QT30: Alternative activities with arts and crafts

When it comes to quality time with your child, arts and crafts is a great way to switch it up! This will give you a chance to do something fun together. Physical activity is important for your kid’s health, but so is mental activity. Arts and crafts allows your child to take a visual and creative approach towards engaging their mind.

We encourage quality time with your child to help their development. Their brains are fast-changing during their first few years of life. Now is the time that they are most impressionable. Just 30 minutes a day of quality time can make a world of difference in their growth. By quality time, we mean a solid 30 minutes with no devices or distractions. You are simply spending time with your child.

Here are just a few arts and crafts ideas for ages 0 to 3.

• Block Printing: Utilize your baby’s stacking blocks. These are usually categorized by color, so it’s easy to dip them into paint colors. Let your child get artistic and use a block as a paint brush on a piece of paper. They’ll enjoy getting messy, learning their colors and spending quality time with you.
• Prism: This one is simple and fun! Just safely hang a glass prism in your baby’s window and take notice of how they react to the different colors being reflected. This is a great way to test their vision and how they respond to light and color.

Let’s take a look at some arts and crafts activities for kids 4 to 8 years old.

• Tie-Dye Tee: All you need for this activity is a tie-dye kit from any arts and crafts store, and plain t-shirts for you and your kid. Simply mix colors together and allow your child to be creative. This a great way for them to be hands-on and express themselves.
• Noise Maker: Take a paper towel tube and fill it with beads, beans or rice. Tape the ends closed and there you have it! The noise maker can introduce your child to new sounds, rhythm and the concept of music.

It is important to not only have fun but also to keep your baby safe! If you are unsure of the safety of certain arts and crafts products, listen to what the American Academy of Pediatrics has to say. Be sure to take a look at our full list of activities over on DE Thrives, and have fun teaching your child today!