Adult crafts that small children can’t destroy....

[TinselTimes]

I used to watercolour, knit, embroider, and patchwork.

But now I have two small boys who are very physical and tactile - it feels like they are constantly leaning on me, on my lap, or just running around in circles.

So I can’t do any crafts that have sharp pokey things that will injure them, or that will fall off the needles if one of them suddenly jumps on me, or will be ruined if they jostle my arm.

Any ideas? I get really fidgety when I’m just chatting/reading with them and want something to do with my hands!

could you bake? things like bread, cakes etc? it's not really a craft as such but it won't easily be ruined whilst your boys are running around, they can help you with it if you allow them. all the best x

Yeah I do bake as well - I’m more looking for things I can be doing while sitting down beside them tbh - they are really clingy (plus fight each other!) so I end up spending a lot of time sitting by their train table, occasionally saying “we SHARE!” And “don’t snatch!” But I’m bored out of my mind.

I find crochet has been a good substitute for knitting...
Also I recently went on a plane and swapped to short plastic needles and they worked brilliantly. I'm making a blanket from knitted squares so short needles are fine - they are actually my first ones from when I learnt to knit as a kid.
Another one is circular needles - I find them better to use around the kids...
What about grownup colouring? Or sketching/drawing but with pencils/felt tips in smaller A5 size sketchbooks if you like to do original pictures.
Also I often grab the tablet/phone and am doing research/ideas stealing!!! for craft projects. The tricky stuff gets done when all kids in bed!

My kids really like rock painting and there are some really nice designs on Pinterest you might enjoy.
I've sprayed ours with clear sealer and just put them in the garden.

Crochet is a bit easier to do around children than knitting, if something gets unravelled its much easier to sort out than dropped stitches in knitting. Something like a granny square blanket or ripple stripes are very easy to do once you get into the rhythm of it and take hardly any concentration at all.

I’ve never tried crochet, sounds like a winner!

Thanks all :)

Kumihimo braiding might work for you if crochet turns out to be too pointy OP.

Thank you, hadn’t heard of kumihimo but like the look of it.