If there’s one thing that kids love to do, it’s make a mess. Now that might not fit very well with your idea of a wholesome, tidy activity! But don’t fret, there’s something you can help your kids out with that’ll keep everyone happy. And best of all, the kids still get to get their fingers mucky!
Art and Painting
One of the best ways for a child to explore his or her creative side is by venturing into the world of arts and crafts.
Here are a few suggestions of fun, safe and relatively mess-free painting or craft activities you could introduce to your children
- Finger painting
A good introduction to the world of fine art. Sure, you might not cultivate the next Michelangelo or Picasso, but you’ll give the kids an excuse to get mucky fingers and create something they can stick up with a magnet on the fridge and feel really proud about
When starting out with finger painting, make sure to choose paints which are water based and non-toxic. This will help with cleaning up and also makes sure that paint covered fingers, when licked (which is most certainly going to happen!) won’t do any harm. Tempera paints are a good choice, as they are safe and come in many bright, colourful hues.
Choosing the right kind of paper can be important too. Normal A4 looseleaf paper may be too light, and you want a bigger sheet if possible to give more canvas room for artistic explorations. Butcher paper or thick construction paper is ideal for this.
Also, make sure to lay out newspaper to make sure the mess stays where it’s supposed to. And if your paints start to dry out, add a little water to keep them flowing.
- Pasta Decorations
A great way to make something your kids will treasure is by using dried pasta shapes to decorate an object, perhaps an old box or tin which your children can then use as a sort of “Treasure chest”
Start by selecting a good range of dried pasta shapes at the supermarket. You should be able to find a wide and interesting range of bows, tubes, spirals and more.
You’ll also need some PVA glue, or equivalent, to stick the pasta tubes on. Before your child starts sticking the shapes on, why not spend a few minutes drawing up a design too, for them to follow.
Another great idea is to use some form of gold or silver coloured paint (look around for safe, non-toxic ones in art shops) to decorate the ornament after you’re done and the glue has dried
- Colouring Books
A great activity the kids can do whilst being unsupervised is using colouring books with non-toxic felt pens. You could also look around on the internet for all sorts of themed colouring-in templates which you can print out and give to the kids to keep them occupied.
- Modelling Clay
A fun and fascinating craft, using modelling clay will introduce your little ones to sculpting and modelling. There are several options you could consider for this, one is to purchase standard modelling clay. Have a look around for clay which retains moisture well, and also most importantly, that will dry quickly.
A slightly more expensive, but attractive and cleaner option is to go for a substance known as Fimo. This stuff’s great fun. It comes in small blocks and many many different colours and is great for crafting all sorts of pieces of jewellery and ornaments.
You can use it either as a modelling clay, and simply re-mold it into whatever shap you want, or, thanks to its special properties, you can place it into an oven at roughly 260′F for 10-20 minutes and it will harden. The Fimo model can then be varnished and will last for many years to come.
Have Fun!
Whether you go for Fimo or Finger Painting, make sure you don’t forget that one other vital ingredient - fun! It’s a chance for you to explore your creative side too, and create your own little work of art!