Getting creative with your children is fun for them and gives you the opportunity to spend some quality time getting to know a little more about what makes them tick.
Age is irrelevant here and regardless of whether you have a toddler or a teen, you can still have fun creating great little projects together.
One of the best things for kids is getting messy with paint or drawings. With the right picture mount you can turn their creations into fantastic works of art to hang on your family walls or in their bedrooms. This is really rewarding for your children as it shows you have loved their expressions and also that you are proud enough to have them on display
Other great ideas include making puppets. You can go for the very simple effect by working from lollipop sticks or get even more creative by sewing hand puppets. Later in the day the whole family can get involved when you and your child put on a little show for them.
Art is best when everyone can get involved and children will really enjoy the freedom you give them to properly express them. It doesn’t matter what the end product looks like, the most important thing is having fun and being together.
Have a look at this post for 15 Fun Family Rainy Day Crafts to help lift the boredom of weekends stuck indoors.
For older children you can consider getting them involved in more dramatic projects. Upcycling is a really cool trend at the moment and involves a little pre thought and planning which can be a really good way of boosting a child’s perception and thinking process. You can start by looking at simple projects within your home. Perhaps an old mirror that needs bringing to life or broken chair which has been sitting in the garage for months. Get them to really think outside the box, making a chair into something completely different to use in your home. Challenge their thoughts and get them to sketch it out before letting them loose to build their idea.
Another brilliant way of getting teenagers involved is busting out the sewing machine and getting them to make their own clothes. There is loads of inspiration on the high street and if someone else can make it? Chances are they can too. Start them off with a simple project, such as making a pillow or a handbag. Then move on to trousers or a skirt. You can find patterns on the internet or at local fabric stores. Once they have cracked the art, you could even encourage them to draw out their own designs then plan out how to piece the fabric together.
Crafting with your kids really doesn’t have to be complicated and whether you sit down with them and get involved or set them tasks as you focus on the cooking, there really are hundreds of ways you can enjoy this art in your family.
So what are you waiting for? Get making!
XOXO
Debbie