{"id":295,"date":"2012-05-31T01:41:18","date_gmt":"2012-05-31T01:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/?p=295"},"modified":"2021-02-09T22:46:28","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T04:46:28","slug":"pinterest-summer-crafts-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/pinterest-summer-crafts-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Reuse, Recycle, Repin: Pinterest-Inspired Crafts for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Is perusing Pinterest your favorite way to unwind online? We&#8217;ve got a great pinning assignment for you: Search the site\u00a0for fun, easy, and inexpensive ways to entertain your kids with at-home crafts! Here&#8217;s a sampling of some projects that we just love &#8212; all involve recycling and reinventing common household materials to create fanciful, colorful art projects that are perfect for rainy days, days off, summer vacations, winter breaks and more!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>By\u00a0Amanda Austin<\/p>\n<p>Kids love crafts &#8212; and so do their creative caretakers. That&#8217;s because making original artwork\u00a0keeps children amused\u00a0while challenging their imaginations, fine-tuning their fine-motor skills, and exploring their world in a way that&#8217;s hands-on fun. Pinterest is a great place to find an almost endless supply of ideas for all ages. Here are some of our favorites\u00a0to entertain your children\u00a0the next time they cry &#8220;I&#8217;m bored&#8221; during a quiet weekend, rainy day, school holiday, or summer vacation. Plus, all are made with items you likely have on hand, so there&#8217;s no need to run to the craft-supply store first!<\/p>\n<h2><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-221.png\&quot;">Turn &#8220;Trash&#8221;\u00a0into Treasure<br \/>\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-298\" title=\"Picture 22\" src="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-221.png?w=224\&quot;" alt=\"\" width=\"224\" height=\"300\" srcset="\&quot;https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-221.png" 410w, https:\ \ ahblog.activityhero.com\ wp-content\ uploads\ 2012\ 05\ picture-221-224x300.png 224w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 224px) 100vw, 224px\" \ /><\/a><\/h2>\n<p>Pinterest is teeming with projects for kids created from products you have around the house &#8212;\u00a0or would normally\u00a0throw out. Here, a few clever\u00a0selections:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Instead of recycling your <strong>empty toilet paper tubes<\/strong>, save a few for this <a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/97249673173802499\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">adorable toilet-paper-tube snake project<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Are all those <strong>broken\u00a0nubs of\u00a0crayons<\/strong> driving you crazy? Melt them down to make multicolored recycled crayons with the help of\u00a0this easy <a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/211458144974324456\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tutorial<\/a>,\u00a0or have your children glue longer crayons\u00a0to canvas and use a hair dryer to melt them into\u00a0<a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/774124906137797\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">unique crayon art<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paper grocery or lunch bags<\/strong> can be embellished to become\u00a0<a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/274297433524910334\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">adorable paper bag puppets<\/a>, with a wonderful bonus of &#8220;puppet show playtime&#8221; when the craft project is complete.<\/li>\n<li>Every home has dozens of <strong>mismatched buttons<\/strong> cluttering junk drawers and sewing boxes. It&#8217;s almost as though they are just begging to be turned into <a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/20266267043205431\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">beautiful button art<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-23.png\&quot;"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-299\" title=\"Picture 23\" src="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-23.png?w=297\&quot;" alt=\"\" width=\"297\" height=\"300\" srcset="\&quot;https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-23.png" 399w, https:\ \ ahblog.activityhero.com\ wp-content\ uploads\ 2012\ 05\ picture-23-297x300.png 297w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 297px) 100vw, 297px\" \ /><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Or dig through your craft cabinet and use up odds-and-ends in &#8220;combination&#8221; projects,\u00a0such as this stunning &#8220;starburst&#8221; artwork made with\u00a0<a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/279293614360826579\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">glue, salt, and watercolors<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-26.png\&quot;"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-302 aligncenter\" title=\"Picture 26\" src="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-26.png\&quot;" alt=\"\" width=\"290\" height=\"195\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Preserve Kids&#8217;\u00a0Tiny\u00a0Handprints<\/h2>\n<p><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-24.png\&quot;"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-300\" title=\"Picture 24\" src="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-24.png\&quot;" alt=\"\" width=\"235\" height=\"169\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>What mama doesn\u2019t love adorable handprint art? Plus, these personalized pieces make great gifts to send to far-flung relatives and friends &#8212; or to give as a thank-you gift to a favorite teacher or after school instructor. If you\u2019re stuck for unique ideas, Pinterest has you covered. Consider searching with a theme in mind: Maybe, for instance, you can connect\u00a0your handprint\u00a0artwork to a recent\u00a0activity or outing. Here, a few ideas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Planning on paying a visit to a\u00a0flower show or butterfly garden? Check out this\u00a0<a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/279293614361346913\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Very Hungry Caterpillar handprint p<\/a>roject idea to create before or after your trip.<\/li>\n<li>Did your kids get along swimmingly with the dolphins and fish at a recent aquarium visit? This <a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/251990541619748802\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">fish aquarium handprint idea<\/a> is the perfect project to commemorate the trip.<\/li>\n<li>For a little girl who loves to dance,\u00a0check out this\u00a0<a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/49610033369713541\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ballerina handprint project<\/a>. It&#8217;s the perfect craft to make before (or after) a recital &#8212; or to give to a cousin or sister after her big solo.<\/li>\n<li>You can also create a handprint craft that helps you preserve special memories of the whole year.\u00a0<a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/99079260522500780\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">This tutorial gives you ideas for a new themed handprint<\/a> every month. When you\u2019re done, glue the handprints into a calendar. Add a few notes about what you did as a family each month, for a touching memento.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-25.png\&quot;">Make Your Own Craft Supplies<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-301\" title=\"Picture 25\" src="\&quot;https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-25.png?w=300\&quot;" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"209\" srcset="\&quot;https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/picture-25.png" 409w, https:\ \ ahblog.activityhero.com\ wp-content\ uploads\ 2012\ 05\ picture-25-300x209.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \ /><\/a><\/h2>\n<p>DIY-ers and penny-pinchers rejoice: Pinterest is the hottest go-to source for \u201cmake-your-own\u201d art supplies. Plus, creating one of these items\u00a0can serve as a kid-friendly project in its own right! Consider these options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have a child who loves to sculpt? Create some <a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/492792384198955464\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">homemade <\/a><a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/492792384198955464\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;play dough&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0in every color of the rainbow using &#8212; surprise &#8212; colored gelatin as an ingredient!<\/li>\n<li>For kids who love lightweight modeling foam, grab the shaving cream and cornstarch and whip up a batch or two of\u00a0<a href="\&quot;https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/271553052504582177\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">foam dough,<\/a> using this super-simple recipe.<\/li>\n<li>Pinterest can even help make bath time colorful with this <a href="\&quot;http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/48765608435166396\/\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">washable, non-staining homemade bath paint.<\/a>\u00a0With this craft, the art-making and the cleanup are an all-in-one event!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pinterest has scads of ideas for making unique art projects with your kids in ways you might not have thought of on your own.<\/p>\n<p>If you find your child has a flair for fine arts, take a few minutes to call up the art-class offerings on Activity Hero &#8212; there, you&#8217;ll also find some great ways to nurture your child&#8217;s muse through camps, classes, and drop-in art sessions.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<div class=\"zemanta-pixie\" style="\&quot;margin-top:" 10px; height: 15px;\"><a class=\"zemanta-pixie-a\" title=\"Enhanced by Zemanta\" href="\&quot;http:\/\/www.zemanta.com\/?px\&quot;" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"zemanta-pixie-img\" style=\"border: none; float: right;\" src="\&quot;http:\/\/img.zemanta.com\/zemified_e.png?x-id=3e6d7507-bc7f-434f-95b3-16c83e5f866f\&quot;" alt=\"Enhanced by Zemanta\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is perusing Pinterest your favorite way to unwind online? We&#8217;ve got a great pinning assignment for you: Search the site\u00a0for fun, easy, and inexpensive ways to entertain your kids with at-home crafts! Here&#8217;s a sampling of some projects that we just love &#8212; all involve recycling and reinventing common household materials to create fanciful, colorful [&hellip;]<\/p&gt;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/template-cover.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[66,68,69,76,81,86,87,89],"class_list":["post-295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting-resources","tag-craft","tag-crayon","tag-do-it-yourself","tag-fingerprint","tag-list-of-artistic-media","tag-paint","tag-paper","tag-pinterest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9386,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295\/revisions\/9386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}