Author: Natalie Davis

I have always made it a point to spend time with my kids doing something creative. Not only does it give us time away from TVs and tablets, but it also gives us time together. Rock painting is one of my favorite inexpensive and easy crafts to do with kids, plus they make great gifts. First you need rocks. You can purchase smooth, round and oblong river rocks at the craft store, or you can go on a nature walk in your yard or at your favorite park and find some uniquely shaped stones to paint. Imagining what your rock…

This Valentine’s Day, love bugs are a great project for the little ones in your life. Plus, you get to recycle! Kids can practice their tracing and cutting skills as they make the heart wings for their love bugs. For the real young ones, parents can provide pre-cut hearts, available right now in the seasonal craft section of your favorite retail store. Toilet paper tubes or paper towel cardboard tubes. You can experiment with different heights. Acrylic paint in pink, red, purple or any color you choose. Paint brushes Scissors Glue or hot glue Foam craft sheets in pink, red,…

1. Lay your first color of tape, sticky side down, on your cutting mat. Put down strips of tape to make a rectangle roughly the size of an 8 ½-inch-by-11-inch sheet of paper. 2. Gently peel up your rectangle and flip your tape over so the sticky side is facing up. 3. Lay strips of your second color of duct tape directly on top of your first rectangle. Trim the edges so they are straight and square. 4. Pick which side of your duct tape fabric you would like to be the outside of your pencil case. Once you…

Looking for a fun alternative to candy to contribute to your child’s classroom Valentine’s Day celebration? Melted crayon hearts are a simple way to create a personalized message of affection and friendship. They’re beautiful, fun to color with — and they use up all the broken crayons lying around the house! MATERIALS Silicone Baking Molds in Heart Shapes: Available at Michaels or on Amazon Crayons: I have a huge bucket of crayons collected over the course of three children. Any wax crayon will do. (Some of my crayons had glitter in them, which added a nice effect.) Baking Sheet…

Assemble your materials — many of which you probably already have on hand — to make a holiday craft that can be creative and fun for all ages. Embrace the learning and the mess! But also be prepared with plenty of paper towels (or rags) for drying your snowflakes and wiping away drips. Supplies • White Coffee Filters • Washable Markers • Spray Bottle with Water • Paper Straws • Wagon Wheel Pasta • White Paint • Glue • Paper Towels Steps Color your coffee filters with your washable markers. My daughter Everly and I discovered that the…

October is the perfect time of year to create some home-made, DIY Halloween decorations. And what’s better than a spooky glow lantern! You can make your own with affordable supplies and just a few easy steps. Materials One bag of cotton balls One package of spider rings or fake spiders, snakes or anything spooky you find in the Halloween section of your local store.  Mason jars One package of glow sticks Steps Start by dropping a few cotton balls into the bottom of the mason jar. Bend and crack your glow stick to turn it on. Place it in the…

These simple magnets are a fun way to add some personality to your refrigerator while displaying notes, artwork and photos. SUPPLIES Wooden Clothespins Multi-Colored Pom Poms Pipe Cleaners Googly Eyes Craft Foam Sheets Adhesive Magnetic Strips Hot Glue Gun or Tacky Glue Acrylic Paint Paint Brushes Rinse Cup STEPS Step 1: First decide what kind of critter you would like to create. (There are many ideas on Pinterest.) Step 2: Paint the clothespins the color you want the bases of your critters to be and let them dry. Tip: You can use an extra clothespin to hold the one…

Keep cool this summer with some paper fans, an inexpensive craft that is not only fun but also functional. We’re going to go over step-by-step how to make two different styles of kid-friendly paper fan: an accordion style and a Japanese style. The Japanese style fan is a little bit more complex and will require some adult supervision, but both types only need a few supplies and should provide a fun afternoon activity! Accordion Folded Circle Fan Materials Patterned Paper in a variety of colors and styles: A pad of scrapbook paper in a summery theme can be purchased at Wal-Mart for…

As we go through this unprecedented time of uncertainty, many of us are confined to our homes, worrying about germs and searching desperately for anything antibacterial or sanitizing. So, I thought what better time for a Mother’s Day craft that involves soap? Don’t be intimidated, friends; it’s really easy. Supplies Needed: Soap making kit. I bought a basic kit for beginners from Michaels, available in store or via curbside pickup. It came with colors and a cucumber melon scent. I also have some essential oils that I used for a lavender scent. Dried flowers or miniature 3D shapes to add…

Struggling with family gift ideas? You can create a holiday keepsake ornament with just a few supplies and some sweet, smiling kiddos. Supplies Camera or smart phone Cardstock or photo paper Color printer 4″ clear snap-on plastic ball ornaments Holiday bows and bells Hot glue gun Scissors Steps Have you kids stand in front of a plain background and strike a wintry pose. Take three to four pictures to ensure you have a favorite. Print our their poses on a color printer using thick cardstock or photo paper. Trim the background out of the photos, leaving a small tab at…