Learning Through Creativity: 5 Arts and Crafts for children

Learning through Creativity: 5 Arts and Crafts Ideas for Kids

Did you know? From 29th June - 19th July, Engage have organised Children’s Art Week - and we’re jumping on the bandwagon!

It’s Week 3 of Children’s Art Week and the theme is very close to our hearts...literacy and creative writing.

Whilst literacy and writing are incredibly important for a child’s development, there are steps parents and guardians can take to help prepare a child for these tasks. Arts and crafts are a great way to improve a child’s fine motor skills and dexterity, so their little hands will be prepared to tackle writing when they’re ready. Arts and crafts also encourage creativity which enables brain development from an early age. Not only that, creativity is essential for allowing children to express themselves and in building their confidence.

During the pandemic, the importance of art has become even more potent. If you are struggling to keep your little ones entertained this summer, have a go at one of our fun arts and crafts ideas - with free downloadable templates so you can create your own! 

Download the templates here - use link below 

https://lovewritingco.com/pages/art-and-craft-activities

1. Make a mask
   Use our downloadable templates to create a mask, so your child can have fun playing pretend. They can be a tiger, a lion, a wolf, or a princess – the choice is all theirs!
   Cutting and sticking helps to develop the small muscles in their hands which are essential for learning to write, and it’s a lot of fun, too! The Love Writing Co. Erasable Colouring Pencils are perfect for colouring them in.
   
   

 

2. Make a bouquet of flowers
   
   Colouring is another great way to increase the dexterity and motor skills in your child’s hands. Not to mention, it’s fun! That’s why we’ve created this downloadable flower bouquet which children will love to make their own, and relatives will love to receive. Whether they’re addressing their homemade bouquet to Mummy, Daddy, Grandma or Grandpa - it’s sure to put a smile on someone’s face!
   
   Instructions: Colour in the flower and the bow. Fold along the dotted lines to create a bouquet so the bow at the front of the bouquet is at the front.
   
   

 

 

3. Make salt dough
   
   Making salt dough is another fun activity which won’t break the bank. All you need to make salt dough is flour, salt, and water 

          Recipe

3. Ingredients:

• 250g of plain flour
• 125g of salt
• 125ml of water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix all the ingredients into a bowl until it comes together into a ball.
3. Move your dough onto a floured surface and work it into your chosen shape.
4. Place your finished creations onto your baking tray and bake for 3 hours or until solid.
5. Leave your items to cool and then paint.

Salt dough turns out just like playdough, which is great fun to play with! Whilst also encouraging the strength in children’s arms and hands which will be essential when they try their hand at writing. Children will love using their imagination to create exciting objects which, after being baked in the oven, they can paint and keep forever. If your little one is stuck for ideas, why not keep it simple by making a star, a cupcake or putting their handprints into the dough as a keepsake.

The creative possibilities are endless and are bound to get your little one excited to create. 

4. Make a watch

 Another fun and educational craft idea is to make a watch! Not only can your child personalise their watch however they would like, it will help to familiarise them with math concepts. By incorporating learning into play like this, your child can learn about various shapes and how they fit together, as well as how to tell the time. We have made a downloadable template so your child can get creative. With summer approaching, it’s sure to pass the time! Our Love Writing Co. Erasable Colouring Pencils are perfect for colouring them in, especially if your little one accidentally draws outside the lines!

   5. Make a fortune teller
This arts and craft idea is a bit trickier than most but is sure to keep your little one entertained! One of the staples of my primary school education was making paper fortune tellers with my friends, and we spent hours asking peers to pick a number and a colour from our fortune teller so we could determine their future pet, or what they were going to be when they grow up. Go to our YouTube Channel to watch our tutorial on how to make one. The best thing is, you’ll only need a pen and paper!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bsu_2GUq3Q&t=3s

Tag us on Instagram @lovewritingco when you give our craft ideas a try!

From The Love Writing Team