With my three daughters, we did plenty of crafts. But I also just provided the raw material. The cotton balls, markers, scrap materials, and such. Stuff that was around the house. The kids would just have a blast for what seemed like hours. They used their imagination. They made their own crafts. I think back now and firmly believe that was critical to their development and they creative people they are today.
So don’t always think structured when it comes to craft ideas for children (young or older). Again, I speak as a parent and, as an educator, I was all about structured activities with a roomful of five-year-olds. You and they will probably have a lot more fun if you let their imagination rule the project. After all it is their creation so there is no wrong or right to it. What’s more, they’re less likely to become frustrated because they can’t make their creations look just right. It’s their vision after all!
Kids love their craft projects. (Heck, we big kids love craft projects.) But as a former teacher, I’m a firm believer that children, especially younger children, like to have their projects less structured. I totally think this is true because they can be more creative and have more fun that way. Let me be clear: I’m all for the traditional craft ideas that I was taught as a kid, but I kids need that unstructured time to create. Children are amazing and can create their own craft ideas with even a few materials.
A few years back I went to our local good will store and bought a ton of craft supplies for very little money. I bought beads, pipe cleaners, glitter, stickers, feathers, yarn, lace, buttons, and just a ton of crafty type stuff. I put it all in a big box with some glue and glue sticks and thus my daughters crafting box came into existence.