Kids crafts that produce something of use?

[socalmom]

My 6 year old DD is constantly wanting to do "crafts". Painting, cutting, gluing, whatever it is, she loves to do it. The problem is so many of the craft ideas we find, while fun to do, just produce meaningless stuff in the end. You know, the kind of things that are fun to look at or play with for a day or two and then they end up needing to be recycled or thrown away.

Does anyone know of some sites or books with craft project ideas that produce something, I don't know, useful? We've done placemats, but a person only needs so many. We've done Christmas ornaments. We've done things for gifts, but again you only need so many of those too! TIA for any ideas!

[Magelet]

These might be new craft ideas, but if she is 6 years old, she's probably old enough for sewing. You could help her learn to embroider things, then help her make the embroidered fabric into lots of different things:quilt it into quilts, pot holders, pillows, frame for wall hangings, embroider tea towels, bath towels, pillowcases.... Yes she is pretty young, but historically, she would have been doing it for a while.

You could get big bluntish needles (if you were worried about sharp ones), and two peices of felt (or teddy bear material or....) and help her (or let her) cut out teddy bear or dog or bunny shapes and sewing them together and then stuffing them. Its a fun way to teach her the very basics of sewing. (my aunt gave me a sewing box (hat box) with some fabric, felt and really simple animal shape patterns. I think I still have a stuffy or two from it in said sewing box)

If its stuff you can do together, 6 year olds are old enough to "help" with larger sewing projects (halloween costumes, clothes for her, 20 king and queen cloaks for kids to decorate at her 5th birthday party (yeah, my mom had all the patience in the world lol).

Also always big when I was growing up was collage and decoupage. Collages are really just more stuff to hang on the walls, but my dad still uses the wooden boxes from michaels or something that my sister and I painted and glued pictures and sea shells and other little things onto for change and other little things. My mom uses a cardboard box we painted for change.

I learned to knit at her age. Maybe just scarves and coasters (and I suppose you could make pot holders too), but scarves make good presents and are really easy to make and go fast if you use a bulky yarn. Crochet, I don't know (can't do it really even now lol, though since I'm staring at a coaster I made my mom a couple years ago, apparently I can), but I imagine she could do that as well.

Clay of various sorts is fun, and makes all kinds of trinkets for mama and daddy's desks.

making pot holders with those loop weaving kits, fabric markers and puffy paint make a new medium for painted objects (what about you sewing things and her decorating them, or buying blank ones for her to decorate:aprons, hats, shirts, pot holders, really anything), bake on pens for drawing on mugs, or plates (or those kits where they put your kids drawing on the plate but I'm sure thats more expensive)

[rere]

I struggle with this too.

My daughter just made a candle holder out of an old glass jar with tissue paper glued to the outside.She also just made a pillow from an old tshirt that she then decorated with scrap fleece and buttons.

She could decorate her own t-shirts(or yours).You could let her go at the actual shirt or give her a piece of cloth to decorate and then sew that on to her shirt.

The craft stores sell kits for painting mugs.

Old cans or oatmeal containers wrapped in kid art make nice pencil holders.

You could make paper that can then become the cover for a sketch book.Or do the same thing with her paintings or drawings or collages.


Ummmm...I'll keep thinking.

[socalmom]

Originally Posted by rere

She could decorate her own t-shirts(or yours).You could let her go at the actual shirt or give her a piece of cloth to decorate and then sew that on to her shirt.

Hmm, I'd been debating the merits of having her start a quilt of some sort. Perhaps I could have her do her drawings on fabric with fabric crayons and then we could quilt them together (or something along those lines).

I've been trying to see if any of the local nursing homes or hospitals are looking for specific items for residents/patients. I found a couple of outdated classified ads in other states online that had asked for people to make bookmarks, lap blankets, etc. for terminally ill patients. I'm hoping I can find something similar locally because it would be a good way for my DD to express her crafty self while learning the joy of giving at the same time.

[rere]

Originally Posted by socalmom

I've been trying to see if any of the local nursing homes or hospitals are looking for specific items for residents/patients. I found a couple of outdated classified ads in other states online that had asked for people to make bookmarks, lap blankets, etc. for terminally ill patients. I'm hoping I can find something similar locally because it would be a good way for my DD to express her crafty self while learning the joy of giving at the same time.

I love this idea.I'm going to check in my area too!

[sunanthem]

candle making
weaving; potholders, coasters, etc.
papermaking; notecards, etc.
cut felt, glue beads, etc. and decorate hair clips or headbands
dyeing shirts, headscarves, pillow cases, etc.
wet felting; pincushions, photo album cover/book cover, etc.
decoupage; really could decorate anything; maybe a jewelry box/recipe box?
paint on wood; craftstores have all kinds of wood things, maybe a birdhouse?
Or get a kit to build one, then decorate it?
decorate a mirror frame
make a wreath for the door
clay; pots, mugs, bowls, candleholders...
decorate a stepping stone for a garden...
buy some unfinished pine napkin holders and paint or glue embellishments on them.
windchime or mobiles; endless possiblilities..

[KristyDi]

What about knitting or crocheting? I'd think a 6 year old could learn the basics and make some simple stuff. When I was a teacher one of my 4th grade students knit me a very nice scarf for Christmas and she had been knitting for a few years.

[rere]

Originally Posted by sunanthem

buy some unfinished pine napkin holders and paint or glue embellishments on them.

I've made these by cutting TP roll in half and covering them with paper mache and then decorating.So much fun!

[wombatclay]

There's a book called Knitting for Peace. It provides information (contact info, info about the group, basic patterns the group uses) on all sorts of charities that accept hand crafted items. Obviously this book focuses on knitting, but many of the items would be easy for a beginning knitter... like small blankets for shelter animals, or little hats for NICU babes, and there is one charity that collects "squares" that are then assembled into patchwork blankets (so individual knitters only need to complete 12x12 inche squares in whatever color/pattern they like). There are also sections in the book that discuss how to find similar programs locally or how to start one if there is nothing that appeals locally.

Although I haven't sought them out, I know there are similar donation programs for other crafts. Our local domestic violence shelter is always looking for soft/cuddle toys for young children and blankets for older youths. And our no-kill shelter loves any animal blankets, cushions, custom leashes, crate toys, even "placemats" for food dishes that can liven up the animal's space and make them "more adoptable".

For home use... candles have been mentioned, but what about beading? She could make jewelry (simple necklace, bracelet, anklet, belly band) as gifts or to sell, or use beading to craft spiffy lampshades, coasters, book marks to hold cookbooks open to a page, windchimes, etc. Or what about clay projects like seed bombs that are essentially designed to be thrown out windows and into empty lots when they're done?

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by socalmom

Hmm, I'd been debating the merits of having her start a quilt of some sort. Perhaps I could have her do her drawings on fabric with fabric crayons and then we could quilt them together (or something along those lines).

I've been trying to see if any of the local nursing homes or hospitals are looking for specific items for residents/patients. I found a couple of outdated classified ads in other states online that had asked for people to make bookmarks, lap blankets, etc. for terminally ill patients. I'm hoping I can find something similar locally because it would be a good way for my DD to express her crafty self while learning the joy of giving at the same time.

Another idea: I know that animal shelters always love small blankets for cats and dogs. Also baby-blankets are definitely appreciated at woman's shelters. If your DD knits/crotchets/sews small blankets, you could donate them at these places too.