While the craft glue and foam shapes of former summer projects lay gathering dust in the closet, you wonder if you will ever be able to revisit those special hours spent crafting with your child. Your little artist has grown into a teen, and craft projects have been replaced with video games, television, and the internet. There's no turning back the clock, so what's a parent to do?



Think outside the box! Or should I say, inside the box – the box that your teen calls his room. Pull out the paint supplies and power tools, because the foam shapes are staying in the closet! The only way to convince your teen to put down the video game controller is to let him use things that were previously off-limits (with proper supervision, of course). Oh, and one more thing – you can make suggestions and set limitations, but try to go with the flow and let your teen take charge.

And now, here are a couple ideas to get the wheels turning…

Wall Murals - Sure, you and your teen can spend the afternoon painting his room, but if you want to take it to the next level, run the idea of a wall mural past him. Take a look at the posters or wall calendar he has selected for his room. Maybe he has a notebook full of his original artwork. Would any of those images work as a wall mural? He can use a projector to enlarge and trace the image on the wall, then fill in the picture with acrylic paint colors of his choice. Or, if your budget allows, consider purchasing a starter airbrush kit for him to use – just make sure he takes the time to perfect his technique before using it to airbrush his bedroom walls.

Window Treatments – Many styles of curtains are very easy to sew and would make a great project for a beginner. Help your teen find a simple pattern and some fabric and see what happens. Or, consider a no-sew option if you don't have a sewing machine. For example, purchase simple store bought curtains and let your teen tie dye them or decorate them with fabric paint and stamps. If you have access to some basic power tools (and experience using them), help your teen build a cornice board that he can install above his window. He can either paint it or upholster it using a staple gun to secure batting material and fabric.

Shelves and Storage Units – While you have the power tools pulled out, work with your teen to construct some simple shelves and storage units. As you know, teens have more stuff than space, so this project may even induce him to keep his room picked up! Or, if you prefer, purchase unfinished furniture and room accessories, and let your teen paint and decorate them. If he's up for it, consider borrowing a book from the library or searching online for faux finishes to try. He can even personalize select pieces of furniture or room accessories by decoupaging them with favorite pictures from magazines.

This is just the start. Working with your teen, you are sure to come up with many more ideas – from pillows to headboards to photo collages, there are many other crafting projects you and your teen can work on together. In the process, you will create memories to last a lifetime.