Quilt Patchwork Patterns

Encouraging art and creativity in your children

If you're reading this article, chances are you have a creative soul and love to let your immagination soar - because - why else would you be visiting a site aimed at crafts, hobbies and other such creative pursuits?You may well be talented and artistic however, have your children inherited this creativeness and resourcefullness? And if they haven't - are there ways you can stimulate an interest in them? Here are a few tips as to what you can do…

Encourage creativity in your children by providing them with the time, resurces and the space for making art.Set aside some interruption-free quality time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone - so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ - because  nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” every 2 minutes.

It is also very important to choose the right drawing materials as well. Many craft materials can be improvised, 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 ideal for containing supplies, or if space does not permit, a portable tackle box is a good option too. Untidy 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!  Provide also coloring books or coloring pages which are bountiful online - 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. 

For example little girls may enjoy coloring images of Barbie and at sites like Barbie Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Barbie printables

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.

Make Some Awesome Fall Crafts with Kids and Add 4 Benefits

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.
When crafts are made with an educational art approach, there are 4 added benefits the children get.

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”.

In order to have the kids make crafts that are full of good benefits they must jump in, not be nervous and do that activity without looking to that adult to tell them what to do.

We can’t get let the kids go crazy and do whatever they want. but there is a way to straddle both fences.

In arranging a crafts for the children your first responsibilty is to set the parameters of the activity. Will it be a fall, winter or holiday theme. Then, start thinking of the materials you can give the children that will suggest Fall. Let your mind wander to magnificient fall foliage, scenic mountain trails, baskets full of pumpkins.

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.

Another good idea woould be to give the children a base piece to use in their artwork.

Choosing many widths and lengths of tree trunks as the focal point for a fall picture would make lot of sense in this case.

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

What happens is, children are free to think on their own without adult interference.

It is just when kids can work on their own without an overly rigid structure that they learn to take initiative
Their creativity, of course blooms because they are being allowed to create what they like.
As a result they feel great and their self worth shoots 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.

Learn How To Make A Tutu

In this editorial I am going to offer you a few guidelines on how to make a tutu. Tutus are skirts that you regularly see around a ballet dancer. They can be as impressive as a ballerina with a rigid material making them sit up firmly or they can be gentle and flowing and an supplement to a few of your clothes.

As with any project of this type you will be required to unearth the foundation supplies. Depending on what style, colour or type of Tutu you want to make up you will need to get hold of the suitable quantity of tulle. You can probably locate the fabric in your own neighborhood craft store or anyplace else that sells supplies. You might even do a search on the web to learn what it is you need and get it shipped directly to your home.

Clearly if you have a pattern you will find this a lot easier otherwise it is time to commence taking a number of dimensions. To work out how much material you could do with the number one thing you will have to do is calculate from the widest part of the waist down to the knee. This offers you the measurement lengthwise of your tutu and is as well best measured if the beneficiary is at full stride out. The next dimension is around the widest quantity of the waist itself.

To give your tutu a little body I merely keep adding material around the waist band until the tutu takes the form that I desire. I can typically use three times the fabric it takes to wrap round the widest part of the waist and tie it to the waist band. If you’re looking to feature layers when you create a tutu then you can try this also but it’s a little more of complicated.

Making your waist band ought to be simply as much of] fun as it is to make a tutu itself. You’ll be able to add all types of things to the waistband itself like ribbons and bows. Use a bow to hide the join or leave enough material so that you can use the actual waist band itself to form a nice bow at the rear. Of course this might prove a little tough to put on yourself.

Once you begin putting my tips into practice you may learn how to make a tutu in pretty short time. They are really simple to make and with a sensible pattern and some simple tips. Use your imagination and knock them out either for fun or maybe for a little profit. As you get better you may be in a position to sell them at the local markets or even craft stalls and the like.

There is nothing more fun than to sit and do things with the children. One issue I really like to try and do is teach them How To Make A Tutu. Other than spending time with the kids you’ll also smarten up your own clothes and add a little bling to those older exhausted outfits or do what James does and turn your passion into a small business after you learn How To Make A Tutu.