Where do you get your inspiration for making things with your DCs?

[Loueytb3]

I am not crafty at all. I can handle following a set of instructions to make things but haven't got any imagination to create something from scratch. I have until very recently left all craft stuff to school/childminders to do, partly because my eldest were not that interested in craft and DTS1 has ASD so getting him to sit and concentrate has been a nightmare.

However, over the weekend I helped DTS1 make a thank you card for his teachers (with glitter, must have been mad!) and it was quite fun. I would really like to do more of it and with the summer holidays coming up I thought it would be a good thing to break up the boredom especially as the weather is just crap.

But I don't know where to start. Where do you find ideas to do this stuff - websites/books etc. I have been to hobbycraft and seen they do kits to make things but they look too difficult for my DTs at the moment (they're 5). I need ideas for simple projects that don't take ages to do.

DLTK Kids

Activity Village

As a CM I used these two most :)

Thank you! I knew there must be something out there. Have been on the activity village website and there are some good olympics ideas so I'm going to do a couple of those to start with.

I nick ideas from Hobbycraft and Yellow Moon aswell - I look at the kits and decide i can probably buy the ingredients and make the things myself!

Mostly Mr Maker and Doodle Doo!

this blog red ted art is really useful for ideas. Also the disney family site is great

Thanks QueenMaeve - had a quick look and there are some great ideas on there. I really like the alphabet handprint ones - simple but DCs will love that (and it helps that their names all begin with different letters).

Also I saw a great idea on pinterest. You get a basin or bowl of water & throw in wee dinosaurs or plastic toys. Freeze it, then let them 'excavate' them by breaking off the ice with small hammer. Going to do this with my younger ds I think they'd love it.
Also a bucket of water and a paint brush and letting them 'paint' a wall or fence keeps them busy for ages!

Pinterest is a fantastic resource for craft stuff, for kids or otherwise - I think lots of us have craft boards with ideas & tutorials pinned - I know I do

If you are not on there already, feel free to PM me an email address & I will send you an invite - its the easiest way to get in & will allow you to see my craft board too - - also check out people who have "pinned" from it - they wil also have other craft stuff pinned - but in short, there is LOADS of great stuff to do with kids of all ages on there :)

I also used to give DD giant chalks when small & let her loose in our yard - she decorated EVERYTHING, from tree, to rabbit hutch walls & beyond - but it would always rain over night DH or I would hose it down & then she could do it all again the next day

kept her occupied for days on end - I think there was something very appealing about being ALLOWED to draw wherever she liked out there :)

Definitely Pinterest.

I love www.theimaginationtree.com It is absolutely fantastic for kids craft, messy and sensory play ideas. HTH