In summer, when the outdoors is your studio, crafts with the kids can be messy, large and out of control. We regularly strive for (and achieve) varying degrees of chalky, painted and sticky (both kids AND projects), and we hesitate to declare any project a success if we’re not knee-deep in a snow drift of glitter by the time we’re through. At the end of the day we have a little game of “Kids meet Garden Hose” and all balance is restored to the universe.
The winter, however, is a different story; in the winter we are forced to be slightly more conservative in our creative endeavors, if for no other reason than to keep a tight reign on mom’s sanity.
Fortunately, just because winter crafts need to be less grand in scale and execution, it does not mean that they have to be any less interesting. These three ideas will satisfy your kid’s intrinsic need to create, as well as reward you with a little down time when the craft is done and the kids are ready to play with their creations.
1. Rock Town. A quick trip out to the yard or a local park will reveal the building blocks for your child’s very own town — à la Sims goes old school. Collect rocks in various shapes and sizes, and bring inside for a good washing. If your yard is buried in snow you may want to check out the local craft stores; many of them sell bags of smooth rocks. You will also need scrapbook paper and glue or mod podge, googly eyes, yarn, ribbon and whatever else you may have on hand. Clear the kitchen table and create people, families and pets; use construction paper to make houses and buildings. You may lose your kitchen table for the afternoon, but that’s urban sprawl for you.
