Quick and Easy Sponge Crafts

Around the house sponges find themselves in the kitchen, the bathroom, the garage and many other places. Now you can use them to make toys, decorations and much more. Cut a sponge into equal-sized squares and wrap them in foil. Tie a tiny ribbon on them and hang them on a Christmas tree. The sponges are easy to wrap and will make beautiful "presents" that can be attached to wreaths and other Christmas scenes.

Since sponges float they make great bathtub toys for kids. Glue just about anything on top and watch it float in the bubble bath. Plastic figurines and other lightweight toys can be easily attached to the sponge with glue. After allowing ample drying time just toss in the tub.

Attach plastic dolphins, scuba divers, and other underwater novelties to strings. Pass the string through the sponge, with a needle, then glue the ends to the sponge. Now the sponge will float on top of the water while the divers and fish swim underwater.

Make toy blocks for kids by using various colors of sponges. Cut the sponges into rectangles, squares, triangles, circles and other shapes. Small kids can stack and build with the sponges and never get hurt. Make sure the pieces are large enough that the child will not put them in his mouth.

Arrange four rectangular sponges to where their corners all touch on one side. This will make something like a "+" shape with the center being open. Stitch the corners together and leave the wide opening. Now glue a piece of hard plastic on the bottom to cover the hole. Flip the arrangement over and you have a floating drink holder for a pool. The plastic piece will prevent the drink from slipping through and the four-sponge arrangement will support most drinks.

Glue or stitch sponges together, side by side, to make all types of floating holders. Make a large rectangular one for holding a magazine and cell phone, or even a board game. Just align enough sponges to have the proper width then add row after row until the floater is the right size for your needs. It's even easier if you use thick, clear plastic sheets to glue to the bottom of the floater. That makes gluing the arrangement very easy since all you do is cover the plastic in glue and attach it to the sponge arrangement. Cover the sponge arrangement with a clear deli tray lid to prevent items from getting wet.

Cut sponges in various shapes and use for scrap book decorating. Dip the shapes in paint and stamp the pages. It's an easy way to do borders and more. You can also use sponges to add a marbled look to a freshly painted wall. Dip the sponge in paint, wipe most of it off, then touch the sponge to the wall, here and there.

There are many other things you can make with sponges, like an American flag or a drink coaster. And, since sponges are so cheap, you'll be able to make dozens and dozens of special crafts without investing much money. You'll have fun and you'll be proud of your creations so go, get started.