How to Nail Crafting with Your Toddler Part I

            If you have ever done a craft with little ones then you know it’s not often a walk in the park. What seems so simple can sometimes turn into a messy, cringeworthy (que all the glitter), and downright daunting task. My kids are now (almost) 6 and 3 ½ and things go pretty smoothly for the most part. Part of it has to do with their ages and the other part experience testing out what works and what doesn’t. But let me tell you… we have been crafting since my youngest was a baby, so we’ve been through the whole range  of experiences including total toddler meltdowns and me losing my last bit of patience. The end result is SO worth it though, I urge you to not give up! You can have fun and create lasting memories.

Chennelle from Maturing Mama has two little ones with her oldest being 3 years old and youngest just a wee 9 months! (They are unbelievably adorable by the way as well as the rest of her sweet family!) She asked me some questions about crafting with little ones and I just KNOW many of you are experiencing these exact roadblocks. Now sit back, grab a coffee and let’s get down to how to nail crafting with your kids… no glittery messes required for this one!

Question 1: “What are some age appropriate craft tools for a three year old in your opinion?”

Great question! I have several depending on what kind of craft you are looking to do. Here is a list of the basics:

• Q tips for finger paints (this is my favorite mom hack for crafting with little ones!) they are the perfect size for little hands and cleanup is an absolute breeze!

• Toddler scissors

• We also love do-a-dots! They are easy to grab and fun to stamp with.

• Stamps of course are wonderful as well as more unconventional types of stamps using “around the house” items such as potatoes, apples, celery, and more. Check out Pinterest for some fun and unique stamping tools!

Question 2: “How do you handle if your kids show they are uninterested in the craft or say they want to do something else?”

This is one I try to nip in the butt before it arises…

Firstly, a toddler craft needs to be SIMPLE enough to make but also FUN enough to be engaging. Don’t expect little Suzie to paint a life size portrait of the Eiffle Tower or cut out an intricately detailed model of the Titanic. (I’m being a little  extreme here but you get my point.) If a child is uninterested there could be several reasons why the sudden loss of interest. Here is what I’ve found to be the issue.

• Wrong time. Did your child not get enough sleep last night? Is it nap time? Lunch time? Consider these factors. Ideally you want to address this issue from the beginning. I’ll talk more about timing in part II of this series!

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• Is the craft age appropriate? If you need to help with more than half of the craft it’s probably not age appropriate. Little ones need the freedom to create. That means gluing on eyes where they don’t belong, coloring outside the lines, etc. Let them experiment with squeezing out some glue. Let them pick what colors to use. The more in charge of the craft they feel, the more engaged they will be! If they feel you are taking over or critiquing them too much then they are probably not having fun anymore.
• If they just aren’t feeling it, don’t fret. They could be testing your response and patience. Don’t take it personally, clean up and just let them know you can try again tomorrow if they would like. Making craft time peaceful for everyone is key! Otherwise it’s not fun anymore. I guarantee they won’t like having to wait a whole day to do it again!

Question 3: “Do you have any craft ideas for babies like my 9 month old? She is crawling at the moment…”

Babies experience the world by putting EVERYTHING in their mouth as you know. And frankly it’s enough to worry us to death! But have no fear they can also enjoy some art time with guidance and safety barriers.

I always had my littles in high chairs for art time. I’d be doing a craft with my daughter on the table and my son would sit in the high chair. My favorite baby “craft” was adding food coloring to yogurt and letting him mix and taste right on table of his high chair! It made for the CUTEST video!

Another amazing idea is “paint in a bag”. Even my older one loved it! Here is a link to the activity.

http://feelinglovesome.blogspot.com/2012/01/fun-with-paint.html

You might also want to try some fun looking sensory bottles for baby to keep her entertained. *Also keep in mind she may only be able to sit there for so long depending on her temperament and activity level.

Question 4: “How do you prepare for a messy craft?”

 Me: “Can you specify? Messy Materials or kids?”

Chennelle: “Messy Materials.”

For a messy craft I will take the fun outdoors! A little plastic apron is nice but not necessary. My kids love wearing next to nothing, so I honestly let them strip down and then we just take a bath later. I give myself extra time for the messy crafts. Bonus the kids love taking a bath after crafting!

Another thing I do if I stay indoors is use a padded tablecloth. The holiday décor section at Target always has these! Right now, they are Valentine’s themed but we have had ours that is now over a year old from two Christmases ago. I just lay it on the table (or even the floor) then wipe up paint marks and shake off paper, glitter, you name it… to be swept up or vacuumed.

The key is to stay calm and not worry about everything. Really be present and just remind yourself any and all messes can be cleaned up. If you hope for the best and prepare for the worst, you cannot go wrong!

We love crafting and expressing ourselves. It is a gift I love giving to my kids that I pray carries into their adult life!

Stay tuned for next week as I answer more questions for this informative two part series on crafting with little ones.

And please enjoy this very real, very honest photo of the kids and I from last Saturday morning. Happy Crafting all!