Ideas for craft box contents

Our family is big on craft. We do a lot of it. Our kids know that paper towel rolls and egg cartons don't go into the recycling bin, they go into the craft box.

We have a number of boxes and containers which house coloured paper, paint, textas, pencils, crayons, glitter glue, stickers, left over wrapping paper, cardboard rolls, craft items we buy at discount stores, day to day items which can be re-used rather than thrown away, and lots more. And we use it, often.

Some craft items are within easy reach for the kids to be able to draw or do some basic gluing, while sharp items are out of reach and messier items and paints are kept in our shed as we use these outside and only come out when NJ or I can supervise.

Anything can go into a craft box. I think the whole point of craft is to use your imagination. Here is a list of items that can be added to a craft box, ready to be creative on a rainy day. You know your kids - you can decide what is within their reach and what needs supervision.

Can you think of other items to add to the craft box contents on the right?

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Craft box contents

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Acorns

Artificial flowers

Artist quality supplies

Balloons

Beads

Bottle caps

Brown grocery bags

Bubble wrap

Buttons

Canvases

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard rolls

Cardboard sheets

Cards (greeting)

Chalk

Christmas cards

Corks

Cotton wool balls

Crayons

Crepe paper

Cupcake paper cases (paper patty cups)

Drinking straws

Egg cartons

Embellishments

Empty cereal boxes

Fabric scraps

Feathers

Felt

Flowers

Foam/Styrofoam

Foil

Glitter

Glitter glue

Glue

Kite making

Leaves

Macaroni pieces, rice

Magazine cut outs

Magnets

Matchboxes

Newspaper

Odds & ends

Old jewellery

Paddle pop sticks

Paper

Paper clips

Paper plates & cups

Paint

Paperclips

Pebbles & rocks

Pegs

Pencils

Pipe cleaners

Plaster casts

Plasticine

Pom poms

Ribbons

Rubber bands

Safety scissors

Sequins

Shells

Shoe boxes

Socks & hankies

Stencils

Stickers

Sticky tape

String

Textas

Tissue paper

Toothbrushes

Toothpicks

Transparent paper

Wire

Wool

Wrapping paper

Beading

Beading can evolve from a casual craft activity to a full blown hobby or even income earner as stringing macaroni onto thread becomes hand made jewellery sold at markets. Beads come in all colours, shapes and sizes and can be purchased in resin or crystal or fashioned from pasta, buttons or shells found at home. Beads can be glued onto frames, masks, cards or incorporated into any other craft project.

Download these instructions for some simple jewellery designs.

Necklaces

Bracelets

Earrings

Colouring in

Colouring in books, stencils and hand drawn pictures with crayons, pencils, chalk or textas is a great way for children to learn pencil control and either apply what they know such as green grass and blue sky, or be creative and use any colours and patterns regardless of "right" or "wrong".

Card & stationery making

If there is a birthday or other special event coming up, or if writing to a distant relative or friend, have your child make the card or stationery for that personal touch. Perhaps even make a set to give as a gift. 

Cutting & pasting

Day out preparation or follow up

If you have just been or are planning to see animals, take a train ride, view an exhibition or any other type of day out, theme your craft activities based on your previous or upcoming excursion.

Drawing

Scribble right from the start. Encourage your child simply to make marks on the paper and see the cause and effect of crayons, textas and other writing implements. Draw lines, circles, squiggles and dots. Tell your child there is no right or wrong and don't discourage your child by saying something is the wrong colour or that flowers don't have faces.

Trace through paper or around objects such as hands or leaves. Draw on chalk boards or white boards. If you're at the beach, draw in the sand. Get them to draw a picture of something familiar such as a favourite toy or have them repeat a pattern or design a maze.

Use crayon or chalk to rub paper placed over coins, bark or leaves.

Give them a blank piece of paper and encourage them to use their imagination.

Frame it

Frames can be inexpensive to fill, coordinate and hang. Create a frame from heavy card or even wood or purchase inexpensive, untreated wooden frames from discount stores, which can be painted, coloured or glued beads, sequins, shells or other decorative items.

Insert a drawing, painting or photo or fill with interesting items.

Masks

Make a mask from a paper plate by cutting holes for the eyes and mouth and drawing on a facial expression, drawing on animal features or decorating as a masquerade mask. Purchase inexpensive cardboard party masks and decorate with feathers, sequins and beads. Attach different kinds of animal ears cut out of cardboard to the side of top of masks and whiskers under the nose.

Mobiles

Make a mobile with kids or for infants. Hang interesting things for your baby to look at or reach for. Hang small craft items for themed mobiles. Add chimes and bells for sound.

Origami

This is the traditional Japanese art of folding paper, generally using one sheet of paper without cutting or using glue. Origami instructions can be found online or books can be found in most bookshops or libraries. Specialty papers can be purchased or you can simply use left over gift wrap or newspaper which has not already been creased.

Painting

Let your children create their own masterpieces:

• Paint on anything - canvases, paper, cardboard, fabric, foam, wood, paper bags, paper plates, cardboard rolls and cardboard boxes.

• Paint with anything - paintbrushes, rollers, fingers, feet, toothbrushes, sponges, scrubbers.

• Carve shapes into potatoes or cut sponge shapes, press into some paint then stamp onto paper for unique prints.

• Paint glue onto paper then sprinkle with glitter, sand or sugar/salt mixed with food dye.

• Paint on glass with permanent or easy to remove paints. Paint a garden or interesting pattern on a window that looks onto a brick wall.

Paper Craft

Papercraft is exactly that - any craft involving paper such as Origami, Scrapbooking or Card making in other sections of this site. It also includes paper modelling and punch craft. Patterns, materials and tools can easily be found on the internet and also in craft, toy and department stores. Paper punches are now available in lots of exciting shapes such as letters, flowers, animals, hearts, stars and lots more. Paper crimping and embossing tools are also easy to find.

Papier-mâché & piñatas

Papier-mâché projects are great to work on over a few days or at least a week before a party.

Three papier-mâché glue recipes are: three parts water to one part plain white flour then boil for 2-3 minutes while stirring with a whisk; or three parts water to one part wallpaper glue powder (found at hardware stores); or one part PVA/craft glue with one part water. However, if you are making something which may be ingested, use the flour/water recipe as it is non-toxic. If you are in a humid area use less water.

Select your preferred recipe and mix well. Cover your work area as it can get quite messy. Use old newspapers or magazines and tear strips with the grain of the paper. 

Blow up and tie off a balloon to the size desired. Leaving the tied off end to hold on to, cover the rest of the balloon with strips of paper which have been dipped into the glue mixture and gently pulled through index and middle fingers to wipe off excess. Cover with a minimum of three layers which will take about a day to dry in a warm dry spot. If planning to paint then cover the last layer with white paper. If you want a thicker piñata you might cover with additional layers after the first 3 are dry.

Once dry, pop the balloon which should pull away from the inside and remove through the small uncovered end. Paint or decorate with long thin strips of tissue or crepe paper and fill with your preferred goodies. Thread strong string or wool at the open end, then seal with a couple of layers of papier-mâché .