9 Easy DIY Crafts Projects For Children To Do At Home
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
DIY projects and crafts are a great interactive way to keep your children entertained and to sneak in a little education while they are cooped up at home.
We’ve put together a list of crafts for children and noted which skill set each task is helping to develop.
9 Home Craft Projects for Children
1. Learning how to paint
Get your little DIYers in the garden to practice their painting skills. Grab a clean paint roller and a tray full of water, and let your child paint the floor outside. They will be a pro in no time.
Skill Set developed: Creativity
DIY Tip: Use this time to teach your children the different uses of each style of painting tools, show them when you would use a roller, a small brush or a large brush.
2. Matching different sized nuts and bolts into cups
Lay out a selection of different sized bolts and let your child decide what sizes match by placing them in cups. This is a task they shouldn’t be left alone with; small bolts can be dangerous if swallowed.
Skill Set developed: Fine motor skills
DIY Tip: Allowing young children to play with small bolts and parts can be a dangerous task, if left alone. Assist your child at all times when using small parts, but don’t do the work for them.
3. Sanding wood
Sanding is a great woodworking task for kids to get involved with. Start them out with a sanding block and some sanding paper, and just let them have fun – though make sure to keep an eye on them in case they get a bit too carried away!
Skill Set developed: Hands on experience
DIY Tip: Once they have practised sanding down an old piece of wood till smooth, let them get creative by decorating with glitter, paint and all things colourful.
4. Organising their bookshelf by colour
Show your child the importance of tidying up by turning their bookshelf into a rainbow, or you can display books on your windowsill to show your support for the NHS.
Being home with a child all day means a lot more mess than usual, so little tasks like this show them how fun tidying can be.
Skill Set developed: Creativity
DIY Tip: Books can be heavy, so ensure your child is assisted when organising their bookshelf to avoid injuries and tears.
5. Measuring tape
Teach your kids the importance of measuring by letting them run loose with a tape measure, have them record their findings in a book.
Measure all things weird and wonderful, from the size of the kitchen table to the garden outside.
Skill Set developed: Patience/attention span
DIY Tip: Keep the excitement flowing by encouraging your child to monitor their own growth by measuring their height as the months go on.
6. Spirit level
Introduce your child to a spirit level by asking them to go around the house and use it to test if all the picture frames are straight or not.
You can even do a loop around first to make sure there are a few wonky frames to find. If you don’t have a bubble or spirit level to hand, have your kid use an app on your phone or iPad.
Skill Set developed: Problem solving
DIY Tip: Use this opportunity to give your little helper the chance to assist on putting up a picture frame or art piece. Show them how to measure, mark and secure the picture.
7. Paint the garden fence
Paint the garden fence together. It’s important to get children outside, so if the sun is shining, get them out into the garden to finally paint that fence.
Let your kids choose the colours and just have fun with it.
Skill Set developed: Hands on experience
DIY Tip: Before your child begins to paint, get the area ready. Cover areas not to be painted, and give them a small section at a time to work within.
8. Toolbox organisation
Turn toolbox organisation into a game where you teach your kids what each tool does as you put them back.
Another handy task in teaching the importance of tidying up to children, this allows them to practice organising and sorting tools correctly.
Skill Set developed: Organisation
DIY Tip: Introduce tools one at a time, allowing them to examine and get to know the tool before starting to use. Practice holding the tool safely, talk about how to use it and how to carry it.
9. Build a squirrel picnic table
DIYers across the country have shared their home-made squirrel picnic tables. So, why not give it a try with your little DIYers help, with their measuring skills they can help measure and mark the wood and help find the right tools to use.
Skill Set developed: Hands on experience
DIY Tip: Have your child design their very own squirrel picnic table, and decorate when completed, giving them the opportunity to participate in a DIY task from start to finish.
Have you got any tried and tested crafts you like to do with children/teenagers?