Low budget crafts ideas to do with 7 yo.

[VroomieMama]

My dd love doing crafts with me but I'm out of ideas. Any fun low budget crafts ideas to do with 7 yo?

We don't have sewing machine but that's on my wish list.

We tried knitting and I enjoyed it but my dd hates it!

We've done decoupaging, sand art, beads (jewerly), friendship bracelet, puppets, and painting sun catchers and glass ornaments. Several more but can't remember now.

Thanks

[ms.shell]

How about papier mache?

[littlemizflava]

this is what we are in the process of making. in a good way this is a craft that never ends or can last long...hope i explain it well since i came up with this idea on my own it could almost be called a wall mobile.

we just started the first item. my dd is making a heart out of felt. she decorates the front and then will be sewing on the back i plan to stuff it a little just to make it puffy. kinda like a little heart pillow. she is free to make whatever she wants any shape i say max of 4"x"4ish. to finish it get a stick about a inch thick and as long as you wish. hang it on the wall hanging the item on i plan on using ribbon of different colors and sizes.

i like this idea because they can add different items that they make and even different forms of crafts. it is their own history hanging. the best reason i love it so much is because it is a craft that can go on for a long time

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by ms.shell

How about papier mache?

Would you mind explaining more about this? Thanks.

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

this is what we are in the process of making. in a good way this is a craft that never ends or can last long...hope i explain it well since i came up with this idea on my own it could almost be called a wall mobile.

we just started the first item. my dd is making a heart out of felt. she decorates the front and then will be sewing on the back i plan to stuff it a little just to make it puffy. kinda like a little heart pillow. she is free to make whatever she wants any shape i say max of 4"x"4ish. to finish it get a stick about a inch thick and as long as you wish. hang it on the wall hanging the item on i plan on using ribbon of different colors and sizes.

i like this idea because they can add different items that they make and even different forms of crafts. it is their own history hanging. the best reason i love it so much is because it is a craft that can go on for a long time

This seems like so much fun! We're in process of moving right now and I think it'll be better to do this after we've settled in a new place.

[Callimom]

Check out The Crafty Crow for lots of ideas and tutorials.

[ms.shell]

Would you mind explaining more about this? Thanks.

Papier mache is easy, messy, inexpensive, and fun.

The way I have done it is cut newspaper into strips 1 inch wide. Drag the strips thru a bowl of paper mache paste (you can mix white glue and water or there are recipes for making the paste with flour- just check w google).
Then you use your fingers to press the strip smoothly onto whatever you are covering. then do another strip. keep going until you have covered your item in several layers. I liked working w strips, tho lots of folks use more like little pieces than strips.
I am probably not the best person to explain this, as I have not done it a lot. What I was doing with it was covering trays, like the kind you see under produce or meat at the grocery. I paper mache'd them, then painted them, and then decoupaged on a motif....but that wasn't for crafting w a kiddo. Ya'll could use soda bottles and make maracas, or use a balloon which you will them pop after its covered to make a pinata. or a puppet. or a bowl. You have to let it dry sometimes for days, tho, before you can paint it.
There is all kinds of stuff you could make with papier mache and you might have lots of fun. I would just google; i bet you will find tons of ideas. Good luck!

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by ms.shell

Papier mache is easy, messy, inexpensive, and fun.

The way I have done it is cut newspaper into strips 1 inch wide. Drag the strips thru a bowl of paper mache paste (you can mix white glue and water or there are recipes for making the paste with flour- just check w google).
Then you use your fingers to press the strip smoothly onto whatever you are covering. then do another strip. keep going until you have covered your item in several layers. I liked working w strips, tho lots of folks use more like little pieces than strips.
I am probably not the best person to explain this, as I have not done it a lot. What I was doing with it was covering trays, like the kind you see under produce or meat at the grocery. I paper mache'd them, then painted them, and then decoupaged on a motif....but that wasn't for crafting w a kiddo. Ya'll could use soda bottles and make maracas, or use a balloon which you will them pop after its covered to make a pinata. or a puppet. or a bowl. You have to let it dry sometimes for days, tho, before you can paint it.
There is all kinds of stuff you could make with papier mache and you might have lots of fun. I would just google; i bet you will find tons of ideas. Good luck!

Oh this is the same thing with decoupaging.

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by Karenwith4

Check out The Crafty Crow for lots of ideas and tutorials.

Thank you for the link! I browsed through and I liked what I saw! Thanks!

[LaughingHyena]

I like a lot of the ideas form here
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/

My DD is just starting to have a go at some simple sewing projects. So far she's done a wall hanging by sewing some felt butterfly shapes onto a square of cloth and she is working on a felt heart shaped sachet which she's decorating with buttons. I have been looking at the kits in craft shops then we make our own as we generally have scraps of various fabrics, buttons etc.

One tip which which we have found useful is to put the fabric in an embriodery hoop. It makes it much easier for DD to hold. So for the sachet I drew the heart shape but did not cut it out, then put it in the hoop for DD to sew on the buttons. Then we'll cut out the shape and sew two of them together.

Also it's a good time of year to press flowers, leaves etc. If you don;t have a press them put them between a couple of sheets of kitchen paper and place a heavy book on top. It;s fun to collect and press the flowers and then you can use them to make cards for people or just to decorate things.

[rhianna813]

We like to build Fairy Houses. These are made outside and use no nails or glue. They are just temporary works of art made from natural items of the season. Really fun and full of magic to create!

More info: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/fairy-houses-667271/

Site with pics of different houses families have created! http://www.fairyhouses.com/pictures.html

Rhianna

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by LaughingHyena

I like a lot of the ideas form here
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/

My DD is just starting to have a go at some simple sewing projects. So far she's done a wall hanging by sewing some felt butterfly shapes onto a square of cloth and she is working on a felt heart shaped sachet which she's decorating with buttons. I have been looking at the kits in craft shops then we make our own as we generally have scraps of various fabrics, buttons etc.

One tip which which we have found useful is to put the fabric in an embriodery hoop. It makes it much easier for DD to hold. So for the sachet I drew the heart shape but did not cut it out, then put it in the hoop for DD to sew on the buttons. Then we'll cut out the shape and sew two of them together.

Also it's a good time of year to press flowers, leaves etc. If you don;t have a press them put them between a couple of sheets of kitchen paper and place a heavy book on top. It;s fun to collect and press the flowers and then you can use them to make cards for people or just to decorate things.

This seems like a fun project! I'm sure my dd will love that! Thanks!

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by rhianna813

We like to build Fairy Houses. These are made outside and use no nails or glue. They are just temporary works of art made from natural items of the season. Really fun and full of magic to create!

More info: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/fairy-houses-667271/

Site with pics of different houses families have created! http://www.fairyhouses.com/pictures.html

Rhianna

This is fascinating and I've never heard or thought about this. I'll show the pictures to my dd and see if she'll like to do something like this.

[zebra15]

What i like to do is go to the library and look at the kids crafts books. DS is 9 and loves that too. We get some great ideas that way.

We have a knifty knitter and he can do that, what about latch hook kits?

[elizawill]

i am making a rag rug out of old t-shirts. i am using a crochet hook, but you could easily braid the pieces and sew them together as you roll the rug (don't worry - you don't have to sew well at all for this project). it would be very easy to do with a seven year old if she can braid. i'm sure youtube has tutorials, but here's the main gist of it:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4707539_braided-rag-rugs.html

hth.

ETA - i second the knifty knitter. we have all of their looms and love them! so easy! you can make socks, scarves, blankets, hats, etc. finger knitting is also very easy, and it would probably be much more enjoyable than knitting, which your dd didn't like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3LKAlDz9ig

[nova22]

www.oneprettything.com has some great craft ideas for kids (and adults). You can browse their archives for children's crafts.

[VroomieMama]

Thank you for some more links and ideas. I will go through those links later.