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How to Come up With a Craft Idea
for Kid Programs
Are you a camp director or Sunday School teacher looking for a craft
idea for kid enrichment? Maybe you feel like you are just not
the creative type, and you struggle with coming up with craft
projects. It is true that some people just have a knack for
finding or even inventing craft ideas, but your creativity can be
improved. There are ways to make it easier to find a craft
idea for kid needs.
First, lay aside any perfectionism. Locking yourself into
thinking there is only one right way to do something makes every
decision harder. Regardless of the kid program you are
helping with, there are always many suitable craft ideas out
there. Don't worry about picking the wrong one! If
you've taken into consideration the age and skill levels of the kids
involved, your choice will be adequate.
Next, consider your budget. When choosing a craft idea for
kid programs, you need to be aware that some of them are
expensive. Prepackaged kits to make a fun foam picture frame
or a craft stick cross are affordable for a few kids, but if you are
needing to do a craft with a lot of kids, these kits might cost too
much. It's often easy to do almost exactly the same project
by just looking at the craft kit components and buying the same
materials in bulk at the discount store. You may have to do
some preparation, like cutting out shapes ahead of time, or at least
making cardboard patterns for the kids to use in cutting out their
own. The savings will be worth it, however.
Another consideration is this: in spite of years of
indoctrination from women's libbers, the fact remains that boys and
girls like different sorts of crafts! If the craft seems a
little girly, don't use it at boys' camp. Stick with lace-up
leather billfolds, Indian artifacts, dinosaur art, and similar
projects. Girls will like beads and anything that's pink or
purple. For a craft idea for kid camp where there are kids of
both sexes, keep it on the boyish side and provide some pink materials
to keep the girls happy.
An aspect of creativity that the non-creative types don't realize is
that ideas spring from other ideas. That is, if you look over
a book or website of craft ideas, maybe none of them will appeal to
you, but if you let them, they will spark an idea for a similar
project. Use what you can and change what you must in the
craft directions. For instance, the craft may have a slogan
to be written across the front. If you need to change the
slogan to fit your own needs, it's perfectly OK. For
instance, the pictured project might say "Girls rock!" You
can change that to "He is the Rock!" if that meets your VBS needs
better.
A final suggestion is to realize that you don't have to change the
instructions or create something new to have a good craft idea for kid
use. Feel free to follow the instructions to the letter if
that works better for you. The kids will have a great time
either way. Just pick a craft idea, for kid creativity beats
adult creativity everytime! The kids will make it creative,
even if you have doubts about your own ability in this area.
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