crafting with children challenge


Simple Rock Painting Ideas for Kids 2

Rock painting has become a massive craft trend over the years, if you haven’t heard of it you must have been living under a rock! I love it as you can make something beautiful and then leave it for other people to find or gift them as paperweights or even place them in the garden. Sometimes our children just need some inspiration so I have gathered together some simple rock painting ideas for kids along with some fabulous art materials to make it even easier. We have something for beginners to experts here.


Children’s Craft Showcase – Fathers Day Cards and Presents

Fathers day will soon be upon us, it is Sunday 20th June this year and I have been busy thinking about cards and gifts for MadDad.  If you are anything like me then you would prefer to give a home made card every time.I have a couple of very simple ideas for you.  


Children’s Craft Showcase – Painting

Sometimes painting with children can seem such a daunting task, it can take on a uncontrollable pace all of its own, which is why it is often great to use paint with an end in mind. So I set up the painting tings on the dining table yesterday for when I collected the minimads from school and decided we would do blow painting with a straw and then do some marble rolling. Materials Paint Water Paper Straws Marbles Tray (A bowl would be better from smaller children) Method You need to water down your paint for this to make sure that it blows and rolls easily.  I tend to drop blobs […]


Children’s Craft Showcase – Masking Tape 1

This one goes out to all of you with little ones, ones that scribble and just love free art. Materials Paper Masking tape, as low tack as possible crayons, pens, pencils, glitter, paint I know that I keep going on about not passing your perfectionism on to your children and letting them express themselves, but it is so true.  I also know that there are lots of people out there who don’t craft with their children because they fear the mess, well this is one for you. By using masking tape, you can tape the paper on to the table, which is great for smaller children and stopped the paper moving. […]


More Makes, laptop pouches and valentines hearts

I have been wanting to show you a couple more of the things I have been doing with the mini’s this week, but it is so dark, photo’s are not the best. I don’t know about you, but it seems once Johnnie Boden gets a hold of your address, he sends you a million and one catalogues, STOP Johnnie, you must be single handed responsible for the decimation of the rain forest.  Plus the models are so smug with their little snippets of their lives.  I don’t want to know that Verity loves chocolate cake, especially when she looks about a size 2!  I can not bear to throw them in […]


Valentine Heart craft for kids

Well this week, we are going with a valentines theme.  Yep seasonal over here at TheMadHouse.  Again, I am hoping to inspire you out there with children to craft and play with them.  To get over your need for perfectionism and fear of mess and just go with the flow and enjoy. If we do inspire you, then please use the McLinky below and link to any post that you do about crafting with children.  I would love to see and hear about your time crafting with your children. One of the best things I bought in the sales was a large paper punch in a heart shape (mine is 3inch), […]


Childrens Craft Showcase for 2010 8

I started the craft showcase in 2009, becuase once I had the boys I also developed the need to be more creative, which is something I have never ever been before. Rather than finding it a messy, time consuming and a chore, it is a true joy.  It is helping me get over my perfectionist tendencies, in that I have finally let go and let the boys interprete what I mean and also it doesnt matter if mine doesnt look perfect. Bearing in mind that the mini mads are 3 and 4 I tend to stick to easy and simple projects that use everyday things.  My neice is also 4 and […]


Childrens Craft Showcase – Fabric Painting on Bags for Gandmas 8

We have been busy cooking, baking, crafting, drawing, painting and generally having fun. over the last few days.   One of the tasks this week for the mini mads was to make a Christmas present for Nana and Grandma Materials Stamps (poundland have some in) Fabric paint (I got mine when MaxiMad was born over 4 years ago from Baker Ross) Masking tap Plain shopping bags (99p from Hobbycraft) Card We were lucky enough to receive some wonderful Christmas foam stamps from a friend and they are great and that was how this came to mind. Mask off a square on each side and put the card inside to stop the […]


Advent Crown or Wreath 8

  OK to start our traditions at Advent we are going to make a child friendly advent wreath or crown.  This is one of the many things I remember doing as a child, however, I remember the Blue Peter version of wire coat hangers, tinsel and open flames!! What I have tried to do here is design one that all the family can join in making and can be burnt at the dinner table each Sunday with supervision.   Materials Circle of card/I have used a cake tray under it as it is solid Salt dough Cookie cutter in a star shape Green Paint Gold paint Glitter Greenery 4 tea light or votive […]


Crafting with Children – Make your own wrapping paper 3

This is another really simple, but fun childrens craft, which will save you some pennies over the Christmas period and also over the year to come. Materials Paper – we have a roll of white paper from Ikea £2.99 Washable paints Paper plates Washing up bowl filled with soapy water Towel Now I am not going to pretend this is a clean craft, no sir, it is a messey, fun and wonderful craft and if you are feeling up to it then why not join in too.  If you have a fine day then you can always go outside for this one. Now I do not have images of this work […]


Crafting with Children 14

I am thinking about introducing a weekly crafting with Children Showcase.  Something that we can all partake in with our little ones. I love crafting and art with the boys and often find that it is so much easier if I have something planned and prepared.  I often hear from people that they dont do painting, gluing or craft and art with children at home as they dont like the mess. Now mess can be an issue, but you can minimise it and also with the right tools you can make life much easier. Firstly an art smock is a definite must.  I made the boys from one of MadDads old […]