Crafts & Toys

[crayolamom]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering how often everyone does crafts? I have been doing them once a week. I have never gotten a complaint but I was wondering if that is too little and if I should do more.

Also does anyone know where to buy a pretend play grocery store for kids. I am looking for something made from wood (no plastic) and not Melissa and Doug as every daycare in my area has that one. We went to the park the other day and I asked someone local providers and they all said Melissa and Doug! Lol

Thank a bunch.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I used to do it daily (some times twice a day!! I had a girl who was clueless at free play and if wasn't occupied she was trouble!! Lol) but have cut back to 3-4x a week. In the summer however, it's more like 1-2x a week as we just aren't inside long enough some days to bother getting it ready and put out.

Some times I'll just tape paper to the table (ikea sells a huge roll) and put out markers and crayons and they can come and go as they please.

I would love to have more out and have it come and go all day but I've never had an old enough group to safely do this

[crayolamom]

Wow!! My one day a week will be changing to at least 2 days hahaha Do you do planned crafts or just let me them pick material and let me make what they want?

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I useless at crafting. It not my strong point. But I tell this to parent when they come. We just do craft few times year - Christmas, Easter, Mother Day, Father Day and Halloween.

[babydom]

I go in waves. Sometimes there's a wk I'll do every day or a day I'll do four crafts. Some wks I do none. Sometimes it's once a wk. I always make sure I do all the holidays though. It's whenever the kids and I are in the mood. More is done in the winter as were inside a lot. I do barely none in the summer as were outside practically all day, only in for nap if it's not to hot.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I do more art than crafts. I do however do crafts for holidays and sometimes when we do our letter of the week. The other stuff is just me bringing out supplies and they do what they want.

I don't think it really matters how many times a week you do it as long as it's something every now and then. It teaches and exposes them to great, fun,new things! I do it because I'm used to centres (had to do it every day) and it really occupies them and helps fill the day.

Glitter however is banned!!! ;) lol

[Lee-Bee]

We dont do crafts but do open ended art. I aim for painting once a week, glueing once a week, playdough once a week (not really art but a means of creativity) and markers and stickers once a week. We also do random on the fly projects… yesterday I taped a roll of paper to driveway, squirted finger paint on it and let then smear it and walk through it. Then hosed the kids down.

I have just created art bins for each child with paper, crayons, markers, stickers and scissors with the intent to leave it out during afternoon freeplay. This is huge for me as I do not allow markers, stickers or anything to leave the table. We'll see how it goes!

I do not throw anything out. We paint papertubes, chunks of styrofoam, egg cartons… pretty much everything. For glueing, again I do not throw anything out. I chop up all gift cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, cardboard etc. I put it all in big bags and fill a bowl with it for them to glue into collages. The only cost is the glue. I buy the big jugs of glue and reuse a couple of small 2oz bottles. They can drain it as fast as they want but no refills. For painting, again it is just the cost of paint but they dont use that much since they paint something from recycling.

Anyways… my advice more art less crafts. You should not have to cut anything, trace anything or really prep in anyway. Just give them paint and a brush!

[Lee-Bee]

Not sure if you are looking for play food or a play cash register. But for play food I highly, strongly recommend this set: http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Sprouts-Breakfast-Baskets/dp/B00B2FNIGK/ref=sr_1_57?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1440124575&sr=1-57&keywords=play+food

It is NOT wood but a high quality rubber. They are amazing. I will note I did a ton of research and chose this set because it is easy to wash. Wood is not so easy to clean AND the wood food quickly chips/scratches and doesn't look good.

This food set is great...it has 'real' food not 36 French fries and 8 donuts like most plastic food sets!! It is superior compared to strandard plastic food. It is very realistic looking and feeling and is just great!!

[babydom]

We have all those sets too. LOVE them!!