Most kids love crafts because they are fun and artistic. Many crafts are also educational and can be used to teach children of all ages about numbers, letters, animals, shapes, themes, science, and even stories about history or legends. The great thing about crafts is any kid can participate, and their finished product doesn't have to be "perfect."

Crafts are available for all ages and learning levels. There are fun activities for daycare and preschool kids, families, and even grandparents to enjoy with their grandchildren. There are also educational crafts for every season so there's never a boring moment year round!

For younger kids, there are crafts using paper, crayons, soaps, putty, play dough, stickers, photos, toys, etc. For children ages 7-9, crafts are often a little more challenging and may involve watercolors or finger paints, beads, photo albums, scrapbooks, tie-dye materials, book covers, lunch boxes, dolls, and many other items. For older girls, there are some excellent quilting books for kids with a variety of patterns and colors. Older boys enjoy sports-related crafts or even scientific experiments!

Educate with Play Dough Crafts for Kids

Whether you're a parent wanting to spend quality time with your child, or a daycare or preschool teacher, play dough provides a fun, clean activity to create animals, numbers, and even words. With play dough, kids can use their imagination (and their hands) to mold all sorts of shapes. Challenge them to mold certain characters or animals they see in a book. Or, get several kids together with play dough to create an entire village. Obtain a book of play dough recipes to help the kids sculpt their favorite animal or character. You can find play dough recipes for flowers such as daffodils and roses, snowmen, pigs, snails, cats, turtles, faces, fruit, butterflies, frogs, buildings, furniture, foods, and many other examples.

Puppet Shows

For older children, teach them to create their own puppets and put on a puppet show. The show doesn't have to be elaborate... but it should definitely be fun for the kids! Choose a theme or story for the play from a book or play script, and provide photos or drawings of the characters so the kids can get an idea of how to create their puppets. Provide materials and instructions for creating puppets. Help with those parts that are difficult, but allow the children to use their creativity.

Use Crafts to Teach Gardening Techniques

Kids enjoy watching things grow, especially plants or foods they planted on their own. There are many educational crafts for kids centered on gardening. You can teach them to make their own flowerpots or garden bins. Have them decorate planters using their own method and materials, and then plant flowers, fruit, or vegetables. You can even make funny cup characters from foam cups by planting grass as the hair! Just draw a funny face on the cup, add rich soil, sprinkle some grass seeds on top, and add a little water every couple of days.

Cooking Crafts

Baking is another fun activity to go along with crafts. Have your kids make their own cookie jars and then bake some cookies to place in the jars. Or, bake a cake and teach them to decorate it with frosting, sprinkles, and other cake ornaments. Buy various shapes of pans and cutters for making cupcakes, cookies, and bread. Also, make creative popcorn treats for a movie night.

Other Educational Craft Themes

Some other themes that are both fun and educational include holiday crafts, toilet roll crafts, bible crafts, egg crate creations, sewing or quilting, beading, face painting, and flip flop crafts. Whatever theme you want to try, be sure to find an age-appropriate book with craft ideas. Craft books can show you how to create crafts for kids from start to finish and which materials and supplies are needed. For young quilters, quilting books offer detailed instructions on their level.

Crafts for kids give you a wonderful opportunity to teach your children about all aspects of life. Check out the many craft resources online today for more fantastic ideas!