Six Crafty Shortcuts for Busy Parents
The weather outside may be frightful, but creating art with your little ones is so delightful! While it can be fun to admire elaborate craft ideas posted online, keep in mind that family art projects don’t need to be complicated or expensive. If you find yourself lacking the time, money or artistic ability to prepare and assemble Pinterest-worthy crafts with your kids, stock up on these easy and affordable alternatives instead.
- “Plussed” Coloring Books – When your kids get tired of their basic coloring books, try one of the enhanced versions currently on the market. Some books now come with stickers, allowing your little artist to add a special touch to her finished works. Paint-with-water books combine paper, paint and often even a brush, all in one convenient package. For older kids (or adults!) looking for a unique coloring experience, check out Dover Publications' line of gorgeous stained glass coloring books (Store.DoverPublications.com).
- Preassembled Craft Kits – Purchasing the materials needed for a complicated craft project can be both costly and time-consuming. Alex Toys (AlexToys.com) takes the prep work out of crafting with its extensive line of craft kits for a wide range of ages. Each kit contains all the necessary components to make the crafts pictured on the box. For preschoolers, choose from themes like “My Sticker Art,” “My First Mosaic,” “Clothespin Farm” and more. Older kids can create jewelry, origami and room décor.
- Play-Doh – Ahhh, Play-Doh, the craft material that keeps on giving. Turn your kids loose with a few colors and a hard surface and see what kind of sculptures emerge. While Play-Doh is reusable, it’s also relatively inexpensive. That means if your child can’t bear to part with his multi-building model of downtown Chicago, it’s not that big of a deal to let it sit around to be admired for a few days.
- Community Crafting Events – Enjoy a fun, free morning or afternoon of crafting with absolutely no preparation or cleanup! Sound too good to be true? Many libraries offer occasional or regular crafting events geared toward families, often in conjunction with a story time. You also can check with your local parks department, community center or public garden for similar offerings. Even some home improvement stores offer kids an opportunity to create in a safe environment. Learn about Lowe’s Kids Clinics at LowesBuildAndGrow.com and Home Depot’s Kids Workshops at Workshops.HomeDepot.com/workshops/kids-workshops.
- Kiwi Crate – These days, there are delivery services for everything from food to movies to fashion, and crafts are no exception. Signing up for a Kiwi Crate (KiwiCrate.com) subscription brings a themed box of supplies to your door each month. Past themes have included “Dig Into Dinosaurs,” “Colorful Inspiration” and “Growing Gardens.” Kiwi Crates are designed for children ages 4-8 and provide enough materials for two or three different activities, many of which involve art. Single child subscriptions cost between $16.95 and $19.95 per month, with shipping included in the price.
- Collages – In search of a completely free way to create? Let the kids turn old magazines and catalogs into a work of art. Little ones can practice their cutting and gluing skills, while older ones can make scenes and themed collages. All you need is a glue stick.
As you can see, many resources are available to help families create together with ease. Take advantage of these artsy alternatives to complicated crafting and use the precious moments you save to make some fabulous memories with your kids!
Michelle Shirk is an attorney, freelance writer and proud mother of one. She writes about family, travel and seasonal events for parenting publications across the United States.