Dads Guide to Crafts

blackburn_w

I know they maybe loads of things somewhere on the site but.....
I'm a member of a Dad and toddler group and to keep our funding we have had to come up with a worthwhile project to do, so were doing a dads guide to crafts, which has step by step photos in.

Our first Creation is plaster Hands in a frame......

1st making play dough
2nd making the imprint (pushing hand or foot in)
3rd plaster of pairs into the mold
4th paining it

Any other Dad friendly Idea's out there........

gizmodo_2

http://shelleyjomoozings.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/santa-ornaments-made-from-hand-print-in-salt-dough/

Might be good at Christmas?

Maybe focus the ideas on the events throughout the year? Decorating eggs for easter, making a mother's day card for mums etc?

kingfisherblue

Not strictly a craft, but how about planting seeds and watching them grow? You could also paint a pot for the seeds.

I'm assuming that the crafts are for the dads and kids to do together, so you could think about junk modelling - maybe give ideas about how to make a robot or rocket from household stuff like plastic bottles, cereal boxes, etc.

Old CDs - lots of ideas on the Internet. An easy one is to use a pompom for a nose, googly eyes, and make an animal face.

Make your own threading set. Print and laminate pictures, punch holes round the edges, and use coloured wool or cheap shoelaces to practice threading.

Make sensory tiles - use Lino tiles and glue firmly different tactile surfaces for the children to walk on.

Feely boxes - maybe dads could make a woodwork box with a hole in the front. Add rubber strips to cover the hole. Put tactile items inside.

Cooking - make simple biscuits, cakes, fruit kebabs, pizzas, etc.

SallySunshine

I am obsessed with Pinterest.com.
Go on it for 5 mins and still there 2 hrs later!

The ideas for kids make me quite jealous that I haven't any of that age, and most use items, stuff you have lying around so don't cost a bomb.

You don't need to join, just type in the search box what you are looking for and follow the links.

The imagination of some people never fails to amaze me.

kingfisherblue

Sally, have you thought about volunteering for Brownies or another group that would welcome someone who could help with crafts?

SallySunshine

Been there, done that etc for over 35yrs but with adults with specials needs/mental health problems.

Just wish all the knowledge/ ideas on YouTube, Pinterest had been available then, had to rely on books, paid craftspeople etc.

I do volunteer now but with animals, which can be as challenging and rewarding as my previous career:)

stiltwalker

Cress heads in yoghurt pots might be more rewarding for littlies than seeds as they grow so quickly.

Crafty Crocodiles is a great resource for craft stuff either for yourself or groups - got that from a poster on here, in fact it may well have been you Kingfisherblue - if so huge thanks they are great! I've just bought some suncatcher pens and suncatchers for the coffe morning craft stall fundraiser we're having in a couple of weeks - going to have a kids make it table in the corner and the kids at stay and play loved colouring in the suncatchers at half term.

There are some fantastic products about now for decorating fabric - you can get really good felt tips specially for fabric. Crafty crocodiles do all sorts of plain items like aprons, t-towels, pencil cases etc which can be decorated so maybe decorate aprons ready to use while doing other crafty activities.

andy.m_2

We always make Mother's day gifts and it always makes her happy cry.

Last year we painted large canvasses from a chairty shop with acrylic paint and I painted the kid's hands and let them loose.
Again with a canvas, we walked the beach and picked up stones, sand and shells and made a beach scene collage, she cried happy tears that day as well.

All good fun really and cheaper than some of the tat you can get at Elizabeth Duke

skintchick

As someone has said, Pinterest is a great resource. There's loads you can do - do you need to cover specific themes?

What kinds of thing do you want to do and what ages of children is it?

Card-making is always good - make some for mother's day! Buy card blanks from Hobbycraft or just fold stiff card in half, put out stickers, glue, stuff that can be glued on like pictures from magazines, glitter, crayons and pencils then let the kids go for it.

I've loads of idea if you can let me know the kind of thing you want to do.

blackburn_w

its for children aged from birth up to 5 and up to 10 in the hollidays

Jase_from_Up_North

For the older kids but I use milliput an epoxy putty to create - hard platicine stuff that can be painted and drilled, want an extra gun for a figure or copy a figure completely, then mix the epoxy putty and let them shape it over night its rock solid, no baking necassary