Simplifying Kids’ Craft Clutter
“Do you have any tips for making kids arts and crafts more sustainable? I have a craft shelf that the kids love. I keep it stocked and love to encourage their creativity, but it feels so wasteful!”
Pom pons, glitter glue, and googly eyes, oh my.
While we all want to provide our children with opportunities to express their creativity, I believe there’s a fine line between offering artistic inspiration and being wasteful. (While we’re at it, there’s also a fine line between tidy art spaces and out-of-control crafting.)
On this short and sweet episode, I’m answering a listener’s question about how sustainable minimalists handle arts & crafts.
Here’s a preview:
[2:45] Why I suggest you stop buying art supplies for your kiddos (and what you should stock for their creative endeavors, instead)
[5:45] Where to find eco-friendlier art supplies on the market
[7:00] The ins and outs of a 21st century scrap bin
[10:15] Thoughts on instilling a culture of slow creation (with a focus on functional art) in your home
Resources mentioned:
- Kraft paper tape
- Scissors made from recycled plastic (note: not for kids)
- Beeswax crayons without petroleum
- Acid-free construction paper with recycled content
- Biodegradable glitter
- Crazycrayons.com for petroleum-based crayon recycling
* Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!)
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3 thoughts on “Simplifying Kids’ Craft Clutter”
Hi,
This is nice writing on clearing the crafts clutter.
Great ideas! I buy a few very good quality craft materials (watercolors, paper, crayons, wool yarn, clay) for serious projects, and the kids have to scrounge for whatever else they need or want, often from nature or the kitchen (salt dough, spices to make dyes,etc) We’ve had the same beeswax crayons for years and years. It’s worth the money.
Thank you for your suggestions. I also wanted to mention that home made salt dough is a simple and easy replacement for store bought kids dough and can be made with spices and natural dyes. You can easily store it in a mason jar, and provide your own cookie cutters for your children if they tend to like that sort of thing. Natural beeswax crayons are beautiful and will last a long time. Stockmar watercolor paints are wonderful too. We purchase only primary colors and make our own colors then store them in tiny mason jars. I also want to mention a Buddha board for simple painting. It only uses water and the image evaporates so you can use it over and over again. My kids love it.
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