fall craft collage

Crafts as in generally done, or crafts with kids has never been touted as an activity that is supposed to do more than keep kids busy, give them some fun and as some say add creativity to a child’s life.

Kids crafts however should do more than that, much more, actually.
Kids crafts, done well, in an educational crafts approach, adds 4 benefits to the activity.

It can take them into the academic realm by allowing them to think through problems.

It can make them take initiative really make them creative and raise their self esteem.

I can show you how to get kids to make a crafts, in this case a fall crafts that will encompass all of the benefits above.

If you take a look online, the majority of the crafts for kids are made up by adults.

Adults think of a cute idea, create it, get the materials, and have the children follow in step by step fashion.This creates what we call “copycat crafts”.

The trick in getting the children to make a craft that includes all 4 benefits above is get them to take the reins to create the project themselves without too much input from the adult.

Even though giving the children too much freedom is this case won’t lead to anarchy, it still can lend itself to confusion. We therefor choose a middle road.

The theme for the crafts, is what you are responsible for when beginning a crafts project with children. Then, start thinking of the materials you can give the children that will suggest Fall. Think fall veggies, fall outdoor activites, fall holidays.

Two very important or helpful things in this equation are Number one:To gather a lot of different pictures to hang up so that the children can get inspiration from these pictures and pick parts of the pictures that they want use in their craft.

As most crafts projects do well with a focal point, it would be a good idea for you to prepare some choices that the kids can use for their focal points.

When creating a craft with a fall theme, I would have them choose from an array of tree trunks.

If you look at this Fall craft collage I give step by sep instruction on how to do a fall craft like this.

When doing these type of crafts, kids solve their own problems instead of following and adults template.

When children are given permission to work by themselves without waiting for overly structured directions, they learn initiative taking
Their creativity, of course blooms because they are being allowed to create what they like.
This has the effect of their self esteem shooting up.

If you are an early childhood teacher you may find another interesting crafts project in this style  called Fall projects for the preschool classroom.

The difference in what this type of crafts, or as I call it educational arts and crafts does for children is indescribable.

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Since most adults realize that children love crayons and paint, it is natural for them to assume that using these materials in a crafts activity would be a perfect time filler.

The assumption that adults usually fall under is the expectation of what a crafts project should be. They see adults crafts and think that children’s crafts should also look as well formed. They therefore, come up with more adult like ideas and then expect the kids to copy these ideas. I call this “copycat crafts”.

If you are a real traditional sort and have no problem with creating robots out of your children then go right ahead and keep doing these kinds of crafts. The web is replete with them
if so it will be a cinch to find tons of tradtional crafts projects to do with kids.

Let me tell you though, why I feel that copycat crafts can do more harm than good. You can also go download a free report  that will help you with all kid crafts by explaining to you in detail the pros and cons of copycat crafts and educational crafts.

If you think about it it makes alot of sense. Traditional arts and crafts can turn children into robots when they don’t let think for themselves as to the creation of their projects. Let me explain to you why tradtional crafts can be so detrimental to your children.

Art has a higher calling than just being used to commemorate holidays. While children are having these enriching experiences they should also be getting educational benefit from it as well.

Creativity, independence, initiative, and self esteem should be just some of the by products of children’s crafts activities.

Copycat crafts, many will tell you is great for kids fine motor coordination. which may be true, but that’s probably the only benefit.

I have a great post for you that gives a great example of creativity in art by showing you how children can make a crafts activity of flowers using both methods.

There are so many art opportunities during the year but, many adults only stick to holiday time.

So what does a person do now?
If you like the idea of adding more creativity to kids crafts you can check out  Educational arts and crafts which will give you lots of crafts for kids to do that are truly educational.

If you want to try doing educational crafts on your own, however, and not copycat crafts  then there 4 points  to keep in mind when choosing a crafts for your children.

1.    Does this activity allow for any problem solving?
2.Does this project let the children use their thinking skills?
3.    Where’s the creativity here?
4.Would a child feel a sense of accomplishment after doing this craft?

If you keep these thoughts in mind when choosing crafts then not only will you be commemorating the holidays and spending quality time with your children but they also will be gaining vital skills

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For centuries, the main fuel for candles was tallow. While tallow did burn, tallow doesn’t make a good candle. They create a lot of smoke when they burn and they smell badly. For these reasons, paraffin rapidly overtook tallow as a candle material choice once it was developed.

However, paraffin is a residual of the petroleum refining process. That’s why people have been interested in developing a “green” alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax resulted from this search.

Soy beans have a high fat content and soybean oil is derived from them. However, soybean oil isn’t solid so when it’s original form it can’t be used for making candles. But that can be changed.

Whether a fat is liquid or solid at room temperature depends on how many hydrogen molecules it contains. Fat molecules contain hydrogen atoms and a fat is “saturated” if it can’t hold any more hydrogen. It’s possible to saturate an unsaturated fat by adding hydrogen. That makes the oil solid at room temperature.

Now that description admittedly simplifies the situation, and different manufactures treat the oil different ways, but the end result is a candle wax from a renewable resource.

One difficulty with pure soy wax is that it is relatively soft. this means it’s great for making container candles but not so great for making pillars that need to stand on their own. Candle makers can compensate for that problem by blending soy wax with paraffin and hardening additives. If you do that, the resultant wax can be used for many more types of candles.

But many people want to use 100% soy wax, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. The most common ones are jars such as canning jars or apothecary jars filled with wax. Other styles of candles are removed from the mold when the wax hardens. With container candles, the candle remains in its “mold”.

Of course there is much more to learn about soy wax and how to use it. One the best sites I’ve found to get more information is:

Soy Candle Wax

And of course if you’re looking into soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to make a candle with. You can learn about the insiders techniques at: How to Make Soy Candles.

Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.

That book reveals insider secrets on all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will guarantee your success.

Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.

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Making Earrings Made Simple

As the holidays get closer, we know there will be some people we want to give presents to.  Yet, if you don’t have a big budget, what can you do?   Well, you can make them a gift!

A simple thing you can create is jewelry.Jewelry is a gift that can be used longer than baked goods. Additionally, sometimes it is even cheaper.   Here are 2 easy types of jewelry to make: beaded earrings or bracelets.  Earrings are usually cheaper to make as there are less beads involved.If you shop well, acrylic beads for making bracelets can be quite affordable.For larger gifts, give the person a matching set! So lets go over how to make jewelry!

Getting Started

First you need to get supplies.  Most craft stores will have what you need.  For either project you need: beads, round nose pliers and wire cutters.  For earrings you will also want earwires, headpins and tweezers; for bracelets, you need memory wire.  Many people will make both and then mix and match as appropriate.

Realize that nicer beads creates better looking jewelry.  Sometimes you can get freshwater pearls rather inexpensively that makes wonderful jewelry.

Making The Jewelry

Both types of jewelry need loops to be created.  These are easily created using you round nose pliers.Wirecutters make trimming off extra wire a snap.

For earrings: slip your beads onto each headpin, create a loop at the end of the headpin. Then, attach the headpin to the earwire.

For bracelets: create a starting loop, add beads, and then close it off with a loop.

Nice Touches

Putting the earrings on cardboard or a blank business card makes them look more professional.   Having the earrings or bracelet in a small plastic baggie helps make certain that the beautiful jewelry won’t be damaged.  If you have extra jewelry boxes around, these help even more.

Enjoy giving these great gifts!

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Creativity – Ask anyone what the first personality characteristic arts and crafts develop in a young child and most will answer ‘creativity’. And they are certainly correct. Everyone has natural talents and skills and it is possible to improve and boost them… even if you only have a little natural talent. Creativity enables your child to try out and profit from new
ideas, options and alternatives in a future career. Kids learn to do things in new ways and literally profiting from thinking “out of the box”.

Perseverance – Perseverance is perhaps the single most important quality for any successful individual – be they a a business person, sportsman or other professional.In fact, most well-known accomplishments in life have been attributed to perseverance alone. Arts and crafts improve everyone’s level of perseverance. For instance, children learn to keep trying until they complete the task, be it a sculpture or a coloring in sheet.If something unexpected goes wrong… they are encouraged to persist by trying new ways and means and the pay-off is a wonderful piece of art that they have created.

Concentration – Similar to having perseverance, developing concentration is another quality well-worth having as an individual. Drawing, coloring, sculpting, painting and even doodling will definitely teach your child to focus on one specific task at hand… ignoring other distractions. In short they overall concentration will definitely improve.

Even from a young age children can draw and color – so give them blank pieces of paper or coloring in sheets so that they can scribble away to their hearts content whilst also improving their fine motor skills.

For example little girls enjoy coloring images of princesses and fairies and at sites like Fairy Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Tinkerbell coloring

Little boys on the other hand prefer pictures of cars, trucks and machinery – however, favorite characters such as those from Disney movies are also hits with little boys.

Give your child several opportunities to experience being creative, concentrating and perservering through the fun medium of arts and crafts. Provide them with materials and resources and the occasional canvas so that they can be creative and feel pride in what they create.

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Choose the right drawing materials too as this is very  important. Many craft materials can be improvised, think of decorated kitchen roll tubes and potatoes as stamps, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Always ensure that you check safety information and follow instructions. Young children should always be surpervised during ‘art time’ because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings: As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. With young children, a child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book as a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is a perfect solution for containing supplies, or if space does not allow, a portable fishing tackle or tool box is a good option too. Messy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials: Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their crativity and occasionally invest in a large canvas so that your child can paint something ‘grand’ and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!Also provide coloring books or coloring pages – of which you’ll find plenty online. Granted – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need to simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw. 

Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy coloring images of fairies and princesses  - at sites like Princess Coloring Pages  you’ll find the best princess coloring pictures

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

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Why are we crazy for our Expression Machine? We absolutely love the multi-cut option which will slice almost any thick material into whatever shape we want. As mentioned above, the machine also allows you to cut either very small, intricate designs or large impressive artworks. This Cricut machine also gives you more creative freedom because it is effective with the use of either a 12” x 12” or 12” x 24” sized paper.

The Cricut Expression cutting machine also lets you mix and match different designs in just one cut and format your work in either landscape or portrait mode. The new LCD screen that it features lets you see exactly how the next image looks like before you cut it . The Expression also employs various units of measurement and lets you change the unit of measurement for each image. In addition, it has a flip feature that creates mirror images for your designs and uses four different languages that you can choose from.

If you look on Ebay, there are machines that come with a few freebies such as free cartridges, so it will be good to read the product description thoroughly before making a bid. In case a free cartridge is offered, read the description of the cartridge as well so that you are sure to bid only on those items that include a cartridge that you do not yet own. Many times free shipping is offered on auctions which saves a bundle. More often than not, items that do not include free shipping will cost you a lot more in the end than those that have a higher auction price but already includes free shipping so you would do well to compare total costs first. Simply look below the auction price to see if shipping is free or not and if it is not then there should be a space where you can input your zip code. You will then be shown the shipping cost and by adding that cost to the maximum amount that you are willing to bid you will get your total cost. Get your next Cricut Expression Deals for cheaper than you can imagine!

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