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Celebrate National Craft Month with Simple Spring Projects for Kids of All Ages!

Written by Chelsea Triola  |  04. March 2014

March is National Craft Month and a great time for craft lovers to take on fun new projects while showing off their creative side. National Craft Month also brings people together along with their unique ideas. The great thing about this holiday is anyone can celebrate it; adults, children, senior citizens and even teachers, who can come up with fun activities for their students as well.

National Craft Month is also a wonderful opportunity for businesses to host some fun in-store events and contests. Search for special promotions this month at your local craft stores and find out what events they are having that can help you become craftier. In honor of Craft Month, we have listed a couple of great craft activities, suitable for novice crafters and those who have been taking part in it for a while, too.

Personalized Spring Wreath
Create your own spring wreath to put on your front door as decoration. Personalize it with fun materials that will make your door decoration really pop!

Age Range: This craft is suitable for adults with help from middle school-aged children.

Materials:

  • Yellow yarn
  • Felt spring flowers (color of your choice)
  • Floral berries
  • A painted letter (first letter of your family last name)
  • White ribbon for hanging
  • Glue

Directions:
1. Wrap any wreath with yellow yarn until completely covered.
2. Glue on the felt flowers anywhere on the wreath you would like.
3. Then glue on the floral berries.
4. Attach your painted letter to one side of the wreath, or in the center depending on which way you like better.
5. Use white ribbon to hang it on your front door and voila!

Homemade Bird Feeder
This craft is simple to create and is perfect for children who want to watch birds feed this spring in their backyard!

Age Range: Homemade Bird Feeders are a craft suitable for children in elementary school or older. Younger children may require some help from a parent.

Materials:

  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Sticks, 2 per roll
  • Bird seed
  • Peanut butter
  • String or ribbon
  • A hole punch

Directions:
1. Punch 2 holes in one side of the toilet paper roll, aligning them evenly acorss from each other. This will be used to tie the string for hanging.
2. Punch 4 holes into the opposite end of the toilet paper roll, align them evenly. These will be used for the birds to perch on. Set one a bit higher than the other so the sticks can be pushed through with no problem.
3. Insert the 2 sticks into each hole, going in one side and out the other in the corresponding hole. Push the sticks through gently so you don’t rip the holes or make them too loose. You don’t want the sticks falling out.
4. Center each stick so that they are crossing each other like an intersection and so they are sticking out enough for a bird to perch on.
5. Holding the lower part of the feeder below the sticks, spread a light layer of peanut butter on the upper part of the toilet paper roll and cover it in bird seed. Make sure not to cover the holes at the top, you will need them for the next step.
6. Cut the string to your desired length. Tie it to the top of the bird feeder through the two holes you cut in step 1 to make it able to hang.
7. You’re finished! Hang in your backyard and patiently await the hungry birds!

Candy Butterfly
The candy butterfly craft is perfect for children to create around spring time and can even be used during Easter. If preferred, you can replace the candy with fruits and nuts to make the crafty treat a bit healthier.

Age Range: This fun butterfly craft is suitable for elementary school aged children and older.

Materials:

  • Snack size Ziploc bags
  • Candy, cereal, fruit, nuts or crackers
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Clothes pins
  • Card stock
  • Gems, sequins or other decorative items
  • Glue

Directions:
1. Fill the Ziplocs bags half way with candy or fruits and nuts.
2. Seal the bag, making sure to press out all the air as you go.
3. Push the candy to one side of the bag and place a pipe cleaner in the center.
4. Loop the pipe cleaner around the bag and twist tightly to secure.
5. Open the empty side of the bag and fill it with a second type of candy or fruit. Close securely.
6. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner around your finger to create swirls. (Antennas)
7. Use a clothes pin to put over the center of the bag, covering the twisted pipe cleaner.
8. Put glue along the length of the clothes pin and cover with card stock.
9. Decorate the card stock as you would like.

Coffee Tin Flower Pot
Decorate around your yard or in your spring garden with these coffee tin flower pots that you can personalize with paint and fun accessories!

Age Range: This craft is suitable for preschool children and older who like to help mom with the gardening!

Materials:

  • Old coffee tin, cleaned out
  • Paint
  • Paintbrushes (various sizes for decorating)
  • Accessories of your choice (buttons, glitter, beads, etc.)
  • Glue

Directions:
1. Clean out an old coffee tin and take the paper off the outside. Rip it off or soak in hot water to make ripping off easier.
2. Paint the tin any color you would like. You can use multple tins and paint them different colors to create colorful outdoor decor.
3. Make fun designs on the tins or glue accessories to the outside for a fun addition.
4. Once the tins are dried, place flowers inside creating your own unique flower pot!
5. Place outside for decor or in your garden.

Continue with your crafts all throughout the month to challenge yourself on how many you can complete until March is over. Do the same for your children to encourage them to let their creativity really shine, all while having them become more skilled at cutting, gluing and drawing.

 

Have a fun craft you would like to share with us in honor of National Craft Month?
Let us know in the comments below!

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