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when you're stamping. Mine are 6 and 31/2 years and 3 weeks old. Up to now I've had a pretty hard and fast rule that 'the stamping stuff is Maman's and you are not to touch'. My boys love to do crafts and I've always felt guilty that I haven't included them in this hobby. I read an earlier post of someone's 5 year old brother stamping and felt even worse. I admit that I am quite anal when it comes to keeping supplies clean and in order. Does anyone have any ideas on how to include little ones.
Thanks
Roxanne
You might want to give them some inexpensive supplies that are their very own. Some inexpensive, washable inks and foam stamps, and cardstock. Keep it special just for them, and only get it out when you are stamping. That way they can have theirs, and you can keep yours separate, and clean and in order.
I don't blame you for not wanting to let them use your "stuff", and don't feel guilty about it! It's good for them to know that Mommy has her own stuff.
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I have decided that I can get over the fact that my girls (5 and 8 ) are going to get ink on the wood and that is okay. It doesn't hurt anything, although they sure look ugly sometimes. I did buy them inexpensive ink pads from Hobby Lobby. There are a few colors and they are regular price $1.99. If they cross contaminate their colors, they have to deal with it. LOL They are actually really good about cleaning between colors though. ;) I let them use my cardstock also. I make them precut colored cards and then pieces of white. I EVEN let them my US white. LOL Then, they can use my watercolor pencils. BUT, mostly everything else is off limits. They have their own little craft box and they can only use what is in it with the exception of the stamps. Just put in there what you can live without... just in case!
I have a washable rainbow stamp pad and some dollar stamps from Michael's that I will let my almost 3 year old play with. I saw on another post that the Dollar Spot at Target put out new stuff and it has lots of kids stamping supplies. I might check that out tomorrow myself.
Hello,
I don't know if I have the right behaviour towards it.
I have two children who are five years old and eight months old.
My five-year-old daughter enjoys stamping. I offered her a few stamps and sometimes I let her use mine telling her that I like them a lot as much as she loves her toys. And, I ask her to be careful and she is ... even if I have a lot of work with cleaning them afterwards. But, she is so happy stamping:rolleyes:
In fact she stamps on several pages. Then, I have time for myself while she is coloring stamped pages.
I don't know if it helps?
My boys are 7, 6 and 4. My oldest really isn't into it but my 6 and 4 year old love to stamp, paint, anything craft related. I have certain stamp sets, ink pads, markers, brushes, paints, etc they can use. So, if a blue image gets stamped on the yellow ink pad, I'm not having a fit about it.
I do the clean up so I try to get things as clean as I can.
Whenever I'm at Michaels I pick up cheap paint brushes, markers, and clearance stamps. I also buy the big jars of tempra (sp?) paints.
Hi!
My kids are quite grown up now compared to yours. Mine are currently 18, 15 and 8-1/2. The oldest two are boys and our youngest is a girl.
When I first started stamping I purchased stamps that I could use but were for the boys to use. I didn't care how or where the ink got on the stamps and I did train the boys to be careful, clean as they go and they quickly learned to keep their ink pads clean. I bought them kids safe ink pads. The boys had a lot of foam mounted cars, trucks, bugs and alphabets.
Sometimes I would just stamp a bunch of images with black ink on white paper, copy weight paper, and the boys would color as I worked. The boys lost interest in stamping when they hit 10. Although they do stamp an occasional card for a friend or their sister.
Same with our daughter, first she'd use the foam stamps and then graduated to my stamps. She's a lot more interested in crafting. She does a lot of painting with watercolor paints, she even has her own waterbrush and watercolor pencils.
Another real important rule was that these are Mom's and could only be used with permission. Do not feel guilty about having things that are just yours. Kids need to learn boundaries. My kids were good about leaving things alone, although with our youngest I did keep the kids sliding locks on the cabinets until she was about 4. Just to keep her out of stuff.
A lot of times I'm stamping or coloring in and DD is working on something usually involving glue when younger and now painting. Not using my stuff, but working along with me. As she's gotten older and better with her supplies she's been treated to better ink pads, better brushes, better paper and paints and such.
It's really an age thing. Playdough is a really good thing for the younger boy, he can even push stamps into the playdough. You can buy them air dry clay and let them make things. Even eraser clay is a lot of fun at their ages.
A lot of time I'd craft while they were napping, after they've gone to bed or when they were watching a movie. Me time is "Me time" and there is nothing wrong with that, sometimes I can create with the kids underfoot and sometimes I can't. And sometimes DD just doesn't want to craft when I'm able to craft.
Relax and enjoy them and their art while their young. As many can attest they will be up and gone soon enough.
That's a great idea to get them their own less expensive supplies...even better, I like that they are in a box and are not used all the time. That probably makes it more special for them. Washable ink pads here I come! Do they sell earplugs at Michael's too!?! Just joking, kinda.
Mine are 8 and 6. They have their own kiddie pads from the back of the catalog. And, I recently got them the kid markers, although they don't know it yet. Each has their own sets of SU stamps and many cheapos. One year for Christmas, I got my DD the Buttons, Bows & Twinkletoes & DS Toy Box. DD sometimes borrows certains stamps of mine. She's very careful and respectful of my stuff. And, I get to borrow their stamps. I buy paper at the craft store for them.
I've stamped since DD was 2 so she doesn't know anything else...its a part of her life. DD (5) has her own shelf with her own inkpads. Some are SU Sell a bration sets I didn't care for or had dups of when I was a demo. She has her own little table in my stamp room and stamp scrub. She has had this stuff since she was 3...she started with EK Success Chalk wedges and a Versamark.
As she has gotten older I will let her use some of my things as she is very careful. She just stamped her name on all her valentines and she got to use one of my inkpads and sit in my big chair...any that she wanted...it was like the whole candy store was her very own.
I have my scraps separated by color in the large cello bags in a plastic bin so if she's making something she has free reign over my scraps. Heck, I couldn't possibly use them all.
She is pretty good so I got her a mini paper cutter and that day I was mom of the year.
Overall, you have to be firm with the rules, but also include them. Some of my fondest memories of my times with my daughter are when we are stamping. Its still MY stuff and she respects that. I've even told her that everything else of mine is just normal stuff, but my stamping and scrapping stuff is VERY special to me. Because its special to me, she treats it with respect.
I've also started calling the stamp room "our stamp room". Good luck and remember...set boundaries and stick to them and happy mom/kid times will be had...
Edited to Add: Give a kid some scrap c/s and a punch and you have a happy kid!! I had about 100 leaves all over my room one day!!
My (very energetic) boys are now 6 and 4, but they've been stamping with me since they were old enough to stop chewing on the stamps! I've never seen them so calm and mellow as when they're in my stamp room with me. They know they have to follow the rules, or they'll have to leave (the first one being that I have to be in the room also . . .) They pretty much have free reign over anything in the room, except my special scissors, and they respect that supplies shouldn't be wasted, etc.
Sometimes I discover I have confetti everywhere, and that my punches/scissors have been used to construct a "bumpy road" for their cars to dive on - on the floor and out the door . . . or that my alphabet stamps have been built into the worlds tallest block tower . . .but typically there are no surprises and someone ends up receiving a fun card later on.
Some other things that make it special for them is when I ask them to help me with something - putting stamps back in a case, cleaning a set, organizing boxes for a stamp camp, or hunting for a missing supply - and nothing tops being asked to climb under the desk in search of an eyelet I dropped on the carpet!
Often it is cramped - with me, 2 boys and 2 dogs (sleeping right where I want to stand), but they boys enjoy it and no one can believe I allow them in there, when they see them in their "normal mode"!
My kids each have a basket in my scrapbooking room and a little area where they can scrap while Mama is working They love just being in there with me, doing their thing. Does it take a bit longer to do what i'm doing? Totally. Do i get frustrated at times? Absoloutly. Is it worth it to be sharing the time with my kiddos? 100%!!!
Its usually about them wanting to be in with Mama as much as it is about them wanting to stamp/scrap, i think.
my 4 year old stamps with me. when we stamp together - I know most of my time is spent helping her. She knows to wash the stamps off and does that with a little reminding (before changing colors). She loves to glue pieces of paper, ribbon, buttons etc on. I think it's more important for her to spend fun time with me then for me to do a work of art. BUT sometimes I have to stamp alone and then I tell her mommy has to finish this project and then we can play together. I don't want her to think my supplies or stamping is more important than she is but I also want her to understand that these things cost a lot of money and so far this works good for me.
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My kids are 6.5, 4, and 5mo's. The older ones have stamped since they could hold a stamp. I also have a separate box with washable ink and cheap stamps. On special occasions, they are allowed to use my stuff under my watchful eye. I saw that Ang517 has a stamping area set up in her workspace for her DD. I love that idea.
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Bridget
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My youngest is a 17 year old and he (all 190 lbs.) is pretty careful with my stuff! LOL! Hang in there, I'm 50 and my 6 kids, 17-30, finally don't mess with my stuff!
Both of my DDs (7 1/2 and 5) like to stamp when I am stamping. I started them off like some of the other posters have said - foam stamps and inexpensive pads. I usually buy them cards and envelopes when they go on sale at M's. I recently gave them the retired markers, pads (or spots) and cardstock. They are pretty good about cleaning the stamps when finished but I do cover the table surface with butcher paper when they are working.
I have a 7 year old DD & a 4 year old DS. They have both stamped with me since they were probably 18 months (I put a rug over the carpet incase they dropped an ink pad on the floor). I bought the kid stamp pads from Hobby Lobby when they were half off. They have some of their own stamps, but usually use my SU sets. I don't care that the wood is a little stained, but they usually do pretty good. In my craft room I have a child's desk and an extra table for them to sit at while I stamp. I usually give them plain white card stock and my scrap papers. They love to stamp and love mailing their creations to cousins & grandparents.
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My kids (6, 5, 2) can use the cheapie ink pads, they have a pile of construction paper I picked up from Sam's Club, and the scissors or punches, glue sticks, etc...whenever they want. Our dining room is called the "art room" since we've basically taken it over with family projects.
I also accept that inked up rubber and wood is only cosmetic and doesn't hurt the image when I use the stamp. So occasionally I'll let my daughter use my SU stamps. But there is a drawer of non SU stamps that is readily available too. And I let them pick out stamps from the dollar bin at Michael's too.
I'm even more casual these days about my ink pads. Once in a while I'll let my daughter use the pinks. But maybe I should just go out and buy an inexpensive pink colored pad for her.
I want my kids to be involved and so I pretty much let them use my scraps and pick out ribbon on occasions.
Stamping is so much more fun when you share it what someone!
You've all inspired me to put together a 'kids stamping box'. I let my 6 yr. old use one of my punches today to make a Valentine card and just watching him was so sweet! So I started a wish list for this box and it will include washable ink in 5 or more colors, crayola markers, scissors, inexpensive stamps from Michael's and I'll try to add a set from SU with my smaller orders, punches, glue, papers, envelopes, baby wipes, and a couple wheels from SU. I figure most of these items we already have and they already use.
Are there any other items that you would include in this kit?
Thank you to everyone for responding to this thread and motivating me to include my children in this hobby.
Roxanne
From Michaels I have purchased all the $1 Michaels stamp for my 6 year old daughter. I also buy their cardstock when it's on sale. I purchased the SU! kids stamp pads and markers and Stickles glitter and a few gel pens from the local stamp store. I store all of her stamping things in two plastic shoe boxes that I purchased at Target. When I attend my monthly stamp club meeting, I bring her two boxes with us and she creates some cards too.
Diane
P.S I do like the idea of giving her some of my duplicate SAB sets.
Last edited by Ldyglfr62; 02-14-2006 at 09:16 PM..
Reason: Spelling correction
I'm pretty particular with my craft supplies. However, my DD (8 in 4 days) made all her own valentines this year and had a great time (and did a FABULOUS JOB...!). Tonight she made a card for her teacher. I am rethinking how important it is for me to hold on to what I think of as "mine." How valuable is this to nuture this relationship with her? I'm not sorry I held off though since she is old enough to be responsible. My younger daughter (almost 4) I help ink the stamps and hand them off to her to have fun with. Best idea is this. You know your kids. Be the mom you need to be with them. Boundaries are OK until you hold onto them too tightly.
I have 5 year old and a 2 year old and I actually my 5 year old was stamping long before me! Before I discovered stamping, I had gotten him foam stamps and cheap pads, around the time he turned 1. I started stamping right before he turned 3 I have started sharing my stamps with him now, he is very respectful of my stuff. Lately he has gottne adventuresome, I tend to leave everything out on the kitchen table when I am done at night, this morning he surprised me with two cards he made for a friend and his bus driver, he had cut the card stock in half with my cutter and folded it, then with his crayone colored in buses. I was surprised he had used the paper cutter so well, he must really me watching me! I didn't scold him I asked if he used mommys paper cutter and he said yes, I just stressed he should be very careful it is sharp and he said he knew. A few days ago I gave him my valentines day related stamps and some of my ink pads and some baby wipes and told him how he had to wipe them off in between colors, I was busy and not watching over him he did great.
How do you include your kids.....
