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Posts Tagged ‘crafts’

The merits of arts and crafts such as drawing and coloring  for kids are regularly argued by child development experts, educators and parents alike… especially so for the real impact they have on child development. However, it is difficult to argue with the top three reasons why we should all encourage the children in our care to  take part in arts and crafts.

Creativity – Ask anyone what the first personality characteristic arts and crafts develop in a young child and most will answer ‘creativity’. And they are certainly correct.  Everyone has natural talents and skills and it is possible to improve and boost them… even if you only have a little natural talent. Creativity enables your child to try out and profit from new
ideas, options and alternatives in any future career. Kids learn to do things in new ways and literally profiting from thinking “out of the box”.

Perseverance – Perseverance is perhaps the single most important quality for any successful individual – be they a a business person, sportsman or other professional.  In fact, most well-known breakthroughs in life have been attributed to perseverance alone. Arts and crafts improve everyone’s level of perseverance.  For instance, children learn to keep trying until they complete the task, be it a sculpture or a coloring in sheet.If something unexpected goes wrong… they are encouraged to persist by trying new ways and means and the pay-off is a wonderful piece of art that they have created.

Concentration – Similar to having perseverance, developing concentration is another quality well-worth having as an individual. Drawing, coloring, sculpting, painting and even doodling will definitely teach your child to focus on one  specific task at hand… ignoring other distractions. In short they overall concentration will definitely improve.

Even from a young age children can draw and color – so give them blank pieces of paper or coloring in sheets so that they can scribble away  to their hearts content whilst also improving their fine motor skills.

For example little girls  enjoy coloring images of princesses and fairies and at sites like Fairy Coloring Pages you’ll find the best fairy coloring book

  Little boys on the other hand prefer pictures of cars, trucks and machinery – however, favorite characters such as those from Disney movies are also hits with little boys.

Give your child several opportunities to experience being creative, concentrating and perservering through the fun medium of arts and crafts. Provide them with materials and resources and the occasional canvas so that they can  be creative and feel pride in what they create. 

The benefits of arts and crafts such as drawing and coloring for kids are frequently argued by child development experts, educators and parents alike… especially so for the real impact they have on child development. However, it is difficult to disagree with the top three reasons why we should all encourage the children in our care to take part in arts and crafts.

Creativity – Ask anyone what the first personality characteristic arts and crafts develop in a young child and most will answer ‘creativity’. And they are  correct.  Everyone has natural talents and skills and it is possible to improve and boost them… even if you only have a little natural talent. Creativity enables your child to try out and profit from new
ideas, options and alternatives in a future career. Kids learn to do things in new ways and literally profiting from thinking “out of the box”.

Perseverance -  Perseverance is  perhaps the single most important quality for any successful business person, sportsman, professional or  individual.  In fact, most well-known breakthroughs in life have been attributed to perseverance alone. Arts and crafts improve everyone’s level of perseverance.For instance, children learn to keep trying until they accomplish the task, be it a sculpture or a coloring in sheet.If something unexpected goes wrong… they are encouraged to perservere by trying different ways and means and the outcome is a wonderful piece of art that they have created.

Concentration – Similar to having perseverance, developing concentration is another quality well-worth having as an individual. Drawing, coloring, sculpting, painting and even doodling will definitely teach your child to focus on one  specific task at hand… ignoring other distractions. In short they overall concentration will definitely improve.

Even from a young age children can draw and color – so give them blank pieces of paper or coloring in sheets so that they can scribble away  to their hearts content whilst also improving their fine motor skills.

For example little girls  enjoy coloring images of princesses and fairies and at sites like Fairy Coloring Pages you’ll find the best fairy coloring page

  Little boys on the other hand tend to prefer images of cars, trucks and machinery – however, favorite characters such as those from Disney movies  are also hits with little boys.

Give your child many opportunities to experience being creative, concentrating and perservering through the fun medium of arts and crafts. Provide them with materials and resources and the occasional canvas so that they can  be creative and feel pride in what they create. 

Encourage your children’s creativity by providing them with the time, resurces and the space for making art.Set aside some interruption-free quality time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because  nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” every 2 minutes.

Choose the right drawing materials too as this is very  important. Many craft materials can be improvised, think of decorated kitchen roll tubes and potatoes as stamps, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Ensure that you check safety information and always follow instructions. During any ‘art-time’ children should always be surpervised because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings: As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book as a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is ideal for containing supplies, or if space does not permit, a portable tackle box is a good option too. Untidy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials: Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their crativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!  Provide also coloring books or coloring pages which are bountiful online – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the  chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need to simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw. 

Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy coloring images of fairies and princesses  - at sites like Princess Coloring Pages  you’ll find the best printable colouring pages

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

Encourage creativity in your children by providing them with the time, resurces and the space for making art.Set aside some interruption-free quality time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because  nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” every 2 minutes.

Choose the right drawing materials too as this is very  important. Many craft materials can be improvised, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Be sure to check safety information and follow instructions. During any ‘art-time’ children should always be surpervised because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings: As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book for a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is a perfect solution for containing supplies, or if space does not allow, a portable fishing tackle or tool box is a good option too. Messy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials: Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their crativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!Also provide coloring books or coloring pages – of which you’ll find plenty online. Granted – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need to simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw. 

Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy coloring images of fairies and princesses  - at sites like Princess Coloring Pages  you’ll find the best princess coloring

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

The Cricut Expression is a much larger version of the original Cricut Electronic Personal Cutting Machine and is meant to be permanently placed on top of a work table or perhaps in a media room. Some people call it the bigger and better version because it improves on the functionality of the original machine on more than one level. First, it allows you to create intricate patterns as small as 0.25” or large-scale artwork up to 23.5” big. The fact that it is more versatile and includes a wider range of creative features has indeed made the Expression more popular than its predecessor. Check out the awesome how to find a cheap Cricut Expression machine .

Why is the Expression so special? First of all, the wider range of the Expression allows you to cut not only paper but also cardstock, vellum and vinyl. Since the machine can take material twice the original size, your decoration options are expanded hugely! Can you say disney themed rooms? This Cricut machine also gives you more creative freedom because it is effective with the use of either a 12” x 12” or 12” x 24” sized paper.

The Expression allows you to use all your Cricut cartridges in just one cut but probably the best news for crafting enthusiasts is that it uses the same cartridges, blades and blade housings as the original Cricut cutting machine. This makes it a lot more convenient for you to upgrade your Personal Electronic Cutter to the Expression because you will not have to buy new blades or cartridges for it. The Expression indeed gives you a more versatile option for your crafting needs. To help you find the best deals for the Cricut Expression machine, here are some buying tips that you may take advantage of.

Don’t bother buying your machine new or at full price, Ebay has tons of auctions with great deals on Cricuts. In case of free cartridges, look for the cartridge description as well so that you will know whether you can use the cartridge being offered or not. Be careful of the amazing deals that they offer, but the huge shipping charges they try to sneak in. Most of the time, an item that is offered at a higher bid price but includes free shipping will still give you a lower total cost so it may be best to compute the total expenses before finalising your bid. The shipping information is indicated right below the auction price and if you will be charged for shipping then there should be a space where you can enter your zip code. You will then be shown the shipping cost and by adding that cost to the maximum amount that you are willing to bid you will get your total cost. Don’t pay full price when you can find the Cricut Gypsy on Ebay!

Are you planning a baby shower sometime in the near future? Whether it is for you, a family member or a friend, you should make sure you choose some baby gift baskets. Hold on, you shouldn’t choose just any one of them, you should choose the best baby gift baskets. What exactly would the best ones be? As you are reading this article, we are going to answer your question.

First of all, you could either make the basket or you could purchase it. Whatever you do, you should make sure it is something that is unique. When you purchase one from the local store, then you may end up getting the same one that someone else has gotten. With that said, we believe you should look on the Internet and get one. Chances are, your basket is going to be unique.

There are many things you could give as a gift for a baby. You could include some bath toys with bath soap, or you could include toys in the new baby gift basket. You may also get a case that is full of baby clothes. However, first, you need to make sure it is a boy or a girl. Remember, you are not one hundred percent sure, so you may want to hold on to that receipt in case you buy a lot of dresses and the baby turns out to be a boy.

The recipient of the baby gift baskets should find them useful and valuable. Some of the best baby gift baskets out there contain nursery room accessories, such as mobiles, music, CD’s full of nursery rhymes, changing mats, and even some of the bigger items such as furniture. You may even come across feeding bottles, bibs, spoons, infant cups, pacifiers, rattles and teethers. Whatever you do, make sure the newborn baby gift basket contains items suitable for the baby.

If you have kids, you most likely have plenty of old crayons around the house that are no longer used. Before throwing them out, consider using them to make candles. This can be a great way to turn them into something new and useful again. Most children will love the idea of making candles and enjoy knowing their old crayons were used to make them. Making candles out of crayons can also be a great gift idea. 

Make sure your kids know about safety before starting your project. Since the crayons will have to be melted at a  high heat, they may not be able to participate in that part of the candle making process. Assure them that there are many other aspects of the candle making that they can be a part of.

To start, gather your supplies. In addition to the crayons, you will need a wax carton. This can be from milk, fabric softener, or orange juice container. You will also need paraffin wax, two full ice cube trays, a double boiler, and white packing string. If you don’t want to use your double boiler, an old coffee can and a saucepan will work just as well. 

Trim the top off of the wax carton, leaving it approximately six inches high.  Cut the string for the wick at least 8 inches long. You will later trim the wick to fit the holder. To ensure a wick that burns easier, take three pieces and braid them together. Use smaller pieces of string to tie the ends together. Any non-flammable container can be used for candle holders. Pretty vases, glasses, and jars work nicely. 

Melt about three pounds of paraffin wax in the double boiler or coffee can. To help it melt faster, cut it into small chunks. Plan on 15 to 20 minutes for the metling process. While the wax is melting, peel the papers off of the old crayons. You and your children can choose to separate the colors by lights and darks to have a mix that combines well or you can mix them all together and see what the color ends up being. 

For best results, only add the crayons to the wax after it has completely melted. After melthing the crayons and wax, pour the mixture into your candles holders as soon as possible. If you would like to make scented candles, try adding a splash of cinnamon or vanilla to your hot wax mixture. 

It is important that the candles be left alone to completely harden. Make sure you have an area where this can be done. It is also important to make sure small children can’t reach them because the wax will stay hot for several hours and can cause serious injuries. 

A entertaining way to spend time with your kids is to make candles out of old crayons!

A graduation theme is perfect for scrapbooking. Give yourself enough time to gather what you need to include, even if it takes several months or years. A comprehensive book could be made if you collected material for it over several years. You and your child could work together on the album, or it could be your secret project. Your scrapbook could be created as a traditional scrapbook or you could make a digital scrapbook.

You’ll want to keep these memories preserved in your scrapbook forever. This collection of all the memorable events, incuding trials and triumphs will make this a most treasured album.

Graduation themes are available in scrapbook papers and in digital scrapbook kits. A variety of images can be used by printing out pictures, illustrations or clip art. Prevent damage or deterioration and discoloration of the photos and other memorabilia in your scrapbook by using archival safe paper and glue.

Include personal notes, remembrances, special achievements, sports events, photocopies of newspaper articles and clippings, your kid’s clubs, hobbies and interests. Possible other additional documents to include are awards and report cards or copies of them. Ask for contributions such as photos or notes from friends, teachers and family members to add. Think about including special notes of personal recollections or of the times your son or daughter made you the proudest. Scanning items such as these would be ideal if you plan to make a digital scrapbook.

Graduation scrapbook organization ideas: Make separate pages for each year of school with the school photos and the year as a title on the page. Prom or other school dance mementos. Buy some graduation stickers to add as embellishments. Dedicate a page for each year, such as: freshman, sophomore, junior and senior. Add die cuts as accents. Die cuts are colorful paper or chipboard shapes with themes such as music, dance, or sports. These can be bought at art, craft and scrapbook supply stores.)

You can also leave room for candid photos of the graduation ceremony, parties, or events held before the graduation. Save space for graduation announcements or invitations to the event. Descriptions and notes can be handwritten as captions under photos and pictures.

Pick out a nice binder or scrapbook album to keep the graduation scrapbook pages in. Find a scrapbook album that is large enough for what you plan to include such as school photos, awards, certificates, etc. 

After graduation, when the diploma arrives, you might include a copy of it in the album. It’s worth remembering, so plan your graduation album and keep it up-to-date. A memory book filled with personal remembrances and mementos makes a wonderful graduation present. And those memories are the kind you want to keep and share forever.