DIY Kids Creative Kids Crafts

How Can You Raise D.I..Y. Kids?

As a kid, I was always doing some sort of project. I'd make potions in the garden from mud and plants, pretending I was a doctor or had a fancy diner. My mom was a teacher who brought extra craft things home from school. I'd scavenge through her scrap paper and pipe cleaners and make mobiles and collages. I didn't know I was a Do It Yourself Kid until I read the introduction of this wonderful book by two sisters, Ellen and Julia Lupton, who were self-proclaimed D.I.Y. Kids themselves, and who have written this wonderful instruction manual for unleashing your child's inner creative self.

Why I'd Recommend D.I.Y. Kids by Ellen and Julia Lupton

My kids have been doing art projects along with me and by themselves ever since they were little, but the Lupton's D.I.Y. Kids book has definitely sparked their imagination. We got ours from the library but I've had to order my own copy because none of my kids, aged 7 to 16 wanted to let me bring it back! The ideas in the book are inspiring and usually don't require a lot of equipment. So far, my girls have made: a stuffed penguin, cards, clothes for stuffed animals, hats for American doll girls, Graffiti furniture, Decorated boxes, Fleece Scarves, Altered T-shirts, Bracelets and Hair Clips. All of the projects were taken either from the book or inspired by pictures or instructions in the book.

Moreover, this book has given my girls even more inspiration to look around at what we have and imagine what they could make out of it. If you want to raise Do It Yourself Kids who have creative energy and the desire to solve problems and think about things in a new way, you should check out this book. Don't miss the Lupton's introduction which gives brief but very thought-provoking educational and parenting advice. I've purchased other books that were designed to give ideas to my kids, but no other book has sparked my kids as much as this one. I think it is because this book is not something written by adults for kids, it is a collaboration between kids and their parents.

Here are some of the ideas I've learned through my experience and this book:

Give Your Kids Supplies to Be Creative

We have a craft room and garage full of leftover art supplies like paper, beads, feathers, and buttons. Moreover, we have all the traditional supplies like glue, markers, tape and scissors easily accessible all the time. You don't have to spend a lot of money for supplies. Lots of houses have these things around or you can pick them up at garage sales or the Goodwill. My kids especially love turning trash into treasure, so let them find things like cereal boxes or plastic containers to use. The trick to making kids creative is having them invent some new way to use something. Straws, toothpicks, paper plates, plastic cups and leftover paper can all be made into buildings or jewelry. Help your kids see the potential. One great challenge for girls is to let them make doll house furniture from trash and duct tape. Have boys create a town for their cars and plastic figures (to play in or destroy!).

Let Your Kids Make a Mess

O.K. I'm a person who likes order and enjoys having my house mostly ready for company a lot of the time at least. However, creativity requires some space for mess. You can contain this in their bedrooms, the garage or the outside. You can also contain this by giving time limits. Big boxes get one week in my house--then they have to be taken outside or thrown out. The value of letting your kids have a corner of mess that they don't have to clean up for at least a while is well worth it.

No Media Time and Invite Friends Over

Media like video games, computers and T.V. is great, and it can be used for creative purposes, but kids need hands-on play and time to be bored in order to be motivated to put energy into creating something new. If your kids are too hooked into media, give them a media break and then give them this book and some supplies. Invite some friends over to have fun with them, or do one of the projects with them yourself--you may find D.I.Y. Kids fun yourself!

Praise the Process and the Result

Not every D.I.Y. Kids project is going to be perfect, or useful, or something you keep forever. The product you are looking for is not what your kids create, but what they are becoming--creative, problem-solving people. So praise whatever they do, and remember to focus your praise on their creativity in attacking the problem. If they get frustrated with their project, you can suggest some ideas or avenues to solve the problem. Sometimes, I will come in and fix something that was too tough for their less experienced hands to do. However, I think it is important to help them focus on what they learned and the fun they had in creating.

Why Raising D.I.Y. Kids is Important

The Lupton sisters suggest that it is by giving children a chance to get away from media and into art projects that they learn to be problem solvers. I know from the experience of raising my own kids that there is a lot of power in giving kids the chance to create. My eldest daughter has recently re-done her entire room using leftover stuff she's found around the house. Her friends are so impressed with her magazine collage birds, Tissue paper Starbucks jar art and Initial wall art, that they have been keeping her very busy making some for them. Raising D.I.Y. Kids means you will be raising interesting adults whose continual problem solving and creativity will amaze and astonish you. Why raise D.I.Y. Kids? Because D.I.Y. Kids are fun!