Teachers know that arts and crafts aren’t just something to keep kids busy. It’s an integral part of learning. Making art helps kids think and use their imagination. It helps them explore shapes, colors, and textures. It helps develop coordination, as well as many other benefits that enhance self confidence and self-expression.
Here’s some crafty ideas to help teach the kids in your classroom that learning comes in all forms. And that it’s especially nice when it’s this FUN! So get out the paints, paper, glue, and all the materials you need to start creating. Don’t forget the tools of the trade, like The Original Tube Wringer, to help your students make the most of the things they create.
Craft #1 – Recycled Art
Recycled art is a fun way to teach two concepts at once. Saving the environment and being creative!
This project is wide open for interpretation. Whether your students want to make art collages on paper, create a 3-D structure or statue, or turn it into something usable, the options are endless.
The first step is helping your class decide what kind of art they want to make and what materials
they’ll need. This is a good time to start a discussion with the class about things that get thrown away.
Some examples could be cardboard tubes, egg cartons, straws, colorful wrappers, tin cans, plastic bottles, or cereal boxes. If they’re going to be doing art on paper, make use of things that can be flattened and glued to a flat surface. If you’re showing them how to make a 3-D structure, you could try connecting materials with twist ties or a heavier glue.
Once the projects are made, your students might want to paint them to change the look from recycled items to a piece of art. The Original Tube Wringer will come in handy in all the steps of creation, for things like glue, paints, crimping, and flattening.
This type of art leaves plenty to the imagination!
Craft #2 – Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Cards
Making a personal card for someone you love always shows them how much you care.
To help your students experience that, gather a variety of colored paper, and let the kids decide how to honor the people who care for them. You can also make a non-traditional version of this card and call it, “Special Person Day!”, celebrating any caregiver in their life.
Give the kids suggestions and materials to decorate their cards by gluing hearts, flowers, or other symbols of appreciation onto their cards. Whatever represents their loved ones is fair game. Is Mom a paramedic? Is Dad a cook? Does Grandma love Pickleball? Kids can make their cards special by acknowledging those things that make their loved ones unique.
If the kids are old enough to write, they can include their own personal message. If they’re too young for that, you can ask them what they want to say, and write it for them.
This is a simple project, but probably one of the most loved and treasured keepsakes from childhood days. Be sure and have The Original Tube Wringer on hand. Paint tubes, glues, crimping, and rolling can all be utilized for this one!
Craft #3 – Garden Presses
With Spring right around the corner, nature is a perfect subject for crafting!
Gather leaves, flowers or stems and put them through The Original Tube Wringer for a crimped effect. Then have your class make crayon rubbings on paper of the plants. These beautiful rubbings can be used for bookmarks, greeting cards, or you can hang them with string. If you laminate them, they’ll last even longer!
You can use the original items you all gathered in nature to glue on paper for a collage. Then you’ll have some of spring all season long.
Craft #4- Pretty Paper Tulips
If the weather is too wet or flowers have not yet come up in your neck of the woods, pretty paper tulips are the next best thing.
Have students cut tulip shapes from colored paper and using The Original Tube Wringer, flatten paper straws for stems. Attach the straws to the tulips with glue and add some slender green paper leaves, also attached with glue, to the paper straws. You can crimp the leaves to give them an added pop of texture!
Kids can decorate a small juice can for a vase, either with paper, or paint-extra credit for recycling! If using paper, decorate it first before attaching it to the juice can. Paint can be applied directly onto the can.
Place the bouquet of paper tulips in the finished vase for a cheery Spring decoration!
Arts and crafts are one of the most delightful activities to allow kids to feel free and use their imaginations to the fullest. They’re also a great opportunity for educational moments!
A few things to remember when crafting in your classroom are:
- Display the students art in a place where they can see it and feel good about what they made. Perhaps a school-wide art show is in order!
- Allow their creativity to be their own. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.
- Remind them that cleaning up is part of the project and even though everyone is different, you’re all in it together!
Happy Crafting!