Easy to Do Craft Ideas for Toddlers
Crafting with toddlers can be fun and rewarding. There are a few simple rules when working with toddlers and preschoolers. First of all keep in mind their short attention span. Plan your projects accordingly. Kids crafts that take no more than 15 minutes are appropriate for this age.
Toddlers wiggle a LOT. Take this in to consideration. Plan for it, enjoy it, and include it in what you are doing. In this age children skill levels vary greatly. Someone who just turned three will not have the ability of a child who is almost four. Here are some great ideas for 2 - 3 year olds
Finger Painting
This involves movement, which makes it perfect for toddlers. Plus they get to dip their fingers into the paint and play with it. They can squeeze it, smear it, draw in it or even wear it! Make sure you paint is non-toxic. You can even make edible fingerpaint.
Finger paint paper can be expensive. You can purchase butcher paper from the grocery store and use it or wax paper. You can also simply paint on the table with certain types of finger paint like pudding or whip cream. Painting in the bath tub is fun too!
Painting with Water
2's and 3's love just being handed water, paintbrush and paper. Try using newspaper roll ends. They are usually free from your local paper. This works great for on the sidewalk too.
Cutting and Pasting
For this age you can pre-cut pictures from old magazines and help them make a book with glue sticks. Some children this age can handle safety scissors, the kind with the rounded tips, and this is a good way to teach those skills. Let your child make a collage of different shapes and strips of paper he cuts out. They will sit for literally hours just cutting strips.
3-D Art
Keep a supply of things like toilet paper tubes, old boxes, buttons, feathers and wiggly eyes on hand for creating. Please keep in mind your child's age when working with small parts. No one wants to have to watch for the swallowed button.
Potatoes make a wonderful platform for art. You can stick all kinds of things in a potato. Feathers, twigs or even Popsicle sticks. Toilet paper tubes become soldiers, holiday figures or candy holders. Let them color the tube themselves and them stack them
Just Use Your Imagination
And in no time you and your toddler will be successful artists with creativity flowing like water. This early age is the perfect time to introduce your children to the world of arts and crafts.
