How many uses can you find for a toilet roll tube?
During my younger years, I remember using them to make a surprising variety of things ranging from fairytale castles to nativity scenes.
My mum was great at coming up with imaginative ways to repurpose them, and even now she saves them up for me to use with Little Man.
However, the idea of doing arts and crafts at home, especially with very young children can often feel overwhelming. Adding more mess to general everyday mess can seem unthinkable!
Since my teenage years, I’ve found myself helping kids do arts and crafts in a variety of situations: youth clubs, camps, school and now at home. I’ve definitely learned the hard way what doesn’t work!
On a positive note, I did learn how a little bit of careful planning can make it extremely possible to enjoy arts and crafts with minimal stress.
As you begin to get creative with your kids, you might be surprised by how much you get sucked into the process yourself. And working side by side on a special project is a fantastic way to spend quality time together.
What are the Benefits of Doing Arts and Crafts at Home?
Arts and crafts are fantastic for helping children to develop in areas such as fine motor skills, creativity, planning, concentration and perseverance.
As a primary school teacher, I found that one of the lessons children couldn’t wait for each week was Art (the other was PE). Why? Because it felt more like play than work to them.
This hour every week gave them the opportunity to express themselves in ways they weren’t always able to across the rest of the curriculum. And creating and making are very physical tasks, which appeal greatly to children.
So, while arts and crafts have lots of benefits for children’s development, they also provide a really enjoyable way to pass the time.
For busy parents, some of the main benefits of doing arts and crafts at home include:
1. It’s a relatively low-cost activity
If you choose wisely when buying your initial supplies, they should provide you with many hours of creativity and fun.
2. It can be independent or shared
Many children get easily absorbed by their projects, which can give parents an opportunity to get some jobs done. Equally, parents can join in easily with arts and crafts, perhaps making their own projects alongside.
3. You can adapt it to the time available
If you only have a few minutes, pick up some colouring books. If you have a free afternoon, you could try something more complex, like papier maché.
4. The activities can have a practical purpose
If you plan ahead, you could use your arts and crafts time to make decorations for an upcoming party, or gifts for family members at Christmas.
5. You learn a lot about your child
Watching your child plan and create artwork gives you a lot of insight into who they are and what’s important to them.
6. It’s lots of fun
This is probably the most important reason! There are so many ways to get creative; you’ll have no problem finding one your child delights in.
How Can Arts and Crafts Help My Family Make Memories?
Here at The Memory Mum, my main aim is to help families spend quality time together and make precious memories as they do.
The activity of sitting down together to create something is likely to stick in the minds of your children. Especially if it happens repeatedly over time.
Of course, you might not have the chance to do it regularly, and that’s okay. But perhaps you could start a habit of making some new decorations together every Christmas. Or of hand-making cards to celebrate birthdays.
Working side by side on a project encourages conversation in a natural and relaxed way. You may find that your child opens up to you more than usual during your art and craft times. Even if they don’t, it’s an easygoing opportunity for them to have your attention for a while.
Of course, the finished products themselves will help your family make memories. Perhaps you will hang your work on the wall, or display it on a shelf. Every time family members see it, they will remember the activity and the time you spent together.
I still sometimes come across items I made with my parents as a child. It’s amazing how time slips away as I handle them, to the point where I almost feel as if I’m still the child who just made it.
What If My Child Doesn’t Like Arts and Crafts?
Typically, children take great pleasure in being creative, especially if it’s messy. But on occasion, there will be children who don’t. Sometimes, it’s the messiness that puts a child off!
Some reasons a child might resist arts and crafts include:
- As already mentioned, they don’t like mess
- They don’t like wearing a painting apron/overalls
- They find it hard to come up with ideas
- They get stressed if they make a mistake
- They worry their work won’t look like the picture/example
- They think they’re no good at art
- Somebody has made fun of their work in the past
- They compare their work to everybody else’s
If your child tells you they don’t like arts and crafts, see if you can get to the root of the reason. Once you know why, you can attempt to find a solution and tempt them with a project that will be the perfect fit for them.
Some examples of helping a child overcome a dislike include:
- Child doesn’t like mess/wearing painting overalls: Choose a clean activity such as needlework, or ironing beads.
- Child finds it hard to come up with ideas: Browse art and craft books, websites and Pinterest together. See what catches the child’s imagination. I have listed some online sources of ideas further on in the post.
What If I’m Not Creative Myself?
All of us are more creative than we think.
Often, we tell ourselves we’re not because we think we’re not as good as other people. Or because when we try to draw a human, it looks like a stick.
Perhaps we’ve just never given ourselves the opportunity to try. For many adults, primary school was the last time they sat down to make or draw something.
Both my parents are very good at drawing and sketching. It’s not something I inherited. But I’ve always loved doing crafts and making things.
Growing up, I frequently “borrowed” items from the recycling bin for construction projects. I appreciate that my parents encouraged me with this, and never made me feel that I was any less artistic because I wasn’t drawing.
As a parent, it’s your attitude that matters, not your skill level.
Why not have a look online yourself for some fun things to make? Perhaps a simple decoration for the house? When you decide on something, make it for pure enjoyment.
Let your child see you having a go. But here’s the challenge: make sure you don’t criticise your own work as you go. Don’t get stressed if it doesn’t look like you hoped. Display it anyway.
Seeing you enjoy making something in a stress-free way will help and encourage your child more than you can imagine.
Where Can I Get Ideas For Arts and Crafts at Home?
Probably the easiest way to get started is with projects that use basic supplies such as paper, paints, cardboard, scissors, glue, found and recycled objects (such as toilet roll tubes!) etc.
Often, the most fun can be had by selecting a series of materials and simply seeing what you can do with them. In a lot of cases, it’s fun to be led by the materials you have, rather than a specific step-by-step project.
But if you do want project ideas, there’s no shortage available. Here are some of my favourite online sources of inspiration.
Red Ted Art
If you’ve ever gone looking for craft ideas online, you’ve probably come across Red Ted Art whether you realise it or not.
I’ll quote their “About” section to let them speak for themselves: “Making crafting accessible to all, whether as a carer you “love” or “hate” crafts, you will enjoy the ideas shared with you on this site”.
I particularly like the site’s focus on papercrafts. It means a child searching the site for ideas isn’t going to be put off by lots of expensive materials or equipment.
And make sure to check out their gorgeous Printables section before you leave.
Crafts on Sea
Crafts on Sea is a gorgeous blog full of really attractive and doable ideas.
I love how easy it is to navigate this site and find what you want quickly.
There’s a dedicated section for toddlers, and the kids section is divided up by season. I find this really handy for easily finding something appropriate for the time of year.
To top it all off, you’ll also find some other activities such as gardening and scavenger hunts thrown into the mix.
(Oh, and again, there are lots of lovely printables. Can you tell I love printables? Make sure to check out this cute hedgehog one.)
Draw With Rob
Rob Biddulph came into his own during the first lockdown of Spring/Summer 2020.
His “Draw With Rob” draw-along videos kept children entertained and learning, and one of his classes even broke the Guinness World Record for Largest Online Art Lesson!
You can find all his videos on his website.
I’m looking forward to trying Sausage Dog and Superhero Bear!
Pinterest is a visual search engine and is a seemingly endless source of craft ideas. Some ways that are helpful to search include:
- By age: “Crafts for 10-year-olds”
- By materials: “Lollipop stick crafts”
- By season: “Easter crafts for kids”
You get the idea!
What Do I Need To Do Arts and Crafts At Home?
When it comes to art supplies there is an amazing array available. This is great, but it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re not very used to “make and do” yourself.
If you’re getting started from scratch, I recommend purchasing or gathering some of the following items. With even a few of these, you can create a wide and exciting range of projects.
However, don’t panic and rush out to buy them all at once. If you do this, you’re likely to find some end up not used, and your money wasted.
Take it slowly. Buy a few of the basics first, and do some research to find things you can make from those. From there, grow the craft stash gradually, adding to it only as you need things.
If your child really enjoys arts and crafts, supplies can make an excellent gift for birthdays and Christmas.
In any case, you will probably have some of these around the house already. If your child is in school, they will almost certainly have some in their pencil case or schoolbag.
Recycled Items
You can do so much with recycled items from around the home. For example, did you know you could make an Easter wreath from old egg boxes?
Pinterest is your friend when it comes to repurposing things. If you do find yourself with those egg boxes, just search for “Egg box crafts” for a seemingly endless supply of ideas. Here are some things worth saving:
- Cereal boxes (we find them especially good for painting on the inside of once flattened)
- Boxes and packaging in general
- Plastic bottles
- Tin cans
- Polystyrene pizza bases
- Bubble wrap
General Stationery
- Pencils: Your child probably has plenty already. If you would like to do some sketching with your child however, look for pencils marked B, 2B or 3B. These are a nice texture for making sketches with.
- Colours: As children in school, we loved telling the rest of the class when we had got new “colours”. When we were small, these would have been crayons, but as we got older we were more interested in colouring pencils, markers and even gel pens. Now there is a wider selection, including twistable colours. It’s probably no harm to have a good set of crayons, of colouring pencils and of markers/felt tips. They all have their uses in different situations.
- Pencil Sharpener
- Rubbers/Erasers
- Scissors: Look for an age-appropriate style for your child
- Glue Sticks: These are very handy for general paper crafts
- PVA Glue: This comes in useful when you want to stick items that are stronger than paper. It is also great for making a paste for papier maché.
- Paper: A supply of white paper is always useful. You might choose to buy a ream of printer paper, or a children’s sketch pad. A4 is a good size to choose, as many crafts will presume you have that size. Larger sizes, such as A3, can be useful for painting projects.
- White and coloured card: This is handy is you plan to make greeting cards, or paper crafts that require a bit of extra strength.
- String or twine: For many projects, you may want to make a loop to hang the finished item.
- Sticky tape/masking tape
- Sticky tack: This is always handy for sticking things up for display. It sometimes proves useful when you want to stick something together temporarily, without using glue.
- Stapler: Depending on your children’s ages, you might be the one using this rather than them!
- Surface covering: Typically, I use old newspapers to cover the table we are working on. If left to dry, the sheets of paper can often be used multiple times. You might prefer to invest in a wipe clean table cloth or covering which is dedicated to arts and crafts time.
Painting Supplies
- Hard poster paint palette: The little palettes of hard paint are useful for pulling out quickly when the mood for painting a picture strikes.
- Bottles of poster paint: It’s worth buying bottles of red, yellow and blue paint, as well as black and white. Red, yellow and blue are the primary colours, from which all other colours can be mixed. Black and white can help you make your colours darker or lighter. There’s no harm in buying a few extra colours if you want: green, orange, brown and purple are particularly useful.
- Acrylic paint: If you’re planning on painting craftwork, such as items made out of recycled materials, acrylic paint works well to give a brighter effect.
- Paint brushes: If you can, get a selection of sizes from chunky down.
- Jam jar for water/ spill-proof pot
- Painting overalls/Old shirt: It’s possible to purchase wipe-clean painting overalls. However, an old t-shirt or shirt, that reaches to the knees, is just as good.
- Paper
Fun Extras
These are things that are exciting to have in a craft stash. They can liven up a project, or indeed form the base of a project themselves. Again, with all these supplies, only buy what you think you and your family will actually use.
- Googly eyes: These are great for adding personality to people or animals.
- Sequins: Add a little sparkle.
- Glitter: Eco-friendly glitter is becoming more easily available.
- Decorative stickers
- Pom poms
- Lollipop/Popsicle sticks
- Pipe cleaners
- Wool
How Can I Store All My Supplies?
Good question! If your family gets more and more interested in arts and crafts, the supplies can feel like they’re multiplying round you.
The Big Picture
Many years ago, my mum bought me a plastic drawer tower to keep supplies in.
I found this worked well for me, and I enjoyed labeling the drawers with their contents; paints in one, glittery things in another (yes I did have a whole drawer dedicated to glitter!).
Not everything stayed in the right place, but I tried.
I still use this method for storing my own craft supplies (which are now mainly for needlecrafts) and my son’s. We have a small drawer set each for all our items.
I have yet to label the drawers, but it’s on the to-do list, at some stage.
Having a dedicated place for arts and crafts items immediately makes everything feel a little bit more manageable. You know where all your stuff is, so you’re not worried it’s going to take ages to get set up. It also means that your child is better able to help with the tidy up, since they know where everything goes.
If your child can’t read yet, stick images to each drawer to represent the items that go in each.
The Finer Details
You’ll notice pretty quickly that once packets of craft supplies are open, they quickly start to spill all over the place. The packaging of mini pom-poms, for example, is not designed to keep them safe long-term once opened.
I’ve got to the point where I now analyse containers for their storage potential. A cardboard tube of Jelly Tots came into the house last Christmas; it’s perfect for storing buttons! The plastic boxes from Chinese takeaways are another handy storage option.
Resealable sandwich bags are also great for small items. Choose the strongest you can find.
For larger items, mesh zippable bags are brilliant. We use them for all sorts of things around the house, including keeping all the parts of games, jigsaws and play sets together.
What If My Children Are Teenagers?
As children grow into teenagers, a lot of things in their life are measured by performance and success.
In school, marks and exams are usually the main focus of their efforts. Even in extra-curricular activities there may be an emphasis on results. Examples of this include piano exams (where they may be hoping for a particular grade) or sports matches (where obviously they want to win).
Teenagers often feel that if they aren’t good at something, then they shouldn’t bother wasting their time on it.
Arts and crafts tend to fall victim to this way of thinking. Your teenager may feel there is no particular point in sitting down to make something, especially if they don’t consider themselves to be naturally “gifted” at art.
This is a shame, because a creative outlet may be just what your teenager needs. Arts and crafts are perfect for relaxing and focusing the mind, as well as providing a hobby.
Here are some suggestions for encouraging your teenager to try some arts and crafts with you:
Teach Yourselves A Craft Together
Find an online course, or search YouTube for tutorials. Part of the fun will be making mistakes together as you learn! It’s all part of the memory-making experience, and helps take away the pressure of perfection.
Attend a Class Together
This has the added benefit of giving you both an evening out in each other’s company. For now, many such classes are cancelled, but numerous online options are available. Check out your local library; I know ours offered free Christmas craft workshops on Zoom.
Buy and Make a Once-Off Kit
I was delighted to receive a candle making kit from a friend this Christmas. I’m probably not going to take this up as a long-term hobby, but I know I will enjoy the process of completing the kit.
How Can I Make The Experience as Fun as Possible?
There’s no point producing beautiful works of art if it’s been a miserable journey to the finished product. Here are some tips for making sure everyone has as enjoyable a time as possible along the way.
Be Open To Change
Perhaps you started out with the aim of making clay pots. However, by the time you’re tidying up, the table is covered in a colony of penguins instead. Just go with the flow. It really doesn’t matter.
Let Your Child Try For Themselves
It can be so tempting to jump in and try and fix things for your child if they are having difficulty. I know I was guilty of this the other day when we were making bird feeders and seeds were flying everywhere. But children can quickly get resentful if they feel they don’t have the freedom to try themselves.
Let Your Child Choose The Projects
Giving a child a choice of what to make will immediately raise interest and enthusiasm levels. Even if it’s a simple either/or decision, they will feel some sense of control. Part of the fun of the process can be looking up ideas in books and online and deciding what you want to try making next.
Have a System for Getting Ready and Tidying Up
This is really for your sake, rather than your child’s. I’ve already mentioned having your materials stored in easy reach, and this really does make a difference.
Have a System For Displaying Your Child’s Work
Why not have a dedicated space for artwork in your home? It could be the ever-popular fridge, a “washing line” with pegs, or even a simple scrapbook.
Enjoy Arts and Crafts With Your Kids At Home
I hope I’ve given you a bit more confidence when it comes to doing arts and crafts with your kids at home. It really can be fun, and once you have simple systems in place it can all run very smoothly.
Remember none of this depends on your own creativity. Just be willing to get stuck in and enjoy the process.
Now, I’m off to to collect EVEN more toilet roll tubes!
Let me know in the comments what arts and crafts you’d love to try with your kids. It’s great to share ideas.