Creating a strong bond with your child is crucial, and one of the best ways to do that is to plan out activities that you can enjoy together. Are you having trouble coming up with new activities to do with kids so you can keep things fresh?
We want to help. We have a list of our favorite crafts that both you and your children will enjoy. Read on for our favorite fun family activities.
1. Balloon Figures
This is a craft that's most often done with snowmen, but you can adjust it for plenty of different figures if you're not feeling the winter vibes.
For this, you're going to need:
- Balloons
- Yarn in a color (or colors) of your choice
- Tape
- Glue (both hot glue and white school glue)
- Water
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Accessory items (will vary depending on your figure)
Have your child blow up several balloons. Most figures need two or three: one of every size that can be round rather than oblong. Stick the balloons together with a piece of tape.
Mix together glue and a small amount of water until you have a thin mixture that's still sticky. You and your child can dunk the yarn into the glue and wrap it around the balloons until they're covered (but it's okay if there are spaces).
After the balloons have dried, use something sharp to pop them and take them out. You'll be left with yarn shapes!
Decorate the shapes with construction paper and accessories. For example, if you were making a cat you may add a cotton ball for a nose and construction paper ears. If your child wanted to make a dancer, they may use fabric for the tutu and top and yarn for the hair.
2. Paper Dolls
This is a simple craft that's great for all ages. All you need is a long sheet of craft paper (the longer the sheet, the more dolls you can make), scissors, and markers.
Fold the sheet of paper in half. Then uses one of the "open" sides to fold in half again and repeat on the other side. Repeat this until you end up with one thin piece of paper that looks like the start of a paper fan. Here's a quick guide.
With the markers, help your child design a doll. The doll should be half of a figure, so something like a figure in a dress is an easy starting point. Make sure the doll's arm reaches the edge of the paper.
Help your child cut around the figure and unfold the paper to see a chain of dolls holding hands! Let your child decorate each doll with markers.
3. Shadow Boxes
This craft is something that you and your children will treasure for years to come. Think of it as a 3-D scrapbook. You'll need:
- Wood
- Superglue
- Craft board or corkboard
- Paint
- Various photos, trinkets, and memory items
- A photo frame with the back removed (but the glass in place) that fits your box
First, your job will be to make a small frame out of wood. Cheap wood is great for this, and you can buy pieces from most craft stores. A good starting point is making each piece about 1 foot long and 3 inches wide. Superglue them together to make your "box". Then, cut a piece of corkboard and add it to the back with your glue.
Help your child pick out items that they feel represent them. These can be things like family or personal photos, small crafts that they've made, or representations of their favorite hobbies, like small dance shoes. Let them be creative.
On the craft board, help them glue or pin the flatter items and let them arrange and glue the 3-D items on the bottom side of the box. Then add the frame over the top and let the kids paint the sides.
4. Yarn Critters
This is such a simple craft that children love. Many learn it at summer camp, but you can do it at home. You only need yarn, scissors, glue, and googly eyes.
Have your child hold out their hand and loop the yarn around their middle finger to keep its place. Then, let them loop the yarn around their fingers. The wider they keep their fingers, the longer the end result will be.
If you want to use multiple colors, we suggest no more than two. You want the yarn to be thick around the fingers, at least a centimeter on each side.
Pull the new yarn ring off of the child's fingers and tie a tight knot around the center. Then, cut through the inside of the loop. You'll end up with either a puffball from a tight ring or a stringy tentacle creature from a loose one.
Add googly eyes and you'll have a yarn creature!
If you want, make a larger ball and glue it to the smaller one to make a person shape. You can add a dress by layering tulle in the middle. You have a yarn critter ballerina!
5. Rainbow Decorations
Your child will love putting together this easy rainbow decoration. All you need is a bag of cotton balls and strips of streamer paper in each color of the rainbow.
Let your child pull cotton balls apart so they're no longer wrapped into balls. They don't have to be flat, just "puffed out". You need a lot of them, so work together.
Next, start gluing these cotton pieces together. The center doesn't have to be perfect, but as you start working your way out you should be more strategic so you create the fluffy cloud look. Work your way out adding more cotton over time until your cloud is your desired size.
Cut the streamer paper into long strips and help your child attach it to the back of the cloud so they look like a hanging rainbow from the front. If you like, add a loop to the back so you can hang it in their room.
We Love These Activities to Do with Kids
Your child will love working on these crafts with you, and they make great decorations! They're messy, fun, and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Bond with your children over arts and crafts activities to do with kids!
Is one of your child's favorite activities dancing? Visit our shop for some dance outfit inspiration and give your child a hobby that will last them a lifetime.
