DDs got a huge box of A & C stuff ... I just don't know where to start with it all! Help!

[MamaG]

All the following in different colours:-

pipecleaners
feathers
glitter
glitter-glue
foamy shapes
plastic shapes
pompoms (various sizes)

I just don't know what to DO with it all

Oh gawd do you know, I think those particular type of craft sets are just wank, I really do

they just sit around making you feel guilty for not making divine creations with them, but they don't actually inspire you to MAKE anything at all

BIN THEM I SAY

she got 4 of them last birthday and 3 at Christmas FGS

what CAN you do with them? Nothing!

Yeah, maybe I'll just bin em!

I sometimes think that ELC is just a front for the secret and sinister redistribution of pompoms and foam shapes

lol yes

I lookd at it all and thought it was the offcuts from actual STUFF.

box of wnak

I would keep the pompoms, feathers and pipe cleaners - and bin the rest. I have found the feathers and pipe cleaners useful for making animal masks, and the kids use the pom poms combined with the pipe cleaners to make spiders - but the rest is junk.

I give mine a big bit of thick coloured paper and lots of glue and they create thier own 'freestyle' masterpieces! I have no idea what they are but they love doing it!

Pmsl. Leave them to get on with it, hopefully theyll just use it all in one go, mine would. Our school does the Easter bonnet thing, use a strip of card and let them stick to their hearts content, join the ends of the card together to make a hat.

DS would LOVE all that crap. He costs me a bloody fortune in 'craft' stuff.

Just give him some paper and a glue stick and let him get on with it. (you may of course have to feign excitment first though)

make men out of pipecleaners, or twist to make jewellery. (or clean alot of pipes)

stick feathers onto a parrot shape

glitter/glitter glue - keep to decorate home made cards

foamy shapes - stick on lolly sticks and bung in a plant

pompoms - stick on googly eyes and admire

you can't make anything nice out of that stuff

silk purse-sow's ear etc.

just tip the whole lot out on the table, give her a big piece of paper and a few cardboard boxes, some glue and let her go nuts. (Then you can ditch it all afterwards if that is what you are secretly aiming for because it will all be covered in glue.)

who cares if they make something nice - they will have fun doing it!

You can use the feathers to make skirts for apper dolls- just cut a top from pretty paper and glue lots of feathers to the bottom. Works a treat!

Otherwise YOU don't need to be inspired. Give them somoe mask shaped blanks, egg boxes, ceral boxes and see what THEY do, that's the wholempoint and its excellent for them.

Glitter glue is fab for ewither writing messages on cards, or using as a glue for items that don't stick with the regulation pritt stick or PVA.

Foam is never a waste: I use it underneath images and things as an extra layer to give that 3d effect. Any old foam will do for that.

dont bin it - thats sinful, lol

just let them make a mess with it, tis 'nowt funner

let her have fun with it !! if you can't bear the mess wait for a sunny day & do it outside . . . i'd just get it out as a treat when she's bored then make a cup of tea grab a heat mag & sit in the sun with her . . .