more - Enter coupon code: RETPY08B

For more arts & crafts supplies click here.