Keeping kids busy can be a tedious dilemma that many parents face on a regular basis. Constantly having to come up with ideas for things to do to keep them entertained can take a lot of thought. Having a ready made jar full of activities is perfect for those times when children are looking for something fun to do that does not require a lot of preparation.
Letting a child create anything he or she can imagine using a collection of pre-selected materials can teach self expression and promote creativity. Here are some examples of art jars for impromptu activities.
Super Deluxe Art Jar
- 1 gallon sized jar, plastic tub, or container
- 1 small bottle of white glue or 1 glue stick
- 1 pair of kid sized scissors
- 12 pieces of colored construction paper cut into 2 inch strips
- 10 pieces of yarn cut into 6 inch pieces
- 10 wooden craft sticks
- 10 pipe cleaners
- 16 crayons or markers, or both
- 5 pieces of colored tissue paper
- ribbon
- glitter
- buttons
- cotton balls
- pom poms
- clothespins
Directions: Place all materials inside of gallon sized container. Omit the glitter if children are under six years of age.
Ultimate Bead Art Jar
- 1/2 gallon sized jar, plastic tub or container
- beads of all shapes, sizes and colors
- buttons
- string
- yarn
- jewelry wire
- colored ribbon
- thread
Directions: Place all materials inside of 1/2 gallon sized container. Beads and buttons are not recommended for children under five as they can be a choking hazard.
Christmas Art Jar
- 1 gallon sized jar, plastic tub or container
- red, white, green, gold & silver ribbon
- red, white & green pom poms
- red, white, green, gold & silver glitter
- 1 small bottle of white glue or 1 glue stick
- 4x4 inch squares of Christmas wrapping paper
- 1 pair of kid sized scissors
- red, white, green, gold & silver tissue paper
- 10 wooden craft sticks
- cotton balls
- red, white, green, gold & silver buttons
- red, white, green, gold & silver crayons or markers
- red, white, green, gold & silver pipe cleaners
- red, white, green, gold & silver yarn, cut into various sized pieces
Directions: Place all materials inside a gallon sized container. Tissue paper can be folded carefully to fit inside without being wrinkled. Red, white, green, gold & silver are the suggested colors for most items. Not all items need to be all 5 colors.
Creating the art jar that is just right for your child can be achieved by adding items that you hand pick yourself. Art jars also make great homemade gifts with a sense of originality. The ideas for seasonal or themed art jars are endless, and kids will delight in making a craft that they created all on their own.
The container in which the materials are placed can be any size you wish to make it, and need not actually be a jar. Gallon sized jars aren't always easy to find. They are available online for about $5 at various websites.
