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Hi. I will be doing a few kids classes over the summer for crafting. I don't have young kids and don't have stamps anymore that young kids would like. I'm really looking for two things...
1) Stamp sets (coordinating dies for me are good too) for ages 4 - 10. I realize this will need more than one stamp set.
2) Crafty ideas. I thought I could have them make a bookmark and something else. I was considering the shaving cream technique since it's so fun. They could do that for a card.
I made some coasters for someone and she thought maybe her kids could make them but I explained that there's a lot of time involved for glue drying.
I'm open to any ideas. I need to be able to order the stamps right away though. Any brand of stamp is fine. I prefer not to use wood mounted stamps but would be willing to if that was the best available.
I would suggest using foam stamps and making place mats. The foam stamps are in the children's craft section. If they want, parents can have the place mats laminated. Place mats would give the kids more room than a book mark to play around.
If they are old enough to manage it, they could stamp on paper cut out the images. Then they could use double sided tape. That would eliminate the need for drying time and would not buckle the paper like wet mediums.
Glitter glue is always a hit. Also felt pieces, construction paper in different colors, buttons, pony beads, and any other ephemera you can find. Oriental trading is a great resource and prices are exceptionally low.
Hope this helps.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
Check out Hobby Lobby and also Walmart's kids section for craft supplies. Kids especially like the foam die cuts. They come in alphas, and also lots of fun shapes and colors and are very inexpensive.
Sometimes the younger kids have trouble using scissors and cutting things out. I know because my daughter has 8 kids that I've done lots of projects with.
Also, Hobby Lobby has large ink pads in washable ink to use with stamps.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I've done the shaving cream card with a small group of 7-12 year olds at church....they loved it. I even had a few shape punches for them to punch their newly created masterpiece, the girls of course loved the flowers and butterflies.
I will say, make sure you have something to cover their clothes in...it was a bit messy. I was glad we did it outside.
Here is a neat craft by the Frugal Crafter. I subscribe to her blog and she has some really great ideas. It's bracelets made with fabric scraps and water bottles. Here is a link:
I run a kids craft club for homeschoolers. I've preplanned and precut projects and they've put them together. This has worked for cards and mason jars that we decorated for them to fill with cake/brownie mixes for holiday gifts. We've also made corner bookmarks and tags and lots of other things. By precutting, I mean the card base, the layers of a cricut design or another svg cut, etc. I precut all of the pieces, then they glue them together. Then I usually put out two or three embossing folders, and 2 or 3 border punches, and this lets them have a little bit of choice to make their projects a little unique. I also try to utilize a different technique each time. (ie inlaid embossing, stamping a background, etc). As I"m typing I'm thinking it might be nice to add in art terms too, like contrast, and texture for example, and demonstrate those...
This takes a lot of prep time and forethought since the kids are various ages and abilities. One time I didn't have a lot of time and I threw together a class that worked really well. I put out 3 "blanks." These were a die to make a tag, a die to make a card base, and a die to make a box. Then, according to a theme (it was Christmas this time), I put out several punches, several emb folders, border punches, sentiments, stamps, dies etc. all relating to the theme. I make stations with these items. Then I put out 3 or 4 color coordinated papers and neutrals. So, they chose which "blank" they wanted as their base, then decorated the way they wanted to. I also put out candies that would fit into the box. Since everything was color coordinated, it all looked good no matter what the kids did. At the beginning of the class, I introduced the new kids to the products and how to use the machines. It was a nice change from how I usually run the classes, and a real break for me in terms of prep time.
I have bought tweezers for each child, and glue pens as well. I also find it works pretty well to have a container of some sort at the top of each child's work space in which to put their tools and loose pieces. It's amazing how quickly things get lost. And, I also put each child's name on a post it note on the floor in a different room as a place for them to put each project as they complete it. This helps (a little bit, lol) with keeping the work surface clean and helps the moms collect the items to take home. It's still a lot of work and I"m generally pretty sweaty trying to keep up with everything, but it's lots of fun, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to do it. Crafters have been very generous with donations of their unwanted supplies to my group, or allowed me to buy at really good prices and I'm very grateful and appreciative. The moms just love having little gifts to be able to give out for the various holidays. I don't charge the families, as again, I am blessed to be able to do it.
Karen
Last edited by KarenBinPa; 05-27-2014 at 08:50 AM..
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
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I think the shaving creme bookmarks are a great idea! I have taught pre-k, kindergarten, and led play groups. If Hobby Lobby has the large, washable stamp pads they are great for kids. I've used them, but ordered them from a school supply company.
Yes, check out Pinterest! Keep it simple, unless you have easier projects for the 4-7 yr olds and a different one for the older kids. Pre-cut or die cut would be best, maybe even for the older kids.
I wouldn't set out all the supplies at once. Kids will use it up fast! They won't save any for the next group, if that's how you are setting it up.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Foam stamps are great for 4 year olds and 10 year olds if the craft is right. I found using them to stamp T-shirts is fun for all age groups. My 4 year old granddaughter (she's 6 now) and her 2 cousins who were 12 loved decorating their own t-shirts. They enjoyed making 4th of july cards too with them but I'll admit the 12 year olds prefered to use the wood blocked stamps instead. (more grown up look) We also used the cricut (they all loved that) to cut some 3" flowers out of red white and blue printed flowers and glued them to bamboo skewers for table centerpieces for our 4th of july picnic. It is so much fun crafting with kids!
I did crafts with 4th graders when my daughter was teaching. I bought wood cut outs for holidays and let them paint and decorate them with all kinds of embellishments. We did Valentines. I let them use embossing folders with my Cuttlebug. I also let them use embossing powder and I was one to use the heat gun on it. They thought it was magic! I also got precut puzzles at Joann's. These they stamped on and colored for Mother's and Father's Day. Another project we used polymer clay on. You can stamp on polymer clay! You have to bake it then let them paint if it is not colored and then embellish them.
I work with kids a lot but usually one on one. I have even worked with a man who is severely handicapped at age 27. It does help if it's one sex. Boys will NOT do flowers and butterflies. Girls will do anything. Ages 4-10 is perfect. My suggestion is have to projects ready, one for boys, one for girls. Boys love metal techniques. That only requires hardware store tape. Girls love everything. So give them a choice of two projects. You don't say how many kids and how much time. Cracked glass is another thing that WOWS them and clocks are great for both. I've had 5 year olds create amazing projects. I would not buy stamps. Use what you have. Kids are pretty resilient. I've worked with kids in the age group you described. They are receptive to ALL ideas and love everything. Just show them something new, a technique, an animal stamp or something unisex if you want to make it easy on yourself. My bet, you will have MORE fun than they will.
Help please...I need your stamping/ crafty advice
