While
kids eagerly anticipate summer vacation or holiday breaks, parents know
that idle hours can quickly turn into the dreaded “I'm bored” attitude.
While keeping boredom at bay can be a challenge, a little advance
planning and a handy list of craft activities can inspire family time
that is entertaining and creative.
Keeping kids busy not only makes life entertaining, it makes it fun for
the entire family. Planned projects can encourage creativity and
imagination, while keeping kids’ brains engaged for learning.
The experts at Jo-Ann Craft Stores offer the following ideas for
activities and crafts to keep kids of all ages busy over any break:
Vacation Activities
* Start a family plant project. Let young children make holes for seeds
or fill pots with soil—or plants for more immediate results--pull weeds
and water. Older kids can plant, prune and harvest. Holey Soles shoes
are perfect for gardening. Kids can personalize them with paint, and mud
and dirt rinse off with a garden hose.
* Have a picnic at the local park or pool. Kids can help prepare the
food, pack the basket and can even make and decorate placemats to bring
along.
* Plan a show or play. Consider a puppet show. Choose a favorite story,
or help kids write one of their own. Follow the simple directions for
Fun Stick Puppets from Jo-Ann Craft Stores to make foam puppet
characters, and then invite neighbors and friends to the show.
Family Crafts
* String beads to form necklaces and bracelets. Add wooden hearts
personalized and painted, or found objects like small shells, sea glass
or stones. Homemade jewelry is a favorite gift of grandmothers,
babysitters and teachers.
* Create a scrapbook to highlight the school year or a family vacation.
Glue in mementos such as tickets, trinkets and photos.
* Use colored chalk to create art on sidewalks and driveways, the rain
will do the clean up for you. Very small children will enjoy “painting”
the driveway with water.
* Make bookmarks for library books.
* Create and decorate stepping stones for the yard and garden.
* Embellish tank tops, t-shirts and flip flops in bright colors and
designs.
* Make your own games, like a glow-in-the-dark toss for hours of evening
enjoyment.
* Plan for trips or outings by picking up a canvas messenger bag. Kids
of all ages will enjoy personalizing their bags with iron-on appliqués,
studs, and jewels, and they’ll proudly use them throughout the year.
* Make a Keepsake Box. A keepsake box is beautiful and simple to make.
Use a small shoebox and paint with acrylic paint or decorate with
construction paper. Tape stencils and dab panit on the stencil to add
names, event or special place you have visited. Glue ribbon around the
box also add photos or stickers to make it personalized. Glue a spoon on
the front of the box lid to use as a handle. Fill with collectibles from
trips or event; tickets, seashells, photos, awards, certificates and
more.
For more instructions and to spark ideas for kids of all ages,
CLICK
HERE
for craft supplies from Joann.com. Join us for more summer craft and activity ideas. Courtesy of ARAcontent
