While school is out, and there will be days when the rain and bad weather will keep us inside, why not set aside time for some crafty activities with the kids? If possible, head out to your local discount store, and stock up on crayons, construction or cardstock paper, glue sticks,  child-safe craft paints, simple craft items (stickers, pompons, googly eyes, chenille stems, etc.), then bring on the smiles with these fun ideas: 

The Younger Set 

• Introduce your toddlers to coloring with crayons! Having a set of the thicker crayons are perfect for little hands, give them some plain paper, and let them scribble away! 
• Make these toddler-safe watercolors, have your older children help, and sit the younger one in a high chair and let them paint away, and if a little goes in their mouth, no harm! 

• All your preschooler needs to make the sun shine bright is a paper plate, yellow pipe cleaners, yellow paint and a bit of glue! 
• Bean art is back! Use a variety of beans to create animals, and paint over them with craft paint. 
• A lint roller for crafts? Why not?! Attach foam craft sticker shapes to the adhesive side of the roller, dab some paint on each shape, and roll across any kind of paper. 
• Everyone will probably enjoy making scented playdough! This involves a bit of cooking, but the older ones can be involved and help you choose color and scent combos. 
• Fastest homemade pompon ball ever; all you need is a new skein of inexpensive yarn, string, and scissors. (This craft is best for those who can use larger scissors.) 

Older Kids 

• String art is a fun craft from beginning to end for the older set, and they just might be willing to set up some for younger siblings to try. 
• Create a garland:  plastic eggs (make sure they have those tiny holes!) can be thread on thin twine or fishing line and made into a fun Spring garland. Or, for something to decorate the bedroom, cut small shapes out of colored paper or old greeting cards, and glue them together on either side of the string, and allow to dry. 
• Do you remember making friendship bracelets? Introduce your kids to this nostalgic craft! 

• Jazz up flowerpots with decoupage! Cut from magazines or print images of flowers, and using decoupage medium and a foam brush, adhere the images all around the outside of the pot.    
• A small coat hanger can become the base of a mobile! Follow these instructions to create a friendship theme, but the possibilities are endless!                   
• Origami is a craft that’s truly an art form. Older children can create many things, from tiny boxes to boats to float and animal faces.  Origami Instructions website is the perfect place for beginners to experts–all you need is origami paper or cut your own! 

Be sure to protect clothes from paint with an apron or even an old button-up shirt, keep scissors out of reach of the younger ones, and use only kid-safe materials.  Have patience when showing them a new skill and make clean-up a game after your project is over–think of it all as time spent together!  

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