Creative Kid Thingster

Kids have the most ingenious crafty thingsters in their heads...why not let them out? Get a crafty box ready for them, and let them go wild. (Great diversion on rainy days when you are ready to stuff yourself down the garbage disposal just to get away from the whining!)


First...have them decorate a crafty box. You will need:

• a shoe box, or other box with a lid
• paint, glue, markers, brushes, or other decorating thinglets
• magazine, gift wrap, or posters to cut up and decoupage on
• scissors
• glitter, sparkles, buttons, trims, lace
• LOTS of newspaper to protect surfaces
• kids

Now, while the kids are painting, decoupaging, gluing, and otherwise decorating their box, you need to do a little "shopping" around the house. Find some cardboard tubes, beads, buttons, fabric and paper, cans, paint, markers, jars, and whatever trash you can come up with. If you give a kid a box full of crafty thinglets, the kid will create a great thingster! Think out of the box, look through the junk drawer...screws, nuts, & bolts can be glued onto a can for a manly pen holder thingster. Wire is always good. That old potato masher will make a great stamp. Pieces of wood, bottle caps, film canisters...look all over! And don't forget to look in your own craft supplies (under cover of darkness...so the kids won't know where you keep the good thingsters!) and clear out the old, unwanted, and unused supplies.


When the kids are done, the box is dried, and the whole mess is clean, show them the thinglets you have for their box. Take them on scouting expeditions to the dollar stores and garage sales. Make it an event, plan to find thinglets to make gifty thingsters for someone, or a special occasion. Make gifts for Christmas, birthdays...decorations for any occasion...the sky's the limit.


This is not just a "fun" thingster, either. Crafting actually helps children do better in school. Kids who craft have better problem solving skills, are more adept at spacial relations, and handle problematic situations better. Makes them happier little kidsters, too!

What is a thingster?

Good question, huh? A thingster can be any number of things...from a great cleaning tip to a great craft. I hope to include everything from food to fun in this crazy blog. Let me know if you come up with any great thingsters to share.