Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Here's a great craft for kids


I used to think that craft foam was kind of a ridiculous craft item. I couldn't understand what useful purpose it could have, but I have discovered it is a craft that can be very useful when you need to entertain a child.

I first discovered last Christmas that if I bought a bucket of foam Christmas tree and ornament stickers and gave them to a couple of three-year-olds with a large piece of paper, it would keep them occupied for hours. It was also less messy than other crafts.

At Easter, I discovered that decorating foam Easter egg ornaments could keep a child entertained and took the place of decorating real eggs with food coloring. It was so much fun.

This summer I bought a bucket of silly foam creatures, some foam stars and a package of visors. They are really cute and kids wear the visors they make with pride. We made bug visors and 4th of July visors and butterfly visors. A child of two, or a special needs child can use them with assistance, and a three year old really doesn't need help.

In addition to pictures, cards and ornaments we have made gifts and decorated paper cups. Children do need to be instructed where NOT to stick the stickers, but this has been one of the most entertaining crafts I have ever seen for kids. Boy was I wrong!

The cost is minimal. I usually buy a tub of stickers at Michael's and use a 40% or 50% off coupon. Check your paper for a coupon. Hobby Lobby is now open and you can get about the same deal there, too. The price for the foam stickers after the coupon is just under $5.00. You can get large foam sheets for under a dollar and I saw the visors at Michael's for 66 cents each.

I really want to buy foam sticker paper dolls which I have seen at the School Box for under $10. Pull them out on a rainy summer afternoon, which we are bound to have again soon, to keep your kids busy doing something easy and creative.

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