Making Crafts Easy and Fun for Your Child

Craft projects and art projects for children are usually pretty simple and use every day items. However, when your child wants to make a specific craft that calls for an empty toilet paper roll and the only one in the house is full of paper... that can be a problem. One of the simplest and smartest things to do to ensure a fun time is had by all when doing craft projects with children is to have a craft bin full of supplies on hand and ready to go. Whenever you, or your child, wants to make something, you will have everything you need.

Buy or re-purpose a plastic storage bin to hold your craft supplies. I prefer using a tall bin with drawers. They have ones now that have several thin drawers on top and deeper drawers on the bottom. They even come with wheels so that you can move them from room to room. Once you decide what bin you will be using, have your child help to make a label for the bin. Talk to your child about what the bin is for and how all of the supplies will be stored in it and put away neatly at the end of craft time.

Stocking your bin fully can take some time if you do not have anything on hand to start with. Take it slow and add things as you get them. Keep a good supply of each item in the bin and add new things as you find them or see a use for them. Allow your child to help choose new items for the craft bin. The following is a list of craft items that I keep on hand for my toddlers. Make sure that all items that previously stored chemicals, soaps or foods have been cleaned completely and dried before storing them. Remember to pay attention to what is in your bin. If you run out of glue, you should replace it. If you have 257 empty toilet paper rolls.... you might want to get rid of some! Any time that you go to a craft store such as Michael's, keep your eyes open for new items for your craft bin.

Craft Bin Items To Keep On Hand

Empty detergent cups

egg cartons (cardboard and Styrofoam)

milk cartons and jugs

empty food boxes and containers (oatmeal, cereal, etc)

baby food jars

empty paper towel rolls

roll of paper towels

empty toilet paper rolls

plastic food containers (all sizes)

Styrofoam and plastic food trays

empty soda bottles

fabric swatches and scraps

felt (many colors)

large buttons

empty thread spools

yarn

string

ribbons

tissue paper (all colors)

wrapping paper scraps

cardboard and boxes

color strips from the paint store

magazines (cut some pictures out and put in plastic bags and keep some magazines whole)

wallpaper samples

stencils

stickers

scissors

white glue

tacky glue

glue gun

paints

crayons and markers (kept separate from art supplies)

glitter

glitter glue

pipe cleaners

plastic beads

Anything else you think of!

One great idea for your craft bin is to make a "craft ideas" book for your child. You do not need to buy an entire book full of craft ideas, you can make it yourself! Search for ideas on line and in magazines. Print out or cut out the craft instructions and any pictures. Glue any cut outs to full sheets of paper. Place all of the craft ideas in a binder and label it. Place this binder with your craft bin. Then, when you are looking for something to do with your child you can have them look through the binder to find a craft they want to do. Go through the binder periodically and add newer crafts and take out crafts that your child is tired of, did not like or ones that are too young for them.