Quick and easy kid crafts

We're in a routine right now where we wake up, eat breakfast and then spend about an hour doing crafts.

Nothing elaborate. Just some quick and easies. 

There's always a coloring book out on the table, but what's more fun than coloring a picture? Cutting it out when you're done and gluing it to a popsicle stick. Instant puppets.

Bo was begging to make butterfly masks today. More specifically, she wanted angry butterfly masks. I told her she'd just have to make an angry face when she wore it, so here you go:

Magpie's attempt at angry:

 

At some point, the paint usually comes out. We either start with a blank page or I print pictures off the Internet.

Today, Bo also wanted me to draw her a tiger. An angry tiger. (Not sure what's up with all the angry crafts. Any child psychologists in the house?)

She then gave it stripes, meticulously drawing an orange line, putting down the orange crayon, picking up the black crayon, drawing a black line, putting down the black crayon, picking up the orange crayon, etc. One time she accidentally drew two black lines next to each other and thought she had ruined the picture (she's a bit of a perfectionist). I showed her that she could probably squeeze an orange line in between the two black ones. It was cute to see the little lightbulb go off in her head.

 

Anyone else crafting up a storm with kids lately? Any favorite links to kid-craft projects you'd like to share?

Comments

[Meryl]

Question: do you know of some good and cute craft books or websites, aside from yours of course, that has toddler crafts? My daughter is 14.5 months and it's about time that we start doing more than running around the house all day :) teehee. A bit more structure is most definitely needed.
Thanks in advance!

[Megan]

Oh, do I! Here are some of my favorites, Meryl:
Kids Craft Weekly--
http://www.kidscraftweekly.com/newsletters.html

Bloesem Kids--
http://bkids.typepad.com/bookhoucraftprojects/

Playful Learning--
http://www.playfulearning.com/Playful_Learning/Playful_Learning.html

And you can always go through my archives under the "crafting with kids" category--
http://pennycarnival.typepad.com/penny_carnival/crafting_with_kids/

Your question makes me realize I should put all my kiddie crafts on one page, though. Coming soon ...

Have fun!

[bylittlehands]

I have a whole site dedicated to children's crafts. Come visit!

www.bylittlehands.com

[Meryl]

Oh thank you!!!! This is fantastic! I am not the craftiest person by hand but my mind goes crazy with ideas.

My poor child is inundated with music hour... ALL HOURS as mom and dad are both music therapist and music teachers...

I would like it if she could do something else as well and now she can! Thanks!

[Megan]

Thanks for the link to your site, By Little Hands! I just added it to my new kids' crafts page:
http://pennycarnival.typepad.com/penny_carnival/crafts-for-kids.html

Meryl, I would say that is one lucky kid to be surrounded by music all the time. We sing and play songs on the stereo a lot (J has made the comment "these kids are going to be really disappointed when they find out life isn't a musical"), but I don't have musical talent in my bones like you. I should've never given up the cello ...

[twirling betty]

I love the coloured-in puppets on ice-cream sticks. I'm going to do that on Friday with my kidlets. I've been searching for some quick and easies to do with them and lo and behold...the universe responded! Thanks - to you and the universe!

[Hollie Eastman]

Love kids art! I finally got to cleaning out the boys art area and am finally painting a retro school desk for child #2...hoping for art time to be more often and more happy at my house!=) Thanks for sharing your little ones-
Hollie
ps...my funky junk fall booth is back to junk school!=)