Crafts w/2yo

Hi girls! A couple weeks ago, I was trapped in my tiny apartment with 2 sick 2yo's. A bunch of you suggested crafts to pass the time. So, I ran right out and picked up a bunch of supplies. But, of course, I'm an idiot. I have no idea how to teach my kids about crafting. I got them some glue sticks and foam creatures to glue to paper and whatnot. My daughter thinks the glue stick is a crayon despite my desperately trying to prove to her that it's not. My son is keeps getting frustrated and angry when the creature gets "stuck" to the paper. Clearly, this is not working. How did you guys introduce crafts to your kids??

Thanks in advance for all of the advice!
Jenny

 

Maybe glue isn't the answer right now (but I have to admit, I'm laughing at your son being frustrated that everything is stuck to the paper)

 

We do lots of coloring. I bought some pipe cleaners, little fuzzy balls, googly eyes. My 4 year old like to make things, the 2 year olds just like to play with the stuff. I would hide the glue stick for awhile!!
Play doh is a huge hit as well.

 

It's a work in progress. My DD loves to sit and draw (color). She also likes to play with stickers. Putting stickers on paper, etc... DS will start to do a project, but usually loses interest really quick. I have a favorite website Toddler Station that I get alot of ideas from. PLUS they have templates that you can easily print out and use. Sometimes it is more "activities" then it is craft. For example, the other day I printed off the numbers 1, 2 and 3 and the letters A, B, C and used some cups and a diaper box we had laying around for a "toddler skeetball" game.. Today, the activity is lion masks. I found a lion mask template online and printed it. I'll let them color it, glue it on a paper plate and glue some yarn on for hair. We'll see how it goes. :unknw: Often times I plan all these things and get them set up and they are interested for all of 2 minutes! :headbang: BUT....I still keep trying!!

:good: Good for you that your giving it a try!!

 

I model what we are doing, but then I really let them do their own thing. Maybe they aren't ready for glue yet. I know one of my daughters used to get frustrated with stickers because she wanted to move them around. My mom found books that have glossy pages and stickers, so my DD can peel them up and reposition them. I'm getting them colorforms for christmas too and I think she'll love them. GL introducing "Art" to your little ones!

 

At 2 we did a lot of crafty things----big hits were:

fingerpainting (messy but fun)
stamping(use washable ink)
play doh
stickers
pom pom balls (they loved to just 'play' with them)
chalk
fat markers
sticky foam art
watercolors (washable)
easy art projects (look at www.first-school.ws and www.dltk-kids.com/)
cooking (breaking apart cookies and putting on sheets, stirring muffin mix)
shaving cream play (stains, watch out)
pour glue in random patterns on paper (bottle) and put glitter on it
make 'crowns' with construction paper and decorate (scribble on)
collages--cut out pictures in magazines (you do) and they tape/glue/paste on paper mine liked to do food from the ads at that age


I like crafts and dont mind the mess...so we did a lot of them!

 

The glue is gone! I think mostly they just glued each other. Ack!! I'm still peeling glue off my daughter. One of my biggest problems with crafts is that I really have no place to do them. We've been sitting on the floor. So, all the painting is out. Maybe in the tub? They love stamps. I'll give that a try next. I love the idea of colorforms! Tried it with felt that I cut into shapes for them to play with. Total disaster. Maybe the real thing will work better. Where did you find them?

Bex, where are you in NoVA? I'm in Montgomery County. Have you found any fun things to do with your kiddo's -- besides Clemyjontri, which I am obsessed with!

Thanks for all the awesome suggestions!!!

 

I love the idea of colorforms! Tried it with felt that I cut into shapes for them to play with. Total disaster. Maybe the real thing will work better. Where did you find them?
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Amazon!

 

I get a lot of ideas from this site. And for gluing stuff, I'll handle the glue, and just put the correct qty down in the right spot for them, and ask them to "squish" whatever it is down. They seem to think the "squishing" is fun. And for the first several crafts, Bryan had the same problem w/ things being stuck down, but he's better now. We made "shape scarecrows" the other day, it went really well, and the boys are quite proud of them!

Some things are hits, some are not, and sometimes I end up doing almost all of the work, but then they still have fun playing with the result, so I don't mind. I try to do something at least 3 times a week or so, just because we're so bored!

 

Sit them in their high chairs!

 

At this age you have to remember it is the process not the product you have at the end. Most of the time whatever we have "produced" is destroyed and gets tossed.

We enjoy-

-Getting naked in the shower and finger painting on the shower stall (and self and each other!). Let them wipe down the walls when done and then just hose it all off. Mess contained.

-playdough. At our house this is a time when you are allowed to sit and stand on the table. Sometimes you have to get your feet involved. Particularly fun is hiding things in the playdough, like matchbox cars, little pet shop animals, etc.

-Finger painting with shaving cream. Can be done in shower or at a table. Can add food coloring to prolong the fun. This can be messy to clean up, but your table will be well moisturized!

-In warmer weather- big sheets of paper and plates/tins of paint. Roll balls, walk through it, run cars around in it. I only do this outside. You can also hang a sheet on the line and let kids splash paint on it. Toss in the laundry when done.

-Neat and quick- stickers.

You have years ahead of you to produce cute things. Just have fun now!

 

I to get frustrated doing arts and crafts with my 2 year olds.. They can do it at school no problem - but do it at home they last all of 2 minutes...


Stickers: Yea, stickers... We have stickers on EVERY surface of our house from our floor to our ceiling (how, I don't know) to DH and my work clothes/boots... They love 'em, we hate 'em.

Crayons: Well they do pretty good with crayons, chalk, colored pencils. Markers not so much they like to write on the walls with the markers.

Play Doh: Might work now, but when we first tried they just wanted to eat it.

Glue: I don't let them have glue, even the glue sticks, they just don't grasp the concept yet.

Foamies: Man do I HATE foamies! I peel (we get the self stick ones) they stick, I peel, they stick, etc.. . And then they tear them all off again. I just don't like all the peeling.

Pipecleaners: We tried that at 2.5 and they really didn't get it. I had glued a bunch of pom-poms and google eyes and such, made shapes out of them - the only one interested in them was my 11 month old.


The one thing that works best for us and we keep falling back to is crayons and coloring. They will color all day long if I let them..

Good luck, it's DEFINETLY a work in progress!

 

Mine like to fingerpaint....I don't like the mess. The most amazing invention is the crayola color wonder finger paints. Other than it being like lip gloss on your table, it is pretty mess free. It wipes up really easy! I would definately recommend it!!