Kids’ crafts can start at a surprisingly young age. There are many simple craft ideas that offer little ones a complete range of experiences and sensations. Babies rarely produce masterpieces at this age. For now, the object is to have fun, learn and make a mess. It doesn’t matter what they create, the result will be unique, personal and something to be enjoyed and treasured for years to come.
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New Skills
Kids crafts’ offer small children the chance to explore the world using mainly touch and sight. Another set of physical skills that kids’ crafts help to develop are fine motor skills. This is the child’s ability to use small and specific muscle groups such as those found in the fingers. Using and controlling brushes and crayons help fine tune and promote this new gift.
First Attempts
The fun can start as young as 12 to 15 months when a baby becomes physically able to grasp objects more easily and make marks with them. They can create simple art using chunky crayons in bright colours on piles of scrap paper. It is a fascinating way to watch your child develop as they progress through the different stages of drawing. At first, the art will be a series of scribbles but by the time babies reach 19 months to 2 years, they will start shaping their work and trying to interpret the results. A simple ball of colour becomes a much-loved teddy bear.
Already kids’ crafts have introduced baby to the arts of imagination and imitation. At this point, it is a great idea to introduce paint. It’s not for the faint -hearted but with some carefully planned preparations it can be a great source of joy. The simplest and most satisfying craft to try out is finger painting. The ideal paint to use is thick and offers tiny artists endless amounts of pleasure from squelching their hands and fingers into bright pots full of gunk.
No Mess Activity
If this craft idea doesn’t appeal to you, remember, kids’ crafts for babies isn’t about the result, it’s about the process. With this in mind, one of the best kids’ crafts is the old trick of make-believe painting. This works really well outdoors. The only equipment required is a thick paint brush and a small container of water. Using these items, they can ‘paint’ the patio or a patch of fence. This activity is so much fun, it’s ‘messy’, it imitates something they have seen adults do and it produces an end result.
Starting with Play Dough
Play dough is another simple but effective way of introducing kids’ crafts to a baby. The play dough feels unusual and exciting and makes countless different shapes. It’s important to supervise their activities at this age as they are prone to loading their mouths with inedible objects and play dough is very inviting. Babies explore their world by ‘mouthing’, so paint, crayons, play dough and assorted objects are all liable to end up between small jaws.
Keep craft ideas simple at this age, the emphasis is on the fun of the process. By starting arts and crafts at an early age, you are offering your child the chance to develop a set of skills that will hopefully give them a lifetime of satisfaction and creativity. Relax, have fun and prepare to be thrilled by the things your baby can already do.
