Many parents buy their kids a simple watercolor set as young as six years old to make the painting as learning experience for them. Aside from instilling the value of art appreciation, parents encourage their kids to paint using watercolors because this can teach them the value of resourcefulness, creativity, patience, and perseverance.
Getting Started
Next to using crayons, kids are very fond of using watercolors when painting. Aside from being an enjoyable activity that kids can share with their parents, painting using watercolor can also be one of those activities they can share with their playmates and friends.
But, before you get excited in starting to teach your kids the beauty of watercolor painting, there are some things you need to consider:
1. Interest. The first thing to consider in encouraging your kids to get into watercolor painting is their interest in the craft. If your child is one of those who are into art and into drawing or collecting good images, then she or he is the perfect candidate for the activity. This is because she/he already has the drive and the creativity to create another masterpiece. But if your child is not yet interested with crafts and arts, it doesn’t mean he/she cannot indulge into watercolor painting. In fact, this is the perfect time to introduce him/her into a new world of exciting and enjoyable activity.
2. Space. Aside from the interest of your child in art, another thing you need to consider is the availability of space where your kids can do the activity. Since watercolor painting requires a lot of materials, you will need a space big enough for them to sprawl and to scatter the materials they will use for watercolor painting. It is advisable that you provide a space where kids can do their watercolor painting and a place where they can leave their stuff.
3. Availability and cost of supplies. You also need to consider the amount of materials and the cost of supplies your child will need. Since you are about to teach him /her basic watercolor painting, you will need a basic set composed of paints and pigments, brushes, papers, palette and water.
Since you will be the one teaching your child about watercolor painting, it would be best if you are familiar with it. Or it would be best if you will learn watercolor painting on your own. When your child sees you doing the activity he or she will be influenced in engaging into the craft.
One way to learn the basics of watercolor painting is to get a crash course online. Aside from the basic techniques in watercolor painting, you can also learn painting tips and application methods. By enrolling to an online watercolor painting class, you can also be introduced to different styles and modern techniques.
The length of the various watercolor painting courses available depends on your knowledge about the craft and how much more would you want to learn. But, basic online courses for watercolor painting usually last from four days up to one week. Then, you will be asked to complete the rest of the exercises at home.
Involving children into art will help them explore their creativity, imagination, artistic skills and kill boredom without spending too much. Art is great way for children to express themselves, there are different kinds of artistic expressions they could explore. One of them is watercolor painting.
Watercolors are easy to clean so children could easily use them. There are also different watercolour exercises that children can do. For example, the wet on wet technique. Let the children apply watercolour on a dry and wet piece of paper. Let them describe how applying paint on dry and wet surfaces are different and where they can be used.
• With color blending, let children mix different colors and draw different images that they see around them.
• Black and white watercolour painting is another great activity. Color the entire paper in black and then let it dry. After drying, draw on the black paper using white watercolour with their own design. It could also be done the other way around, with the paper white and the watercolour designs in black.
• Thread painting uses thread which is dipped in paint. Arrange the thread on the paper in whatever way you want. Then press and pull the thread creating designs on the paper.
• Use watercolour in coloring decorative items that the children made like paper maches.
• Watercolor painting is also a great activity for parents and their kids. Everything nowadays is so fast-paced that we forget to spend more time with family and children. Watercolour painting is a great way to slow down and enjoy life with our family.
When teaching children with art, it is important to understand that what the children see is different from what adults see. They may color animals which are far from their actual colors. Let the children express themselves in this creative experience. It is important to keep in mind that children have potential for artistic expression. Parents, guardians and teachers have the responsibility to let children express their artistry.
There are different studies showing that involving children in art would help them reduce their stress. They are able to develop self-confidence since they have created something which is appreciated by other people. Aside from improving their confidence, they are also able to improve the senses like vision and sense of touch.
Teaching art on kids could help in their cognitive growth, improve their memory, helps them understand better, and enable them to become competent. Art could also improve their symbolic communication since children were able to translate what they see around them into their own symbols and reflection of reality.
For older children, parents may still interest them in painting. Art materials and art books could pique their interest and eventually involve them in art and craft making. Watercolour painting is just one of many art media which can be maximized by the kids. Adolescents and young teens could explore other media like comic strips. Parents should keep in mind that children’s involvement in art should never be forced, instead the children should be provided with opportunities where they can make their own decision.
Rainy days can be a drag for children and adults alike. Despite the weather outside though, there is fun to be had inside as well. Rainy days are the perfect time to break out the arts and crafts that will drive away the rainy day dreariness. Crafts are perfect for all ages and ensures that nobody is left out.
Crafts for Small Children
Children age two and up can sit at the table with paper and crayons. While the younger children may not have a long attention span, coloring will help to keep a child entertained when it is not feasible to play outside. Cut out some shapes on paper and let the children decorate the shapes. For more fun, break out some glitter markers and some stickers. Foam is also a good option for younger children. Foam does not tear easily and is very versatile which makes it a good material for young children to craft with. Crafts for school aged children
Children who are attending school are likely more adept at handling items such as scissors and glue. Popsicle sticks are a great item to have on hand for rainy days. Popsicle sticks can be used to build houses, picture frames and many other things. The possibilities are unlimited and your child’s creativity is the limit. Paints are also a good idea. Lay out some paint, brushes, paper and some water and paper towels for cleanup and let your kids paint the day away.
If the children are in middle or high school, they are adept at doing more than coloring or painting. Craft ideas for older children include painting on a canvas, scrapbooking and other paper crafts, as well as building crafts out of wood and other items. Cross stitching and fabric arts are good deterrents from the weather outside as they are time consuming.
Crafts for adults
There are many different crafts that adults can do. Jewelry making and scrapbooking are two of the most popular activities. Sewing, whether by hand or machine, is an activity that can take up a lot of time and therefore drive away the rainy day blues.
Crafting does not have to be and is not age oriented. There are many different craft types, with different levels of difficulty available for pre-school age children all the way through adulthood. Keeping craft supplies on hand will make a rainy day easier on everyone.
Toddlers love to learn new things. What better way to help them learn than to introduce new crafts. Crafts do not have to be labor intensive. In fact, many crafts are designed for toddlers and are available at the local crafts store. In addition to finding kits at the local craft store, you can also use regular household goods such as crayons, paper and even pasta to encourage your toddler’s creativity.
* Foam containers – there are many projects available at Michael’s and AC Moore for children that involve foam. Foam is very easy to maneuver and does not rip as easily as paper making it a versatile project for children. Consider making foam masks or even foam characters such as dinosaurs, dogs, etc. Save the building activities for a later age when children are more adept to working with glue.
* Toddlers love to draw and color. Provide a box of crayons, some paper and watch the children get inspired. Children can be taught to draw new items or simply left to doodle on their own. Ask them to describe what they are drawing; it will fuel their imaginations even more! To add another element to the drawing, give your child stickers to play with and place on the paper. Be sure to give your child a variety of stickers so they can choose what they want to use.
* Pasta creations – There are many things that toddlers can create with pasta. Wheels can be used as tires on cars, ziti noodles and some string can be used to create bracelets and necklaces. Use markers to color the pasta before using the noodles to craft, your child will come up with a colorful creation for sure.
* Paper Crafts – let your toddler create a card for someone special. Cards can be made with glitter, with adult supervision of course. Help your toddler spell out what they want the card to say, then have them trace the lines with a glitter marker. Glitter markers are better than actual glitter because the markers already have the glue in them – easy cleanup!
Using the above ideas is a great way to introduce arts and crafts to your toddler. Since toddlers love to learn and absorb new information, crafts are the perfect idea to spark your child’s creative side. All of the ideas provided are quick and easy and allow for minimal mess as well as quick clean up. Crafts can be introduced on a regular basis to keep your child entertained.
Christmas ornaments made from ordinary pipe cleaners and inexpensive acrylic beads are very pretty and easy to make. They look quite impressive yet are easy enough for small children to make. This is a nice Christmas craft idea to use again and again. Older people and kids will enjoy making these Christmas crafts, too, which can be varied to make a number of different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree.
To make the bead and pipe cleaner ornaments, you need common pipe cleaners in desired colors and acrylic beads. Two types of beads are particularly effective when strung on pipe cleaners. One type are called sunburst beads, but are also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflake beads, or starburst beads. These beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When several of these sunburst beads are strung consecutively, they fit against each other in an interlocking pattern.
The other type of bead that is also effective for this Christmas craft is called the tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads interlock when strung consecutively. For the most sparkly and attractive Christmas ornaments, get tri beads and/or sunburst beads in translucent colors of red, green, and clear. The tri beads can also be found in metallic gold and silver which can be used in these Christmas crafts as well.
Pipe cleaners can be found in silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille of all colors. For the Christmas craft, the best colors to use are the metallics and Christmas colors. The beads cover the pipe cleaners, but the ends will need to be twisted together and made into hangers, so they show.
Anyone, even small children, can string these beads on pipe cleaners. Bend up the end of the pipe cleaner so the beads don’t fall off. The pipe cleaner works like a needle, making a needle unnecessary. For best results, show the children how to alternate colors when stringing, or start a pattern of three colors. When the beads are strung on the pipe cleaners, they can be bent into different Christmas shapes. For instance, string red and clear beads alternately, then bend down one end of the pipe cleaner for a candy cane shape. Or alternate red and green beads and form a circle for a wreath. Use red pipe cleaner to form a small bow to decorate the wreath. Form a hanger for these Christmas crafts or simply slip the circle over a branch of the tree.
If you experiment with clear beads and silver pipe cleaners, you can make some beautiful snowflake or star ornaments. Snowflake designs can be twisted of silver pipe cleaner only, without the beads for a simple but pretty decoration.
Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you will find yourself using every year. Children and their parents will both appreciate this simple yet pretty Christmas crafts.
This is a fun project that you may want to break up across a couple of days, so be sure to start a few days before Halloween. Mom, you can join in the fun as well and make a Halloween wreath of your own too!
Material List
• Paper Plate (One per child/adult)
• Scissors
• Leaves
• Glue Sticks
• Orange Construction Papers
• White Construction Paper
• Black Construction Paper
• Washable Black Marker
• Black Yarn (optional)
Adult Preparation: (To Be Done Prior to Actual Wreath Making)
Cut the center from each paper plate prior to giving one to each child. These will be the base for the homemade wreaths.
Day 1: Grab the kids and head outdoors.
Gather as many fallen leaves of different shapes and colors as you can find. Once you’ve collected enough leaves to cover each paper plate, head back inside and glue them to the paper plates. You can glue the leaves to cover the entire plate, randomly around the plate or even as a border around only the edge, whichever you prefer. Once you’ve glued the leaves to the paper plate, leave the plates to dry for 24 hours or at least overnight.
Day 2: Creativity
Depending on how much time you have to complete this project you can have the children do the next step after the leaves have been glued on, while you’re waiting for them to dry or you can make another day of it.
Let the children draw Halloween images on the construction paper. Here are some ideas for each color of paper:
Orange – Pumpkins (Use the black marker to draw the face on their pumpkins)
White – Ghosts, Mummies, Bones
Black – Cats, Witch Hats (You can use the yarn to put a tail on the cat and hair on the witches head if you’d like to put that under the hat)
Once the children have picked out and drawn which decorations they’ll be using, carefully cut them out and paste them to the wreath.
Tip: Pre-placement (before gluing) will give the child an idea of what the wreath will look like once it is all glued together. When the children are happy with the way the decorations are placed, it’s time to glue them to the leaves.
Again, allow the decorations to dry completely.
Day 3: Decorating Time
Congratulations! You’ve made your very own homemade Halloween wreath. Enjoy your child’s creation by hanging it on the front door or his or her bedroom door for all your friends and family to see and admire.
Art is a wonderful thing for children. It helps them develop creativity, cognitive skills and motor skills. It is also great for self-esteem. While these benefits are undeniable, art also poses some risks to children. That’s because many art supplies contain toxic chemicals.
It’s fairly well known that kids should not be exposed to certain types of paint. The chemical fumes are quite obvious, and the containers are clearly labeled with warnings about breathing those fumes and ingesting the product. But many parents are unaware that not every product that contains toxic ingredients is clearly identified. There are certain labeling standards that must be adhered to by law, but the label doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Every art supply sold in the United States must conform to ASTM D 4236 standards. This means that they must display warnings if they present an acute or chronic health hazard. Manufacturers are not, however, required to list each product’s ingredients on the label.
Some art supply manufacturers have their products tested by the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI), which is a non-profit organization that conducts evaluation and testing. ACMI may approve the product or require the manufacturer to place a caution label on it. Products with caution labels are not recommended for use by children.
While these measures are helpful, some harmful products can still slip through the cracks. For example, in 2000, three brands of crayons bearing the ACMI seal of approval were reportedly found to contain asbestos. While asbestos was not used as an ingredient, it may contaminate talc, which was an ingredient. ACMI testing did not find asbestos, but the manufacturers voluntarily stopped using talc in their products.
Another concern involves ACMI’s standards for approval. They do not require that products contain no toxins whatsoever, but that toxins not be present in quantities that pose a hazard. That means that approved products may contain small amounts of solvents, heavy metals, phthalates and other substances that are known to be dangerous.
How to Choose Safe Products
Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that a product we buy off the shelves contains absolutely no toxic chemicals. But we can make choices that are less likely to harm our children’s health. Here are some things to keep in mind.
* Avoid oil-based paints. They often contain solvents that can cause serious health problems. Watercolors are the safest choice for children, but even they can contain dangerous pigments. Make sure they bear the ACMI approved seal.
* Keep kids away from anything with a strong smell. This is usually an indicator that a solvent is present. In addition to paint, such solvents may be found in markers. Choose markers that are water-based if possible. Alcohol-based markers contain some toxins, but they are less toxic than solvent-based ones.
* Steer clear of rubber cement and similar adhesives. They contain neurotoxins. White glue and library paste are much safer choices.
* Do not allow children to work with dry clay. Clay contains silica, which can be harmful if inhaled. Wet clay is much safer. Children should be kept away from kilns, because some of the dust is released when clay is dried in them.
If you are concerned about toxic chemicals in store-bought art supplies, you can make your own. Finger paint and playdough are easy to make at home. Using all-natural ingredients can eliminate concerns about hazardous chemicals. Recipes may be found online.
It’s unfortunate that many art supplies can be detrimental to our children’s health. But if we make informed choices, we can greatly reduce the risk and concentrate on the good things about art for kids.
Getting a toddler to sit still can be a near-impossible feat. They’re constantly exploring the world around them. That’s a good thing, but sometimes they need some creative downtime. That’s where toddler crafts come in.
Crafting is great for toddlers for a number of reasons. It can help them develop longer attention spans. Most crafts help develop hand-eye coordination. And young children can benefit from learning how to follow simple instructions. Here are some craft ideas that your toddler can do (with supervision).
Craft Stick Puppets
Puppets are fascinating to toddlers. Creating their own puppets is easy, and it’s lots of fun. All you really need are some craft or popsicle sticks, construction paper, safety scissors, markers and glue.
Help your toddler cut animal shapes out of construction paper. He can draw faces and other details with washable markers. Glue the stick to the back of the shape, let dry, and he’s ready to put on a puppet show. If you want to make more elaborate puppets, try cutting shapes out of foam. Glue on a pom pom for the nose, and add some googly eyes.
Paint with Pudding
Kids love to fingerpaint, but it’s so messy. And there’s also the concern about them eating the paint. Even if the paints are nontoxic, it can make cautious parents uneasy. The solution? Let them paint with pudding!
You don’t need different flavors to make different colors. Just use one serving of plain vanilla pudding, divide it up into small portions, and add food coloring to create various shades. Give your child a paper plate to use as a canvas for his masterpiece. When he’s done, he can eat it with no worries.
Design a T-Shirt
If your toddler sees you sewing or painting clothes with fabric paint, she may want to try her hand at designing clothes. But needles are small and sharp, and fabric paint is messy. What to do? Break out the markers!
Kids can have a blast decorating a plain white t-shirt with colorful markers. If you use washable ones, they can create a design, wear it, and start over after you wash the shirt. If a permanent design is desired, however, you’ll have to let him use non-washable markers. You can avoid a mess by covering the work area with newspaper and putting a smock on your toddler.
Placemats
Making placemats out of contact paper is very easy. Have your toddler cut shapes out of construction paper and glue them onto a whole piece with a glue stick. He can add detail with markers or embellish with stickers. When he’s done, place the artwork on a piece of contact paper, sticky side up. Place another sheet of contact paper on top, sticky side down.
Most toddlers will only have the patience to make one placemat at a time. But he can make another one tomorrow, continuing until there are enough for the whole table. He’ll be so proud to know that everyone sees his artwork at every meal!
Crafting can help your toddler learn important skills while keeping him quietly occupied. Whether it’s a rainy day or he’s just feeling creative, seize the opportunity to let him channel his imagination into something you can both admire.
