Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Crafts-a lot Contributor, Mable who is an avid reader of craft blogs & magazines and has aspirations to improve her crafting skills. Join Mable on Facebook to socialize and share with other crafters!

If you have a creative child around, there are many great craft supplies to keep them busy, and keep you worry-free. Keep the right supplies on hand, and crafting with your kid can be fun and help you build memories that can last well into their lives.

Lightweight, versatile, and fun, paper mache is a unique craft for your toddlers to work with. You can either get pre-made shapes and boxes that a kid can paint and keep, or make your own paper mache creations. It is perfect for young kids because the paste is simply water and flour, totally non-toxic. They’ll love the gooey squishy feeling of the paste. If you’re not feeling like cleaning up a very sticky toddler, opt for the pre-made shapes and boxes. Things can be glued to them, or they can be painted with a simple poster paint. After they’re done, you will have a fun keepsake to display.

Here are some great paper mache projects to inspire your crafty kid:

3D Papier Mache Sculptures – Modern Art 4 Kids

Once you get the frame together, you can help your child attach the paper and paste around the letter. Once it’s dry, give them some paint and let them go crazy. You’ll get two days of crafting from one project! To avoid the mess, you can also purchase pre-made paper mache letters.

Jack O Lantern Gift Box – Think Crafts

Make a gift box for any occasion by painting and decorating a pre-made paper mache box. They come in countless shapes and sizes. You can decorate them for storage, jewelry boxes, and more.

Paper Mache Piggy Banks – Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

This is a tutorial for an unbreakable piggy bank using a plastic container. You could also cut a slit in the lid, and a paper mache box becomes a piggy bank. Teach your kids how to save in a piggy bank that won’t hurt you if it breaks.

Papier Mache Pizzas – Molly Moo

Make paper mache play food for fun after you’re done crafting. You will have to set up the template, but you can let your kids paint the food however they want when you’re done. These pizzas use only cardboard, so they’ll be lightweight and easy for kids to handle when they’re dry.

For more information on paper mache, making your own, and the pre-made shapes available, visit the Paper Mache Buying Guide.