Crafting with Kids to Conquer Boredom

How many parents have heard that complaint through the years during the summer vacation or any long weekend from school? So instead of hearing the whining, get out the glue, markers, colors, paper and anything else you got around the house.

Doing crafts could keep kids' minds alert and focused. Even if it's just making macaroni art on a piece of construction paper, the child begins to use their imaginative juices. They get excited about creating something that they've done themselves. And best of all, crafts can keep them from playing hours and hours of video games or watching television endlessly.

The Craft & Hobby Association suggests keeping a box of materials handy. Kids should be able to get to that box easily and keep putting in items they can use later.

Recycle anything from your home, business or schoolwork that could someday become a craft. Fill it with buttons, ribbons, egg cartons, small boxes, glue, scissors, paints, pipe cleaners, tape, crepe paper or napkins, stencils, stickers and stamps.

You can also buy some inexpensive items like felt, beads, Styrofoam shapes, remnant materials, little clay pots or even cardboard boxes.
The association tells parents to protect the children's clothing by using old pillowcases or plastic garbage bags with cut openings for arms and necks. Save extra poster boards, construction paper or envelopes from old school projects. Anything can become a masterpiece when kids have the materials in front of them.

Even rocks found outside or while walking along a bike path can be used in some sort of craft project. Shells from last year's vacation or extra ceramic tiles from a bathroom repair 10 years ago can be used to make artwork or even usable items such as trivets or coasters.

If you don't feel creative yourself, go the library and find books on kids' crafts. Also, many of the family-oriented magazines at the library or bookstore have projects you can copy or modify. And if the weather is nice, take the messiness to your backyard or patio. Make sure to put down a plastic tablecloth or drop cloth on the table and floor. That way, no one has to be upset that something got ruined.

The kids probably can come up with a dozen things they would like to make. They've been doing crafts since preschool. It can be as simple as tearing or cutting out different colors of tissue paper and gluing on a sheet of paper for a stained glass look.

It's just all about having fun, being innovative and using the brain.