“GET CRAFTY THIS SUMMER WITH YOUR KIDS”

One of the things that people often say to me is, “I would love to make creative projects with my kids, but I’m just not crafty. I don’t even know where to start!” My reply is always, “Trust me…you do NOT need to consider yourself ‘crafty’ to start getting creative with your children!” There are hundreds upon hundreds of craft projects that you can make with your children that require NO special skills or tools and that take less than half an hour of your time.

The creative interaction between parents and young children engaging in activities like arts and crafts not only provides immediate and lasting cognitive benefits, but also creates a unique bonding experience, which creates lifelong memories. Taking time to be creative with your children is a topic that I am incredibly passionate about.

• Arts and crafts engage multiple brain areas simultaneously and improve bilateral coordination between the left and right sides of the brain, leading to immediate and future cognitive development.

• Activities like arts and crafts accelerate the development of muscles in the hands and fingers, improving fine motor skills that are essential for school success in the earliest formal years.

• Face-to-face interaction in the early years is critical for optimal social development.

• Arts and crafts promote rich social interactions that help develop language skills and social cognitive abilities like understanding emotions.

• Creative activities are a great way to bond with children and create lasting memories.

Few quick and easy kids crafts that are perfect for beginners:

DIY:1: Paper Chain Snake

DIY:2: Stone Painting Monster

DIY:3:Paper Bird House

DIY:4:Button Art

DIY:5: Paper Flowers

DIY:6:Colorful Flower Pots

DIY:7:Name Plates

DIY:8:Key Wind-chimes

DIY:9:Pot and Planters

DIY:10:Finger Puppets