Crafting with young children isn’t really about creating anything in particular. Most young children do not have the foresight to see what a project is going to be.

For young children it is more important that they have the opportunity to play and experiment with art. Children need to use as many senses as possible to get the most out of crafts. This allows them to try new sensory experiences, as well as learn causal relationships.

These are my 10 favorite crafts for toddlers based on all of that AND the ‘fun factor’.

1. Finger painting: Finger painting is a wonderful activity for children. It allows them to ‘feel’ the trade as well as being creative. You don’t have to have finger paint to do this activity with kids. You can finger paint with homemade paint, watercolors, or even mud. You can also experiment by adding

other things to the paint like sand or glitter.

2. Yarn painting: Dip pieces of string or thread into the paint, then drag them across the paper to paint with them. It’s a good experience to paint with something other than a brush and you can throw away the thread when you’re done.

3. Q-Tip Painting: Use Q-tips to create a painting. There are many ways to use a Q-tip: rub, dot, or use it as a brush. It’s a good coordination exercise because the sticks are small, but it also generates a lot of interest for the child.

4. Glue Art: Draw wavy lines on a piece of paper or let the child use his or her finger to make glue dots or random patterns on a piece of paper. Experiment by adding different objects to the glue. Sand, glitter, cotton, yarn, feathers, and tissue paper work well.

5. Salt Dough Carving: Make a batch of salt dough and unleash the kids with it. You don’t have to worry about being eaten (it’s safe and tastes terrible) and clean up is easier than playing with play dough. If you want to keep your creations, let them dry overnight and then paint them the next day.

6. Toe Paint: Save If it’s a warm summer day, throw on your bathing suits, put some finger paint in the cake pans, lay out large sheets of poster paper, and let them ‘paint’ all afternoon. They’ll have a blast and all you have to do is hose them off when they’re done (that’s my kids favorite part actually!)

7. Found Object Art: This project is always safe because children love to ‘discover’ things. Let your child collect leaves, sticks, flowers, etc. and then paste them on a piece of paper. When they’re done, let them tell you about his collection.

8. Peanut Photos: All the kids love to play with peanuts, but it makes a mess. Let them create images with them instead. Children can draw on them, glue them to a piece of paper, or glue the peanuts together to make a sculpture. The kids will love it!

9. Sticker Set: Set your child loose with a bunch of stickers, markers, and a sheet of paper and let him create. It’s good for little ones to work on their coordination, and it’s fun!

10. Pattern: Children love to use any type of stamps. My favorites are self-inking stamps or double-sided markers with the stamps on one end. This may seem like pure play, but it also teaches young children cause and effect.