3 Kids Project to Celebrate National Crafts Month

Now is the best time to encourage your child to channel their inner artist! Get the art materials and supplies ready because this March, we are celebrating National Crafts Month! National Crafts Month was created by the Craft and Hobby Association in 1994.

This celebration of crafts is designed to encourage everyone to find joy in crafting, learn new crafts and discover or revisit a hobby. It also supports the use of all kinds of mediums. From paints, fabrics, yarns, paper – you can have your child take their pick when it comes to materials.

Celebrate National Crafts Month with these projects your little one will surely love!

Rainbow Windsock Toilet Paper Roll Craft

This Rainbow Windsock Toilet Paper Roll Craft is an adorable craft perfect for rainy days. It can turn your child’s gloomy day into something fun and exciting!

Here are the materials you’ll need:

• blue paint
• toilet paper roll
• scissors
• white paper
• black marker
• string
• tissue paper in different colors
• hole puncher

How to do it?

1. Start by painting the toilet paper roll in blue. You can have your child do this step with your guidance.
2. Once the roll is painted, you can set it aside until the paint dries completely.
3. In the meantime, you can make the clouds by drawing a cloud shape and cutting it out. Let your child draw eyes and a mouth to make it more fun.
4. Then go back to your toilet paper roll and punch two holes on either side where you can insert the string for hanging.
5. Push the yarn through the holes and tie it up.
6. Get your cloud and glue it on the toilet paper roll.
7. Then, cut the colored tissue paper into long strips and glue them around the toilet paper roll.

Once done, it is ready to be hung!

Paper flower crafts

Making paper flower crafts is perfect for kids of all ages. Not only is it a fun activity but it also helps develop their fine motor skills.

These are the materials you’ll need for this craft:

• yellow paper
• circle paper punch
• scissors
• colored paper
• green paper straws
• stick glue
• clear or patterned tape

How to do it?

1. Guide your child when it comes to punching a few circles out of yellow paper using the puncher.
2. Cut strips of colored paper but make sure to pay attention to their size in relation to the yellow circles.
3. Then, make a paper loop by putting together the ends of the strips with glue. Depending on the flower you are making, you may need to make quite a few.
4. Have these loops glued on the side of the paper circle until it forms a flower.
5. The final step is to glue the green paper straw at the center of the flower and secure it with tape.

3D Rainbow Paper Craft

Making rainbow crafts is another activity your little one will surely enjoy. Because rainbows are made of different colors, this craft can be a wonderful opportunity to teach your child about colors. Here are the materials you need to make a 3D Rainbow Paper Craft.

• Construction paper in rainbow colors
• scissors
• cotton balls
• duct tape

This craft is very easy to make.

1. Cut 7 strips of paper, one strip of each color to make a true rainbow.
2. Then, cut out two cloud shapes using your white construction paper.
3. Arrange the strips according to the correct color order of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, or the other way around) and glue one end on one cloud.
4. Then, glue the other end on the second cloud.
5. Use duct tape to secure both ends.
6. Fold the strips of paper following the line of the duct tape so it’s easier to make an arch.
7. Apply glue on the clouds and add cotton balls on both sides of the strips to hold the rainbow’s arched shape.

Once done with both clouds, your rainbow craft is complete!

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There are plenty of fun and engaging crafts your kids can create this National Crafts Month! Feel free to explore some other crafts and use them as an exciting bonding activity with your kids!

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8 Tips to Teach your Kids to Calm Down

The ability to manage emotions isn’t something that comes easy, especially for young kids. If you’re a parent, you might have already experienced all sorts of tantrums and meltdowns. While we want to control our child’s behavior, there’s no way we can limit their emotions. We can’t stop them from being upset. This is why your child needs your help.

The lack of self-regulation in children can have lasting negative effects in their relationships. But there’s something you can do to help them create healthy and fulfilling friendships.

How to calm kids down?

Read on and learn how to calm kids down with these helpful tips.

Set a good example

Modeling your ability to regulate your own emotions is paramount to teaching how to calm kids down. Be mindful of how you react to certain situations. Be aware of your responses or coping mechanisms when confronted with frustrating circumstances. Resist your tendencies to raise your voice. Practice calming down so that your child can learn from the example you set.

Take them to their favorite spot

Does your little one have a favorite spot they go to everytime they are upset? Take them to that place if they need to calm down. It could be the park, a cozy corner in the house, the backyard or their bedroom.

Wherever it is, make sure it’s a good place suitable for finding some peace and quiet so that your child can get over their stressful moment. This way, children won’t feel that taking time to calm down is a negative thing.

Allow them to express their emotions

Young kids aren’t capable of regulating emotions. If it’s hard for adults to control how we feel, it’s even harder for them. When they are upset or angry, it’s important to understand that it is a natural part of being human. It isn’t something parents should blame them for. Instead, make your child feel safe enough to express their emotions. Allow them to cry if they feel like crying. You may also encourage them to talk about how they feel, but never force them. Focus on accepting their emotions but never punish them or dictate what they shouldn’t feel.

Take a walk

Taking a walk outside isn’t only a good way to exercise but it’s also an excellent way to help kids calm down. When your child feels upset or emotional, invite them out for a walk. This will help clear their head and steady their emotions. This is also a good bonding activity for parents and children.

Guide their behavior accordingly

Guiding the behavior of a child does not mean that parents should teach them to repress their emotions. Punishments are also strongly discouraged because it gives children the impression that feeling emotions is bad. Instead, what you can do is give your child positive guidance. Help them process their emotions and learn to handle their feelings better.

Take deep breaths

Taking slow deep breaths can help reduce anxiety and make a person calmer. Encourage your child to breathe deeply during a stressful situation. Practice it by showing your child how it’s done.

Listen to some relaxing music

Music has a way of affecting our mood. So when you need to make your child calm down, try making them listen to relaxing or happy music to lift their mood.

Give your child a comforting hug

Nothing beats the comfort and security from a warm embrace. It might sound like a very simple thing to do but many parents forget about it. There are times when you won’t need to say much. All that’s needed is a loving hug to make a child feel okay again. Don’t underestimate the power of a hug. After all, what a child needs is to know they are safe and loved.

You can’t keep your children from getting angry or upset. But you can provide them the guidance they need so they can manage their emotions better. So, the next time your child lashes out, these tips should come in handy to help them calm down.

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For more tips and advice on parenting, or if you are looking for the best quality early childcare for your little one, please feel free to visit The Pillars Christian Learning Center.

 

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